During the round table discussion in 2025 a number of examples of good practice were raised for further exploration. These are linked to here:
EXAMPLE : Greater London Authority (GLA) : Mayor’s Design Advisory Panel – a bit like a design review panel – with an additional framework of experts to provide eg. Urban studies, development frameworks, urban strategies.
EXAMPLE: Belgium, concept of cultivating ‘design culture’. How can the ‘design culture’ be cultivated by a government or city office?
EXAMPLE: Netherlands – which maintains a 5-year spatial plan – put together by an office within the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning; also a ‘design review role’ or to support ‘design competitions’ [not in government]
EXAMPLE: Māori traditional role of Tohunga Whakairo as a model to overcome colonial bias.
EXAMPLE: in Hawai’i where traditional construction methods have been included in their building code – this introduces resilience.
EXAMPLE: Takapuna Golf Course/Wetland flood mitigation.
EXAMPLE: Shifting expectations about the ‘housing problem’ ie. not free standing houses in the traditional model. There are ‘design solutions’ that present different occupation/ownership, mixed tenancy, demographics and lifestyle answers – that economists would support. eg Space Craft’s ‘Block Party’ (Wellington), CoHaus by Studio Nord (Auckland).
Bibliography:
Survey of Design Review Panels : ‘Developing Urban Design as Public Policy: Best Practice Principles for Design Review and Development Management’ by John Punter (UK, 2007)
