Resources for Housing Projects
Glass-House Downloads
Improving housing stock through participatory design
Short outline of the benefits when involving local people in the design of housing, it includes practical tips for engaging local stakeholders.
Downloads from Other Organisations
RIBA: Better Homes and Neighbourhoods
This short policy summary sets out the challenges of creating high quality homes and neighbourhoods in the future, with a number of suggestions to help address these
RIBA: Working with an architect for your home
This short guide outlines how to find and commission an architect for your home, including information on the design brief, the contract and fees
Department for Transport: manual for streets
This is a detailed and technical manual setting out the principles and standards for high quality design of streets and their context. It is divided into 3 sections: the context and process, design principles, and detailed design issues.
Useful Links
Beyond Green
Beyond Green applies the principles of sustainable development to housing, regeneration, place-making, lifestyles, design and communications. They conceive, plan, design, communicate, consult, train, develop business models to deliver sustainable developments
www.beyondgreen.co.uk
Housing Market Renewal [HMR]
HMR is central government funding whose primary aim is to increase the value of housing in the most deprived areas of the country. HMR offers a range of opportunities to develop community facilities and could help fund your project. There are a number of pathfinder areas around England that if you are in you can contact
www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/housing_market_renewal
Building for Life
This website sets out the national standards for well designed homes and neighbourhoods. The site covers the 20 criteria for quality design, covering themes of environment and community; character; streets parking and pedestrianisation; and design and construction. An introduction to the assessment system, case studies and publications for download are also included
www.buildingforlife.org
Confederation of Co-operative Housing
The UK’s organisation for hosing co-operatives, tenant-controlled housing organisations and regional federations of housing co-ops. Go to the website for news and publications.
www.cch.coop
HCA: Case Studies
A set of detailed, yet non-technical case studies of housing projects undertaken by the Homes and Communities Agency
www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/case-studies
Lifetime Homes
Sets out the key criteria for Lifetime Homes standards, which help to ensure that a home or building can meet use requirements for an extended period of time, making it both inclusive and sustainable. There are two sections to the website, for professionals and the general public.
www.lifetimehomes.org.uk/index.php
Home Zones
The international Home Zones website acts as a central forum and information point for the Home Zones concept. Use the site to find out about supporting legislation and get advice on setting up a Home Zone.
www.homezones.org
We had an excellent day and the places we visited were amazingly close to what we are trying to create here in Stockwell. I am grateful for your acute interest in what we have to say
Can I once again thank Glass-House for all their help and interest. You are an excellent organisation – and the staff are lovely as well!”
The training experience was extremely enjoyable and very informative. We have come away with a design which we feel we can put into reality and the training was probably the best I have attended.
The course was excellent and I can't thank you and Glass-House enough for the support you've given us, it has made all the difference to the way we look at the project."
