The architecture of inclusion
Press play on the video below to meet our Co-Creators
In our industry, co‑design is a term that’s often overused – and underdone. A workshop here, a survey there, before the design is largely resolved behind closed doors.
Then a project comes along that demonstrates the power of doing it differently.
For Architectus, that project is The Gordon TAFE’s Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion.
Designed to make learning more accessible, inclusive and enriching for people with disabilities, the Centre is set to transform vocational education and training in Victoria, benefitting not just some but everyone.
The project’s greatest innovation may not be a single space or technology, but the process that produced it.
From consultation to co-creation
To design the new building, The Gordon and Architectus committed to something different, going far beyond traditional ‘consultation’.
A new approach to help us model a truly inclusive education environment – architecturally, operationally and culturally – for a care economy that is one of Victoria’s fastest‑growing sectors.
The multi-stage Co‑Creation process meant people with lived experience of disability made a genuine impact on every aspect of the design, every step of the way.
Ultimately, our Co-Creators will be able to trace their ideas in the built outcome, from the welcoming lounge entry to calming ‘reset’ rooms to much-needed space for support animals.
“This was a profound learning experience for our team, enriching our process – and outcomes – in so many ways.”
Many voices, many perspectives
Assembled by The Gordon, the project’s seven Co‑Creators represent a spectrum of physical, sensory, cognitive and neurodiverse perspectives and a range of genders and ages.
These co-creators were not simply ‘consulted stakeholders’ but collaborators embedded in the entire process.
With a defined role and responsibilities in the governance structure and terms of reference, the group had clear mechanisms for influencing both our building design and The Gordon’s operating model for the Centre.
How did this play out in the process?
We applied the co‑design framework to each phase of the project – Brief and Preliminary Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, Tender Documentation and Construction.
Every phase then followed the same four‑step cycle:
Co‑design key workshop – two intensive, IRL sessions where co‑creators, designers and subject matter experts explored everything from ‘day in the life’ journeys to ‘what if’ scenarios.
Reflection workshop – an online session (and critical checkpoint) where the design team presented back emerging themes, tensions and opportunities to ensure we truly understood the issues and priorities before proceeding.
Refinement workshop – a testing phase using drawings, models, imagery and, in some cases, VR walk‑throughs, to gain feedback from co-creators and align with operational needs, regulations and budget.
Resolution workshop – a reviewing phase that allowed co-creators to interact with the evolved design, ask questions, identify anything unresolved and endorse the outcome.
Importantly, the process went well beyond workshops, giving more people the chance to shape our decisions.
It included visits to existing Gordon facilities and benchmarks, interaction with physical models and 1:1 prototypes, chances to try out furniture and equipment from suppliers before selection, site inspections during construction, and participation in handover and commissioning.
Between phases, our design team met with subject matter experts, from educators and student services staff to facility managers and cleaning contractors. They helped us figure out how to bring ideas to life safely and sustainably – to embed inclusion in the everyday experience.
‘The same experience for everyone’
With co‑creators on board from the very beginning, the process did more than validate existing assumptions. It transformed them into design pillars reflecting the real stories, thoughtful critique, and imaginative problem‑solving of our collaborators.
One simple statement from a co-creator – ‘inclusion means the same experience for everyone’ – was the most significant of these pillars. It literally became the organising principle for an entire building.
At the heart of the idea: there should be no ‘back door’ or secondary routes for people with disability. Instead, dignity and agency should be designed into the primary experience.
Other pillars captured priorities such as:
–More calming, less transactional spaces – reducing sensory overload and anxiety, especially on arrival, so people feel cared for and welcome.
–Intuitive wayfinding – designing spaces with clear sightlines, landmarks, tactile cues and logical planning to help users navigate independently.
–Co‑located, accessible student services – bringing support functions together so students don’t have to ‘repeat their story’ across multiple touchpoints.
-Sheltered, quiet amenities for support animals – recognising the essential, everyday role they play for some people with disability.
Advocates and ambassadors
Each pillar is now legible in the emerging design of the Centre of Excellence – a place crafted by the people who will use it each day.
A new benchmark for Architectus, the project demonstrates the power of rigorous, multi‑phase collaboration – where the voices of collaborators are heard not just at a moment in time, but all the time.
“This experience has made us re-think our approach to designing education and care environments with people who have lived experience of disability,” says Ruth.
“It’s been so gratifying to see our co-creators become advocates and ambassadors for the Centre before it even opens.”
