Ask the Architect: Eliot Postma

Eliot Postma, partner & group leader at Heatherwick Studio answers ADF’s questions on how his career has helped shape him as a designer, and what inspires him currently What made you want to become an architect? It goes back to... View Article

The embodiment of sustainable retrofit

Preserving the original structure and character of a notorious estate originally conceived as a ‘vertical garden city’ helped Mikhail Riches’ Stirling Prize-shortlisted redevelopment cut embodied carbon by 61%. Stephen Cousins reports The Park Hill estate has been a landmark on... View Article

Practice Profile: vPPR Architects

ADF’s Kim Neville profiles a rare female-led UK architecture practice, exploring vPPR’s foundations, ethos, and focus on supporting users’ creativity in its designs Established in 2009, vPPR is a female-led multi-national architectural practice, with offices in London, Liverpool and Hamburg.... View Article

View Point: Gareth Abrahams of Changing Streams

A new ‘independent’ database of products has been designed to help specifiers substitute and reduce the use of plastic in buildings they are designing, and thereby tackle a major sustainability challenge. Architect Gareth Abrahams explains how the Changing Streams initiative... View Article

Hertford hub’s second act

A renovation of a theatre and cinemas complex in Hertford by cultural sector experts Bennetts Associates has created a riverside hub with new openings both theatrically, and for the community. James Parker reports Opening this summer, BEAM transforms Hertford’s existing... View Article

Skilling up to design sustainable timber buildings

  Andrew Orriss from the Structural Timber Association says that with the Government’s Timber in Construction Policy Roadmap pinpointing skills as one of the key themes to address, the industry needs to take a series of steps According to the... View Article

Ask the Architect: Jane Duncan

Former RIBA president, founder of her own practice and recipient of an OBE for diversity, Jane Duncan answers ADF’s questions about what continues to inspire her What was the highlight of your career as a designer? Most of my professional... View Article

From standard ’80s to solar temple

Ruth Slavid reports on how Scott Brownrigg salvaged the ‘bones’ of a typical 1980s commercial building in Bristol to create an understated, sleek facility with greater capacity, and passive design measures to sustain it into the future The new Aztec... View Article

Practice Profile: RX Architects

After working on projects in London and the south east for several years, Rob Pollard and Derek Rankin decided their true calling was to found a resi-focused practice in historic Rye. Roseanne Field reports on their successful partnership, and varied... View Article

Clerkenwell Design Week expands its offer for 2024

Clerkenwell Design Week made a triumphant return to London between 21-23 May, marking its 15th year as a global design festival. Building upon its 2023 edition, which drew over 37,000 visitors, CDW elevated the experience with new venues, expanded exhibition... View Article
Answering the call for adaptable further education facilities

Answering the call for adaptable further education facilities

Andrew Baker of Rio Architects looks at how further education providers are calling for adaptability in their buildings, and how designers can offer unified, coherent and practical facilities for student, giving a recent Welsh example Ongoing reforms in post-16 education... View Article

Learning from the past

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios designed a replacement primary school in south London which builds on the features created over time in its predecessor, and celebrates its mixed community. Jayne Dowle reports When Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios) won the competition... View Article

Up for a night out

London’s Camden Market has its share of characterful drinking establishments, so to attract visitors to a new terrace bar crowning a historic building, playfully nostalgic design moves within a contrasting light structure were in order. James Parker reports Camden in... View Article

The Phoenix, Lewes: a first look at the future

Kathryn Firth of Arup reveals a groundbreaking residential scheme in East Sussex that seeks to turn the drivers of climate emergency and sustainability into opportunities for better design and placemaking in shared amenities, plus affordable living Now granted planning as... View Article

Ask the Architect: Gillian Burgis Smith

Gillian Burgis Smith details how she became an architect, overcoming some outdated industry mindsets and major health obstacles; and how she has positively harnessed her own experience to create inclusive environments for others What made you want to become an... View Article

Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Denmark Hill

Architects and ‘urbanist’ studio TateHindle has completed work on the new six-storey Salvation Army UK and Ireland Headquarters in Denmark Hill, London. This project saw the successful delivery of an elegant, sustainable cost effective new home for the charity, fit... View Article

Olympia opens up

Freeing up the sclerotic site that London’s historic events venue had become over the decades was a refreshing challenge for Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC. James Parker visited the site to hear about their collaboration to create a new cultural district... View Article

An uplift for inclusion

Mark Chapman of Stannah Lifts discusses the specification options available to provide access for all users of new and retrofit schemes using space-saving platform lifts Platform lifts are governed by the Machinery Directive (note: not the Lift Directive) which means... View Article

Practice Profile: NBBJ

One of the world’s top architectural firms, US-founded NBBJ built a global reputation among healthcare and major corporate clients, but despite its size still aims to place people at the heart of all its buildings. Laura Shadwell reports Founded in... View Article