New Regional Design Review Service launched

20/01/2010

The recession and credit crunch are hugely challenging for the region’s developers, investors and public bodies but this does not mean that the region should give up on quality and sustainability in the design of the built environment.  In fact quality design can deliver better value for money in the longer term.

This is why Integreat Yorkshire and Yorkshire Forward launched the new Regional Design Review Service on Monday 18th January 2010, at the Hospitium, Museum Road, York.

The Regional Design Review Service will provide free, independent advice on major development schemes and strategies that will have a significant impact on the region’s towns and cities in terms of their ability to attract investment and to stabilize and grow their economies.

Irena Bauman, a founding Director of Bauman Lyons Architects based in Leeds, has been appointed as Yorkshire and the Humber’s first Regional Design Review Service Chair.  Two vice-chairs have also been appointed - Tom Lonsdale, freelance enabler and a member of a significant number of design review panels, and Tony Wyatt, Associate Director of space Architecture and former Urban Design Group Manager at Newcastle City Council.

Irena, Tom and Tony head up a particularly strong team  of panel members, drawn from professions including architecture, landscape architecture and planning  who will put Yorkshire and Humber at the forefront of the design agenda.

Jan Anderson, Executive Director of Environment at Yorkshire Forward said  “Good design makes good economic sense, and well-designed places tend to be more successful economically and socially. In these challenging economic times Yorkshire Forward believes that supporting the new Regional Design Review Service puts the region one step ahead in preparation for is an upturn.

Irena Bauman said “‘I am delighted with the appointment and look forward to working with the panel to raise the design aspirations in all places large or small throughout the Region. Yorkshire is beautiful, green and distinctive. And this is what we will look for in the new developments.’
 
Richard Motley, Programme Director of Integreat Yorkshire said “We are honoured to have secured Irena as Chair. She brings great skill, authority and credibility to our service, and a passion for making great places in Yorkshire. She will be supported by an impressive duo of vice-chairs, and these appointments give us great reassurance for the success of the service”

Notes for editors:

Integreat Yorkshire and Yorkshire Forward have developed the Regional Design Review Service in consultation with future users and stakeholders and believe that the service will be strong, credible and well-used. 

The Regional Design Review Service, incorporating a Learning Hub, is a service that provides free, independent advice on major development schemes and strategies that will have a significant impact on the region.

At a design review panel meeting, a group of experts provide an objective and constructive critique of major development schemes, judging those schemes against an established set of criteria of good design. Design review is a proven technique of improving design quality and building capacity amongst built environment professionals and their public and private sector clients.

Irena Bauman is a well-respected architect and design commentator and a member of Yorkshire Forward Urban Renaissance and Market Towns panels, as well as being well-versed in the principles and practices of design review. She is a CABE commissioner.  She is a founding director of Bauman Lyons architects based in Leeds, a highly regarded practice established in 1992, which has undertaken a range of high profile projects in the Yorkshire area.  It has an emphasis on combining creative regeneration schemes with high environmental and social sustainability.

Integreat Yorkshire is Yorkshire Forward’s Regional Centre of Excellence in Regeneration, Renaissance and Place Making Skills.

For more information or to arrange interviews with Richard Motley, Jan Anderson or Irena Bauman, please contact Karen Houghton on 0751 5715485 or Leona Thompson on 0113 394 9589