It confirms that no combustible materials will be permitted on the external walls of any new buildings taller than 18 metres. They will also be banned in renovations of existing buildings.
As well as housing buildings, it will apply to student accommodation, registered care homes, hospitals and boarding school dormitories.
Timber banned on exterior of tall buildings
The policy limits the use of materials to those with a European fire rating of Class A1 or A2, and states explicitly that wood products do not come under this classification.
"The policy prohibits the use of timber materials in the external wall of buildings within the scope," it states.
Engineered timber, particularly cross-laminated timber (CLT), is increasingly being championed in architecture as a sustainable alternative to steel and concrete structural frameworks. According to the legislation, its use will now be limited.
"Engineered timber offers an alternative to traditional methods of construction in buildings within the scope of the policy," it states. "It is therefore likely to slow down the use of engineered timber in future development in the medium to long term."
Local councils can now protect at-risk towers
James Brokenshire, who is secretary of state for communities, proposed the policy earlier this year after an official review confirmed that combustible cladding contributed to the fast spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017, which killed 72 people.
As well as limiting the use of flammable materials on new-build and renovation projects, it gives local councils the power to order the removal of cladding from any existing buildings that are considered to be at risk.
The new legislation comes into effect on 21 December 2018.
Brokenshire said it will allow all tall buildings to be made permanently safe "without delay".
"Everyone has a right to feel safe in their homes and I have repeatedly made clear that building owners and developers must replace dangerous ACM cladding. And the costs must not be passed on to leaseholders," said Brokenshire.
"My message is clear – private building owners must pay for this work now or they should expect to pay more later."
RIBA welcomes legislation
The Royal Institute of British Architects has welcomed the legislation, describing it as "vital" to ensuring the safety of housing across the country.
"The legislation laid out today is a welcome outcome from a lengthy consultation," said Jane Duncan, former RIBA president and chair of the institution's Expert Advisory Group on Fire Safety.
"It is of the utmost importance that we get this right – for the victims of such a devastating tragedy and for the future safety of our homes," she said.
Duncan suggested the policy could be expanded to cover more building types and urged the government to introduce stricter regulation on fire-safety systems.
"I am pleased that the government have taken recommendations on board and broadened the cladding ban to include other high-risk buildings such as hospitals, residential accommodation and care homes. We would like to see other high-risk buildings included, such as hotels and hostels, which are specifically exempted from the legislation," she said.
"There is still more to do to ensure that buildings are as safe as possible. The government should address the RIBA's recommendations on sprinklers, alarm systems and alternative means of escape in all residential high-rise buildings."
Photo of Grenfell Tower is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The UK government is recruiting for a head of architecture to "champion the importance of good design" and "raise the design standards of new housing schemes".
The position within the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), which comes with a £61,083 salary, is for a qualified architect to advise on "architectural policy and practice".
According to the job specification, the candidate needs a "strong political awareness" and "a proven track record of delivering quality housing schemes".
Along with advising on housing, the head of architecture will be expected to give design support for projects across the government.
"A critical element of this role will be to establish the department as a centre of knowledge and advice on design matters to ensure that across government programmes the importance of design outcomes is recognised and implemented," reads the job description.
"In addition you will champion the importance of good design outcomes to the construction industry, architectural practices, house builders and planning departments, to raise the design standards of new housing schemes, thereby influencing communities' attitudes to new development."
The government is recruiting the head of architecture position as part of its drive to place housing at the top of is domestic agenda, with the department stating that the lack of quality design is limiting the amount of housing being built.
"We have identified that the quality of design of new housing developments can often be perceived as a barrier to achieving planning permissions or public support for the new housing we need," said the department.
"We recognise the need to create great places to live but we also recognise the need to reassure communities that the new developments will be of a high standard."
"It's a very good thing"
The British architecture community has reacted positively to the announcement.
"It's great that MHCLG are investing in their team of civil servants with appropriate expertise to support the narrative articulated by politicians," Ben Derbyshire, RIBA president and chair of housing architecture firm HTA, told Dezeen.
"I believe the new head of architecture will provide an excellent point of contact to deliver on this potential – with substance, not merely style."
"Whoever does it needs to engage with policy rather than issues of design, and instigate a set of policies where the government can take a lead on affordable housing delivery," he added.
The Dezeen Awards ceremony is tonight! Didn't manage to get a ticket? Follow on our Twitter and Instagram pages as we announce the winners live from 8pm UK time.
Dezeen Awards received a total of 3,689 entries from 91 countries, making it one of the most popular architecture, interiors and design awards programmes in its first year.
Our panel of 75 judges whittled the entries down to 159 shortlisted projects and studios across 30 different categories.
The winners of all 30 categories will be announced tonight, plus the overall winners of the Architecture Project of the Year, Interiors Project of the Year and Design Project of the Year prizes.
Each winner will receive a hand-made trophy made of London clay and designed by Atelier NL.
Maybe it’s because I now know how ceramic tiles are made and how their stunning designs come to life. Or maybe because it’s always a mix of modern vibe combined with the beauty of the past, which strikes with its simplicity, uniqueness, and exquisiteness. Whatever the reason, I got to live this joy once again as Decoist was invited to visit one of their newest stores in the UK: Porcelanosa Reading.
Right after the big debut of the LIGNAGE collection in Italy, we packed everything and headed to the UK. Early next day, we got to step into a world of spectacular at the new Porcelanosa showroom in Reading; which is big — one of the brand’s biggest in the country, actually. It has everything from kitchens to bathrooms, all sorts of ceramic tiles (floors, walls, natural stone, natural wood) and a great collection of KRION solid surfaces. Speaking of KRION — which I will not hide is probably my favourite material since the moment I got to play with it (you can turn it into whatever form you want and it’s also amazing with the environment) — Reading is the newest to get a fancy KRION K.Life façade that looks nothing short of imposing.
So here’s how it looks from our eyes.
And since we’re sure some of you like to have pictures of our trip, here it is in images.
Porcelanosa kitchens
Probably the most alive room of a house, the kitchen must be clearly aesthetic and thoughtful in presentation — a prime example of smart design. Which is exactly what you’re about to experience.
Porcelanosa bathrooms
Part of Porcelanosa Gruppo are companies like Noken (a manufacturer of innovative, imaginative bathroom wares), L’Antic Colonial (who specialize in exclusive and natural products such as marble or wood), and Systempool (who’ve created the next generation of solid surface, Krion®). They’ve all made it their mission to develop modern bathrooms with beautiful designs and cutting-edge building systems — notable for elegance, distinction and exclusivity.
And some other things we’ve enjoyed
One last thing before we end this tour. The way Porcelanosa Gruppo has managed to add their ceramics into our homes is quite incredible. Would you ever imagine having a dinner table? Or an accent wall made out of ceramics? What about a bed frame or a headboard out of tiles that mimic the beauty and serenity of wood? And what if I told you KRION can take almost any shape and color, including being accessories for your living area or your bedroom nightstand?
This real-estate sales centre in China's Henan province features a wooden structure designed by architecture firm LUO Studio to be easily adapted or dismantled.
Located in Puyang County, the Longfu Life Experience Centre was commissioned by an eco-farm operator engaging in property development, who required a space to target consumers chasing a green lifestyle.
It was vital that it was sustainable and built from natural materials, to match his corporate identity.
Given the short lifespan of typical real-estate sales centres in China, LUO Studio also set out to develop a structure for that could be used in various ways, rather than limited to its primary function.
Using Mies van der Rohe's Crown Hall at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago as a model, the Beijing-based architects devised a modular structure, made up of units that could be produced from just three components.
The modules take the form of "clustered columns", inspired by the shape of trees. These can be applied independently or combined with others "just like Lego bricks"
"The clustered column was divided into five segments" the architects explained. "The bottom part of each clustered column is in the shape of a regular polygon. These extend upward from the bottom and form a square outside edge."
The result is a building that can be easily extended, reduced, or completely dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere.
The small bases of these columns give the building its desired versatility, as they create a largely open-plan interior.
Currently the ground floor is a multifunctional space containing a mix of furniture, suitable for big events or small meetings.
On the first floor is a mezzanine gallery framed by glass balustrades. Here, tables are built into the columns.
LUO Design hopes the project will challenge the commonplace interiors of these sorts of sales centres, which is describes as "wasteful and complicated".
The building also integrates building services into its structure.
By protruding from the roof, the columns double as light wells to reduce dependency on artificial lighting, while the plant and service rooms are all grouped into a single zone on the west side of the building.
LUO Studio is not the first practice to use timber to create an adaptable building structure.
Design studio: LUO studio Chief designer: Luo Yujie Participating designers: Wang Xiaotao, Wei Wenjing Client (design consultant): Lai Lijun Construction company: Puyang JINGYI Architectural Decoration, Design and Engineering
This housing block in Mexico City, designed by locally based HGR Arquitectos, is arranged around a large circular courtyard where a Japanese guava tree grows.
The MX581 residential building is located in the city's southern San Jeronimo Aculco district, near to the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Completed earlier this month, the housing block encompasses 12 units across four levels, with parking on the ground floor.
HGR Arquitectos gave the project a rectangular footprint to leave room on the L-shaped site for a garden, which serves as the access point and leads into the circular courtyard in the middle.
The yard is landscaped in a Japanese style, including benches for residents, grassy patches, a pool filled with gravel, and a large planter from where the feature tree grows.
"At the centre of the circle a nine-metre-high Japanese guava tree was placed, allowing the view of all common areas of the [apartments] to be of this tree," said HGR Arquitectos in a project description.
Curved black balconies wrap around the outdoor space, with the residences set into the rectangular block behind – creating a porch-like space in front of every unit.
"The design of the circle creates four triangular shaped terraces, which are part of each of the individual apartments," added HGR Arquitectos, which previously completed a brick housing complex organised around a line of patios.
The typical apartment layout on the ground, first and second floors is a three-bedroom unit, with as many bathrooms.
HGR Arquitectos placed the communal spaces next to the courtyard, allowing residents to open their kitchen, living and dining areas onto the semi-private patio.
Bedrooms are placed farthest away from the courtyard, on the building's east and western facades. From the exterior, these are articulated as a gridded concrete frame, which is 12 bays wide and planted with lush greenery.
"Vegetation was strategically placed in all the bedrooms, which generates green views and helps as a sound barrier to the noise generated in the streets," said the firm.
Each bedroom enjoys two windows, one of which is full-height and opens onto a small balcony set in the deep facade.
Penthouse units are double-height, with access to a rooftop terrace. They also encompass three bedrooms, but have an additional lounge area overlooking the living room.
The interiors of MX581 match the stark concrete exterior, including pale white finishes that are offset by rich wooden floors.
This reflects the treatment of the courtyard, where wooden decking and doors bring colour to the otherwise concrete exterior finishes.
