full article

Sodertalje Sweden Finalist Proposal Revealed

Alison Brooks Architects, alongside BAU from Sweden, were one of four finalists shortlisted in a retrofit masterplan design competition focusing on the Luna block in Södertälje, Sweden.

[more..]

Alison Brooks Architects, alongside BAU from Sweden, were one of four finalists shortlisted in a retrofit masterplan design competition focusing on the Luna block in Södertälje, Sweden.

The scheme was focused on re-working a 1970s concrete megastructure to re-imagine a more accessible and legible urban centre. Celebrating the Library and Gymnasium as civic anchors at the site’s most prominent edges, our proposal aimed to revitalize the city center by celebrating its diverse cultures, embracing its natural landscape, and enhancing its unique architectural charm. We were able to retain ~80% of the original structure while utilizing mass timber throughout to make our scheme an exemplar sustainable proposal.

Four our “Interwoven Luna” proposal, we were joined by landscape architects LARK from Norway; Linn Lindfred, a circular sustainability expert; and designers from Kvarteret K. We are immensely proud of our submission and the hard work of every team member. Congratulations CF Möller for their excellent winning proposal, “Heaven is our roof”.

To see our full submission, click here.

Declan Walker [less..]

TC 163 – Alison Brooks Architects

Our first practice monograph is now available for purchase! We’re proud to be collaborating with leading architectural publisher, TC Cuadernos, on their first monograph of a woman-led practice.

“The work of Alison Brooks Architects fuses an endlessly inventive architectural imagination with profound sensitivity to the diverse cultural and natural histories that form each project’s provenance. This ethos underpins the extraordinary array of nuanced and joyful works illustrated in this book, collectively described by Alison Brooks as ‘experimental archetypes’. This 386-page monograph charts eighteen built works completed in the past 20 years, extensively documented with descriptive texts, photographs, drawings and emblematic construction details that illuminate each project’s tectonic and conceptual intent.

[more..]

Our first practice monograph is now available for purchase! We’re proud to be collaborating with leading architectural publisher, TC Cuadernos, on their first monograph of a woman-led practice.

“The work of Alison Brooks Architects fuses an endlessly inventive architectural imagination with profound sensitivity to the diverse cultural and natural histories that form each project’s provenance. This ethos underpins the extraordinary array of nuanced and joyful works illustrated in this book, collectively described by Alison Brooks as ‘experimental archetypes’. This 386-page monograph charts eighteen built works completed in the past 20 years, extensively documented with descriptive texts, photographs, drawings and emblematic construction details that illuminate each project’s tectonic and conceptual intent.

The private houses in this book define Brooks’ early career and continue to be a test bed for experimentation. They illuminate her ability to conjure deeply human architectures of plasticity and informality. Organic geometries and expressive roof forms loosen cartesian boundaries to offer indeterminate spaces: these simultaneously act as a canvas for daily life, workplaces, or private art collections.

As the practice’s work has grown in scale, their urban housing schemes have been motivated by Brooks’ foundational belief that the architect’s duty to the city, and society, is to provide beautiful, sustainable, and accessible housing for all as a framework for individual and community well-being. This book reveals residential projects characterised by spatial generosity and a uniquely sculptural approach to form and material.

Alison Brooks Architects’ more recent educational and cultural projects emphasise architecture as a celebration of time, space, and light. Here Brooks interweaves spatial narratives with structural and material invention, exhibiting ever more sophisticated architectural languages and environments to engender new forms of social exchange.”

 

Order your copy here.

Declan Walker [less..]

Alison Brooks at The Interior Design Show Toronto 2024

Join Alison Brooks next Thursday, January 18th, as she delivers the keynote speech for the Interior Design Show (IDS) Toronto 2024. In conversation with Deezen’s US Editor, Ben Dreith, Alison will discuss her inspirations, her career journey and the future of the studio.

[more..]

Join Alison Brooks next Thursday, January 18th, as she delivers the keynote speech for the Interior Design Show (IDS) Toronto 2024. In conversation with Deezen’s US Editor, Ben Dreith, Alison will discuss her inspirations, her career journey and the future of the studio.

Get your tickets here.

 

When: Jan. 18, 2024 – 12:00 to 1:00pm

Where: Cosentino Main Stage, Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Building, 255 Front St W, Toronto

Declan Walker [less..]

Alison Brooks at Toronto International Architectural Roundtable

Alison Brooks will be in Toronto this November for The Buildings Show Toronto International Architectural Roundtable, where she will discuss Design Solutions for the Housing Crisis with Alfonso Femia, Janna Levitt and Ouri Scott. Co-sponsored by the Ontario Association of Architects and moderated by architectural critic Adele Weder, she will outline the challenges presented by the housing crisis both internationally and in Canada. The conversation will explore strategies to tackle these challenges across design and policy.

[more..]

Alison Brooks will be in Toronto this November for The Buildings Show Toronto International Architectural Roundtable, where she will discuss Design Solutions for the Housing Crisis with Alfonso Femia, Janna Levitt and Ouri Scott. Co-sponsored by the Ontario Association of Architects and moderated by architectural critic Adele Weder, she will outline the challenges presented by the housing crisis both internationally and in Canada. The conversation will explore strategies to tackle these challenges across design and policy.

At ABA, our dedication to inclusive city-building is grounded in the belief of housing as civic building. Working with private and public sector clients and local communities to deliver affordable, sustainable, and diverse neighbourhoods, we strive to foster equitable opportunities for both urban and rural societies. Get your tickets here.

 

When: Nov. 29, 2023 – 9:00 to 10:30am

Where: Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building, 222 Bremner Blvd, Toronto

Declan Walker [less..]

Alison Brooks appointed as Chair for the Design South East Expert Panel

We are delighted that Alison Brooks has been appointed as Chair for the Design South East Expert Panel. After many years as a Design Review Panel member and Design Council Ambassador, Alison’s new role underscores her commitment to improving the design and quality of buildings and public spaces across the UK.

Design Council’s expert panels deliver constructive guidance that fosters dialogue and collaboration between Planning Authorities, Clients and Architects, to help ensure that design proposals respond positively to their context and maximise benefit to the communities that they serve; values exemplified by ABA projects such as Quarterhouse Performing Arts Centre, Exeter College’s Cohen Quad, Oxford, and our ‘palazzo’ apartment buildings at Knight’s Park, Eddington; frontispiece for this emerging, net-zero operational carbon neighbourhood.

We are delighted that Alison Brooks has been appointed as Chair for the Design South East Expert Panel. After many years as a Design Review Panel member and Design Council Ambassador, Alison’s new role underscores her commitment to improving the design and quality of buildings and public spaces across the UK.

Design Council’s expert panels deliver constructive guidance that fosters dialogue and collaboration between Planning Authorities, Clients and Architects, to help ensure that design proposals respond positively to their context and maximise benefit to the communities that they serve; values exemplified by ABA projects such as Quarterhouse Performing Arts Centre, Exeter College’s Cohen Quad, Oxford, and our ‘palazzo’ apartment buildings at Knight’s Park, Eddington; frontispiece for this emerging, net-zero operational carbon neighbourhood.

Declan Walker [less..]

Windward House’s ‘Stair for 100 Objects’ featured in November issue of House and Garden Windward House

“Alison Brooks designed this staircase (constructed by AJ Lowther) to include a place to display her client’s collection of ethnographic art and dubbed it the ‘Stair for 100 Objects’. Aside from the walnut stair treads, the structure was assembled and welded off-site, then lowered into place. Covered in multiple layers of matt black paint, the steel elements have aged well, says Alison, ‘After more than 10 years, they show no sign of wear and tear’.”

Read the full article here.

“Alison Brooks designed this staircase (constructed by AJ Lowther) to include a place to display her client’s collection of ethnographic art and dubbed it the ‘Stair for 100 Objects’. Aside from the walnut stair treads, the structure was assembled and welded off-site, then lowered into place. Covered in multiple layers of matt black paint, the steel elements have aged well, says Alison, ‘After more than 10 years, they show no sign of wear and tear’.”

Read the full article here.

Declan Walker [less..]

Rubicon wins Best Design for Four Storeys or More at the Housebuilder Awards 2023 Rubicon

We’re pleased to share that our Rubicon project at Eddington, North West Cambridge has won ‘Best Design for Four Storeys or More’ at the Housebuilder Awards 2023.

[more..]

We’re pleased to share that our Rubicon project at Eddington, North West Cambridge has won ‘Best Design for Four Storeys or More’ at the Housebuilder Awards 2023.

Congratulations to Hill Group and their construction team. ABA are proud to have delivered design, planning and construction documents for this project after our 2025 developer/architect competition-winning bid. Thanks to all our collaborators and individuals who made this project a success!

To learn more about the award-winning project click here.

 

Declan Walker [less..]

New Practice Leadership

We are delighted to announce two new additions to our Practice Leadership. Please join us in congratulating Michael Mueller for his new position as Board Director and Juliana Rocha, promoted to Associate.

[more..]

We are delighted to announce two new additions to our Practice Leadership. Please join us in congratulating Michael Mueller for his new position as Board Director and Juliana Rocha, promoted to Associate.

Michael’s new role is a testament to his unflagging commitment to our practice ethos demonstrated by his motivational and inclusive management approach, mastery of technical challenges and consistently brilliant client service. He has led our practice’s high-profile projects in the UK and abroad, at all stages of design and construction. His notable built projects include the Cohen Quad in Oxford; sixty residential buildings across three sites at Eddington, Cambridge; and Cadence, ABA’s landmark arched towers in King’s Cross. Michael builds lasting client and team relationships that extend beyond the world of work to create a supportive practice culture.

Juliana Rocha is one of ABA’s most experienced architects and a dynamic force in our organization. She co-leads our BIM Management team and is ABA’s Timber Construction Lead. Her achievements range from successful competition designs to detailed construction packages. Recently, she has stewarded our mass timber, net-zero carbon Homerton College Entrance Building project through construction documentation. Her collaborative spirit, combined with technical know-how and yoga-infused energy, are a fantastic asset for our practice.

To find our more about our Team and Practice please click here.

Declan Walker [less..]

ABA at The British School at Rome

Last month Alison Brooks Architects sponsored our architect Chen Man to attend the The British School at Rome’s new Architecture & Urbanism summer school. Led by Sheila O’Donnell and John Tuomey (O’Donnell + Tuomey) and joined by architects from 10 other practices, the week’s study ‘A Moment in Rome’ offered students the chance to explore the wonders of the city and the BSR’s archives.

[more..]

Last month Alison Brooks Architects sponsored our architect Chen Man to attend the The British School at Rome’s new Architecture & Urbanism summer school. Led by Sheila O’Donnell and John Tuomey (O’Donnell + Tuomey) and joined by architects from 10 other practices, the week’s study ‘A Moment in Rome’ offered students the chance to explore the wonders of the city and the BSR’s archives.

A week-long study of in between spaces in Rome, focusing on moments, thresholds, and transitional passages. The week kicked off at San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, sketching in the pocket spaces of Borromini’s masterful work. Navigating our way through Rome using the Nolli Map, we explored Rome’s public spaces and examined the intricate urban filigree all the while admiring Nolli’s accuracy. A collective ‘Moment’ in Rome, for the group, was experiencing the Pantheon from inside it’s brick walls, observing the brick construction then stepping into the central space. The weeks analysis culminated in a model, synthesising our key takeaways from the trip and how our observations in Rome can influence our work in practice. My piece reflected on the void spaces formed by the spatial adjacency of cornices, arches and vaults that beautifully frame the city of Rome.” – Chen Man

Declan Walker [less..]

The Architects Series – A Documentary on Alison Brooks Architects

We’re thrilled to announce that The Plan Magazine’s Architects Series covering the studio has been released. We hope that watching it gives you a deeper insight into our architectural journey and the principles that guide our practice.

[more..]

We’re thrilled to announce that The Plan Magazine’s Architects Series covering the studio has been released. We hope that watching it gives you a deeper insight into our architectural journey and the principles that guide our practice.

Earlier this year, we welcomed the cameras of The Plan into our studios in London for filming. The documentary includes interviews with Alison Brooks along with our team, presenting the ideas and thoughts behind our day-to-day practice and key architectural projects. A specific focus has been places on sustainability for this episode.

Presented by THE PLAN magazine for Iris Ceramica Group, the 31st instalment of the series premiered on Thursday September 14 at the Iris Ceramica Gallery in Clerkenwell, London.

To watch The Architect Series documentary click here.

 

Source
The Architects Series
Declan Walker [less..]

The Architects Series – A documentary on Alison Brooks Architects

Presented by THE PLAN magazine for Iris Ceramica Group, the 31st instalment of the series will be premiered on Thursday September 14 at the Iris Ceramica Gallery in Clerkenwell, London.

[more..]

Presented by THE PLAN magazine for Iris Ceramica Group, the 31st instalment of the series will be premiered on Thursday September 14 at the Iris Ceramica Gallery in Clerkenwell, London.

Join us in the premiere of The Architects Series – A documentary on Alison Brooks Architects. Presented by The Plan magazine for Iris Ceramica Group.

Earlier this year, we welcomed the cameras of The Plan into our studios in Kentish Town for the filming. The documentary includes interviews with Alison Brooks along with our team, presenting the ideas and thoughts behind our day-to-day practice and key architectural projects.

The documentary will be screened at the Iris Ceramica Group Gallery in Clerkwenwell, followed by a live lecture by Alison Brooks. Assistants will be able to ask questions, moderated by Hana Nihill – Architecture Awards Manager at the Royal Academy of Arts.

The event will also be live-streamed.

Date: September 14, 2023, 18h
Location: ICG Gallery, 61-67 Old Street, London EC1V 9HW
Entry: Free, registration needed

Programme:
18:00h     Welcome and screening of the documentary
18:30h     Context is Everything, lecture by Alison Brooks
19:15h     Q&A led by Hana Nihill
19:45h     Refreshments

Register for in-person and online event here

 

Source
Watch the trailer
ceri.edmunds [less..]

Knight’s Park Reconnaisance @Eddington Cambridge

Last week Director Michael Mueller and Communications Manager Castana Arango went on a reconnaissance mission to check our multiple buildings nearing completion at Eddington, Cambridge.

[more..]

Last week Director Michael Mueller and Communications Manager Castana Arango went on a reconnaissance mission to check our multiple buildings nearing completion at Eddington, Cambridge.

Knight’s Park is at its final phase under construction; our second project, Rubicon, on Eddington’s southern edge is finishing soon. Of Rubicon’s five buildings, two are already home to 68 University key workers. It’s great to see the UK’s first net-zero masterplan in action. First stop was our new Knight’s Park neighbourhood of 124 homes, 55 by ABA and its avenues, mews and exemplar car-free Green Street.

‘It’s interesting to see how the inhabited bridge works to connect two of ABA’s three fan-shaped Palazzo apartment buildings. The spaces between these three buildings create differentiated passages into the neighbourhood. Beyond the Palazzos our terraced house & villas mansard roofs with our trademark splayed dormers convey an identifiable domestic character. Along each street our house and block designs are complemented by PTE’s terraced courtyard houses in scale and material. So there are similarities with Accordia but Knights Park has a more intimate semi-rural scale.’

We could see that the Green Street has come into its own, with its footbridges and seating areas, but also its fully functional reedbeds for rainwater filtering and storage benefitting residents, Cambridge’s flood management plan and wildlife. The neighbourhood really delivers our intention of bringing sensory delight, biodiversity, and healthy living to resident’s everyday experience. We are thrilled to see how, as the project reaches completion, first residents have started to care and nurture its green spaces. We’re onside with Alexis Butterfield of Pollard Thomas Edwards, the scale and texture of Knight’s Park is super successful!

Next stop Rubicon…

 

Declan Walker [less..]

Cornell AAP, ‘(An)Other University – A Place in Common’

Alison Brooks was honoured to teach at Cornell AAP this spring as Gensler Visiting Critic supported by AAP co-tutor Hanna Tulis. The studio ‘(An)Other University – A Place in Common’ investigated the nature of university as a civic institution and carrier of culture.

[more..]

Alison Brooks was honoured to teach at Cornell AAP this spring as Gensler Visiting Critic supported by AAP co-tutor Hanna Tulis. The studio ‘(An)Other University – A Place in Common’ investigated the nature of university as a civic institution and carrier of culture.

Its starting point was history and etymology of University, a compound word that, from the Latin, might translate as ‘seeking truth, together’.

In response to perceived and actual conditions of exclusion, universities are being asked to deliver a more holistic civic mission beyond their boundaries to create a wider ecosystem of social value and community benefit. The studio asked these questions: How can architecture operate between the campus, the city and its public to offer a Third Space or Commons? How can it act as a platform for participatory cultural discourse, in which all citizens can contribute to the accumulation and transmission of knowledge?

The project was sited in Montreal, an island city renowned for its multi-cultural character, its urban ‘mountain’, many universities, and brutal winters. Many of its residents, in particular its Kanien’kéha Nation and other indigenous communities, feel excluded from its landscapes of learning, both phenomenologically and physically.

The Studio was asked to re-imagine the ways in which the university’s traditional spaces – Library, Lecture Hall, Refectory, Auditorium – could become a more inclusive, composite architecture, re-casting the campus boundary as an inter-cultural place of assembly, social service and knowledge creation. Not only Library, but also Living Archive, Cooking and Recording Studios; not only Auditorium, but Agora, Maker Spaces, Talking Circles and Medicinal Gardens; spaces supporting more diverse forms of knowledge creation.

The studio’s comprehensive architectural projects emerged from a series of contextual investigations: a Typological Manual of Learning Institutions followed by the Imaginary Ideal: an intimate learning space in the idiom of magical realism. Group research included production of a Montreal Atlas encompassing infrastructure, rituals, institutions, food and ecologies and on-site experience of Montreal in winter. Within a critical conceptual framework each student produced a comprehensive architectural proposal synthesising cultural programme, spatial organisation, structural principles and material, using locally sourced structural timber, clay and stone.

Arch 4101 Students: Madeline Esquivel, Abdulrazaq Alkhaled, Marina Bernardi Peschard, Jun Oh Koo, Binghua Lei, Jiawei Wu, Jocelyn Pang, Khushboo Vyas, Njillan Sarre, Zachary Sherrod, Steven Liu, Francheska Reed

Special thanks to studio contributors & guest lecturers: Louis-Thomas Kelly, Margaret Carney, Stephan Chevalier & Sergio Morales, CCA-Canadian Centre for Architecture, Nicole Ives

Declan Walker [less..]

100 Women: Architects in Practice

Alison Brooks is honoured to be writing the Foreword for this essential book: a much-needed project to publicly acknowledge, disseminate and celebrate the work of great women architects in practice.

[more..]

Alison Brooks is honoured to be writing the Foreword for this essential book: a much-needed project to publicly acknowledge, disseminate and celebrate the work of great women architects in practice.

RIBA Bookshop:
‘Through illustrated interviews, each woman shares how they are responding to a profound disconnect between architecture and the people and landscape it serves. Their visions, methods and models of leadership are essential to connecting the needs of humans and the planet.’

Available for pre-orders now, order your copy here.

Declan Walker [less..]

Home Ground @ABA for the London Festival of Architecture 2023

This June, the office welcomed visitors to experience our Home Ground installation.  After being exhibited at the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale ‘How will we live together?’ and then travelling to Germany in 2022 for the Biennale Meets Roma exhibition, our installation finally found a home at our studio in Kentish Town.

[more..]

This June, the office welcomed visitors to experience our Home Ground installation.  After being exhibited at the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale ‘How will we live together?’ and then travelling to Germany in 2022 for the Biennale Meets Roma exhibition, our installation finally found a home at our studio in Kentish Town.

As part of the festival, we held an event where Alison Brooks and Associate Ceri Edmunds discussed the role of the Biennale in architectural culture, the ideas behind our installation and the projects it represents.

Alison Brooks and Associate Ceri Edmunds discussed our approach to the installation, the process of making it during Covid-19 times, and the projects it presents. We finalised the evening with a conversation about the role of the Biennale in the making of architectural culture.

One of our initial intentions for the installation was to generate a space for discussion. It brings us much joy to see the exhibition’s continued significance.

 

 

ceri.edmunds [less..]

Architects, not Architecture Keynote Speech

Alison Brooks spoke of her Canadian upbringing and architectural inspirations in a unique London event that prohibits speakers from talking about their practice’s work.

Watch the full keynote speech by clicking here.

Alison Brooks spoke of her Canadian upbringing and architectural inspirations in a unique London event that prohibits speakers from talking about their practice’s work.

Watch the full keynote speech by clicking here.

ceri.edmunds [less..]

Reconceptualizing Urban Housing at the Venice Biennale 2023

ABA work is on show at the Palazzo Mora in Venice as part of the Reconceptualizing Urban Housing exhibition. Organized by the ECC and curated by Canadian architect Heather Dubbeldam, the exhibition brings together a group of women-led practices from around the world presenting new housing models that redefine what collective housing can be and how it can support liveability for its inhabitants. The exhibition features our projects Unity Place, London and Quayside, Toronto.

[more..]

ABA work is on show at the Palazzo Mora in Venice as part of the Reconceptualizing Urban Housing exhibition. Organized by the ECC and curated by Canadian architect Heather Dubbeldam, the exhibition brings together a group of women-led practices from around the world presenting new housing models that redefine what collective housing can be and how it can support liveability for its inhabitants. The exhibition features our projects Unity Place, London and Quayside, Toronto.

Participants:

Alison Brooks Architects, UK

Adengo Architecture, Uganda

Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, Canada

Manuelle Gautrand Architecture, France

Eleena Jamil Architect, Malaysia

Fernanda Canales Arquitectura, Mexico

Studio Gang, USA

Meyer-Grohbruegge, Germany

Mecanoo, Netherlands

The exhibition will be on from May 20 to November 26, 2023 at Palazzo Mora in Venice, Italy.

Visit the exhibition’s website here.

ceri.edmunds [less..]

Unity Place wins Best Residential Scheme at the Brent Design Awards 2023 Unity Place

Unity Place won the Best Residential Scheme at the inaugural Brent Design Awards 2023. The awards aim to shine light on the most exceptional and innovative buildings and open spaces that have had a positive impact on the London Borough of Brent’s communities.

[more..]

Unity Place won the Best Residential Scheme at the inaugural Brent Design Awards 2023. The awards aim to shine light on the most exceptional and innovative buildings and open spaces that have had a positive impact on the London Borough of Brent’s communities.

‘Residents deserve great places to live and work, a nd high-quality design can help us achieve this.’ – Councillor Shama Tatler, Chair of the Judging Panel and Cabinet Member for Regeneration Planning and Growth. 

ceri.edmunds [less..]

Unity Place featured in new Architecture Foundation book, ‘At Home in London: The Mansion Block’ Unity Place

Our award-winning project Unity Place has been featured in the most recent Architecture Foundation book, ‘At Home in London: The Mansion Block’, exploring the history and evolution of the iconic London typology through 27 significant projects.

[more..]

Our award-winning project Unity Place has been featured in the most recent Architecture Foundation book, ‘At Home in London: The Mansion Block’, exploring the history and evolution of the iconic London typology through 27 significant projects.

Co-published with Mack Books, the publication explores the history and evolution of the London mansion block from the 1850s to the present day through 27 significant projects. Urban historian Karin Templin has edited the publication to offer a detailed encounter with the type and its role in defining the contemporary city.

Alison Brooks Architects first explored the mansion block as a typology back in 2010 with Ely Court, the first one of three projects for Brent Council in South Kilburn. As a strategy to restore the human scale and character of South Kilburn, our three modern mansion blocks follow six key principles from the type:

– Open ended bar buildings
– Frequent street facing communal entrances
– Two dwellings per floor/ per stair & lift core
– 100% dual aspect dwellings
– High ceilings and generous proportions
– Articulated roofscapes

View or purchase the book here.

ceri.edmunds [less..]

‘The Pioneers of Cross-Laminated Timber Construction’ The Smile

The Smile was the cover feature and first project to be explored in Archdaily’s article covering the ‘Meteoric Rise of Cross-Laminated Timber’.

[more..]

The Smile was the cover feature and first project to be explored in Archdaily’s article covering the ‘Meteoric Rise of Cross-Laminated Timber’.

The article referenced the landmark fully timber project made in collaboration with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Arup, and the London Design Festival. Showcasing the structural and spatial potential of cross-laminated American tulipwood The Smile uses CLT’s structural capacity to cantilever visitors in its 34m-long curve, up to three meters above the ground, without additional support.

Read the full Archdaily article here.

Source
The Meteoric Rise of Cross-Laminated Timber Construction: 50 Projects that Use Engineered-Wood Architecture
Declan Walker [less..]

Unity Place Shortlisted for RIBA London Award Unity Place Ely Court Kilburn Quarter

Unity Place has been shortlisted by the RIBA London Jury for a prestigious London Award.

[more..]

Unity Place has been shortlisted by the RIBA London Jury for a prestigious London Award.

Working with Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and Gort Scott as a large collaborative project, Unity Place is the latest phase of Brent Council’s twenty-year South Kilburn Regeneration in North West London. Alison Brooks Architects have designed a cluster of three modern mansion blocks to replace two derelict 1960’s towers. The scheme re-integrates the site and its communities into the wider South Kilburn neighbourhood. Three buildings provide exceptionally high quality, bright and spacious units.

Declan Walker [less..]

Practical Completion in Tottenham Hale One Ashley Road

We are thrilled to announce the end of the construction period of One Ashley Road in North London.

[more..]

We are thrilled to announce the end of the construction period of One Ashley Road in North London.

Our scheme’s hexagonal plan geometry, colour and patterning are inspired by Tottenham’s historic local context. The Eagle Pencil Co, later taken over by Berol, operated a factory in the Hale from 1907 to 1992. With a rich orange brick outer skin and a faceted metal courtyard façade, our design employs the graphic colours and hexagonal forms of the iconic Berol Eagle Pencil. These have been translated formally as abstract surface patterns within the architecture of the building, gathering and reflecting light into its heart.

A secluded residents podium garden and resident’s co-work space at third floor level is sheltered from street noise; at 7th floor level, a south-facing communal roof garden is visible from afar. With a double-height colonnade offering a civic frontage to Tottenham Hale, this building will bring identity, character, human scale and joy to its new and existing communities.

Visualization shows the view of the building directly after exiting Tottenham Hale station

Declan Walker [less..]

Toronto Quayside Development Agreement

Waterfront Toronto and Quayside Impact confirmed an agreement to develop the Quayside site this December.

[more..]

Waterfront Toronto and Quayside Impact confirmed an agreement to develop the Quayside site this December.

This announcement follows the competition success of Quayside Impact’s team earlier this year featuring Adjaye Associates, Henning Larsen and Alison Brooks Architects.

Co-leading a talented international team, we hope to transform the area into a vibrant new ecologically minded community. Our Western Curve Tower is the cornerstone to the masterplan’s design, featuring innovative balconies that will promote extensive planting.

The development will offer:

  • 800+ Units of affordable housing
  • 3.5 Acres of connective green public space
  • Low carbon design; mass timber structures

Read Waterfront Toronto’s full announcement here.

Declan Walker [less..]

Madame Architect Interview

This December Alison Brooks was interviewed by Julia Gamolina, the founder of Madame Architect.

[more..]

This December Alison Brooks was interviewed by Julia Gamolina, the founder of Madame Architect.

“We need more women creating the built environment, creating the cities in which we live. We need to inspire more young girls and women to be the makers of our world.”

To read the full interview, click here.

 

Declan Walker [less..]

IE University Guest Lecture

In November, Alison Brooks travelled to IE university to present her works to graduate students, placing an emphasis on sustainable, context-driven design.

 

In November, Alison Brooks travelled to IE university to present her works to graduate students, placing an emphasis on sustainable, context-driven design.

 

Declan Walker [less..]

Siza Talks 2022

Wed, 11/16/22
Porto, Portugal
Porto, Portugal
Alison Brooks participated in The Álvaro Siza Talks 2022 last week, speaking at the Auditório de Serralves in Porto alongside international architecture and design talent.

[more..]

Alison Brooks participated in The Álvaro Siza Talks 2022 last week, speaking at the Auditório de Serralves in Porto alongside international architecture and design talent.

The theme proposed for this year’s edition of the Talks, “Conversations with Time”, explored the role of the passage of time in the design process and life of buildings.
International design talents such as David Chipperfield, Carla Juaçaba, Momoyo Kaijima, Juan Navarro Baldeweg, João Mendes Ribeiro and José María Sánchez García presented their work at the event.
Wed, 11.16.22
Porto, Portugal
Porto, Portugal
When
Where
Porto, Portugal
Website
www.serralves.pt
Declan Walker [less..]

Alison Brooks Features at the Monterey Design Conference

Headlining alongside an impressive list of international design talents, Alison Brooks featured as a keynote speaker in Monterey, California for CAIA’s famed Monterey Design Conference.

[more..]

Headlining alongside an impressive list of international design talents, Alison Brooks featured as a keynote speaker in Monterey, California for CAIA’s famed Monterey Design Conference.

Learn more about the event and speakers by clicking here.

 

Declan Walker [less..]

Opening Keynote Speech ‘Transformations’ Cadence Exeter College Cohen Quad

Fri, 09/30/22
Samsung KX
Samsung KX

Alison Brooks spoke for the American Institute of Architects, kicking off a 3-day conference focused on London, King’s Cross and its transformations since the last AIA London Conference in 2014.

[more..]

Alison Brooks spoke for the American Institute of Architects, kicking off a 3-day conference focused on London, King’s Cross and its transformations since the last AIA London Conference in 2014.

Alison Brooks presented her work with a talk entitled ‘Context in Architecture.’ Cadence, Cohen Quad and the LSE Global Hub design proposal were all covered as case studies.

Fri, 09.30.22
Samsung KX
Samsung KX
When
Where
Samsung KX
Website
www.aiauk.org
Declan Walker [less..]

“A Genuine Evolution of the Collegiate Tradition.” Exeter College Cohen Quad

Ben Flatman of BD praised the Exeter College Cohen Quad in his recent building study, stating that, “(the) Cohen Quad is a living manifestation of what the contemporary, inclusive, Oxford college has become.”

To read the full commendatory article, click here.

Ben Flatman of BD praised the Exeter College Cohen Quad in his recent building study, stating that, “(the) Cohen Quad is a living manifestation of what the contemporary, inclusive, Oxford college has become.”

To read the full commendatory article, click here.

Declan Walker [less..]

Unity Place Shortlisted for Four Design Excellence Awards Unity Place

Our 100% social housing project completed for Brent Council last year, Unity Place has been shortlisted for an NLA award, a WAF award, an AJ award and a Housing Design award.

[more..]

Our 100% social housing project completed for Brent Council last year, Unity Place has been shortlisted for an NLA award, a WAF award, an AJ award and a Housing Design award.

With collaborators Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and Gort Scott, the fully barrier-free scheme has transformed the South Kilburn Estate through providing bright, robust and spacious apartments for all tenants.

Declan Walker [less..]

Alison Brooks Interviewed for Azure Magazine

Alison Brooks advocated that, “Architects should claim the role to bring beauty into people’s lives,” when speaking to Vladimir Belogovsky.

Read the article, which covers a broad range of subjects related to Brooks’ architecture, here.

 

Alison Brooks advocated that, “Architects should claim the role to bring beauty into people’s lives,” when speaking to Vladimir Belogovsky.

Read the article, which covers a broad range of subjects related to Brooks’ architecture, here.

 

Declan Walker [less..]

Shortlisted London School of Economics Design Proposal Revealed London School of Economics Global Hub

We are pleased to reveal our design for the LSE Firoz Lalji Global Hub and Institute for Africa. Collaborating with Nigerian practice Studio Contra, Alison Brooks Architects were one of six finalists chosen to prepare designs from 190 international submissions.

[more..]

We are pleased to reveal our design for the LSE Firoz Lalji Global Hub and Institute for Africa. Collaborating with Nigerian practice Studio Contra, Alison Brooks Architects were one of six finalists chosen to prepare designs from 190 international submissions.

Our proposal aims to express the cultural, economic and environmental significance of Africa on one of London’s most prominent civic stages, Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

These readings underpin our primary urban approach: subtly curved symmetrical facades that embrace their context, sculpted terra cotta cladding that echoes clay-based architectural traditions, and stepped massing, emphasizing rootedness and heft.

 

 

 

Declan Walker [less..]

Green Light for Lot 4 Lot 4

Planning permission has been granted for the 88 unit, mixed typology ‘Lot 4’, our latest addition to the Eddington, Cambridge master plan.

[more..]

Planning permission has been granted for the 88 unit, mixed typology ‘Lot 4’, our latest addition to the Eddington, Cambridge master plan.

Our architectural approach takes inspiration from the eclectic collegiate clusters around Cambridge, where varying but related architectural styles lie in harmony. Responding to the neighbourhood with new colour, detail and massing, a range of tenures and typologies is envisaged to support a diverse and engaged community.

Visit the project page here.

 

 

 

Declan Walker [less..]

Mass Timber Planning Permission Success Homerton College

Planning permission has been granted for our net zero carbon Homerton College, Cambridge Entrance Building.

[more..]

Planning permission has been granted for our net zero carbon Homerton College, Cambridge Entrance Building.

Alison Brooks Architects’ scheme is inspired by the Homerton College campus, its architectural eclecticism and its Arts & Crafts legacy. In the tradition of the Arts & Crafts house, a sheltering and protective Verandah makes a clear gesture of welcome toward the Hills Road approach.

Key to our design is an expressed timber frame and its inherent sequestered carbon. Timber proved appropriate for this pavilion-like entrance building; limited beam spans lead to a very rational structural grid and a pure overall form. Glulam columns, beams and ribbed CLT floorplates will create an environment of primarily warm, natural materials that will enhance this building’s acoustic, tactile and olfactory qualities.

Declan Walker [less..]

House of the Year Cover Feature for House and Garden Magazine Windward House

“It is not so surprising that you end up with the best house when you work with the best architect,” opened client David Clifford in House and Garden’s commendatory article.

Read the full feature here.

“It is not so surprising that you end up with the best house when you work with the best architect,” opened client David Clifford in House and Garden’s commendatory article.

Read the full feature here.

ceri.edmunds [less..]

Biennale Meets ROMA

Fri, 06/3/22
ROMA KG Campus Burgau, Germany
ROMA KG Campus Burgau, Germany

The ‘Home Ground’ installation will be exhibited at the ROMA KG campus in Burgau, Germany until November.

[more..]

The ‘Home Ground’ installation will be exhibited at the ROMA KG campus in Burgau, Germany until November.

We are glad to be featured in this exhibition alongside models by Peter Pichler Architecture, Michael Maltzan Architecture, Storia Na Lugar, LOVE Architecture, Kozo Kadowaki, Enlace Arquitectura, Daniel López-Pérez, and Reiser + Umemoto.

Fri, 06.3.22
ROMA KG Campus Burgau, Germany
ROMA KG Campus Burgau, Germany
When
Where
ROMA KG Campus Burgau, Germany
Website
roma-campus.de
ceri.edmunds [less..]