Fiona Walsh, FRIAI, RIBA, ARB
Architect
For a truly inclusive society, we must build inclusive environments.
Current Work
Fiona Walsh is a co-founder of DDS Architects, set up to design enabled environments for people living with dementia. She designs inclusive environments to support people living with physical, sensory, and cognitive impairments.
Personal Hero
David Attenborough
Words of Strength
Influencing change, Driving adoption
Vision
Thirty years of evidence-based research supports design intervention. Fiona believes we must ensure policy makers and stakeholders understand the value of inclusive design and the detrimental impact poor design can have on those living with cognitive and sensory impairments.
Strategy
Fiona presents the value proposition design can play in easing the economic crisis her region is facing. She brings together agencies who previously worked in silos to work collaboratively to plan future policy to ensure we design and build inclusive and enabled environments.
Impact
Fiona’s work results in an increased awareness of the importance of design in improving the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia. Advocacy helps disseminate this knowledge and facilitate the adoption of best practice design principles for dementia into mainstream design.
Motivation
A poorly designed environment can be confusing, disorientating, disabling, and even dangerous for those living with dementia. Fiona believes we should be providing safety, security, and ease of movement to make the best of remaining abilities.
Education & Experience
Fiona Walsh received her Bachelor of Architecture from University College Dublin, Ireland. She is a chartered architect and member of the Royal Institute of British Architects and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland. She was an associate at the award-winning practice Richard Hurley and Associates, Dublin, Ireland, before leaving and setting up FMA Studio Designs. Fiona is a co-founder and principal architect at DDS Architects, dementia design specialists, Berkshire, UK.
Awards & Honors
News
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