All specification focus articles – Page 3
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Information - BDMastering the detail: Episode 4
What do architects really need from manufacturers today? Episode 4 of our unmissable Q+A series lifts the lid on how expectations are changing. Join Tom Jordan, director at Barr Gazetas, as he shares first-hand insights into the evolving specification landscape.
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NewsMosley Thorold turns north London maisonette into material-rich family home
The practice was co-founded by Nathaniel Mosley, who led the project as both architect and main contractor for his own family home
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NewsBarr Gazetas delivers retrofit of London office for GPE
The 1990s office building – now rebranded as SIX – delivers over 48,000 sq ft of workspace across eight floors
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OpinionIt’s time to stop letting bad data undermine good design
Despite significant investment in digital innovation, the industry remains hindered by fragmented, inconsistent data
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Information - BDCPD 10 2025: Designing safe access for working at height
Sponsored by MSA Safety, this CPD explores best practice for safe access and egress when working at height
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Information - BDCPD 09 2025: Roofs, regulations and fire safety
Often underestimated in design conversations, the roof is increasingly recognised as a building’s fifth facade – a space with critical functional responsibilities and regulatory implications
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NewsCatnic launches Solarseam: a photovoltaic solution for standing seam roofs
According to the manufacturer, the system integrates flexible solar laminates bonded directly onto Catnic’s urban standing seam roofing panels
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NewsJRA explores breaking barriers to inclusive design within London’s built environment
Talks and installations explored how multisensory approaches can inform more accessible and equitable spaces
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OpinionCopper’s role in designing resilient and sustainable water infrastructure
The UK’s water infrastructure is at a critical juncture, with the need for substantial investment and reform becoming ever more pressing. The country faces increasing risks from outdated systems, where ageing pipes and materials such as lead and plastic can lead to contamination and water leaks.
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Information - BDCPD 08 2025: Understanding and identifying grey belt land
As pressure mounts to deliver new housing and infrastructure in England, the Green Belt – long considered sacrosanct – is once again at the centre of planning debate
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NewsThorlux launches emergency lighting system amid concerns over fire safety compliance
Thorlux Lighting has unveiled a new version of its Firefly emergency lighting system, citing recent figures from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) that indicate more than 2,000 premises received fire safety enforcement notices in the past year
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NewsJan Kattein Architects delivers redesigned children’s library at Swiss Cottage
Jan Kattein Architects has completed the redesign of the children’s library at Swiss Cottage Library in Camden, north London. The project, commissioned by Camden Council, marks the 60th anniversary of the grade II-listed modernist library, originally designed by Basil Spence and opened in 1964.
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Information - BDCPD 07 2025: Mastering sliding and bi-fold doors
Sliding doors date back over a thousand years to Japan, where shoji – paper-covered wooden frames – offered space-saving elegance in homes and temples. Even earlier, grooves in Pompeii’s stone floors suggest the Romans used sliding doors to enhance spatial flexibility.
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NewsIn pictures: Mowat & Company redesigns Flint HQ in south London
Flint, the London-based wine merchant, has completed a comprehensive refurbishment of its Kennington headquarters in collaboration with architecture practice Mowat & Company. The redesign addresses spatial constraints in the previously overcrowded Stannary Street site, enhancing both workflow and visitor experience
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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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NewsPetrarch launches slimline facade panel with focus on sustainability and reuse
Petrarch has unveiled PlanX, a reconstituted stone cladding panel designed to meet contemporary architectural needs for slimline aesthetics and sustainable material use.
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NewsOffice Ten Architecture proposes scalable retrofit model to tackle housing and climate crises
Pilot project is rethinking the standard terrace homes, hoping to improve fabric performance and increase housing density in a bid to solve the UK’s housing shortage and the environmental impact of underperforming homes
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NewsProject Reuse delivers first materials in pilot scheme to rethink fit-out waste
The Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) has received the first batch of salvaged interior products under its pilot scheme aimed at exploring how reuse can be integrated into the commercial office fit-out process
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FeaturesMastering the detail: The Northcliffe with John Robertson Architects
JRA’s refurbishment of the grade II-listed former Daily Mail HQ marks a triumph in sustainable heritage regeneration
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FeaturesDesigning with timber from day one
If the UK is to meet its commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2050 and reduce embodied carbon in construction, the industry must improve the sustainability credentials of the buildings it constructs