Reflecting on the Interior Design & Architecture Summit 2025
A Wake-Up Call for Hotel Accessibility
Last week, Alex, joined hundreds of designers, architects and hoteliers at the Interior Design and Architecture Summit (IDAS) in central London. From the moment she arrived, it was clear this year’s event was about more than aesthetic concepts and glossy brochures. It was a reminder that, as creative professionals, our work can – and must – have real impact on people’s lives. Over the course of the day we picked up practical tips on running a practice, learned fresh approaches to networking and, most importantly, were challenged to rethink how hotels serve guests with disabilities.
Practical Insights into Practice Ownership
The summit kicked off with a frank session on “Changing Hands,” led by partners from DLSM Architects. They walked us through every stage of handing over a practice: valuing the business, preparing staff and forging the right legal agreements.
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Emotional considerations: Succession isn’t just a spreadsheet exercise. Long-standing teams, loyal clients and personal reputations all hang in the balance.
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Practical steps: We heard how DLSM drew up a phased handover plan, with the outgoing lead mentoring their successor over a year.
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Key takeaway: Even if you’re decades away from retirement, it pays to start conversations early. An abrupt transition can unsettle clients and leave a practice rudderless.
For anyone running a design studio, this session was a timely reminder to treat future succession as a vital part of business planning – not something to file away until later.
Building Authentic Networks
Next up was a talk on “The Power of Genuine Connection.” It turned networking on its head: instead of small talk and name badges, the speaker encouraged us to consider each new contact as a potential collaborator, mentor or friend.
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Intentional engagement: Rather than firing off follow-up emails, ask yourself: “How can I bring value to this person?”
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Human over formal: A brief personal anecdote or a single well-chosen question can spark a lasting relationship.
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Listen first, pitch later: Some of the best collaborations emerge when you understand someone’s real challenges – not just your own agenda.
It was a refreshing challenge to slow down, be fully present and think beyond “What’s in it for me?”
Speed Networking with Purpose
After the plenary talks, we took part in twelve back-to-back, twenty-minute one-to-one meetings with suppliers ranging from fabric specialists to smart-home system providers. These rapid sessions were die-and-retry at its best:
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Clear objectives: Before each conversation we jotted down one specific question or need.
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Concise demos: Suppliers showed us new materials – from antibacterial wallpaper to motion-sensing lighting controls.
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Next steps: We agreed follow-up meetings for the most promising products.
By the end, we’d discovered three innovations that could reshape guest experiences – all because the format forced us to focus, listen and capture ideas before moving on.
Accessibility in Focus: The Final Seminar
However, the day’s most powerful session came at the end. A panel of designers, disability advocates and experts with lived experience took us to task over the sorry state of hotel accessibility in the UK.
Uncomfortable Truths
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Over 800,000 people in Britain need personal care and cannot transfer unaided from a wheelchair.
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Until very recently, the only truly accessible hotel near London was several hours away in Bournemouth.
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Many “accessible” rooms still fall short: grab rails in the wrong places, bathrooms too cramped, beds too high.
Hearing these facts was a stark reminder that compliance with the bare minimum of Part M of the UK Building Regulations is only step one – and often feels like step zero for those who rely on genuine accessibility.
Lessons from Ablestay
One panellist, an architect who describes herself as a “troublemaker for accessibility,” shared her journey designing Ablestay: the first hotel in southwest London/Surrey built from the ground up for guests with complex needs.
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Consulting carers: Workshops included not just wheelchair users but also their personal assistants and family members.
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Prototype testing: Full-scale mock-up rooms let participants try out door widths, bed heights and wet-room layouts.
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Iterative design: Every comment – whether positive or corrective – was logged and fed back into the plans.
The result is a place where a guest who cannot stand can still independently control lighting, reach a full-height wardrobe and use a hoist without stress or stigma. It goes far beyond tick-box compliance: it offers genuine dignity and choice.