Wells Cathedral: Sensory Trail
Commissioned by Wells Cathedral, this project involved the creation of an interactive sensory trail designed to help children and families engage more deeply with the Cathedral through exploration, observation and play. The trail encouraged children to pause at key locations and use their senses to discover and appreciate features of the Cathedral.
The brief:
To design a resource pack that created an immersive and accessible experience for young visitors, combining navigation, illustration and sensory activities in a format that was engaging, intuitive and easy to follow.
The audience:
The materials were designed primarily for children and families visiting the Cathedral, with activities for a broad age range and varying levels of reading ability and confidence.
The challenges:
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Creating an experience that balanced education with play and exploration
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Making the trail easy for children and families to navigate
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Developing an illustration of the Cathedral that was both engaging and spatially accurate
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Designing activities that worked for children with different ages and reading abilities
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Creating a consistent visual language across the resource pack
The solution:
This one tested me on multiple levels, technically and creatively. The centrepiece was a conceptual 3D illustration of the Cathedral, developed using a wooden model, photographs and a 2D floor plan to establish the structure and internal spaces. I then used colour and simple visual cues across the lanyard cards to make the trail intuitive without overwhelming younger users.
The result:
The finished resource pack combined illustration, navigation and sensory activities into a cohesive experience that encouraged children to explore the Cathedral at their own pace. It gave families a clear framework to follow while leaving enough flexibility for children to discover and interact with the building for themselves.
