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Grenfell exposed the fatal flaws of design and build contracts
Design responsibility should not be forced onto the shoulders of builders, argues Tony Bingham
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Could the government’s curriculum review save the D&T GCSE and fix the green design skills gap?
A renewed focus on Design & Technology education is vital for equipping young people to tackle global challenges, write Rachel Bronstein and Matilda Agace
Built environment professionals confront the enormity of the challenge ahead in Gaza
Emma Dent Coad on how Architects for Gaza is fostering hope in the aftermath of widespread devastation
What next after the Office for Place?
With the closure of the Office for Place, questions arise about how to maintain focus on design quality, placemaking, and sustainability in the built environment, writes Ben Derbyshire
A remedy for the high street: repurposing retail spaces into healthcare hubs
Transforming empty retail units into healthcare hubs could revitalise high streets, bringing accessible services to the heart of our communities while supporting sustainable urban regeneration, writes Jim Hart
The One in Which People Decide City Living is OK
Thirty years after the pilot of Friends, David Rudlin recalls how the sitcom’s portrayal of city living influenced a generation’s attitudes towards urban life
Trump’s return: US architects brace for challenges over the next four years
From the possible return of neoclassical mandates to a threatened clampdown on immigration, Chris Fogarty assesses the potential impact of a second Trump presidency on US architecture
From CABE to the Office for Place: why trusted advice matters
From quangos to taskforces, the government’s shifting approach to placemaking highlights one constant: good advice only works when it is trusted, writes Martyn Evans
Empty, decaying, at risk: Glasgow’s architectural heritage crisis
Alexander Thomson’s St Vincent Street Church has closed, the city is selling off a Mackintosh building to save money, and Victorian gems lie empty. Glasgow’s architectural heritage is at a tipping point, writes John Stewart
Why Labour may come to regret closing the Office for Place
A short-term decision framed as an efficiency risks losing the momentum on creating sustainable, people-centred places, writes Ben Flatman
Why Labour may come to regret closing the Office for Place
A short-term decision framed as an efficiency risks losing the momentum on creating sustainable, people-centred places, writes Ben Flatman
True placemaking is about so much more than just a numbers game. King’s Cross is a prime example…
The delivery of much-needed new homes requires patient, joined-up thinking that takes into account factors other than profit and speed, says former HS2 design director Kay Hughes
In defence of well-run competitions – and architects
Chris Williamson calls for procurement reforms that protect architects from exploitative practices, highlighting the need for RIBA-led guidance and fair compensation standards
Saoirse Ronan has given us a timely reminder of the conversations we need to have
As public spaces continue to feel unsafe for many, it’s time to rethink how design can make streets and cities more welcoming for everyone, writes Sophie Thompson
Balancing homes and green spaces: infill’s role in tackling the UK’s social housing shortfall
As infill housing reshapes council estates, questions arise about the loss of green spaces and amenities. Rory Olcayto advocates for infill and resident-led design as a way to meet housing needs while preserving community spirit
What’s stopping us from designing for biodiversity?
As the construction industry grapples with embodied carbon, the impact on biodiversity is often overlooked, writes Anna Beckett
The missing business education in architecture: Why architects struggle to value their services
In an industry where fee undercutting erodes standards and stability, it’s time for architecture to embrace business education and defend the true value of its expertise, writes Nicholas Jewell
Why I finally quit architecture
Architectural veteran and leading podcaster Jason Boyle calls for industry-wide reform, highlighting low wages, declining autonomy, and financial instability as driving factors in his decision to leave architecture
Budget 2024: “Invest, invest, invest!” Is increased investment enough to deliver on Labour’s housing pledges?
Labour’s latest Budget underscores investment as key to housing growth, but will the measures go far enough to tackle critical shortfalls in planning and local government support, asks Alex Govier
Building back or holding back? What the Budget means for architecture
As Labour’s first Budget in more than a decade promises fresh investment, the sector must grapple with new tax burdens, ambitious spending pledges and lingering gaps in planning reform. Can the built environment industry expect genuine progress, or is this another exercise in managing decline?
Labour’s opportunity: Releasing the potential of modular housing
The UK leads the way in the field of offsite housing construction. It is time for the government to have some skin in the game, Ben Derbyshire writes
Striking the balance: Retrofit priorities through a planner’s lens
While the need to avoid demolition is more urgent than ever, there are many challenges to overcome before a building can be retained. The new government could do much to improve the current system, writes Avison Young’s Laura Jenkinson
This year’s Stirling Prize celebrates the true breadth of what architecture is – and can be
Celebrating a profession that’s as much about collaboration and civic impact as it is about buildings, this year’s Stirling Prize embraces architecture’s wider purpose, writes Eleanor Jolliffe
Beyond work: how hotels are redefining the office conversion
Hotels are breathing new life into underused office spaces, turning them into multifunctional hubs that revitalise city streets and provide fresh opportunities for community engagement, writes Dexter Moren
Why all buildings look the same
Chris Fogarty explores how US architects are battling a wave of ‘fast casual architecture’ and pushing for more creative housing solutions
Creating places and spaces where children and young people thrive
Gemma Hyde explains how the TCPA and its partners in the built environment sector have been working to reclaim space for children and young people
OMH, BNG is not working!
David Rudlin explores how biodiversity net gain regulations are clashing with housing growth goals
This Stirling Prize is a riposte to the chorus of British declinism
The Elizabeth Line’s Stirling Prize triumph exemplifies Britain’s capacity to deliver transformative, forward-looking infrastructure through exceptional design and collaboration
What’s stopping us from thinking differently about retrofit?
If we are going to build less, does that mean we need to maintain more, asks Anna Beckett
Making Richmount Gardens garden-less: What a post-war Blackheath scheme can tell us about our infill addiction
As infill developments surge in response to London’s housing crisis, the case of Richmount Gardens highlights the costs to community spaces and social infrastructure, writes Trevor Morriss
How AI can help us to create a more inclusive and equitable world
In this examination of the role artificial intelligence can play in our future, Diego Padilla-Philipps envisions a world in which human creativity and individualism, passions and emotions will always have a place
The Coach: Feelings and when it’s right to express them
Louise Rodgers reflects on a personal experience to discuss the challenges of knowing when to express emotions and the impact they can have on our relationships
From dingy to desirable: Changing the perception of student accommodation
Debbie McCreath on how student accommodation has evolved from basic lodgings to vibrant communities
Rethinking architecture and ethics in the age of neuroscience
Cleo Valentine and Heather Mitcheltree explore how integrating neuroscience into architecture can lead to spaces that actively support mental and physical health
