This paper will demonstrate: key stages in the development of dynamic and innovative models based on consumer, industry and business research and intelligence; market research driving decisions and strategy, resulting in a significant increase in the design, value and profitability of new communities and housing developments; guidance provided to decision makers to help them connect with employees, consumers and government stakeholders whilst supporting corporate strategy; and connecting business with consumers and key stakeholders to optimise the design of new communities and housing developments.
This paper shows how the findings were used to change the specifications for the buildings, incorporating into the design additional features found to be important to the potential users, to plan for the provision of additional facilities important to respondents, and to help shape the promotional material, the new brochure, and the video. Both the sales brochure and the video highlighted the research findings and stressed how the research had been used to fine-tune the planning of the whole project. Finally, the research findings were presented to potential buyers and letting agents at a series of breakfast meetings.
The research showed clearly that if everybody is talking about the European market as a single market, the reality, especially in the construction sector, was definitely and strongly influenced by local practice, attitudes and habits. Therefore, after acquisition of the CBR concrete activities by PARTEK, the overall marketing strategy defined by the management was : "think local, plan global but act focal"
In 1986 B.V.A. conducted a study for a real estate developer on a complex of 200 flats for couples and single people in the Paris area. We interviewed people aged 65 - 85 with an income in proportion to such an investment. Apart from the generalities, which were substantiated at all levels of the study, but particularly at the qualitative stage, the study revealed a great deal of interesting information, not only in the results themselves, but also about the planning and organisation of such a market research project.
In 1986 B.V.A. conducted a study for a real estate developer on a complex of 200 flats for couples and single people in the Paris area. We interviewed people aged 65 - 85 with an income in proportion to such an investment. Apart from the generalities, which were substantiated at all levels of the study, but particularly at the qualitative stage, the study revealed a great deal of interesting information, not only in the results themselves, but also about the planning and organisation of such a market research project.
The concept of a planned shopping centre appears to be an American one. Thus we have the seeds of the 'planned shopping centres' as we now understand the phrase.
This paper presents an analysis of the world housing market for the period 1960-1985. Historical and projected data are presented for number of households, conventional homes in place, homes wired for electricity, homes containing piped-in water, housing completions, average floor size per completions, average floor size per completion, and the type of structure. The emphasis is on analysing the general socio-economic environment, housing amenities, and regional differences or similarities.
Housing Associations had recourse only to Local Authorities or private financial institutions for capital, and in times of economic restraint this was not always forthcoming. To stimulate Housing Associations the Housing Corporation was set up with funds to the tune of £100m to sponsor, advise and lend money to the Associations which has made their funding much easier. Keeping an eye to future developments in housing and housing needs is the Housing Development Division of the Department of the Environment - the central Government Ministry responsible for national housing policy. This unit is a team of architects, sociologists, quantity surveyors and administrators working where necessary in conjunction with other specialists. It is concerned with all aspects of housing development, seeking to promote higher standards. It studies the activities and aspirations of people in relation to dwellings and by studying the process of builder as well contributes to policy and its execution and seeks to improve the standard of design, components, services and equipment. One way the Division operates is by carrying out building projects for Local Authorities in which its architects would be commissioned and paid fees in accordance with the national scale of the profession.
Audits of Great Britain Limited recently collaborated with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government on the Housing Layout Survey described in this paper. The Survey is part of a long term programme of research which has already included a desk appraisal of 26 publicly built housing schemes, exploratory work for the survey itself, and a study, comprising some 20,000 observations, of children at play. The Survey is to be followed by a survey of Specialist Opinion among housing specialists, some theoretical studies, and finally a High Density Housing Project which will be built according to the standards by then arrived at, and formulated partly from the results of the Housing Layout Survey. Six widely differing housing estates were covered; in all, 1,317 housewives and 370 husbands were interviewed by investigators of the AGB Field Force, using a structured questionnaire devised in collaboration with sociologists from the Ministry's Research and Development Group. Interviews ranged over a large number of topics relating to use of and attitude towards the estate in question, and the individual accommodation occupied. Results of the Survey are currently being assessed by the Ministry, with a view to preparing advisory bulletins recommending standards for housing layout to all Local Authorities in the country. Additionally, some of the results will be considered at length in design bulletins used principally by Local Authorities and Architects