The Value of Landscape in Sheltered Housing: Why Meaningful Engagement Matters

Well‑designed landscapes play a transformative role in sheltered housing. These spaces do more than provide visual interest. They influence emotional wellbeing, confidence, mobility and opportunities for social interaction. For residents with limited mobility, their immediate surroundings become a vital connection to nature and an important source of daily comfort and stimulation.  

Engagement with residents is essential to creating outdoor environments that genuinely support quality of life. Listening to individual experiences helps maintain independence, strengthen community connections and reduce loneliness and social isolation, which can have serious impacts on physical and mental health. Meaningful, tailored engagement - from informal conversations to involving residents in decision making - leads to landscapes that are more vibrant, inclusive and truly reflective of the people who use them.

Grounding Design in Real Experience

Through the City of Edinburgh Council’s Environmental Improvement Programme, AtkinsRéalis has supported improvements to sheltered housing environments across the city. Our ethos centered around treating residents like active co-creators, ensuring the designs responded to their specific individual needs, rather than being based on stereotypical assumptions. As many residents lived with complex physical or cognitive conditions, traditional group engagement was not appropriate. We therefore adopted a tailored approach which ensured every resident could participate comfortably and confidently.

One‑to‑one conversations were central to the process. These took place in residents’ own rooms with wardens or carers present. This provided dignity, privacy and opportunity to understand lived experience. These conversations revealed barriers that could otherwise have been overlooked. A single step, an uneven path or poor lighting could prevent a resident from going outside. Many emphasised the reassurance of seeing trees, wildlife and open space from their windows, especially if they were unable to go outdoors independently. Others highlighted the need for comfortable places to meet neighbours, enjoy fresh air or spend time with family.

The insight gathered directly shaped the design of sheltered housing landscapes, ensuring each intervention responded to what residents needed to feel safe, connected and supported.

Designing Spaces That Make a Difference

Engagement informed a range of design solutions across the programme. New ramps, level pathways and small patio areas improved accessibility. Trees, hedges, seasonal planting and raised beds provided sensory interest and enabled gentle gardening, even for residents with limited mobility. Grouped seating and wheelchair‑accessible picnic tables supported social interaction. Enhanced lighting and clearer sightlines helped residents feel more confident outdoors.

Practical improvements, such as mobility‑scooter charging sheds, clearer wayfinding and revised parking layouts, responded to concerns raised directly during engagement. These additions made the spaces more functional and inclusive while remaining easy to maintain.

Our engagement continued after construction via informal events and meetings to gather post-occupancy evaluation data to embed lessons learned into design standards for sheltered housing settings across the City. Speaking with residents, wardens and care staff helped us to identify what was working well and where further adjustments could be made. This iterative, inclusive approach ensured environmental improvements were not just aesthetic upgrades but meaningful interventions supporting health, social cohesion, and building long-term resilience.

Creating Places Where People Can Thrive

This work has highlighted the value of acquiring residents’ perspectives and lived life experiences in shaping meaningful care environments. Taking the time to genuinely engage leads to creation of spaces that feel personal, welcoming and well‑supported. In sheltered housing settings, meaningful engagement is not optional. It is the foundation for designing environments that uphold dignity, encourage independence and help people thrive in later life.

---

AtkinsReális is proud to sponsor this year's Housing LIN Annual Conference.