Evelyn Grace Academy by Zaha Hadid Architects
Dezeen magazine published this article about new policies in the UK mandating more utilitarian designs for new schools to be built in upcoming years. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has responded to the new rules with concerns that many of the guidelines will yield short-term savings at the expense of long-term goals. I haven’t yet thoroughly read the regulations, but they do seem a bit overly rigid. The article contains a kind of depressing, misguided quote from education secretary Michael Gove: ”We won’t be getting Richard Rogers to design your school, we won’t be getting any award-winning architects to design it, because no one in this room is here to make architects richer.” As if there was a big problem of architects getting rich at the expense of the schools. They might be right to hirer fewer flashy star architects and I agree that schools, and buildings in general need to be sure to address practical concerns in addition to pushing the envelope with creativity, but it seems that they likely have gone too far with their guidelines.
deedsdesign 
Wow–the UK’s new guidelines seem very misguided. They’re using a bandaid instead of developing regulations to get to the heart of their concerns. Cost is an issue? Set a construction budget & stick to it… energy efficiency an issue (the one good thing here)? Why not just set an aggressive standard like Passive House, which will by its nature minimize curtain wall elements and “indents and notches” in order to achieve heating demand requirements at a given cost/sq.ft. What a shame that gorgeous buildings like the curved timber Langley Academy will be disallowed!