With design codes being the hot topic of 2021, we are hosting a series of online training events for practitioners on the coding process and its components.
The Code School will be useful for local authorities to understand and implement the government’s new approach to design in the most practical and effective way.
Our Code School comprises a total of 16 events. Please see below the Code School’s modules breakdown.
1a. Design Codes and Guides Explained
Date: 7th May
Time: a.m.
Explaining what design codes and guides are and what you can expect them to achieve for your area.
Delegates will understand what these tools are, what has changed in terms of government guidance and requirements for them and how this might relate to their own work and priorities.
Agenda
Speakers
1b. Codes, Guides and Communities
Date: 10th May
Time: a.m.
Looking at the importance and role of communities in delivering well designed and beautiful places.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors understand the importance of working with and supporting communities to deliver good design in their neighbourhood.
Agenda
Speakers
1c. Design Coding Processes
Date: 14th May
Time: a.m.
Looking at what needs to happen before, during and after Codes and Guides are written and who is responsible for what.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors understand the practical side of creating good codes and guides, likely time-line and the resources/skills/staff capacity required to deliver.
Agenda
Speakers
1d. How Codes Fit In
Date: 17th May
Time: a.m.
How Codes and Guides fit in with other design quality tools
This session will help local authority officers/councillors understand the usefulness and role of different tools – including their local plan policies, Site allocations and briefs, masterplans, pre-app discussions, design review etc – and the potentially overlap and influence of codes and guides on other work.
Agenda
Speakers
2a. Design at Different Scales
Date: 20th May
Time: a.m.
How to work up site, local and area wide codes and guides and prioritise where to code first
This session will help local authority officers/councillors understand how codes and guides can work at different spatial scales, and how best to decide which areas to focus on first.
Agenda
Speakers
2b. Character Appraisals
Date: 25th May
Time: a.m.
How to understand your area and use this information to create codes and guides.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors understand the type of work that needs to be done to understand an area, create, map and describe area types and consider how these should change in the future.
Agenda
Speakers
2c. Producing, Procuring & Partnering Codes
Date: 8th June
Time: a.m.
Looking at who might work on codes and how local authorities can get best provision.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors understand how to approach the development of codes, the different players in the process and how to ensure the process delivers codes which will provide well designed and beautiful places.
Agenda
Speakers
2d. Assessing Code Compliance
Date: 11th June
Time: a.m.
How to tell if a code is being applied correctly and what to do when it is not.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors consider how they check individual scheme proposals against their code or guide and what to do if they do, or do not, match.
Agenda
Speakers
2e. Evaluating Code Success
Date: 16th June
Time: a.m.
How to tell if your code is leading to the types of places you want being created and maintained.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors set up a system alongside their new code that ensures they collect the right information to understand the impact it is having.
Agenda
Speakers
2f. Codes and Planning Permissions – Looking Ahead
Date: 22th June
Time: a.m.
Exploring how codes work with both automatic and express planning permissions and other possible changes to the planning system.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors consider plan for the future by discussing possible ways the planning system might change and how their design coding and guide work might help them manage change.
Agenda
Speakers
3a. Fundamentals for Creating Local Identity
Date: 24th June
Time: a.m.
How to consider existing context, and set requirements for an areas future identity, sense of place and character as created through its buildings, materials, detailing, wayfinding and the structure of the area.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors understand the importance of an area’s identity and how to identify it to use in coding, looking at how it brings many design requirements together.
Agenda
3b. Residential Streets and Parking
Date: 5th July
Time: a.m.
Setting requirements for different movement facilities and connections for different modes, street typologies and their various design specifications and how parking bin spaces and servicing should be accommodated.
This session will help delegates understand the importance of good street design and how this fits into an overall code or guide for an area.
Agenda
3c. Landscape Design and Nature
Date: 7th July
Time: a.m.
Setting down requirements and objectives for green infrastructure, water management, flood risk and biodiversity. Also looking at how to consider networks and different types and uses of public spaces.
This session will help delegates understand what they can and should require through codes and guides to ensure their areas are of high ecological value, work well and are loved as quality green environments.
Agenda
3d. Use, Activity and Supporting Community Life
Date: 8th July
Time: a.m.
Explaining how to ensure efficient land use, mix of activities, community facilities and vitality including explaining requirements for housing types and tenures.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors understand the full range of factors to consider and how use, activity, facilities and housing work together within a high-quality code, learning from best practice examples.
Agenda
3e. Built Form, Layouts and Blocks
Date: 12th July
Time: a.m.
Including requirements for different building forms, how to consider height, ways to set area densities, explain important building lines and how elements fit together to form blocks and layouts.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors develop in depth understanding of the importance of good coding of building form and how this supports a vibrant community.
Agenda
3f. Buildings
Date: 15th July
Time: a.m.
Explaining what gives buildings identity, how to set out what they should look like, required space standards and how buildings should perform long term, their resource efficiency and how they should visually fit with their surroundings.
This session will help local authority officers/councillors learn about the range of tools and methods for ensuring buildings are durable, efficient, healthy and attractive, and how this links with the wider community.
Agenda
Speakers, panellists and exercise leads include:
Andy Von Bradsky, MHCLG
Andrew Taylor, Countryside Properties
Ben Castell, AECOM
Carol Bristow, Swindon Borough Council
David Rudlin, URBED
Daniel Mohamed, Urban Intelligence
Dan Roberts, Homes England
Dhruv Sookhoo, Metropolitan Workshop
Ewan Cooper, Metropolitan Workshop
Graeme Phillips, JTP Architects
Georgina Bignold, Proctor & Matthews Architects
Hana Loftus, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service
Hugh Petter, Adam Architecture
Jane Dann, Tibbalds
Jane Manning, Allies and Morrison
Jo Clark, Countryside Properties
Joanne Preston, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service
Katja Stille, Tibbalds
Kosma Nykiel, LB Hounslow
Laura Alvarez, Nottingham City Council
Leigh Johnson, Homes England
Lionel Eid, Allies and Morrison
Louise Mansfield, Allies and Morrison
Louisa Facchino-Stack, Public Practice
Ludo Pittie, WSP
Matthew Carmona, UCL
Mike Saunders, Commonplace
Mariana Schiller, Public Practice
Marcus Wilshere, The Collaborative City
Matthew White, Herbert Smith
Nicholas Boys Smith, Create Streets
Peter Garitsis, Swindon Borough Council
Robert Evans, Argent
Robert Kerr, Adam Architecture
Rory Stracey, Trowers & Hamlins
Selina Mason, Lendlease
Sophia de Sousa, Glass-House Community Led Design
Steve Price, Countryside Properties
Stephen Proctor, Proctor & Matthews Architects
Sue Cooke, LB Hackney
Tamara Kahn, Public Practice
Trovine Monteiro, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service
Vicky Payne, URBED
Others to be confirmed soon.
One Code School session £75
All Code School sessions (1 place per event) £1,000
All Code School sessions (3 places per event) £2,500
To book your place for one or more of our Code School events please follow this link
For any enquiries regarding the Code School please contact: info@urbandesignlondon.com
Q. How much experience with Design Codes do I need before attending these events?
A. Our Code School aims to help people understand and use design codes and guides. It will be most useful for people who are already aware of the principles of good place design and understand how to apply these. If you would like further advice on the sessions most relevant to the sector you work in and your experience level one of our team would be happy to help. Get in touch.
Q. Do I need to complete Module 1 before attending events in Module 2 or 3?
A. No, you can select sessions from any of the Modules or focus on one Module. If you would like further advice on the sessions most relevant to the sector you work in and your experience level, one of our team members would be happy to help. Please get in touch.
Q. Can I download the presentations and recordings after the event?
A. Recordings of sessions will be available for delegates to use as refreshers for a short time after the event. They will not be available to non-delegates.
Q. If I purchase access to the full programme can different members of my team attend each event?
A. Access to the full programme gives one member of your team access at each of the 16 events. One person can attend all of the events or/and different members of the team can attend the individual events. If the latter, we will need confirmation of who is attending each event in advance.