Retail Design Manual

The Retail Design Manual: A Companion to the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities was prepared by Paul Keogh Architects on behalf of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in 2012.

Reiterating national policy objectives to secure the future of city and town centres, the planning guidelines set out key objectives to be applied by planning authorities in their forward planning and development control processes, so as to achieve quality outcomes in new retail development.

PKA's accompanying design manual set out 10 key principles of architecture and urban design that planning authorities were recommended to incorporate into their statutory plans, so as curb out-of-town retail development and to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of city and town centres as places to live, work, shop and visit.

The design principles were grouped under 10 headings - such as urban structure, public realm, built form, environmental responsibility and sustainable construction - each with an introductory essay outlining the key principles, and a case study illustration of best practice. Application of the principles was addressed by five key questions, for example: 'How does the proposed development contribute to enhancing the character and quality of its location'?

A second objective in the commissioning of the design manual was to provide developers, architects and retailers with evidence-based principles, so that the design of future retail development would contribute to achieving the policy objectives set out in the planning guidelines.

Published under Action 23 of the 2009-2015 Government Policy on Architecture, the Retail Design Manual was an initiative of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. the publication can be accessed here: Retail Design Manual

Completion: 2012