All Opinion articles
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OpinionCat 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The commercial office sector continues to churn out unnecessary waste through outdated Cat A fit-out practices.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
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OpinionLevel 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
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OpinionA 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
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OpinionWill 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
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OpinionWhat 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
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OpinionDesigning 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
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OpinionDemolition, 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
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OpinionWe 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
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OpinionGrenfell 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
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OpinionThe 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
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OpinionLet 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
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OpinionSome 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
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OpinionWhy 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
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OpinionHousing space standards: is it time for a more flexible approach?
Félicie Krikler explores how compact living, done well, could expand choice and improve affordability
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OpinionDesigners 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
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OpinionTo 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
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OpinionWill 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
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OpinionIt’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 ...
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OpinionOur ‘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
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OpinionUrban 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