AJ 19.02.26: Natural Materials

AJ 19.02.26: Natural MaterialsNatural materials resonate with us at a profound level. We want to touch them. They connect us with our world, and they are resilient. When they weather and age, they can grow in beauty. This month's issue explores these materials, showcasing exciting projects that are part of a more circular approach to building. These include a rammed earth home by Tuckey Design Studio, a sensitive retrofit of a historic City of London building by 6a architects, and

Pitman Tozer adds value to an unpromising site in Croydon with its mixed-use tower

we explore two new exhibitions: SOAS University of London’s Building Africa and Abstractions: Studies of the National Theatre – photographs of Denys Lasdun’s South Bank masterpiece

five case studies of community-led schemes – from cooking and teaching facilities in London to affordable homes on micro-sites in Bristol

an AJ poll shows a widespread shift to home-working but longer-term worries about a business slowdown

Allies and Morrison‘s 100 Bishopsgate tower

which has pioneered innovative circular solutions in mass timber construction

The latest AJ features building studies of three schools projects: Allies and Morrison’s van Hasselt Centre at Cranleigh School in Surrey

we explore these opportunities through the work of UK names currently working in Belgium

Including case studies of: Pool Meadow Bus Station by Studio MUTT

heralded as the first in a new generation of office buildings and with impressive green credentials

which include a workspace and community hub converted from a 1960s Copenhagen factory

Roofing and drainage