Landlord Latest: Platform Housing Group

Since 1967, Platform Housing Group has put a strong focus on providing affordable, safe homes – serving over 120,000 people since forming. With 2,000 dedicated colleagues, COO Marion Duffy explains how Platform is building a truly modern, customer-focused HA that’s... View Article

Embracing positive change

The rental sector is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by legislative reform, rising tenant demand, and growing corporate investment. Andy Jones of Leaders Romans Group explores the challenges and opportunities ahead. A radical transformation is occurring in the rental sector. A... View Article

Access to cost-effective accessible bathrooms

Balancing compliance and user needs is key to accessible bathroom design. Stuart Reynolds of AKW shares how smart product choices ensure cost-efficiency without compromising on tenant usability. The key to success with any accessible bathroom installation lies in juggling the... View Article

Open to alternatives

Kevan Woolf of Velfac questions whether the introduction of Part O to mitigate overheating means inward opening windows are the only solution. The recent introduction of Part O of the Building Regulations has prompted designers to seek effective solutions to... View Article

Paving perfection

Trevor Knight, head of group technical operations at Marshalls, shares expert tips to help you make the right choice for your self-build project. Creating an inviting outdoor space enhances your home, and the right paving slabs used for patios, paths... View Article

Ambitious plans

Lawrence Turner of planning consultants Boyer discusses how the revised NPPF aims to meet Labour’s ambitious housing targets, from brownfield passports to grey belts. Following Angela Rayner’s promise in July 2024 to spearhead a ‘decade of renewal’ with an ambitious... View Article

How to build greener homes

The climate crisis demands urgent action, explains Philippa Hoy of sustainability consultant Bioregional. She gives the case for the One Planet Living concept, and looks at how embracing sustainable design and low-carbon solutions can meet developers’ imperatives as well as... View Article

Tide is high once again in Croydon

Europe’s tallest modular building yet, the 50-storey College Road residential scheme in Croydon, is Tide Construction’s second tower in the fast-growing borough, with over 1,700 units on a narrow, densely urban site. Stephen Cousins finds out how they did it.... View Article

Converts to the Passivhaus way

The completion of one couple’s project has brought joy and a sense of achievement, delivering more living space, greater energy efficiency and a comfortable environment to suit their needs. TEXT JESS UNWIN IMAGES JANE SIMPSON Where once stood a tired... View Article

Modular’s diverse benefits

Modular construction is redefining efficiency and quality in a range of sectors. Kasia Nowak of Wernick Buildings explains how it can produce sustainable and future-proof, as well as cost-effective buildings. Clients in the education, healthcare, and commercial sectors planning to... View Article

Unlocking SuDS benefits

With plans for 1.5 million new homes requiring swathes of land across the country including flood plains, Richard Eddy of Polypipe Building Products discusses how SuDS could be the key for architects, as the sector enters unchartered territory. Ambitious targets... View Article

Take the first step

A staircase can be far more than a way of connecting storeys. Tom Blakeman of Winthill Engineering explains what makes a successful staircase and considers practical and aesthetic factors. Investing in a custom-designed staircase which suits your needs and your... View Article

The design evolution of shower toilets

Shower toilet technology is evolving – helping reshape bathroom design, as architects embrace these multifunctional solutions. Sophie Weston of Geberit shows how they blend luxury with space efficiency and sustainability in a variety of settings. Achieving the balance between space... View Article

Kitchen colour philosophy

The careful use of colours in the kitchen shapes aesthetics, functionality, and the behaviour of users for the better. Tim Spann of Keller Kitchens explains how architects can harness colours to create spaces that inspire, energise, or calm. In the... View Article

Emberton House, Olympia: From cars to culture

Trevor Morriss, principal at SPPARC discusses how the practice embraced the challenge to convert a historic multi-storey car park at London’s Olympia in the Streamline Moderne style into a hotel and school, as part of the site’s cultural redevelopment. “Adjoining... View Article

Harness the power of EPDs for sustainable specs

Dan Redfern of Marley explains why Environmental Product Declarations are an essential resource for architects seeking to specify sustainable materials. With the built environment accounting for 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions, architects play a vital role in decarbonising buildings.... View Article

Practice Profile: ECD Architects

Founded in 1980 as Energy Conscious Design, the subsequently abbreviated ECD Architects merged energy research with architectural practice. It later joined multi-disciplinary construction ‘one stop shop’ N-able Group in 2007, which was in turn recently acquired by the RSK Group... View Article

It’s all happening at UK Construction Week London

UK Construction Week (UKCW), the UK’s No.1 construction destination, is gearing up for its milestone 10th anniversary edition from 07-09 May at Excel London – set to be its biggest and most expansive event yet. For the first time, UKCW... View Article

A highland hideaway

For many self-builders, the prospect of a steep sloping site surrounded by the inaccessible Scottish Highlands might feel overwhelming, but for Suzanne and Mark McPhillips, it was a chance to put their experience as architectural designers to good use. TEXT... View Article

Pixelated vision

Architect MVRDV’s new collection of mixed use buildings in Abu Dhabi makes a break from the city’s architectural norm by breaking down facades into ‘pixelated’ forms. In the ever-expanding skyline of Abu Dhabi, where luxury towers often dominate the architectural... View Article