The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published its response to the government’s Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission report. The architects’ body has called on the Commission to move away from style debates and focus instead on the key issue – increasing the delivery of well-designed, safe and sustainable homes that people want to live in.
The RIBA has consistently argued that focusing on ‘beauty’ is a distraction. High-quality design – rather than prescriptive ideals – should be at the heart of any approach to delivering new housing.
The RIBA recommends that government:
- Urgently addresses the resource gap in local authority planning departments, particularly the shortage of qualified design expertise
- Mandate the use of Post Occupancy Evaluation for any housing projects that receive public funding to provide more sustainable, long-lasting homes
- Undertake a review into procurement through design and build contracts to address the risks and shortcomings that this creates in new housing. This should include ensuring that design architects are retained throughout a project, at least in an advisory role
- Support the recommendations of the recent Letwin Review relating to windfalls for landowners from land values and promoting greater diversity in the housing market
- Allow local authorities to mandate the use of design review for projects to evaluate the quality of new buildings
- Incorporate the Nationally Described Space Standard into building regulations
- Put an immediate end to housing being delivered under permitted development
RIBA President, Ben Derbyshire, said,
“Architectural style is subjective and should certainly not be the defining measure of a successful home or community. We know that the route to solving the housing crisis and improving the quality of new housing is substantial policy change, and that should be the focus of the Commission’s efforts.
The majority of the UK’s new homes have not been designed by an architect and there is a serious lack of qualified design expertise in local government. The only way we will end poor-quality developments is by resolving some of the grass roots issues – including investment in the planning system and engaging more talent in the design and development of new housing.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- For further press information contact Elise.Neve@riba.org +44 (0) 20 7580 3761
- For RIBA’s full response to the consultation, see here.
- The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. www.architecture.com Follow @RIBA on Twitter for regular updates www.twitter.com/RIBA
