Practice Profile: THISS Architects

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Looking to carve out a niche as a new practice, THISS Architects focus on craftsmanship, collaboration, and landscape with a goal of ensuring that no two projects are ever the same. The firm’s founders explain their working... View Article

Ask the Architect: Liz Leber

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Liz Leber, managing partner of New York practice Beyer Blinder Belle, drives her firm to work with clients who have a clear “mission”, but also strives to extract their core project objectives. She explains the “creativity, pragmatism,... View Article

Health and wellbeing at work

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Architects Saunders have designed what will be one of the most sustainable business parks in the UK, with the focus on sustainable construction and healthy lifestyles for staff. Managing director Martin Williams explains why it is an... View Article

Practice Profile: Studio Fōr

Architect Fauzia Khanani uses her role as studio principal at New York City’s Studio Fōr to combat inequality, including in architecture itself. However, as she tells James Parker, it was never her ambition to found a practice Based in New... View Article

The sky’s the limit with glass, but play it safe!

Justin Seldis of Sunsquare looks at why glass has become the building material of choice for architects, but also explains why it’s never been more important to put safety and security first as designs get bigger and more elaborate Glass... View Article

The final curtain?

Alex Cooke of Kingspan Light + Air looks at why polycarbonate curtain walling solutions are being specified as an alternative to glass across various building types Glittering glazed buildings are a popular sight in many of our towns and cities.... View Article

Viewpoint: Russell Pedley of Assael Architecture

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Russell Pedley of Assael Architecture looks at how the humble beginnings of build-to-rent has led to a new design sector and an investor’s dream, but also challenges for project teams from out-of-date standards The history of build-to-rent... View Article

Ask the Architect: John Rhodes of HOK

LISTEN HERE 🔊 With extensive experience in arena and stadium design, John Rhodes of HOK explains what drives him, and how the pandemic has forced designers to ‘futureproof’ major facilities What made you want to become an architect? I think... View Article

Stream of consciousness

LISTEN HERE 🔊 With even greater proliferation of film and TV content across a growing range of streaming platforms since the pandemic, there’s huge demand for sustainable production facilities in the UK. Jason Lebidineuse of Scott Brownrigg and Michael Davis... View Article

View Point: Nigel Ostime of Hawkins\Brown (Part 2)

LISTEN HERE 🔊 In the second of two articles, Nigel Ostime of Hawkins\Brown provides a comprehensive guide on managing a Pre-Construction Services Agreement to get the best outcome for architects and their clients In last month’s edition, I explained what a... View Article

View Point: Nigel Ostime of Hawkins\Brown (Part 1)

LISTEN HERE 🔊 In the first of two articles, architect and partner at Hawkins\Brown Nigel Ostime looks at how Pre-Construction Services Agreements (PCSAs) can better engage contractors to tackle issues early on, and offers advice on what to tell clients... View Article

Practice Profile: Lead8

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Multidisciplinary practice Lead8 has ascended quickly to global status since founding in 2014, picking up numerous accolades along the way. ADF’s Tom Boddy speaks to co-founders Christine Hau and David Buffonge Despite being among the 100 top... View Article

Practice Profile: White Ink Architects

LISTEN HERE 🔊 James Parker spoke to a Belfast practice founded at the start of the 21st century, which expanded to specialise in “difficult” mixed use schemes, and is now the first in Northern Ireland to be completely employee owned... View Article

View Point: Rory Bergin from HTA Design

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Rory Bergin from HTA Design says that with timber under fire in the complex testing landscape post-Grenfell, specifiers are being wrongly deterred from choosing the material for taller buildings, while being asked for more sustainable designs Current... View Article

The devil is in the brickwork detail

What are the modern techniques that enable housebuilders and developers to produce details in masonry facades that take buildings to new levels in terms of design and aesthetics? Scott Denham from IG Masonry Support investigates Deep reveals, soffits, flying beams... View Article

Offsite gets another chance

Dr Jonathan Evans of metal envelope supplier Ash & Lacy gives a counter view to the consensus on offsite, saying that in the push towards MMC there is a strong case for some key design elements remaining onsite 20 years... View Article

Site Lines: A natural train of thought

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Irina Adam of Twelve Architects & Masterplanners describes an adaptive reuse project in Manchester which transformed a Victorian viaduct into a nature-rich public amenity The rise in prominence of cities in the global economy over the past... View Article

Ask the Architect: Rory Bergin

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Rory Bergin, a regular contributor to ADF, is an architect and offsite specialist who set up and runs the Sustainable Futures team at HTA Design. He leads a specialist team of architects and engineers analysing building performance,... View Article

Fire safety in the frame

David Atkinson from Metsec discusses the increased focus on through-wall fire testing post-Grenfell, and how steel framing systems can contribute to improved performance as well as thermal efficiency Light gauge galvanised steel framing systems (SFS) are primarily used for wall... View Article

Rolling out offsite benefits

Marian Kubisz of Adept Consulting (UK) looks at the increased specification of cold rolled steel frames in the current push for offsite construction solutions, and why system design considerations need to be brought into projects at the earliest stage Hot... View Article