THE SECOND ACT

Howard Reay and Amber Valentine both worked in TV and film, but this didn’t prepare them for the drama of their own journey to creating a grand home in Buckinghamshire. Roseanne Field reports. Tucked away up a steep lane in... View Article

The sound of silence

You want your home to be a relaxing and peaceful haven – and it’s easier to accomplish than you might think, as British Gypsum’s sound solutions expert Sarah White explains. The hustle and bustle of everyday life can be deafening,... View Article

Practice Profile – Cove Burgess

James Parker spoke to Tim Burgess, one of the founders of a young practice which has quickly evolved from a two-man set up to a firm making its name in London and beyond. CoveBurgess Architects has been in existence for... View Article

Comment: Metal gutters fit for the future

Carlton Jones of the Metal Gutter Manufacturers Association (MGMA) explains the improvements brought by a new standard for metal guttering in the context of climate change. Extreme weather is now an all-year-round likely occurrence in the UK, ranging from flash... View Article

5 genius ways shipping containers are used every day

If you think shipping containers are only used for imports and exports around the world, it’s time to think again. While shipping containers play a vital role transporting the products that we enjoy every day, they can also be used... View Article

Bringing light home

Chris Chaney of Sunsquare explains how rooflights can improve daylighting, boost wellbeing and minimise a building’s energy consumption. Spiralling property prices plus a lack of appropriate accommodation to move into have led to many homeowners preferring to carry out significant... View Article

Realistic rainwater storage

Ian Crickmore of Polypipe Terrain explains how adopting rainwater harvesting systems can provide sustainable drainage solutions in space-constrained urban areas. Obsessing over rain is something of a national pastime, but capturing rainwater could help meet sites’ increased drainage demands, particularly... View Article

Get smart, get control

Edward Lees of Feilo Sylvania shines the light on how sophisticated smart lighting control systems can offer efficiency benefits as well as design flexibility. The industry is now well versed in the benefits of LED technology and the energy savings... View Article

Slate in demand

According to industry reports, demand for roof tiles is considerably higher than supply. This causes projects to be delayed, which also impacts overall costs. In this article, Nigel Tozer of Cupa Pizarras explains how careful specification can avoid these issues.... View Article

Rock-solid insulation credentials

With clients demanding versatility as well as robust credentials from insulation, Paul Barrett of Rockwool puts stone wool under the microscope. The ingredient of stone wool insulation is a hard, dark volcanic rock – basalt – that is formed when... View Article

Timber covers all the bases

Stephen Toone of canopy manufacturer Fordingbridge describes how timber’s versatility of application and lasting appeal is increasingly seeing it specified. There is no doubt that timber’s strong sustainability credentials are the material’s key advantage when compared to mainstream building materials... View Article

Breaking the thermal mould

Heat lost through conventionally-wrapped parapets is a common complaint among architects, so an efficient space-saving alternative is welcome, says Schöck’s Chris Willett. In a similar way to the thermal insulation issues manifested with balconies, in the case of parapet connections... View Article

Designing a home for life

Inclusive design can help adapt homes to cater for the needs of an ageing population, writes Barry Eagle of anti-slip flooring solutions supplier GripClad. According to a YouGov poll, more than four in 10 Londoners aged over 55 believe they... View Article