Traditional Does Not Mean Boring: Five Ways to Add Intrigue and Excitement to Rural Design
Architectural Assistant, Dan Postill discusses the meaning of ‘good’ housing design in our latest blog using our concept designs for a rural design housing project as a reference point.
Following the recent RIBA article on ‘Design Matters: Promoting Good Design Through the Planning System‘, a debate was sparked about the meaning of good design. Does good design mean rigid adherence to local authority design guides and repetition of Victorian housing stock, or does it mean contemporary, radical architecture with no respect paid to the existing built environment?
Our recent concept design aimed to show that ‘traditional’ does not mean ‘boring’ and that ‘exciting’ does not mean ‘expensive’. We investigated 5 ways to design innovatively (even in rural locations) while respecting the history and tradition of the area:
1 – Adaptability
We aspire to fill our homes with ergonomically designed, adaptable furniture and technology; why do we not build our homes with the same ethos?
Inspired by the success of the Half Built House to deliver low-cost dwellings in poverty-stricken areas, we reimagined the concept using vernacular materials and a traditional barn-style steel frame to create properties that could easily grow and adapt with families. The real benefit of this kind of home is that for local people, it avoids the need to move away from rural areas as the family dynamic changes over time.
2 – Contemporary interpretation of traditional design rules
Local authority design guides are often rigidly interpreted, resulting in identikit housing stock designed to tick boxes. This does not need to be the case, by interpreting design guide rules with a contemporary or playful twist, bespoke features can add intrigue to design whilst still respecting the local vernacular. Traditional materials can be used in new ways or traditional proportions exemplified.
3 – Low impact, sustainable features
The RIBA has declared a climate emergency. It is the responsibility of all of us in the construction industry to do what we can to improve sustainability both in terms of design and through construction processes. Sustainable does not have to mean jarring afterthoughts of photovoltaic cells added to meet the criteria. Our concept design incorporates sustainable features that respond to the site context and traditional design proportions such as oversized eaves to create places to dwell in shade and out of the rain in the exposed landscape.
4 – Designing for people
All too often in construction, it is forgotten that the end product is not a building, but the use of the building. Pivotal to Bowman Riley’s core values is that we believe in people and help them realise their ambitions. People are the core of the design process. By engaging with the end-user to identify their needs and anticipate their use of the space; unique and innovative design features can be the result. Examples within this feasibility study include a platform for stargazing, dovecotes for an animal lover and windows carefully framing landscape views for a photographer.
5 – Modern lifestyles
Modern design must be flexible. Contemporary working patterns and family dynamics are more diverse than they have ever been. Couple this with the fact that many millennials are being priced out of cities, a fantastic opportunity is afforded to create genuinely dynamic and unique affordable housing in rural locations that respond to modern lifestyles, similar to the successful flagship urban schemes in Scandinavia. As technology improves, the need to be in a city reduces and a switch to rural living can provide younger people with a greater sense of wellbeing, quality of life and the opportunity to set down roots.
