A microcosm of design control in post‐war Britain: A case study of office development in central Bristol 1940–90

Abstract

The city centre of Bristol provides a microcosm of post‐war British experience with design control. Four eras of control are identified: the immediate post‐war redevelopment using the principles of segregation and open planning; the modernist era dominated by free‐flow road systems and tower blocks on pedestrian decks; the conservation era with its emphasis upon contextual design; and the contemporary era where the emphasis is switching from buildings to spaces in a climate where design control is under retreat. It is argued that since 1975 design control has become more participative, more skilled and more responsive to the locality, but that such an approach has only been defended from central government antipathy by the extended use of conservation designations. The lessons of Bristol's experience are that local authorities need to give priority to design quality and skills in their planning and estates functions, and to retain full control over design in sensitive areas. They need to harness public pa...