Ty Carreg is managed by Orbis Education and Care and developed by X-Stream Developments. It is owned by former All Black and Cardiff Blues rugby team captain, Xavier Rush.

The 12-bed facility offers a transition for adults who have left full-time education, as well as those who are learning to live more independently.

Interior design plays a major part in providing a nurturing environment that can be personalised by service users.

The project was led by Rebecca Lewis-Chapman who is the director of The IAD Company. She said, “We have worked with Orbis on several projects so are continually learning about what makes a good environment for people who are on the autistic spectrum."

Autism-friendly interior design elements

“It’s about creating individual spaces that make the service user feel like it’s  their home. At Ty Carreg we achieved this by ensuring each bedroom has its own design.

“It’s also about making the interior design playful and keeping it light in terms of colour and feel.”

She added: “The challenge is to come up with a design which is to everyone’s preference as we didn’t know who would be living in each room. We have been able to source furniture and other items that are removable and have opted for a relaxing colour scheme throughout.”

Harsh colours were avoided in favour of pastel shades including blues, greens and greys. More-playful elements such as bird motifs were then introduced through fabric choice.

The challenge of planning regulations

The facility is arranged across a series of grade II-listed stone barns with sea views.  “It was a real challenge for architects to conform to the planning regulations for listed buildings and work with Orbis’s needs,” said Lewis-Chapman.

“For example, we were only allowed to add the electrics and plumbing to the new interior walls, and this impacted on the interior architectural plans and the furniture layouts.

“Also we were only allowed to use a specific breathable paint on the interior stone walls, which in turn meant we were only allowed to put colour onto the new interior walls.

“We believe that navigating the maze of rules for the refurbishment with Orbis and X-Stream as a team has resulted in a unique collection of bedrooms and facilities in a beautiful community setting."

The creation of a beautiful environment

“Anyone that visits is blown away by the location and the fact we are in the country and have wonderful sea views. It’s just the most-amazing environment to nurture people who need it.”

Orbis chief executive, Mike Currier, added: “We saw the site and knew we had to have it as it provides a beautiful environment and home.

“It is custom designed for the needs of its residents and staff to ensure they get the best experience while living and developing at Ty Carreg.”