A brief history of The Dog Rose Trust

The Dog Rose Trust was founded in 1995 by an architect, Peter Howell, and an architectural historian, Julia Ionides. Its mission is to research and develop means of improving access, interpretation and understanding of the environment - rural and urban, natural and built - with a special emphasis on architecture and art, and particularly for those with visual impairments.

Julia Ionides is responsible for administration, fund raising, scripting audio guides, and Peter Howell for the research and design.

However, its emphasis on Universal Design and Univeral Communication criteria - that is, the application of design and communication principles that ensure the clear, simple and unambiguous communication of function and information - extends the functionality of such methods to the greater benefit of all.

The Dog Rose Trust has four Trustees, all of whom are experienced in the field of access and disability. The Trustees advise on the overall policy of the Trust, while consultancy work and management is carried out by the administrator and a team of expert consultants.

The Trustees believe it is important to work towards making every public building or environment, and the facilities within it, as accessible as possible. Together with visually impaired and blind colleagues, the Trust advises on schemes to make them suitable for the needs of all perceptually impaired persons. You can see some of our colleagues on this website.

The Trust has been involved in the development of a number of pathfinding integrated communications' technologies, including 'Acoustic Fingerprint Guides' for many of the UK's cathedrals, and Interactive Audio and Tactile Guides for museums, heritage sites and town centres. The Trust is a pioneer in the use of binaural sound recording, as a spatial communication technique, as well as various ways of making tactile forms such as silk-screen printing, acid etching and CNC milling techniques. For further information about the work of the Trust, have a look at the Projects on this website.

The Trust is also keen to promote the integration of these way-finding design technologies by architects during the planning stages of new developments.

The Trust's work has been recognised by a number of awards, and its interactive tactile design, the Dorcas Project, has been granted Millennium Products Status by the UK Design Council.

The background image used on all the pages of this website shows a tactile model of the Palace of Westminster in the robing room.