Do wood burning stoves belong in future homes?

Ben Paul of Neu Architects puts his case for why he believes architects should not specify wood burning stoves as part of future homes, based on the reality of their use. As the UK moves toward net zero and cleaner,... View Article

Practice Profile: CPMG Architects

This established education sector specialist was transformed following a management buyout, embracing innovation and a people-focused culture, as Kim Neville reports. Founded in Nottingham in 1997, CPMG has undergone a profound transformation, accelerated by a pivotal management buyout in 2011.... View Article

View Point: Sean Ronnie Hill

Passivhaus architect Sean Ronnie Hill explains how simple passive design measures plus AECB-aligned targets could be the key to cutting peak summer loads in UK homes. For all the attention given to heat pumps, smart home dashboards and active cooling... View Article

Ceramics’ creative freedom

Ceramic cladding can offer designers creative freedom by uniting ‘timeless materiality’ with modern performance. So says Robert Flello of Ceramics UK, exploring how ceramics are increasingly used to shape contemporary buildings, bringing versatility, sustainability, and innovation. Ceramics have been part... View Article

Practice Profile: Fereday Pollard

Kim Neville speaks to practice co-founder Chris Pollard to uncover how the privately-owned firm, turning 30 this year, specialises in large-scale infrastructure projects with the differentiator of putting ‘humanising architecture’ at the forefront. Fereday Pollard was established in 1995 by... View Article

View Point: Dr Stephen Hamil

Dr Stephen Hamil of NBS explains why better data standards and Digital Product Passports are vital to fix the industry’s fragmented systems and safeguard its future. For several years now, UK construction has been beset by issues around material quality,... View Article

Engineering-out structural emissions early

Jack Brunton and Ioana Price of AECOM explore how designers can redefine carbon calculations by assessing carbon at the early design and optioneering stage. The built environment is a significant contributor to the UK’s carbon emission and is responsible for... View Article

Practice Profile: AtkinsRéalis

AtkinsRéalis is a firm that has redefined architectural practice, blending engineering precision with people-centred design, with sustainability and collaboration to the fore. Kim Neville reports. AtkinsRéalis’ journey began with an unorthodox move, establishing an architecture arm within what was formerly... View Article

Emberton House, Olympia: From cars to culture

Trevor Morriss, principal at SPPARC discusses how the practice embraced the challenge to convert a historic multi-storey car park at London’s Olympia in the Streamline Moderne style into a hotel and school, as part of the site’s cultural redevelopment. “Adjoining... View Article

Practice Profile: ECD Architects

Founded in 1980 as Energy Conscious Design, the subsequently abbreviated ECD Architects merged energy research with architectural practice. It later joined multi-disciplinary construction ‘one stop shop’ N-able Group in 2007, which was in turn recently acquired by the RSK Group... View Article

View Point: Magdalena Arent

Magdalena Arent, building performance consultant at architect Holmes Miller, discusses strategies for when a low energy building is required, but Passivhaus ‘doesn’t quite fit the bill,’ and something else on the sustainability standard menu is called for. Passivhaus certification has... View Article

Site Lines: Redefining modular timber

Designer Nick Blunt of WeberHaus highlights how a demonstration project in Germany was created with an aim to “redefine prefabricated timber frame construction,” harnessing contractor-builder collaboration for innovative results. When tasked with designing Villa Blunt, the ambition was clear: to... View Article

Ask the Architect: Matt Spinks

Matt Spinks from fast-rising Shropshire practice Johnson Design Partnership, answers ADF’s questions on his architectural journey from assistant to director, leadership challenges, and his vision for growing sustainable design. What made you want to pursue a career in architecture? From... View Article

View Point: Patrick Inglis

Patrick Inglis, president of ACA, describes the new safety information regime post-Building Safety Act, and why architects are best placed to take on the Principal Designer role, while being mindful of the risks. The Phase 2 report on the Grenfell... View Article

Ask the Architect: Sarah Small

Weymouth native Sarah Small is an associate and Passivhaus designer at Dorchester practice SPASE Design – here she answers ADF’s questions on what drives her, from early concepts to current schemes What made you want to be an architect? From... View Article

Evidencing competency: Who is the judge?

Nigel Ostime, architect and principal at Ostime Consulting, questions the effectiveness of the new competency requirements for Principal Designers under the Building Safety Act, asking whether the varied systems plus no unified vetting will ensure safety. One of the glaring... View Article

Practice Profile: Holmes Miller

ADF’s Kim Neville traces the evolution of multi-award winning Glasgow practice Holmes Miller, from its modest origins 70 years ago to overcoming a series of challenges which equipped it to deliver further future growth Holmes Miller was established in 2011... View Article

Cascading the benefits of decorative metal in workspaces

Kelly Goldsmith of Amron Architectural unveils the power of ‘architectural drapery’ to creating captivating spaces using metal sculptural elements that also provide the practicality required in workspaces When integrated into workspace design, decorative metal not only elevates the aesthetic appeal... View Article