Stories concerning the Building Safety Act and other repercussions of the Grenfell Tower fire were among the most read this year
Navigating the Building Safety Act’s position of principal designer
It’s no surprise that some of our most-read articles in 2024 were those grappling with the Building Safety Act, the role of principal designer, how to plan projects around the new gateways for higher-risk buildings, design options for second staircases in tall residential blocks; and the long-delayed fall-out from the Grenfell Tower fire. Practices don’t need to be building tall to be affected though. The duties around competency will be felt by nearly every practice as they research responsibilities and how to work with the legislation as it continues to bed in.
Accessibly summarised calls for interest and design competitions on our Opportunities Hub saw a healthy mix of high-profile projects this year from the British Museum gallery overhaul to the memorial for Queen Elizabeth II in London’s St James’s Park. But it also included small projects you might not hear about elsewhere, such as the masterplan for St Werburghs City Farm in Bristol. The hub is an easy place to drop in and see some of the hundreds of projects you should be bidding for.
RIBAJ/Future Architects writing competition and Rising Stars
Some developments in the last few years have suggested a disconnect from the profession by the new generation of would-be architects, notably the foundation of the Section of Architectural Workers trade union. But we have also seen clear evidence of that generation’s participatory drive. The engagement with these two RIBAJ competitions shows that both students and early-career professionals are on the lookout for outlets to promote their ideas and talents.
Architects’ falling salaries prompt a deeper study of income differentials
All is not easy in the relationship between younger and older architects. A high readership for the latest salary survey, which delved into generational differentials in income, shows there is still a lot of structural inequality that needs addressing – and a wide interest in it. There are also plenty of architects who want to check how their salary rates against those of others.
How I am retrofitting my own home to improve its energy performance
The story of one engineer’s battle to retrofit his Victorian house showed a level of attention to detail that has been appreciated by numerous readers. Ricardo Moreira mused, among other things, on the value of taking up the floorboards to insulate underneath versus the ease of bringing in a robot blower.