California Academy of Sciences and the Green Roof That Breathes
# California Academy of Sciences and the Green Roof That Breathes I remember standing in Golden Gate Park looking up at what appeared to be hills that had somehow materialised…
Cornell Tech Tower New York and How It Became the Worlds Largest Passive House
When I first heard about a 26-storey residential tower in New York being built to Passive House standards, I’ll be honest: I was sceptical. The physics seemed brutal. Here’s the…
How Much Weight Can My Roof Support and Do I Need a Structural Survey
# How Much Weight Can My Roof Support and Do I Need a Structural Survey You’re looking at that flat roof on your extension and wondering whether you can transform…
The 10 Best Green Roof and Living Wall Projects in the World
# The World’s Most Important Green Architecture Projects: A Crew Debate Right, so we finally sat down and hashed this out. Took us three sessions, nearly ended a friendship between…
Choosing Indoor Plants That Actually Improve Air Quality and Where to Put Them
# Choosing Indoor Plants That Actually Improve Air Quality and Where to Put Them I spent the better part of a decade convinced that filling my flat with plants would…
Goldsmith Street Norwich and the Council Housing That Won the Stirling Prize
I was walking past a building site in Norwich about eight years ago when I saw something that made me stop dead. The builders were installing these massive triple-glazed windows…
Brithdir Mawr Pembrokeshire and the Roundhouse Community That Fought Planning Law
I built my first structure without planning permission when I was twenty-three. Nothing as ambitious as a whole house, mind you – just a garden shed that was probably six…
What Is Cross Laminated Timber and Why Architects Are Obsessed With It
I’ve spent the last five years watching architects discover cross laminated timber with the enthusiasm of children finding out they can build actual treehouses. The conversations follow a predictable pattern.…
ZEB Pilot House Norway and What a True Zero Emission Home Looks Like
I’ve been working on sustainable building projects for over ten years, and I’ll be honest – most of what passes for “zero emission” housing makes me want to tear my…
Inside Jewel Changi Airport and What Makes It a Biophilic Masterpiece
# Inside Jewel Changi Airport and What Makes It a Biophilic Masterpiece I’ll be honest with you. When I first heard about an airport terminal with a 40-metre waterfall and…