The event was held in Portcullis House on Tuesday (6 May) morning and organised by MP for the City of London and Westminster, Rachel Blake. Speaking at the launch, dRMM co-founder Sadie Morgan – one of the high-profile figures to endorse the guide – said: ‘As we struggle to deliver the eye-watering number of homes a year, we must focus on quality as well as quantity. ‘As the housing crisis continues to dominate, we must be careful not to deliver at any cost. We must remember that houses are homes, and homes make a community, and communities make a place.’Advertisement Morgan, who is also expert adviser to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), is one of several high-profile figures to endorse the publication, which showcases 20 examples of high-quality homes and was produced by the AJ in partnership with Architects’ Action for Affordable Housing (AA4AH). Those attending the launch included Labour MPs Dame Meg Hillier, Joe Powell and Rupa Huq, RIBA president elect Chris Williamson, former RIBA president Ben Derbyshire, and chief government architect Sarah Allan. Commending the Good Homes for All publication, Morgan said: ‘It shows that we have the ability to take collective responsibility, put forward a compelling argument, and proactively do something about the provision of poor-quality homes that are detrimental to the quality of life of their inhabitants. ‘One of the most profound moments of my time at Homes England was a visit to Blackpool. We went to see a family renting a flat paid for through their housing benefit. The family of six lived in a two-bedroom flat above a nightclub. It was immaculately clean, but the black mould on the walls couldn’t be hidden by the rainbow picture of their six-year-old; nor could the damp smell. ‘If we as a profession can ensure that the next generation of children nationwide, rich or poor, can live in homes that offer the opportunity for them to live a healthy and happy life with dignity, I think that is something we should aim for and be proud of.’Advertisement READ THE PUBLICATION Morgan was joined on stage by Pitman Tozer’s Luke Tozer, part of the AA4AH steering group, and Will Hurst, AJ’s managing editor. Other steering group members in attendance were Alex Ely and Annalie Riches (both past winners of the RIBA Stirling Prize), Simon Bayliss, Jay Morton, Felicie Krikler and Chloe Phelps. Tozer said two key principles lay behind the campaign and publication: ‘That everyone deserves a good, affordable home, and that good design must be at the heart of delivering the affordable homes we need.’ He added: ‘Today is both a call for more and better housing, and a celebration of what is already built. ‘The 20 case studies gathered in the publication aren’t theoretical. They are real homes, built across Britain, demonstrating that affordable, quality housing can be delivered efficiently and at scale, while creating humane, generous places for people to live.’ Hurst criticised the term ‘housing units’ in discussing the government’s 1.5 million homes target, arguing that a focus on delivering numbers alone would not solve the housing crisis and would leave the UK with a costly legacy of tackling poor health and the worsening effects of climate change. He referenced Berthold Lubetkin's famous quote ‘nothing is too good for ordinary people’, as well as the late Hank Dittmar's challenge a decade ago for the return of ‘good ordinary’ buildings. Hurst said the word ‘ordinary’ should not be seen as pejorative. ‘Please help us to spread the message,’ he said. ‘We need “good ordinary” homes everywhere.’ SEE ALL 20 PROJECTS HERE Source:Dowen Farmer Architects Viewpoint: Architects’ Action For Affordable Housing (AA4AH) Architects’ Action for Affordable Housing is a campaign to champion well-designed affordable homes in tackling the housing crisis – one of the UK’s most urgent challenges. We support the government’s ambition to deliver the biggest expansion of affordable housing in a generation, but we believe design quality must sit at the heart of that effort. This compilation, developed in partnership with The Architects’ Journal, presents 20 housing projects from across Britain that demonstrate what is possible when ambition, design and delivery align. Each project is practical, replicable and grounded in the real-world constraints of land, cost and carbon emissions. Collectively, they offer a roadmap – and a mandate – for how we can build more, and build better. At a time when public resources are under intense pressure, good design is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Thoughtful architecture enables us to make the best use of limited budgets, constrained land and our shrinking carbon envelope. It supports economic resilience, improves health outcomes and underpins educational success. Affordable housing is not just roofs over heads, it is the foundation of a stronger society. The homes showcased in this publication show how design can stretch every pound, every plot and every kilogram of carbon to achieve maximum value – socially, environmentally, and economically. They are homes that respect their context, support communities and endure over time. This is housing as social infrastructure, not short-term supply. As architects, we are involved throughout the entire process, from the first sketch to long after residents have moved in. We know what good housing looks like and how to deliver it. The profession stands ready to contribute to the housing renaissance this country so urgently needs. This is not a theoretical exercise. The case studies in this compilation are built, occupied (mostly) and successful. They prove that affordable, high-quality housing is not only possible – it is already happening. The question now is: will we do it at scale?