This is just so cool. How do you take the concept of the office privacy-pod and make it work in the domestic sphere? A pair of London architects have cracked it, making a bespoke timber pod the unlikely centrepiece of a Grade II-listed apartment in South Kensington. Fabulous work from @aryadouge . Check out the link to The Spaces in my bio for the full piece. @180.quarter@ellenhimelfarb
When the executives of one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies abandon their St James’s headquarters for a remodelled printworks in Southwark, attention is duly paid.
I headed to Bankside for a first look at @landsecgroup ’s Timber Square development for @thetimes following news last month that BP will be relocating from 1 St James’s Square, arguably one of the most prestigious corporate addresses in the capital, to the site’s Ink Building in 2028.
What is it about this project in this location that saw one of the world’s biggest corporations take 54% of its available workspace off the market in one fell swoop?
Find out more via the link to The Times in my bio.
This is Westview Cottage, an incredible new house by @hollawaystudio just launched on the Dungeness estate. The images of the completed project are beautiful but I was lucky enough to tour it back in February with @guyhollaway and the contractor during the final stages of the build. These snaps are candid. They aren’t the finished product but I loved capturing the work in progress and speaking to the builder about how he brought this architectural vision to life. He charred every piece of external woodwork himself on site to get the perfect ton and texture. And see the nails in the woodwork on image six? Perfectly and meticulously in line. The care and skill that goes into building life this never fails to amaze me. For more on Dungeness check out my piece in @wallpapermag (link in bio). #dungeness #westviewcottage
Taking an interstellar minibreak like the crew of Artemis II is not for everyone. Yet there are plenty of Earthbound places where appreciating the beauty of the celestial skies doesn’t require leaving our atmosphere. I rounded up five astronomical observatories where you can contemplate the infinite reach of the cosmos with a spot of meditative stargazing for The Spaces (@180.quarter ). Link to site in my bio. @ellenhimelfarb
Of all the pieces I’ve written for @thetimes , seeing this one in print is such a joy. Not just because it shines a light on the incredible traditional skills being deployed across the capital, but because it warns just how close we are to losing them at a time when our heritage buildings are, quite literally, crumbling.
We are on the cusp of a crisis. There are currently 604 at risk heritage sites in London alone in pressing need of restoration. There is £6 billion worth of construction works on pre-1919 buildings scheduled in the UK capital for 2026. But where are the people with the specialist skills to take it on?
We are facing a huge heritage skills gap and, seemingly incongruously, AI could be the catalyst for driving growth in the sector. I spoke to everyone from the heritage French polisher responsible for the upkeep of London’s treasure trove of woodwork and furniture to the window fitter who replaced and restored all 154 windows at the old @thewhiteleylondon . Check the piece out via the link to The Times in my bio or pick up a copy today and have a read in print.
Would you do four hours of litter picking in return for lunch at The River Cafe? Or paint a local school to secure a sought after piece of jewellery or a limited edition silver tankard? Such a treat to write about Earnt (@earnt_ ) for Harper’s Bazaar. Check out the May edition for this full piece shining a light on female philanthropists. Thanks @franceshedges and @charlotteabrook . @bazaaruk
City swimming is one of my favourite things to talk about so I really can’t wait to moderate this discussion on whether it’s the next frontier in urban resilience at this year’s @sxswlondon festival. I’ll be joined by the marvellous @chrisromerlee of @swimmable_cities and Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy @metecoban92 on June 4th for a deep dive (sorry, had to be done) into a topic I firmly believe we should all be talking about much more. Hopefully see some of you there.
From cattle-wrangling in the American West to regenerative agriculture in the British countryside, a few choice farm hotels are redefining rural escapes. This new generation of sustainable stays allow guests to participate in, rather than simply observe, homestead life. Here, on-site livestock and land-to-larder ethics shape the experience rather than serve as a backdrop or stylised aesthetic. I rounded up five working farms and ranches for a wholesome stay for The Spaces. @180.quarter@ellenhimelfarb
“I know people are scared of me…I don’t want them to be.” I interviewed Zaha Hadid for Building Magazine in 2011. It was one of the most pivotal, revealing conversations of my career. A woman who slowly “gave up everything I enjoyed” over the course of her life and who responded with “something rude, always” every time she was underestimated, she was a force. I can’t believe it is ten years since she died. She taught me more about how much people can are able to hide behind their public personas and shows of strength than almost anyone else I’ve interviewed. Or met. Zaha Hadid 31st October 1950 - 31st March 2016.
Interior designer @frankyrousell was born deaf. She cant remember hearing anything until the age of five and, as a result, has a heightened sense of smell. Now the founder of multi-sensory design practice @joliestudioltd focusses on creating spaces and places that engage and appease all five of the senses. One of the most fascinating pieces I’ve ever researched, I spoke to her for The Spaces along with the architects behind a sensory-led dementia village in Norway and the head of inclusive design at Buro Happold about the transformational power of sensory design. For those who need it most, of course. But, ultimately, for us all.
The sun is shining and our migratory feathered friends are returning. What better time to celebrate the arrival of spring than with a piece exploring the architectural beauty of some of Europe’s most striking bird hides? Such a fun piece for @ellenhimelfarb at @180.quarter . Link in bio.
Dungeness has been part of my life and soul for as long as I can remember so it was a bit of a dream to be able to write about this weird and wonderful pocket of the UK for @wallpapermag . Wild, raw and resolutely unforgiving, this stretch of shingle on the Kent coast is one of the world’s most unlikely hubs of contemporary architectural expression. Architects and designers flock here to see what they can deliver in the face of strict planning laws and meteorological extremes. The results, in my opinion at least, are just stunning. And @mikainstagram thinks so too…check out his latest music video if you don’t believe me. Link to full feature via Wallpaper* in my bio.
