Download – Designing for Renewable Energy in Wales – Media Release
Category: Press Releases
1st April 2023
JEN HEAL CONFIRMED AS DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE DESIGN COMMISSION FOR WALES
Design Advisor Jen Heal has been confirmed as the Deputy Chief Executive of the Design Commission for Wales.
A Chartered Town Planner with a background in planning and urban design in private and public sector practice, Jen first joined the Design Commission in 2014, devising and leading much of its training and client support programmes and co-chairing its national Design Review Service. During her time at the Design Commission Jen has also served as a Commissioner for the South East Wales Transport Commission. She now leads the placemaking agenda for the Design Commission, advising on policy, supporting practice and leading the development of the Placemaking Wales Charter and guidance.
With significant professional experience in the private sector, Jen studied City & Regional Planning, has an MA in Urban Design from Cardiff University and is a fully accredited member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI). In her previous roles, Jen led a diverse range of urban design, planning and regeneration projects for public, private and third sector clients; delivered design concepts, town centre strategies, environmental improvement schemes and complex planning applications as well as developing engagement and training programmes.
Commenting on the promotion, Chief Executive Carole-Anne Davies said: “Jen is an outstanding professional and valued colleague. She is a talented placemaking specialist and a passionate advocate for the importance of good design. Jen has the leadership capability required for this role and has long demonstrated her ability to engage with and support colleagues across sectors, in local authorities and the Welsh Government.
“Jen is particularly adept at equipping others with the knowledge and understanding of how to create better mixed-use communities with a sense of place in the context of change for existing settlements or new development. I am pleased to confirm Jen’s promotion as we come to the end of events which mark our 20th Anniversary and move forward to further accelerating positive change and creating the conditions for everyday excellence in design in the context of climate and nature emergencies. I’m delighted to have her by my side and I know she will thrive in the role and continue to strengthen our skilled and agile team. ”
Jen Heal said: “The value of design to Wales and the UK should not be underestimated. It is a major economic driver and enabler of social value, particularly as we work towards net zero. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to step-up and continue with the excellent work that we deliver as a team. It’s making a difference to communities the length and breadth of Wales and I’m proud of all that we do.”
As an expert body, the Design Commission for Wales was established by the National Assembly for Wales in 2002 to promote good design. With a remit spanning the whole of the built environment in Wales, the expert, multi-disciplinary team works with local planning authorities, investors, developers, communities and commissioning clients across Wales to capture the value of high quality design.
Monmouthshire County Council has confirmed its support for the Wales Placemaking Charter, joining 101 other leading Welsh organisations in the fight to tackle climate change and support recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the latest local authority to sign the Placemaking Charter, Monmouthshire County Council joins Neath Port Talbot Council, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and Swansea Council. Other signatories include 29 architecture or design practices, 20 membership bodies, ten Government organisations, 11 housing associations including Pobl Housing and seven private housing developers including the UK’s leading housebuilder Redrow and Magor-based Edenstone Homes. All have pledged to:
- Involve the local community in the development of proposals
- Choose sustainable locations for new development
- Prioritise walking, cycling and public transport
- Create well defined, safe and welcoming streets and public spaces
- Promote a sustainable mix of uses to make places vibrant
- Value and respect the positive distinctive qualities and identity of existing places.
Welcoming the latest signatory to the Placemaking Charter, Minister for Climate Change Julie James said: “The backdrop to the placemaking charter’s first year has been like no other and it is very pleasing to see that more organisations are committing to the challenge of increasing the quality of development across Wales.
“I’m delighted that another local authority has joined the charter as they are particularly well placed to plan and deliver projects that directly improve places and people’s quality of life. I hope this encourages other local authorities to join in the near future.”
Councillor Sara Jones, Monmouthshire’s Deputy Leader and cabinet member with responsibility for placemaking said: “I’m proud that Monmouthshire County Council has become a signatory to the Placemaking Wales Charter. Our aim is a thriving and well-connected sustainable county that gives people the best possible start in life, maximises the potential of our environment, improves well-being and focuses upon the future. Recent times have shown us how important the places where we live are to our quality of life. Our focus must now be on the future; building back better by creating sustainable places that aid regeneration and improve health and well-being. Good placemaking is at the heart of our local development plan and future aspirations and signing the Wales Placemaking Charter emphasises our commitment to these objectives.”
Carole Anne Davies, Chief Executive of the Design Commission for Wales added: “The commitment made by those that have signed up to the Placemaking Charter represents a key response to more sustainable places and addressing climate imperatives.
“In just one year since the launch of the Placemaking Charter, we have seen over 100 different organisations step-up and pledge their support for sustainable development that will leave a lasting legacy by putting the health and well-being of local people at the heart of all developments. This is particularly important given the need to help protect communities from the effects of climate change.
“Wales really is leading the way – we are the first nation to have a dedicated Minister for Climate Change and we now also have a new and updated Technical Advice 15, further supporting planning policy that requires developers in Wales to consider potential future flood or coastal erosion due to global warming. That’s also a UK first.
“Now, more than ever, we need to think about places and placemaking. That’s why it is so encouraging to see these organisations join us in making Wales a better place with newly developed or regenerated areas focussed on people and communities that are active and socially connected. We will of course be keeping an eye on commitment being carried through to delivery and expect to see significant positive change.”
The Placemaking Charter was developed by the Welsh Government and the Design Commission for Wales in collaboration with the Placemaking Wales Partnership – a multi-disciplinary group representing professions and organisations working within the built and natural environment. Further information is available at https://dcfw.org/placemaking/
The Minister for Housing and Local Government is seeking three new Commissioners to join the Board of the Design Commission for Wales (DCFW).
Applicants have until 9 November to apply for one of the three roles that will help make Wales a better place by championing high standards of design and architecture. An appreciation of and a strong interest in good place-making, design and architecture is essential.
Chaired by Gayna Jones, DCFW was set up in 2002 by the Welsh Government as a public body working throughout Wales to promote good design for our places, buildings and public spaces. The remit of the Cardiff-based organisation is to work with local planning authorities, investors, developers and commissioning clients to capture the value of high quality design; helping to deliver better outcomes, a better return on investment and greater public good. DCFW also nurtures the design talent and skills necessary for growth and innovation.
The Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James said: “If we want to make Wales a better place we need talented professionals to bring their skills and experience to the Design Commission for Wales”.
“The creation of high quality new development is a key element of our national planning policies and the Design Commission for Wales plays a crucial role in supporting the Welsh Government’s objectives in this area.
“The Design Commission for Wales’ board ensures the good governance of the organisation and I am looking for new, enthusiastic people to join the existing team to carry on their good work in promoting good design in the built environment across Wales. By having a strong and diverse board we will achieve good design which everyone across Wales will benefit from and enjoy.”
Gayna Jones, Chair of DCFW said: “We’re confident that there are some hugely talented and inspirational built environment enthusiasts and professionals out there, with the skills and experience to add a new dimension to DCFW.
“With a remit spanning the whole of the built environment in Wales, we are an expert, multi-disciplinary team and benefit from a very strong Board who actively champion high standards of design and architecture, We’re really keen to welcome applications from those with a background in design, place-making and architecture and a passion for good design. Together, we can help make Wales a better place.”
For more information on the application process and to apply, please visit https://gov.wales/public-appointments. Please contact the Public Appointments Team at publicappointments@gov.wales with any other queries.
Please see links below:
https://cymru-wales.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/appcentre-3/brand-2/xf-a7775671efbd/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/8/opp/6905-Commissioners-Design-Commission-for-Wales/en-GB
The role is also advertised on the Cabinet Office website at:
https://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/appointment/commissioners-design-commission-for-wales/
On International Women’s Day (8 March 2013), Carole-Anne Davies, chief executive of the Design Commission for Wales, takes a look at obstacles facing women carving out a top-end career in design.
There are three reactions to career-stalling experiences be they under the glass ceiling or at the glass cliff face. 1. get angry and risk being perceived as neurotic 2. suppress the anger and suffer ulcers and insomnia 3. get a mentor.
This was some of the advice for professional women from Baroness Susan Greenfield, speaking yesterday (7 March) at one of Cardiff’s Pierhead Sessions to mark International Women’s Day hosted by the Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM. The latter she says, allows you to channel the frustration into perspective, laughter and perhaps a little wine. According to Baroness Greenfield, we all need someone ‘who believes in you more than you believe in yourself’.
Greenfield was talking about women in science; about career paths, opportunities and experiences for brilliant women in any field. She galloped through neuroscience challenging notions of genetic dispensation in the way only a woman who ranks among a handful of uber-specialists worldwide can. With ease, expertise and eyelash extensions she reminded us of the woeful under representation of women in science, despite the numbers of qualifying women entering the profession.
I recalled reams of similar statistics on women in executive and leadership roles; in boardrooms; in history and, closer to my heart, in design. Wherever you look, the evidence is the same. The surveys and statistics point to equal or greater numbers of women in many fields qualifying at postgraduate or doctoral levels, while their numbers dwindle when it comes to career progression.
American research shows that women earn 57% of bachelors degrees and nearly half of first professional degrees awarded in the US. (Catalyst 2011b) They make up almost half the labour force (47.2% US Bureau Labour Statistics). At management level women occupy 51.5% and represent about 25% of chief executive roles.
But a different story plays out in elite leadership roles such as Fortune 500 companies among which women are at just 3%, holding only 15.7% of the board seats and 14.4% of executive officer positions. (Catalyst, 2011a, 2011c) In the US Congress, women occupy only 90 of the 535 seats, with women of colour at just 24 (Centre for American Women and Politics). At February 2013, the world average of women’s representation on national legislatures or parliaments was 20.4%. The US ranks 77th of 190 countries, the UK 57th (International Parliamentary Union 2011). There’s no room here for Lord Davies’ report for Westminster Women on Boards or its 2012 progress report (http://www.bis.gov.uk//assets/biscore/business-law/docs/w/12-p135-women-on-boards-2012.pdf) and I daren’t even start on senior female military personnel.
This is the tip of the statistical iceberg and there are clouds full of research and evidence that women remain behind the curve in many careers. In a decade of the Design Commission’s work, with an all-female executive team, we’ve had precious few female designers present to us as the lead on major development schemes. We are fortunate among our team, board and expert panel to have several women who are leaders in the design field such as Lynne Sullivan OBE, and to have worked with several more including the likes of Irena Bauman of Bauman Lyons and Tina Saaby, Copenhagen’s city architect.
Yet it remains telling that despite the admirable work of the RIBA Architects for Change network, the Women in Architecture Awards, numerous campaigns and the work of two trail blazing female presidents of the Institute, not to mention last year’s RSAW mentoring initiative with the Welsh School of Architecture, women still leave architecture and design for many of the same reasons they leave science, the visual arts, politics and business – low or unequal pay, inflexible family unfriendly working hours, contractual insecurity, absence of returner programmes, greater job satisfaction elsewhere and work life balance.
Baroness Greenfield acknowledged work being done by private and public sectors in addressing opportunities for women and pointed to many success stories, yet still we play catch up. Chastening us all not to pull up the ladder for others, Greenfield also set out some very simple ways we can help redress the balance. Career structures can be more flexible, returner schemes, child and family friendly policies can be better designed. Teachers can be inspirational, the arts and humanities can be better integrated with science for greater intellectual richness and stimulus in curricula. All of these apply to steps that could be taken in design education and the professions.
Greenfield studied Greek philosophy and history before science, being more taken with explorations of why we go to war, fall in love, traverse continents or shape our individual and cultural identities, than by the reproductive cycle of the amoeba. She argues powerfully for such rich curricula integration in schools and the need to relate teaching science, maths, or design, to life experience, making them relevant to young students and demonstrating career potential.
Young designers, like young scientists, are easily deterred by the boring and irrelevant, by the sixth form design and technology project that mirrors all others in most schools, rather than those which test boundaries and stimulate creativity. If students encounter barriers to the relevance and possibilities of careers in design they are lost to the professions. The double whammy of failing to attract young talent with losing more mature talent to family breaks without returner opportunities, is the death knell for any profession. Young women must see themselves reflected to believe they too can become successful designers, scientists, politicians and professionals.
These pleas are not intended as detrimental to males or to overshadow wider matters of diversity. Greenfield is clear that despite widespread bias, gender is often trumped by the individual; by the astonishing capability, tenacity and ingenuity of the individual. And yet as she acknowledges such strengths in herself as a woman of mesmerising achievements, she comes back to perhaps the greatest barrier, that of confidence. She comes back to her lifelong mentors, Jane Mellanby and John Stein. These are the people who stem her anger, head off her insomnia and who believe in her more than she believes in herself. Perhaps more young designers would thrive with such anchors to call upon, and who might extend a ladder or two.
Carole-Anne Davies is Chief Executive of Design Commission for Wales, a Trustee of Amgueddfa Cymru and a mentor, most recently, with the Sport Wales Women in Leadership Programme.
By Wendy Richards, Development Director Design Commission for Wales
Educational performance, results and the way our young people behave seems to be a constant dialogue in the press as we seek the best for children and young people.
The strategic schools building programme emerging in Wales over the coming years will no doubt continue to make the news as necessarily difficult decisions are made about falling rolls, the state of the schools estate and the amalgamation of community facilities in local authorities across the country.
While money is tight there will be a move to prioritise and perhaps focus more on refurbishment and extension rather than expansive new build programmes.
At the Design Commission for Wales, we welcome investment in good quality buildings that support the education experience for pupils and which strengthen connections with surrounding communities and opportunities for extended use.
We aim to encourage a built environment which is inspirational and which is delivered in an open and inclusive manner, stimulating fresh thinking. The design process should be a catalyst for motivating the aspirations of the client and ultimately, those who will occupy and use the finished building.
In every success story, where well designed schools have assisted better performance and strengthened community links, a key characteristic is strong leadership and clarity of vision – from the top of the government through the local authority and the design team leadership is a key element in delivering a sound project, in a realistic timescale within a properly managed budget.
Over the last ten years or so there has been more than a step change in the technological communication tools that we use and the way which we socialise and communicate with each other.
The development of these tools is moving fast and in terms of our teaching environments, long corridors and rectilinear classrooms reflect an earlier age – how appropriate are they now with a focus on individual learning?
In 1969 and 1997 respectively, ‘The Observer’ (1969) and ‘The Guardian’ (1997) ran a national competition ‘The Schools That I’d Like’ inviting secondary school pupils to generate ideas for their schools. Children’s responses highlighted a desire for schools that moved away from ‘squareness’ (1969) and that were beautiful, comfortable and safe (1997).
Recent research *1 reveals that secondary students reflect on their school environment from a holistic point of view, rather than a ‘classroom-centric’ perspective. They are more aware of well designed social and circulation spaces, good quality toilet and dining facilities and an environment that makes them feel safe and secure.
Children clearly have views about the quality of their environment. While adults would like to tie those to educational attainment, the relationship between the quality and design of school buildings and children’s learning continues to be a complex one.
Delivering Special Educational Needs (SEN), with a focus on individual learning and coping with challenging behaviour, teaching communication skills and improving social relationships presents a design team with a more complex set of challenges.
New schools are not simply about delivering a standard product on time on budget. In Wales, do we really want schools that are just good enough or do we want those that are as good as they can be? The schools estate in Wales must be inspirational and must deliver well designed buildings and public spaces, responding to our distinct curriculum, serving the needs of the school and the local community. These schools need to be memorable and distinctive, well used and cherished by the people who use them and the communities in which they sit.
*1 (Edgerton, McKechnie & McEwen 2011)
The Design Commission for Wales hosted an invite-only seminar on 27 February to an audience of 40 guests including local authority professionals who are delivering the 21st Century Schools Programme. Key note speakers were representatives from Hampshire County Council and Haverstock Associates Architects who shared their experiences of delivering SEN schools.
Cindy Harris said: “The Commission welcomes all developments of good quality that can help drive economic growth, and we recognise the potential for a development on this site. However, while we welcome the ambition of the project, there are several fundamental issues with the current proposals which we feel must be addressed. These are set out in our full Design Review report which is publicly available and can be found on our website (http://cdn.dcfw.org.uk/design-rev-rep-Cardiff-ISV-Waterfront.pdf).
“The review was attended by two members of the architectural team and the relevant Local Planning Authority officer and the observations made during the review meeting and subsequent report are intended to assist the developers and architects behind the scheme to maximise its full potential and have a positive impact on the economy and public realm.
“We recognise the constraints that architects must work within, and we highlight issues outside of the scheme’s architecture, which are significant issues in their own right, such as the scheme’s energy and sustainability strategy, access and transport, the varying levels proposed and its relationship with the neighbouring Cardiff International Pool.
“If the developers wish to press ahead with their application without addressing these, then in our view the success of the scheme – its commercial viability, quality and value – is compromised.
“We would obviously welcome any further consultation on the project should the developers wish to make revisions to the proposals, otherwise we will follow with interest how Cardiff Council’s planning committee take the scheme forward.”
The architectural practice that designed the Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School near Bridgend will be awarded the Gold Medal for Architecture, supported by the Design Commission for Wales, at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
Cardiff-based HLM Architects will receive the medal at the National Eisteddfod 2012 in the Vale of Glamorgan on 4 August. The selectors praised the scheme for being “a clear statement of how good design can help build a fantastic school community.”
The Design Commission for Wales, supports the Gold Medal for Architecture in partnership with Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, along with the Plaque of Merit and the Architecture Scholarship, which are awarded in association with the Royal Society of Architects in Wales.
The Commission, which champions good architecture, urban and landscape design, backs the Medal because it is unique to Wales and draws attention to the importance of architecture in the nation’s culture, honouring architects achieving the highest design standards.
The Gold Medal is awarded to architects responsible for buildings completed between 2009 and 2012 and recommended to the Eisteddfod as being of greatest merit.
HLM Architects beat off competition from almost 30 entries from 22 practices across the UK to be awarded the coveted title.
One of the judges, architect Rhian Thomas, Design Associate at the Design Research Unit of the Welsh School of Architecture, said of the scheme: “From the moment you are drawn into the grand entrance of the school, it is clear that social interaction and human integration have been carefully crafted to create a sense of togetherness in the school.
“The architecture offers opportunities for the students to express themselves, to be mindful of others and to learn in new and interesting ways.
“Quieter spaces are nestled around the central stairway, utilising space in a clever yet simplistic way. The remaining teaching areas break the mould of the archetypical corridor, creating learning clusters. Each classroom faces a shared zone, which allows children from different classes to learn and interact simultaneously.
“Finally, there are areas of contemplation allowing the students to slow down and reflect, something that’s far too often neglected in today’s continually fast moving society.”
In addition to the Gold Medal for Architecture, the Plaque of Merit will be awarded to Chepstow architects, Hall + Bednarczyk, for a home they designed in the Monmouthshire countryside. The Plaque of Merit is awarded to smaller projects achieving high design quality.
Fellow judge, Dan Benham of Loyn & Co and vice-president of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales, said: “Hall + Bednarczyk have created a home that stands proud as a statement of contemporary design, amongst a series of plain, pastiche dwellings that ignore the beautiful landscape in which they are set.
“This private residence has an exceptional vantage point offering 270 degree panoramic views over the Wye Valley and the Severn Estuary.
“The layout is simple and rational, while the gently curved stone walls wrap around the building echoing the surrounding agricultural landscape. The project is a marvellous example of home design, creating a spatial volume that is so often lost in the design of private houses.”
As part of the Eisteddfod celebrations, an Architecture Scholarship of £1,500 is being awarded to promising younger designers to enable them to further their understanding of creative architecture. Supported by the Design Commission for Wales, this year’s scholarship is being awarded jointly to Katherine Jones, 22 of Penarth, and Owain Williams, 23 of Treharris.
The selectors for the scholarship included artists Christine Bird-Jones and Dan Benham. Dan Benham said: “Katherine’s understanding of the site from sky to underground was fascinating. She demonstrated a deep and incisive understanding of those who will engage with the building. Meanwhile, Owain’s expression of architecture ideas was incredible, with the beauty and clarity in every image presented a true testament to his architectural skill.”
Alan Francis, chair of the Design Commission for Wales, said: “The Gold Medal for Architecture is the only architecture award supported by the Commission, recognising as it does the importance of architecture in our culture and heritage, as well as to our future and linking it intrinsically to Wales’ most important cultural festival – the National Eisteddfod.
“The standard and number of entries this year was extremely high and HLM Architects were worthy winners for creating a centre of learning, which has people at the heart of its design. Special mention should also go to Hall + Bednarczyk for creating something of true design merit amidst planning complications and the necessary ecological restrictions, to which they responded admirably.
“We are naturally delighted to be nurturing future talent with the scholarship, open to architects aged 25 and under, which was jointly awarded to Katherine Jones and Owain Williams. It’s extremely refreshing to see that the next generation of architects are concerned with the role architecture plays in the lives of users and this is something we want to continue to encourage.”
The Design Commission for Wales, supporters of the Eisteddfod Gold Medal, Plaque of Merit and Architecture Scholarship, will host a reception on 6 August in partnership with the Royal Society of Architects in Wales, to recognise the quality of design in Wales and to celebrate the winners of the 2012 Gold Medal, Plaque of Merit and Scholarship. This will be attended by John Griffiths AM, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development.
The reception will take place in a specially commissioned Pavilion, the result of a Royal Society of Architecture Wales (RSAW) and Design Circle design competition, situated on Y Maes at the Eisteddfod in close proximity to Y Lle Celf. The National Eisteddfod Architecture Pavilion was designed by Cardiff-based practice, CoombsJones: Architects + Makers.
This year, for the first time the Design Commission, has invited Rhian Thomas to curate a small exhibition of work celebrating this year’s entries and winners, which will be housed in Y Lle Celf on Y Maes.
In supporting an exhibition drawn together by a guest curator the Commission aims to increase the profile of architecture at the Eisteddfod and help to communicate its richness and quality to the wider public.
The first ever Architecture Pavilion at the National Eisteddfod will be unveiled at this year’s event (from 4 – 11 August), in LLandow, Vale of Glamorgan.
The Pavilion was designed by Cardiff-based practice, Coombs Jones: Architects + Makers, following a design competition run by Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) and Design Circle.
The winning design, called ‘A Welsh Landscape’, drew its inspiration from key elements of the Welsh landscape, which were then developed in architectural form. It was built by Eco-Build Wales, who were supported by a range of local construction firms, individual supporters and other partners.
The Pavilion will be showcased at the National Eisteddfod in close proximity to Y Lle Celf, the visual arts centre on Y Maes this year. During the Eisteddfod it is hoped that thousands of visitors will visit the pavilion to enjoy the design and speak with architects about their work. The RSAW then plan to tour the project throughout Wales to help raise wider engagement with good quality design.
Steve Coombs, partner of CoombsJones Architects + Makers, said: “The pavilion aims to create an abstraction of a Welsh landscape and evoke the feelings of being in the wild areas of the Welsh countryside.
“Going beyond the boundaries of a simple pavilion, the proposal creates a wider territory for the visitor to experience. The experience of this landscape will be unlike anything elsewhere in the Eisteddfod Festival.
“This temporary and transitory festival, alternating between north and south Wales, brings together the essence of Welsh culture in an environment that says little about the Welsh landscape or the experience of living in the country. Instead, our pavilion is composed as a series of moments representing aspects of the Welsh landscape: hill, valley, forest, cave, and the man-made intervention within this environment.”
RSAW president, Andrew Sutton, said: “We spend the majority of our lives surrounded by the designed environment and it influences us like the weather. Our first architecture pavilion at this year’s Eisteddfod is both a reminder and an inspiration that good architecture can improve our world and enhance our lives.
“The judges were delighted with the design approach of Coombs Jones: Architects + Makers, considering it a gem which carries through the poetry of the design to the construction detail. Its timber construction surrounded by a grid of trees, is a beautiful interpretation of countryside around us. It will truly become part of the Welsh landscape.”
Robyn Tomos, National Eisteddfod for Wales, said: “The Architecture Pavilion will serve to further the festival’s aim of drawing the public’s attention to the importance of architecture in our nation’s culture.
“We are delighted all partners have come together to help extend greater public awareness about good quality design.”
The Design Commission for Wales, supporters of the Gold Medal, Plaque of Merit and Architecture Scholarship, will host a reception on 6 August in partnership with the Royal Society of Architects in Wales, to recognise the quality of design in Wales and to celebrate the winners of the 2012 Gold Medal, Plaque of Merit and Scholarship. This will be attended by John Griffiths AM, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development.
A Chepstow-based architectural practice, which was responsible for designing a private dwelling in Monmouthshire, will be awarded the Plaque of Merit, supported by the Design Commission for Wales, at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
Hall + Bednarczyk will be given the award in a special ceremony on 4 August in recognition of design excellence and achievement.
The Design Commission for Wales supports the Plaque of Merit along with the coveted Gold Medal for Architecture and the Architecture Scholarship, which are awarded in association with the Royal Society of Architects in Wales.
The Commission, which champions good architecture, urban and landscape design, backs the Gold Medal for Architecture and the Plaque of Merit because they are unique to Wales and draw attention to the importance of architecture in the nation’s culture, honouring architects achieving the highest design standards.
The Plaque of Merit is awarded to new or refurbishment projects achieving high design quality in Wales, which were completed between 2009 and 2012 and which did not exceed £750,000.
Selector, Dan Benham of Loyn & Co and vice-president of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales, said: “Hall + Bednarczyk have created a home that stands proud as a statement of contemporary design, amongst a series of plain, pastiche dwellings that ignore the beautiful landscape in which they are set.
“This private residence has an exceptional vantage point, offering 270 degree panoramic views over the Wye Valley and the Severn Estuary.
“The layout is simple and rational, while the gently curved stone walls wrap around the building echoing the surrounding agricultural landscape. The project is a marvellous example of home design, creating a spatial volume that is so often lost in the design of private houses.”
Meanwhile, Cardiff-based HLM Architects will be awarded the Gold Medal for Architecture for its design of Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School near Bridgend, which judges praised as being “a clear statement of how good design can help build a fantastic school community.”
The Gold Medal for Architecture draws attention to the importance of architecture in the nation’s culture and honours architects achieving the highest design standards. It is awarded to architects responsible for buildings completed between 2009 and 2012 and recommended to the Eisteddfod as being of greatest merit.
HLM Architects beat off competition from almost 30 entries from 22 practices across the UK to be awarded the coveted title.
Fellow selector, architect Rhian Thomas, Design Associate at the Design Research Unit of the Welsh School of Architecture, said of the scheme: “From the moment you are drawn into the grand entrance of the school, it is clear that social interaction and human integration has been carefully crafted to create a sense of togetherness in the school.
“The architecture offers opportunities for the students to express themselves, to be mindful of others and to learn in new and interesting ways.
“Quieter spaces are nestled around the central stairway, utilising space in a clever yet simplistic way. The remaining teaching areas break the mould of the archetypical corridor, creating learning clusters. Each classroom faces a shared zone, which allows children from different classes to learn and interact simultaneously.
“Finally, there are areas of contemplation allowing the students to slow down and reflect, something that’s far too often neglected in today’s continually fast moving society.”
As part of the Eisteddfod celebrations, an Architecture Scholarship of £1,500 is being awarded to promising younger designers to enable them to further their understanding of creative architecture. Supported by the Design Commission for Wales, this year’s scholarship is being awarded jointly to Katherine Jones, 22 of Penarth, and Owain Williams, 23 of Treharris.
The selectors for the scholarship included artist Christine Bird-Jones along with Dan Benham. Dan Benham said: “Katherine’s understanding of the site from sky to underground was fascinating. She demonstrated a deep and incisive understanding of those who will engage with the building. Meanwhile, Owain’s expression of architecture ideas was incredible, with the beauty and clarity in every image presented a true testament to his architectural skill.”
Alan Francis, chair of the Design Commission for Wales, said: “The Gold Medal for Architecture is the only architecture award supported by the Commission, recognising as it does the importance of architecture in our culture and heritage, as well as to our future and linking it intrinsically to Wales’ most important cultural festival – the National Eisteddfod.
“The standard and number of entries this year was extremely high and HLM Architects were worthy winners for creating a centre of learning, which has people at the heart of its design. Special mention should also go to Hall + Bednarczyk for creating something of true design merit amidst planning complications and the necessary ecological restrictions, to which they responded admirably.
“We are naturally delighted to be nurturing future talent with the scholarship, open to architects aged 25 and under, which was jointly awarded to Katherine Jones and Owain Williams. It’s extremely refreshing to see that the next generation of architects are concerned with the role architecture plays in the lives of users and this is something we want to continue to encourage.”
The Design Commission for Wales, supporters of the Gold Medal, Plaque of Merit and Architecture Scholarship, will host a reception on 6 August in partnership with the Royal Society of Architects in Wales, to recognise the quality of design in Wales and to celebrate the winners of the 2012 Gold Medal, Plaque of Merit and Scholarship. This will be attended by John Griffiths AM, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development.
The reception will take place in a specially commissioned Pavilion, the result of a Royal Society of Architecture Wales (RSAW) and Design Circle design competition, situated on Y Maes at the Eisteddfod in close proximity to Y Lle Celf. The National Eisteddfod Architecture Pavilion was designed by Cardiff-based practice, CoombsJones: Architects + Makers.
This year, for the first time the Design Commission, has invited Rhian Thomas to curate a small exhibition of work celebrating this year’s entries and winners, which will be housed in Y Lle Celf on Y Maes.
In supporting an exhibition drawn together by a guest curator, the Commission aims to increase the profile of architecture at the Eisteddfod and help to communicate its richness and quality to the wider public.
Carole-Anne Davies said: “We recognise the potential for a good quality development in the area, and we’d welcome a scheme that responds to national and local policy and which realises the full regeneration and tourism promise of the site to enhance the local economy.
“This scheme came to us back in February and as far as we are aware it is moving through the due process with the local planning authority, who we also understand are in correspondence with the developer about how they will meet Carmarthenshire’s requirements, both in relation to existing consents and the new aspects of the project being developed.
“When the scheme was presented to us, the proposals for a new hotel and dwellings near Pantglas Hall did not respond to the potential of the site and existing landscape and did not demonstrate a serious approach to sustainable practice, other than the minimum statutory requirements.
“Planning policy in Wales requires that developments should respond positively to their context, in this case an outstanding rolling parkland landscape, providing huge natural capital and local distinctiveness.
“Given the landscape setting, there is an opportunity here to realise its benefits, so it is vital that the development preserves and enhances the setting of the listed tower, through genuinely distinctive and innovative design.
“We made several comments in our report that should assist the developers to maximise the full potential to help regenerate the area and have a positive impact on the economy and public realm.
“The Commission would welcome further consultation on the project regarding any revisions that may be made to the existing proposals and have offered further consultation to both developer and the Local Planning Authority.”
Venice Takeaway: Ideas to Change British Architecture
The British Council today announced that the British Pavilion at the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale will be the culmination of an ambitious global research project designed to make an original and far-reaching contribution to the debate about architecture in the UK.
The project will be officially launched at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on Wednesday 18 January in partnership with the Design Commission for Wales.
The Pavilion will provide an injection of new ideas based on the collective research of architects, students, writers, critics and academics. The research will focus on what – and who – makes great architecture; considering issues such as construction, housing, planning, culture, education, procurement, architectural competitions and the role of the client.
On 10 January 2012 an open call for participation and proposals will be launched; and a series of discussions about the brief will be held across the UK aimed at involving a wide- range of contributors. In March the best proposals will be selected and around ten individuals or teams will travel to unearth case studies in locations around the world.
Each ‘Explorer’ will conduct interviews and uncover how, and why something works. Explorers will be tasked with bringing back material including film, photography, writing and drawing. The exhibition will tell their stories and make a series of proposals for changing British architecture.
Venice Takeaway will build on the UK’s history of looking to the rest of the world for inspiration and ideas. Trade voyages shaped the modern world; not only filling museums, botanical gardens and markets but also changing the way we think and introducing ideas that have become part of our culture. Today the flow of ideas is made possible by the travels of architects and by overseas students who come to the UK to study, and often stay to establish their own design studios or to work for British practices.
By discovering the best ideas from around the world it is hoped that the British Pavilion will make an original contribution to the debate about architecture in the UK and influence the future direction of policy and practice at a moment of flux.
Venice Takeaway is curated by Vicky Richardson, Director of Architecture, Design, Fashion at the British Council and Vanessa Norwood, Head of Exhibitions at the Architectural Association.
Vicky Richardson says: ‘We have many good designers in the UK, but the systems and structures surrounding architecture need change. Everyone who has travelled will recognise the feeling of envy when you see a good idea. The British Pavilion aims to gather the best of these and bring them back to the UK.’
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Carole-Anne Davies, Chief Executive of the Design Commission for Wales who will chair the launch, says: “This is an extremely exciting project to be a part of as it marks an opportunity to gather best practice and fresh, creative ideas from around the world and share them in ways that have the potential to positively influence the way we think about architecture in this country. We urge anyone who wishes to play a key role in the future of architecture in Wales, and the UK as a whole, to put forward their research proposals and we look forward to sharing more details of the project at the January launch event for Wales.”
For enquiries from UK national & international media, contact: Alex Bratt
+44 (0) 207 389 4872
alex.bratt@britishcouncil.org
A class of 24 pupils in California, USA are making the most of an educational resource developed more than 5,000 miles away – in Wales!
The My Square Mile project was developed as a classroom tool for primary schools in Wales by the Design Commission for Wales, as a way to help children to explore their local area, taking a design-led look at their buildings, places and spaces.
However, such is its appeal that it has been adopted by a school in California, who have embraced the My Square Mile project and are now rolling it out with their pupils.
Primary school teacher, Mary Jimenez, (48), who teaches at Paloma Elementary School in Temecula, California, discovered the My Square Project when it was shown to her by her friend, artist Reshma Solbach.
She immediately emailed the Design Commission for Wales asking to be allowed to use the material. They sent her several copies of the book and CD resource and they’ve kept in touch, sharing updates on the project as Mary uses it with her school pupils, and writes about their progress on her blog.
Mary Jimenez said: “When I saw the My Square Mile project I just fell in love with the concept and simply knew I had to use it with my Second and Third Grade pupils, who are all aged 7-9 years old. I planned how I was going to approach it throughout the summer holidays and got going as soon as term started.
“I wrote to the Design Commission for Wales asking them to send me the toolkit and CD, and they kindly provided several copies. It was amazing showing this to my pupils and seeing them “oooh” and “aaah” over the Welsh buildings shown on the disc. They simply loved being transported to a beautiful place far away.
“The next step for us is to do a walking field trip around the perimeter of Paloma’s neighbourhood, stopping along the way to sketch as we go. I’m really excited by it – the tool kit has really helped to rejuvenate my year!”
My Square Mile was first piloted with 33 primary schools in Swansea in 2005. Since then, it has been rolled out to all areas of Wales, involving designer and artist placements in schools along with visits from local architects. It encourages pupils to explore the immediate area or ‘square mile’ around their schools, taking a look at the buildings, spaces, landscapes that make them up and exploring their responses to them within a design framework.
Carole-Anne Davies, chief executive of the Design Commission for Wales, said: “The local environment is a valuable education resource and, what’s more, it’s free, constantly available and easily accessible! It offers infinite possibilities for study covering numerous subjects across the curriculum including art, design and technology, ICT, geography, history, number and language.
“The My Square Mile project was developed to help young pupils to connect with their local environment, helping them to understand how it is shaped and managed, and assisting them to develop a sense of place. We know that the My Square Mile learning experience also helps children with the development of critical skills, confidence in presenting and talking about their work and it really helps them grasp complex ideas around what shapes our local environment.
“It has been hugely popular in Wales and we’ve had to produce more than we ever planned to make available. I am absolutely delighted that it has not only crossed borders but continents, and that it’s been so warmly embraced by our friends in the States is just great.
“The images of Welsh houses, streets and townscapes will be very different from those in Temecula, but the principles behind the project are the same. Moreover, it’s great to hear about the reaction of the Californian pupils on being shown an environment that contrasts with their own.”
The Design Commission for Wales is an independent body that champions high standards of design and architecture in the public and private sector in Wales. For more information, or to download a copy of My Square Mile, please visit the education page of dcfw.dev.
A contemporary art gallery in Llandudno has won the Gold Medal for Architecture, sponsored by the Design Commission for Wales, at the Wrexham & District 2011 National Eisteddfod of Wales.
In awarding the accolade on Saturday 30 July, the judges described the Mostyn Gallery as “a civic landmark of national importance to Wales”.
Ellis Williams Architects of Warrington were employed to add two new galleries to the existing ones in the Grade II listed building. Following the brief that the new additions should have “simplicity, subtlety and sophistication plus one or two surprises,” the judges found these qualities in abundance in the redesigned gallery
Mhairi McVicar, judge and lecturer at the Welsh School of Architecture, said: “We were impressed by the way natural light had been brought into the building and the gallery spaces link together seamlessly, not only providing the ideal environment for exhibits, but clearly a highly enjoyable and uplifting space for visitors.
“The Mostyn Gallery was selected as worthy of the Gold Medal for Architecture both for its highly ambitious and beautifully executed architectural response, but also for the subtlety demonstrated in working with a listed building, and the generosity of the urban response in highlighting the gallery as a civic landmark of national importance to Wales.”
The Gold Medal for Architecture, sponsored by the Design Commission for Wales, is given in conjunction with the Royal Society of Architects in Wales. It is the only award supported by the Design Commission for Wales, which attaches great importance to its aim of drawing attention to architecture as a vital element in the nation’s culture and to honour architects achieving the highest design standards.
The architecture judges also Highly Commended the new WISE building at the Centre for Alternative Technology at Machynlleth, which was also shortlisted for the Gold Medal for Architecture.
Fellow judge Simon Venables, who is also Director of Ainsley Gommon Architects and Vice President of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales, said: “The WISE building, designed by Pat Borer and David Lea, represents decades of dedicated development in sustainable practice, and we felt that this project should be recognised for its extraordinarily high quality. The careful choice of materials and constructive methods with low embodied energy has created an exemplary building.”
The judges awarded the National Eisteddfod of Wales’ Plaque of Merit for Architecture to the Environmental Resource Centre at Ebbw Vale, by Design Research Unit Wales.
Simon Venables added: “Here, on a very modest budget, facilities are provided for local school children and the community to explore the heritage and ecology of the former steelworks at Ebbw Vale. As well as promoting a systematic means of making use of regional materials, the design re-uses remnants of the steelworks, adapting the original concrete bases of the cooling ponds to support an abundant array of wildlife, demonstrating an ethos of cultural as well as environmental sustainability.”
The awarding of the Gold Medal for Architecture comes hot on the heels of a report, published by the Design Commission for Wales, which indicates that the quality of design for the built environment in Wales is steadily improving.
Alan Francis, chair of the Design Commission for Wales, said: “The Commission supports the award because it believes that architecture is an art form vital to our culture and our cultural heritage and that good architectural design strengthens Wales’ distinctiveness and the quality of its places. The Gold Medal for Architecture is the only award that recognises this and it is intrinsically linked to Wales’ most important cultural festival – The National Eisteddfod of Wales.
“We are delighted to see the Ellis Williams Architects’ scheme for Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno being awarded Gold. Without doubt, the dramatic intervention at Mostyn is a deserving winner of an award that recognises outstanding projects.
“We are also delighted with the number of entries this year and the standard across all types of scheme – domestic, cultural, education, or civic. The context for good design in Wales is stronger and the cultural relevance of architecture as a means of shaping Wales’ profile is strengthened by the Eisteddfod Gold Medal for Architecture.
“The diversity of design was also encouraging, and the quality and innovation demonstrated at the Wales Institute for Sustainable Education at CAT in Machynlleth, or the Environmental Resource Centre at Ebbw Vale, is as engaging as Mostyn is dramatic or Ty Hedfan is delightful.
“All the shortlisted schemes deserve recognition, and we are very pleased with the upward trend in both entries and standards for this award. It certainly seems to be in line with our recent findings, which indicate that the quality of design of the built environment in Wales is gradually improving.”
Aggression in A&E is a growing problem, costing the NHS millions, but experts believe, design has a key role to play in reducing its impact. Here Kieren Morgan, Design Review Panellist for the Design Commission for Wales shares over 20 years’ experience in healthcare projects, explaining how good design influences behaviour and where it’s been used successfully.
“Recent reports show that violence and aggression towards NHS staff is costing at least £69million a year in absenteeism, reduced productivity and increased security and the NHS in England is turning to designers for help. However, while this collaboration may be new, the theory behind its benefits is not.
“Leading researchers in what is known as evidence-based design include Dr Roger Ulrich, whose studies date back to the early 1990s. Ulrich linked poor design to certain negative effects on patients such as increased feelings of anxiety, slow recovery rates, greater need for pain relieving drugs and, in certain situations, longer stays in hospital. Between 1999 and 2002, Dr Rosalia Lelchuk Staricoff and her team at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital carried out ‘A Study of the Effects of Visual and Performing Arts in Health Care’, attempting to scientifically evaluate its impact on the psychological, physiological and biological outcomes of treatment.
“Results showed that the integration of visual and performing arts significantly altered clinical outcomes, reduced the amount of drug consumption, shortened the length of stay in hospital, improved patient management and enhanced the quality of service which contributed towards increased job satisfaction. In Trauma and Orthopaedic wards, patients exposed to visual art and
live music during their post-operative period required less analgesia per day than patients who were not, and their admission period was cut by a full day.
“Elsewhere research has found that in mental healthcare, the use of harsh colours or abstract art increases anxiety levels which can result in negative or violent behaviour. The balance of the type of visual art used is therefore crucial – but it’s not just art that impacts on behaviour. Patients suffering from burns have been found to feel more comfortable when the colours of the treatment rooms are neutral or cool in tone, such as light blue. This is also linked to reduced need for analgesia.
“Views and sounds of nature have also been linked to calming patients, again reducing drug dependency and speeding recovery times. This means shorter stays in hospital and the knock- on effect is that it puts less strain on the health service. This is a technique known as positive distraction, with pleasant art, relaxing music or sounds, good daylight and views into landscaped areas helping deflect patients’ thoughts away from anxiety and aggression.
“In the USA, and increasingly the UK, patients receiving aggressive treatment such as radiotherapy can programme their own treatment environment. Smart technology can allow them to control the mood of the lighting, choose soothing background sounds or music, as well as selecting scenery, such as a seascape or cornfields via an interactive wall or ceiling. Effectively, they can create their own unique atmosphere.
“Treatment can often leave patients feeling vulnerable as they feel they have little control over what is happening to them. Allowing patients a certain degree of influence over their environment gives them back some control and dignity in what can be a traumatic and anxious treatment regime. It can also improve their receptiveness to drugs and treatment, reducing their stay in hospital.
“Waiting for hours to be seen in a crowded A&E when you are unwell, perhaps in shock and profoundly anxious can be a recipe for trouble. In such a high stress confusing environment a well-designed A&E department will enable staff to process patients more efficiently and effectively. Clear sight lines assist staff to identity potential problems and flash points whilst providing staff with ‘safe havens’ increases their sense of safety, making them feel more in control and able to cope better with workplace stress. This, in turn, helps reduce absenteeism, saving the NHS money, and helping to attract and retain qualified staff – a recurring problem for the NHS.
“Patients also benefit from a happy workforce, at ease and properly focussed on their jobs. This added benefit results in a positive effect on the quality of care provided, which all contributes to improved patient recovery times. From a patient perspective the A&E department is often crowded, poorly lit, enclosed and noisy. All these factors are known to increase anxiety levels, confusion, heart rate, stress and the potential for aggressive behaviour. A well designed department can mitigate many of these factors by introducing the calming
effect of natural light, views to landscape, soothing music or sounds, along with separate areas for children and young adolescents.
“One of the major challenges for designers and healthcare managers in Wales is translating this evidence into meaningful design tools that can be applied to future projects. North America is ahead of the game and has been applying evidence based design for many years. In the UK our approach is more often to treat healthcare buildings as simple construction projects rather than recognising that they are places which need to be carefully designed for the care and treatment of people who are ill or injured, using the best evidence available to understand their needs, anxiety and condition.
“Although there is much to do to embed what we know into everyday practice so that good design supports good service delivery, there are some positive signs emerging. The Welsh Assembly Government’s ‘Design for Life: Building for Wales’ programme has pushed forward the agenda for single patient rooms, leading to a better quality environment for patients. Both the recently completed Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan Hospital in Ebbw Vale and its sister hospital in Caerphilly due to be completed later this year are great examples of incorporating good views, landscaped areas and courtyard spaces to create positive distraction for patients. These hospitals indicate an increasing awareness from those who commission our healthcare projects that design can support staff in their jobs and help patients get better quicker.
“However, the problem remains in the awareness gap between design professionals and those who commission our hospitals. Too often the pressures of short term capital costs, rather than long term benefits and savings, take precedence. This is a false economy, given the ensuing long terms costs that result from failure to embed the lessons and evidence of the research. A building that is cognitive and shows an understanding of the importance of design in affecting behaviour will save money over a 20-30 year period by reducing the cost of expensive pain relieving drugs, analgesics, staff recruitment and absenteeism.
“Ultimately, long waiting times will always risk people getting agitated, and while we know good design has a huge impact, it’s also a matter for departmental management and for awareness among the wider public. We need to better direct people to the level of care they need to reduce numbers turning up to A&E no matter what their condition. The Welsh Assembly Government’s “‘Choose Well’ campaign provides colour coded advice for the most appropriate course of action, from dialling 999 to administering self-help – but it needs greater promotion. If people go to the right place, pressure on A&E is reduced along with agitation and aggression, and staff may more easily prioritise those who really do need A&E services.
“While design cannot cure people, it has more than a small part to play. By adopting a cognitive approach to the way we design and commission healthcare buildings, we can create a more efficient and calmer environment for staff to thrive in, saving the NHS money in the process, and, best of all, contributing to more effective care for patients.”
The people of Ruthin will have an opportunity to influence the future of their town during a week of events that will put Ruthin at the forefront of national debate about the role of Welsh Market Towns.
Ruthin Future Week runs from Monday 23rd May until Sunday 29th May with a sequence of events that aim to bring together politicians, professionals and the wider community to discuss the future of Ruthin, while celebrating its people, the place and its potential.
As traditional market towns struggle to keep their shops and facilities in the face of increasing competition from out-of town retail and the internet, as well as the impact of global recession, towns such as Ruthin need to see how they can reinvent themselves to make sure they don’t become sleepy ‘clone’ towns, but thrive and prosper.
Gavin Harris, chair of Bro Rhuthun Tourism Group & Ruthin Town Councillor, said: “Having already started the Ruthin Future process with a ‘masterplan’ involving designs by students from the Welsh School of Architecture last year, it’s time for the people of Ruthin to get involved by airing their views and sharing their ideas.
“It’s an exciting programme lasting seven days for voices to be heard, eyes to open and brains to engage with positive ideas about the future of Ruthin.”
The Design Commission for Wales (DCfW) is playing an integral part in the week’s event and is running an open debate called ‘Whose town is it anyway?’ on Wednesday 25 May and a seminar on Thursday May 26 entitled ‘Designed for Business’, where invited delegates will explore the power and value of design for the built environment and how it can help towns thrive.
Carole-Anne Davies, chief executive of the DCfW, said: “We’re really excited to be part of this wider programme of events about Ruthin’s future.
“The design of the built environment plays a hugely important role in the overall health and economic value of the town or city, by stimulating regeneration and tourism, encouraging investment and helping to keep it alive. We will be exploring some of these themes through our events, as Ruthin is such an interesting case study for the future of market towns.”
To find out more and register your interest in attending events please go to www.visitRuthin.com.
Programme:
• Monday 23rd: Ruthin Town Council is inviting residents to their first ordinary meeting of the civic year to find out about what the council do and to meet their Councillors and new town Mayor, Robert Owen-Ellis.
• Tuesday 24th: Bro Rhuthun Tourism and Marketing Group is hosting a Marketing and Networking evening for local businesses in the dramatic atrium of Ruthin Gaol. Offering advice and marketing insight will be PR guru, Alexandra Marr, who now represents some high profile Welsh businesses, having spent the last 10 years promoting Wales in New York for visit Britain.
• The focus will turn to the 21st Century Ruthin Craft Centre on Wednesday 25th as the second stage of the Ruthin ‘Masterplan’ prepared by the Design Research Unit Wales is unveiled in a new exhibition. This will be followed by ‘Whose town is it Anyway?’ where a panel of design and town planning professionals, together with local representatives, will engage with the audience in a ‘lively debate’.
The exhibition will then run for two weeks during which local children and young people will be invited to get involved in designing Ruthin and saying how they think it should look in the future.
• Thursday 26th at Ruthin Castle: The Design Commission for Wales has invited a mix of practitioners, business people, the public and decision makers to explore the importance of design in shaping places for people, helping towns thrive and contributing to the Welsh economy.
• Friday 27th will focus on the town’s independent retailers and traders who still attract shoppers who value service and prefer unique, high quality, good value items that you struggle to find along ‘High Street Britain’. With extra promotions through the town’s Bro Rhuthun
Loyalty card, the message will be “shop on foot, save on fuel, support your local businesses”, and with parking Free after Three, a late afternoon ‘pop to the shops’ won’t cost a penny.
• On Saturday 28th is the Ruthin mini-Photomarathon. The event is open to anybody with a digital camera and an interest in getting to know Ruthin more closely through photography. Starting at 10.00am participants will be asked to take six images based on six themes in six hours all within the easily walked Ruthin Town Centre, then after downloading and judging, the best will win prizes such as a digital camera and photography equipment gift vouchers.
Ruthin’s famous Produce Market, normally held on the second Saturday of the month at the Gaol, will be on St Peter’s square, just as last year’s design students had suggested. There won’t be a problem parking as all of Ruthin’s numerous car parks will be free ALL DAY thanks to Denbighshire County Council and Ruthin Town Council.
• Sunday 29th May is the chance for budding artists to get involved in Draw on Ruthin! From 10.00am until 4.00pm this free event will see participants escorted with sketchbook and pen around the town by local artists Ann Bridges and John Butland Morgan to record what they see and find, but with places limited to 20 and a free lunch included, keen sketchers will need to get their skates on and register for a place.
More than 40 leading organisations representing the construction sector in Wales have teamed up to sign the first green building charter of its kind in the UK.
They are committing themselves to support progress towards a built environment that contributes low or zero net carbon emissions as quickly as practically possible.
The 43 organisations and companies, whose combined influence on building projects and developments is hugely significant, joined a squad headed by the Sustainable Development Commission, the Design Commission for Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government.
The home of Welsh Rugby provided the backdrop for the “coalition of the willing”, as they added their names to the landmark initiative. Members of the coalition include the Federation of Master Builders, the National House- Building Council, the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment and CBI Wales.
The initiative was launched at the Built Environment and Climate Change Summit at the Wales Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, by Environment, Sustainability and Housing Minister Jane Davidson and Jonathon Porritt, Chair of the Sustainable Development Commission.
The coalition will play a major role in the development of low/zero carbon buildings ahead of the UK Government’s target of achieving zero carbon new homes by 2016 and achieve a major step change in Wales by 2011. It will also work towards significantly increasing the energy efficiency of the existing building stock in Wales, contributing towards the Wales target of 3% annual reductions in emission reductions from 2011 onwards.
The Assembly Government have stated the aspiration that all new buildings built from 2011 must be zero carbon in relation to space heating, hot water and lighting. By implementing the Code for Sustainable Homes and BREEAM it will help the industry take a stepped approach towards the target of zero carbon.
Reductions of 3% each year would enable Wales to achieve an 80% reduction before 2050. One method of reducing Wales’s carbon footprint is via improving the energy efficiency of buildings, as the direct and indirect consumption of energy from buildings generates approximately 40% of all carbon emissions in the UK.
All new housing that has Assembly Government funding or is built on Welsh Assembly owned land must meet The Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 (moving to Code level 4 as soon as practically possible) and all non domestic buildings must meet the BREEAM excellent standard.
The SDC and DCfW were asked by Jane Davidson AM, to create a “coalition of the willing” of key stakeholders from the private, public and voluntary sectors that will commit to taking a “can do” approach to tacking climate change through the built environment.
Ms Davidson said:
“Today is another Wales first in the battle against climate change demonstrating our ‘can do’ attitude. We all believe early action is needed, and the charter confirms Wales’s commitment to do all we can to tackle climate change and reduce our carbon footprint.
“The built environment is the largest contributor to greenhouse gases in Wales. The way in which we construct and use our homes and other buildings accounts for 40% of our total carbon emissions. It is vital that all our new buildings are energy efficient and as green as possible.
“This charter is a demonstration of the coalition of the willing, of how diverse groups from all over Wales are ready to use their voice and powers to help Wales reduce its carbon footprint.”
Jonathan Porritt, Chair of the Sustainable Development Commission, said:
“It is very heartening to see that Wales has the foresight and ambition to accelerate progress towards a sustainable built environment. I hope that the collaborative, coordinated approach demonstrated today will enable it to make swift progress and be an exemplar for the rest of the UK.”
Carole-Anne Davies, Chief Executive, Design Commission for Wales said: “Wales has vast potential to realise a sustainable built environment which supports active communities and neighbourhoods. This is not something we can defer to others. Our economy and our environment will suffer if we do not act immediately and collectively. The declaration from members of the coalition sends a strong signal across public and private sectors alike, that we accept our responsibility to work towards a Wales where our homes, public and civic buildings and public realm, can and must be energy and resource efficient. ”
Peter Davies OBE, SDC Vice Chair and Commissioner for Wales said:
“Our approach in establishing the coalition of the willing was to develop the simple idea of ‘I will if you will’. SDC has set out the need to engage government, business and the community in any process that aims to achieve fundamental change, recognising that our aspirations for sustainable development will only be met through collaborative action.”
“The significant number of organisations signing the declaration today highlights that the construction sector in Wales is ready and willing to act on
the subject of sustainable construction. They now have the confidence that they will not be acting alone or against the grain.”
To take the agenda forward, a Wales Low/ Zero Carbon Hub will be established to coordinate action and formalise the process going forward. The Board of the Hub will incorporate key representative bodies from across the sector and will report through to the Minister and the Climate Change Commission for Wales. The Energy Saving Trust will also be leading a Wales Existing Homes Alliance to coordinate progress on increasing the energy efficiency of the existing building stock. There will be close working links with the UK Zero Carbon Hub and the UK Green Building Council.
By Cindy Harris, Head of Design Review, Design Commission for Wales
Design and construction are essential parts of the same exercise – to create a building or streetscape or townscape. While different professions each have their own part to play, the best projects result from both partners working together from an early stage.
This is especially true when it comes to sustainable construction – measures which are necessary to ensure energy efficient, low carbon buildings need to be taken at the earliest possible stage of the design process for maximum impact and practical cost effectiveness.
Similarly, aspects of construction and ‘buildability’ will affect the design development and the particular materials and technologies specified. These early decisions will drive key aspects of the project and maximise the best sustainable solutions.
Over half the UK’s carbon emissions are generated by the construction and servicing of buildings, so the energy performance of new and existing buildings is crucial to meeting our national commitments and international obligations.
Energy efficient homes offer greater levels of comfort for the occupier and will be cheaper to run and maintain. The social importance of reducing fuel poverty, together with the need to protect the security of fuel supply in the future and to limit the impact of climate change, all combine to deliver a powerful argument in favour of reducing energy use in buildings. This in turn has a direct effect on bringing down carbon emissions.
At the level of the individual building, the designer, contractor and specialist consultants all need to join forces along with the client to deliver low carbon buildings.
All new housing in Wales now has to achieve Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes as a minimum, together with a 31% reduction in CO2 levels compared with 2006. The means of achieving this should be set out in the Design and Access Statements accompanying new planning applications. Used properly they are a powerful tool and should not be reduced to a tick box exercise.
Designers and developers should observe the ‘energy hierarchy’ whereby the easiest and most cost effective carbon savings are made first, usually built into the fabric of the building.
These measures are often very simple and cost little to achieve when considered early. They include high levels of insulation to stop heat escaping in the winter and to keep buildings cool in the summer. Equally important is the elimination of uncontrolled ‘draughts’, together with controlled ventilation directed when and where it is needed.
The orientation of the building on the site, and the size and location of windows and other glazed areas should be arranged to take full advantage day light and of the sun’s energy – which is both free and renewable. A ‘passive solar’ approach to building design uses solar energy to pre-heat the building elements and incoming air, as well as introducing high levels of daylight into the building and reducing use of electric lights.
Once these basic steps have been incorporated, consideration can be given to appropriate renewable technologies which work well at the level of a single building, such as solar water heating, which should meet at least 50% of domestic hot water demand over the course of a year.
The choice of building materials also has a significant environmental impact. Ideally we should be choosing renewable materials, sustainably produced and genuinely locally sourced, with minimal processing and transportation. Low ‘embodied energy’ materials are preferred – this refers to the energy consumed (and CO2 emitted) during the production process and throughout the building’s life.
Increasingly we are seeing the use of ultra-low-impact building materials, such as timber poles, straw bales and unfired clay bricks, hemp and lime, to construct mainstream, modern, comfortable and energy-efficient houses that have a low ‘embodied energy’.
Of course, any process of construction is designed to change the environment, and is bound to cause some environmental degradation. Sometimes we have to weigh different impacts against each other – for instance choosing a very energy efficient window or organic paint, which needs to be transported over long distances. In the end, we may have to trade off certain impacts against products or processes that are even more damaging.
An environmentally sound building must also be people-friendly. This means a structure which is flexible and easily adaptable, so that it can respond to the changing demands on its function, layout and technical performance.
Too often the benefits of low carbon technologies are not realised in practice because users do not understand how they should operate. Owners and tenants should be encouraged to use them as they are designed – just as they use any other piece of equipment – their smart phone or car for instance. Most building technologies are very simply and their proper use means that the building performs as it should – put simply, it will ‘do what it says on the tin’.
Sustainability is one of those all-encompassing terms, and if a development is to be truly sustainable it should address the environmental aspects of construction on several levels.
At the global level, we should be aware of the impact of mining and processing materials in other parts of the world, both in terms of resource depletion and the health and wellbeing of local populations and ecosystems. CO2 pollution likewise has a global impact.
At the local level, we can help to lay the basis of sustainable communities by supporting mixed use developments with a good mix of daytime and evening uses and attractive, well used public spaces.
A reasonably high density of development, particularly in towns and cities, can trigger and help support the development of community infrastructure such as shops, schools, libraries and health centres, as well as good public transport.
Good guidance on street design and residential layout for local planning authorities is provided in the Manual for Streets. This important document reinterprets the function of residential streets, away from being mainly traffic routes and towards more sociable uses. Streets are designed to give pedestrians and cyclists greater priority and to ensure that vehicles travel at restricted speeds with a greater awareness of other road users.
With greater densities comes the increased responsibility on the developer and local planning authority, to ensure excellent quality in the buildings and public spaces – without this care, the schemes will become the slums of tomorrow with costly social and environmental consequences.
The creation of good public spaces serving the needs of the local community is about more than just a collection of architecture or low carbon buildings. Such places are memorable and distinctive, well used and cherished by the people who live or work in the area, and appreciated by those who are just passing through.
They will be easy to find and recognise, they will encourage people to linger and socialise by providing attractive and sheltered gathering spaces, and they will be well designed with appropriate planting and high quality materials. As assets for the community they will also be well looked after and maintained, and can help to foster a sense of pride and ownership. They will be loved and will last.
A unique exhibition that looks at how today’s architectural practices are responding to the expectations of newer generations is being put on by three budding students at the forthcoming Cardiff Design Festival to celebrate World Architecture Day (4 October).
The project, called ‘What Architects Do’, involved the students compiling material and putting into their own words what architects do and why good design matters.
Organised by the Design Commission for Wales, the Welsh School of Architecture and the Design Circle, the project saw students Megan Rourke, 17, Simon Keeling, 17 and Josh Morris, 15, spend time at one of three south Wales-based architecture practices.
Dubbed ‘Design Champions’ by the project, each student spent time in a firm over the school holidays, producing ‘design diaries’ of films, photographs, sketches, and observations for the exhibition, that are also available online at www.whatarchitectsdo.org.uk.
The students were put through their paces by architects Rob Firman (Austin-Smith: Lord), Michael Plageman (Davies Sutton Architects) and Dan Benham (Loyn and Co) and got involved in helping out in studio, meeting clients and donning hard hats on site to act as eye- witnesses on projects.
Carole-Anne Davies, chief executive of the Design Commission for Wales, said: “The scheme was an invaluable opportunity for these promising students to get to grips with architecture. It has shown them the complete spectrum of what architects do and, hopefully, inspired them to pursue a career in this field.
“By being part of the Cardiff Design Festival, the project will help to foster the next generation of architects and also help to raise awareness of the importance of good quality design among the general public.”
Sergio Pineda, tutor at the Welsh School of Architecture, said: “The architectural project is designed to encourage reflection on how today’s architectural practices are responding to the expectations of newer generations.
“The strategy behind the project was for was material to be compiled through the eyes of the young students and exhibited as a critical insight into the industry by its successors.”
Mhairi McVicar, chair of the Design Circle, said: “This has been a unique experience for the students, which has focussed on the people, processes and the atmosphere of architectural practices in Wales. We’re very much looking forward to seeing the work they’ve created at the Cardiff Design Festival. Their experience has not only been an insight for them, but a view to how the industry is perceived by future Welsh architects.”
An exhibition of the student’s findings will open at the Morgan Arcade in Cardiff on 4 October and will run through to 15 October as part of the Cardiff Design Festival. A public workshop in the Morgan Arcade on Saturday 8 October will provide opportunities to meet the Design Champions and their host architects in ‘Chat with the Champion’ and ‘Ask the Architect’ sessions, along with an ‘Architects-in-Action’ design competition between the participating architects.
The project is a major event in the Cardiff Design Festival, an annual celebration of the best in Welsh design across a range of disciplines. Throughout the Cardiff Design Festival (1-16 October) there will be a programme of talks, exhibitions and events, including the ‘What Architects Do’ public workshop, ‘The Best of Welsh Graduate Design’ and ‘Focus on Finishes with Boyce Rees Architects.’
Case Studies – Break out box
15-year old Josh Morris partnered with Michael Plageman, associate architect at Davies Sutton Architects
Josh Morris, who attends Llandaff Cathedral School, said: “I’ve found out that there is a lot more to architecture than just design. Michael has really shown me the process that they go through with each project, from researching materials to going out on site to oversee the building.
“My time at Davies Sutton Architects has been a really special opportunity. I feel I have gained an insight into architecture and learnt a variety of skills. I would definitely recommend doing something like this to other people my age.”
Michael Plageman said: “The experience was an excellent opportunity to get under the skin of the office. I tried to make the whole process as understandable as possible and show Josh how everything fits together.
“The prospects for students wishing to enter the profession are looking up. It was the commercial side of architecture that found it most difficult in the recession, but the niche sectors – for example, areas we specialise in such as historic buildings – rode it out quite smoothly, and other areas of the private sector are beginning to see an upturn in activity.”
Megan Rourke, 17, partnered with Rob Firman, director of performing arts projects at Austin-Smith: Lord
Megan Rourke, who attends Stanwell School in Penarth, said: “Before I started this work experience, I didn’t realise that you would have to pitch for business. It’s really competitive and a lot of research goes into coming up with the most innovative ideas to help win new contracts.
“I also learnt how some projects can take years to complete. Rob had been working on the Wales Millennium Centre for 10 years before it opened but, sometimes, he might only be working on a project for 10 weeks.”
Rob Firman said: “While we have little problem attracting young people to this profession, I often think some people’s perception of the industry is fundamentally flawed. People can often think of us as stuffy, office-bound and barrister like, but the reality is almost the opposite.
“That’s why this work experience has been so useful. The students have seen that it’s not all pretty pictures and colouring by numbers; it has given them a taste of the reality of architecture and a better idea of what they are, potentially, getting themselves into.
“It’s vital to train our successors. We take it very seriously and want to break down as many barriers as we can to an often misunderstood profession.”
17-year old Simon Keeling partnered with Dan Benham, project architect at Loyn & Co
Simon Keeling, who goes to Stanwell School in Penarth, said: “I’ve learnt how much patience and commitment goes into a project. There is so much attention to detail, from
planning which material is best to use, to thinking about sustainability, on top of working with a client to achieve something that both parties are happy with.
“I feel the whole experience has really developed my people skills as Dan had me phoning contractors and really getting involved in the projects. It has really made me passionate about pursuing a career in architecture, specifically of residential buildings, which Loyn & Co specialises in.”
Dan Benham said: “As well as teaching the students about the way the industry works, we were also able to learn a thing or two from them as well. It was useful to strip everything down and get back to the basics of architecture. We didn’t realise we used so much flowery language!
“It was great to have a fresh pair of eyes in the studio, and we were glad to have them contributing as they are often eager to push boundaries and bring a fresh way of thinking and questioning to the practice.”
Two highly energy efficient homes that will produce more than 80% less carbon emissions than a standard new house have been chosen as the overall winners of the Welsh Passive House architectural competition.
Innovative designs, coupled with high levels of insulation and renewable energy, will dramatically reduce the need for supplementary heating, resulting in fuel bills that are at least two thirds cheaper than the average home.
The Design Commission for Wales were delighted to be a part of the judging panel including representatives from the Building Research Establishment and the Wales and West Housing Association who are the client for the project. The Commission has also advised on aspects of the wider ’Works’ scheme, from the masterplan, through to the hospital, Learning Campus, General Office refurbishment and Environmental Resource centre.
The winning 3 bed home – which has a wildflower meadow roof and 85% less carbon emissions than a standard new house – is designed by bere:architects of London and the 2 bed home, which utilizes hempcrete, paper and glass for insulation, is designed by HLM Architects, Cardiff.
The two houses will be built at The Works:Ebbw Vale – the former steelworks site – and form the nucleus of Future Homes, a demonstration centre for sustainable development and construction.
The competition, run by the Welsh Assembly Government and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council in association with Building Research Establishment (BRE), attracted 26 entries from around the UK and tasked architects with designing a sustainable affordable home featuring innovative measures for energy efficiency and eco excellence.
The Welsh Passive House combines the principles of the highly efficient PassivHaus low carbon buildings standards pioneered in Germany and meet the Code for Sustainable Homes in Wales (CSH) level 5 requirements including waste disposal, use of local materials, water efficiency and use of renewable energy features..
The designs had to satisfy the CSH Level 5 standard, using local sustainable materials, incorporating innovative solutions for electricity reductions and construction costs.
Deputy Minister for Regeneration, Leighton Andrews, said the winning designs use a range of local Welsh products and are exemplars of low carbon energy efficiency.
“The innovative measures for energy efficiency used in these designs can be replicated in building developments throughout Wales and should cost no more than a standard home when economies of scale are taken into consideration.
“The new technologies together with the use of local products manufactured from recycled materials, open up a range of business, training and job opportunities for local people which supports our sustainable agenda.”
Both winning designs are highly energy efficient, substantially insulated to retain heat, have triple glazed windows, make the maximum use of natural light and sunshine and require only the minimal supplementary heating in winter.
Neither timber framed house needs a conventional space heating system but use a heat recovery ventilation system when the warmth is extracted from air within the house to heat incoming fresh air, which is then circulated.
Exterior highlights of the bere home include dry stone walling, larch cladding on the upper storey and a wildflower roof.
Evacuated glass tube solar panels provide 65% of the hot water throughout the year, which is supplemented by an energy efficient gas boiler. Electricity is supplemented by Photovoltaic panels, sheep’s wool is used for interior insulation while retractable external blinds provide shade in summer.
The HLM house is fitted with PV roof tiles to supplement electricity, hot water is provided by a wood pellet biomass boiler while rainwater is harvested for gardens and flushing toilets. Movement sensors control all fixed lighting
The HLM design also features dry stone walling and uses innovative local products ranging from cement replacement from Cenin in Bridgend to paper insulation from Excel Technology in the Rhymney Valley.
Jonathan Jones, HLM Regional Director, said: “Winning this competition, which is crucial to making sure homes across Wales become more sustainable, reflects our commitment to environmental design.
“Using local craftsmanship, supply and materials and leading edge environmental analysis and design tools we have created a truly vernacular house reflecting the heritage of both Wales and Ebbw Vale. By applying the principles of passive design with cutting edge environmental design tools, we have designed a low energy building at affordable cost.
“Our dedicated specialist team, HLM Environment, along with the invaluable support of Aecom, Vale Consultancy and EC Harris, have ensured the environmental impact of our project is minimal, in construction and in use. “
Justin Bere, Director of bere:architects said: “Our 3 bed house will be so energy efficient that most of its winter heat will come from the people living in the house so that only a tiny amount of supplementary heating will be required in the very coldest weather.
“ Wales has once again shown bold environmental leadership and it will reap the commercial and employment benefits that will undoubtedly come from creating the first Passivhaus skills base in the UK. I believe that Wales now has the opportunity to become the Passivhaus centre of the UK and our practice, bere
architects, looks forward to helping with this.”
Building professionals are often criticised for putting profit before environmental impact, but the Design Commission for Wales senses a welcome change in the air following recent announcements from the Construction Industry Council, the UKGBC and from some home grown expertise.
At a recent conference of construction professionals, climate change was named as their top concern. ‘Trying harder’ was no longer seen as an option and a root and branch appraisal of design was needed to help mitigate the impact of the construction industry on climate change. The pressure is certainly on for the industry as the Welsh Assembly Government has already announced its aspiration to achieve zero carbon rated buildings from 2011, ahead of the 2016 target in England.
Carole Anne-Davies, Chief Executive, Design Commission for Wales, said, “The Design Commission for Wales has long been a champion of sustainable design and has always said innovation in this area would come from the professional design industries. Before you can build sustainably you have to design sustainability. Somehow in recent years we’ve arrived at a position of building high energy consuming, resource inefficient buildings, inadequately linked to public transport. Coupled with construction waste – it’s not a good position to be in.
“Key messages, which we’ve consistently highlighted for over half a decade, regarding good, resource efficient, sustainable design, are at last striking a few chords. It’s a huge opportunity for the construction business and suppliers and it’s encouraging to hear a more positive approach ahead of impending regulation. The skills of designers are crucial as well as the gearing up of the industry. We should be looking to our innovative designers and learning from them.
“The Commission is delighted that Welsh practice Gaunt Francis has been the first to build a house for a volume builder which meets Code Level 6 on the Code for Sustainable Homes. This is the highest level for zero carbon building on the Code and is the target for 2016.
“We have a practice here at home innovating in this way, with lessons to share for the domestic volume building market. It’s not a minute too soon. Test projects like this one will help provide the answers to the considerable challenges ahead and the Barratt Green House by Gaunt Francis is something the industry should be learning from. It’s a huge opportunity to celebrate good practice and share the knowledge and experience gained from the project. It’s also a signal of popular support as over 22,000 people voted for the design when it was publicised in the Daily Mail competition.
“The Design Commission works with design and development teams on all kinds of schemes in Wales and we can see indications that the tide is turning. In many areas there is a lot of work still to do. Nevertheless, the more we know about projects such as this and the more attention the industry gives to seizing these opportunities, the more progress we will make. We don’t have the time to wait and see – climate change is the challenge of all our age.”
“We understand how difficult things are at a time when the credit crunch is biting on the construction and house building industries but we also know that the effects of climate change aren’t going to go away while the market adjusts. As Paul King of the UK Green building Council said this week, we are also seeing unprecedented commitments to sustainability set out by both Gordon Brown and David Cameron and in Wales we have long been working to achieve low and zero carbon buildings and to meet high aspirations and commitments from the Welsh Assembly Government to annual carbon reductions of at least 3% as set out in One Wales. As a member of the UKGBC, the Commission shares the view that while economic conditions don’t make our task any easier in the short-term, the imperative for a sustainable built environment will not only remain, it will grow. There is an opportunity for industry to reflect and prepare for better times when sustainability will be the pre-requisite of doing business and undoubtedly a competitive advantage that will reward those businesses who have invested and prepared. We have too quickly forgotten the warning of the Stern report in terms of impact on GDP and have too often remained in “business as usual“ mode. This is a huge chance to learn, test and deliver market solutions for better, more resource efficient, places to live.”
Andrew Sutton, architect for the Green House, said, “Delivering the first Code 6 house with Barratt has given Gaunt Francis a significant understanding of what’s needed to mainstream high volume sustainability. It will also demonstrate that the design community has the necessary skills to deliver zero carbon. We’re keen to build on this practical demonstration and show that the Assembly’s aspiration for 2011 can be realised through good design. We also wish to assist in pushing forward the opportunities to put Wales at the head of a growing sustainable supply chain and construction skills upgrade.”
A new residential and agricultural eco village planned for rural Pembrokeshire has been praised highly as a benchmark for environmental rural regeneration by the Design Commission for Wales.
The proposal, by Lammas Low Impact Initiatives Ltd, is for a new settlement of 9 eco-smallholdings, a campsite and a community hub building sited on 76 acres of mixed pasture and woodland next to the village of Glandwr, north Pembrokeshire. Using locally sourced materials and distinct building materials will make the project specifically Welsh, and conscious of affordable housing in the area, the self built houses are estimated to cost £60,000per house.
The planned designs which came before the Commission’s Design Review Panel in April, were welcomed for the most part by Panel members and commended in particular for their emphasis on low impact development.
Cindy Harris, Head of Design Review, Design Commission for Wales, said, “We found that the project was inspirational and we commended the committment and enthusiasm of the group as a whole. The scheme has the potential to become an exemplar of low impact development and whilst we would not wish to see it set a precedent for new development on greenfield sites in the countryside, Pembrokeshire’s rural exceptions planning policy allows low impact development of this sort under strict conditions, and this scheme is the first to come forward under this policy.”
Wendy Richards, the newly-appointed Development Director of the Design Commission for Wales, intends to hit the ground running. As an experienced urban designer and landscape architect, Wendy has been involved with delivering a diverse portfolio of high profile design projects, ranging from a major urban park development in Hong Kong’s New Territories to the acclaimed Riverfront Theatre in Newport as part of a team at Austin-Smith: Lord.
Wendy has spent the last three years working with Newport City Council and Newport Unlimited as their principal urban designer and has worked within the private and public sectors over a number of years, as well as being a voluntary member of the Design Commission’s own Design Review Panel. Her passion for the work of the Design Commission along with a long-held belief that good design and sustainability can only truly work if incorporated at the very outset of a development made Wendy an ideal candidate for this new role at the Commission.
Now in position, she believes Wales has a unique opportunity to take a strong lead in innovative good design in Europe through its use of sustainable design principles. The Welsh Assembly has put the necessary policies in place, but it is now up to planners and developers, with the assistance of the Design Commission, to make sure these principles are delivered on a pan-Wales basis.
Wendy says, “The Senedd in Cardiff Bay is a fantastic building which leads by example. It is iconic yet sustainable in its design and masks a great deal of ingenuity in its subtlety. Buildings like the Senedd may come along only once in a lifetime, but there are many smaller-scale projects which can deliver the same sustainability credentials if sound design principles are incorporated at the earliest stages of development planning. Good design is not necessarily about architectural style it is about responding to the local context and making successful spaces and places for people.”
“A well – designed building or place is usually one a team of people has enjoyed creating and responds to its location and users contributing to the sense of place of a town or city. As we move towards an agenda of building places to be carbon neutral in Wales by 2011, developers should push their design teams to maximise innovation and sustainability initiatives. The Design Commission for Wales can help developers to do this through its design review process. It is then imperative that good sustainable policy principles are incorporated within local planning policies to hit this target and in doing so lead the UK.”
Wendy also believes Wales needs to find a number of champions who can carry the baton for good design and improve the places in which we all live. Wendy feels that those champions are already there within local communities, the private and public sector; they just need to be teased out into the limelight. Part of her role in the Commission will be to find these potential champions to raise awareness about good design and provide them with the necessary training where needed, to push forward the design agenda to help create better places for us all to live in.
Wendy adds, “In general, I would like to think that people are becoming more aware of good design, we should be demanding more sustainable homes from house builders, until we do they will not provide them – to the purchaser this would mean more energy efficiency and lower bills, at the same time, making better places by responding to the local character and context of an area.
Part of my role at the Commission is to continue to develop this link with people and organisations, building on the work already done on ‘My Square Mile’, our education programme, delivering training about good design principles and encouraging local authorities and developers to use the Commissions’ free Design Review service. People need to understand the legacy which they are creating, to deliver places which Wales and its people can be justly proud of.”
Alan Francis, Chair of the Commission adds “We are delighted to welcome Wendy to this new role which develops a strong senior management team with the Chief Executive and the Development Director for the Commission, enabling us to expand the service we already provide in support of great spaces and places across Wales”
DCFW has welcomed the decision by developer Henry Boot not to appeal the refusal of planning for the proposed redevelopment of the Abergavenny cattle market. In light of the decision, the Commission now urges the Local Planning Authority and the main landowner Monmouthshire County Council, to fundamentally review its strategy for the redevelopment of this important site close to the heart of this historic market town.
Carole-Anne Davies, Chief Executive, Design Commission for Wales, said, “I am pleased this deeply flawed proposal will not now be built and the decision to refuse stands.
“If it were based on sound and sustainable design principles, this site has enormous potential for redevelopment. It has the potential to create a vibrant new quarter that will enhance the quality of life for existing residents of the town; create new opportunities for local business and provide much needed new homes.
“We ask the local authority to now take advantage of this opportunity to work with the developer to secure a first class mixed use scheme that meets good urban design standards and includes an appropriate retail element supported by appropriate transport and parking provision.”
According to the Design Commission, any new proposals for development should be based on well established urban design principles. These should include:
- A rich mix of uses including homes, workplaces, shops and cultural facilities
- A well conceived public realm offering clear, legible pedestrian and vehicle circulation well integrated with the existing network of streets and public spaces
- Buildings of a scale and character appropriate to their setting that incorporate best practice in low carbon, environmentally responsible design, meeting the requirements of policy in Wales.
Carole-Anne Davies, added, ”I want to make it clear the Design Commission is not opposed in principle to the inclusion of supermarkets in town centre redevelopment proposals, but it cannot support proposals that are dominated by large retail sheds and extensive surface car parking. Such dominance was a major characteristic of the original proposal.
“The recent history of proposals for this site is highly unsatisfactory. The planning authority seems uninterested in realising the best long-term value from this site for the town and its community. To date there has been no evidence of a clear vision for the town’s development and little appetite to engage in meaningful discussions with either the local community or the Commission.
“We hope Monmouthshire will not now engage in further protracted and closed discussions with a developer to produce a modified scheme which might be accepted, but only reluctantly, by the planning committee.
“This is a golden opportunity to start afresh. A positive first step would be to engage in a broad, open but expeditious process to establish a strategic vision for the site. The Design Commission would welcome the opportunity to play a key role in helping facilitating this.”
Schools throughout Wales are set to benefit from a free new educational resource pack, focusing on raising awareness of good design and the wider built environment, thanks to The Design Commission for Wales. The resource pack will be launched by Jane Davidson, Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, on Thursday, October 11th at 11.30am at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea. Entitled “My Square Mile”, the pack encourages pupils to explore their local environment in order to develop a sense of place and a feeling of belonging.
The initiative was piloted in 33 primary schools in Swansea and subsequently offered to a number of schools in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. Such has been its success in stimulating pupils to investigate and evaluate their locality that the project resources are now being made available free of charge to all schools in Wales.
The resource pack, which contains a book and a comprehensive CD, shares the innovative work of the pilot schools, and acts as a framework and stimulus for other schools to develop their own projects.
Carole-Anne Davies, chief executive of the Design Commission for Wales, said, “The “My Square Mile” initiative has proved a huge success in schools in Swansea and
West Wales. It has given pupils the opportunity to get out and about and explore their local neighbourhood. It has also given them a better understanding of design and architecture.
“The resource pack provides a framework for study and offers suggestions for teachers on the introduction of themes and topics, relevant to the national curriculum, such as sustainability and citizenship. There is huge flexibility within the project which can involve a variety of subjects across the curriculum, including art, design and technology, geography, history, numbers and language.
“Different schools have adopted different approaches and have involved pupils of different age groups in the projects. There have been many wonderful surprises along the way and it has been rewarding to see how the pupils have engaged in the work and have responded so positively to its challenges.
“I’d like to thank our partners in this initiative, especially the Arts Education Teams in Swansea, Carmarthen and Ceredigion local authorities, and Eileen Adams, project author and commissioner. Our thanks also go to the schools who’ve participated so enthusiastically in the project. I am also grateful to the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing for her support and funding for this educational and inspirational initiative.”
Jane Davidson, Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, added, “This innovative project is an excellent opportunity for pupils across Wales to learn more about their square mile, through exploring the relationship between buildings, spaces and people. By looking closely at the surroundings we hope young people can begin to understand how the environment is shaped and managed.
“The pilot projects to date have proved that interest is most definitely there and succeeded in offering pupils a chance to celebrate local distinctiveness and local identity. I hope teachers across Wales now take advantage of this valuable resource to foster greater interest in design and sustainability amongst their pupils.”