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Designing Places

Social, economic and environmental goals

Good design has always been valued by those who appreciate architecture. Today its value is recognised also as a practical means of achieving a wide range of social, economic and environmental goals, making places that will be successful and sustainable.

At one end of the scale, sensitive siting and design of single houses in the countryside can help support and revitalise rural communities without undermining the area's distinctive qualities. At the other end, Scotland's cities challenge us to find forms of sustainable development that will renew urban life.

Gaelic College, Skye, Highland

The design of places plays a large part in determining what impact we have on the land and other scarce resources. Decisions about design determine how much energy we will use, how efficient transport systems will be, and what people and economic activities will flourish in a particular place.

In recent years we have learned a great deal, often through painful experience, about design principles and how to apply them. Opportunities for design to make successful places are taken, or missed, every day.

Every day countless decisions are made that have the potential to make a piece of a city, town or village a little more lively, welcoming and pleasant, or a little more hostile, unpleasant or unsafe; or to enhance or erode the character of some corner of rural Scotland. These are design decisions, even though they may well not be taken by designers.

The real trail of responsibility may lead back to people who write policy, set standards, draft briefs, select consultants, issue design guidance and decide whether to give a proposal planning permission. Alternatively the trail may begin with a developer or client who places little value on good design.

opportunities for design to make successful places are taken, or missed, every day

Festival Square, Edinburgh	St Andrew Square, Edinburgh

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