The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
Accordia residents facing huge bills after wooden balconies fail fire checks
Residents of a block at the Stirling Prize-winning Accordia housing scheme in Cambridge face major remediation works after its wooden balconies failed fire safety checks
Building Regulations
Updates on the Building Regulations, including regular columns from Regs expert Geoff Wilkinson
Architects should oppose plans to change toilet design rules
Plans to steer Building Regulations towards segregated WCs are an attack on trans rights, writes UVW-SAW’s Tatiana Whiting
Insurance crisis: a ticking timebomb for architects
In the wake of the Grenfell tragedy, professional indemnity insurance premiums have soared while exclusions have ballooned, an AJ survey shows, with 90% of practices worrying that this could threaten their businesses. Will Ing reports
There’s much to play for in 2021 – once the pandemic is over
In general, I am optimistic about the year to come, at least from the point of view of architects and others involved with the creation of the built environment, writes Paul Finch
AHR-designed Sheffield housing block evacuated over fire risk
Residents of a Sheffield apartment block designed by AHR – then known as Aedas – have been evacuated after the building failed fire safety tests
Jenrick promises tougher regulations after ‘shocking’ Grenfell testimony
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has promised tougher regulations will improve building safety, after expressing his shock at this week’s revelations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry
BRE accused of enabling ‘criminal’ Grenfell cladding manufacturers
The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has been accused of helping manufacturers to misleadingly market their insulation products as safe for high-rise buildings
Hackitt says new building regs will ease architects’ insurance crisis
Judith Hackitt, the chair of the board behind the new Building Safety Regulator, has said the forthcoming overhaul of building regulations will ease the crisis of soaring costs of professional indemnity (PI) insurance for architects
Tower block architects to face tougher registration criteria
Tougher criteria for being allowed to design tall residential buildings have been put forward by the Competence Steering Group for Building a Safer Future
I was not acting as clerk of works, says Grenfell clerk of works
The clerk of works on the Grenfell Tower refurbishment has said there was confusion about his role on the project, and that his responsibilities were ‘far more limited’ than his title, listed in tender documents and emails, suggested