Interviews
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Features
Jonathan Smales: ‘I love the tangibility of building. I like the fact it’s got a beginning, a middle and an end’
From running Greenpeace to creating the UK’s largest timber neighbourhood, Jonathan Smales is a developer who doesn’t follow the herd, writes Ben Flatman
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Features
Alex Ely: ‘Architecture is so central to our culture - it’s a pity it doesn’t seem to gain the traction it deserves’
The founder of the Stirling Prize-winning Mae Architects shares his influences and inspirations with Ben Flatman and concludes that his profession still has much to offer
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Features
Let’s talk about a brighter future for our towns and cities
How can we create thriving communities and places that people enjoy and want to live in? Ben Flatman spoke to four key industry figures to find out
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Features
Henley Halebrown: ‘We are genuinely interested in how people use buildings’
Simon Henley and Gavin Hale-Brown met at the University of Liverpool in 1986 and have been friends ever since, forming their award-winning practice together in 1995. Here Ben Flatman discusses their early influences, design philosophy, and commitment to improving access to the profession
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Features
‘Nobody believes them anymore’… HOK’s Daniel Hajjar on what is wrong with UK politics and the planning system
After 20 years in the Middle East, Daniel Hajjar moved to the UK, where, eight years on, he finds the political ‘flakiness’ of the country has made it an infuriating place to build. Thomas Lowe reports
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Features
Interview | Eleanor Jolliffe talks to Nick Temple
In this interview Eleanor Jolliffe discovers how the opportunity to study in Rome changed the course of a renowned academic’s life
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Features
Building Talks Creating Communities podcast: In conversation with David Rudlin at BDP
Episode 3: David Rudlin talks about the importance of urban design and why planning needs to rediscover its capacity to create good quality places
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Features
Building Talks Creating Communities podcast: In conversation with Selina Mason at Lendlease
Episode 2: Selina Mason talks about people-focused urbanism and the work she is doing on Birmingham’s Smithfield scheme
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Features
Building Talks Creating Communities podcast: In conversation with Jo Wright at Perkins & Will
Episode 1: Jo Wright talks about the impact on her career of working in Berlin before the wall came down and designing for the long term
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Features
Interview | Eleanor Jolliffe talks to Selina Mason
Eleanor Jolliffe talks to the influential masterplanner about her time in Rome and its lasting influence on her life and career
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Features
Interview | Eleanor Jolliffe talks to Robert Adam
Eleanor Jolliffe discusses the influence that Rome had on the career of the leading contemporary classicist
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Features
‘Who are we designing for?’ Thomas Heatherwick wonders why buildings have become so boring
In this exclusive interview, the Heatherwick Studio founder outlines the philosophy behind his new campaign to put the soul back into building design. Photography by Tom Campbell
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Features
‘Communicating the value of architecture’: why Muyiwa Oki wants to shift the debate on reuse
Muyiwa Oki wants to refocus the profession and architectural education on a broad reuse agenda. In the second instalment of a two-part interview with Building Design, he talks to Ben Flatman about the event he is hosting with The Prince’s Foundation and why urgent change is necessary
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Features
Simon Sturgis on the M&S decision: ‘In some ways it’s not even about retrofit’
One of the key witnesses to speak against the M&S scheme talks to Ben Flatman about what Michael Gove’s decision means and where the net zero agenda needs to go next
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Features
‘How do I open up the field for others?’ Yasmeen Lari on winning her Royal Gold Medal
Ben Flatman speaks to Yasmeen Lari about her latest award, her career of three parts and what she plans to do next
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Features
Malcolm Reading: making the case for architectural competitions
Malcolm Reading is still busy flying the flag for architectural competitions and British architecture, writes Ben Flatman
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Features
Succession and global ambitions: Three generations of partners look to the future at Allies and Morrison
Firm founded in 1984 has built a reputation for understated and sensitive design. It has also been slowly building an international business, writes Ben Flatman
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Features
How Grimshaw is planning to ride out recession and grow its way to diversity
Mark Middleton, global managing partner, talks about the practice’s vision, different ways of working and his new three-year business strategy
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Features
Experience in itself
Patrick Lynch and Kieran Long discuss Sigurd Lewerentz, Swedish architectural culture and museums as ‘machines for depolarsation’
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Features
Neal Shasore: ‘It’s about what we need – for our community and our planet’
The head of the London School of Architecture believes we need to reimagine the whole education edifice. Here he talks to Ben Flatman about his own influences and why architecture needs to embrace a more flexible and diverse approach to training