Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
Encyclopedia
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) was an executive non-departmental public body
of the UK government, established in 1999. It was funded by both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
and the Department for Communities and Local Government
.
. Its job was to influence and inspire the people making decisions about the built environment. It championed well-designed buildings, spaces and places, runs public campaigns and provides expert, practical advice. It works directly with architects, planners, designers and clients.
. There were 16 commissioners in total. Its chair was Paul Finch, one of Britain's leading design businessmen and a former chair of the Design Council
. CABE's chief executive was Richard Simmons.
One of CABE's main functions was design review - expert independent assessments of building schemes at an early stage. CABE reviewed schemes of national importance, that had a significant impact on the local environment, or which set standards for the future. CABE's design review panel consists of around 40 expert advisors drawn from England's architectural, built environment and creative community. CABE is known as a 'non-statutory consultee' in the planning process, meaning that planners and others should heed CABE's advice when making decisions, but are not obliged to do so.
CABE's main office is situated in a large tower block built in 1968 (and designed by Richard Seifert
) near Drury Lane
.
. A proportion of CABE's function, including Design Review and Localism & Planning, merged with the Design Council on 11th of April 2011 (Design Council CABE is a Chartered Charity).
CABE's first Chairman was Stuart Lipton who was also Chief Executive of the property developer Stanhope. Private Eye
s architectural correspondent complained that this represented a conflict of interest.
; Rackheath
in Norfolk
; North-West Bicester in Oxfordshire
; and St Austell
in Cornwall
.
CABE launched a campaign to push for greater investment in green infrastructure. The Grey to Green campaign and report, Grey to Green: how we shift funding and skills to green our cities, argues that a switch is needed in public spending from grey projects, like road building and heavy engineering projects, to green schemes, like street trees, parks, green roofs and waterways.
It has developed the Building for Life
scheme and Manual for Streets
.
. The equivalent body in Wales was the Design Commission For Wales. The successor to CABE, Design Council CABE, is able to operate internetionally and nationally.
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
of the UK government, established in 1999. It was funded by both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
and the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
.
Function
CABE was the government’s advisor on architecture, urban design and public space in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Its job was to influence and inspire the people making decisions about the built environment. It championed well-designed buildings, spaces and places, runs public campaigns and provides expert, practical advice. It works directly with architects, planners, designers and clients.
Structure
CABE's board members - its commissioners - were appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and SportSecretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport is a United Kingdom cabinet position with responsibility for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The role was created in 1992 by John Major as Secretary of State for National Heritage...
. There were 16 commissioners in total. Its chair was Paul Finch, one of Britain's leading design businessmen and a former chair of the Design Council
Design Council
The Design Council is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body incorporated by Royal Charter and registered as a charity.Registered charity number 272099.- In the beginning :The Design Council started in 1944 as the Council of Industrial Design...
. CABE's chief executive was Richard Simmons.
One of CABE's main functions was design review - expert independent assessments of building schemes at an early stage. CABE reviewed schemes of national importance, that had a significant impact on the local environment, or which set standards for the future. CABE's design review panel consists of around 40 expert advisors drawn from England's architectural, built environment and creative community. CABE is known as a 'non-statutory consultee' in the planning process, meaning that planners and others should heed CABE's advice when making decisions, but are not obliged to do so.
CABE's main office is situated in a large tower block built in 1968 (and designed by Richard Seifert
Richard Seifert
Reubin Seifert - normally known as Richard Seifert was a British architect, best known for designing the Centrepoint tower and Tower 42 , once the tallest building in the City of London...
) near Drury Lane
Drury Lane
Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster....
.
History
CABE is the direct successor body to the Royal Fine Art Commission, originally established in 1924. CABE was established in August 1999. It came about from the Urban Task Force set up in 1998, chaired by Richard RogersRichard Rogers
Richard George Rogers, Baron Rogers of Riverside CH Kt FRIBA FCSD is a British architect noted for his modernist and functionalist designs....
. A proportion of CABE's function, including Design Review and Localism & Planning, merged with the Design Council on 11th of April 2011 (Design Council CABE is a Chartered Charity).
CABE's first Chairman was Stuart Lipton who was also Chief Executive of the property developer Stanhope. Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
s architectural correspondent complained that this represented a conflict of interest.
Former commissioners
- Ben PageBen Page (UK)Ben Page is the chief executive officer of Ipsos MORI. He has worked there since 1987, having graduated from Oxford University the previous year...
- Ian Ritchie (architect)Ian Ritchie (architect)Professor Ian Ritchie CBE is a British architect. He was born in 1947 in Sussex.After working with Norman Foster , Ritchie spent two years in France designing and constructing projects. In 1979 he founded Chrysalis Architects and also worked at Arup’s Lightweight Structures Group in London...
Activities
CABE set up a dedicated design review panel to provide expert advice on the quality of designs for the government’s proposed eco-towns. The panel reviewed the proposals for: Whitehill-Bordon in HampshireHampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
; Rackheath
Rackheath
Rackheath is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, and is roughly outside of Norwich City Centre.It covers an area of and had a population of 1,551 in 625 households as of the 2001 census....
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
; North-West Bicester in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
; and St Austell
St Austell
St Austell is a civil parish and a major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the south coast approximately ten miles south of Bodmin and 30 miles west of the border with Devon at Saltash...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
CABE launched a campaign to push for greater investment in green infrastructure. The Grey to Green campaign and report, Grey to Green: how we shift funding and skills to green our cities, argues that a switch is needed in public spending from grey projects, like road building and heavy engineering projects, to green schemes, like street trees, parks, green roofs and waterways.
It has developed the Building for Life
Building for Life
Building for Life is a tool for assessing the design quality of homes and neighbourhoods in England. It was developed by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment , with partners the Home Builders Federation, the Civic Trust and Design for Homes.The Building for Life tool comprises...
scheme and Manual for Streets
Manual for Streets
In England and Wales, the Manual for Streets provides guidance for practitioners involved in the planning, design, provision and approval of new streets, and modifications to existing ones. It aims to increase the quality of life through good design which creates more people-oriented streets...
.
Other regions
CABE's remit did not cover Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The equivalent body in Scotland was Architecture and Design Scotland, the successor body to the Royal Fine Art Commission for ScotlandRoyal Fine Art Commission for Scotland
The Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland was a Scottish public body.It was appointed in 1927 "to enquire into such questions of public amenity or of artistic importance relating to Scotland as may be referred to them by any of our Departments of State and to report thereon to such Departments;...
. The equivalent body in Wales was the Design Commission For Wales. The successor to CABE, Design Council CABE, is able to operate internetionally and nationally.