Diarmaid LawlorHead of Urbanism, A+DS

Architecture+DesignScotlandPlacemaking and design in rural Scotland

• Place-making and the rural setting: what’s it all about?• The challenge of better place-making and sustainable economic growth• The role of A+DS• The changing rural landscape and contexts for place-making in Scotland• Practical sustainability as a way forward

Format of Presentation

The biggest challenge we have in front of us…….

…….is to do ordinary things better. We need to create a new ordinary.

The biggest challenge we have in front of us…….

+

+

[physical setting]

[story of a people]

[contexts]

place =

What makes a thriving community, a good place?

• has aspirations• has a low ecological

footprint• has diversity• is culturally rich• has identity and is

‘lively’• people want to be

there and live there• is confident• is convivial• is a learning

community

What is the role of buildings in a Thriving Community?

• affordable• well built• flexible – suit changing life styles• adaptable through new technologies• secure• of low eco footprint• exciting and modest • fit within the context of ‘thriving places’.

First Annual Report of the Scottish Council of Economic Advisors, December 2008

First Annual Report of the Scottish Council of Economic Advisors, December 2008

HouseSite

We need to be pragmatic for the individual and….

HouseSite

Landscape

Island/Region

Country

…ensure that all places need to make a contribution

Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS) are the national design champion for place-making and quality in the built environment.

Who are A+DS?

Our role

•To advocate the benefits of good design and place-making•To advise on design quality•To inform and support the delivery of good design

Supporting delivery of 5 key Government objectives

Our focus• Advocacy and championing• Managing programmes• Shared projects and partnerships

A+DS: How we deliver

CoreOur clients‘Assist those who fund, manage and deliver the built environment in Scotland’

Our processes• Framework Agreements• Design Review• Expert advice

Urbanism + placemaking

Design Review

Health

Urban Regeneration

Schools

Core

A+DS: How we deliver

Urbanism + place-making

Design Review

Health

Urban Regeneration

Schools

Core

A+DS: Partnerships and shared projects

Shared

projects

In 1967, 98.5% of Scotland was classified as countryside82% of people in Scotland today live in settlements of 3000 or more About 30% of settlements have a population between 3-10,000

the rural environment:

POETRY & PRAGMATISM

Lived in landscapes

Romantic landscapes

Working landscapes

‘There is no natural landscape, only the landscape of people and their lives. There is no single landscape; there are landscapes, layers upon layers of them’ [Skehan, 2008]

Landscape function and

quality of place

Sustainable Communitie

s

Full life opportunitie

s

Sustainability and

climate change

Changing contexts for place-making in the rural setting

Full life Opportunities: quality, flexibility, ease of construction

Sustainability and climate change

Pragmatic Sustainability

Quality of Life

Better budgeting

Contribution

Sustainability and community

From

The H

era

ld 2

7 F

ebru

ary

20

07

What’s more sustainable?

…this?

….or this?

Climate change leading to increased

• temperature and moisture fluctuations

• flooding

• ground subsidence

• biological colonisation

Impact on buildings

• accelerated decay of materials

• increased decay

• increased instability

• insect attack

Impact of Climate Change

Impact of Climate Change

Climate change leading to increased

• temperature and moisture fluctuations

• flooding

• ground subsidence

• biological colonisation

Impact on buildings

• accelerated decay of materials

• increased decay

• increased instability

• insect attack = increased

maintenance

Full life Opportunities: Quality, choice and affordability

Individual building

Cluster eg croft, clachan

Larger grouped housing eg estates, urban extensions

•Siting•Form•Materials

‘LOCAL’Landscape integration

‘MAJOR’Urban and landscape integration

Conclusions

• ‘Green’ alone does not necessarily mean sustainability

• Thriving communities are sustainable and they need green buildings

• Design of place, design of building is important

• Quality is vital in the rural setting