Escaping the pastiche

Wimshurst Pelleriti, the architects behind a renovation and extension of a historic office building in London, explain how the practice pushed for a modern addition, rather than a proposed ‘pastiche’. Jack Wooler speaks to Leo Pelleriti In a compact site... View Article

Design in a time of Covid

The Covid-19 pandemic has posed major challenges to architects to modify their working methods in order to sustain business. Tom Boddy reports on how they have adjusted to a ‘new normal’ After the stringent lockdown restrictions were imposed by the... View Article

Site Lines: Combining cultures

Velimira Drummer of Stantec UK looks at how to mesh corporate identity with a tailored workplace culture when designing spaces for an international client, particularly in the current crisis As an interior architect, my role is not only to consider... View Article

Sustainability, style and substance

Latest research from Waterwise estimates that over 2 billion litres of water is used each day across Britain through showering, the equivalent to almost 800 Olympic size swimming pools. With the Environment Agency predicting an extra 3.6 billion litres of... View Article

It’s time for timber!

Despite being commonly used within a wide range of building projects, timber still fights against the misconception that it’s too flammable for use as a construction material. Whilst timber does burn, the material is able to provide the highest levels... View Article

Keeping safe with passive fire protection

Despite its importance, there’s considerable evidence to show passive fire protection solutions are being ineffectively designed, specified and installed in buildings. In this article, Craig Wells, Sales Director at Quelfire discusses the benefits of passive fire protection and how specifiers... View Article

Slate: the perfect material for every architectural design

Slate is becoming more widely recognised for its vast design versatility, above and beyond traditional build and ideal for use across an array of modern roofing and cladding projects. Here Julian Gomez, Director of Marketing at CUPA PIZARRAS looks at the features and... View Article

Firestopping and the design of penetration seals

A service penetration through a fire-separating element may well be viewed as a minor element of a compartment wall or floor, but their importance cannot be understated. We talk to Bob Westcombe, UK Fire Protection Manager at ROCKWOOL about mechanical... View Article

Extinguishing fire safety myths

Fire Safety has and always will be a well-documented subject, with various experts and regulatory bodies sharing key insights that save lives. Despite this, practical knowledge can sometimes be overshadowed by false information and myth. Karen Trigg of Allegion UK... View Article

Glass; so much more than just a window

By Chris Davis, composites manager at H B Fuller:Kommerling and Vice Chairman of the GGF Laminators and Tougheners committee Look at any international city’s newest buildings and they will undoubtedly be architectural wonders, built predominantly from glass, with a steel... View Article

Mind the gap: specifying window sealants

Andrew Swift, sales and operations manager, UK and Ireland – ISO-Chemie, offers advice for architects and designers specifying sealant tapes for windows and doors in residential homes and commercial buildings. Issues around airtightness and energy efficiency remain top of the... View Article

Increased fire standards call for informed specifications

Are efforts to improve the fire performance of residential high-rise buildings creating a risk that fully tested, quality – but not future compliant – building solutions may be replaced by seemingly compliant but lower performance products? We believe so and... View Article

Conserving the nation’s history

Adrian Attwood, Executive Director at DBR Ltd, explains the nuances of conservation construction and the pitfalls to avoid From palaces to places of worship, the UK is filled with a plethora of centuries-old landmarks taught about in schools and visited... View Article

Revamp, don’t replace

Lindsay Appleton of William Smith Group looks at how vinyl wrapping can enhance interior designs using architectural finishes, as part of the trend to reuse and recover furniture on sustainability grounds, rather than rip out and replace The trend for... View Article

Climate control

A new Canadian engineering faculty building will research and develop solutions for clean power innovation, as part of the Government’s response to climate change. ADF’s Sébastien Reed speaks to its architect Venelin Kokalov about a project that uses glazing to... View Article

Have you tested your metal?

A HVAC system is only as good as the pipes and components that hold it together so choosing the right material for this important job is essential. The wrong choice could compromise a specifier’s design requirements, leaving the whole system... View Article

Putting lighting central to housing design

From Paul Cook, Häfele Business Development Manager Our homes constantly evolve, in terms of their functionality, feel and style. Recently, we’ve seen an increase in multiple generations living together, home working and consumers creating activity-specific spaces within their properties such as... View Article

SAP 10.1 Changes the Heating Industry

From Ross Harrold, Marketing & PR, Electric Heating Company A large challenge faced by the Heating Industry was the methodology for SAP 2012, which was written six years ago. SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) is the methodology used to determine a... View Article