Foreword by Ian Thompson, Editor

This Living with Beauty report by the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission looks at how we can build homes and communities that are beautiful, popular, and good for people’s wellbeing. The main idea is that beauty should be a key goal when developing new housing and places, not just an afterthought, and in many cases not a thought at all.

Some key findings and recommendations from Mary’s report:

We should “ask for beauty” – make it a requirement in planning policy that new developments are beautiful and fit well with their surroundings. Ugly proposals should be rejected.
Bring democracy forward – get communities involved earlier in the planning process to shape local plans, not just react to specific proposals. Use digital tools to engage people better.
Focus on “stewardship” – encourage long-term investment in places rather than short-term profit. Create tax incentives for this approach.
Regenerate left-behind places – put more effort into improving declining towns and neighborhoods, not just building new developments.
Create proper mixed-use neighbourhoods, not just housing estates. Build at “gentle density” that allows walkable communities.
Re-green our towns and cities – plant more trees, create more parks and gardens integrated with new development.
Improve education on design and placemaking for planners, architects and officials.
Change how we measure success – look at outcomes like happiness and health, not just number of units built.
Reform the planning system to create more predictability but also maintain flexibility and local input.

The overall goal is to shift from a culture of fear and opposition around new development to one where beautiful, popular places are created with community support.

Are-we-building-beautiful-by-Mary-Parsons

It’s an ambitious vision, especially given current challenges in the building industry such as unnecessary expense, inefficiency, waste, and lack of effective collaboration. However, the report argues this approach can help solve the housing crisis while also improving quality of life, sustainability, and fostering a renewed sense of community.