Hazel York: Why social value is important to architects

At Hawkins Brown we have always argued that good design creates much more than a healthy balance sheet, whether it is improving the health and wellbeing of users, community cohesion or better accessibility.

The introduction of the Social Value Act has put this argument centre stage. It has empowered architects and clients to discuss the broader benefits of good design, and to make decisions based on what is best for building users, their communities and the environment, confident that this also makes good financial sense.

The introduction of tools to measure social value now means all stakeholders in a project, and even our most commercial clients, can use a common language to evaluate and realise the long-term returns on a socially led design agenda.