DfMA: the great offsite hope

With productivity in construction a more acute problem than other sectors, Nigel Ostime of Hawkins\Brown says that architects need to embrace offsite Design for Manufacture and Assembly as the panacea which also delivers the quality they want Productivity in the... View Article

Reinforcing the message

William McDowell of Hambleside Danelaw puts the case for why GRP rooflights in metal roofing systems can help solve the many problems such as light levels that face architects when designing industrial buildings Think rooflights and you might think of... View Article

Sliding versus bifold

Edward Stobart of ID Systems looks at how recent trends in residential glazing are affecting the sliding versus bifold doors debate For the past two decades, the trends in home design and customer demand have seen significant shifts when it... View Article

The warm glow of lower bills

Rises in gas and electricity prices mean that specifying more energy efficient and renewable heating options such as biomass is even more important, as Ian Sams from Specflue explains Renewable energy means energy produced from sources that are constantly replenished.... View Article

Off-grid sewerage

Rebecca Taylor from HD Services gives her insights into getting groundwork specifications right for your build, and explains the options available when no mains sewerage connection is possible Building your own home can be one of the most rewarding things... View Article

Interior Inspiration: Home Offices

With the arrival of Covid, hundreds of thousands of homeowners took to their studies (or sofas) to work from home. As householders continue to combine home-working with being in the office to an unprecedented degree, we round up some of... View Article

Architects’ activism: How we can build a better 2021

With urban areas perhaps feeling the effects of lockdown most intensely, our built environment may seem an unlikely source of optimism in 2021. However, buildings have an unrivalled capacity to reflect our values as a society, so their design, planning,... View Article

Waging war on plastic waste

Plastic waste is ubiquitous in construction, and the consequences are becoming increasingly apparent. Dr Wendy Jones of Changing Streams spoke to Jack Wooler about what is being done to address this key industry challenge Plastic is everywhere in construction, with... View Article

Rooflights – historic solutions

You might think rooflights are a modern invention, but as Peter Daniel of The Rooflight Company explains, they have a long history which ties into humanity’s perennial desire to bring light into buildings Natural light has been worshipped since time... View Article

Ask the Expert: The light fantastic

Marketa Rypacek of Industville looks at which of the many types of decorative lighting are best for your project, gives insights into how to go low energy without compromising light levels, and explains why lighting is like jewellery HOW CAN... View Article

Space to relax

Megan Baker of My Fitted Bedroom says that getting organisation and storage right are top of the agenda for bedrooms in 2021 The events of 2020 have seen a surge in people organising their homes – re-evaluating what they really... View Article

Getting brickwork right

Sean Wilkins of the Brick Development Association gives specification, design and workmanship tips that will ensure that your brickwork is successful Despite being used for thousands of years with evidence of their use in the UK dating back to the... View Article

Long distance champions

How virtual project management was the answer for long-distance clients to turn a Victorian vicarage into a modern masterpiece TEXT JAYNE DOWLE IMAGES MATTHEW CATTELL When the major renovation of Melinda and Chris Swann’s Victorian vicarage near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire... View Article

400 canalside homes in Hayes get go-ahead

The green light for 400 new homes at Clayton Road in Hayes, west London, has been granted to property group A2Dominion. The design by Assael Architecture has undergone extensive consultation with Hillingdon Borough Council, and an “appropriate scale of redevelopment... View Article

Tapping into savings

Stephen Johnson from Quooker UK talks through the benefits of boiling water taps, and how including them in your project not only gives convenience, but can also help save energy Boiling water taps have grown rapidly in popularity over the... View Article

Contemporary blend

Set in a secluded Hampshire valley, a very contemporary home blends into its rural setting thanks to a design by two architectural practices that echoes traditional local buildings. James Parker reports TEXT JAMES PARKER IMAGES RICHARD CHIVERS Astrikingly modern house... View Article

Layer cake

The Hammills caused quite a stir when they remodelled a tired old Thirties house in York into a very modern home that became the talk of the town TEXT & IMAGES HEATHER DIXON Passers-by thought Erica and Michael Hammill’s house... View Article

Setting the bar high

After a couple of frustrating years spent hunting for a new home, Paul and Sarka embarked on a self-build journey with Huf Haus to realise a property that met their high expectations TEXT EMMA HEDGES IMAGES LOTHAR REHERMANN Making the... View Article

A chalet for all seasons

Christa and Del Dobson had been planning their alpine-style project for nearly 20 years, and it has finally come to fruition in a luxurious off-grid chalet TEXT NICHOLA HUNTER IMAGES DOUGLAS GIBB Although Christa grew up in England, her mother’s... View Article

A luxurious blend

Broadoaks Park is a new high-end development that includes a restored mansion in Surrey, offering a taste of rural living within commuting distance of London and a mix of styles. Tim Banks of developer Octagon explains more to Jack Wooler... View Article