Neil Smith

Head of Inclusive Design at Buro Happold, Neil has over 15 years’ experience in specifying and negotiating access to the built environment for disabled people, and is well versed in the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and the previous Disability Discrimination Acts (1995 and 2005). But his knowledge isn’t limited to legislation. Neil’s passion for making the built world accessible to all shows through in his work: from masterplans and the development of design standards and policy, to examinations of individual buildings, enabling us to deliver the ideal solution to meet highly specific needs.

Neil’s particular experience and interest in strategic masterplanning and infrastructure development is invaluable and consequently incorporated in much of our work.

As a former governor of both Swiss Cottage School (a school for children with learning difficulties) and Frank Barnes School (a school for deaf children who communicate using British Sign Language) Neil is well aware of the demands made on the modern built environment. He is also as a former Chair of Trustees of the Friends of Swiss Cottage – a charity supporting the education of children with special education needs.