Ask the Architect: Nigel Ostime

Regular ADF contributor, and partner at Hawkins\Brown, Nigel Ostime answers our questions on the role of the architect, and what designers need to learn from other sectors when it comes to efficiency What made you want to become an architect?... View Article

Site Lines: A home fit for the future

HLM Architects is raising its profile in the residential sector with a design concept showcased in a major Government design initiative to create ‘age-friendly’ and sustainable housing. Matthew Thomas explains more Last year HLM Architects’ ‘Forever Home’ concept was one... View Article

Innovative school design isn’t the enemy of fire safety

Keith MacGillivray of the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association looks at the debate around whether automatic fire sprinklers are in conflict with innovative school design What could be more beneficial to the design of a school than the inclusion of... View Article

Learning to live with change

Rob Charlton of Space Architects discusses his practice’s ethos of delivering buildings that improve people’s lives in the context of education, and the changes the sector has undergone recently Having been in practice for almost 30 years, I have spent... View Article

Practice Profile: Stride Treglown

Pierre Wassenaar from the top 10 UK practice speaks to Tom Boddy about how the firm’s social value ethos has sustained since its inception, and has led to it achieving a demanding business standard for inclusivity and sustainability Since its... View Article

View Point: Richard Hill of Arup

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Despite the technical challenges, designers have an obligation to explore the potential to conserve and reuse heritage structures, says Richard Hill of Arup While there is an inherent desire in our industry to build new and start... View Article

Finding the perfect blend

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Co-located developments, an emerging trend, could help solve industry challenges by satisfying demand for both industrial and residential developments at a stroke. Peter Watkins of HDR | Bradbrook Consulting looks at the inherent design challenges A co-location... View Article

View Point: Neal Maxwell of Changing Streams

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Neal Maxwell explains how a trip to the Arctic led him to found Changing Streams, with a mission to persuade the construction industry to end its ‘plastic pandemic’ You cannot solve the climate crisis unless you address... View Article

Four house renovations that add value

When it comes to selling your house, you need to make it look put together before you can let potential buyers come in and have a look at your property. Renovations are important to get done because the house might... View Article

Seeing a smart future beyond the pandemic

Neil McSporran of NSG Group discusses how ‘smart’ antimicrobial glass for tackling infections beyond the pandemic, and how smarter building materials will help designers to create safer environments Curbing the transmission of diseases will be a priority for those who... View Article

Ask the Architect: Damien Lee of WGP Architects

Damien Lee of WGP Architects answers ADF’s questions about what drives him, and how he has tackled the challenges posed by the pandemic What made you want to become an architect? I grew up with architecture in the blood. I... View Article

New roofing concept achieves prestigious verification

Ultrapanel Technologies has become the first ‘room in the roof’ specialist in the UK to secure both BBA Certification and the prestigious NHBC Accepts mark for its offsite manufactured Ultrapanel® roofing system. Ultrapanel is a totally new precision engineered patented concept in roofing... View Article

The natural solution

Charlie Sharman of Cantifix discusses how the recent months have reminded us how much we need sunlight, and how glass technology innovations can help architects design for maximised natural light There are many lessons we can take from 2020 about... View Article

DfMA: the great offsite hope

LISTEN HERE 🔊 With productivity in construction a more acute problem than other sectors, Nigel Ostime of Hawkins\Brown says that architects need to embrace offsite Design for Manufacture and Assembly as the panacea which also delivers the quality they want... View Article

Experts encourage construction to embrace new energy assessment

Building consultancy, C80 Solutions Ltd, has teamed up with electric heating manufacturer, ThermoSphere, to launch TalkSAP10, a new initiative helping the construction sector to understand and embrace a major change in the way energy performance is assessed in residential developments.... View Article

UK Government announce New Green Building Targets

The UK government recently revealed plans to improve the energy performance of new homes. In the announcement on 19 January, Hosing Minister Chris Pincher said that the aim is for all new builds to be: “…highly energy efficient, with low... View Article

Four benefits of upvc windows for your property

upvc – short for unplasticized polyvinyl chloride – is a material often used for window frames and sills when installing double glazed windows to a property. It is a cheap, low maintenance material that can be used as an alternative... View Article

Guide to Fire Safety Regulations

Many people perceive fire to be a rare incident, thus the general slack attitude to safety regulations.  However, fire accidents cause thousands of companies to suffer immense devastation each year. In England alone, the Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) attended... View Article