Wheel of good fortune

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 IMAGES LUCY... View Article

Open up to light relief around the home

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 them. Energy... View Article

Comment: The window view

Get in the lead and avoid the delays  Unexpected delays can cause huge disruption to a self-build project, costing you valuable time and money. Here, Ben Brocklesby of Origin explores why it is vital to research likely product lead times... View Article

Ask the expert: Wetrooms 101

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 For many... View Article

Home styling: Shed some light on the issue

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 light  Crittall-style... View Article

Selfbuilder Diaries

Melanie Pigott and her husband Darren, along with their two teenage daughters, have embarked on self-build to not just accommodate them and a labradoodle named Bailey, but a veritable menagerie of other animals Our story has been quite an emotional... View Article

Petit Chablis

John and Julia Abbey overcame language barriers and complex regulations to successfully renovate a dilapidated property in the Chablis region of France, creating their dream home with a ‘gite on the side’ TEXT HEATHER DIXON IMAGES JOHN & JULIA ABBEY... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Eco options

Doing your bit to ensure your self-build minimises impact on the environment is no longer an unusual pursuit, it’s virtually a must. One way you can help is by choosing products made from sustainably sourced, reclaimed or recycled or materials;... View Article

View Point: Ivanova Konstanca

Ivanova Konstanca from Stride Treglown outlines the benefits and features of a circular economy – one where waste and pollution are eliminated, products and materials are recirculated ‘at their highest value,’ and natural systems are regenerated Circular economy goes beyond... View Article

Streamlined methods

As the construction industry continues to face increased pressures amidst a global skills shortage, Martin Harvey from McAvoy discusses how offsite plus digital innovation remains a key means to streamline the industry’s methods Modern methods of construction (MMC) are disrupting... View Article

Practice Profile: PRP Architects

As PRP marks its 60th anniversary, senior partners Manisha Patel and Brendan Kilpatrick reveal to ADF how a strong ethos around community-led design and collaborative culture has been instrumental to achieving enduring success In the 1960s, the UK was grappling... View Article

Brick’s net zero future

In today’s construction industry, brick forms part of the sustainability argument and the drive towards net zero carbon emissions. Keith Aldis of the Brick Development Association (BDA) explains how manufacturing has evolved Brick is not only one of the most... View Article

Storing up future benefits

Tony Huggins from David Bailey Furniture highlights the importance of the humble cupboard and fitted storage unit within a modern educational setting, and offers some key pointers for architects to consider There is no doubt that schools are striving to... View Article

Educational copper

Copper has seen a dramatic change from its historic place in roofing to a leading role in today’s facades, particularly for academic structures. Here Chris Hodson from Aurubis provides some striking examples With an exceptionally long life, copper requires no... View Article

Keeping cool naturally

Alex Hill from Whitecode Consulting looks at fabric-based approaches to balancing thermal performance and comfort in UK school buildings, in the context of a range of challenges We are currently experiencing unprecedented levels of heat in the UK, and British... View Article

A centre of learning

Ulster University’s new campus is a significant and complex achievement that knits a formerly suburban education provision into a busy part of Belfast’s city centre. Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios describes the scheme to ADF’s Tom Boddy The historic and newly... View Article

Dialogue by design

Oliver Moore of Design Engine Architects looks at how the design of Sixth Forms is evolving to harness the ability of non-hierarchical classrooms to foster more communal dialogue and learning Dialogue is fundamental to the way that Design Engine Architects... View Article

A sense of renewal

Rohit Sharma from Bona discusses how sustainable, high-performance flooring solutions can be achieved by renewing resilient floors in a variety of sectors Popular due to its low-cost, hard-wearing properties, as well as the ergonomic and acoustic factors, resilient surfaces are... View Article

Showing how to build with stone

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. Simply put,... View Article

The rise of underfloor venting

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, it is... View Article