Selfbuilder Diaries

Melanie Pigott and her husband Darren, along with their two teenage daughters, have embarked on self-build to not just accommodate them and a labradoodle named Bailey, but a veritable menagerie of other animals Our story has been quite an emotional... View Article

Petit Chablis

John and Julia Abbey overcame language barriers and complex regulations to successfully renovate a dilapidated property in the Chablis region of France, creating their dream home with a ‘gite on the side’ TEXT HEATHER DIXON IMAGES JOHN & JULIA ABBEY... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Eco options

Doing your bit to ensure your self-build minimises impact on the environment is no longer an unusual pursuit, it’s virtually a must. One way you can help is by choosing products made from sustainably sourced, reclaimed or recycled or materials;... View Article

View Point: Ivanova Konstanca

Ivanova Konstanca from Stride Treglown outlines the benefits and features of a circular economy – one where waste and pollution are eliminated, products and materials are recirculated ‘at their highest value,’ and natural systems are regenerated Circular economy goes beyond... View Article

Streamlined methods

As the construction industry continues to face increased pressures amidst a global skills shortage, Martin Harvey from McAvoy discusses how offsite plus digital innovation remains a key means to streamline the industry’s methods Modern methods of construction (MMC) are disrupting... View Article

Brick’s net zero future

In today’s construction industry, brick forms part of the sustainability argument and the drive towards net zero carbon emissions. Keith Aldis of the Brick Development Association (BDA) explains how manufacturing has evolved Brick is not only one of the most... View Article

Practice Profile: PRP Architects

As PRP marks its 60th anniversary, senior partners Manisha Patel and Brendan Kilpatrick reveal to ADF how a strong ethos around community-led design and collaborative culture has been instrumental to achieving enduring success In the 1960s, the UK was grappling... View Article

Storing up future benefits

Tony Huggins from David Bailey Furniture highlights the importance of the humble cupboard and fitted storage unit within a modern educational setting, and offers some key pointers for architects to consider There is no doubt that schools are striving to... View Article

Educational copper

Copper has seen a dramatic change from its historic place in roofing to a leading role in today’s facades, particularly for academic structures. Here Chris Hodson from Aurubis provides some striking examples With an exceptionally long life, copper requires no... View Article

Keeping cool naturally

Alex Hill from Whitecode Consulting looks at fabric-based approaches to balancing thermal performance and comfort in UK school buildings, in the context of a range of challenges We are currently experiencing unprecedented levels of heat in the UK, and British... View Article

A centre of learning

Ulster University’s new campus is a significant and complex achievement that knits a formerly suburban education provision into a busy part of Belfast’s city centre. Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios describes the scheme to ADF’s Tom Boddy The historic and newly... View Article

Dialogue by design

Oliver Moore of Design Engine Architects looks at how the design of Sixth Forms is evolving to harness the ability of non-hierarchical classrooms to foster more communal dialogue and learning Dialogue is fundamental to the way that Design Engine Architects... View Article

A centre of learning

Ulster University’s new campus is a significant and complex achievement that knits a formerly suburban education provision into a busy part of Belfast’s city centre. Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios describes the scheme to ADF’s Tom Boddy The historic and newly... View Article

A sense of renewal

Rohit Sharma from Bona discusses how sustainable, high-performance flooring solutions can be achieved by renewing resilient floors in a variety of sectors Popular due to its low-cost, hard-wearing properties, as well as the ergonomic and acoustic factors, resilient surfaces are... View Article

Showing how to build with stone

Many homeowners dream of including natural stone somewhere in the home. Whether it is limestone floors, granite worktops, marble in the bathroom, a sandstone patio or a slate roof, the chances are there will be natural stone somewhere. Simply put,... View Article

The rise of underfloor venting

Karl Stauss at AET Flexible Space discusses the changing face of commercial ventilation Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) may seem almost incidental when designing commercial spaces. But with changing working trends and new regulations now in force, it is... View Article

National savings

Andrew Mellor from PRP Architects wonders whether a real energy saving strategy would be more relevant than the Government’s new Powering Up Britain idea The new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero recently published its Powering Up Britain report which... View Article

New social value on the block

James Parker reports on MVRDV’s scheme to transform a Paris city block, which produced a scheme that visually celebrates its intertwined mix of office, library and hotel spaces, and added further value with social housing Montparnasse sits in the south... View Article

Housing 2023

Throughout the whole of the UK, the housing sector is facing unprecedented challenges. From uncertainty in government funding; new regulations; the pressing need for more homes; the equally pressing need to maintain and improve the homes we have while modernising... View Article

Legionella risk assessments

The Legionella Control Association (LCA) discusses why a thorough risk assessment is a good starting point for adhering to legislation, as well as the importance of ensuring it is undertaken by a trained and occupationally competent person A  Risk Assessment... View Article