Europan doesn’t work well in UK

Unfortunately it is fundamentally at odds with the way development works in the UK, for two reasons.

First, the primary decision-makers in housing design are developers and housing associations, most of whom have a limited interest in design and make decisions on an almost entirely commercial basis.

They prefer to choose architects from frameworks or existing tried and tested relationships. The risk of a young designer with whom they have not worked and the time taken to hammer the winning scheme into a commercially viable proposal is seen as prohibitive.

Second, the competition format does not offer any opportunity for consultation with stakeholders, developers or future residents. Many of the sites are politically sensitive and may have been the subject of previous proposals, so the need to gain stakeholders’ approval is important.

We were winners for the Sheffield site in Europan 9. As the national organiser, Cabe made a huge effort to smooth a path by involving local authorities and generating publicity locally. Our project was an early victim of the credit crunch but even before that happened there was no commitment that we would be appointed once a developer was found.

Unless developers are involved and committed, there is little point in running Europan in the UK.

Graham Bizley
Prewett Bizley Architects
via bdonline