Category Archives: Architecture/Design

So What?

Posted on October 19, 2010 by Matt Wood

 What point was I trying to make with those last two rather nerdy posts about Horsham St Faith and Frettenham? What relevance do they have to the Community Right to Build?

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Norfolk’s DNA #2 – The Non-Nucleated Village

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Matt Wood

The second recognizable type of village one might call non-nucleated, as they have a much less well-defined centre. These villages may have only been tiny hamlets in mediaeval times, but many may have come into existence much later, perhaps associated … Continue reading →

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Thanks Building Design Magazine!

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Matt Wood

…for running my letter in this week’s edition. If you’ve come here from BD, welcome. Let me know if you found anything on the site interesting, and do keep an eye on me here – there’s plenty more to come.

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Norfolk’s DNA #1 – The Nucleated Village

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Matt Wood

Norfolk’s nucleated settlements – its picture postcard villages, if you will – have typically existed since mediaeval times, operating as markets, service-centres for Norman monasteries or castles, or capitalizing on passing trade at river-crossings. They have distinct and comparatively dense … Continue reading →

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Real Rural Vernacular – Norfolk’s DNA

Posted on October 9, 2010 by Matt Wood

In the previous post I described a house-builders’ vernacular which despite some superficial stylistic references to rural architecture has led to housing estates that are nothing like real villages. I was recently asked to lead a two-day tour of Norwich … Continue reading →

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Villages on Steroids

Posted on October 9, 2010 by Matt Wood

All Community Right to Build projects will take place in the context of an existing village, and its promoters will no doubt want to add to their village in a sympathetic and sensitive manner. So what might a contemporary ‘village … Continue reading →

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Watch this space…

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Matt Wood

After an initial burst of activity things will now go quiet here for a bit. When I resume I will be re-focusing a bit on design – which is mostly supposed to be what Ruralise is about. What to look … Continue reading →

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It’s in the countryside…but is it rural?

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Matt Wood

Rowan Moore in the Guardian is the latest to cover Living Architecture, a new holiday-home business that has commissioned five internationally acclaimed architects to design modern country houses. Their intention (a highly laudable one) is to enthuse people about modern … Continue reading →

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Design Quality Outside the Planning System?

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Matt Wood

Given that the current planning system hasn’t generally managed to produce new housing of inspirational and enduring quality, it is perhaps odd that my biggest concern about Community Right to Build is to do with design. It’s true that planners … Continue reading →

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