Opinion

How architects can help shape the next era of housing

By 2025-07-10T05:00:00

Ben-Flatman-photo-cropped

The housing crisis is not just about how few homes we build but how little ambition we have for those we do build. Ben Flatman argues it is time to put quality at the centre of the housing debate and for architects to reframe their role within it

 The UK is facing a rolling housing crisis. Over the past decade, our population has grown by around 3.7 million people, a 5.9% increase, and now stands at more than 68 million.

We are living longer, more people are living alone, and yet the homes we need have not been built.

The gap between housing demand and supply is a structural deficit that represents a huge national failing over decades. Most estimates suggest that we need to be building 300,000 homes a year.

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