Design guidance

Arts Council England

Arts Council England has funded Public Art Online, an information source that shows how artistic and creative activity can contribute to the built and natural environment, regeneration initiatives, sustainable development, architecture and urban design.

CABE

CABE has published Artists and places: engaging creative minds in regeneration, with Arts and Business, which encourages imaginative new developments that feature the qualities people enjoy. It draws together lessons from a series of projects, all of which used artists in the development process to boost creativity.

Creating excellent buildings is a CABE publication that presents advice and guidance to people who are about to embark on a construction project for the first time. Drawing on CABE’s own enabling programmes, it includes advice on topics such as: choosing project sites; selecting the most appropriate architects and consultants; and developing the right design brief.

Successful masterplanning is the key to creating great places. A clear, considered masterplan developed in partnership by professionals and local people can lead to the physical, social and economic revival of places. Creating successful masterplans sets out advice based on the experience of CABE's enabling and design review programmes.

CABE’s Creating successful neighbourhoods publication shows how innovative design can be used to deliver success in the Pathfinder areas.

CABE has joined with the Home Builders Federation to produce a guide to the ‘Building for Life’ standard, which exists to help ensure high quality new housing. Delivering great places to live features 20 questions that can be used as a basis for writing good development briefs.

Start with the park is a good practice guide from CABE. It is relevant to everyone involved in the process of sustainable growth and renewal in England. It explores how to create and care for urban green spaces in housing growth and housing market renewal areas.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Through its Cleaner, Safer, Greener programme, the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has produced a series of publications to guide improvements in the management and design of public spaces and the built environment.

English Heritage

English Heritage has put together guidance on characterisation. This shows how understanding an area’s unique history and distinctive features can help drive future improvements:

Building in Context is a jointly published report from CABE and English Heritage. It showcases examples of high achievement in design and development. It shows how success can be achieved by designing new developments that build on an area’s existing features.

To complement the ‘Building in Context’ publication, CABE and English Heritage have devised a training programme. This gives decision makers the tools they need to recognise how projects can respond well to their surroundings. Intended to help local authority design champions and historic environment champions, the programme is being offered to all local authorities in the English regions.

English Heritage has completed a programme of work on the theme of Streets for All. This is aimed at encouraging co-ordinated action to reverse the decline of England’s streetscapes. Through guidance and case studies, this website gives information on the design and management of streets.

The Future of Historic School Buildings is a position statement from English Heritage which sets out the principles for improving school buildings in a way that upholds the historical and architectural features that many of them enjoy.

Museums, Libraries & Archives

MLA hosts Designing Libraries, a database of case studies showcasing best practice in the planning and design of library buildings.

Sport England

Active Design is an innovative set of design guidelines to promote opportunities for sport and physical activity in the design and layout of development. It is an essential check list for urban designers to ensure activity is build into new communities. It includes guidance to help promotes sport and activity through three key Active Design principles of improving accessibility; enhancing amenity; and increasing awareness.