Nick Simpson ARB
1.3K posts
Nick Simpson ARB
@NickSimpsonArch
Architect and Certified Passivhaus Designer at LEAP. Technically a planner too, but that was a long time ago. Occasional tutor at @NewcastleAPL. Views my own.
Newcastle Upon Tyne, England Katılım Mart 2021
484 Takip Edilen373 Takipçiler
If you’re interested in Passivhaus or construction in Scotland this is worth attending (online) if you can.
The Scottish government is consulting on their ‘Passivhaus Equivalent’, with huge pressure to water it down.
Please help keep the standard high!
eventbrite.co.uk/e/last-chance-…
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@geordiegraeme81 Amazing, congratulations! Hope it feels like an exciting new opportunity.
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It’s only took 14 years since obtaining my MA in Urban Design to secure an Urban Design post… pleased to announce that I’ll be taking up the role at Calderdale in December. I’ll miss the team at Oldham but couldn’t turn down the opportunity. #AnnounceMoore
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*Most* of the English and Welsh Building Regulations are sensible and well thought out.
Part O however - as well meaning as it is - needs to be updated ASAP.
Samuel Hughes@SCP_Hughes
These chunky bars are required in new homes by English building regulations aimed at preventing residents from falling out of windows. All windows with sill heights of less than 1.1 metres must have them if they can be opened by 10cm or more.
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Nick Simpson ARB retweetledi
I suspect I’ll be on here less and less.
I’ll probably spend a little more time here instead:
@iamnicksimpson.bsky.social
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You’ll see brutalism side-by-side with art deco, POMO or some 18th century gem and it just works.
Not clear how (or whether) quality is controlled, but more often than not buildings are at least of a basically decent design, in pure aesthetic terms.
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Anyone know anything about the Belgian planning system?
Not sure I’ve seen as eclectic a mix of architecture before as here in Antwerp. Huge range of styles and ages, often immediately adjacent. Trying to think of a better city in Europe in that regard.
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At a stroke this makes the job of so many architects vastly easier in terms of getting housing built.
The weeks / months wrangling with planners who just want a facsimile of the house next door, gone.
Not to mention that a truly low carbon house is unlikely to be clad in brick.
Russell Curtis@russellcurtis
This is an important change to the #NPPF that’s not really been discussed so far: planning authorities can no longer use “out of character” as a reason to refuse applications for new homes. This could have a huge impact on the potential for suburban intensification.
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If it means that planning depts aren’t so under resourced that we wait weeks and months for a returned call or email, I think most clients would accept a larger planning fee.
We shall see.
“Householder planning application fees could be doubled”
lgcplus.com/services/regen…
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As ever, a depressing list if you don’t live in London/Cambridge.
1 project in the NE and NI, 2 in Scotland. Nothing for the NW/Wales.
This isn’t about judging bias, it’s about regional inequality.
“Revealed: All 26 RIBA National Award winners 2024”
architectsjournal.co.uk/news/revealed-…
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Nick Simpson ARB retweetledi
What you’re looking at here is 105 homes, offices, shops and wild gardens.
All the buildings are timber frame
By A+Architecture + Hellin Sebbag Pirany Architectes, Montpellier
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architectsjournal.co.uk/news/opinion/w…
“Will a new Labour government build more car-dependent urban sprawl?”
Not all housing - or neighbourhoods - are the same. Labour could do huge damage by simply building more low density, low quality, inefficient sprawling suburbs.
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Nick Simpson ARB retweetledi
I've written an article for @BDonline setting out how a new @UKLabour government might go some way to achieving its promise of 1.5m homes by making it easier up intensify the suburbs of our cities.
bdonline.co.uk/opinion/how-su…
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Nick Simpson ARB retweetledi
Problems with the planning system: a personal anecdote (thread).
I’m trying to get an air to air heat pump (air con) installed at home, but I’m not sure whether I need planning permission or not. But as far as I can tell, there’s no way for me to find out…
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This appears to be the basis of the next government’s policy on heating, insulation and retrofit.
Looking forward to seeing the detail, but hopefully this will reward clients trying to decarbonise their homes.
Richard Lowes@heatpolicyrich
In case you wondered, this is it on heating and buildings from the Labour party manifesto....
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@bswud This is a really, really bad idea on so many levels.
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1. Encourage single ownership of retail areas. If one landowner owns the whole lot, they will 'internalise' the externalities like Leadenhall Market does in my first picture.
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Have you ever wondered why certain shopping streets are beautiful, and others, often only a short distance away, are a mess? (🧵)
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Nick Simpson ARB retweetledi
An example of ‘build on top’ in Sweden. A 1920s textile factory now has an additional 5 storeys constructed with timber. Big climate benefits incl. no demolition. More info en.tengbom.se/project/trikaf… & documented in waterstones.com/book/timber/pa… @agendapub @CEIBois
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@PaulBrannenNE Terrible form factor too, which is a real achievement for a huge apartment building.
However purely aesthetically, yes, something beautiful about them.
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Ok this tall pair of apartments in Stockholm are not built of timber, their carbon footprint is probably monstrous but they do look good!
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From time to time I’m reminded that I went through the entirety of architecture school without a single lecture on how to design a facade. Window placement, composition, typical materials etc.
Always felt like a very odd thing to leave students to pick up on the job.
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@lf_p @PaulBuskin A little disingenuous. There’s plenty of examples of buildings that would work there.
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