Making builders licenced

For a profession which affects so many people’s lives, arguably more than most others, the housebuilding industry is a strikingly under-regulated one. Doctors have a distinctly profound effect on their clients, namely (normally) improving how their bodies function. With such... View Article

The big question about climate change

The real question to ask about climate change is not whether it’s a problem or how bad it is, but what are you, and/or your company you work for going to do about it? Following the successfully headline-grabbing Extinction Rebellion... View Article

Upward trend for wooden hi-rise

Until recently, there was a growing movement in the UK to build tall buildings using timber. There are ancient Chinese timber pagodas which are many storeys high, but going tall with timber is something the western world has struggled to... View Article

Practice Profile: Maber Architects

After recently turning 35, well-established practice Maber Architects decided to reinvent and ‘reboot’ itself, James Parker spoke to managing director Ian Harris to find out why Maber Architects was founded by keen cricketer Colin Maber in Nottingham in 1983, and... View Article

The power to choose

An award-winning Passivhaus Plus in Buckinghamshire is being hailed as a game-changer in terms of showing how smart homes can function as green ‘power stations.’ Sarah Kassam of CIBSE explains the design behind the project The winner of the residential... View Article

View Point: Dr Gavin Dunn

Dr Gavin Dunn of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) looks at how the discipline of the ‘the golden thread’ from the Hackitt review is fundamental to ensuring building safety from design through construction to occupation One of the... View Article

Efficiency and safety, in synergy

Kevin Belben of water management specialists Cistermiser and Keraflo discusses the evolution of water temperature monitoring systems, and how the Internet of Things can offer the healthcare sector efficiency savings as well as patient safety benefits A tax-funded NHS is... View Article

The future is already here

Architect Paul Mercer discusses how designers and planners can learn from the past, as they contemplate how to adapt to the future of healthcare Recently published, the 2018 Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer is subtitled ‘Health 2040 –... View Article

Ask The Architect: Ed Higgins

Architect Ed Higgins from Hosta Consulting answers ADF’s questions on landscape design and green infrastructure Why did you decide to train as an architect? Like many at the start of their architectural education part of me, somewhat egotistically, wanted to... View Article

Practice Profile: Apt Architects

A rebrand of a fast-growing practice gave it a facelift and left staff re-energised. Sébastien Reed speaks to Jason Geen, studio leader of Apt Architects. “It wasn’t the best time to set up a studio,” says Jason Geen, studio leader... View Article

Flexible, fascinating, and fitting

Jordan Perlman of Newground Architects explains that although a time-honoured material, brick has limitless possibilities for designers, illustrated by a recent mixed use scheme in London In the six years since our practice was founded, we have used brick in... View Article

Ask the Architect – Joe Morris

Joe Morris heads up his practice, but knows that collaboration is the way to good architecture. He answers ADF’s questions Why did you become an architect? My journey to architecture was relatively casual, without a clearly defined goal, but one... View Article

Natural light for natural learning

Jens Christoffersen of Velux looks at why natural light is so important in learning environments, and discusses various design interventions for increasing it A common antidote to the ‘winter blues’ is often a break in a warmer, sunnier climate, preferably... View Article

View Point – James Potter, WG+P Architects

James Potter from WG+P Architects takes a look at how the process of identifying your practice’s USP as part of marketing can reveal some interesting truths I’ll start with a plug for some excellent IT consultants, called DP-IT. They have... View Article

Wellness at heart

Racheal Cadey of Edge Architecture + Design explains how The Crown Estate’s new head office in London became the first WELL Platinum certified workplace in Europe, by putting wellness principles at the heart of the design There is a growing... View Article

Futurebuild – what’s in a name?

This week, a new trade show will open its doors in ExCel, London attracting UK and international visitors. Well it sounds like a new show, but Futurebuild as you no doubt know is the re-badged ‘Ecobuild.’ This was the name... View Article

Ask the Architect – Tiago Pereira

Tiago Pereira, partner at top five Danish practice Schmidt Hammer Lassen answers ADF’s questions; including on making the move to Copenhagen, and balancing a host of tasks in a busy design office Why did you become an architect? That’s a... View Article

The need for more flexible working in construction

Editor of Housebuilder & Developer, James Parker explores whether the construction industry is flexible enough to attract female applicants. Flexible working – all responsible employers talk about it being a good thing, but how many are allowing it to happen... View Article

Sounding out the benefits

Ed Peltor of Rockwool UK says that considerations of the benefits of insulation go well beyond thermal performance to acoustics and fire, when looking the whole building envelope It’s time to look for more from insulation than just thermal performance.... View Article