More Comment – Page 3
-
OpinionDesigning cities for play: Why child-friendly spaces matter
Children are the benchmark of an area’s liveability. They tell us whether it is healthy and inclusive. If it does not work for them, it is failing, writes Lendlease’s Nick Watson
-
OpinionHow architects can unlock ‘difficult’ sites across the UK
Constrained and underused land can be transformed into a catalyst for sustainable, connected urban growth with some pragmatic, design-led thinking, writes Louise Scannell, a design director at WW+P
-
OpinionWhat’s stopping us from reducing the cost of sustainable design?
Anna Beckett argues that while steel reuse and ambitious retrofit strategies remain more costly than conventional construction, the industry can no longer rely on goodwill alone and only clear regulation on embodied carbon will create the level playing field needed to make reuse mainstream
-
OpinionEngineering the future: What biodiversity means for the next generation of design
The BNG requirement was meant to be a positive not a problem for developments. Design teams must take the lead to make sure it works as intended, Agata Lo Certo writes
-
OpinionWhy I believe the ARB’s reforms are dumbing down architecture
As the ARB moves to overhaul the structure of architectural training, Austin Williams warns that the proposed changes will weaken standards and erode architects’ professional standing
-
OpinionPublic-sector procurement in Scotland is a mess – and architects are paying the price
Given the high proportion of public sector projects and the number of small practices operating on tight margins, attempts by the RIAS to improve an unsustainable situation are most welcome, Rab Bennetts writes
-
OpinionWhy AI won’t replace architects – it will make them better
Dr Stephen Hamil argues that AI’s true value lies in liberating architects from administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on creative problem-solving while machines handle technical groundwork and compliance checking
-
OpinionAI could force us to re-imagine how public consultation in planning works
Local residents are increasingly using AI tools to craft letters of objection to schemes en masse. We need to think about how technology could help us to create a better planning system, writes Paul Smith
-
OpinionWhy I’m still grateful to be practising architecture in New York
Chris Fogarty looks back at the culture, character and creative possibilities of New York, and why they still inspire him after 30 years in the city
-
OpinionWho is really advocating for architects?
Drawing on the Fawcett Society’s findings, Eleanor Jolliffe asks whether the profession’s culture and its lack of meaningful representation is failing not only women but architects more widely
-
OpinionHow rising software prices are shutting out SME architects
Soaring subscription costs are becoming a structural threat to SME architects, with essential tools rising far beyond inflation and no viable alternatives in sight, Hien Nguyen writes
-
OpinionThe built environment: Britain’s hidden super industry
Martyn Evans argues that one of Britain’s largest and most vital industries remains hidden in plain sight. He urges the government and business to recognise the built environment as a unified sector central to national prosperity
-
OpinionExpectant on site: reflections on pregnancy and architectural practice
Architect Jennifer Pirie explores how being pregnant and on site revealed opportunities for a more inclusive architectural culture
-
OpinionTwo decades on and women in architecture still face many of the same barriers
In response to the Fawcett Socety’s independent report for the RIBA, Sumita Singha asks why so many women in architecture still struggle to be valued and recognised throughout their careers
-
OpinionWhat if part of the answer to our building problem is actually to build less?
‘No-build’ and ‘low-build’ solutions are a relatively cheap and simple way to reduce the size of the housing waiting list and shrink the size of the infrastructure pipeline, writes Beth West
-
OpinionMy quest for accessible cities starts here
Andrew Teacher is launching a drive to rethink how accessibility is built into cities
-
OpinionTraditional architecture isn’t elitist – architectural education might be
Architecture student Elliot Robbie argues that by dismissing traditional design, architectural education risks alienating the very public it claims to serve – excluding large sections of society from shaping and identifying with the built environment
-
OpinionHow waterfronts became the lifeblood of urban regeneration
Drawing on his own experience from Birmingham to Liverpool, David Rudlin explores how attitudes to water and place have shaped modern urban regeneration
-
OpinionThe case for more specialist pathways in architecture is growing stronger
As construction grows ever more complex and other professions embrace specialisation, architecture risks being left further behind. Ben Flatman asks whether the time has come for change
-
OpinionLosing our craft: the tragedy of replace-not-repair architecture
Tanvir Hasan argues that the growing web of regulation and risk aversion is accelerating the loss of historic craftsmanship – and with it, our ability to repair and care for buildings sustainably