Practice Profile: Space Group

LISTEN HERE This Newcastle-based practice has built a reputation around the development of digital design services alongside project commissions, with a particular focus on harnessing the benefits of BIM. CEO Rob Charlton explains its ethos to Laura Shadwell North east... View Article

A singularly caring approach

LISTEN HERE A new replacement for a 70s hospital which removed valuable parts of central Liverpool, a major new health facility for the city bridges healthcare and academia, restores urban quality, and has more ensuite single rooms than any other... View Article

Why wall panels are the greener option

LISTEN HERE With the environmental impact of the built environment well known to most, housing managers are always looking for new ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Scott Beattie from Fibo, explores why wall panels can offer a more sustainable... View Article

Safer by design

LISTEN HERE Flooring plays a vital role in the safety as well as the comfort of our lives and is a critical consideration in the social housing, care and retirement sectors. Louise Walters from Designer Contracts explains Providing a comfortable... View Article

Are sub-roof systems the answer?

LISTEN HERE With increased scrutiny on the state and repair of social housing, when looking at new roof specification, should landlords be thinking about a whole refit, or employing more cost-effective retrofit opportunities? Ardit Strica from Onduline Building Products asks... View Article

Housebuilding is still a struggle

LISTEN HERE Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), discusses the latest data from the FMB’s State of Trade Survey and finds few reasons to cheer As you will be aware, for too long we have not... View Article

The brave new world of low carbon retrofit

LISTEN HERE A large-scale retrofit project to bring energy efficiency of social housing across Northumberland and County Durham up to a C rating saw a housing association deploying robots to upgrade homes with minimal disruption. James Parker reports. The Socal... View Article

Shaping the future of buildings & decarbonisation

LISTEN HERE Installer SHOW – the UK’s largest event for influential installers and specifiers of heat, water, air and energy technology – will discover one of the biggest challenges on the road to net zero, the tools and solutions for... View Article

Opening up the black box on Part F and ventilation

LISTEN HERE Following the changes to Part F and Part L of the Building Regulations, housebuilders have been set the challenge of balancing carbon emissions with sufficient airflow to keep homes healthy. The importance of ventilation to health and wellbeing... View Article

Ask the Architect: Jerry Ryan

LISTEN HERE As co-founder of London based international architecture and urban design practice HKR Architects, Jerry Ryan shares his passion for the history of architecture, and looks forward to a technological future as the practice celebrates its 30th year What... View Article

Site Lines: A heritage refurb checklist

LISTEN HERE Simon Castle from Chisholm & Winch discusses the varied, but essential considerations that architects need to bear in mind when approaching listed building renovations According to Historic England, there are estimated to be around 500,000 listed buildings on... View Article

A blend of art & architecture

LISTEN HERE The former home and studio of renowned Pre-Raphaelite painter Frederic Lord Leighton has evolved as a museum over its long life; its latest reimagining is a sensitive and artistic refurb by BDP, as Tom Boddy reports London is... View Article

Wheel of good fortune

LISTEN HERE A young couple seeking their first home together in Cumbria brought in family help to maximise the benefits of a site that once housed a water mill, and on which now sits their four-bed property TEXT LAURA SHADWELL... View Article

Open up to light relief around the home

LISTEN HERE TuffX’s Paul Higgins explains how rooflights can provide innovative solutions to maximise natural light, create dedicated work zones, and balance energy efficiency with comfort in your self-build or renovation Times have changed, and our homes are changing with... View Article

Ask the expert: Wetrooms 101

LISTEN HERE In recent years the wetroom concept has taken a leap into mainstream popularity, and installations in homes are more desirable than ever to meet a range of needs. Shaun Hunt from Impey answers some self-builder Frequently Asked Questions... View Article

Home styling: Shed some light on the issue

LISTEN HERE You can transform an existing dark hallway – or dark internal spaces in a new build – by opening up the space using attractive Crittall-style glazed doors. Lucy Bartley of lucyb home explains how you can see the... View Article

Showing how to build with stone

LISTEN HERE Many homeowners dream of including natural stone somewhere in the home. Whether it is limestone floors, granite worktops, marble in the bathroom, a sandstone patio or a slate roof, the chances are there will be natural stone somewhere.... View Article

The rise of underfloor venting

LISTEN HERE Karl Stauss at AET Flexible Space discusses the changing face of commercial ventilation Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) may seem almost incidental when designing commercial spaces. But with changing working trends and new regulations now in force,... View Article

National savings

LISTEN HERE Andrew Mellor from PRP Architects wonders whether a real energy saving strategy would be more relevant than the Government’s new Powering Up Britain idea The new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero recently published its Powering Up... View Article

New social value on the block

LISTEN HERE James Parker reports on MVRDV’s scheme to transform a Paris city block, which produced a scheme that visually celebrates its intertwined mix of office, library and hotel spaces, and added further value with social housing Montparnasse sits in... View Article