Future of the Profession
We need to talk about the future of the profession
Climate crisis, the Grenfell tragedy and the biggest professional shake-up for 60 years, not to mention a global pandemic and Brexit. Never has it been more critical to shape the way forward. Building Design invites you to join an urgent conversation
Future of the Profession
How to bring others along on your net zero carbon journey
Net zero is achievable but the profession has a vital role to play in teaching other stakeholders how it’s done, writes Satish Jassal.
Birmingham is seizing its moment to drive real change
The Commonwealth Games have given Birmingham a once in a generation opportunity to transform a formerly struggling part of the city
What’s stopping us from having a better work-life balance?
If it’s 5pm and you are reading this, please stop procrastinating. Turn off your computer and go and make the most of your evening, says Anna Beckett
Overheating buildings are architects’ responsibility too
It’s time to rethink your attitudes to thermal comfort - if not for the sake of the planet, then for the sake of your insurance premiums, writes Eleanor Jolliffe.
The joy of designing and building appropriately
”Sustainability” is too vague a concept when it comes to the environmental crisis that we are facing. We need to think in terms of “appropriate design” and embrace new procurement models, writes Felix Holland
It’s time to stop using ‘pastiche’ as a pejorative term
The word has long been used to unfairly malign architects working in the classical tradition. We need to reclaim the term and celebrate the fact that precedent and tradition are at the heart of most good contemporary architecture, writes Giles Heather
What’s stopping us from designing more holistically?
Architects and engineers need to work together more closely to realise the opportunities for efficiency, and beauty, says Anna Beckett
Do we value our profession so little that its future competence is left to chance?
The current education system is formalised and standardised and largely divorced from the realities of practice. It is not really designed to produce good architects, writes Eleanor Jolliffe
Renewing my insurance should not have been such an ordeal
Navigating brokers, underwriters and soaring premiums, Satish Jassal provides his insights into the insurance crisis facing the profession.
‘There was this opportunity to actually do the things that I want. And I thought this opportunity might not come again’
In an exclusive interview with Building Design, Muyiwa Oki explains why he is standing to be the next RIBA president and what he plans to change
Brace yourselves for the next wave of fire and safety regulation
Several new pieces of legislation are coming in response to Grenfell and many architects are having to run to catch up, writes Andrew Mellor
What is Oxford Street for?
Footfall is still down, so some radical new thinking is needed to save one of the UK’s most iconic streets, writes Martyn Evans
Why I’m supporting Muyiwa Oki to be the next RIBA president
Former president says progressive candidate could “hugely enrich” the institute as nomination deadline looms
What’s going on at the RIBA?
Ours is an organisation out of step with its members and the profession it represents, writes Eleanor Jolliffe. The theory is fine but in practice it is so frustrating
What’s stopping us from carrying on exactly as we are?
The target for achieving net zero may still be decades away but, in order to hit it, we have to make changes to the way we design and build right now, says Anna Beckett
New Labour: remembering an era of optimism, enthusiasm and mixed results
It is 25 years since Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide victory and the architectural legacy is both good and bad, writes Ben Flatman
MoMA’s exhibition illustrates the rich legacy of south Asian modernism
New York museum seeks to put region’s architecture in a post-colonialist context, writes Ben Flatman
Handle with care: retrofits are full of surprises and architects have lots to learn
A standard architectural education does not equip us well for working on historic building fabric. You need a clear understanding of how materials work, writes Eleanor Jolliffe
是什么阻止我们冒更多的风险?
The Victorians built long-lasting structures with limited foundations yet our perception of acceptable risk has changed completely and we are now overdesigning. Anna Beckett wonders if there is a better balance to be struck
‘There’s still work to be done to make space for the needs of women’
Barbara McFarlane and Jane Darke were contributors to a ground-breaking analysis of the way architecture and design were marginalising women in 1984. Here they look back at the book, its context and its legacy
Five things we have learnt about being a B Corp
Stride Treglown chairman Pierre Wassenaar explains why his firm went through the process and has some advice for others thinking of following their example
Architects have strangled themselves
We have an opportunity to re-stitch some of the professional fabric we have so determinedly unravelled and rise to the challenges of the 2020s, writes Eleanor Jolliffe
Did London really need a massive new arts quarter in Stratford?
A desire to ensure a lasting cultural legacy after 2012 does little to support a levelling-up agenda and now looks like an increasingly questionable initiative, writes Ben Flatman
Why selling your practice (sometimes) makes sense
Weston Williamson + Partners已被Egis收购。Chris Williamson has some advice for other firms considering taking the plunge
What’s stopping us from having a better gender balance in the construction industry?
This is not an issue for women – it’s an issue for everyone. Things are starting to change, but there is a long way to go, says Anna Beckett
The risks of overheating are real – and we must take them very seriously
New regulations may be on their way but the buildings we design and develop should limit and mitigate solar gain right now, writes Andrew Mellor
Bennetts Associates becomes top-scoring architecture B Corp
Practice pursued accreditation to bolster environmental goals
First Zaha bursaries could go to Ukrainian refugees
LSA chief says new scheme has come at perfect time to help fleeing students
50 Wonders | Alice Brownfield: Dawson’s Heights
On International Women’s Day, Alice Brownfield argues Kate Macintosh’s south London social housing is a landmark in every sense – and a call to arms
We all lose if youthful ambition is stifled
Illogical PQQs, crippling PII and rising costs are threatening the next generation of small practices, writes Eleanor Jolliffe
When will Britain’s property market stop feeding off dirty money?
As Europe descends into war, the links between the UK and financial dealings of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle have been put under a much-needed spotlight, writes Ben Flatman
What’s stopping us using more innovative structural materials?
The ready availability of concrete and steel seems to have discouraged us from experimenting with new possibilities, says Anna Beckett
When all the questions are new, don’t look for answers in the same old places
It’s time to shake up our thinking, writes Martyn Evans
Adopting Part Z is just the first step
Product manufacturers, warranty providers and contractors have an essential role in helping architects design truly net zero buildings, writes Andrew Mellor
From pencil sketch to parametrics: what’s next in the drawing revolution?
Eleanor Jolliffe examines what the pace of change means for architects
Architect reports 1,100% hike in cost of PI cover
RIBA urged to do more to mitigate ballooning indemnity insurance prices in wake of Grenfell Tower fire
Masters of the metaverse
RIBA needs to broaden its definition of what it means to be an architect if it wants to welcome back the diaspora, writes Ben Flatman
What’s stopping us from ditching brick?
The huge carbon cost of new brick means it’s time to turn to alternatives, such as stone, timber – or even recycled and reclaimed brick, says Anna Beckett
Cityshaping without the politics of populism and polarisation
Martyn Evans looks at how to drive change through consensus
Portland Place should be a seat of learning not a fun palace
As the RIBA launches a competition for the £20m redevelopment of its HQ, Chris Williamson questions the whole direction of travel
Gove makes progress on building safety – but many questions remain
The implications of this week’s announcements and their impact on the industry and leaseholders will only become apparent in the coming months, writes Andrew Mellor
A question of scale
Small provincial practices have more in common with large commercial firms than you might think, finds Eleanor Jolliffe
What’s stopping engineers from being more creative?
There are good reasons why we choose the tried and tested, but too often that stifles innovative thinking and the potential for progress, says Anna Beckett
All new buildings must emit a third less carbon, government announces
Building Regs to mandate 30% cut in carbon emissions from new homes and 27% from other buildings from this summer - architects react
Prepare now for new rules on high-rise design, regulator warns
Detailed records of decision-making will need to be kept for decades in retrospective change to law
Design teams could be on hook for retrospective leaseholder claims
The Building Safety Bill will allow safety claims for buildings dating from 1992, writes Andrew Mellor
Meanwhile… here’s a great way to test your risky brainwaves
Placemaking is a responsibility not a workstream, argues Martyn Evans
Arb approves Cambridge’s part 2 architecture apprenticeship
Course involves both off-site and on site intensives
Creative thinking and collaborative tension can help solve a towering dilemma
High-rise blocks represent a huge challenge for the urban architect if they are to fulfil residents’ needs and have a positive impact on the environment. Eleanor Joliffe calls for some fresh thinking, from conception to construction
This changes everything! Why architects should embrace integrated project insurance
Cullinan Studio designed one of the first completed building projects to use the IPI model. Partner Peter Inglis explains how it works and its implications for architects
Architects maintained profits despite pandemic, RIBA’s annual survey finds
But revenues plunged 15% in year to May 2021
Ab Rogers Design wins £250,000 Wolfson Prize with modular hospital design
Practice beat ZHA, Perkins & Will and John Simpson Architects
Why more architects should write children’s books
An understanding of the built environment and the careers it offers must be seeded at an early age, urges Siu-Pei Choi
Monday-Tuesday, happy days?
How do we decide whether and when WFH devotees should be forced into the office, asks Martyn Evans
What’s stopping us from measuring embodied carbon?
Why isn’t an embodied carbon assessment done as standard on every project, asks engineer Anna Beckett
COP26: Time for entire industry to take responsibility, urges Steve Tompkins
Architects vow to push on with race to net zero despite frustration at UN climate talks
The pandemic has made designing offices more interesting
Covid has forced a new focus on how and where we work. We should rise to the challenge and opportunities, says Joe Morris
Built environment can meet net zero by 2050 – but only with urgent government action, says report
Detailed roadmap launched at COP26 by coalition of architects and other construction professionals
Lean, low-tech architecture is the future. The question is how we scale it
The days of high-tech are over. We need to make each building element work as hard as possible, says Edmund Fowles
Heat and Buildings Strategy requires major commitment. Let’s hope it works
Property owners are advised to take a holistic approach to the retrofit of their buildings to meet future needs and emissions targets, writes Andrew Mellor
Manufacturers and suppliers, this message is (mainly) for you
Hitting sustainability targets is an exciting challenge, but Eleanor Jolliffe thinks it almost impossible without the full buy-in of client, design and construction teams
No more needless, ego-driven demolition. Conservation is key
Sustainability is about more than the challenges of climate change. We should remember we are custodians of what surrounds us, argues Ben Flatman
Foster: Global warming is a design issue we can solve
Architect draws parallels with space race spawning the environmental movement
What’s stopping us from reusing materials?
In the first of a new series, engineer Anna Beckett shows how some fresh thinking could solve apparently intractable issues
Make net zero buildings the only ones worth building, architects tell COP
’Whole system stacked against doing the right thing’
Industry to world leaders: We stand ready – but your inaction is holding us back
Built environment unites to present urgent demands at COP summit
Why more architects should stop designing
Sometimes professionals need to step back and allow the community of end users to steer the design, argues Siu-Pei Choi
Architects Declare publishes guide to making practices and projects net-zero
Climate movement wants to make sharing best practice easy
Allford endorses MPs’ call for net zero to be placed at heart of planning policy
Government will fail to hit 2050 net zero target unless it engages with councils, says select committee chair
Countdown to COP26: We need a wholesale transformation of almost every aspect of society
Building the necessary political pressure to change the world will not be done simply by pitching good ideas, says Tom Bennett
Architects accuse chancellor of being ‘out of sync’ with climate crisis
Profession unconvinced by Sunak’s ‘higher wages, higher skills and rising productivity’ pledge
Analysis: Does the Heat and Buildings Strategy stand up to scrutiny?
Thomas Lane dives deep into a government initiative that promised much but has delivered rather less – and then compares it with LETI’s retrofit guide
Peter Cook celebrates 85th birthday by unveiling second building at alma mater
Glitzy launch includes conference on The Optimistic Future of Architecture
What is levelling up? It’s supporting bottom-up initiatives with top-down cash
Julia Park finds inspiration in some remarkable community initiatives – but stresses that funding is the key to smoothing inequalities
Architects welcome government’s gas boiler phase-out
Plan to give homeowners £5,000 grants for heat pumps outlined in long-awaited heat and buildings strategy
Interview | Simon Allford: ‘Architecture will emerge stronger’
The new president of the RIBA talks to Elizabeth Hopkirk about knocking the institute into shape, the pressure architects are facing – and boxing. Photography by Jean Goldsmith
Arb announces record 25% rise in retention fee
Cost of remaining on register will jump to £149 next year
Practice launches diversity trust to aid aspiring London architects
Stitch says fund has already raised £90k to sponsor would-be architects from low-income backgrounds
Lay off the plasterboard and cladding
Cutting out the layers can make buildings more sustainable, argues Steve Webb
Arb unveils ‘biggest shake-up of profession in 50 years’
Reforms could lead to greater access for under-represented groups if approved
Is it time for architects to join the Tory party?
If we really want to influence government policy we should move our money from the RIBA and our hopes from Labour, argues Ben Flatman
Urban & Civic looks to add young architects to its roster
I want to see talent, meticulousness and an eye for the unexpected, says chief executive
Why more architects should drop out of school
Architect-turned-contractor Siu-Pei Choi reckons pig-headedness should trump schooling as a ticket to the profession
It’s good to talk – and it's the only way to get the job done
The collegiate nature of working together in an office is such an important part of learning and growing, argues Martyn Evans
Architects urge governments to decarbonise global building codes
RIBA and Architects Declare publish joint report ahead of COP26
Watch out for more changes as Building Safety Bill makes progress
The coming months are going to be challenging for anyone with an interest in building safety and regulation. We must be alert to more rapidly changing legislation and guidance, writes Andrew Mellor
Craftmanship is key
Eleanor Jolliffe extols the value of hands-on heritage experience and an opportunity for young architects
The Coach: How do we re-onboard everyone for the ‘new term’?
It’s not only new staff who will be feeling anxious, says Louise Rodgers
It’s all about finding the words: opening doors for deaf architects
The absence of agreed signs for architectural terms is a major barrier for deaf people seeking to enter the profession. Chris Laing tells Elizabeth Hopkirk how he plans to change that
We need to talk about working in oppressive regimes
The profession’s responsibilities extend beyond the physical environment to the political, argues architect-turned-contractor Siu-Pei Choi
Can’t get no satisfaction
Refusing to accept the status quo is the first step towards innovating our way out of the housing crisis, argues Martyn Evans
MP’s custom-build report warns of political unrest without urgent reform
Housing secretary welcomes Richard Bacon’s report which urges creation of Custom and Self-Build Housing Delivery Unit at Homes England
Turnout for RIBA council election was 9.6%
Winning candidates are Jo Bacon and Sumita Singha
Arb asks architects to help shape new professional development system
Future of CPD ‘cannot be designed in an ivory tower’
Social value is not just for PQQs but should infuse your whole culture
Michael Squire explains how moving to Brixton from King’s Cross triggered a new approach to community engagement for his practice
Anupama Kundoo wins 2021 Charles Jencks Award
Indian architect picked from starry shortlist
Interview: Nicholas Boys Smith on design, deregulation and the Office for Place
There are few topics more controversial than planning reform and placemaking and few people more passionate about them than the chair of the new Office for Place. He talks to Joey Gardiner
Hydrogen could play key role in heating buildings, says government
But much research remains to be done, long-awaited strategy admits
Government to quiz architects about future of the profession
Three-month call for evidence includes questions on whether Arb is fit for purpose
New Office for Place is ‘not Cabe 2’, says government design advisor
Nicholas Boys Smith says body will accredit new local design codes
