Why we should allow daylight to shine

Chris Lowe of BDP, tells us about the role of natural light in inspirational, interesting and healthy buildings – and why artificial light doesn’t really cut-it. Daylight is important to the human condition. It can improve our health, wellbeing, creativity... View Article

View point – Nigel Ostime from Hawkins\Brown

A continuing wage gap between architects working in different sectors is presenting a further obstacle to diversity of new entrants to the profession. Nigel Ostime from Hawkins\Brown suggests a different approach. Economic commentators are observing an increasing gap between the... View Article

Ask the architect – Mungo Smith – MAAP

Mungo Smith is a renowned specialist healthcare architect, and was director of Medical Architecture and Art Projects (MAAP) in the UK until 2012, when he moved the firm to Sydney, Australia. He tells ADF why an architect’s life down under isn’t always plain sailing. AFTER SETTING UP SHOP IN AUSTRALIA, WHAT ADVICE... View Article

View Point – Tim Burgess of CoveBurgess Architects

Tim Burgess of CoveBurgess Architects says that grass-roots answers are needed to the problem of practices finding it harder be located in London’s rich diversity. Our modern cities are the current embodiment of humans’ desire to gather into groupings that... View Article

Practice Profile – Colman Architects

Emerging from a desire to ‘do things better’, over their 30-year lifespan Colman Architects have produced a wealth of diverse projects from sleek gallery spaces to colossal Chinese masterplans. Sébastien Reed investigates. The project is the all-important thing – Colman... View Article

Site Lines – The real value of human-centred design

‘Human-centred’ buildings offering users better technology or greater material comfort will always be the exception rather than the rule as they are costly and challenging. This is a perception Atkins is trying to counter, as Rebecca Wicks reports. The needs... View Article

View Point – Dr Andy Lewry of BRE Global

Dr Andy Lewry of BRE Global outlines his strategy for betterintegrated design and build processes that use modelling to address the ‘Performance Gap’. As we drive the performance of our building stock, it is becoming clear that one of the... View Article

Editor’s Comment – October

Why can’t we build the public housing we need in the UK? While the higher-end homes sector continues to boom (despite a slight downturn in London), the solutions for achieving our dreams of tackling the crisis at the other end,... View Article

Insulation guide launched by Superglass

One of the UK’s leading glass wool insulation manufacturers, Superglass has launched an in-depth guide on maximising insulation in residential and commercial properties. Designed for use by engineers, builders, architects and surveyors, the guide outlines best practice and suitable product... View Article

Composites UK to Launch Sustainability Sub Group

Composites UK will officially launch its new sustainability sub group on 3rd October with an event held at Scott Bader’s premises in Northampton on the subject of ‘A Sustainable Future for Composites’. The sub group, which is chaired by Steven... View Article

Height isn’t everything

Alex de Rijke of dRMM says that while architects are exploiting the possibilities of timber to build tall, this should not reinforce a view of towers as the answer to urban density, and it’s unrealistic to expect them to be... View Article

Timber in Architecture Supplement 2017 – Editor’s comment

Sustainable, healthy, beautiful, endlessly forgiving and flexible for building with, what’s not to like about wood? While it may not be suitable for absolutely every type of construction, its enduring –  and resurgent – popularity is now seeing timber appear... View Article

Comment: Get specification right first time

The Metal Cladding and Roofing Manufacturers Association explains the importance of approved cladding systems and the dangers of changing specifications. Metal cladding systems provide efficient, aesthetically pleasing and sustainable solutions for a wide variety of external building envelopes. However, the... View Article

Comment: Metal gutters fit for the future

Carlton Jones of the Metal Gutter Manufacturers Association (MGMA) explains the improvements brought by a new standard for metal guttering in the context of climate change. Extreme weather is now an all-year-round likely occurrence in the UK, ranging from flash... View Article