More Comment – Page 13
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OpinionEmpty, 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
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OpinionWhy 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
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OpinionTrue 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
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OpinionIn 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
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OpinionSaoirse 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
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OpinionBalancing 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
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OpinionWhat’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
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OpinionThe 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
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OpinionWhy 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
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OpinionBudget 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
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OpinionBuilding 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?
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OpinionLabour’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
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OpinionStriking 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
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OpinionThis 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
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OpinionBeyond 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
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OpinionWhy 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
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OpinionCreating 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
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OpinionOMH, BNG is not working!
David Rudlin explores how biodiversity net gain regulations are clashing with housing growth goals
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OpinionThis 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
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OpinionWhat’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