The Olympics can leave a lasting legacy on the various cities that have the honour to host it. Sometimes it is incredibly positive, such as the lovely Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford for London 2012. In other cases the legacies are negative, such as Athens 2004 causing ongoing financial issues for Greece and numerous pieces of commercial architecture with no future. The upcoming 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games have taken a really impressive approach that could be amazing for Milan. Let’s have a look. Continue reading →

For a very long time the office was the centre of most business operations, a key piece of commercial architecture. As a result, companies had to focus on desk space and capacity. There was a huge shift during the pandemic though, and even with return to office mandates becoming more common, remote and hybrid working is here to stay. In fact, many people won’t even apply for jobs now if they are 100% office based. So what does that mean for offices today? What should be the priorities to get the most from them? Continue reading →

Britain has a very long, interesting, and sometimes controversial history. You can see it in various things, especially homes, commercial architecture, and public buildings. Sadly though, many significant older sites are at risk. Some are in a very sorry state and it would take a huge investment to save them. Luckily, Historic England recently gave out grants to help save dozens of properties. We want to have a closer look here. Continue reading →

The idea to expand Heathrow Airport has been in the works for almost two decades. However, recently it took a giant leap forward with two bids for the project. There is plenty of support for the expansion and creation of a third runway. At the same time, there is opposition and concerns about the impact, especially on the environment. We want to take a closer look at the plans here because they could lead to one of the biggest infrastructure projects and some of the most crucial commercial architecture in the UK. Continue reading →

Many cities around the world owe a big part of their success to the fact they are close to rivers. In some cases they are an essential feature, including London, Paris, New York, and Prague. In most of them you can still see countless signs of how the river influenced the development, including commercial architecture. Amazingly, there is also a new campaign to bring swimming back to cities. We want to have a closer look here to see why it is an interesting idea with many potential benefits. Continue reading →

Summer 2025 is off to a scorching, record breaking start in the UK and across Europe. Heatwaves mean many countries have had their hottest June ever, including England and Spain. The heat has caused serious problems in many areas, including wildfires, evacuations, school closures, and huge pressure on power grids. It showcases that many cities simply aren’t equipped to handle the conditions. They need big changes to housing, public and commercial architecture, infrastructure, and public spaces to protect residents and visitors. Continue reading →