We were approached by the Scottish Rugby Union to create a sensory space in the stadium’s old TV studio. We were asked to incorporate tactile surfaces and a small "cubby hole" sensory space with ambient light for autistic children and children with additional learning needs (ALN). The main reason for developing the sensory space inside the stadium was to allow families with children with Additional Learning Needs to have a calm, relaxing space where the parents could relax and watch the rugby matches while their children enjoyed the sensory experience with no crowd noise. The room was transformed from an uninviting drab space in need of renovation into an attractive and appealing "warm" space for families.

We worked closely with the client to ensure we had an authentic rugby theme for the room. The idea of a tactile wall-mounted Thistle was designed using the Scottish Rugby Union branding guidelines. The SRU logo was then produced in sections by Tigerplay and incorporated Scottish team jersey colours in the design, including a unique section with metal rugby boot studs. The colour scheme of the Thistle was based upon SRU colours of light and dark blue and purple. We also produced a large size SRU branded rugby ball as the centre piece of the Thistle.

Development of the Scottish Rugby Union sensory ‘Thistle’

We installed a light tube, infinity mirror, soft padded flooring and walls and purple cushions inside the "cubby hole" and also added safety padding around the entrance.

In addition, we came up with the idea of a seating bank to enable families to watch the game through the large window overlooking the stadium field.

The cushioned seating arrangement was again in SRU colours and two tiered with 8 seats, with its main feature of rugby posts at the back of the seating bank.

HRH Princess Anne opened the room before the first Six Nations Rugby match between Scotland and Italy on Saturday February 1st. In attendance were the Mayor of Edinburgh, the Chairman of Scottish Rugby Union, the Director of the Wooden Spoon Charity, the Director of Scottish Autism and a family specially invited to enjoy the space. HRH unveiled a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

Catriona Fett, the People Business Partner of the Scottish Rugby Union, had this to say about working with us:

“From start to finish, Tigerplay has been outstanding! They took our very sketchy initial ideas and transformed them into a truly remarkable Sensory Space for Scottish Rugby. Their creativity, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence exceeded all our expectations. They didn’t just execute our vision—they enhanced it in ways we never imagined. Working with Kenny was an absolute pleasure, and his dedication to delivering high-quality work was evident in every step of the way.

We now have a unique Sensory Space that provides a safe and calm environment amongst the hype and tempo of a match day or a concert. Thank you Tigerplay! You provided exceptional service and extraordinary results!”

If you’d like to develop a sensory space for your organisation, contact us today to see what we could do for you.

Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium - Scotland, UK

Tigerplay Ltd.