The natural alternative: healthy results

With greater focus placed on healthier environments in addition to performance and sustainability, there has been increasing interest in lesser-known technologies. Mark Lynn describes the compelling benefits of natural insulation. We have long been familiar with the use of natural... View Article

Vinyl is back in fashion

From music to flooring, vinyl has made a comeback, and it is more versatile than ever. Flooring specialists Gerflor examine the trends . Bold design statements can either pay off stunningly well or, much like the derided 1970s pebble-dash, backfire... View Article

Ask the architects – Brexit

Brexit raises a host of questions and issues for UK architectural practices, not least on the future for their EU-national employees. Norman Hayden asked a selection of key players for their thoughts as the UK heads into a new phase.... View Article

‘The workshop of dreams’ goes to Interzum

The American Hardwood Export Council will showcase its innovative approach to hardwood communications at the Cologne fair through three initiatives: The Workshop of Dreams, four unique design pieces created with underused hardwood species; The Smile, the most ambitious CLT structure ever made; and... View Article

Materials 2017 exhibitor list steadily expanding!

Recent additions to the exhibitor list and Meet the Buyers Forum include Celotex, ROCKFON, VMZinc, Xtratherm and more industry leaders… Less than two months remain until Materials 2017 arrives in Earls Court at the ILEC Conference Centre, London on the... View Article

Recycled and reclaimed: A gimmick or a viable solution?

As concerns over climate change continue to grow, many individuals are looking to recycled and reclaimed materials to lessen their impact on the environment. While such projects can be works of art when built by enterprising individuals, can commercial developers... View Article

Meet the Buyers forum coming to Materials 2017

the ideal incubator for intensive business discussions, product sharing and procurement Adding to the existing wide range of exhibition options, Materials 2017 will be host to a Meet the Buyers forum dedicated exclusively to discussing, negotiating – and ultimately –... View Article

Materials 2017 announces CRASH as official charity partner

CRASH, the construction industry’s charity, has been announced as Materials 2017’s official charity partner for the event. CRASH is a unique, practical charity that assists homeless and hospice charities with construction related projects. Good architecture is highly significant to the... View Article

ROCKWOOL takes architects back to the beginning

ROCKWOOL has launched ‘Origins’, an interactive video which takes architects on a journey to explore the deeper benefits of stone wool insulation alongside the innovation and exceptional service at the heart of the ROCKWOOL brand. Warren Dudding, Marketing Director at... View Article

Practice Profile – Pellings

Norman Hayden traces the growth of a practice with a well-defined design vision, and a clear focus on balancing affordability with functionality and beauty. Architects tend to project their vision slightly cryptically across their branding, so it’s somewhat unusual that... View Article

The grill from Ipanema – Anibal Building, Rio de Janeiro

The Anibal Building in Ipanema, Rio, is a low-rise office block that neatly reflects the Brazilian city’s flair for original and unusual building facades, as Ray Philpott discovers. Architects Bernardes Arquitetura faced some complex challenges when they set out to... View Article

Origamitecture – Val-de-Fontenay bank, Paris

The new office complex for bank Société Générale in Val-de-Fontenay, eastern Paris, resembles three folds in a giant sheet of paper ­– formed from over 200 km of reconstituted Japanese wood strips. Stephen Cousins investigates. Faced with the task of... View Article

Showcasing key brick trends

The annual Brick Awards celebrate every aspect of brick design and construction and showcase some of the key trends. These trends were evident in the Brick Development Association’s 2016 awards held in November, particularly these highly commended and award winning... View Article

The mother of invention: metal comes of age

Lee Davies from CA Group discusses what is claimed to be ground-breaking technology that enables metal buildings to compete with brick when it comes to fire protection. Over the past few years, demands on the construction industry have resulted in... View Article