Project for Public Places What makes a place successful? Publication date: various Ranking: useful In their words: “Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is a nonprofit planning, design and educational organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that…
Blog Archives
Successful places and spaces
Tagged with: inclusive access, places, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Urban Design
Poverty, place and inequality
Victoria Pinoncely, Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). Poverty, place and inequality – a policy paper Publication date: May 2016 Ranking: useful The paper puts forward the idea that place-based approaches are the best way tackle poverty and inequality. In their…
Tagged with: inequality, poverty, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Urban Design
An environment for all ages
Kt-equal A built environment for all ages Publication date: March 2010 Ranking: useful Notes of a workshop held in 2010 looking at evidence that well-designed outdoor spaces can enhance long term health and well-being for people who use them regularly.…
Tagged with: age, Dementia, health, inclusive access, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Health, Landscaping, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Health, Landscaping, Urban Design
How good is our place?
Architecture and Design Scotland, NHS – Health Scotland and The Scottish Government The Place Standard Guide Published: 2015 Ranking: useful In their words: “The Place Standard tool provides a simple framework to structure conversations about place. It allows you to…
Tagged with: audits, design, health, public realm, sense of place
Posted in Auditing, Planning, Urban Design
Posted in Auditing, Planning, Urban Design
The weekly update
Physical health mental health or health inequalities is a key issue, not just for social and health services, but designers too. Our architectural and natural environment can play a huge part in how well we feel and…
Tagged with: health, inclusive access, Independent living, mental health, planning, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Health, Housing, Landscaping, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Health, Housing, Landscaping, Urban Design
Dementia and Town Planning
Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Dementia and Town Planning – RTPI Practice Advice Publication date: January 2017 Ranking: useful In their own words… “This practice note gives advice on how good planning can create better environments for people living with dementia. It…
Tagged with: Dementia, disability, friendly communities, planning, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Urban Design
Public transportation is a “women’s issue.”
Laura Bliss, The Atlantic; CityLab Mass transit mobilises women. Why don’t women mobilise for transit? Publication date: January 2017 Ranking: useful In their words: “Like the economy, climate change, immigration, and health care, public transportation is a women’s issue.” the author…
Quality of place matters
Richard Florida and Andrew Small, The Atlantic; CityLab Why quality of place matters Publication date: December 2016 Ranking: useful The article highlights two research studies. First a recent study that assessed 23 variables of the quality of place from cultural…
Urban design for mental health
Mimi Kirk , The Atlantic; CityLab Publication date: December 2016 Ranking: useful How to support mental health through urban planning The article describes the work of the Center for Urban Urban Design and Mental Health and highlights four key themes…
Pedestrian crossings
Department for Transport (DfT) The design of pedestrian crossings Local Transport Note 2/95 Publication date: 1995 Ranking: essential Government guidance describing the design and installation of at grade pedestrian crossings. Download a copy here from the Gov.uk website To obtain…
Shared space assessment
Paper by: Bart J.M. Melis-Dankers, Else M. Havik and Aart C. Kooijman (Royal Dutch Visio, Centre of Expertise for Blind and Visually Impaired People) Frank J.J.M. Steyvers, (University of Groningen, Department of Psychology, Groningen) Helen Petrie, (University of York, Department…
Tagged with: inclusive access, public realm, visual impairment
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Core design documents
Compiled by North Somerset Council Equality and Diversity Team. Publication date: December 2016 Ranking: essential These documents are the key ones which we feel underpin most design work from service delivery to transport, interior design or the public realm. Disability…
Tagged with: design, disability
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Urban Design
Tactile paving consultation 2015
Department for Transport (DfT) Interim changes to the Guidance on the use of Tactile Paving Surfaces Publication date: 2015 Ranking: essential This document sets out the proposed changes that the DfT consulted on in 2015. It proposed changes to the way…
Tagged with: public realm, tactile paving, visual impairment
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Creating age-friendly cities
Houses of Parliament Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Creating age-friendly cities Publication date: 2016 Ranking: useful This POSTnote from the examines how housing, outdoor spaces and transport can be made more age-friendly. As the number of older people living…
Tagged with: age, housing, inclusive access, Independent living, planning, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Planning, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Planning, Urban Design
Review of shared space and other highway schemes
Allan Quimby and James Castle for Transport for London (TfL)Street Management. A Review of Simplified Streetscape Schemes (PPR292) Date published: 2006 Ranking: useful This report looks at the impact of de-cluttering, share space and other improvements to the highway environment to…
Historic buildings and places
National Disability Authority and Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Improving the accessibility of historic buildings and places Publication date: 2011 Ranking: useful Produced by the Irish National Disability Authority, this document provides detailed advice on making historic and…
Tagged with: arts, historic buildings, planning
Posted in Historic Buildings & Landscapes, Planning, Urban Design
Posted in Historic Buildings & Landscapes, Planning, Urban Design
Urban streets
National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) The Urban Street Design Guide Publication date: 2013 Ranking: useful This US guide sets out key principles and practices used by engineers, planners, and designers working across America. Described as “a blueprint for designing…
Tagged with: public realm, streets, Transport
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Urban Design
How to design a city for women
Clare Foran, CityLab from The Atlantic media group. How to design a city for women Publication date: 2013 Ranking: useful The article focuses on a transportation study in Vienna which highlighted the gender differences in the way different modes transportation…
So how good is tactile paving?
Rodney A. Hunter, Hannah Consulting. Slip resistance of tactile surface indicators Publication date: 2016 Ranking: useful This Australian piece of research assesses the slip resistance of tactile paving when wet and in varying conditions from brand new to very worn.…
Tagged with: disability, public realm, tactile paving
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Designing cities for women
CityLab, AtlanticMedia. How to Design a City for Women Publication date: 2016 Ranking: useful This article looks at how urban planners have been taking the ideas of gender mainstreaming and what can be achieved when the differing needs of men…
Shared space: is it evidence based?
University of the West of England (UWE): Simon Moody and Steve Melia Shared space – research, policy and problems Publication date: 2012 Ranking: essential The authors’ introduction states: “Shared space is an approach to street design which minimises demarcations between vehicles…
Tagged with: access, disability, Independent living, planning, public realm, Transport, visual impairment
Posted in Disability, Highways, Planning, Urban Design
Posted in Disability, Highways, Planning, Urban Design
Building dementia friendly communities for everyone
Geraldine Green, Senior Policy Officer and Louise Lakey, Policy Manager, Alzheimer’s Society Building dementia friendly communities: A priority for everyone Publication date: 2013 Ranking: useful This report describes the views of people affected by dementia and their carers. It explores the barriers…
Tagged with: Dementia, Independent living, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Urban Design
Streetscape audits
Dept. of Transport and Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation Traffic Advisory Leaflet 5/11: Quality Audit Publication date: 2011 Ranking: essential This leaflet explains the Quality Audit process. The Quality Audit process can be applied to highway, traffic management or development…
Crossings and pedestrian walking speeds
Transport Research Laboratory Report prepared by M cRabtree, C Lodge and P Emmerson. A Review of Pedestrian Walking Speeds and Time Needed to Cross the Road Publication date: 2014 Ranking: useful Living Streets commissioned Transport Research Laboratory to bring together…
Shares space experience in Ireland
Tom Grey and Emma Siddall, with contributions from Eoghan O’Shea; TrinityHaus, (Trinity College, Dublin). Shared Space, Shared Surfaces and Home Zones from a Universal Design Approach for the Urban Environment in Ireland Publication date: 2012 Ranking: useful The research was…
Guerrilla Wars in Everyday Public Spaces
Kin Wai Michael Siu, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Guerrilla Wars in Everyday Public Spaces: Reflections and Inspirations for Designers. Publication date: 2007 Ranking: useful This research offers designers a new perspective for examining how city users are tactically living in their cities.…
Superdensity
Superdensity – The sequel Written and published by HTA Design LLP, Levitt Bernstein, Pollard Thomas Edwards and PRP Architect in partnership with David Birkbeck of Design for Homes. Publication date: 2015 Ranking: useful Building on Living at Superdensity, this report shows through a series of essays…
An alternative age-friendly handbook
Sophie Handler; UK Urban Ageing Consortium | Age Uk | Royal Institute of British Architects | Age-friendly Manchester | Manchester Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing. An alternative age-friendly handbook Publication date: 2014 Ranking: useful This handbook provides practitioners with a series…
Tagged with: age, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Urban Design
Play Street Orders
Playing Out – Bristol City Council Playing out – applying for temporary street orders Publication date: current. Due to be reviewed 16/06/2015 Ranking: useful Here is an example of how one council has set up the administrative process to close a street…
Playing out
Playing Out A Dutch view of playing out Publication date: December 2013 Ranking: useful A film made in 1972 documenting the efforts of a group of Dutch children to create a play street. Portrays group of children with quietly supportive…
Child-friendly City
UNICEF Building child-friendly cities: A framework for action Publication date: 2004 Ranking: useful This document provides a framework for defining and developing a Child Friendly City. It identifies the steps to build a local system of governance committed to fulfilling children’s rights. The framework…
People with dementia and the physical environment
North Somerset Council Equality and Diversity Team Publication date: 2014 Ranking: Essential (North Somerset Council) This document focuses on the public realm at both the local neighbourhood level as well as town and city centres. It therefore may be of…
Tagged with: Dementia, design, Independent living, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Access for Blind People in Towns SS1401
The National Federation of the Blind of the UK Publication Date: 2014 Ranking: useful This document sets out the general abilities and limitations of blind people and of trained guide dogs, in order to provide assistance to planners and designers…
The design of streets with older people in mind: 13 part toolkit
I’DGO Publication date: 2007 and 2012 Ranking: useful The Design of Streets with Older People in Mind is a 13 part toolkit; each part addressing a different environmental feature of streets and neighbourhoods. It is based on research undertaken by…
Landscape Design for Dementia Care
Housing LIN Publication date: July 2013 Ranking: useful This Factsheet is intended to be used as a tool to further debate on the subject of design for dementia care in the specialist housing sector. The principles of landscape design for…
Tagged with: age, Dementia, landscaping, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Health, Landscaping, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Health, Landscaping, Urban Design
Local Transport Note 1/11
Department for Transport Publication date: 2011 Ranking: essential This Local Transport Note (LTN) focuses on shared space in high street environments but many of its principles will apply in other settings. It places particular emphasis on stakeholder engagement and inclusive…
Tagged with: design, disability, inclusive access, public realm, Transport
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Neighbourhoods for life Checklist
Housing Corporation Publication date: 2004 Ranking: useful This checklist gives a range of design recommendations to help housing associations improve the quality of life of older people with dementia in the outdoor environment. How to view a copy To…
Tagged with: disability, housing, Independent living, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Housing, Landscaping, Planning, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Housing, Landscaping, Planning, Urban Design
Neighbourhoods for Life: Designing dementia-friendly outdoor environments
Oxford Brookes University Publication date: 2004 Ranking: useful The number of older people in the UK is rising dramatically, particularly in the age group of 85 years and above. As the likelihood of developing dementia increases with age, reaching a one…
Tagged with: Dementia, design, Independent living
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Health, Planning, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Health, Planning, Urban Design
City health check
RIBA Publication date: 2013 Ranking: useful Do our cities support healthy, active choices on a daily basis? Does the architecture and urban design of our cities impact on public health? In this health check the RIBA report compares three serious…
Tagged with: health, public realm
Posted in Auditing, Design Standards (Environment), Health, Urban Design
Posted in Auditing, Design Standards (Environment), Health, Urban Design
Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors (I’DGO)
I’DGO project Publication date: various Ranking: useful This is a link to the valuable website resource funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as a part of a project that was established in 2003. I’DGO has a longstanding record…
Tagged with: age, design, disability, inclusive access, Independent living, planning, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Health, Highways, Planning, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Health, Highways, Planning, Urban Design
Violence, Sexuality and Space Research summary
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Publication date: 2005 Ranking: useful Looks at how homophobic violence results in social exclusion in some geographic areas and the reasons why this occurs. Shows it is not just the way space is designed…
Tagged with: LGB&T, planning, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Planning, sexual orientation, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Planning, sexual orientation, Urban Design
The smoking ban: Perceptions of safety on Edinburgh’s scene
Brunel University Publication date: 2008 Ranking: useful Evaluates the effects on safety of gay people in Edinburgh as a result of the smoking ban. Shows that safety of gay people is compromised when having to stand outside public premises and…
Tagged with: LGB&T, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), sexual orientation, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), sexual orientation, Urban Design
Homophobia and violence against gay people in public space
Maneo-Werkstatt 3 Publication date: 2008 Ranking: useful Report of a workshop by MANEO organisation on pan-European project to look at reporting and the way violence is treated involving gay people. Is useful for understanding issues relating to the management of…
Tagged with: LGB&T, public realm
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), sexual orientation, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), sexual orientation, Urban Design
Access for blind people in towns
The National Federation of the Blind of the UK Publication date: 2012 Ranking: useful This document sets out the general requirements of blind people and of trained guide dogs, in order to provide assistance to planners and designers who are responsible…
Tagged with: footpaths, public realm, visual impairment
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Highways, Urban Design
Public Places, Future Spaces
Womens Design Service Publication date: 1994 Ranking: useful Document provides an account of a study day organised by the Womens Design Service looking at to what extent contemporary models of planning met the needs of women and what needed to change to…
Tagged with: access, planning, public realm, women
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Gender, Planning, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Environment), Gender, Planning, Urban Design
Manual for Streets: evidence and research
Department of Transport Publication date: 2007 Ranking: useful This document provides the background research and evidence undertaken by TRL Ltd for the revised Manual for Streets document looking at the relationships between speed, geometry environment and casualities. How to view a copy…
NDA 4 – Older people’s use of unfamiliar space (OPUS)
New dynamics of ageing, (NDA) a cross council research programme published by University of Sheffield Judith Phillips et al, Swansea University Publication date: 2010 Ranking: useful Older people are increasingly experiencing environments that can be unfamiliar to them. The research…
Homes for our old age – Independent living by design
Design Council, based on research commissioned by the Department of Health, conducted by the Women’s Design Service and the University of the West of England. Publication date: 2009 Ranking: useful The report will be of interest to those who commission,…
Tagged with: age, housing
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Housing, Urban Design
Posted in Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Housing, Urban Design
The way we live now: What people expect from their homes
Ipsos MORI/Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Publication date: 2012 Ranking: useful This research project has been commissioned from Ipsos MORI by the RIBA for the independent Future Homes Commission’s investigation into how the UK can build enough of the right kind…
Tagged with: disability, gender, housing, Independent living, women
Posted in Accommodation, Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Doors, Gender, Housing, Urban Design
Posted in Accommodation, Design Standards (Buildings), Design Standards (Environment), Disability, Doors, Gender, Housing, Urban Design
The value of good design: how buildings and spaces create economic and social value
Design Council, formerly published by Commission for Architecture and Built Environment, CABE. Publication date: 2002 Ranking: useful The document draws together key research from the UK and abroad to show that investment in good design generates economic and social value. How…
