At Archangel Architects, we often say it’s not the biggest projects that make the biggest difference.
Sometimes it’s a single room. A hoist. A bench.
A door wide enough for everyone.

As architects based in Cambridge, we believe inclusive design should be a core part of how we shape everyday spaces — from parks and public toilets to homes and places of worship.

Over 250,000 people in the UK rely on Changing Places Toilets — safe, spacious, hygienic facilities that enable people with profound and multiple disabilities to go about daily life with dignity. Without them, basic activities like visiting a park or taking a bus become deeply exclusionary.

That’s why we’ve been proud to work with Cambridge City Council on a series of Changing Places projects, including facilities at Cherry Hinton Hall Park and Drummer Street Bus Station.

Led by Jack, our in-house access champion, these schemes go beyond basic provision. They’re designed with empathy, efficiency, and long-term use in mind. At Cherry Hinton Hall, for example, we reconfigured the layout to group the WC, sink, hand dryer and soap dispenser along a single wall, with a dedicated plant/store room directly behind. This improves service access and helps keep maintenance efficient — supporting better hygiene standards over time.

These are small interventions, carefully considered. And they make a big difference.

Inclusive design in every setting

While Changing Places standards apply specifically to public buildings, the principles behind them — flexibility, access, dignity — are just as relevant in other contexts, including churches and private homes.

Whether it’s designing a home for a family with mobility needs, or upgrading church facilities to better welcome all members of the community, inclusive design is about more than compliance. It’s about care.

At Archangel, we’ve worked with a number of churches across Cambridge and the region to sensitively introduce disabled access — including new WC facilities, ramps, and improved circulation — all while respecting the character and constraints of historic buildings.

It’s work that sits at the heart of our practice: ensuring that buildings not only last, but truly serve.

If you’re planning to improve accessibility in a home, church, or community building, we’d love to help.
Feel free to get in touch — we’re always happy to share what we’ve learned.