What Are the Key Takeaways from the Living With Beauty Report?
A new government housing report wants architects and planners to prioritise beauty – but what does that mean?
People want to “settle in a somewhere of their own, where the human need for beauty and harmony is satisfied by the view from the window”, says the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission in its 2020 report on housing. The commission recommends a focus on sustainability, wellbeing and beauty when it comes to designing homes and neighbourhoods. Here’s how it proposes architects and planners do this.
Demand beauty
When planners are considering the practicalities of a building, efficiency and cost are usually at the centre; beauty can often be sidelined as perhaps a non-essential and subjective addition. The commission wants to turn this on its head, putting beauty at the heart of building design. “This means changing the incentives, so beauty is no longer penalised as an economic cost,” the report says.
It highlights research into the effects buildings can have on our physical and psychological health. “There’s a correlation between ugliness and mental health problems,” it states.
When planners are considering the practicalities of a building, efficiency and cost are usually at the centre; beauty can often be sidelined as perhaps a non-essential and subjective addition. The commission wants to turn this on its head, putting beauty at the heart of building design. “This means changing the incentives, so beauty is no longer penalised as an economic cost,” the report says.
It highlights research into the effects buildings can have on our physical and psychological health. “There’s a correlation between ugliness and mental health problems,” it states.
Renew and refresh
Most of the UK’s housing stock is old, yet there are often more financial incentives to build new homes. The commission cites how professionals can apply for a VAT refund when constructing a modern property, for example. So a particular focus of the report is on how we can make more use of old buildings instead.
“We believe the government should make bringing derelict buildings back into use VAT free, or charge at most a reduced VAT of 5%,” it states. “It should do the same for core improvements to existing buildings, including re-roofing, extensions, conversions and renewable heating.
“Constructing a new-build two-bedroom house uses up the equivalent of 80 tonnes of CO2. Refurbishment uses eight tonnes,” it adds.
Most of the UK’s housing stock is old, yet there are often more financial incentives to build new homes. The commission cites how professionals can apply for a VAT refund when constructing a modern property, for example. So a particular focus of the report is on how we can make more use of old buildings instead.
“We believe the government should make bringing derelict buildings back into use VAT free, or charge at most a reduced VAT of 5%,” it states. “It should do the same for core improvements to existing buildings, including re-roofing, extensions, conversions and renewable heating.
“Constructing a new-build two-bedroom house uses up the equivalent of 80 tonnes of CO2. Refurbishment uses eight tonnes,” it adds.
Respect heritage
The report recommends the creation of buildings that sit comfortably in their place, enhancing the area rather than fighting against it. This can partly be achieved by tuning into the traditional craftsmanship of an area and using local materials.
It gives examples of stuccoed houses in the South-West and the Borders, silvery bricks in Cambridgeshire, yellow London stock, and the blue textures in Staffordshire.
The report recommends the creation of buildings that sit comfortably in their place, enhancing the area rather than fighting against it. This can partly be achieved by tuning into the traditional craftsmanship of an area and using local materials.
It gives examples of stuccoed houses in the South-West and the Borders, silvery bricks in Cambridgeshire, yellow London stock, and the blue textures in Staffordshire.
Plan for happiness
If you were thinking happiness is immeasurable, the report recommends a rethink. Architecture students should be taught the effects of the built environment on health and wellbeing, as well as the factors that impact people’s visual preferences, it says.
The commission would also like a series of guidelines to enable planning teams to “count happiness”. These would be measured through resident polls that ask how they feel about the buildings around them.
If you were thinking happiness is immeasurable, the report recommends a rethink. Architecture students should be taught the effects of the built environment on health and wellbeing, as well as the factors that impact people’s visual preferences, it says.
The commission would also like a series of guidelines to enable planning teams to “count happiness”. These would be measured through resident polls that ask how they feel about the buildings around them.
Plant trees
The report’s writers highlight the positive impact greenery has on a community’s wellbeing. It also suggest that “greenery has the most beneficial consequences when it is ‘little and often’, when you encounter it frequently throughout your daily life.”
With this in mind, trees are high on the agenda for the commission, with a proposed target of two million new street trees and more funding for planting and maintenance.
In particular, the report recommends the creation of urban orchards, and also for homebuilders to plant one fruit tree for every home constructed.
In addition to boosting the number of trees in our neighbourhoods, the report suggests builders of new homes incorporate bricks for bees and birds. These look similar to normal bricks, but are full of tiny tunnels where solitary insects can burrow and lay eggs, or a hole where birds can nest.
Tell us…
What do you think of the proposals outlined by the report? How would you define beauty when it comes to architecture? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
The report’s writers highlight the positive impact greenery has on a community’s wellbeing. It also suggest that “greenery has the most beneficial consequences when it is ‘little and often’, when you encounter it frequently throughout your daily life.”
With this in mind, trees are high on the agenda for the commission, with a proposed target of two million new street trees and more funding for planting and maintenance.
In particular, the report recommends the creation of urban orchards, and also for homebuilders to plant one fruit tree for every home constructed.
In addition to boosting the number of trees in our neighbourhoods, the report suggests builders of new homes incorporate bricks for bees and birds. These look similar to normal bricks, but are full of tiny tunnels where solitary insects can burrow and lay eggs, or a hole where birds can nest.
Tell us…
What do you think of the proposals outlined by the report? How would you define beauty when it comes to architecture? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
It’s main recommendation is for the planning system to change its focus from reacting against what it considers bad design, to instead championing the best design.
But what exactly is the “best”?