Architects Journal
Felix Mara
Technical editor, AJ. Editor, AJ Specification
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Ben van Berkel: ‘We want to be pro-creative’
13-May-2013
Felix Mara quizzes UNStudio director Ben van Berkel about open knowledge sharing and the practice’s new 30-storey London residential tower, Canaletto -
Kitchens & Bathrooms
22-Apr-2013
Starting with some fascinating research findings from Ideal Standard, we look at its Concept Space one-stop shop offering before looking at some of the best innovations in specific areas -
Red brick music box: Bramall Music School by Glenn Howells Architects
17-Apr-2013
The secret to Glenn Howells Architects’ Bramall Music School’s auditorium acoustics is its low ventilation noise, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Edmund Sumner -
Design thaw: Hydro by Foster + Partners
12-Apr-2013
Parametric modelling freed up the design development of Foster + Partners’ Hydro, writes Felix Mara -
The quad squad: Park View School by Haworth Tompkins
21-Mar-2013
Haworth Tompkins has introduced light and circulation to a warren-like academy in its makeover of Park View School in Birmingham, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Richard Haughton -
Cladding & Curtain Walling
20-Mar-2013
This year’s cladding and curtain walling overview focuses on frameless curtain walling, drawing on the expertise of structural and facade engineer Eckersley O’Callaghan, and looking at the technology of Apple Glass Cubes and Gorilla Glass -
Designing quality homes
15-Mar-2013
Felix Mara introduces the AJ’s selection of exemplar housing projects -
Loose fit, raw energy: Olympic Energy Centres by John McAslan + Partners
28-Feb-2013
Rather than a white elephant, for the ODA McAslan designed a lean, rust-red monument of a power plant in Stratford, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Hufton + Crow -
Outside the box: Stratford Box Pumping Station by Lyall Bills & Young
28-Feb-2013
Lyall Bills & Young’s Stratford Box Pumping Station in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is at once sculptural, enduring and integrated into the landscape, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Richard Chivers -
Pier pressure: Southend Pier Cultural Centre by White arkitekter
21-Feb-2013
Battling corrosion and a Grade II listing, this offshore cultural centre triumphed over adversity, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Luke Hayes -
Pillar talk: Cowshed, Shatwell Farm by Stephen Taylor Architects
21-Feb-2013
Farms and architecture with a capital ‘A’ rarely go hand in hand, but one cowshed’s dry mix concrete colonnade is a notable exception, writes Felix Mara. Photography by David Grandorge -
Landscape Architecture: Three new projects highlighting recent developments
14-Feb-2013
The Landscaping of 151 Rosebery Avenue by John McAslan + Partners, Windrush Square by Gross Max and Ebbw Vale Vertical Garden by Lianne Russ and Philip Henshaw are analysed by the experts. -
Soft machine - Colyer-Fergusson Music Building by Tim Ronalds Architects
31-Jan-2013
Tim Ronalds Architects’ Colyer-Fergusson Music Building is warmer and more human than its Sevenoaks School Performing Arts Centre, but is it less disciplined? By Felix Mara. Photography by Christian Richters -
Clean space - Crit Building by Guy Hollaway Architects
31-Jan-2013
Guy Hollaway Architects’ Crit Building for Kent School of Architecture is kinetic but practical, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Charles Hosea -
Metamorphology - Benthem Crouwel's Stedelijk Museum
24-Jan-2013
Benthem Crouwel’s expansion and renovation of the Stedelijk Museum of contemporary art and design in Amsterdam is neither morphology nor alchemy, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Jannes Linders -
Knocking through - AHMM's University of Amsterdam
24-Jan-2013
Allford Hall Monaghan Morris’s retrofit design for the University of Amsterdam’s Roeterseiland complex makes a bold assault on the ’60s fabric, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Rob Parrish & AHMM -
Roofing and drainage
21-Jan-2013
The battle of the roof pitches has abated and British architects’ love affair with the vernacular seems to run and run, but performance and procurement are part of the debate. This month we look at sheet roof cladding, tiles and slates and flat and membrane roofs. -
The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge
20-Dec-2012
Sidell Gibson Architects with John Miller + Partners -
Droylsden Academy
20-Dec-2012
Ryder Architecture -
Products: The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge
20-Dec-2012
A selection of the products specified for Sidell Gibson Architects and John Miller + Partners’ Beaney House of Art & Knowledge -
Campus Aarhus N
20-Dec-2012
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects -
Floors, Stairs, Lifts and Wayfinding
20-Dec-2012
This month, mini-case studies shed light on wayfinding, floor, staircase and lift design and specification and we look at ways of safeguarding against slippery floor surfaces and new lift control and porcelain plank products -
2012: The year of... Material pluralism
20-Dec-2012
A diverse use of materials has stood out in the architecture of 2012 -
A typology of spans
13-Dec-2012
Seemingly effortless, Moxon’s glass and steel viaduct around Taunton Castle belies the complexity of its construction, writes Felix MaraPhotography by Simon Kennedy -
A for effort: Haworth Tompkins’ Dyson Building
13-Dec-2012
Smart, tough and open, but Haworth Tompkins’ Dyson Building for the Royal College of Arts could be too clever for its own good, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Philip Vile -
Extracurricular: Pollard Thomas Edwards' Tidemill Academy
29-Nov-2012
[School design] Deptford’s Tidemill Academy is cleverly hidden from the outside world but remains part of the community, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Robert Greshoff -
New tricks: Capita Symonds' St Silas Primary
29-Nov-2012
[School design] St Silas was Capita Symonds’ first venture into Level 2 BIM. On such a complex scheme, this was no small task, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Nick Guttridge -
The good, the bad and the grid matrix: how the new RIBA Plan of Work 2013 will affect you
29-Nov-2012
As the 50-year-old RIBA Plan of Work stages A-L are consigned to history, Felix Mara explains what architects should expect from the institute’s new schema for progressing construction works -
CPD: ARBOLEDA - an Open BIM project
28-Nov-2012
Modo Forma’s apartment development in Santo Domingo benefited from the clear workflows and building analysis of Vectorworks Architect software -
Horsted Park Residential Development
15-Nov-2012
Proctor and Matthews Architects -
Products: West Hampstead Thameslink Station
15-Nov-2012
A selection of the products specified for Landolt + Brown’s West Hampstead Thameslink Station -
West Hampstead Thameslink Station
15-Nov-2012
Landolt + Brown -
Masonry
15-Nov-2012
Although it is often argued that the resurgence in brickwork design is driven by concerns with cost and sustainability, cultural factors also play a part. In parallel with this his brickwork renaissance, there is widespread innovation in the manufacture of masonry products. -
Roundtable: Is office design killing productivity?
15-Nov-2012
A panel of office design experts, chaired by AJ technical editor Felix Mara and invited by Saint-Gobain Ecophon, discuss the situation facing office workers today -
The frame of the beast: Rogers in Sydney
15-Nov-2012
Rogers’ new office tower in Sydney is a single-minded manifestation of his philosophy, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Brett Boardman -
Soundforms: Peak performance
8-Nov-2012
BFLS’s demountable stage shell is shaped by precise acoustic engineering, writes Felix Mara. Photography by David Grand -
Story of a shell: Kennedy Town Swimming Pool
1-Nov-2012
Terry Farrell’s zinc-clad swimming pool heralds a sea change for Hong Kong’s Kennedy Town, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Marcel Lam -
Cut and rub: Hampton Court Palace chimney repair
1-Nov-2012
How historic brickwork techniques were used to repair failing Hampton Court Palace chimney stacks. Felix Mara reports -
Spirit of Barcelona: Clapham One
25-Oct-2012
Clapham One is full of surprise and mystery, says Felix Mara. Photography by Gareth Gardner -
BFI Library
22-Oct-2012
Coffey Architects have provided a new purpose built space for the BFI National Library at the Southbank -
Lighting & Signage
22-Oct-2012
With a new code of practice for emergency escape lighting and incandescent lamps now history, we discuss the implications, report on the impact of developments in LED technology on internal and external lighting and look at the way designers and manufacturers are responding to this. -
Products: BFI Library
22-Oct-2012
A selection of the products specified for Coffey Architects’ BFI Library -
Roca London Gallery
22-Oct-2012
Zaha Hadid Architects -
Sovereign House
22-Oct-2012
Ben Adams Architects -
House N
18-Oct-2012
Bembe Dellinger Architects and Urban Planners -
Doors & Windows
18-Oct-2012
In a short interim period between revisions to Approved Document L, we take a breather in this year’s doors and windows overview to look at new products and reflect on relevant design and specification principles and considerations, also taking in ironmongery, blinds and lockers. -
Products: House N
18-Oct-2012
A selection of the products specified for Bembe Dellinger Architects House N -
Vineyard
18-Oct-2012
An extension to a Grade II listed building by Timothy Hatton Architects -
5 Chalcot Road
18-Oct-2012
A mid-terrace four storey house by Studio Octopi -
Fit for purpose: City of Coventry Health Centre
18-Oct-2012
Sonnemann Toon injects colour and flexibility into a difficult health centre scheme in Coventry, writes Felix Mara. Photography by David Butler -
Stanton Williams wins 2012 Stirling Prize with Sainsbury Laboratory
13-Oct-2012
Stanton Williams has won its first ever Stirling Prize with the ‘elegant’ Sainsbury Laboratory in Cambridge -
Stirling Prize 2012: Sainsbury Laboratory by Stanton Williams
10-Oct-2012
‘A consistent language of high quality materials and fine details snapped together with satisfying precision,’ says Felix Mara -
The flame game: Heatherwick's Olympic cauldron
20-Sep-2012
The visual spectacle of Heatherwick Studio’s Olympic cauldron was hand-crafted in the workshop and refined with digital modelling, writes Felix Mara -
Blonde and brazen: dRMM's Festival House
13-Sep-2012
dRMM has brought its expertise with cross-laminated timber construction to bear on a highly unusual project: a combined registry office and tourist information centre on Blackpool’s Golden Mile. Felix Mara reports from Festival House -
AJ Specification 09.12 – Doors & Windows
13-Sep-2012
Case studies by Bembé Dellinger Architects, Timothy Hatton Architects and Studio Octopi -
Capital Idea
6-Sep-2012
As World Design Capital 2012, Helsinki is rediscovering its past and using it to shape its future -
Newcastle's hip hotel
6-Sep-2012
The facades of Clash Architects’ budget hotel for the design-conscious Sleeperz chain are tailor-made for its Newcastle city centre context, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Ann Norman -
A natural backdrop: Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
30-Aug-2012
Haworth Tompkins’ timber interventions to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre make sure the park is the star of the show, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Philip Vile -
It's time for a fresh look at The Architecture of Humanism
30-Aug-2012
Black box Geoffrey Scott’s Renaissance apologia advocates a fresh outlook on architecture, says Felix Mara -
Box of tricks: The Novium, Chichester
29-Aug-2012
Keith Williams Architects’ Novium is fearless in the face of Sussex’s Modernist remains and Chichester’s Roman ruins, writes Felix Mara. Photography by David Grandorge -
Overlay crafting: Eton Manor Sports Complex
2-Aug-2012
With its temporary Games overlay destined to be swept away for very different legacy uses, Eton Manor Sports Complex called for a sophisticated design strategy – and that is what Stanton Williams provided, writes Felix Mara -
Student shows 2012: Welsh School of Architecture Cardiff University
26-Jul-2012
Felix Mara is impressed by the level of competence at the Welsh School of Architecture’s show -
Student Shows 2012: Canterbury School of Architecture
25-Jul-2012
Felix Mara finds activist architects in Canterbury -
Student Shows 2012: Kent School of Architecture, University of Kent
25-Jul-2012
The Kent student show strikes a balance between a structured and experimental approach, finds Felix Mara -
AJ Specification 07.12 - Colour & texture
19-Jul-2012
Case studies by Slade Architecture, van Heyningen and Haward Architects and Do-architecture -
Cool, calm, connected
12-Jul-2012
John McAslan + Partners’ makeover of London’s King’s Cross Station, with the dramatic geometry of its Western Concourse roof, is a fitting rehabilitation of Cubitt’s fine rail terminus, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Hufton + Crow -
AJ Specification 06.12 - Walls, ceilings and partitions
10-Jul-2012
Case studies by Christ & Gantenbein, Grimshaw Architects and Scott Brownrigg -
British bulldog
5-Jul-2012
Clash Architects has made a compelling new entrance to the Churchill War Rooms with this tough bronze shell, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Richard Davies -
Sapa Building System technical essay: Felix Mara on award-winning envelope design
21-Jun-2012
[The Sapa Building System technical essay, RIBA Awards 2012] More than the plan, more than the section, and even more than form, the envelope is central to how a building communicates, writes Felix Mara -
Orbit: Awkward, bizarre, sublime
14-Jun-2012
Felix Mara experiences the eccentric ArcelorMittal Orbit tower and sculpture at close quarters. Photography by Simon Kennedy -
School house
14-Jun-2012
John Pardey’s residential retrofit of the former Oaklands College points the way for similar buildings ripe for conversion, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Andy Matthews -
Well lit, well read
7-Jun-2012
Barbara Weiss has created a fitting home for Wiener Library, an archive for the study of the Holocaust and genocide -
The Cutty Sark afloat
31-May-2012
Grimshaw’s masterstroke was to lift the clipper off its dry dock floor, creating an astounding and functional basement space -
Treasure chest: The Mary Rose's final resting place
31-May-2012
Wilkinson Eyre Architects and Pringle Brandon’s museum will set the Mary Rose in a highly tailored jewellery box -
Sound resolution
24-May-2012
BFLS and Arup skilfully tackled tricky questions of acoustic design in their extension to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama -
Kapoor and Balmond's Orbit welcomes first guests
14-May-2012
Britain’s tallest sculpture, the ArcelorMittal Orbit welcomed its first guests on 11 May, 2012 writes Felix Mara -
What is it about concrete?
3-May-2012
At the core of concrete’s appeal is the freedom and versatility of ‘liquid stone’, writes Felix Mara -
AJ Specification 04.12 – Kitchens & Bathrooms
19-Apr-2012
Case studies of 2 Hyde Park Square by Hawkins\Brown,Penthouse by Dan Brill Architects and Sonnemann Toon Architects’ Kensington reisdence in London -
Bricks and Torah
18-Apr-2012
van Heyningen and Haward’s New North London Synagogue is low key and austere, with moments of beauty, Photography by James Brittain -
AJ Specification 03.12 – Cladding & Curtain Walling
5-Apr-2012
Case studies of Ford House by Simon Winstanley Architects, 40-48 Fashion Street by Buckley Gray Yeoman Architecture and Flowing Gardens International Horticultural Expo 2011 by Plasma Studio with Groundlab and Laur Studio -
Into the fold
22-Mar-2012
Dellow Day Centre’s arts building welcomes visitors off the streets and provides a safe space for learning, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Tim Brotherton -
Black sheep
22-Mar-2012
Sergison Bates’ retrofit in Noho has polished a seedy location and repaired the urban fabric, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Anthony Coleman -
Blonde on blonde
15-Mar-2012
With its ubiquitous unstained timber, Waingels College is regarded as an exemplar project in contemporary wood. But how does it perform technically and as architecture? -
Off Broadway (Market)
1-Mar-2012
Abstract and asymmetrical, Amin Taha Architects’ mixed-use development makes a flamboyant and frugal addition to its hip East End neighbourhood -
Cabin fever
1-Mar-2012
David Kohn’s boat hotel for Living Architecture is pure whimsy writes Felix Mara -
Living the high life
1-Mar-2012
Davy Smith’s Digby Road scheme provides an intelligent mix of homes - and the tallest living wall in Europe -
AJ Specification 02.12 – Insulation
21-Feb-2012
Case studies of Emmanuel College Library by Kilburn Nightingale Architects, 103 Park Road by Sam Tisdall Architects and Walderslade Primary School by Clay Architecture -
Foster’s formula: McLaren Production Centre
16-Feb-2012
Obsessed with detail and process-driven, Foster + Partners’ factory for McLaren is as finely tuned as the supercars it produces, writes Felix Mara -
Pavilions for Westwood Girls’ College for Languages and Art, and Virgo Fidelis Convent School, Croydon, by Duggan Morris
9-Feb-2012
Modular school construction: Duggan Morris turns prefabricated components into site-specific pavilions for two schools, writes Felix Mara -
Greengate residential development, Salford, by White Arkitekter
2-Feb-2012
Social housing When Salford wanted healthy lifestyle housing, Swedish practice White Arkitekter was well equipped for the challenge, writes Felix Mara -
AJ Specification 01.12 – Roofing and Drainage
30-Jan-2012
Case studies of 23 Blackheath Park by Charles Barclay Architects, Holy Trinity Primary School by Architype Architects and Studio Lofts by Pott Architects -
2011: The year of structural engineering
15-Dec-2011
Felix Mara, technical editor -
Business School, University of Edinburgh: retrofit by LDN Architects
8-Dec-2011
University retrofit: LDN Architects updated a listed 1960s building to meet the needs of a modern business school, writes Felix Mara -
Second Yaa Centre, Notting Hill, by Foster Wilson Architects
5-Dec-2011
The tough, rugged aesthetic of Foster Wilson’s Notting Hill carnival centre masks the clever use of floating box construction to combat noise breakout, writes Felix Mara -
AJ Specification 11.11 – Masonry
1-Dec-2011
Case studies of the Lyric Theatre by O’Donnell + Tuomey, Oak Farm by ShedKM and Brentwood Sixth Form Centre by Cottrell & Vermeulen Architects -
AJ Specification 12.11 – Flooring, Stairs & Lifts
1-Dec-2011
Case studies of Howick Place by Squire and Partners, Richard Green Gallery by Adam Architecture and Kensington residence by Studio Seilern Architects -
Quadrant 3, London, by Dixon Jones with Donald Insall Associates
24-Nov-2011
Dixon Jones kept just the corners of a tricky Edwardian hotel in the West End to create a mixed-use development with high ceilings and an art deco basement, says Felix Mara -
Green buildings: The state of the art
24-Nov-2011
British architects are making up for lost time when it comes to environmentally intelligent design, writes Felix Mara -
Central St Martins, King's Cross, London, by Stanton Williams
3-Nov-2011
Stanton Williams’ smart retrofit for Central Saint Martins is an art school for the future, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Hufton + Crow -
Lett Road, Stratford, London by Proctor and Matthew Architects
3-Nov-2011
With its rampant four-storey cantilever, Proctor and Matthews’ tower overlooking the Olympic Park has made regeneration fun, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Tim Crocker -
Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts by Sheppard Robson
27-Oct-2011
Lancaster university’s BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ LICA building shows Sheppard Robson’s commitment to sustainable design, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Hufton + Crow -
Conservation: St Patrick's Church, Soho Square, London
20-Oct-2011
Technical & Practice: Castanon Associates put its faith in simplicity for the renovation of St Patrick’s church in London’s Soho Square, writes Felix Mara -
AJ Specification 10.11 – Lighting & Signage
20-Oct-2011
Case studies of No.1 Smithery by Van Heyningen and Haward Architects with Purcel Miller Tritton, the Playboy Club by Jestico + Whiles and King’s College by Mitchell Taylor Workshop -
Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, by Keith Williams Architects
6-Oct-2011
Keith Williams Architects’ considered reworking of the Marlowe Theatre will boost Kent’s cultural tourism, says Felix Mara -
Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres by Bennetts Associates
29-Sep-2011
Shackled with a Grade II*-listed building, Bennetts was under pressure from an audience clamouring for a worthy response, says Felix Mara -
AJ Specification 09.11 – Doors & Windows
27-Sep-2011
Case studies of the YMCA, Crewe, by Terence O’Rourke, House in Crouch End, London, by AAVA and CRMZ, Widnes, by Austin-Smith:Lord -
Garsington Opera Pavilion, Buckinghamshire, Snell Associates
8-Sep-2011
Snell Associates’ Garsington Opera pavilion is eclectic, lightweight, demountable and connects with its landscape setting, says Felix Mara. Photography by Dennis Gilbert -
Jason Lee House, Redbridge, London, by Peter Barber Architects
1-Sep-2011
Peter Barber Architects’ Jason Lee House proves that the architecture of good intentions is alive and kicking, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Morley von Sternberg -
Aquatics Centre, Olympic Park, London by Zaha Hadid Architects
18-Aug-2011
[AJ Building Study] Poised between the permanent and the temporary, Zaha Hadid’s London 2012 Aquatics Centre is a structural tour de force, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Hufton + Crow -
Basketball Arena, Olympic Park, London, by Wilkinson Eyre
18-Aug-2011
Wilkinson Eyre’s London 2012 temporary Basketball Arena is a tantalisingly ephemeral, high-performing sports venue -
Canterbury School of Architecture
21-Jul-2011
[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] ‘The design work of the degree school is connected with direct human experience and wider political and social conditions,’ says BA course leader Oliver Froome-Lewis. -
Kent School of Architecture
21-Jul-2011
[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] The title of this year’s show was REGIONerate and, not surprisingly, it focused on regeneration, working with sites in the south east including Canterbury, Dungeness and the more socially and economically deprived Chatham and Margate -
University of Greenwich School of Architecture
21-Jul-2011
[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] The Department of Architecture and Urban Design staged its end of year exhibition, Shifting Sands, in the illustrious setting of Queen Anne Court on its Greenwich Campus -
7-15 Baker Street, London by Squire and Partners
7-Jul-2011
Squire and Partners’ hybrid concrete and steel frame for 7-15 Baker Street is the secret behind its elegant design, writes Felix Mara -
RIBA Award Winners 2011 – Health
16-Jun-2011
Only five awards for this neglected category and nothing in London -
Facade stability detail: Las Arenas, Barcelona, Spain, by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
9-Jun-2011
[Working detail 09.06.11] Existing facade stability system -
BSkyB's Harlequin 1, by Arup Associates
2-Jun-2011
[Technical & Practice] Arup Associates’ design for BSkyB’s Harlequin 1 production and transmission facility optimised efficiency then added architectural quality, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Christian Richters -
Product design: Door handle
14-Apr-2011
After winning an AJ/Allgood competition, Stuart Martin set about turning his design into reality - with much tweaking along the way. By Felix Mara. Photography by Gareth Hacker -
The Olympic Stadium, London, by Populous
7-Apr-2011
An AJ exclusive: the first building study on Populous’ 2012 London Games showpiece. Populous’ London 2012 Olympic Stadium works beautifully and, on an architectural level, goes beyond problem-solving, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Morley von Sternberg -
W London Hotel, Soho by Jestico + Whiles
24-Mar-2011
[Building study] Jestico + Whiles have come up with an appropriately vibrant response to Leicester Square, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Hufton + Crow -
Sauerbruch Hutton
10-Mar-2011
Their colourful facades had an enormous influence on British architects, but scratching the surface reveals a rigorous approach to design, says Felix Mara -
Oval Offices, Cologne, by Sauerbruch Hutton
10-Mar-2011
Bespoke details and a colourful car park trump sustainability at Sauerbruch Hutton’s Cologne Oval Offices, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Jan Bitter -
KfW Westarkade offices and conference centre, Frankfurt, by Sauerbruch Hutton
10-Mar-2011
The KfW Westarkade offices and conference centre in Frankfurt are too green by half, says Felix Mara. Photography by Jan Bitter -
Design for exposed sites: NORD’s Shingle House
3-Mar-2011
[Technical& Practice] NORD’s Shingle House responds to building on Britain’s only desert, and is inspired by the site’s poetic qualities, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Charles Hosea -
Roof Structure: Velodrome for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, by Hopkins Architects
24-Feb-2011
Hopkins’ double-curvature roof is elegant in its economical use of material as well as its appearance, writes Felix Mara -
Musheireb, Doha
17-Feb-2011
Despite the polemic, the Qatari Musheireb development, masterplanned by AECOM, looks more to the past than the future. -
Theatre design: Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury by Keith Williams Architects and the New Entertainment Venue, Guildford, by Austin-Smith: Lord
17-Dec-2010
Technical study of two performance venues by Austin-Smith: Lord and Keith Williams Architects. By Felix Mara -
Royal Shakespeare Theatre renovation, Stratford-upon-Avon, by Bennetts Associates
16-Dec-2010
Bennetts Associates’ design for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre reworks the existing fabric in a pragmatic and sometimes playful way, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Peter Cook -
Terry Farrell & Partners' Asian megastations
2-Dec-2010
Terry Farrell & Partners’ railway stations exemplify the increasing demand for British design and planning expertise in Asia -
Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre, Cheltenham, by MJP Architects
2-Dec-2010
MJP Architects’ Maggie’s centre in Cheltenham showcases Richard MacCormac’s rich and individual mix of ideas, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Peter Durant -
Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility, Motherwell, North Lanarkshire
21-Oct-2010
[Technical & Practice 21.10.10] Populous’ vast sports hall at Ravenscraig is light, spacious and a striking new emblem for the regenerated steelworks site -
BEST 2010: Birmingham City Council's BREEAM Excellent new offices
15-Oct-2010
New BREEAM Excellent offices for Birmingham City Council are helping the city meet its CO2reduction targets. -
The Teenage Cancer Trust Ward, Birmingham Children's Hospital, by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
14-Oct-2010
The Teenage Cancer Trust Ward is a light and informal environment for its young patients, says Felix Mara -
Rooftop development: David Kohn Architects’ Skyroom
7-Oct-2010
David Kohn Architects’ Skyroom demonstrates what an imaginative and resourceful project team can achieve on London’s skyline -
3D CAD technology
28-Sep-2010
Developments in computer-aided design provide architects with vital tools, and could sway even the most hardened techno-sceptic, writes Felix Mara -
CitySpace, University of Sunderland, by FaulknerBrowns Architects
28-Sep-2010
[Product Specification] The University of Sunderland’s CitySpace is a landmark facility that provides a combination of activities – social, sports and events – within a distinctive envelope made of an unusual selection of materials -
This week: London's design festivals
23-Sep-2010
Designers Saturday of the 1980s shows how important design is today, says Felix Mara -
Structural insulated panels
16-Sep-2010
Feilden Fowles takes a fresh and rational approach to timber construction with its Ty Pren residential project, writes Felix Mara -
Technical & Practice: Rainscreen cladding
28-Jul-2010
Llewelyn Davies Yeang’s cladding for the Great Ormond Street Hospital redevelopment project is bespoke but easy to build, says Felix Mara -
The Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno, by Ellis Williams Architects
22-Jul-2010
‘Simplicity, sophistication, and one or two surprises’, says Felix Mara. Photography by Hélène Binet. -
Swiss Church, Covent Garden, London, by Christ & Gantenbein
22-Jul-2010
[FIRST LOOK] Christ & Gantenbein’s renovation of ‘idiosyncratic’ 1855 church includes a new organ gallery -
Tim Ronalds Architects’ performing arts centre, Sevenoaks School, Kent
24-Jun-2010
Tim Ronalds Architects’ performing arts centre for Sevenoaks School in Kent is a tough, unyielding and tactile development, with acoustic design that is totally integrated with the architecture, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Christian Richters -
'Walls, ceilings and partitions: essential components of retrofit projects'
17-Jun-2010
[AJS EDITORIAL] This month’s product focus couldn’t be more germane -
ExCel Phase 2, London, by Grimshaw
17-Jun-2010
East London’s ExCel exhibition centre is so big you can take a train from one end to the other - and Grimshaw has just made it even bigger, extruding it and injecting new life with a dynamic spiral form, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Edmund Sumner -
Classicism vs parametricism: It's no contest
17-Jun-2010
A debate between the classicists and the parametricists failed to take off, says Felix Mara -
'Timber: a material with almost limitless applications'
24-May-2010
[AJS EDITORIAL] This month, AJ Specification focuses on timber, a material with almost limitless applications in architecture, ranging from external cladding to joinery -
West Buckland School, Devon, by Rundell Associates
13-May-2010
[BUILDING STUDY + DRAWINGS] Rundell Associates timber-clad arts centre complements the existing 19th-century West Buckland School and adds coherence to the campus. But where is the masterplan? By Felix Mara. Photography by Ben Blossom -
Lifelong learning
7-May-2010
Education doesn’t have to stop once you embark on a career. The flexibility of the courses and financial support available is surprising -
Reinforced concrete: Schmidt Hammer Lassen's campus for City of Westminster College
19-Apr-2010
Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s campus for City of Westminster College displays the design potential of concrete frame construction -
Arup Headquarters, London, by Sheppard Robson
16-Apr-2010
Arup’s new headquarters proves collaboration between designers can be successful if it is well-orchestrated, writes Felix Mara -
Retrofit: HLM Architects reclads Sheffield Arts Tower
12-Apr-2010
HLM Architects’ recladding of the University of Sheffield’s Arts Tower refuses to sacrifice performance to conservation -
Villiers Road Studios, London, by Peter Barber Architects
8-Apr-2010
Villiers Road Studios bears the trademarks of a Peter Barber Architects project, but its apparently formulaic exterior belies a highly focused and well-researched approach, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Morley von Sternberg -
Conservation: Stoke Newington Town Hall
22-Mar-2010
Hawkins\Brown has unified Stoke Newington Town Hall with both sensitivity and panache -
Future-proof school design: integrated ICT
15-Mar-2010
Architects need to provide ‘agile’ designs for schools that can respond to rapid changes in information and communication technology -
Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Istanbul: seismic engineering
4-Mar-2010
At Sabiha Gökçen Airport in Istanbul, Arup used triple friction pendulum devices to build the world’s largest seismically isolated building, -
Fitzwilliam College Library and IT Centre, Cambridge, by Edward Cullinan Architects
4-Mar-2010
[STUDY + PLANS + IMAGES + DATA] Edward Cullinan Architects’ library and IT centre is an unpretentious mediator between the diverse architectures of Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam College, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Simon Feneley -
Roseisle Distillery, Elgin, Moray, by Austin-Smith:Lord
18-Feb-2010
[STUDY + PLANS + DATA] With Roseisle Distillery, Austin-Smith:Lord has harnessed operational requirements to create a building of real architectural merit, says Felix Mara. Photography by Keith Hunter -
Thermal Insulation: Vacuum-insulated panels
4-Feb-2010
Vacuum-insulated panels achieve higher insulation values with thinner construction -
CAD: Point Cloud technology
18-Nov-2009
Using point cloud readings, it is possible to include 3D-scans in CAD models
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