Well-designed housing creates a greater sense of community and reduces ongoing costs.Well-designed workplaces support productivity.Well-designed police stations, courts and prisons help foster fairness and reduce recidivism in our justice system.
Well-designed schools improve student performance, and support staff performance, recruitment and retention.Well-designed hospitals help patients heal faster, support staff performance, recruitment and retention, and reduce operating costs.The research demonstrates a host of benefits of good design, including: In comparison, design costs are small, between 0.3–0.5 per cent, yet they can significantly affect the function of a project across its lifespan, and the operating costs associated with this. Construction costs are typically 2–3 per cent of the whole-life costs, while operating costs are estimated to be 85 per cent. Good design may cost more in the short term, but this investment is generally paid off over the lifetime of the building or place. Yet design is often considered a superficial afterthought. It has been demonstrated that ‘Good design does not cost more when measured across the lifetime of the building or place.’ 2 Investments in the design of our built environment have a lasting legacy on their place and the people who visit. As links between design and neuroscience, health and human behaviour continue to emerge, it is important that this evidence-base informs decision making about the shape, nature and function of our cities, buildings and landscapes. This research demonstrates that good design has far-reaching benefits, such as supporting health and wellbeing, improving environmental quality and improving productivity. There is extensive academic and scientific research that explores the benefits of well-designed places, and the effect of poor design on our lives. And of course, good design also looks and feels good. Good design creates inspiring places and greater, lasting financial value. It refines the purpose and aspiration of a project, improves how it works, creates additional benefits and elevates how people feel and behave in the final outcome. Good design comes in many forms and is defined by much more than how something looks. Not only does “good design” mean different things to different people, it also changes at different times and in different contexts.’ 1 The more you think about it, the more complex the question becomes. ‘What is good design? It’s a seemingly simple question that’s surprisingly difficult to answer. Louis Kahn, Architect 1901-74 What is good design? A review of research exploring healthcare, education, workplaces, housing, justice, urban design and transport projects demonstrates that good design enables people, places and the environment to thrive.Ī great building must begin with the unmeasurable, must go through measurable means when it is being designed and in the end must be unmeasurable. The qualities of these places – our buildings, streets and parks – informs our interactions, understandings, wellbeing and memories. Our everyday lives are touched by the places that surround us. Good design is not just about the aesthetic improvement of our environment, it is as much about improved quality of life, equality of opportunity and economic growth. We cannot afford not to invest in good design.