An inspiring lecture on the challenges of urban housing design

A number of us really enjoyed the recent Guildford Society lecture at the University of Surrey on ‘Addressing the challenges of Urban Housing Design’. Given by innovative, renowned architects Simon Hudspith and Peter Barber, both lectures were interesting and thought-provoking.

With a planned visit to London in the spring to visit a couple of Peter Barber developments, we were particularly interested in learning about Peter’s inventive approach to high-density design.

It was inspiring to see some of the techniques these architects have employed to create engaging communities with a strong sense of place. Of particular interest was the level of care and attention given to each unit, to create a distinct identity and strong connection to the street.

Some examples of Peter’s work are Donnybrook in Hackney opened in 2006, and more recently in 2020 and 2022, 95 Peckham Road in Southwark and Kiln Place in Camden.