Thermal efficiency, cost-effectively

Actis Insulation’s Thomas Wiedmer says that while many specifiers continue to struggle to maximise energy efficiency in dwellings, low carbon results are achievable without adding significantly to the build cost It is a truism that the fabric of a building... 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

Working outside the box

Architect@Work returns to a physical format at the Truman Brewery in London for 2022; the event on 13-14 April is themed around design for outside space as well as buildings themselves, with the focus on health and wellness Visitors are... View Article

Viewpoint: Russell Pedley of Assael Architecture

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of build-to-rent has led to a new design sector and an investor’s dream, but also challenges for project teams from out-of-date standards The history of build-to-rent (BTR) in the... View Article

Conserving heat along with history

Kris Bennell, Contracts Director of  Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) explains the possible options for improving the thermal performance of heritage metal windows. It is one of the ironies of metal window restoration that many of the problems encountered result... View Article

Purposefully porous

As a SuDS expert, Chris Griffiths of Marshalls explains why he is committed to bringing the approach into schemes using porous solutions to manage surface water in an increasingly challenging environmental context The latest State of the UK Climate report... View Article

Green connections

A reuse proposal to create a new transport hub in Vilnius was used by ZHA as an opportunity to provide a new connectivity across the city for its inhabitants, as well as improve rail infrastructure and sustainability The design for... View Article

Venting about spec quality

Tony Stevens at Bilco UK explains ‘NSHEVs’ – a ‘natural’ approach to ventilating spaces during fires – and factors that architects need to address when considering it According to The National Statistics Survey for fire and rescue services in England,... View Article

Untouchable innovation

Geoff Firth of Boon Edam explains why touchless technology is the “evolution of the connected workplace” and discusses futureproofing commercial buildings There was a time when you wouldn’t have thought twice about calling a lift, opening a door, or using... View Article

Build towards net zero at Futurebuild

Futurebuild, which has championed sustainability in the built environment for the past 16 years (including in its former guise, Ecobuild), returns to ExCel on 1-3 March. It will connect specifiers, decision makers, major brands and start-ups from across the industry... View Article

Rooted in users’ experience

Grimshaw is leading a team to deliver a highly-integrated transport hub at Shenzhen airport, in a structure and circulation strategy inspired by mangrove trees In April 2021, a design consortium led by Grimshaw, and including Mott MacDonald, China Aviation Planning... View Article

Flexible solutions for changing generations

Ann Boardman of Saniflo discusses ideas for flexible living spaces including flexible bathroom options It’s well known that basements, lofts and unused spaces can be successfully converted into rooms that add value and practicality to a home. Even when a... View Article

Fireproofing green roofs

Julian Thurbin of modular green roof solutions supplier Wallbarn discusses the issues around ensuring fire performance of ‘living’ roofs and how to achieve compliance A key consideration for architects working on green roof projects has always been the load-bearing capability... View Article

Ask the Architect: John Rhodes of HOK

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 I have always... View Article

Stream of consciousness

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 of JLL explain... View Article

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

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 Pre-Construction Services Agreement... View Article