Jessica Noel-Smith is a Chartered Architect with a specialism in accessible, human-centred and inclusive design.

Beyond Access was created by Jessica while undertaking her PhD research in 2024, following 18 years experience of interdisciplinary work between the disability sector, creative industries and architecture.

Both in her personal and professional life, she has worked closely with people living with complex physical and cognitive impairments in a range of roles including providing care support, and designing spaces to support motor disorders, epilepsy, neurodivergence, dementia and age-related frailty.

Her PhD research explores the ethics of accessible design in current architectural practice, asking the key question - is it ethical to apply the minimum design standards as ‘the standard’? And by simply designing beyond the minimum, can spaces inherently become more ethically and practically inclusive?

Visit Jessica’s Linked In profile for more details of her career experience to date.