Water Row, Govan, by Collective Architecture Source:&nbsp Keith HunterIn 2025 our aim is to bang the drum for the profession, spelling out how architects can be pivotal to solving the housing crisis in a sustainable way, says Emily Booth Housing (or the lack of it) is one of the defining national issues of our time. The AJ is kicking off the new year with a focus on what architects can bring to help solve the housing crisis: design quality, sustainable approaches, an understanding of the importance of place, delivery expertise and drive, to name a few.Whether the governments target to build 1.5 million new homes within the next five years is achievable is up for debate. There is also a massive climate challenge here you cant build 1.5 million brand new homes and stay within critical carbon budgets. Yet homes are desperately needed; theres a moral imperative to provide them and they should be decent, well-built and supported by proper, sustainable infrastructure.Perfection should not be the enemy of the good when facing a challenge of this magnitude. While shoddy, cheap, gas-guzzling homes are a short-term sticking-plaster, what is key is an environmentally-sensitive build quality that is also deliverable. There is a need and an opportunity for good architecture here, prioritising retrofit and reuse techniques and sustainable M&E wherever possible.AdvertisementOver the following pages youll see examples of where architects have played crucial roles in successful schemes. Its interesting to see common themes emerge often using historical precedent for practical inspiration. If something has worked well before, why not riff off the theme? Everything that has worked before, weve done again, says Maes Alex Ely, commenting on the latest phase of the ambitious regeneration with Hawkins\Brown of the Agar Grove Estate for Camden Council. And Pitman Tozers Bulrush Court for The Guinness Partnership, the latest addition to the Leaside Lock development in Tower Hamlets, uses the 1930s mid-rise mansion block as a tried-and-tested model. Were very interested in how it provides density but on a relatively human scale, says Luke Tozer. Previous examples by the practice include two schemes for Peabody which, each in its own way, reclaimed notably difficult sites for dwellings on a relatable scale.There isnt time to waste in squaring up to the housing and climate challengeWhile pattern books of architectural designs evoke mixed feelings and mindful of the many specific challenges facing individual sites there is surely something in the notion of sharing learning and maximising efficiency where possible. There isnt time to waste in squaring up to the housing and climate challenge, and streamlining best practice makes sense.Good housing, then, will be a topic we put our editorial energies into through 2025 and beyond. Our aim is to bang the drum for the profession, spelling out how architects can be pivotal to solving this national crisis in a sustainable way.AdvertisementWere keen to spotlight the challenges of designing and delivering quality housing, celebrate proven successes and promote positive case studies to decision-makers and influencers beyond the immediate architectural community. Were pleased to be working with the Architects Action for Affordable Housing campaign in this endeavour and we look forward to hearing more about your stand-out schemes.The January edition of the AJ is out now. Subscribers can read the digital edition here, or copies of the printed magazine can be purchasedhere. An AJ subscription is better value click here to view our packages.2025-01-23Emily Boothcomment and share

The Architects JournalPattern books, then and nowDerided in some quarters for being the preserve of the volume housebuilder, pattern books have a rich history and could yet play a part in the governments new housing driveThe post Pattern books, then and now appeared first on The Architects JournalCatherine Slessor

The Architects JournalSurprise rejection for A IS FOR_s Folkestone harbour plansA IS FOR_s controversial regeneration proposals for Folkestone Harbour have been refused by local councillors against the advice of planning officersThe post Surprise rejection for A IS FOR_s Folkestone harbour plans appeared first on The Architects JournalGino Spocchia

The AJs Architects Working Details were first published in 1953. Originally written by Colin Boyne, they ran to a series of 15 classic black-bound volumes. After a long lull, the series was revived in 1988 by the AJs then editor Peter Carolin, in a series of spiral-bound volumes edited byDavid Jenkinsand then continued later by Sue Dawson, in an occasional series that appeared up until the early 2000s. Consisting of a selection of details originating from the building studies published in the AJ at the time, Louis Dezart, the AJs in-house Drawings Editor and then later Dawson re-drew and re-scaled the drawings many by hand to fit the pages of the AJ, with constituent components clearly annotated.Almost 20 years on, were very pleased to be bringing the series back, with the first edition published in December featuring a round-up of details published in AJ Specification case studies over the past five years. They have been organised in five sections: faades and cladding; doors and windows; kitchens and bathrooms; roofing and drainage and, finally, walls, ceilings and partitions.The buildings werent especially chosen on their aesthetic merits, but more to demonstrate a range of typologies and scales across the country. And, as with previous versions, this first series is intended to offer a collation of ideas about detailing.AdvertisementEach detail most previously published but some never seen before has been re-edited so the drawings look consistent throughout. They are accompanied by project data and the issue of AJ Specification that the building appeared in for reference, together with some images and a short description authored by the designers of each building.In total we present 28 projects across five sections, which, while not a comprehensive primer, are intended to offer a good comparative range of approaches to key areas of construction. Although some details chosen demonstrate relatively new techniques, the majority refine tried-and-tested methods of making buildings.The overarching aim remains the same as before, however: to enable and encourage those working in the built environment to share information on solving problems in design.Each of the five sections are being published over five weeks with this week the focus being on kitchens and bathrooms. Check out the two previously published sections on faades and cladding and doors and windowsalso.Janus House by Office S&MHidden bathroomPhotos: French + TyeThe clients approached Office S&M to replace a poorly built lean-to behind their terraced house in Walthamstow. They wanted the new extension containing a kitchen and bathroom to be clearly different from the late Victorian property, while relating to it in scale.AdvertisementThe design made best use of the restricted space by splitting the extension diagonally with a storage wall. This removed the need for separate circulation space by hiding the bathroom, shower and storage, while also directing and framing views of the garden. In the kitchen, it provides daylit space, while the bathroom has a view over the garden from the tub.The two-faced aspect of the design is expressed externally by the shapes of the window, door and rooflights: circular openings for the bathroom, rectangular for the kitchen. These motifs responded to fixtures and fittings that the clients had already bought for the extension, such as the kitchen table, terracotta pendant light and pastel 1930s bathroom suite. The contrasting circular and square geometry of the windows was developed from these existing pieces to link exterior to interior, and the theme continues throughout, with details such as rectangular light switches and circular door pulls.The sprayed-on rubber exterior creates a monolithic background which wraps the two halves of the extension together. The unusual industrial material, Prokol polyurea, was chosen because of its low cost, seamless finish and contrast with the existing brickwork of the terraced house. Originally developed for oil rigs, it is waterproof, wont weather and is guaranteed for 60 years.To complement the rubber, further industrial materials are used inside: a polished concrete floor; zinc worktop and encaustic swimming pool tiles. These durable materials are warmed up with a yellow colour scheme that changes in intensity from the canary-yellow Formica kitchen cupboards to the soft, butter-coloured tiles in the bathroom.Location: London SE5| Completion: May 2018| Gross internal floor area: 110m | Structural engineer: MDA Structures | Kitchen designer: Toby Mower | AJ Specification issue: April 2019Southgrove Road by From WorksBespoke kitchen and tablePhoto: Mark HillyerFrom Works was approached to design a bespoke kitchen within a new extension for a family home in Sheffield. The design is a tailored response to the clients ambition to create a calm space, sensitively connected to both garden and the existing interior. A photograph of a moss-covered rock, taken on a countryside walk, was the clients inspiration for the look and feel, and so the design also engages with a certain as-found materiality of the Peak District.In addition, the project looked to highlight what is special about Sheffield: its proximity to the Peak District and the fantastic local material suppliers and fabricators.From Works designed the project with a holistic approach in mind, ensuring that the new kitchen worked within its context. The studio incorporated a new breakfast table designed in solid-edged stained plywood and stainless steel that works in harmony with the greater scheme.Throughout the design process From Works developed a series of material samples to reflect the robust yet characterful nature of the clients early concept photograph. The kitchen and joinery pieces are hand-made locally in Sheffield from solid-edged stained birch plywood and steamed beech with fossil limestone worktops and splashbacks sourced from a Derbyshire quarry.The stained plywood elements evolved through a testing process of experimentation with different stain types, number of coats, application methods, sanding the plywood first using different grits and using different finishing lacquers to ensure an appropriate aesthetic and a durable finish.From Works took a similar approach with the fossil limestone elements, visiting both the quarry and stone workshop on numerous occasions to carefully select the different slabs to help control the variation of fossil and colours to complement the proposed materials palette.Read more hereLocation: Sheffield| Completion: October 2017| Gross internal floor area: 18m | Structural engineer: MDA Structures | Kitchen contractor: From Works| AJ Specification issue: April 2019Nourish Hubby RCKa ArchitectsKitchen hatchPhoto: Francisco Ibez HantkeThe Nourish Hub replaced a vacant former post office to provide new community facilities where learning about healthy eating and cooking food could take place.Featuring a commercial kitchen, dining area, teaching kitchen and rentable workspace, the Hubs main priorities are to provide food, education and community engagement. Therefore the main space has been designed for openness, accessibility and flexibility.The design and layout of the interior spaces was the product of a series of community engagement workshops. The first phase of this took the form of a shutter-painting day that was used to advertise the project and kickstart the consultation process. A young persons workshop helped to define the patterns that now cover the ceiling and make up the branding for the whole project.A new shopfront creates a welcoming face to the Hub, with both kitchens on display. A large opening into the dining space encourages passers-by to come in, while a hatch from the kitchen allows kitchen staff to greet the public and serve takeaway food.The Nourish Hub is an intensely used public building and the products and materials were specified to create a welcoming and uplifting space for the community that was also robust and minimised maintenance.Commercial stainless steel cabinets and countertops were used for both kitchens to create a professional space and these provided cohesive design throughout the Hub. The teaching kitchen uses domestic cookers and induction hobs on a large kitchen island with a dropped central section to promote togetherness through cooking.Timber furniture contrasts with the stainless-steel kitchens, adding warmth and character. Bespoke plywood furniture is positioned around the Hub, inviting users to circulate around the space, grab a plate and get involved.Read more hereLocation: London W11| Completion: July 2021 | Gross internal floor area: 416m | Structural engineer: Conisbee| Main contractor: Carmelcrest| AJ Specification issue: March 2022The Goodenough by Roz Barr ArchitectsHotel bathrooms and tilingPhotos: John McLeanThis project was the refurbishment of 65 rooms of The Goodenough Club, a four-star hotel that is part of Goodenough College, a charitable foundation providing postgraduate student accommodation in Londons Bloomsbury.The club is situated in five Grade II*-listed Georgian town houses on Mecklenburgh Square, with a mews extension dating from early 2000 to the rear. The project was part of a phased programme of works the practice had been working on since 2014.The aim of the project was to preserve, enhance and restore the historic qualities of the rooms and improve their internal layouts while offering a contemporary response to the listed setting. The practice developed a design palette and elements that could be adapted and repeated across all the buildings and offered a response to both heritage and user requirements. Wall panelling conceals services and all furniture was bespoke, including vanity desks, wardrobes and ottomans, as free-standing pieces that allowed the rooms to retain their distinctive character.The works at Goodenough Club involved extensive research into finding materials and finishes that responded to the historic and listed requirements of the Georgian buildings but were robust enough to sustain daily use within guest rooms.Roz Barr Architects designed and mocked up a typical bathroom and bedroom for both phases of the project. An element of repetition was required to unite the room types and to define an identity for the newly refurbished club. The practice specified a linseed oil wood stain to birch ply panels to offer longevity and allow the natural materiality to be revealed. The colours selected were complemented by oak frames and simple detailing to ensure fabrication was economical. Five complementary colours are used throughout the club, reflecting different room types but also nodding to the heritage of the site. Read more hereLocation: London WC1| Completion: July 2022| Gross internal floor area: N/A| Heritage consultant: Ramona Usher| Main contractor: Oakside, Fileturn| AJ Specification issue: March 2023Hackney School of Food by Surman WestonTeaching kitchen and gardenPhotos: Jim StephensonHackney School of Food was a joint venture between LEAP Federation of Schools and the Chefs in Schools charity. In 2018, Surman Weston won an invited competition to help the organisations realise their vision for a purpose-built food education hub.Situated in one of inner Londons most deprived neighbourhoods, the project converts a redundant school caretakers house into a specialist food education centre for primary school children and the local community. The heart of the project is the educational kitchen, where children learn how to cook fresh, healthy and delicious food from scratch. Working within a tight budget, the kitchen is designed to be robust, unfussy and joyful and to accommodate a class of 30 students.The first floor level of the existing building was removed to create a bright and voluminous double-height space. Architectural interventions were targeted on the elements that add the most educational value: specially designed height-adjustable cooking stations allow all ages and abilities to comfortably cook; above-worktop-level wall finishes are left largely as stripped; and the sprayed-in roof insulation is left exposed.The formerly derelict gardens are transformed into thriving productive spaces that allow children to grow food from seed and provide outdoor cooking and eating spaces. A mural gives the previously stark street-facing elevation a cheerful presence.Cooking stations feature induction hobs mounted flush with stainless steel counters, allowing children to slide heavy pans across the surface. Induction hobs were chosen with user safety in mind the hobs only function when in contact with a pan. Cupboards below the countertops are removable to allow wheelchair users to use the stations.Read more hereLocation: London E5| Completion: February 2020| Gross internal floor area: 59m | Structural engineer: Structure Workshop| Main contractor: Modernarc| AJ Specification issue: April 2021The Little Big House by Knox BhavanAccessible kitchen and bathroomPhotos: Edmund SumnerThis custom-built, energy-efficient dwelling in Hertfordshire was crafted to cater to the specific physical needs of its occupant, Henry Fraser, an artist, author and motivational speaker, who experienced a life-altering accident in 2009, leaving him paralysed from the shoulders down.The project offered an opportunity to fashion a home tailored to Henrys requirements, affording him a degree of independence with the support of live-in carers. Henrys unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship guided the design ethos, alongside the imperative for a controlled internal climate to regulate his body temperature.The architectural configuration was devised to accommodate Henrys disability. Considerable attention was devoted to situating the bedroom and bathroom, ensuring abundant daylight and garden vistas spaces where Henry frequently resides. The bathroom, designed as a wet room, boasts a generous corner window providing an outlook onto the garden. In the bedroom and den, a discreet harness integrated into the cabinetry offers support as needed, retracting when not in use.Every finish was chosen with functionality, openness and affordability in mind, all geared towards making Henrys daily life easier. Corian and stainless steel were selected for their durability and ease of cleaning. The integrated hoist was seamlessly plastered into the ceiling to minimise its prominence. Sanitary fixtures and appliances were chosen for their durability and affordability.Henry aimed for a low-maintenance bathroom design because he is unable to clean himself and relies on carers for this. The bathroom shower tray is set flush into the flooring, with an extended hose on the hand shower to enable Henry to be washed while in a wheelchair. A wall-mounted custom mirror, with a bathroom TV carefully set into it, is angled to allow Henry to see himself from his wheelchair. The walls feature simple white mosaic tiles, accommodating the small curves in the wall radius.Read more hereLocation: Hertfordshire| Completion: December 2021| Gross internal floor area: 226m | Structural engineer: Structure Workshop| Main contractor: Philiam Construction| AJ Specification issue: March 2024

Last year the New South Wales (NSW) government in south-eastern Australia launched an international competition seeking designs for a new pattern book providing ready-made terrace and small-scale apartment block templates.The five winning designs will create a catalogue of pre-approved housing designs aimed primarily at developers and set to launch this summer. The authority hopes this book of off-the-shelf solutions will accelerate the delivery of low and mid-rise housing in areas where the need is greatest.The state governments key criteria included sustainability, functionality, adaptability, affordability and ability to respond to the unique Australian climate. But, crucially, high-quality and beautiful designs were also significant point scorers.AdvertisementAlthough the winning practices plus one student winner were ultimately all based in Australia or New Zealand, the contest itself piqued the interest of architects from around the world. Of the 212 applicants, five were British. Among them, Stirling Prize-winning Mae Architects, which was the only UK firm to make the 21-strong shortlist. The jury that assessed the submissions included Paul Karakusevic of UK practice Karakusevic Carson Architects. Source: Mae ArchitectsPerspective section of pattern book proposal by Mae ArchitectsWinning practices included Neeson Murcutt Neille and Sydney-based Other Architects.NSWs Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure said the winning designs would have access to a fast-track pathway for the delivery of more well-built homes sooner.In some ways the housing crisis in Australia mirrors our own. Prime minister Anthony Albaneses centre-left Labor government has vowed to build 1.2 million homes by 2030 only 300,000 less than our governments own hefty housing ambitions for the sameperiod.The idea of a pattern book is not new to the UK. It was used effectively by both the Victorians and Georgians and many of these thousands of homes still stand, much-loved, today. Yet the notion of a modern version that offers a quick route through planning red tape is turning heads as a possible solution for the 21st-century deliveryproblem.Advertisement Source: Neeson Murcutt NeilleNSW Pattern Book winner by Neeson Murcutt Neille, Finding Infinity and Monash Urban LabMaes founding director Alex Ely believes a pattern book based around good design principles and aspirations could be a game-changer for UK house-building provided it is delivered with a clear audience and specific aims in mind.The purpose of it has to be around fast-tracking approvals, speeding up the system, argues Ely. Developers would appreciate this as it would speed up returns on their investments. Ely says the NSW approach, which should fast-track permissions on sites currently bogged down in planning, could reopen the door to small to medium-sized developers and housebuilders. Since 1990, there has been a dramatic decline in these developers in the UK, from 15,000 to around 2,500 by October 2024, according to Insider Media.For the concept to work effectively, he adds, there would have to be an acknowledgement that a pattern book overrules certain other planning parameters [on the basis that its proposals] have been designed intelligently, and sensitively.Ely believes that if developers can use pre-approved designs to avoid their projects being stuck in the often arbitrary and gruelling planning process with its associated costs then even if they have to build something better than they usually would they will still do it. Source: Mae ArchitectsPattern modules by Mae ArchitectsDeborah Heenan, chief executive of the London Borough of Newhams in-house affordable housing arm, Populo Living, agrees that the reimagining of standardised house types by NSW offers a vision that could work equally well in the UK to deliver much-needed additional housing.But a snapshot of opinions from across the industry reveals that her positive reaction is far from the consensus in the UK.Pattern books are good for sites that are easy to develop, without complexities that demand bespoke solutions, says Mole Architects director Meredith Bowles. In reality we have pattern books already. The vast majority of housing approved is delivered by housebuilders using the same product across the country.Would it make a difference [to the numbers]? Very little, is my guess, and what would really make a difference [to communities] landscape, public realm, parking solutions, site layout, densification would remain untouched. Source: Spacecraft ArchitectsStreet elevation for pattern book housing by New Zealand-based Spacecraft ArchitectsNeil Murphy, co-founder of profit-with-purpose developer TOWN, is equally sceptical.He told the AJ that, hundreds of years on from the first pattern books, variety within a pattern is still a defining feature of a good street for manypeople.But, while he thinks a new initiative for pre-approved pattern-book housing might help at the margins, he argues that it risks focusing unduly on how buildings look over how places function the same problem, he insists, that the UK has had with its recent push for design codes.And while Murphy describes efforts to increase certainty within Englands discretionary planning system as laudable, he urges architects to consider the fate of the local development order. This potentially powerful tool for continental-style, rules-based, coded or pattern-book development has existed since 2004 but is scarcely used in a system that tends to prize control of process over quality or speed ofoutcome. Source: Andrew Burges ArchitectsVisualisation for pattern book housing by New South Wales-based Andrew Burges ArchitectsHawkins\Brown design consultant and project delivery lead Nigel Ostime says the firms own research points to [the pattern book] approach being unsuitable for the UK as a means to industrialise housing delivery.It is too prescriptive in terms of response to local styles and materials particularly if it is limited to five types, he insists. Moreover, it is difficult to see what benefit it would bring commercially without significant investment in and co-ordination of the supply chain at a time when there is little capital for such upfrontcosts.Ostime says, rather than pushing for standardised design solutions, housing providers should focus on sharing information and collaborating more effectively.He says co-operating to develop a strategic pipeline and working to create procurement routes that enable modern methods of construction would be a more effective solution.The trick is to balance standardisation and flexibility, he says. Too much standardisation will break thesystem. Source: Officer WoodsVisualisation of interior of pattern book home by Western Australia-based practice Officer WoodsPhilip Oldfield, head of school at University of New South Wales (UNSW) Built Environment, also has an issue with flexibility in patternbooks.The aim with a pattern book is to amalgamate some of the complex design and planning rules we have into an almost-ready-made series of designs, heexplains.A worthy aim. But Oldfield says the challenge with modern pattern books compared to the template designs historically used for largely empty sites subdivided into many plots is that many infill sites where multistorey apartments are being built are complex [and] have varied geometries and boundary conditions as well as differenttopographies.Its difficult to see how pre-made designs will be applied to the diversity of sites and climates we have in New South Wales.While Oldfield thinks a pattern book is unlikely to prove a game-changer for housing quality (if this is lost in the development process, its often due to value engineering reasons), he does believe it has the potential to provide more speed and certainty fordevelopers. Source: Other Architects/NMBWPerspective drawing for pattern book housing by Other Architects and NMBWBack in the UK, the design template notion is also being looked at by built environment charity the Kings Foundation (formerly the Princes Foundation). Its senior director, Ben Bolgar, is collaborating with Classical architect Ben Pentreath to develop a series of locally informed pattern books showcasing well-proportioned regional homes as part of his work on a government-funded project called the Regional Building Hubs (RBH) initiative.The pattern books sit within the initiatives wider placemaking mission to encourage beautiful places for sustainable communities and build on previous work by the Kings Foundation to develop catalogues, pattern books, and codes through its BIMBY (Beauty-In-My-Back-Yard) Housing Manuals. Bolgar says the RBH team has developed five house types, or chassis, for which details are already drawn up in a set of supply- chain-linked digital patent books.Digital twin software has been developed by Travis Perkins architect Lee Jackson in the form of a smart housebuilding platform called WholeHouse. This allows a provider to specify details such as cladding and window types with half a billion combinations of designs, which can be adjusted around the five chassis.You choose everything and you spec it according to your costs, says Bolgar. Then you press a button and it literally spits out 75 pages of working drawings, [and] the costs. Its designed before you go to site.Meanwhile, the RBH pattern books feed into the digital models to inform the actual designs, explains Bolgar.The pattern books set out urban types, building types, building elements and outline material specifications based on the foundations research of existing patterns and proportions in a given region. The idea is that you have a standard chassis, but it wears a regional overcoat in the same way that a Georgian house looks different in Edinburgh and Cornwall, explains Bolgar.He says the designs are material and detail-led rather than style-led to allow for both modern and traditional versions of the same house types, which will [all] feel like they belong in the same place because of materials, proportioning and detailing.He also believes the RBH tools could create buildings that have a good degree of familiarity with [the] local vernacular to provide the background buildings in a particular region. But he insists that each area would always want 20-30 per cent to be bespoke so [the streetscape] doesnt become toouniform. Source: Mae ArchitectsCourtyard view of pattern housing concept by Mae ArchitectsIf successfully rolled out across the UK, these digital house types would be readily available for small builders to use in 14 different regions, as identified by the Kings Foundation.In terms of planning, Bolgar says the system frees up the local authority from looking at every street because they know what its made of. The ingredients, if you like, of a recipe, have already beenapproved.Another key purpose of the initiative is agglomerating the regional supply chain across the UK, giving small builders a leg up. According to Bolgar: If you [bring] all the small builders together, they become the biggest housebuilder in the UK and then you get preferential treatment on supply chains.And will it take off? Bolgar says the Kings Foundation aims to launch the Regional Building Hubs in January 2026 when the current research phase completes. These would be devised as a membership organisation delivering services to small builders and large owners, he says.The outcome, visually, may be poles apart from the homes likely to be built in NSW. But it is telling that two very different organisations, on other sides of the planet, have both independently arrived at a very similar solution. Could history be going full circle?

Source:&nbsp Mistervlad/ShutterstockA proposal by the City of London to encourage reuse of existing buildings and other circular economy measures will become policy within the coming weeks, the authority has announced The new Planning for Sustainability Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), provides guidance on how developers should approach the City Corporations sustainability policies in their planning applications, including the design and construction of buildings.Formerly in draft form, the SPD has now been approved by the Corporations Planning and Transportation Committee and includes measures to support the Citys retrofit first approach.The AJs long-running campaign for such measures RetroFirst was launched in September 2019. Since then, several local councils, including the City, Westminster, Camden and Bath & North East Somerset, have developed and adopted retrofit-first policies in support of their Net Zero targets and declarations of climate emergency.AdvertisementMore planning authorities, particularly in the capital, are poised to follow suit.The Citys SPD is intended to support its 2040 Net Zero target and covers four other key sustainability themes, many of them concerned with slashing upfront or embodied carbon. These are:Circular economy Encourages a shift from a linear to circular waste model in a buildings construction and operation to minimise waste through a buildings life cycleGreenhouse gas emissions and energy use Includes measures to reduce whole life-cycle carbon and operational energy emissionsClimate resilience Sets out how developments should address flood risk management, water management, building and urban overheating, pest and disease control, and infrastructure resilienceUrban greening and Biodiversity Sets out how to protect, conserve and enhance biodiversity, habitats and green infrastructure in the Square Mile.Among other measures, the SPD will introduce NABERS UK* targets (a five-star target for new office developments, and four-star target for retrofitted office developments), as well as introducing embodied carbon benchmarking, aligning with the GLA embodied carbon benchmarks.Zero carbon expert and architect Simon Sturgis, who has been instrumental in the application of a whole-life carbon approach to planning and development in the UK, strongly welcomed the Citys move, saying it could deliver economic growth as well as carbon savings.The City of Londons new Retrofit & Reuse policy is a great step forward in promoting carbon efficient development, he said. The City must now support this policy with speedy planning consents. The next step is to require third-party verification of submitted carbon assessments.AdvertisementChairman of the City Corporations planning and transport committee, Shravan Joshi, said: This new guidance provides transparency to the built environment sector, encouraging it to come with us on this journey as we see continued confidence and demand for high-quality, sustainable office space in the Square Mile.The City of London is home to some of the most sustainable commercial buildings on the planet and, as it continues to be a hugely attractive place for office occupiers, we are setting the pace globally for sustainable design, with the delivery of the next generation of new and retrofit developments to attract the best global talent, innovators and high-growth businesses.In a statement, the Corporation said the new SPD would offer a degree of flexibility if planning applications miss the upfront carbon benchmarks. In this case, developments will be expected to go above and beyond in their delivery of wider environmental sustainability benefits in the Square Mile.This could include, for instance, creating or extending local energy networks, supporting sustainable transport modes through significant public realm upgrades, implementing City climate resilience infrastructure, such as cool routes, or providing skills and training opportunities in sustainable construction, the statement said.2025-01-22will hurstcomment and share

Alistair Sim in a scene from Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (1951) Source:&nbsp Landmark Media/AlamyInspired by Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, Kunle Barker reflects on housings missing architectural component At a dinner party just before Christmas, a friend remarked that it was odd that, as a species, we have chosen the rather arbitrary marker of New Year to reflect on our lives. I accepted that no celestial events marked the New Year but disagreed that it was entirely arbitrary. We agreed to disagree, lest the red wine turned our debate into an argument. New Year offers an ideal moment for reflection; and this year my thoughts turned to housing.Over the Christmas break, I decided to introduce my daughters to Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. We were planning to watch a musical adaptation, so I thought it was the perfect time to introduce them to the story. As we sat watching Brian Desmond Hursts 1951 adaptation (the best, in my opinion), I couldnt help but reflect on the countrys current housing problems. I thought about how the crisis would shape my daughters experience of housing and how different that would be from my own.I imagined what it would be like if, instead of ghosts of Christmas, I was visited by ghosts of housing. What if I could travel through time and visit key moments in our housing history? Here are my musings.AdvertisementThe Ghost of Housing Past from the 1980sThe Ghost of Housing Past takes me to 1980, as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher finalised the Right to Buy Act. The average house price was 20,897 three times the average salary. Right to Buy expanded homeownership but sparked a decline in affordable housing, with no commitment to replace the sold properties. In the following 10 years, over a million council homes had been sold, while new construction plummeted by 80 per cent, from 88,540 in 1980 to just 17,870 in 1990.Private investors exploited the scheme by buying discounted properties from tenants unable to exercise their right to buy, accelerating the loss of social housing. This era marked a shift in government policy as the state stepped back from mass housebuilding. Thatchers policy, once celebrated, created the patient zero of todays housing crisis epidemic.The Ghost of Housing Present from the 2020sThe Ghost of Housing Present takes me to 2020, where the average house price is now nine times the average wage. Every government since 1980 has struggled to build enough affordable housing. Even under Labour affordable housing was neglected, with only 130 local authority homes built in 2004, the lowest number since the Second World War. Consecutive governments have relied too much on the open market and mechanisms like Section 106 to provide affordable housing.In 2024, rising interest rates and the cost-of-living crisis have exacerbated the struggle. Help to Buy has inflated house prices and benefited developers over buyers. The average cost of a flat in London is now 430,000, with many young people locked out of the market. In the 2020s, governments have built just 177,593 new homes a year on average. Renters face severe financial strain, with a third spending over half of their income on housing.The Ghost of Housing Future from the 2060sThe Ghost of Housing Future offers two contrasting visions. In one dystopian scenario, mega-corporations dominate the housing market, where the average house price exceeds 1 million and home ownership is a bedtime story told by grandparents. Renters spend over 80 per cent of their income on housing and homelessness is widespread, with thousands housed in makeshift developments. Originally meant to be temporary, these now litter the country and are monuments to an entirely broken housing system.AdvertisementIn a more optimistic future, bold government action taken from 2025 onwards transforms the housing landscape. Affordable social housing and rent controls ensure fairness, while innovations like community land trusts and tokenised ownership broaden access. Government initiatives manage to align the goals of the public and private sectors, allowing good architecture to thrive and produce sustainable, community-focused housing developments. This focus on placemaking fosters thriving communities that promote economic growth and social cohesion. Improvements in general wellbeing reduce the burden on the NHS and state, proving that investing in housing is both a social and economic necessity.Dickens aside, the housing challenges we face are clear. Our industry understands the built environment better than anyone and homes are perhaps the most important part of that. There is no silver bullet, but our industry can and must lead the way; we must make our voices heard in a coherent manner.Fixing this crisis will take decades and many of us may not see the full results in our lifetimes. But thats the point the homes we envisage, design and build today will outlast us all. Lets use architecture to unite government, developers, and landowners to take bold, decisive steps forward, because every step we take now is a leap forward for the future.Kunle Barker is a property expert, journalist and broadcaster2025-01-22Kunle Barkercomment and share

Clockwise from top left: Palais de Danse plans by Adam Khan Architects; Royal High School plans by Richard Murphy Architects; photo of Jumbo Water Tower in Colchester (credit: Shutterstock); Sketch of Evans Vettoris Harmony Works plans; Hall Black Douglas' plans for the Strand Arts Centre in Belfast; Kingsley Hall in Bristol (Credit: Historic England). The National Lottery has named seven heritage projects which it will support with more than 27 million of cash The schemes, which span the UK, include projects by Adam Khan Architects, Purcell, Evans Vettori, Richards Murphy Architects, Childs Sulzmann Architects, Hall Black Douglas and Temple Ford Design.The largest grant, worth 8 million, has been awarded to North Essex Heritage for the Purcell-designed restoration of a Grade II*-listed water tower in Colchester.The Jumbo Water Tower was completed in 1883 and provided water for drinking and firefighting until 1984 but will now now be converted to a visitor, educational and events space.AdvertisementPurcells proposal won a competition for the project in 2022, selected ahead of plans by Nissen Richards and Burrell Foley Fischer. At that time the project was expected to cost just 4 million, with completion in 2025.Elsewhere, Richard Murphy Architects plans to transform the Old Royal High Street on Carlton Hill in Edinburgh have been given 437,000 in initial development funding but could yet be awarded a further 4.56 million once detailed proposals have been drawn up.The Category A-listed Neoclassical landmark has been empty for over 50 years but is set to be fitted with three performance spaces, rehearsal rooms and a recording studio, as well as a caf, bar and conference facilities, under approved plans by the Royal High School Preservation Trust.A project to conserve and repair the Grade II*-listed Kingsley Hall in Bristol has been awarded 4.76 million. The 319-year-old building was a Conservative club in the late 1800s but later became the headquarters of the Independent Labour Party, opened by party founder Keir Hardie in 1911.The scheme by Childs Sulzmann Architects and conservation architect Ashley Davies will see the 319-year-old building turned into a community space for local homelessness charity 1625 Independent People.AdvertisementThe National Lottery has pledged 4.68 million for Evans Vettoris plans to turn the Grade II*-listed Canada House in Sheffield into a new home for the Sheffield Music Academy and Sheffield Music Hub.The 1875 building was originally offices for the Sheffield United Gas Light Company but will now support young musicians and hold public programmes and performances under a new name:Harmony Works.The Tate Gallery has been given 2.85 million to restore the Palais de Danse in St Ives. The Grade II*-listed building was a cinema and dance hall in the early 1900s before becoming Barbara Hepworths second studio between 1961 and 1975.The building was gifted by Hepworths family to the Tate in 2015 and, once refurbished under plans drawn up by Adam Khan Architects, will provide studio and performance spaces, as well as recreation of Hepworths studio and a shop.Chichester Community Development Trust has been given 1.28 million to transform Grade II-listed former stables, known as the Marchwell Studios, into a makers space with affordable commercial floorspace.The derelict stables on the Graylingwell Hospital Estate in Chichester will provide training facilities and community activities aimed at supporting local residents into work, as well as space for creatives such as artists and architects. The scheme is being drawn up by Temple Ford Design.Finally, the National Lottery has given 768,000 towards Belfast City Councils 6.5 million redevelopment of Strand Arts Centre, which will see an Art Deco picture house dating to 1935 restored into a cinema with a caf, learning studios and performance space under plans by Hall Black Douglas.Royal High School Preservation Trust scheme by Richard Murphy Architects (approved 2024)Heritage projects awarded funding by National LotteryRoyal High SchoolLocationEdinburghGrantee Royal High School Preservation TrustAward: Initial development round grant award ofArchitect Richard Murphy ArchitectsCanada House, a home for Harmony WorksLocation SheffieldGrantee Award Architect Jumbo Water TowerLocation ColchesterGrantee Award Architect Reactivating the Palais de DanseLocation St IvesGrantee Award Architect Kingsley HallLocation BristolGrantee Award Architect The Marchwell Studios ProjectLocation Graylingwell, ChichesterGrantee Award Architect Strand Arts CentreLocation BelfastGrantee Award Architect 2025-01-22Will Ingcomment and share

The City of Westminsters planning committee voted to refuse the 20-storey canalside scheme Make's third iteration for the plot on Tuesday evening (21 January), going against the advice of its own planning officers to approve.The 605-bedroom proposal for Unite Students and building merchant Travis Perkins features two linked towers on a plot which sits between the Grand Union Canal and the Westway flyover. It had been set to replace an existing Travis Perkins yard on the site, while providing new facilities for the company at ground floor and mezzanine levels.Make had adapted the design following Westminster City Councils refusal of its previous design, on the advice of planning offices, in early 2022 splitting the mass into two towers and cutting 163 of the proposed bedrooms.AdvertisementBut Westminster councillors insisted the new scheme was still not sufficiently different to warrant their approval and created, they said, more harm than benefit to the borough. They upheld two out of three of the same reasons for refusal namely, the visual impact and residential mass of the development.Several councillors argued that the scheme would have a major negative impact on local residents and amenities, in particular on the residents of two neighbouring apartment blocks, Sheldon house and Dudley House.Speaking at the planning committee, one councillor said the proposal had a lot to be admired in terms of things [the design team] has sought to include and sought to address ... however, the underlying point here is the huge impact [] on surrounding residents.Another councillor said the benefits would not outweigh the acknowledged harm to surrounding heritage assets and amenities, insisting: I just don't think its sufficiently different from the previous scheme, which actually came forward with a recommendation for refusal.And a third councillor agreed: Given that our own housing needs allowances say we dont have a need for student accommodation in Westminster, I dont think we can justify the impact on residents in that area.Advertisement Source:Make Architects/design and access statementMake Architects all-new Baltic Wharf designs, featuring 605 student bedrooms, which was submitted to Westminster City Council in May 2024More than 100 objections had been lodged against the Make proposal, mainly over scale, arguing that it was overbearing and showed little change, height-wise. from the previous design (at a maximum height of 90.2m the latest proposal is just 0.5m lower in height than the previously refused scheme).Objectors also strongly opposed the use of land for student accommodation instead of housing, along with associated concerns over noise and anti-social behaviour.However, Westminster planning officers had argued that, while the latest redesign was still a substantial building, the re-arranged massing with two distinct towers instead of one block had created a more interesting architectural composition, improving the overall visual impact and making it more sympathetic to the views and sunlight benefit to local residents.Regarding objections to the building use for student housing, officers concluded that a desire for an alternative use is not a valid reason for refusal. They insisted that the public benefits of the proposed scheme, including major financial contributions, outweighed any harm caused.As well as 30 per cent affordable bedrooms on site and a 3.1 million payment towards Westminster councils affordable housing fund, public benefits were set to include a 683,000 payment towards employment programmes and 200,000 for cycle hire facilities, secured via a Section 106 agreement.The refused design, submitted for planning in May 2024, was Makes third design proposal for the Baltic Wharf site.The practices initial submission, in 2021, featured a stepped 22-storey block providing 843 beds. Make later amended the scheme to reduce its height, producing a 20-storey design with 768 beds but Westminster Council refused the amended 26,000m2 proposal in early 2022 on the advice of its planning officers, insisting that it would have a significant negative impact on neighbouring buildings.The latest design featured two carefully designed, distinct and separate buildings, connected by a podium level, which would have housed accommodation for students at Westminster-based Kings College London.According to the design and access statement, a brick-built gable end the last remaining original element of canalside architecture at this location was to be retained and celebrated.The scheme included a new canalside path, creating for the first time a continuous link along the canals north bank between Maida Vale and Paddington.A Unite Students spokesperson said the company is 'disappointed' that the application was refused despite the officers recommendation of approval, and will now be 'considering next steps with all parties'.Make Architects has been contacted for comment.

Flanking the northern edge of the Govan district and directly connected to the River Clyde, Water Row was once part of Glasgows renowned shipbuilding industry, which thrived from the 18th century until its decline in the mid-20th century. In its prime, large workforces were attracted to Govan, which resulted in rapid population growth and constructive development through tenement dwellings and industrial infrastructure. Economic hardship and social challenges arose when the shipping industry collapsed and thousands became unemployed, fracturing Govans tight-knit community and leaving the area overlooked and starved of investment for decades.However, in recent years dedicated grassroots efforts are revitalising Govan through local groups and organisations. Glasgow City Council has been supporting its growth in partnership with initiatives such as the Central Govan Action Plan, whose aim is to recharge the town with the vitality and activity it once boasted.It is under this partnership that Collective Architecture was commissioned to develop a mixed-use masterplan at Water Row for Govan Housing Association. The first phase, completed in May 2024, comprises five distinct linear blocks addressing the Clyde waterfront to the north and Govan Cross shopping centre to the south. Each block is a modest four to six storeys high; together they provide 92 apartments and six ground-floor commercial spaces.AdvertisementThe blocks are bound by a proud but permeable precast concrete and brick colonnade, which acts as a structural wayfinder for non-residents by wrapping the north, west and south public perimeter of the site. This effectively separates the blocks into private residential and public realms while managing a high footfall that lands directly in front of the scheme from the Govan-Partick footbridge.The bridge, which opened in September 2024, is a significant move in Glasgow City Councils goal to regenerate Govan and transform the citys waterfront. It reawakens a meaningful historical link between both sides of the river. Collective Architecture was aware of plans for the bridge from the outset and ensured that it became a focal point of the Water Row masterplan. Delays due to the Covid pandemic resulted in a positive opportunity for collaboration between Phase 1 of Water Row and the bridge development, so the projects opened months apart. Chris Burrows, principal officer within the councils planning service, has noted: The integration of new housing at Water Row with the public realm around the Govan-Partick Bridge is testament to the collaborative approach taken by Collective Architecture. Completion of the project is a major milestone in delivering the councils vision to make the River Corridor a vibrant, inclusive and well-connected place.The Scottish Environment Protection Agency had determined a one-in-200-year risk of flooding for the site and to address this the development is pulled back from the riverfront and raised about 1.1m above the pre-existing ground condition. Collective Architecture and landscape architect rankinfraser integrated this level change into the design, maintaining accessible public space and providing gradual slopes for residents into the schemes step-free internal courtyard. Commercial units, aiming to be filled by summer 2025, will anchor and perpetuate activity in the water-facing public space.The massing of the housing blocks is opened up by slate roofs whose pitches alternate in direction. The buildings get lower in height as they approach the River Clyde almost as a gesture of respect. Its clear that the schemes scale has been monitored so as not to compete with the surrounding historical context and instead it works to welcome the public deeper into Govan. AdvertisementProject architect Mairi Laverty says: The roof pitches came from the masterplan stages as an idea of ribbons in linear forms running down to the river. They allow views through, while echoing the strong gables around the wider site.The schemes five blocks frame an internal courtyard. Openings in the perimeter colonnade allow access and strategic views through the development. The courtyard consists of semi-public space, play space, vehicle access and parking spaces for an overall 40 per cent of the units, a reduced parking ratio justified by the strong accessible transport links bus, subway, cycling and pedestrian routes in the local area.The schemes material palette is restrained, comprising brick, concrete and zinc cladding. Two subtly different tones of brick reflect the blonde sandstone of Govan & Linthouse Parish Church (Robert Baldie, 1873) and the red sandstone of the former British Linen Bank (James Salmon Jr, 1897), both in the developments immediate context. These tones are united in the red pigmented zinc that clads recessed pocket balconies and wraps the sharp undulating dormer windows on the south elevation, creating a landmark faade at Govan Cross. A belt of buff red soldier brick runs along the datum height of the colonnade, banding the development together and providing a clean and cost-effective detail for passers-by to experience while visually separating the active ground-floor spaces from residential above.Above ground floor level are varying two-bed, four-person apartment types all designed to the Glasgow Standard. Resident Jade McKenzie welcomed us into her dual-aspect flat, which sits at the south-western edge of Block 1C. We entered a bright, L-shaped corridor before coming into the living/dining/kitchen area, which is lit from large openings in the west and south elevations. The two bedrooms are arranged to the south-east. One bedroom gives onto a large, recessed balcony with extensive views across south-west Govan. Each space offers abundant natural light and freedom of movement, since almost unnoticeable recessed sprinklers allowed for fire-rated doors to be dispensed with.Its clear that Collective Architecture kept the project focused on quality and the residents experience. Laverty recalls: We fought hard not to have any balconies compromised nor value-engineered out.However, the architects collaborated closely with the contractor, CCG, to value-engineer smaller areas that didnt sacrifice the people-centred design quality nor sustainability ethos of the proposal. Stairwells were made more compact and commercial floorplates were reduced to support economic equilibrium. The development is one of the first social housing projects in Glasgow not to use gas boilers. High-retention storage heaters heat each room within the units, which work efficiently in tandem with Collectives fabric-first, robust envelope.As well as aiming for a Passivhaus standard of detailing, the scheme aspires to be socially sustainable. A representative of Govan Housing Association comments that the company managing the maintenance of the scheme will provide apprenticeships and youth training programmes, adding that any money made through the development and its subsequent phases will be reinvested back into the area. Care, collaboration and patience are legible ingredients of Collective Architectures people-centred design at Water Row. As the first phase of their mixed-use masterplan, the housing scheme has set a standard in Glasgow City for high-quality, sustainably integrated architecture produced through tenacity and contextual understanding.Water Row not only sets a robust precedent for quality affordable housing rooted in place, but its considerate site response and integration into an historically significant site is laudable. Echoing the character of its context, collaboration has been part of the project development and elemental to its success, and Glasgow will continue to see the benefits recycled back into the economic and social structure of Govan.Aoife Blthnaid Nolan is an architectural assistant and founder of Glasgow-based ism architecture magazineProject dataStart on sitePhase 1: September 2018Completion30 April 2024Gross internal floor area10,026m2Construction cost24.7 millionConstruction cost per m22,464 (including externals and public realm)ArchitectCollective ArchitectureClientGovan Housing Association/Glasgow City CouncilStructural engineerG3 Consulting EngineersQuantity surveyor Brown + WallaceLandscape architectrankinfraser landscape architectureLighting designFoto-MAProject managerN/APrincipal designerG3 Consulting EngineersCDM co-ordinatorBrown + WallaceApproved building inspector Glasgow City CouncilMain contractorCCG (Scotland)CAD software usedRevitSustainability dataPercentage of floor area with daylight factor >2%Not calculatedPercentage of floor area with daylight factor >5%Not calculatedOn-site energy generation30.1%Heating and hot water load40.59 kWh/m2/yrTotal energy load31.72 kWh/m2/yrCarbon emissions (all)16.46 kgCO2/m2Annual mains water consumptionUnknownAirtightness at 50Pa4.36 m3/hr/m2 (average)Overall thermal bridging heat transfer coefficient (Y-value)0.06 W/m2K (average)Overall area-weighted U-value0.26 W/m2K (average across all elements)Embodied/ whole-life carbon Not calculatedPredicted design life60-80 years

The private house has been designed for a 1.66ha area of predominantly grassland in green belt-designated countryside just south of Bispham Green, west Lancashire.West Lancashire Borough Councils planning department granted the scheme planning permission in October, via delegated powers.Planning officers concluded that the highly bespoke and contemporary design met the policy exception for new dwellings in the countryside as set out in paragraph 84e of the National Planning Policy Framework.AdvertisementThe exemption clause (formerly paragraph 80) allows new, isolated homes to be built in the open countryside if they are deemed of exceptional design quality and would significantly enhance [the] immediate setting. Source:Shaw and JaggerApproved: Shaw and Jagger's Paragraph 84 house in the Lancashire green belt - Aerial viewThe two-storey, four-bedroom house has been designed so that the landscape takes centre stage, according to Shaw and Jagger.Designed in collaboration with engineers Webb Yates, the building features tree-like cross-laminated timber columns set out in a grid formation derived from the spacing of osier plants a type of willow tree commonly found in fenlands and near rivers.The interlocking structure, designed to create a continuation of the landscape, will support a predominantly glazed faade.The house will span 780m across both floors, with an additional 100m detached garage. The plan features a large, open plan living area, described as a great hall, on the ground floor, with a central spiral staircase leading up to a first-floor gallery from which bedrooms are accessed.AdvertisementThe proposed development includes a biomass heating system fuelled by willow harvested on the site.Shaw and Jagger is hoping to to achieve a Biodiversity Net Gain of 106 per cent with the project.In their report, planning officers said: The proposed landscaping and osier planting to enable the restoration of a lost historic landscape would enhance the visual amenity and landscape character of the area and result in significant ecological gain in the form of a 106 per cent increase in the biodiversity of the site.Shaw and Jagger said: Viewed from the surrounding landscape, the impact of the house will change through the seasons as the willow is pollarded for harvesting, providing a bold architectural backdrop directly related to agricultural biomass production. Internally, the contemporary family home will remain as a dramatic architectural statement. Source:Shaw and JaggerApproved: Shaw and Jagger's Paragraph 84 house in the Lancashire green belt - Night viewPROJECT DATALocationLancashire GreenbeltLocal authorityWest LancashireType of project Dwelling under provision of NPPF Country House ClauseClientPrivateArchitect Steven Tyson c/o Shaw and Jagger ArchitectsLandscape architect Shaw and Jagger ArchitectsPlanning consultant NoneStructural engineer Webb YatesM&E consultant Webb YatesPrincipal designer Shaw and JaggerFunding PrivateTender date Early Spring 2025Start on site date Late Spring 2025Completion date 2027Contract duration Two years approxGross internal floor area 814mAnnual CO2 emissions UnknownTotal cost Undisclosed

The Category A-listed masterpiece, designed with his wife Margaret Macdonald and originally built as a home for publisher Walter Blackie in 1902, is currently wrapped in a transparent box to protect it during restoration works.Last month NTS secured a 1.1 million package of initial development funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, some of which will be used on drawing up designs for new visitor facilities, as part of its wider Mackintosh Illuminated project.This programme, which aims to shine a spotlight on the creative genius of the design duo, also includes a focus on the pairs 1903 Category A-listed Willow tearoom in Glasgows Sauchiehall Street, which the conservation charity acquired a year ago.AdvertisementThe funding package is the first stage of a larger 7.3 million lottery award and NTS said the monies will allow it to continue the ongoing conservation work at Hill House.Afflicted with chronic damp, the landmark will remain under the Carmody Groarke-designed transparent box for another three years. Installed in 2019, this pioneering wrap-around porous cage is designed to let the house slowly dry out. Source:Johan Dehlin2021 Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award finalist: The Hill House Box, Helensburgh, by Carmody GroarkeThe trust said: This new funding will enable [us] to move forward with the full removal of the current render, to find a replacement which will resolve the longstanding damp issue, remove the box in 2028 and provide updated, permanent visitor facilities, including a caf, shop and toilet facilities at the site on Upper Colquhoun Street in Helensburgh.The AJ understands its is unlikely the new visitor centre will be built before the shroud is dismantled but that the hunt for a design team will start within the next few months, with an appointment due this summer.The NTS said it continues to work with architects LDN and engineers Narro Associates on completing a research and development exercise on the material and physical issues affecting the house.A spokesperson said: Those findings formed a major component of the [lottery funding] application.AdvertisementAs part of the bid, we explored issues of scale, facilities, location and fabrication methods of the new visitor centre. [However] we look forward to the creativity of the new team to explore that further and provide the Trust with options to decide on.The NTS said the procurement for the new design team would be openly advertised and that it had considered the option of a possible competition.The spokesperson added: The route this procurement takes has not been finalised yet but is under discussion. A competition would be an advantage in terms of raising profile. We are also keen to maintain a momentum on the project and its programme, and this is also a key factor in the route we will decide to take.Liz Davidson, the NTSs project director at Hill House said: We are very excited by the opportunities that the Mackintosh Illuminated project will provide to share, celebrate and inspire as many as possible with the creative genius of Mackintosh and Macdonald, at both Hill House and Mackintosh at the Willow.At the Hill House, Macintosh sought a modern interpretation of a traditional Scottish tower house with characteristic slate roofing, roughcast walls, prominent gables, and similar features. The house was gifted to the Trust in 1982 and is the finest surviving example of his domestic properties.Carmody Groarke landed the job to build the box in 2017 following a contest in which it was selected ahead of Denizen Works. Work began on site at the end of 2018.

The finalists include emerging talent Freehaus, which was among the last cohort of AJ 40 under 40 practices in 2020; Paris and Brussels-based New South, which was shortlisted in last years AR Emerging awards; and Office Sian, which featured in the Architecture Foundations 2021 publication, New Architects 4. Selected by the independent Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission, the list is completed by George King Architects, which designed the 2023 Sheffield Covid memorial sculpture, and education and community specialists Curl La Tourelle Head Architecture.The five were chosen from 28 multidisciplinary design entrants into the competition, launched in July last year, which aims to find a bold, fitting and lasting memorial to remember the 72 victims who lost their lives in the 2017 tragedy.AdvertisementAn exact timeline for developing the west London memorial depends on factors beyond the control of the commission, such as the governments decision about the future of the 24-storey Grenfell Tower itself, which is expected next month.However, a final team is expected to be announced in summer this year, ahead of a planning application in late 2026.The shortlisted teams will now face a second round of evaluation, which will include meeting the bereaved families, survivors and the community around Grenfell Tower.According to the competitions backers, significant due diligence checks were carried out on all the shortlisted practices to make sure that any team, organisation or individual potentially working on the memorial did not bear any potential responsibility for the tragedy.Over the next six months, the teams will be asked to show their relevant professional and specialist expertise, including architecture, landscape architecture and structural and mechanical engineering.AdvertisementThe organisers said the designers must also present their strong experience of working collaboratively with communities.The shortlistCurl La Tourelle Head ArchitectureFreehausGeorge King Architects with Grow to KnowNew SouthOffice SianSpeaking today (21 January), the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission said: Having a shortlist of teams brings us another step closer to turning the Grenfell communitys memorial vision into a physical reality.Through this process, we intend to identify and appoint a specialist and worthy design team, one that has proven experience of working on sensitive and community-focused projects, and who can leave no doubt in our minds about the integrity with which they will approach the vital task of designing a beautiful and fitting future memorial.Our 72 loved ones, and our community, deserve nothing less.Thelma Stober and Paul Boateng, co-chairs of the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission, said: We have given our word, from the outset, that the voices of the entire Grenfell community must take priority in the memorial decision-making process, both now and in the future.The voices of the Grenfell community must take priority in the memorial decision-making processWe hope that bereaved families, survivors and those living close to Grenfell Tower will feel able to participate in the selection of a design team and, later on, contribute to the co-design of the memorial, in whichever way feels appropriate and meaningful for them.They added: This will ensure that the final design embodies a profound tribute to the 72 lives lost and provides a lasting place for loved ones to pay their respects, mourn, and feel connected to their memories.Each of the shortlisted teams is expected to receive a 20,000 honorarium to participate in the competitions second round.In 2021, survivors and relatives of those who died in the fire accused the government of trying to demolish the tower blocks remains without consulting them. Three years later, frustrated at the lack of progress, survivors and representatives of family members of victims criticised the years-long wait for a resolution, with the tower remaining under wrapping. The 340 million cost of maintaining the structure and delivering a memorial, as revealed in a government report published in 2022, was also slammed.Q&A at the launch of the contest in July 2024Paul Boateng, co-chair of the Grenfell Tower Memorial CommissionPaul BoatengWhy are you launching an open search for a design team to work with the Grenfell community to create a new memorial?At the heart of this international design team selection process is a desire to acknowledge the catastrophic events of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and to remember the lives of those that were lost. Through the power of design, our wish is to create a place where people can gather. Where together, or individually, they can reflect on the tragedy, gain strength, and honour the memories of their loved ones.Whether you are from London, from across the United Kingdom or based overseas, the Commissions community representatives, Thelma [Stober] and I strongly encourage you to consider building a team. Please describe your motivation for submitting your expression of interest to design a respectful, bold and lasting memorial to those who lost their lives. We are hopeful that prospective teams will feel honoured and inspired to submit an initial proposal for this highly significant and sensitive design commission.What is the commissions and Grenfell communitys vision for the future form the memorial could take?Our fundamental pledge, from the outset, has been to prioritise the voices and wishes of the entire Grenfell community in the memorial decision-making process, both now and in the future. The Grenfell communitys most frequently-mentioned suggestion is for a landscaped garden to be the memorials central element. This will also be complemented with a building or structure that provides shelter and space for reflection. Additionally, there is a hope to include a monument or artwork.The physical memorial must prominently display and incorporate: the names of the 72 victims; a sense of height; light, and water. We also need to see reflections of the diverse mix of faiths and cultural backgrounds to which those taken from us, and those who survived, belong.Together, these physical features will enrich the memorial to make it truly meaningful, bold and fitting for Grenfell. This must be a place where respect and remembrance resonate in every aspect and detail.What sort of teams would you like to see step forward for this important opportunity? This community deserves, and should get, nothing but the best. Grenfell was a unique tragedy and the memorial, and the successful design team, must be equally unique. Prospective teams should be multi-disciplinary, sensitive, and diverse. We absolutely want to see demonstrable previous experience of working collaboratively with communities. The required professional expertise includes lead design consultancy, landscape architecture, and structural and building services engineering. You may also consider including other areas of expertise such as artists and lighting specialists.This is an opportunity for the successful team to create a globally significant memorial of lasting beauty and impact, which faithfully incorporates the aspirations of a too-often neglected community for a place of remembrance, reflection and restoration.We do hope that the design profession will seize this moment to play a part in healing the wounds of a deadly and systemic failure, brought about by those responsible for the construction and management of the built environment at Grenfell.2025-01-21Richard Waitecomment and share

The Brambell Laboratory at Bangor University has been Grade II-listed, while the Grade I listing for the universitys 1911 Main Arts Building has been expanded to include its New Arts wing, which was added in 1963.Completed in 1971, the Brambell Laboratory was dubbed Eyesore of the Year by a local newspaper in 1970, according to The Twentieth Century Society (C20).The still-operational building in Deiniol Road was designed in the 1960s for Bangor Universitys Zoology department by Welsh architecture practice Sir Percy Thomas and Son.AdvertisementIt formed part of a wider masterplan for Bangor University, unveiled by the architects in 1962, during a period of rapid expansion in higher education provision across the UK.Sir Percy Thomas and Sons masterplan for Bangor involved rebuilding the universitys science campus in modern orthogonal blocks between five and 10 storeys tall.C20 describe the Brambell Laboratory building as possessing a Brutalist sensibility [] based on a clear expression of structure and materials to create a memorable, almost temple-like image. Source:Jonathan ViningIt features a redbrick core, hugged by a colonnade of bush-hammered concrete columns, beneath an inverted ziggurat of upper levels.The building was named after Francis WR Brambell, Bangor Universitys head of zoology from 1930 until his death in the 1960s, whose scientific research and discoveries focused on how immunity is passed from mothers to their young as embryos.AdvertisementAlthough Brambell was heavily involved in the design of the building, he died during its construction and a decision was subsequently made to name the building after him.It continues to be used by the university for zoology and biology teaching and research and has been the home of Northwest Cancer Researchs Bangor Institute since 2004.Meanwhile, Bangor Universitys New Arts building, also by Sir Percy Thomas and Son, is described by C20 as a flat-roofed, concrete-framed Modernist cuboid. It was a 1960s addition to the universitys previously listed, early 1900s Main Arts Building, designed by Henry Hare in the Collegiate Tudor style with Arts and Crafts influences.The two freshly listed Bangor buildings become the first two post-war buildings to be listed in 2025 acrossEngland and Wales.

The project was first conceived in 2007, co-ordinating with the design and eventual construction of the Elizabeth Line station beneath the site. As such, the building was designed to be flexible to adapt to changing market conditions across the long project programme. Sustainability is central to the design, with rooftop photovoltaic panels, a biodiverse trellis wall planted with wildflowers and a fully electric energy system. Source:Jack HobhouseThe high-specification workspaces have generous 3m floor-to-ceiling heights with openable windows, providing natural light and fresh air. Balconies and terraces with plantings offer outdoor meeting spaces and amenities are provided to support active and sustainable commuting, including secure bicycle storage, a repair station and premium changing rooms with showers.The material palette of terracotta, stone, and bronze responds to neighbouring historic buildings. The local streetscape is enhanced by a public art installation,Anatomy of Time, by Clare Twomey, which rises six storeys up the west faade, embedded in its terracotta louvres. It depicts ancient plants that once thrived in this area of Mayfair, and traces the path of the lost River Tyburn.Advertisement Source:Jack HobhouseArchitects viewWith 65 Davies Street, we set out to blend connectivity, sustainability, and architectural heritage into a seamless expression of contemporary workplace architecture. Having started the design over 15 years ago, to integrate with the Elizabeth Line station below, our challenge was to create a building of enduring adaptability and quality while setting new standards for sustainability and wellbeing.Our design reflects the areas legacy of terracotta faades, intricate craftsmanship and natural heritage. Clare Twomeys artwork, inspired by local flora, brings life to the faade, while native wildflowers climb a biodiverse trellis, linking the building to its natural context and adjacent green spaces. Inside, the lobby design celebrates the buildings connection to its context and history, integrating shapes from former building footprints in the finishes, carpets and furniture to create a tactile link to the past in a space that all users engage with daily. The materials help to maintain a dialogue with the buildings surroundings, using complementary materials and colours, including stone and bronze.We always set out to create exceptional places to work in. Office floors feature generous terraces, high ceilings, and openable windows that flood the rooms with natural light. These spaces are supported by top-end cycle facilities and changing rooms to promote healthy lifestyles. Through all these different initiatives, we were able to achieve WELL accreditation, BREEAM Excellent, and Wiredscore Platinum certifications.In 65 Davies Street, I think we have created a building that feels truly at home in Mayfair and that will contribute to the long-term success of this vibrant urban area.Ron Bakker, founding partner, PLP Architecture Source:Jack HobhouseClients viewOne of the best-connected offices in London, 65 Davies Street is a fantastic addition to Mayfair, blending heritage and modernity to create outstanding office space that blends seamlessly into its historic environment. Its testament to its design, amenities and the quality of the space that it was fully pre-let so far ahead of its completion.Alongside South Molton, the West Ends largest mixed-used development, and our transformation of Grosvenor Square into an extraordinary urban garden, 65 Davies Street forms part of a wider series of investments to ensure Mayfair remains a pre-eminent place for visitors, residents and businesses.Tom White, senior project manager, Grosvenor Source:PLP ArchitectureProject dataStart on site October 2021CompletionNovember 2023Gross internal floor area 9,058m2Form of contract JCT Design and buildArchitect PLP ArchitectureClient GrosvenorStructural engineer ArupM&E consultant ArupQS Gardiner & TheobaldProject manager Gardiner & TheobaldEmployers agent Gardiner & TheobaldMain contractor MultiplexFaade Thornton Tomasetti

The governments infrastructure watchdog has given the projects a red rating in its annual report, published on Thursday (16 January), meaning they have major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery.The New Hospital Programme, which was touted to deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030 and to rebuild a further five hospitals largely made with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, was also given a red rating.The report defines red-rated projects as those where: Successful delivery [] appears to be unachievable. There are major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable.Adjaye Associates plans for a Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens has been given a red rating for the consecutive third year. The project remains on hold while the government tries to overturn a Victorian law prohibiting construction in the gardens.AdvertisementThe Holocaust Memorial Bill was reintroduced by the government in July 2024, more than two years after the High Court ruled to uphold the London County Council (Improvements) Act 1900, which holds the site cannot be built on.Meanwhile, HS2 Phase 1 remains under construction, including stations at Old Oak Common, Solihull and Birminghams Curzon Street designed by WilkinsonEyre, Arup and Grimshaw respectively.The mega-project is not due to complete until the early 2030s and, as plans stand, will not carry passengers into central London. The development of an HS2 terminus at Euston Station is still shrouded in uncertainty as stakeholders consider how to build a more affordable scheme.Other projects given a red rating in the IPAs annual report include the UK Health Security Agencys plans for a science hub in Harlow. Last year the National Audit Office said the cost of the project had increased sixfold, to 3.2 billion, with an opening date of 2036 at the earliest.In a foreword to the report, Georgina Gould, parliamentary secretary at the Cabinet Office, repeated the governments pledge to publish a national infrastructure strategy in spring, saying that it would set out government investment in schools and hospitals as well as energy and transport projects.AdvertisementGould also hailed the forthcoming creation of a National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, which is set to combine the functions of the IPA and National Infrastructure Commission.She said the body would have an enhanced role in supporting major projects, bringing oversight of strategy and delivery into one organisation, developing and implementing our 10-year national infrastructure strategy and driving more effective delivery of infrastructure across the country.2025-01-20Will Ingcomment and share

The university plans to close its RIBA Part 2-accredited Masters in Architecture and Landscape Architecture (MALA) course with effect from the start of the next academic year (September 2025), in a move that the course leader says would leave a big hole in [the schools] unique position in architectural education.Staff members who lead the MALA course were unaware it was being scrapped until November, the AJ understands.Sheffield University cited low uptake as its main reason for shutting the course, which has been running for 10 years, adding that the decision was made amid a wider backdrop of financial challenges facing the UK higher education sector.AdvertisementThe AJ understands course numbers have averaged less than six students a year following the Covid-19 pandemic, but that this number was expected to increase significantly following expansion of the universitys Architecture and Landscape undergraduate course (BA) this year.The MALA course is one of multiple postgraduate courses being scrapped across Sheffield Universitys Architecture and Landscape Architecture departments. Critics of the move complain at the lack of consultation which preceded the faculty-level decision.HLM Architects completed refurbishment of the Grade II*-listed Arts Tower in Sheffield, home to Sheffield Universitys School of ArchitectureA Change.org petition declaring an urgent appeal to prevent closure of the MALA course has been signed by more than 750 people, including existing students, alumni, and architecture and landscape professionals from LDA Design and Levitt Bernstein.Set up by Sheffield University Architecture and Landscape Architecture BA graduate Sam Penrose, the appeal accuses the university of going behind the backs of students in its decision on the courses future which it describes as disrespectful to the courses success and damaging for BA students who wished to continue onto the Masters.Penrose told the AJ the decision was a move made directly against my future. Calling for a proper and fair consultation about the future of the course with those it will affect, he added: Current students and alumni of the dual course couldnt be more clear in our unanimous and passionate stance against this decision.AdvertisementLevitt Bernstein director Jo McCafferty, who has been an external examiner for the MALA course and other Sheffield architecture courses since 2020, said the unique combined course is woven so closely together with the architectural undergraduate degree and its students, [that] it is a genuine strength of the school.Praising the quality of MALAs teaching and its focus on climate and sustainability, McCafferty added: This course should be expanded, valued, promoted and celebrated not cut.And Sophie Thompson, a director at landscape architecture firm LDA design, said she had personally recruited many excellent graduates from the MALA and Sheffields other dual courses.Thompson argued: These graduates stand out because of the interdisciplinary nature of their thinking and ability to work well in multidisciplinary environments. In this context I would strongly oppose this decision.MALA course leader Howard Evans told the AJ that the support for MALA from students, alumni and practices was fantastic to witness.Evans, who set up the course in 2015 to be a continuation of Sheffields then 15-year-old dual Architecture and Landscape undergraduate course, told the AJ: We were hoping to have a nice big celebration of 10 years of the dual Masters, and 25 years of the dual undergraduate. So this has rather come out of the blue.The course lead said he hoped the university would reverse the decision to close the course which has no pedagogical rationale and which will leave the School of Architecture and Landscape with a big hole in its unique position in architectural education.According to Sheffield Universitys website, the MALA course is still taking online applications for 2025 entry.But a spokesperson for Sheffield University said: Unfortunately we have seen a very low number of students register their interest in some of our postgraduate Landscape and Architecture courses, so we have decided to suspend recruitment to those particular programmes for 2025.We are very proud of our School of Architecture and Landscape, which is highly respected and has strong connections with the professions. We are still offering postgraduate courses in these fields.The spokesperson said Sheffield University regularly reviews its courses to ensure they meet the needs of students, industry and professions, and we often make changes to reflect this.They added that, in light of financial challenges facing the UK higher education sector, it was more important than ever to ensure we are offering courses that meet the needs of prospective students and employers.It is understood students currently undertaking the two-year MALA course will be able to complete it.Sheffield University told local newspaper The Sheffield Star in November that it was offering a voluntary severance scheme to staff across as part of plans to address a looming 50 million financial shortfall over the next two years.Architecture was among the top-performing courses and departments targeted by the redundancies, which also included Civil Engineering, Journalism, East Asian Studies, Materials Engineering and Information Management, the Sheffield Star reported.Comment: This decision has no pedagogical rationaleHoward Evans, director, Architecture and Landscape Architecture BA & MArch, Sheffield UniversityWhile there has been no official announcement confirming the courses closure, the students, alumni and practice support for MALA is fantastic to witness. When the course was set up in 2015, it was as a continuation of the dual degree programme which by that time had been running for 15 years.The dual programmes at the University of Sheffield have pioneered integrated learning in two of the most significant industries in the built environment sector.The programmes have professional validation from the RIBA, ARB and LI, making them globally unique. The programmes make the most of the close connections between two of the UK's most prestigious departments the School of Architecture and Department of Landscape to develop graduates that understand the specific language of both disciplines. MALA is now lauded by leading practices, the RIBA, the Landscape Institute and external examiners as being one of the most important courses in the country, due to its graduates ability to understand the built environment in a truly holistic manner.The course has positively impacted the single-honours peers who are increasingly understanding the place of landscape at the heart of climate resilient futures. It is hoped that we can reverse the decision to close the course, which has no pedagogical rationale and will leave the School of Architecture and Landscape with a big hole in its unique position in architectural education.

The building, designed by Nimmo & Partners to replace the 1930s Associated British Pictures Corporations headquarters, which previously stood on the site, has been expanded by John Robertson Architects to offer 2,739m2 of office space over eight floors. The increase in floorspace was enabled by removing rooftop plant screen to create an additional office level and partially infilling the rear courtyard.The refurbishment respects the character of the surrounding heritage area. New mansard roofs on the upper floors echo the style of neighbouring buildings. The main entrance has been redesigned with changes to the faade at the corner of Golden Square and the ground floor now includes a larger reception area and a flexible retail unit. Source:Edmund SumnerTerraces have been added on several floors, including a communal rooftop terrace with seating and planters, creating a verdant space in a dense urban area. The buildings exterior uses neutral materials to blend in with the historic surroundings: Portland stone, dark-grey aluminium panels and zinc cladding. Public art from the original faade has been retained, depicting the sites history from becoming the home of distinguished 19th-century surgeon John Hunter to its more recent connections with the film industry.Advertisement Source:Peter CookArchitects view30 Golden Square highlights JRAs retro-first approach. The key design move has been the re-imagining of the building services strategy to create both an additional floor of accommodation and a communal roof terrace with fantastic views over Golden Square and Soho. The design and materiality tie the building back into the fabric and history of the site and has been well received by tenants looking for best-in-class facilities.Festus Moffat, director, John Robertson Architects Source:JRAStreet elevationProject dataGross floor area 4417m2Form of contract Design and BuildConstruction cost 14.2 millionConstruction cost per m2 3,215Architect John Robertson ArchitectsClient Aviva InvestorsProject manager AlbanPlanners Gerald EvePrincipal designer Lesley ClarkCommunity consultants ConcillioStructural engineer Taylor Whalley SpyraCost consultant MadlinsHeritage consultant Kevin Murphy HeritageSustainability consultant CundallBuilding control officer SocotecLighting consultant GIA EquationM&E consultant and sustainability consultant CundallFire engineering Consultant Trenton FireFaade consultant Thornton TomasettiAcoustic consultant CundallMain contractor StructuretoneEnvironmental performance dataAirtightness at 50Pa 9.49 m3/h.m2DHW heating demand 14,534 kWh/yrTotal regulated emissions (Part L 2013 Baseline (TER)) 98 tonnes CO2/yrTotal regulated emissions (Be Lean) 77.2 tonnes CO2/yrTotal energy demand 336.9 MWh/yr

The London-based practices proposal for the seaside town would see the site a now-demolished office building and associated car park redeveloped into a mixed use community with 26 new homes, 40 per cent of which would be affordable.The plans, for the former Carnarvon House and car park include new green space, community space, and makerspace, as well as a new more accessible connection to the seafront.Conran and Partners was appointed to the job by Tendring District Council (TDC).AdvertisementThe scheme forms part of the councils wider 30 million regeneration of Clacton-on-Seas town centre, following a successful bid for government funding by TDC and its partners. Source:Conran and PartnersA 420,000 grant from phase two of the government's Brownfield Land Release Fund will fund the now-complete demolition of Carnarvon House and further preparation works on the site.Conran and Partners said its design for the seafront site draws inspiration from Clactons Victorian heritage and the piers playful architecture.The proposed buildings include a four-storey residential block plus a series of five flexible mixed-use spaces and workshops, which will be managed by the local authority.Existing street-level parking will be relocated into a new four-storey, steel-framed structure behind an existing supermarket to create new green space, while other pockets of green space, play areas and seating will be spread throughout the site to mediate between the building typologies, according to Conran and Partners.AdvertisementThe architects said the scheme would meet local demand and regenerate a key car park area notorious for antisocial behaviour.Nick Edler, associate director at Conran and Partners, said the project would act as a catalyst for Clacton-on-Sea, giving back to the local community with new Council-run spaces, while creating a moment of pause a green stepping-stone between the station and the seafront.

Plans for the proposed 2.3ha embassy complex next to Tower Bridge were called in by the communities secretary and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner in October. A planning inquiry is due to be held on the scheme.On Monday (14 January), foreign secretary David Lammy and home secretary Yvette Cooper wrote a letter to the Planning Inspectorate arguing it was right for China to carry out its diplomatic work in the United Kingdom, as the United Kingdom does in China and that it was important for Britain and China to have functioning diplomatic premises in each others capitals phrases that appear to signal their support of the scheme.Lammy and Coopers comments are the first time UK government ministers have suggested their support for David Chipperfields designs for an embassy complex at the former Royal Mint which, if built, could be the biggest embassy in Europe.AdvertisementCampaigners and local councillors have long-questioned the Chinese embassy scheme on both national security and political grounds. Last month Tower Hamlets planning committee symbolically refused plans resubmitted last July.Lammy and Cooper added in their letter that the Metropolitan Police had withdrawn an objection about the spaces surrounding the embassy potentially attracting protestors, following assurances over the technical details.The intervention by Lammy and Cooper includes conditions about proposed changes to the submitted designs. These include demands for the introduction of a hard perimeter and the removal of unregulated public access to the proposed cultural centre.Should the embassy get the green light from Rayner, China has also been asked to consolidate all its London sites into one location.However, speaking to the Evening Standard, Tower Hamlets councillor Peter Golds said the letter from Lammy and Cooper was an extraordinary attempt to influence an independent inquiry into one of the most controversial planning applications seen in decades.He continued: This will be the largest embassy in Europe, a centre of potential disinformation located not only on a world heritage site but adjacent to the City of London, a world financial centre.In November, prime minister Keir Starmer raised the issue of the Chinese embassy plans during his first face-to-face meeting with Chinas president Xi Jinping. The same month, reports emerged of apolitical tit-for-tat between London and Beijing where plans for new UK embassy buildings, including one designed by Eric Parry Architects were on hold.AdvertisementIn December 2022 Tower Hamlets councillors refused an application for an identical scheme, a decision the Chinese government decided not to appeal against, seemingly abandoning the project. As a result, previous communities secretary Michael Gove never had the opportunity to rule on the scheme.London mayor Sadiq Khan chose not to intervene in the first application, even though concerns had been raised about protests, security and the projects potential harm to the neighbouring UNESCO World Heritage site at Tower Bridge.Protesters and local politicians also opposed the scheme because of Chinas repression of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur people and David Chipperfield was criticised for accepting the commission (Is the new Chinese embassy Chipperfields most controversial job?). Tower Hamlets has the largest Muslim population of any local authority in England and Wales, at 39.9 per cent.The Chinese Embassy said the original reasons for refusal by Tower Hamlets in December 2022 was without merit and have no basis in planning policy and that it was asking for the plans to be reconsidered.Chipperfield's scheme would refurbish the Grade II*-listed Johnson Smirke Building at the centre of the former Royal Mint site to include embassy space. A public square would be created in front of it, behind the sites gated entrance.The project also includes the restoration and revamp of the Grade II-listed Seamans Register, which was remodelled by RMJM in the 1980s. It would create a new Embassy House by splitting up and remodelling the conjoined, Sheppard Robson-designed Murray and Dexter House.The longer building, Dexter House, would contain flats for embassy staff. The buildings faade would be reconfigured to provide a calmer and more unified backdrop to the surrounding listed buildings. Meanwhile, Murray House would be repurposed into a new seven-storey Cultural Exchange building, clad in green ceramic.A UK Government spokesperson said: 'National security is the first duty of Government. It has been our core priority throughout this process.'That is why the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Home Office submitted written representations to reflect these considerations and to note the importance of all states having functioning diplomatic premises in each others capitals.'A final decision on this case will be made in due course by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government in her independent, quasi-judicial role.'

The competition, now in its sixth edition, features two prizes. The William Sutton Prize for Sustainability focuses on promoting the restoration and preservation of our natural world while the William Sutton Prize for Connected Communities aims to enhance community ties, promote inclusion, and strengthen the social fabric of Clarion neighbourhoods.The 125,000 overall prize pot will be split across the winners of each category. In addition to funding, the winners will also receive a tailored package of business support and the chance to collaborate with Clarion and their partners and sector-leading experts to turn their boldest and brightest ideas into reality.The initiative is open to English organisations and all UK individuals aged over 18. It is named after Clarion Housing Groups founder, a Victorian entrepreneur who bequeathed his fortune to providing public housing.AdvertisementClarions chief executive Clare Miller said: Through The William Sutton Prizewe are proud to collaborate with those who are pioneering new innovations and cutting-edge thinking. Kickstarting our 125th year anniversary celebrations, this years prize is our most ambitious to date and we are delighted to be able to increase the value of the funding thanks to the support of our partners.Were focusing our efforts on tackling two major societal issues preserving and restoring nature, and the need for truly connected communities and I cant wait to see what innovative ideas are put forward.Bell Phillips Architects won the 2023 prize alongside Building with Nature, an organisation that provides planners and developers with guidance on delivering high-quality green infrastructure. Bell Phillips Architects winning concept (pictured) imagined a pathway to net zero through the development of a new vernacular architecture for all buildings below 11m, using natural building materials.Tim Bell, director of Bell Phillips Architects, said:Winning The William Sutton Prize has enabled Bell Phillips to expand our focus on reducing embodied carbon in all the buildings we design.The Prize has provided us with dedicated research and development time for our in-house carbon calculation tool and to implement the findings of that into live projects across a range of building types it truly has been invaluable.AdvertisementMole Architects the 2022 prize with a zero-carbon community homebuilding system. Previous winners included AJ 40 under 40 star and emerging practice Surman Weston whose Hackney School of Food created a seed-to-spoon food education hub for primary school children within an old building and area of disused land.Clarion Housing Group formed nine years ago following a merger of Circle Housing Group and Affinity Sutton, which was founded after Suttons death in 1900. The housing association is today the largest in the UK, managing 125,000 homes across 170 local authorities.Sutton was born in the City of London in 1833 and created Sutton Carriers, the countrys first door-to-door parcel service. He bequeathed his entire fortune to a range of charitable projects including providing much-needed public housing across the capital.Judges for the latest edition of the prize will include Peter Murray OBE, co-founder of New London Architecture, Tara Gbolade, co-founding director of Gbolade Design Studio, Matt Harvey-Agyemang, co-founder of The POoR Collective, and Greg Fitzgerald, chief executive of Vistry Group.Murray said: It is an honour and privilege to be asked to judge The William Sutton Prize in Clarions 125th anniversary year. We need the best brains with the most ambition to match the transformative impact of Clarions founder, and Im really looking forward to receiving the submissions and meeting the people behind them.Competition detailsProject title William Sutton Prize 2025Client Clarion Housing GroupContract value125,000First round deadline Midday, 8 April 2025Restrictions Applications can be accepted from both not-for-profit and commercial organisations.These may be registered charities, community interest companies, social enterprises, community groups or registered companies, amongst others. Organisations must be registered to work in England and must be able to specify how their idea will make a positive contribution to helping the affordable housing sector and its communities achieve net zero by 2050. Successful projects should take place in EnglandMore information www.clarionhg.com/william-sutton-prize

John Mahama, who was inaugurated for his second term as Ghanaian president, announced an official review of the huge scheme to look at whether there had been any misuse of public funds.His predecessor, Nana Akufo-Addo, first unveiled plans for the landmark building in 2018. The proposal features a 5,000-seat auditorium, a museum, a crypt and extensive gardens and would be used for occasions of national import, such as presidential inaugurations and state funerals.Although Akufo-Addos government said the cathedral would be privately funded, the BBC reports around 47 million of taxpayers' money has been spent on the project, which ground to a halt a few years ago.AdvertisementAccording to the broadcaster, pressure had been mounting on authorities to drop the project [that] has divided opinions in a country hit by its worst economic crisis in a generation. Last year the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailed Ghana out with 2.5 billion of financial support and inflation is currently running at 23.8 per cent.The BBC reported that Mahama had used a thanksgiving service on Sunday (12 January), to announce a review of the scheme, saying: The commission on human rights and administrative justice (CHRAJ) directed government to audit the project and investigate any misuse of public funds. We would soon activate such an investigation into the project.Mahama suggested the scheme could, potentially, be redrawn to a reach a more reasonable budget, potentially on another site.He added: [In] the current circumstances that Ghana is going through, it makes no sense to achieve a project at a whopping sum of [330 million].The BBC reported that Mahamas announcement was followed a day later by the countrys new finance minister Cassiel Ato, telling a parliamentary committee the government would work to cut off wasteful expenditure and the national cathedral project [was] one of them.While in opposition, the now-elected National Democratic Congress party raised questions over the appointment of Ghanaian-British architect David Adjayes firm to the job.In 2022 the AJ reported allegations made by the party that the practice had been given the contract without recourse to public procurement law. This allegation was strongly rejected by project backer, the National Cathedral of Ghana Secretariat.It is understood Adjaye Associates was originally appointed by the office of the president in 2019, on fees worth 17 million, or 10 per cent of the initial project estimate of 180 million.AdvertisementConstruction of the scheme began in March 2020 but stopped in 2022 with more than 200 workers made redundant, according to local news outlets. Aerial pictures suggested the 5.5ha site has been cleared, but work on an above-ground structure has not started. Source:Ed ReeveNational Cathedral of GhanaThe Cathedral scheme was the brainchild of Akufo-Addo, who vowed to build a temple to thank God for his successful presidential election campaign in 2016.Adjaye Associates contract was as lead consultant on the project National Cathedral of Ghana. That contract is understood to have specified 23 project roles, including architect, project manager, structural engineer, civil engineer, landscape architect, quantity surveyor, envelope engineer, transport engineer and geotechnical consultant. It is believed the practice worked with a team which includes 14 other consultants.Adjaye Associates declined to comment. The Ghanaian Public Procurement Authority and the National Cathedral of Ghana Secretariat have been contacted for comment.In 2023 allegations of sexual misconduct against practice founder David Adjaye reported in the Financial Times sent shockwaves through the profession and led the company's clients to cancel a series of projects. The allegations have always been strongly denied by lawyers speaking on his behalf.In a statement to the newspaper Adjaye said: I absolutely reject any claims of sexual misconduct, abuse or criminal wrongdoing. These allegations are untrue, distressing for me and my family and run counter to everything I stand for.But he went on to say: I am ashamed to say that I entered into relationships which, though entirely consensual, blurred the boundaries between my professional and personal lives.

Bromptons proposed 100 million headquarters in Ashford, Kent, secured the backing of Ashford Borough Councils planning committee last night (15 January). Councillors voted by 10 to two in favour of the scheme, which is backed by developer Quinn Estates.If built, the proposals would deliver a new factory, 46,000m2 of office space, a museum and wetlands on a 40ha site just south of Ashford town centre and RSHPs Ashford Designer Outlet, completed in 2001.However, Bromptons accounts for the year ending March 2024 have potentially put the scheme in doubt. Companies House filings showed profits at the west London-based business collapsed by more than 99 per cent, dropping from 10.7 million to 4,602 since March 2023.AdvertisementPlanning officers in Ashford, Kent, had recommended the project for approval days after The Guardian reported that the Brompton HQ scheme had been paused. The same report said Brompton had canceled dividends to shareholders as a result of the fall in profit.Speaking at the committee, Brompton CEO Will Butler-Adams said its plans for Ashford were so the business which he admitted had fallen to zero profitability could find its real home. He added that the company had moved five times in its 50 years and that moving was not easy.Butler-Adams continued: We looked at Ashford, Manchester, Birmingham right across the UK and it was Ashford that [] stood above the rest.Ashfords councillors approved the proposal after debating the flood risk of the development, which planning officers said would provide a net gain of 400 cubic meters of compensatory storage area for floodwater. Planning officers had recommended the project.Hollaway Studios designs for the cycle manufacturer were first shown off in 2022. The scheme includes new structure on stilts floating 2.2m above rewilded greenfield land, with room for increasing Bromptons 850 staff to as many as 1,500.AdvertisementThe scheme features no car parking, but has a circular walking and cycle path, which, according to Hollaway, will provide both expansive views of the site and multisensory experiences of the factory.Hollaway added that the campus would be carbon-neutral and use natural light and air flows, as well as using wind and solar power to contribute to its energy demands.Speaking to the AJ following approval, Hollaway told the AJ: This is a real milestone for Brompton and Hollaway Studio. Weve been working closely with this innovative client for the last few years to bring this application to committee and in the process we have managed to overcome many challenges.The practice continued: The project allows for development in a flood zone 3, zero parking and is situated in a green corridor. All of these aspects required innovative design solutions and, working with a great team, weve managed to overcome. We very much look forward, in time, to continuing to work with Brompton in the next steps to realise this project.Founded in 1976, Brompton specialises in compact, foldable bikes and is now the largest bicycle manufacturer in the UK. It has said the new building will be perfectly located between London and Paris two of its biggest markets.Brompton has been contacted for comment.

Planners at the east London authority had recommended refusal for the 17-storey office-led scheme on the City fringe site between Whitechapel High Street and Commercial Road. The proposal was a redesign of an earlier, lower scheme for the same 0.67ha plot in the Whitechapel High Street Conservation Area, which was rejected in 2022.The boroughs officers had said that the latest applications benefits would not outweigh the harm to designated heritage assets, adding that it did not represent high quality or place-sensitive design by virtue of its layout, scale, bulk and height, appearance and architectural features.They also feared the 82.5m-tall scheme which went against the councils development plan would not respect or integrate positively with the finer-grained, low to medium-rise context of the site and would have adverse effects on existing residents and the learning environment at Canon Barnett Primary School.AdvertisementHowever, following a site visit, members of the councils strategic development committee unanimously voted last night (15 January) that they were minded to approve the application, subject to agreed conditions.Councillors said that the scheme would more effectively use the site in an area which already has a lot of tall buildings around it and would remove an existing car park, in turn reducing anti-social behaviour.In 2022 councillors had turned down a previous application featuring a 14-storey block because they had concerns over the schemes height, the demolition of heritage assets, its daylight and sunlight effects on neighbours, and the harm to the setting of the nearby Charles Harrison Townsend-designed Grade II*-listed Whitechapel Gallery.Refused 2022 scheme (left); latest 'minded to approve' scheme (right)Foster + Partners returned last year with a fresh application for the same developer, South Street Asset Management, working with architect Haverstock, which is overseeing the rejig of Canon Barnett Primary School within the development plot.Although the latest scheme is now three storeys taller and has a larger footprint, it involves less demolition, steps back at its edges and would retain, rather than remove, the frontage at 2-4 Commercial Street. The Edwardian faade at 102-105 Whitechapel High Street would be kept, as before.Advertisement The 2024 scheme promises to create 3,260 jobs, provide incubator spaces for small and medium-sized businesses and includes a relocated and expanded playground for the primary school.But the changes did not allay the fears of either heritage campaigners or Historic England, and Tower Hamlets planning officers are also unconvinced.The scheme has also prompted 294 objections.Speaking before last night's meeting SAVE Britains Heritage conservation officer Lydia Franklin said that an office block towering 17 storeys above its neighbours is not what this area needs adding that a building of this scale would tear through the conservation area, which was created to draw a clear line between the bristling towers of the City fringe and the very different character of the historic East End.Historic England had said it could not support the plans, claiming the height and massing would starkly contrast with the human scale of the surrounding buildings. It said the robust Victorian commercial character of the retained faade of 2-4 Commercial Street would be significantly undermined by the overbearing presence of the 18-storey building immediately behind and partly cantilevering over the frontage.Foster + Partners, Haverstock and South Street Asset Management have been contacted for comment.

The pavilion has been designed around the theme Come Build the Future the result of a competition launched in June 2023 to find a 24 million showcase scheme.Similarly to an earlier design iteration revealed last year, the pavilion features a fully dismantlable and relocatable modular system designed for ease of transportation.However, the faade now features perforated aluminium strands to invoke the punched cards used in early calculating machines. AdvertisementThese will be intertwined via a weaving technique, inspired by the textile industries which fuelled the 19th century industrial revolutions in both Manchester and Osaka.WOO architectsis a Kings Cross-based practice, born in 2014 out of the design team for the London 2012 Olympics, while ES Global specialises in semi-permanent, sustainable structures.An earlier design revealed by the design duo in March 2024 featured a colourful modular system with similar massing, while the perforated, woven texture appears to be a product of subsequent design development. Source:wooarchitectsJAN 2025 DESIGN: Woo architects' 2025 World Expo pavilion for the UKMore than 150 countries are participating in the six-month Expo event, which run for six months from 13 April to 13 October on Yumeshima Island, Osaka, showcasing the latest breakthroughs in science, technology and culture from across the planet. More than 28 million people are expected to attend.UK Sponsors, announced today (16 January), include biopharma giantAstraZeneca, car manufacturer Aston Martin, international hotel provider IHG Hotels & Resorts, as well as the Welsh and Scottish governments.AdvertisementUK minister for exports, Gareth Thomas, said: The UK has been a pioneer of innovation for generations by utilising the power of ideas to change the world.Our presence at the Osaka Expo will demonstrate the innovation and opportunities for exporting and growth there are in the United Kingdom and how we are open for business.Emma Owens, director of culture and new business at WOO architects, said: The Pavilions design celebrates Britain at a pivotal moment; our global reputation for innovation and creativity shines through, while the playful faade reflects our innate curiosity and ability to find opportunity in every challenge. This is a space where a rich historic narrative comes alive, and we hope it inspires conversations about British resilience and industriousness for years to come.Tomoko Maekawa, managing director for Japan, ES Global, said the pavilion is a wonderful showcase for our modular innovation, designed by a dynamic Japanese-British team.ES Globals role in the 2025 pavilion follows the successful delivery of six venues for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.The contractor previously said the same kit of parts used at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will, meanwhile, be used in Osaka for the UK pavilion, alongside new parts.Previous UK pavilions for World Expos include those by Heatherwick Studio, Wolfgang Buttress and BDPs UK pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo, which was awarded the events best in show prize.

Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Source:&nbsp ShutterstockThe RIBAs exclusive online membership hub will close after a lack of engagement from chartered members, the institute has said From 21 January, RIBA members will no longer have access to the online forum at architecture.com, the institute announced in an email sent out this week.The Portland Place-based institute said in the announcement that the closure of the online platform had come after close monitoring of the network, which had seen a year-on-year decrease in engagement.The RIBA website describes the Membership Hub as a space for architects to talk, share knowledge, experience and be inspired. It is unclear how many RIBA members used the hub since it was set up during the Covid pandemic.AdvertisementBut, the institute said other forms of networking, including in-person events and digital initiatives, had proven to be more effective in meeting members needs.Former RIBA councillor, honorary secretary and whistleblower Kerr Roberston, told the AJ the move was not a surprise and suggested architects were finding the institute increasingly irrelevant.He told the AJ: Changes to ARBs powers regarding CPD, which will mean architects and their clients will no longer look to those with the letters RIBA after their name for reassurance in this regard, makes it all the more important for the RIBA to improve its offer. Sadly, the closing of the hub suggests members are voting with their feet.At the time of writing, the RIBA is currently recruiting for a 40,000-a-year role for a Membership Engagement Officer in Hong Kong and Asia.From May, RIBA members thought to number 24,000 in the UK in 2022 will lose access to full RIBA services at one 66 Portland Place, which is due to close to allow a 85 million refurbishment and digital upgrade to begin from May 2025.AdvertisementThe Benedetti-designed refurb is expected to take three years and has been partly funded by a 5.5 per cent increase in the RIBA membership, RIBA president Muyiwa Oki admitted to the AJ in September.The RIBA has told members that resources would be allocated elsewhere to provide more impactful support for chartered architects.A RIBA spokesperson, repeating the contents of the email sent to members, told the AJ: In response to the needs of RIBA members, we launched the pilot of the RIBA Member Hub to provide a digital network to support our members as we emerged from the pandemic.While digital engagement through the hub has decreased year on year, other forms of networking, including in-person events and digital initiatives, have proven to be more effective in meeting members needs. To provide more impactful support for our members, we are focusing on tools and initiatives that deliver greater value and reach. This means that we have decided to close the platform to allocate our resources more effectively.2025-01-16Gino Spocchiacomment and share

The masterplan, which has been in the pipeline since 2019, will expand the Watergate Bay Hotel which overlooks Watergate Bay just north of Newquay, and revamp the surrounding bay area next to Tregurrian hamlet.Tate + Co's 4,240m expansion of the hotel includes a new five and six-storey, stone-clad, stepped building which 'takes inspiration from the surrounding terrain.The building will house a gym with associated studio and treatment rooms, a restaurant, a staff wellbeing area and eight family apartments for hotel guests.AdvertisementA separate, low-slung two-storey building with a curved green roof will create 12 additional hotel suites, extending the existing Beach Lofts a part of the hotel that was formerly a Jamie Oliver restaurant before being converted in 2021. Source:Tate + Co Watergate proposals by Tate + Co - AxonometricMeanwhile, a new semicircular beach pavilion will house a small shop, food vendors, and sheltered space for visitors.Improvements to the surrounding bay area will include creating a more pedestrian-friendly centre to Watergate Bay, adding a new elevated walkway to Watergate Hotel, and reconnecting the existing coastal path route through the site. The plan also includes new car parking.The proposal was submitted last May and approved by Cornwall Councils planning department in December in a delegated decision.The planning officer described Tate + Co's design as appropriate, high quality and responsive to this specific site.AdvertisementOfficers concluded that the proposal would contribute positively to the existing tourism offer at Watergate Bay Hotel with new structures and buildings that will complement the appearance and function of the valley bottom without undue harm to the setting of the coastal location.Tate + Co director Laurence Pinnfire said the practices proposed accommodation and public facilities would provide a more coherent experience without detracting from the beach and cliffs.He added: Its great to see the wider vision come to fruition as we carefully improve the area, step by step.Watergate Bay Hotel Director Will Ashworth said Tate + Cos masterplan would extend and improve the hotels guest experience whilst at the same time creating a great public space.

The practices Temple Island scheme has been seven years in the making. Site owner Legal & General (L&G) first unveiled initial concepts for site a former rail depot near Bristols Temple Meads Station in summer 2018 . A deal was struck between the local authority and L&G to develop the plot three years later.The practice's recently submitted proposals for the Temple Island Bristol regeneration scheme includes 520 homes 40 per cent of which are earmarked as social or affordable across four residential buildings.The scheme also features two office buildings, retail space, flexible workspace and a new hotel. LDA Design is leading on landscaping, including a riverside walk.AdvertisementThe hybrid application was lodged in November and validated by Bristol City Council at the beginning of this month. It seeks approval for an outline masterplan and detailed planning for the first phase: one office block plus ground floor commercial uses, landscaping and associated infrastructure works.ZHA says in planning documents that the appearance of its Temple Islands scheme takes its cues from Bristols industrial heritage, with a very specific materiality and colour palette reflecting mud, pennant sandstone and galvanised corrugated steel.Bristol City Council, which has carried out enabling works on the site, confirmed in May 2023 it finally had agreed a way forward for the Temple Island development with L&G.Temple Island is part of the wider Temple Quarter regeneration masterplan which includes 10,000 new homes and is led by Prior + Partners with a team including AHMM .Weston Williamson + Partners (WW+P) previously won a contest to create the areas development framework, focusing on required infrastructure, potential land uses and a set of guiding principles.AdvertisementTemple Meads railway station is due to be refurbished under the wider masterplan, while work is underway on a new University of Bristol Enterprise Campus designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBS).Current site view

The practices will carry out a feasibility study into how to upgrade and enhance the heritage and art institution which was founded in 1987 in the Scottish Highlands.They beat five other finalist teams, led by Dualchas Architects, Moxon Architects, Rural Design and Konishi Gaffney Architects.Key aims of the project include boosting sustainability, accessibility, and community involvement at the 600m waterfront cultural centre which uses arts and heritage to promote political, social, cultural, environmental, and communal change.AdvertisementThe feasibility study is supported by Museums Galleries Scotland and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.Timespan director and curator Giulla Gregnaninsaid: Assemble and Office Corr Higgins have been chosen as the perfect partners for Timespan. Their focus on empowering communities, their commitment to enhancing local context while advancing Timespans global ambitions, and their visionary interdisciplinary approach resonate deeply with our ethos.We are thrilled to embark on this collaboration, confident that their expertise will help shape a bold and transformative future for Timespan and our communities.Assemble and Office Core Higgins said: Timespan is an inspirational and vital cultural resource for the north of Scotland. The project is a fantastic opportunity to create a locally embedded, globally connected venue in the Scottish Highlands, combining fascinating local history with an ambitious and vibrant art programme.It promises to be a wonderful project with a great team and amazing site we cant wait to get started.AdvertisementWinning team: Assemble and Office Corr HigginsTimespan was founded in 1987 and hosts local history and contemporary art displays as well as featuring a geology and herb garden, a shop and a caf. It is based inside a former herring curing yard overlooking the River Helmsdale.The feasibility study, due to complete in July, will guide future strategic investment in the building and its displays. The winning team will receive approximately 30,000 to compile a comprehensive report featuring designs and costs up to RIBA Stage 1.Timespan hopes to deliver a more coherent built presence and better facilities for visitors and staff, with a focus on local materials and character while also reducing the organisations environmental impact.RIAS chief executive Tamsie Thomson said: At the start of this process we said that Timespan is an organisation that punches above its weight, and were delighted to be part of a project that harnesses architecture to allow Timespan to fully realise its potential.RIAS Consultancy exists to bring organisations of all shapes and sizes together with great architectural talent, and were thrilled to have played a part to support Timespan and its exciting plans for the future.

The AJ100 Employer of the Years masterplan adds roughly 1,800 homes to the existing 795-home Winstanley and York Road estate, just north of Clapham Junction station.The scheme, given outline approval in 2021, was drawn up for a joint venture partnership between Wandsworth Council and Taylor Wimpey.But, Wandsworth announced last week (6 January) that its partnership with Taylor Wimpey had ended after delivering 139 replacement council homes on the site in the three years since permission was given.AdvertisementThe council said it would take a new approach to prioritise the delivery of affordable housing after a strategic review of the regeneration plans. It said the focus would be on delivering more social and affordable units.It told the AJ it was actively considering all options as part of its review of HTAs masterplan and that the practices role on the project would be clarified as we assess the best way forward.The AJ understands that new architects could be appointed to a refocused scheme. However, Wandsworth said it has made no specific decisions on the design team. HTA confirmed that it continues to have a role on the scheme.Wandsworth Council leader Simon Hogg said: The primary objective of the Winstanley and York Road regeneration project is to urgently deliver much-needed council housing.With this in mind, we have come to a mutual agreement to end our joint working. While we are disappointed to end our partnership with Taylor Wimpey, this provides us with an opportunity to review the scheme and seek to deliver even more affordable homes.AdvertisementTaylor Wimpey London managing director James Lidgate said: We recognise that a change in strategic direction of the project has meant that Wandsworth Council is best-placed to deliver the scheme alone moving forward.However, we are proud of the work that we have carried out to date to deliver the Winstanley and York Road scheme in partnership with the council. This is a significant regeneration project and we look forward to seeing its completion and the benefits it brings to the borough.So far, 139 replacement council homes, a new school, church, multi-use games area and play area have been successfully delivered in one block, the council says. A further 126 council homes are set to be finished early in the new year.Only last month, an updated part-outline and part-detailed planning application was submitted for the site, seeking permission for 2,500 homes in buildings ranging from three to thirty-one storeys.Current site view