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Spencer then looked at the changes in urban form in the western world. The discipline of
Town Planning had become important. In recent times, large income differentials and
widespread private car ownership had led to more widely spaced dwelling patterns and a
more fragmented urban form. In modern times, individual dwelling(s) were the focus of an
individual’s life rather than the community. Wider spacing of dwellings has resulted in far less
well defined urban spaces. There has been an increasing variation between dwellings which
has led to the cohesion of the group being diminished.
The Eden Design Guide
, had been created on behalf of Eden District Council, in Cumbria. The
first step had been to understand the vernacular buildings and urban form of the district.
Spencer reminded delegates that vernacular buildings respond to climate. He explained that
buildings enclose space: this creates a sense of ownership; it enables people to move from
place to place; and it is about compression and release.
This process of buildings enclosing space led to the idea of central space(s): for examples
market squares. Buildings addressed the space and the space effectively became an outside
room; doors front onto squares; and the vernacular appearance is characterised by there
being little variation.
Certain issues arose when looking at the urban form of existing contemporary housing. The
issues had been identified in a development at Crosby Ravensworth, for example. In this
development only limited references to vernacular architectural styles were evident in the
design of the houses; space was not enclosed in the development; no sense of connection has
been created; and space was wasted at the entrance to the development.
The design guide advised against cul-de-sac developments, preferring to see developments
being integrated into the existing urban form. In order to be integrated a development should
link into the pattern of existing routes and it should be part of the settlement, rather than
being located on the edge.
Developments needed to have a sense of enclosure. The guide recommended that parking
should be in an under croft, although some parking could be on the streets. Where there
were water features, these should be integrated into the design, not be covered over and
culverted. Buildings should address each other in a development and there should be some
sort of sentinel to create a sense of arrival.
With vernacular houses and streets the urban formwas basically the same: different materials
were used depending on the locality and availability, but the key aspect was simplicity. By
contrast, modern housing developments revelled in complexity; there was no balance, no
symmetry and houses did not address the street.
The guide recommended building in stone and incorporating lintels, however, it advised
against crazy paving. It contained advice with respect of barns. It pointed out that existing
barns had openings and that old openings should be reopened so that the building still looked
like a barn. There was advice about siting too, housing should be sited to fit into the landscape
rather than stand out prominently.