Housing Design in the Private Sector: Character Assessment in Planning

By: Rex Hawkesworth Riba

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Synopsis: Never before has house design been a science; it has always been a subjective desire of a rich person who can throw money away to achieve a personal satisfaction of something for him or her. At the opposite end of scale, i.e., housing for ordinary people, you only have to look at Victorian slums to see the outcome - profit. It is not normal for householders to consider the buyer much more than a chance of bathroom or kitchen fittings. Smaller developers are more liable to consider the buyer, provided, of course, the design is straightforward and economical. If densities are met, the architect can probably plot his or her artistic thoughts even more. Therefore, modern housing generally has a traditional look about it. Beyond that, design initiatives are hidden or subtly designed so that the client's vision is not interfered with; a greater depth of understanding is produced if adjoining sites or buildings are taken into account to add sensibility or satisfaction to the design, but this can only be achieved in individual designs and not estates. This is what this book is all about: making the most of the site and its neighbours.