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Architecture: The Future of Housing

Although housing is most people’s largest monthly outgoing, our relationship to where we live is much more than financial: it shapes our identity, our sense of belonging, our mental and even physical wellbeing. But to what extent is this relationship reflected in the new houses being built in Britain today? What impact do aesthetics, materials and quality of space have on how we relate to our homes? Our panel discusses a variety of propositions – some new, others well-established – for designing homes that we instinctively feel a connection to.

Future of Housing: The psychology of home

As prices soar and cities become ever more prone to densification, the major political parties all agree on the need to build more homes, but where? Garden cities? Loosen the green belt? How can we plan for new housing in a way that’s able to withstand vested interests whilst remaining democratically accountable? This is an issue concerning the whole nation, with “passions involved” on both a local and personal level. With a panel including a surveyor, an academic, an urban design expert and the head of a charity, this talk tackles the issue of where to build new housing.

Photo: Terrace houses © A.P.S. (UK) / Alamy

The Future Of Housing: City, County, Suburb?

There is no single recipe for good housing – and the very definition of "good" is hotly debated. But the upsides of good housing, however we define it, are indisputable. In this event, a range of speakers examine the characteristics of places where people enjoy living and communities thrive, and discuss whether these can be applied in the future.

Photo: Byker Wall, Newcastle upon Tyne © Islandstock / Alamy

The Future of Housing: The Upsides of Good Housing

Britain is in the grip of a housing crisis, which despite being recognised by politicians from all sides shows no sign of abating. In this event, a panel of speakers explores the costs of the current housing crisis, assessing their nature and implications – whether social, economic, psychological or environmental.

Photo: Elephant and Castle, London © Guy Corbishley / Alamy

The Future Of Housing: Counting the Costs of the Housing Crisis

As a subject of political debate, the future of housing refuses to be sidelined. Due to spiralling prices, a significant amount of our young population look forward to a lifetime of renting, while the wealthy buy property for financial investment, rather than actual living. Leaving theory behind, this talk is firmly on the side of reality and touches on recent events involving activist demonstrations, occupations and police evictions. How might our country find new models of ownership that better reflect the changing realities of how people live today? Our panel, which includes two journalists, a policy expert, an artist and a professor, introduces this polarising topic.

Photo: Houses for sale © John Sturrock / Alamy

The Future of Housing: New Realities of Ownership

Dutch practice MVRDV – of which Maas is the “M” – has an international reputation for its consistently innovative and visually striking architecture. In this talk, founder Winy Maas discusses the practice’s work, focusing on their numerous housing projects, which include the recently completed Markthal in Rotterdam. He also teaches at a number of universities across the world and is director of the Why Factory, a research institute for the future city which he founded in 2008.

Maas challenges us to “escape from some of the hermeticism” that our national housing crisis is facing. His attack comes on three fronts: from architecture, to urbanism, to research. A lively and witty speaker, Maas shares entertaining personal stories as he tackles the very serious problem of the future of housing.

Photo: Winy Maas © Boudewijn Bollmann

The Future of Housing: Winy Maas addresses the key isses

One year on from a major season on the ‘Future of Housing’ in the UK, we look again at this ever more urgent question.

In the lead up to last year’s General Election, the RA organised the Future of Housing season, which looked with a critical eye at the various possible futures for housing in the UK. One year on, we survey the changed political landscape, and a housing crisis that, if anything, has only intensified. As the Housing Bill, which notably extends the right to buy to housing association tenants as well as putting a new focus on starter homes, passes through Parliament, our panel consider the challenges and possibilities that have emerged both independently and as a result.

Speakers:

Jack Self – writer and co-curator British Pavilion, Venice Architecture Biennale 2016
Paul Karakusevic – Partner, Karakusevic Carson Architects
Claire Bennie – architect and development consultant; former Development Director, Peabody
Richard Blyth – Head of Policy, Royal Town Planning Institute
Jane Dudman – Editor, Housing and Public Leaders Networks, The Guardian (chair)

Photo: Houses, Robert Harding World Imagery / Alamy Stock Photo

The Future of Housing: A return

In conjunction with Historic England’s exhibition Out There: Our Post-War Public Art (2 February – 10 April 2016), which explores the connections between public art and architecture in the post-war decades, this podcast looks at the future of public of art in Britain. What are the ideals and motivations behind the creation of public art? What are its uses? How can we protect public art threatened by redevelopment? Should we be doing so? What, ultimately, does public art say about us as a society?

Image caption: Sculpture by Henry Moore in the Brandon Estate, London / Photo © Owen Hopkins

The Future of Housing: What’s the Future of Public Art?

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Architecture: The Future of Housing

Royal Academy of Arts