More Opinion
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OpinionMaking the world a better place - through design
Building Design has launched a new initiative placing social value at the heart of our coverage
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OpinionEngineering the future: We already have the materials and the techniques to transform how we build
Decarbonising our industry means prioritising existing buildings, treating them as structural and material resources, and rediscovering efficient forms and the craft behind the processes that earlier builders refined under constraint, writes Rob Nield
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OpinionNatural does not necessarily mean durable: why we need to think again about how we specify stone
Kristian Goodenough makes the case for rethinking how stone is specified – better informed by geology, performance characteristics and detailing
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OpinionEnergy-efficiency retrofits don’t have to create damp and mould – but only if they are tackled in the right way
Barrie Francis argues there is no need for retrofits to cause damp problems – providing the right steps are followed…
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OpinionStagnation and regeneration? A tale of two Scottish cities
Despite being just 40 miles apart, development prospects in Edinburgh and Glasgow could hardly be more different, Rab Bennetts writes
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OpinionMy response to the new Design Planning Policy Practice Guidance
Consultation on the latest guidance ended earlier this week. David Rudlin considers what it got right – and where it went wrong
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OpinionEthics, choice and the demolition and rebuilding of the White House East Wing
The US president may currently be focusing on war in Iran but his decision to demolish the building constructed under Theodore Roosevelt has struck a deep nerve with the American public. The most troubling aspect of Donald Trump’s replacement is the way in which architectural standards have been lowered and ...
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OpinionWomen’s sport is forcing a rethink over stadium design
When venues work for women, families and first-time attendees, they become more commercially resilient and socially valuable for everyone, writes HOK’s Kirsty Mitchell
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OpinionDesigning for intergenerational care: an innovative way to bring people together and support communities
Delve Architects is working on what is believed to be a UK first by creating a forest nursery alongside three carehome facilities in rural Lancashire, Ed Martin writes
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OpinionMy hopes and fears for Manual for Streets 3
The DfT has circulated a draft of the eagerly awaited Manual for Streets update. It must not become just another well-meaning advisory document, writes Christopher Martin, managing director at Urban Movement
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OpinionBack from Dubai: Iranian air strikes will shape a different city to the one I visited a month ago
The sight of smoke rising between skyscrapers has shaken one of the Gulf’s most stable hubs, where construction and real estate sectors have thrived on perceived insulation from conflict, writes Daniel Gayne
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OpinionHousebuilding: The goose that lays the golden egg is dead
If the government is serious about building 1.5 million new homes, it must start by recognising the scale of the shift that took place in 1991 and everything that has been piled on since, writes Hugo Owen
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OpinionGovernment should reflect real-world behaviour in Part G consultation response
Suzannah Adey argues changes to Approved Document G must reflect the way people actually use water or risk serious unintended consequences
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OpinionWhy regulation must focus on safety, competence and culture
Proportionate and effective regulation is a pre-requisite for thriving professions and markets. The ARB’s new strategy sets out our desire to be a leader in regulatory innovation in the built environment, writes Hugh Simpson
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OpinionParliament refurb poses important questions about correct way to conserve architecture
The French achieved a stunning feat by rebuilding Notre Dame in an improbably short space of time. So why does the Palace of Westminster restoration seem so much harder, asks Eleanor Jolliffe
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OpinionWhy choosing the right weatherproofing for penetrations at data centres is key
Matt Jones explains why weatherproofing penetrations represents a particular challenge at data centres – and how specialist weatherprooding solutions can be a vital detail when specifying this cornerstone of digital economy infrastructure
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OpinionMaster the plan: what masterplanning means, and why it matters
Masterplanning and urban design are frequently conflated but serve very different roles, says Jonathan Tarbatt at Corstorphine & Wright. It is important that we clarify the language, challenge lazy assumptions and advocate for a more rigorous, place focused approach to large-scale development
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OpinionWhy architects should take a fresh look at London’s livery companies
Martyn Evans invites you to join the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects and help protect a long tradition of professional responsibility by keeping it alive, active and relevant
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OpinionDesigning for difference: How thoughtful architecture can transform SEN environments
Being prepared to question standard solutions within the constraints of budget and safety leads to learning environments that are not only functional, but uplifting, Richard Paige of NVB Architects explains
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OpinionIn the age of artificial intelligence, what remains of the architect?
In a special long read comment piece, Martha Tsigkari and Sherif Tarabishy consider how the need for critical human reflection remains paramount in a profession that might otherwise risk becoming a recycling service