Category Archives: New builds

Housing research

Posted on 31 March, 2012 by

“Houses and housing standards are a measure of a country’s present achievement as well as an important part of its future. We shape that future while surrounded by dwellings built by past generations, recalling both their triumphs and their mistakes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design, New builds | 2 Comments

Space standards and housing design: separate or inseparable?

Posted on 26 December, 2011 by

England and Wales have no national space standards for homes (in contrast to many contries in Western Europe). Better space standards are not a guarantee of better housing design, but they are an essential foundation for any newly built home … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design, New builds | Leave a comment

Are standardised floor plans a good thing in housing?

Posted on 11 September, 2011 by

I think it’s fair to say that a lot of new-build housing in Britain is dominated by standardised floor plans. This is particularly true of new-build flats. For the volume homebuilders, standardised floor plans have a clear cost advantage. Some … Continue reading →

Posted in Design, New builds | 5 Comments

TV review: The Secret Life of Buildings

Posted on 9 August, 2011 by

The Secret Life of Buildings is a three-part series on Channel 4 looking at how buildings affect our mood, our health, our comfort and wellbeing. Presented by Tom Dyckhoff, the architecture critic of The Times, episode one was shown on … Continue reading →

Posted in Design, New builds | Leave a comment

Housing templates and homes design in the UK

Posted on 6 March, 2011 by

A few weeks ago (February 2011), the Education Secretary Michael Gove proposed that new schools be built from a few half-dozen templates in order to save on building costs. When Building Design magazine reported the news on their website, many … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design, New builds | 2 Comments

Design guidelines for London housing

Posted on 27 September, 2009 by

NOTE: Since originally writing this post in September 2009, a new edition of the London Housing Design guide has been published (in August 2010). See the update at the end of this post for details. In July 2009, the London … Continue reading →

Posted in Design, London Housing, New builds | Leave a comment

Space standards for new homes

Posted on 4 January, 2009 by

Note: This post was written in January 2009 (when Labour were in power in the UK). The change to a Conservative/Liberal coalition government has seen a change in direction regarding national space standards for publicly-funded housing. See the end of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design, New builds | 10 Comments

Contemporary flat design in the UK

Posted on 11 March, 2008 by

A recent edition of The Architect’s Journal (28 Feb 2008) had a very interesting article on flat design in the UK. It noted that many new apartment blocks contain only studios, or 1 or 2 bedroom apartments. These apartments become … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Design, New builds | 2 Comments

Windows and natural light

Posted on 2 March, 2008 by

Windows need to provide light, insulation, ventilation and security, but they are also the ‘eyes’ of a building, playing a key role in the design of its facades. From ‘Exploring Architecture’ by Eleanor Gawne and Michael Snodin (V&A Publications, 2004) … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, New builds | 2 Comments

New build layouts

Posted on 22 July, 2007 by

This layout for a studio flat in a newly built block of apartments is typical of the thoughtless design of many new builds. The dimensions for the Living/Dining/Kitchen area are 5.63 metres x 3.80 metres.

Posted in New builds | 2 Comments