Heating designs for life

Ashley Cooper at WMS Underfloor Heating explains why the provision of heating is not just a technical decision, but a design choice that shapes how a home feels. When we think about home heating, the conversation often centres on performance... View Article

Access to the right options

Graham Mears at Stannah Lifts explains the different types of lift solutions designed for improving accessibility, and advises on the best options for a variety of scenarios. Passenger lifts are the most common type of lift found in residential and... View Article

View Point: Luke Macnab of Feilden Clegg Bradley

Luke Macnab, architect at Feilden Clegg Bradley, says the potential of AI to transform design has to be balanced with ethical and environmental questions. Heraclitus observed that change is the only constant in life. Throughout history, humans have created and... View Article

Sustainability & Sound

As Clerkenwell Design Week (w) marks its 15th anniversary across London’s EC1 district, the festival is sharpening its focus on two salient themes: sustainability and sound. Across the venues, streets and green spaces, Design Interventions – the festival’s curated series... View Article

Ask the Architects: Pablo Lambrechts & Lindsey Webster

ADF gets the lowdown on the working life of husband-and-wife team Pablo Lambrechts and Lindsey Webster, who co-founded their practice L+ Architects in 2018 What does the role of architect now mean across residential & wider sectors? Pablo Lambrechts: The... View Article

From coal barges to co-living

AHMM ’s mixed-use development in west London is helping to redefine the role of the Grand Union Canal, connecting heritage inspiration with modern co-living approaches. Stephen Cousins reports. Stretching for over 137 miles, the Grand Union Canal was once a... View Article

Unlocking the value of EPDs

Marvyn Candler at Lignacite explores why Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are now under increasing scrutiny – and how robust, independently verified data supports evidence-based specification and credible carbon reduction in architectural design. Environmental claims in construction are increasingly questioned by... View Article

Ventilation is no longer in the background

Dave Harding of Gilberts Blackpool looks at the raised profile of ventilation systems, which is leading to a better appreciation by architects of their importance. It’s refreshing to see how the means of heating and cooling a space are now... View Article

An uplifting message for drainage in conversions

Amanda Mills at SFA Saniflo discusses how lifting stations can prove an effective method for discharging waste from buildings in change of use projects. One of the most crucial elements of reconfiguring an existing building for a new purpose is... View Article

Delivery under pressure

Samuel Sturgiss at offsite specialist Wernick explores how modular construction is influencing early-stage architectural design, procurement strategy, and sustainability outcomes across a pressurised UK built environment. The UK construction sector is facing a convergence of pressures that are redefining how... View Article

Practice Profile: WGP Architects

Kim Neville explores WGP’s 20-year journey, including how it trademarked a model for human-centred, sustainable design, while pursuing AI and a collaborative culture to drive impactful architecture. WGP is a relatively young practice, founded just 20 years ago. As with... View Article

The real value of AI for architects

Karl Smith at Creative ITC explains how architectural practices can move from experimenting with AI to strategic integration, by leveraging structured data for measurable outcomes – thereby building their capability to serve future needs. More than half of architecture professionals... View Article

Extracting maximum natural value

A new ‘garden village’ in Cornwall is the result of years of hard work, repurposing former clay quarries into a low carbon settlement with community and green living at its heart. Roseanne Field reports on how LHC Design tackled a... View Article

View Point: Trevor Morriss

Trevor Morriss, principal at SPPARC, discusses its “heritage-led” adaptive reuse of Modernist icon Ravenscourt Park Hospital into new London housing; and what architects can learn from its guiding principles of fresh air and sunlight, a century on. Despite its key... View Article

Clay brick in contemporary design

Robert Flello at the Brick Development Association explores how clay bricks combine tradition with design flexibility, offering architects greater freedom. Few materials have shaped the built environment as profoundly as clay brick. Recognisable across centuries of construction, it embodies continuity,... View Article

The growth of biophilic offices

Laura Light, Concept Design Team Leader at Interface, explains how incorporating biophilic design in the workplace beyond planting alone can not only promote wellbeing for staff, but also nurture productivity for clients. Organisations are increasingly acknowledging that workplace design plays... View Article

Getting ahead of the standards

Bradley Hirst of Knauf Insulation explains why designers must uplift thermal standards ahead of the Future Homes Standard, in order to futureproof homes. The Future Homes Standard (FHS) is still working its way through consultation at the time of writing,... View Article

Heating and cooling have to be part of the masterplan

David Patrick at Dimplex explains why key decisions around heating, hot water and comfort cooling must now be considered holistically at the masterplanning stage – including electricity load implications – rather than left until detailed design. For architects working on... View Article

Ask the Architect: Jennifer Dixon

Jennifer Dixon, director at Fereday Pollard, speaks to ADF about her love for the profession, and why architects must better articulate the value they bring in order to grow their presence in projects. What made you want to become an... View Article