Policy Strategies and Design Processes: Competing Logics?

Abstract

The drive toward sustainability in the urban environment emphasises renewable energy, high-performance architecture, and low-carbon transport. Yet, while public opinion often supports these goals, their physical implementation—such as wind farms or eco-towns—frequently meets resistance. This highlights a cultural gap between policy strategies and the design outcomes they produce. Policies, written largely in isolation, prioritise economic incentives and environmental targets, often at the expense of culturally resonant design. As a result, design solutions may satisfy policy requirements but are socially contested and rejected. This paper explores the consequences of target-driven design, the influence of policy on design practice, and how such schemes are received by society. It asks whether sustainable futures are destined to remain clichés or whether design can play a transformative role in bridging the gap between policy intent and cultural acceptance.