Category: Publications

Download – Designing for Renewable Energy in Wales

Download – Designing for Renewable Energy in Wales – Consultation Summary

DCFW_Culture-of-quality_ENG

DCFW – Reimagined

 

2019-21 Annual Plan – final

On 21st October 2017 at Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr Tydfil, the Design Commission for Wales and the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University convened a multi-disciplinary team to scope the possibilities within the town and surrounding landscape in a bold visioning exercise that sought ways of making of Merthyr’s heritage assets something greater than the sum of its parts, underlining its true international significance.

The charrette – an intense day of ideas generation – considered how Cyfarthfa Castle, its extended landscape and built heritage might become an international quality visitor destination and experience, better promoting its already palpable sense of place. It considered new ways in which these central assets could be connected to other assets throughout the town and beyond to catalyse regeneration and tourism, maximise impact and return real public benefit. The findings highlighted four strategically integrated areas:

1. A cathedral for our industrial heritage
2. Weaving a connected landscape
3. Beyond Cyfarthfa – Beyond Merthyr
4. A year-round framework for events

The report recommends the pursuit of these strands and outlines the necessary resources, timescales and mechanisms required for them to realise their full potential.

You can download the documents here

CRWCIBL – Merthyr Tudful Ar Gyfer – Ardoddiad Charrette http://dcfw.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DCFW_Merthyr_Report_Welsh.pdf

 

CRUCIBLE – Merthyr Tydfil Industrial Heritage – Design Charrette Report  http://dcfw.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DCFW_MerthyrCharrette_web.pdf

This guidance highlights good practice in the production of Design and Access Statements (DAS) in Wales.

The aim of the guidance is to:
– outline the benefits of undertaking a DAS,
– provide advice on what should and should not be included in a DAS,
– suggests a structure for the document; and
– highlights the issues it should address.

It also contains advice for local planning authority officers, when receiving a DAS to assess, on the questions to ask to ascertain if a robust design process has been undertaken and whether design quality is evident.

You can access the document here:  Design and Access Statements in Wales: Why, What and How

https://gov.wales/planning-developments-site-and-context-analysis-guide

Who do we design for?

Building on the commitments set out by the Welsh Government in the Framework for Action on Independent Living, and in the context of recent changes to Design and Access Statement (DAS) requirements, a Wales- wide training programme was delivered to provide those working in the built environment with a clear understanding of the principles of inclusive design.

The training was coordinated by the Design Commission for Wales, RSAW, RTPI Cymru and Constructing Excellence Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government.  The training was led by Sandra Manley, a visiting research fellow at UWE whose research and teaching has focused on the importance of designing to ensure disabled, elderly and young people are able to participate fully in mainstream community life.

This page provides links to resources relating to the training programme as a permanent reference point for anyone interested in the subject.

Training Handbook

A comprehensive handbook was produced to accompany the training and can be downloaded via the link on the left-hand side of this page.

Good and Bad Practice Examples

The following links are to on-line Pinterest boards providing good and bad examples of inclusive design.  This library of images will be added to over time to provide a useful reference.  If you have any images that could be added to the boards please send them to connect@dcfw.dev with a short description of where it is and what is good or bad about it.

Good practice

Bad practice

Training Videos

One of the training sessions was filmed and can be watched below.  The morning-long session has been divided into smaller sections so that you can navigate to particular topics.

How designers are changing democratic spaces and processes

This collection of essays is about various ways in which design might improve democracy. It is being published by the Design Commission as a novel form of inquiry into the subject. The inquiry was co-chaired by Dr Richard Simmons, and John Howell MP

Contents
Foreword, John Howell OBE MP FSA and inquiry co-chair
Introduction, Dr Richard Simmons and inquiry co-chair
Designing Direct Democracy, William Baker and Nick Hurley, thevotingproject.com

SECTION 1: PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
The Welsh Assembly, Lord Rogers of Riverside, Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners (RSHP)
The People’s Palace, Carole-Anne Davies, Design Commission Wales
The Scottish Parliament, Karen Anderson, Architecture and Design Scotland
The Future of the Palace of Westminster, by Design, Kate Jones, Design Council
Competition to host a Northern Parliament, Julian Smith MP and the Rt Hon Frank Field MP

SECTION 2: DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES
Reflections on Design and the Digital Democracy Commission, Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons
Designing Democracy, Julian Huppert MP interviewed by Ben Terrett, Government Digital Service and Naomi Turner, Policy Connect
Democracy and the role of social media, Laura Haynes, Appetite

SECTION 3: OTHER VOICES, OTHER WAYS
New Spaces of Democracy, Kieran Long, V&A
Internet-era citizen movements and political parties, Francesca Bria, Nesta Innovation Lab
Designing Democratic Innovations, Geoff Killy
Learning from Constitución, Dan Hill, Future Cities Catapult

SECTION 4: THE STUFF OF DEMOCRACY
Political Design: Simplification is Key, Dr Chris Burgess, People’s History Museum
Good Law: how can the design of Bills and Acts help? Hayley Rogers, Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, Good Law Initiative
The Ballot: A Brief History of Information Design, Naomi Turner, Policy Connect
Census, Cassie Robinson, Civic Bureau and Louise Armstrong, Forum for the Future
The Open Manifesto, James Smith, somethingnew.org.uk

SECTION 5: DEMOCRACY, LOCAL AND HYPER-LOCAL
Design and Neighbourhood Planning, John Howell OBE MP FSA
Let’s Play a Game: Using civic board games for local democratisation, Dr Richard Simmons
Understanding Community in the Social Age, Rowan Conway, RSA
Designing democracy and democratising design, Michael Kohn, Stickyworld
Designing processes for designing places, David Janner-Klausner, Commonplace Digital Ltd

SECTION 6: THE PUBLIC REALM
Public Space and Democracy – Voting with our Feet, Jason Prior, AECOM
The real design project of democracy, Sam Jacob, Sam Jacob Architects

About the Design Commission and Credits

Design Review in Wales 2012-2015 is the fourth in a series of books charting the experience of the Design Commission for Wales’ national Design Review Service and tracking trends, barriers and opportunities for better design quality in the built environment.

Case studies, statistical and geographical data are captured within a narrative overview, providing a snapshot of the scope of the service and the range of development in Wales.

 

Through its own design review process, DCFW acts as a non-statutory consultee within the planning system, commenting on projects throughout Wales. DCFW’s comments can be treated as material considerations in the planning process by local planning authorities, other stakeholders and the National Assembly for Wales.

Through its own design review process, DCFW acts as a non-statutory consultee within the planning system, commenting on projects throughout Wales. DCFW’s comments can be treated as material considerations in the planning process by local planning authorities, other stakeholders and the National Assembly for Wales.

Through its own design review process, DCFW acts as a non-statutory consultee within the planning system, commenting on projects throughout Wales. DCFW’s comments can be treated as material considerations in the planning process by local planning authorities, other stakeholders and the National Assembly for Wales.

The Design Commission for Wales believes that a well designed tall building in an appropriate location can make a positive contribution to the quality of a place. However, such buildings are too often the exception rather than the rule.

The Design Commission for Wales is pleased to collaborate with Ruthin Craft Centre on an exhibition which recognises quality in the everyday in Wales – the homes, public places, schools, work places, parks, shops and community buildings which we enjoy, and which form the background to everyday life.  ‘Delight in the Everyday’ celebrates the simple pleasures found in the unassuming buildings and places which eschew louder ambition and are entirely appropriate and delightful in their simplicity.

The Commission has selected several designers working in the built environment in Wales to contribute exhibits which explore the theme of Delight in the Everyday.  From the simple planting of wildflowers to brighten up a dull roadside, to a study of the search for thermal comfort in a courtyard house, the designers consider some of the infinite variety of ways in which good design contributes to our enjoyment of day to day life.

You can access the document here:   Practice Guidance: Planning for Sustainable Buildings

This document is intended as an aid to understanding the expectations of the Design Commission for Wales in relation to the use of Design Codes with Local Development Orders (LDOs) in Wales.

It will inform Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), developers and other stakeholders regarding the role of the Design Commission for Wales and the proper consideration of good design quality, for development facilitated through LDOs and with the use of Design Codes.

This brief guide aims to help you identify what should be considered in developing an LDP in order to achieve good quality places.

It is not prescriptive, rather it outlines general principles for LDPs, which should facilitate the creation and protection of sustainable neighbourhoods and valued landscapes.