Project description

This project transforms the McDonald Road Fire Station into a sensory hub for individuals with ADHD. The original structure is preserved and enhanced with sensory-responsive strategies that support focus, emotional regulation, and reduce overstimulation.

A pentagon-based layout anchors the design, symbolising the five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and proprioception, guiding intuitive zoning and circulation. Spaces are organised by sensory intensity, balancing stimulation and calm.

Dedicated areas for movement, creative expression, and focused learning are supported by natural materials, muted colour palettes, controlled lighting, and modular wayfinding to reduce cognitive load and foster autonomy.

More than a therapeutic space, the centre also fosters community engagement, raising awareness of neurodiversity through inclusive design and adaptive, sensory-responsive environment.

The Site

McDonald Road Fire Station sits at a quiet yet pivotal junction—where McDonald Road meets Dryden Terrace, in the heart of Edinburgh’s Pilrig area, nestled between Canonmills and the bustling corridor of Leith Walk. Though still an active fire station, the building feels suspended between past and future, its concrete mass holding stories of urgency, routine, and resilience. The surrounding urban fabric is layered and diverse: nearby are residential tenements, a library, local cafés, green edges, and moments of visual noise—each offering a different rhythm, texture, and tempo.

Site Context
Chapter 1: Focus

This chapter explores how sensory design can function as a spatial strategy to support attention regulation and emotional wellbeing in individuals with ADHD. It moves away from approaches that aim to train or control attention, instead focusing on how the immediate sensory experience of architecture can shape focus, comfort, and engagement. The design acknowledges the broad spectrum of sensory processing—particularly hypersensitivity, which can lead to overstimulation, and hyposensitivity, which may require increased sensory input to sustain focus. To guide this exploration, the project is structured around the five senses: visual (sight), tactile (touch), auditory (sound), olfactory (smell), and proprioceptive (body awareness in space), forming the basis for both spatial zoning and material decision-making.

Senses
The Pentagonal Spatial Tranformation

Pentagons are used to establish the spatial framework and geometric rhythm in 2D, then transformed into 3D forms to shape volumes, define zones, and create immersive sensory environments. They are resized based on function, rotated to guide circulation, and trimmed to fit within site boundaries for coherence and spatial efficiency.

Spatial Transformation
Chapter 2 Realise

This chapter presents the resolved design, shaped by the research and explorations from earlier stages. Using the sensory framework and pentagonal geometry, the proposal supports attention, regulation, and wellbeing for individuals with ADHD. Spatial strategies are translated into clear plans, material choices, and sensory zones—balancing stimulation and calm. The final design reflects the project’s core intentions and shows how architecture can actively respond to neurodiverse needs through thoughtful, human-centred solutions.

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Interior Design - BA (Hons)
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