Our Favourite buildings that break boundaries

We might not be heading to this year’s London Festival of Architecture, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take inspiration from this year’s theme: ‘boundaries’.

Our favourite healthy buildings

Inspired by our upcoming health edition of Notes From a Small Practice, we have chosen our favourite ‘healthy’ buildings – which has made for an interesting selection as it can be interpreted in many ways.

When thinking about a guest contributor for this topic, Lloyd Alter immediately sprang to mind. Lloyd is the design editor of TreeHugger (he’s a fan of the Hen House) and contributes to a wide variety of media including The Guardian and MNN.com. When it comes to talking about sustainable architecture, look no further.

Our favourite visitor attractions

From Snowdonia to the dizzy heights of Mount Hamilton in California; this month our favourites take you on a world tour. Closer to home, we’re all looking forward to visiting The Weston – the Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s newly opened visitor centre designed by Feilden Fowles. We’re all regular visitors to the YSP [it’s less than an hour away from Sheffield] and have eagerly awaited the new addition to the YSP’s landscape.

Image: Julie Maxwell

Our Favourite things to do in the outdoor city

Spring is in the air and the start of the outdoor season is just around the corner. So, what better time to collate our favourite things to do in the city we’re proud to call home. Sheffield has rightly earned the title of ‘The Outdoor City’ and in our humble opinion there really is no better place to live.

We’ve also invited Anna Paxton and Ed Birch from Salt Street Productions to share their favourites with us. Salt Street are the team behind The Outdoor City’s latest trailer.

Last month we teamed up with the award-winning Sheffield Sustainable Kitchens to share their top tips for creating a sustainable and stylish kitchen. In case you missed it, read it here.

When we’re designing a home, the kitchen inevitably comes up early on in the conversation with our client. The kitchen is the nerve centre of the home. It’s a place to unite, eat and create memories. With that in mind, we’d love to know what you think of our selection of favourite kitchens.

We’re thrilled to be joined by Rob Cole, founder of Sheffield Sustainable Kitchens who has shared his favourite kitchen with us.

Our favourite podcasts

Inspired by Paul’s interview on the We Build Academy podcast, some of the team have chosen the podcasts they most enjoy listening to.

There’s an eclectic mix, so whether you’re a keen podcast listener or perhaps just getting started, we hope you discover something you like.

Our favourite karaoke songs

We’re a divided practice when it comes to karaoke. Some of us [like Liam, Alan & Tom] can’t wait to belt out a good tune. Then there’s some who wouldn’t say no…and the rest of us that definitely wouldn’t say yes!

But one thing we do agree on is that your tune of choice says a lot about you. We’ll leave you to judge our choices below, and if we ever do make it out for a team karaoke we’ll share the video evidence.

Jolene – Dolly Parton

Our favourite buildings that let in light

It’s safe to say 99% of our clients mention wanting more natural light when we first speak to them.

Moving natural light into the heart of any building is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it also improves comfort and reduces energy use.

It’s a subject Alan chats about in detail in the latest issue of Houseproud Stamford & Rutland Magazine and inspired this month’s theme.

Our favourite projects under construction

After blogging about health and safety on site this month, we’ve each chosen our favourite construction projects. We can only imagine the health and safety responsibilities involved in something like BIG’s energy-to-waste plant in Copenhagen! Needless to say, we’re really excited to see how these projects come to life.

Siége de la Métropole Européenne de Lille, France – Henning Larsenfrom & KeurK Architecture

Big shout to my friends and former colleagues who are behind this ambitious project in my hometown. I can’t wait to see how they tackle the challenges to deliver this very eco & massive office building. [Julie]

Flitwick Mill, Bedford – Self-build project

Earlier this summer I met the owners of Flitwick Mill who are in the process of a huge restoration project. It sounds like a challenging and lengthy project, but I was really impressed by their passion and dedication for preserving the mill whilst making it energy efficient. [Fera]

Amager Bakke Waste-to-Energy Plant, Copenhagen – BIG

I’m really excited about this waste to energy plant in Copenhagen which includes a rooftop ski slope. The power plant is already open but the finishing touches are being added to the ski slope for its opening this winter. It’s an interesting example of how you can inject some fun into public infrastructure. I can’t wait to go back to Copenhagen and test it out! [Alan]

Bennetts Associates Grant Smith

Royal College of Pathologists HQ, London – Bennetts Associates

Loving the quality achieved with this concrete casting, especially given it’s located six floors up in a central London location. [Tom]

Secular Retreat, Peter Zumthor – South Devon

It would have been immense to have been on site as the rammed concrete walls were formed for Zumthor’s first ever UK based project.

Although it has been a tricky process, with rammed concrete being quite a rare construction technique, the wall texture looks as though it was totally worth the effort. I really want to touch them! Although it’s technically finished, it hasn’t opened yet so I think it counts. [Liam]

Church Grove, London – Rural Urban Synthesis Society (RUSS)

Fresh off the drawing board, and having received funding from Sadiq Khan’s Mayor’s Innovation Fund, this self build housing scheme in Lewisham is a step in a good direction for housing nationwide.

Rural Urban Synthesis Society (RUSS) is the community group responsible. The founder Kareem Dayes grew up on Walter’s Way, a 1970’s self-build project also in Lewisham, from which this scheme likely takes inspiration. [Marcus]

Tibshelf strawbale house, Sheffield – Thread Architects

I love the gloriously hairy interior of this straw bale house before plastering. I haven’t seen any drawings of the project but it’s by Sheffield’s own Thread Architects so I have high hopes and I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out! [Claire]

Windermere Jetty Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories, Lake District – Carmody Groake

When Paul Testa Architecture was only a few months old we joined forces with Bond Bryan Architects, Arup and Ares Landscape Architects to submit an expression of interest in the Windermere Steamboat Museum competition. We didn’t get beyond the first stage, but I’ve been eagerly waiting for the winning Carmody Groarke scheme to be completed. It’s a fantastic design and location. It looks like it will be opening in a few months’ time. [Paul]

Are you excited by something under construction? We’d love to know!

Our favourite low-cost builds

We’re continually impressed and inspired by creative projects that have been achieved on a small budget. From fellow architects to community projects and self-builders; check out our favourite builds that haven’t cost the earth.

By the way, if you’re a self-builder take a look at our informative guide to financing your project here.