4


NEWS


Managing Editor James Parker


jparker@netmagmedia.co.uk Publisher


Anthony Parker aparker@netmagmedia.co.uk


Editorial Co-ordinator Shelley Collyer


Editorial Assistant Laura Shadwell


Studio Manager Mikey Pooley


Production Assistants Georgia Musson Kim Musson


Senior Account Manager Sheehan Edmonds


Account Manager Steve Smith


PR Executive Suzanne Easter


Publishing Assistant Kim Neville


Managing Director Simon Reed


Advertising & Administration t 01435 863500 info@netmagmedia.co.uk www.architectsdatafi le.co.uk


Press Releases editorial@netmagmedia.co.uk


Subscription & Circulation enquiries


info@netmagmedia.co.uk _Layout 1 17/03/2013 13:19 Page 1


netMAGmedia Ltd Cointronic House Station Road, Heathfi eld East Sussex, TN21 8DF


netMAG media


publ i shing – ver t i cal search T


his week’s Futurebuild at ExCeL pushed sustainability even further to the forefront, including the very visible move of removing the carpets (which I was shocked to discover were single use). The main conference programme saw traditional ‘construction’ or ‘architecture’ topics sidelined


in favour of key sustainability themes like energy, urban masterplanning, rebuild versus retrofi t, and our ‘contract with nature.’


Even personal behaviours were in focus within a whole conference stream dedicated to ‘Activism,’ including what actions architects can personally take, as well as within practice, to make decisive moves on fi ghting climate change. While this of course amounted to more talk about the subject when the challenge is now painfully stark (a recent UN report stated “there is no credible pathway to [limiting temperature rises to] 1.5˚C in place”), it was debate shot through with a sense of urgency regarding making practical steps, right now.


The vast gulf between personal actions and the potential to effect systemic change at either government


or ‘just’ construction industry level is part of the problem. We are simultaneously discussing two very different scales of doability, and proportionate scales of results. However, given where we are, with the UK lagging behind other countries on net zero, I believe that all efforts are important. Essentially, we ‘shouldn’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good’ (a borrowed phrase I fi nd myself repeating). Futurebuild coincided with International Women’s Day. Fittingly, I was privileged to interview three inspirational female practitioners of sustainable architecture, two of whom were part of the Activism debate. Sara Edmonds founded her practice Studio SeARCH in 2014 but she increasingly fi nds her time dominated by her work on the steering group of the Architects’ Climate Action Network. ACAN is about knowledge sharing and lobbying (such as demystifying Passivhaus), but also direct action. It’s perhaps not insignifi cant that nine of its 11-strong steering group are women. The 2019-founded UK Architects Declare network has been infl uential (such as paving the way for


Annual subscription costs just £48 for 12 issues, including post and packing. Phone 01435 863500 for details. Individual copies of the publication are available at £5 each inc p & p. All rights reserved


No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying, recording or stored in any information retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in Architects Datafi le, the publisher can accept no responsibility for the claims or opinions made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Editorial contributors to this journal may have made a payment towards the reproduction costs of material used to illustrate their products. The manufacturer of the paper used within our publication is a Chain-of-Custody certifi ed supplier operating within environmental systems certifi ed to both ISO 14001 and EMAS in order to ensure sustainable production. Printed in England


RIBA’s 2030 Climate Challenge targets), but ACAN is taking activism further. Sara is also a leading advocate for LETI (the 1000-strong body developing guides for architects to reach net zero on projects, and which the RIBA based its operational energy and embodied targets on). The more progressive ends of the architecture sector are already combining forces and using their collective power – and Sara gives architects peddling greenwash short shrift. I’d argue that what we really need now are levers to make the system and the industry address and adopt such initiatives en masse. I also spoke to Kat Scott, sustainability & regenerative design manager at dRMM, who’s driving net zero both in her work and more widely in the industry. Rebecca Hall at Architype was similarly full of enthusiasm and great ideas for changing the status quo. She has recently shown Edinburgh Council that large-scale Passivhaus retrofi t of properties including schools with antiquated boiler systems, is not just doable, but is affordable. Watch this space for more in-depth content from all three of these architects.


03.23 James Parker, Editor


ON THE COVER... White Arkitekter’s Gascoigne West Phase 1&2 in Barking embodies Scandinavian urban design principles of social wellbeing, and welcoming public spaces which connect the development Cover image © Paul Riddle


GASCOIGNE WEST, BARKING, LONDON


A notorious estate is being given a new lease of life by a major regeneration project, including phases by White Arkitekter which retain trees and add community spirit


ADF03_2023 Covers.indd 1 09/03/2023 14:46 For the full report on this project, go to page 28


FROM THE EDITOR


WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK


ADF MARCH 2023


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76