Report comment

Indeed it is time for some sort of easily available, easily controllable generic brief. Such things have been used successfully and profitably in the hotel sector where Whitbread, Hilton etc use comprehensive online systems that ensure standards are known and which result in complete as-built building models on completion. Architects still have very wide design freedom but do not miss the necessary basics, and individual 'school bosses' can add what they want beyond the core brief; see www.hotel-standards for the type of thing I'm talking about. Government could even save millions by instigating central purchasing through such a system.