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What made this project… Melamar by Paper Igloo
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Latest Opinion
Don’t defund thinking: why architectural education needs space to question, not just produce ‘practice ready’ graduates
As pressure mounts to streamline architectural education, Emily Crompton and Sam Higgins argue that universities remain essential spaces for reflection, critique and experimentation – and should not be reduced to training centres for industry
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The great allocation myth: why so few homes are actually built where we plan them
Looking back at research from the 1990s and comparing it with today’s data, David Rudlin explores the persistent failure of site allocations to deliver housing
Engineering the future: Rethinking systems, reducing carbon
Elisa Sartori explores how low-carbon solutions are often as much about what we leave out as what we choose to specify
One year on from the general election, how much closer are we to delivering 1.5 million new homes?
This month marked a year since Labour won a historic landslide in the general election. Paul Smith assesses how the government has fared against its key housing delivery pledge
It’s time to stop letting bad data undermine good design
Despite significant investment in digital innovation, the industry remains hindered by fragmented, inconsistent data
If architects want to lead the housing debate, they must relearn the vernacular
As part of BD’s Designing Tomorrow’s Housing campaign, James Soane explores how architects can reclaim relevance in the housing debate by rethinking the vernacular as a regenerative and ethical form of practice
ARB’s new code of conduct treats architects like professionals
Eleanor Jolliffe on how the streamlined 2025 code of conduct signals a more grown-up relationship between architects and their regulator
How architects can help shape the next era of housing
The housing crisis is not just about how few homes we build but how little ambition we have for those we do build. Ben Flatman argues it is time to put quality at the centre of the housing debate and for architects to reframe their role within it
Copper’s role in designing resilient and sustainable water infrastructure
The UK’s water infrastructure is at a critical juncture, with the need for substantial investment and reform becoming ever more pressing. The country faces increasing risks from outdated systems, where ageing pipes and materials such as lead and plastic can lead to contamination and water leaks.
Smarter campuses: why university masterplanning is shifting from growth to efficiency
With student numbers in flux and budgets under pressure, Hien Nguyen explains why universities are turning away from expansion and towards smarter, more efficient estate planning
Smarter campuses: why university masterplanning is shifting from growth to efficiency
With student numbers in flux and budgets under pressure, Hien Nguyen explains why universities are turning away from expansion and towards smarter, more efficient estate planning
Insights from tomorrow’s architects: The circular economy and grey space
Hadley Clarke argues that architects must explore the overlooked role of ‘grey space’ – the industrial and infrastructural environments that underpin urban life – and calls for a design culture focused on adaptation, reuse and long-term resilience
Heritage and a ‘sense of place’: reconnecting architecture with memory
Drawing on personal experience and historical insight, Regine Kandan argues that heritage is key to creating places that resonate
Cat A waste – ‘can we fix it, yes we can’
The commercial office sector continues to churn out unnecessary waste through outdated Cat A fit-out practices. John McRae reports on efforts to fix the system from within
Level 7 apprenticeships are making architecture more inclusive – why cut their funding?
As funding for over-21s on Level 7 architectural apprenticeships faces the axe, a practice director, an associate and a recent graduate explain why the route matters – and what its loss would mean for the future of the profession
A quiet revolution in light: Balancing innovation and integrity at the National Gallery
Light as a curatorial partner, not just a utility: in the National Gallery’s NG200 redisplay, Studio ZNA reimagines how visitors experience art through subtle, responsive lighting. Zelina Hughes explores how the scheme blends innovation with empathy, respecting both the architecture and the artworks
Will the new Future Homes Standard spell the end for traditional sash windows?
As the government prepares to publish the Future Homes Standard, Martina Pacifici explores the potential impact on traditional architecture — and why the humble sash window could soon be under threat
What if buildings made us feel better? Rethinking design through the lens of health
Tye Farrow makes the case for how a salutogenic approach to design can support neurological health, emotional well-being and human performance
Designing through the storm: Rethinking sustainable construction in an age of crisis
Mitakshi Sirsi reflects on the fragility exposed by recent global events and outlines five strategies for embedding long-term value and ecological responsibility in built environment practice
Demolition, density and distrust in Birmingham: estate renewal in a bankrupt city
With Birmingham in financial crisis, Joe Holyoak explores how plans for Ladywood and Druids Heath risk repeating past mistakes, and excluding the very residents they are intended to serve
We cannot protect historic buildings without protecting the skills to care for them
We think we’re protecting our heritage — but are we really? After a week learning from conservation specialists, Eleanor Jolliffe explores what we’re getting right, and what we’re missing
Grenfell revealed the dangers of a siloed industry, and why we must rethink design and construction education
Our industry is full of specialists who tend to be siloed in their thinking. A new qualification at the University of Leeds aims to produce graduates with a broader range of skills across architecture, building services and structural engineering, writes course leader Justin Lunn
The spending review offers hope for housing, but delivery systems must be fixed
Chloë Phelps welcomes new funding commitments for housing, but warns we also need urgent reform of procurement and planning processes
Let Level 7 apprenticeship funding die, but take Part 2 with it
Oliver Lowrie argues that the traditional Part 2 qualification fails to equip graduates with the practical skills they need, and that apprenticeship funding should focus on earlier, more inclusive entry routes into the profession
Some places don’t need fixing: why we should leave the Wallace Collection (and St James’ Park) alone
Amid closures and funding crises in regional museums, Ben Flatman questions the logic behind costly redesigns of spaces and places that already work
Why office-to-residential conversions are gaining new momentum in New York
Chris Fogarty explains how high vacancy rates are finally tipping the balance towards conversion
Housing space standards: is it time for a more flexible approach?
Félicie Krikler explores how compact living, done well, could expand choice and improve affordability
Designers should welcome proposed construction products reform
With projects stalling due to insufficient product testing data, Andrew Mellor sets out how government reforms seek to strengthen regulation and support designers through clearer technical information
To build more houses we don’t need more planners, we need fewer pointless rules
Robert Adam lays bare how an overgrowth of conflicting regulations is strangling small-scale development
It’s time to see more recycled products in the fabric of our buildings
Nobody needs to be told the planet is in trouble and unfortunately the construction industry is a major contributor to both carbon emissions and waste. Our default approach of using virgin materials over recycled options is a key driver in global warming. As such, we are exhausting our planet’s resources ...
Will the next London Plan rise to the city’s real challenges?
Ben Derbyshire reflects on Sadiq Khan’s latest policies to boost housebuilding in the capital
Our ‘activist regulator’ is a reminder that architects need a clear vision for the future, not a plan for getting by
After decades of inertia, the regulator is forcing long-overdue reform. But, Ben Flatman argues, without clearer leadership from within the profession, the bigger questions remain unanswered
Urban design doesn’t pay: so why am I starting my own practice?
David Rudlin reflects on the challenges of setting up his own practice, the broken economics of urban design, and why many in the profession persist despite the odds
Defunding architecture apprenticeships is a costly mistake that undermines the profession’s efforts to widen access
The Level 7 architecture apprenticeship has opened doors for many aspiring architects. Karen Mosley explains why cutting its funding sends the wrong message about access
