The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
Government moves to cut red tape on historic home retrofits
The government has taken the first steps towards making it easier to retrofit historic homes
RetroFirst
RetroFirst is an AJ campaign to prioritise retrofit over demolition and rebuild. Hundreds of architecture practices, organisations and individuals have declared their support for our campaign
Birmingham City Council to reconsider demolition of Brutalist landmark
Birmingham City Council is to reconsider its September decision to demolish the famous Ringway Centre following a legal challenge mounted by heritage and environmental campaigners
Angry residents say council heating upgrade will destroy listed Neave Brown estate
Residents, including architects, of London’s celebrated Alexandra Road estate are in uproar over council proposals to fit new heating systems
Fathom’s green-walled Waterloo retrofit plans approved
Lambeth Council has approved proposals by Fathom Architects for the retrofit and extension of a mixed-use building in London’s Waterloo
M&S clears first hurdle in legal challenge to Gove’s Oxford St refusal
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has been given permission to proceed with a legal challenge against Michael Gove’s decision blocking the demolition of its flagship Oxford Street store
Poor housing and Covid deaths: it’s the same damn map
Poor housing does not just reduce life expectancy, it kills people suddenly – as the Covid pandemic grimly demonstrated. The solution involves a whole-house retrofit approach to existing homes, says Tania Jennings
Bridge Chambers, Barnstaple
The Bridge Trust is seeking a design team for a substantial refurbishment and redevelopment of the Grade II-listed Bridge Chambers in Barnstaple [Deadline: 17 November 2023]
How Westminster City Council plans to put retrofit first
New policies in the pipeline will make it clear that retrofit is the best solution for the vast majority of buildings in the borough, says Westminster councillor Geoff Barraclough
Why is Keir Starmer ignoring the concrete and steel elephant in the room?
The Labour leader’s macho posturing on housebuilding ignores the 60 megatonnes of upfront carbon that building 1.5 million new homes would produce, writes Alice Moncaster
A call to arms: mass timber extensions can help pay for a retrofit revolution
We can make retrofit the norm by making it more profitable, adding storeys to existing buildings made of renewable low-carbon timber, argues engineer Kelly Harrison