Building Safety Act for Principal Designers Toolkit To help you stay on top of your obligations, we’ve created the Building Safety Act Toolkit for Principal Designers. This resource includes over 30 ready-to-use documents to guide you through every stage of the project — from initial client consultation right through to handing over the design phase. You’ll find: Project checklists and risk assessment templates Fee proposal letters, terms and conditions, and appointment templates Client care...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Welcome to our August edition of 5 Useful Things. In these mid monthly emails we share with you 5 useful things we have come across during our work and personal time that we hope you will enjoy. This month we have a variety of discoveries that we hope you will get some value from. If you have stumbled across something that you think our readers would find useful, please let us know! 1. Something to Read TFL Streetscape Guidance A useful guidance document for all aspects of streetscape design,...
28 days ago • 1 min read
Lime as a Building Material Lime is an inorganic mineral that has been used in our built environment for centuries. It is predominantly derived from limestone or rocks containing carbonates of calcium or magnesium. This natural material is known for its use as a binder in mortars, plasters, and renders that offer suitable exterior and interior applications. One of its main qualities is its ability to improve the breathability of walls, which goes a long way in creating comfortable and...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Welcome to our July edition of 5 Useful Things. In these mid monthly emails we share with you 5 useful things we have come across during our work and personal time that we hope you will enjoy. This month we have a variety of discoveries that we hope you will get some value from. If you have stumbled across something that you think our readers would find useful, please let us know! 1. Something Useful Mattoboard – Free Moodboarding Tool A simple, elegant browser-based tool for creating...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Scale Conversion Tools We’ve just added a set of free tools to help you get to grips with drawing scales in architecture — mastering drawing scales is definitely one of those foundational elements that can feel tricky at first. These nifty tools help you with various tasks you might come across in your studies or work. Scale Converter This tool helps you quickly translate between real-world dimensions and scaled drawing sizes (and vice versa). Reverse Scale Finder Got a drawing but not sure...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Welcome to our June edition of 5 Useful Things. In these mid monthly emails we share with you 5 useful things we have come across during our work and personal time that we hope you will enjoy. This month we have a variety of discoveries that we hope you will get some value from. If you have stumbled across something that you think our readers would find useful, please let us know! 1. Something Useful House Extension Details - An Architectural Guide Just in case you missed the announcements…...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Can Prefabrication Fix the Housing Crisis? Britain needs to build 300,000 homes a year. Construction costs keep climbing. Skilled tradespeople are harder to find than ever. Something has to give. Prefabrication keeps getting touted as the solution—factories churning out precision-built modules and panels that slot together on site like architectural Lego. It's faster, supposedly more sustainable, and could bypass the skills crunch that's throttling traditional construction. Yet despite...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Welcome to our May edition of 5 Useful Things. In these mid monthly emails we share with you 5 useful things we have come across during our work and personal time that we hope you will enjoy. This month we have a variety of discoveries that we hope you will get some value from. If you have stumbled across something that you think our readers would find useful, please let us know! 1. Something to Listen To The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos While not architecture-specific, this podcast...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Cork as a Building Material: Why it's Gaining Ground Cork has long been known for sealing wine bottles, but its use in construction is gaining momentum—and for good reason. As a natural, renewable resource with excellent thermal and acoustic properties, cork is proving to be a valuable material in sustainable construction. In our latest article, we explore how cork is processed, the range of products available, and what makes it a strong contender for low-impact building projects. We also...
4 months ago • 1 min read