The final member of the Shard family earns its Place

Albert Giralt of Renzo Piano Building Workshop reflects on Shard Place, the final piece of the Shard Quarter, and how its design completes a 25-year vision for London Bridge. Almost 25 years have passed since Renzo Piano Building Workshop was... View Article

A greener kind of grandeur

The transformation of the former US Embassy in London into a five-star hotel by David Chipperfield Architects delivers an adaptive reuse with high-end luxury and BREEAM Outstanding sustainability credentials, despite whole life carbon compromises, says Stephen Cousins. At a time... View Article

Ask the Architect: Benedict Zucchi

Benedict Zucchi, chair of BDP’s Global Board, speaks to ADF about his design philosophy, the role of architecture as a civic art, and how collaboration, context and sustainability will shape the profession. After spending more than 30 years at BDP,... View Article

Commercially sensitive

Jemma Saunders at Crown Paints says colour has long been seen as a ‘finishing touch’ in commercial settings, but it is key to get it right for increasingly multi-purpose spaces. Colour shapes how a space feels and how well it... View Article

The case for an evidence base

Adam Boumnaia from product testing laboratory Attain RTC details the exhaustive methods used to help translate fire test results into reliable, evidence-based applications under the UK’s evolving standards framework. In recent years, the UK construction sector has transitioned from historic... View Article

Ask the Architect: Christopher Gray

Christopher Gray, director at SLR Consulting, tells ADF how he has nurtured the importance of landscape-led masterplanning in his career, and why resilient green infrastructure including sensitive SuDS has to sit at the heart of future development. What made you... View Article

Conquering the castle

Transformed from a forbidding symbol of Norman power to an accessible heritage destination, Norwich Castle has undergone one of the UK’s most ambitious historic refurbishments. Stephen Cousins reports When William the Conqueror laid siege to England in 1066, ravaging vast... View Article

View Point: Luke Macnab of Feilden Clegg Bradley

Luke Macnab, architect at Feilden Clegg Bradley, says the potential of AI to transform design has to be balanced with ethical and environmental questions. Heraclitus observed that change is the only constant in life. Throughout history, humans have created and... View Article

Sustainability & Sound

As Clerkenwell Design Week (w) marks its 15th anniversary across London’s EC1 district, the festival is sharpening its focus on two salient themes: sustainability and sound. Across the venues, streets and green spaces, Design Interventions – the festival’s curated series... View Article

From coal barges to co-living

AHMM ’s mixed-use development in west London is helping to redefine the role of the Grand Union Canal, connecting heritage inspiration with modern co-living approaches. Stephen Cousins reports. Stretching for over 137 miles, the Grand Union Canal was once a... View Article

The real value of AI for architects

Karl Smith at Creative ITC explains how architectural practices can move from experimenting with AI to strategic integration, by leveraging structured data for measurable outcomes – thereby building their capability to serve future needs. More than half of architecture professionals... View Article

Extracting maximum natural value

A new ‘garden village’ in Cornwall is the result of years of hard work, repurposing former clay quarries into a low carbon settlement with community and green living at its heart. Roseanne Field reports on how LHC Design tackled a... View Article

View Point: Trevor Morriss

Trevor Morriss, principal at SPPARC, discusses its “heritage-led” adaptive reuse of Modernist icon Ravenscourt Park Hospital into new London housing; and what architects can learn from its guiding principles of fresh air and sunlight, a century on. Despite its key... View Article

Ask the Architect: Jennifer Dixon

Jennifer Dixon, director at Fereday Pollard, speaks to ADF about her love for the profession, and why architects must better articulate the value they bring in order to grow their presence in projects. What made you want to become an... View Article

Mass movement

A mass timber office building in Lambeth doubles down on sustainability goals by slashing embodied carbon and incorporating a fully-demountable structure designed to drive reuse instead of demolition. Stephen Cousins reports. Dante’s description of Paradise in The Divine Comedy is... View Article

Call to action at Futurebuild ‘26

Under the headline theme of ‘Connect’, Futurebuild 2026 is shining a light on the need for collective action in order to drive sustainable change, strengthen competitive standing and support a thriving built environment. There are a raft of heavyweight partners... View Article