Carmona, Matthew; (2025) Cold shower or warm bath? Musings on design review. Australian Planner 10.1080/07293682.2025.2531845. (In press).

Text Reflecting on design review.pdf - Accepted Version Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 24 January 2027. Download (118kB)

Abstract

This article in three parts–past, present and future–explores the essential nature of design review as a peer review process with a long history and a present that has seen the practice grow and grow. During this history practices have evolved and many have moved from a top-down critique that can be likened to a cold shower, to a more supportive two-way engagement, more like a warm bath. Rather than a regulatory gateway through which projects must pass, this form of design review represents a constructive and engaging informal improvement tool, focused on adding value to developments by helping to broaden discussions as well as positively challenging the design / development team. Drawing on international examples, the article argues that cold showers are sometimes good for us, but warm baths are likely to be more beneficial over the long run.

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