Reports & Resources
Explore our work from previous projects.
Search our extensive back catalogue to learn more about what works in design, including emerging trends and practice, as well as policy position papers about how to increase its use.
Character and identity
1 January 2008
Townscape and heritage appraisals offer a systematic and structured way of exploiting the unique historical features of an area. This report, published jointly by CABE and English Heritage in collaboration with Elevate East...
Wouldn't it be great if...
24 November 2007
Wouldn't it be great if...we could live sustainably – by design? Dott 07 (Designs of the time 2007), a year of community projects, events and exhibitions based in North East England, explored what life in a sustainable region...
Sustainable design, climate change and the built environment
14 October 2007
Tackling climate change involves creating sustainable places. The construction and use of the built environment currently accounts for around half of national carbon emissions. But there are planning, design and management...
Lessons from Europe
1 September 2007
This report summarises the findings from a fact-finding mission to Europe by a delegation of academics and policy makers in September 2007. The delegation visited leading companies, universities and design studios in The...
Paved with gold: The real value of street design
24 June 2007
This report shows how good street design contributes both economic benefits and public value. It demonstrates that investment in quality design brings quantifiable financial returns and that people value improvements to their...
Spaceshaper: A user's guide
22 February 2007
Spaceshaper is a practical toolkit for use by anyone – whether a local community activist or a professional – to measure the quality of a public space before investing time and money in improving it. This user’s guide from CABE...
11 lessons: a study of the design process
20 January 2007
How do leading companies incorporate design into their business practice? Our in-depth study of the design processes used in eleven global brands gives a real insight into the way design operates in these firms, and delivers...
The Value of Design Factfinder
20 January 2007
Design can directly and significantly improve sales, profits, turnover and growth. Using and valuing design brings bottom line benefits, and those who understand and act on this insight have a competitive edge over the rest. This...
10 Case Studies on Improving Street Design
14 January 2007
Streets are hard-working spaces. They balance a wide range of uses, communicate values and signify the transformation of neighbourhoods, towns and cities. To be sustainable and fit for purpose in the 21st century, streets need to...
Guidance on Tall Buildings
7 January 2007
Advice from Design Council Cabe and English Heritage on planning tall buildings. This document is currently under review. There have been too many examples of tall buildings that have been poorly designed. Not only have some tall...
Designing the high street
1 January 2007
The Cabe team at the Design Council present their research on how good high street design contributes both economic benefits and public value. This report argues that investment in design quality brings quantifiable financial...
Cemeteries, churchyards and burial grounds
1 January 2007
Urban burial grounds in the 19th century were originally envisaged as public open spaces and were professionally designed to be attractive places to visit in their own right. Today, many cemeteries are neglected, with little to...