Why positive regard matters in inclusive design.

Putting people at the heart of design changes that perspective. It encourages us to look beyond technical compliance and consider how places are experienced day-to-day by people of different ages, abilities, backgrounds and needs. This is where positive regard matters.  

Positive regard means approaching design with active respect for the people who will use a place. It’s about recognising lived experience as a vital part of the design process, not an optional extra. When we do this well, we create places that feel safer, more inclusive and more welcoming. Places that support confidence, wellbeing and a strong sense of belonging.  

Place-making is often framed around two core ingredients: movement and place. Both are essential, but without people at the centre, we risk creating infrastructure rather than communities. A technically efficient street or public space may move people through an area, but it may not necessarily help them feel connected to it.  

This distinction became clear during a recent design research consultation with a group of people with visual impairments. Throughout the conversation, I repeatedly heard people describe certain design elements as “unsafe.” As engineers, we assess designs against guidance, standards and best practice. On paper, a proposed design may be compliant. 

Then the language shifted: “I feel unsafe.”  

That distinction matters. A place can meet technical requirements and still fall short for the people it’s intended to serve. Feeling unsafe affects how confidently someone moves through a space, whether they choose to use it and whether they feel they belong there.  

Designing places for all people 

Inclusive design starts with listening. As designers and engineers, we need to understand how different groups experience places at different stages of life, and how those experiences shape their choices.  

Older people may place greater importance on confidence, mobility, routine and reassurance in familiar environments. Younger generations may prioritise independence, speed, identity and opportunity. Disabled people, parents with young children, commuters, pedestrians and cyclists may all experience the same street in very different ways. 

These perspectives are not competing requirements. Often, what improves a place for one group makes it better for everyone. Clearer routes, safer crossings, better lighting, more intuitive layouts and more comfortable public spaces can all support wider accessibility, confidence and enjoyment.  

An inclusive place is therefore not just about function. It’s about whether people can use and understand a place, and move through it in ways that support their mobility, independence and wellbeing. By applying positive regard, designers and planners can make decisions that create places for all people – not just places that meet a standard or tick a box. 

Conscious design and decision making 

At BakerHicks, this way of thinking is supported by a culture that values inclusion, belonging and collaboration. Our Belonging initiative, employee networks and day-to-day support from colleagues help create a strong foundation for more inclusive decision-making. 

Positive regard isn’t about adding unnecessary process. It’s about developing a consistent habit of asking better questions: Who might experience this differently? What assumptions are we making? Does this design work in practice, not just on paper? 

Every drawing, decision and discussion has the potential to affect real experiences – walking home at night, travelling to work, getting to school, or simply feeling welcome or safe in a public place.  

Taking a small pause to test those assumptions can be the difference between a design that’s “good enough on paper” and one that materially improves everyday life. 

By Stephen Campopiano, Head of Transport Planning