Barriers to change: Max Fordham, Bond Bryan, Sheppard Robson and New Works – ADC

Sheppard Robson

“The industry still grapples with net zero and as regenerative design is a step beyond this, truly regenerative design requires a paradigm shift in approach to development. It needs a joined-up approach that looks and integrates beyond the red line boundary.

Project viability is a significant challenge, as construction costs are volatile and there is a lack of clarity in regulation to enable and accelerate transition to an economy compatible with net zero carbon. A lack of maturity in circular economy markets and supply chain at scale is also a challenge, however this is changing. A lack of precedent can make it difficult to persuade clients and debunk perceived risk.

The uncertain economic times also pose a challenge for large shifts in practice operations too. Costs of running a business are increasing while fee levels are not increasing at the same rate and project starts are pausing or slowing down.”

Max Fordham

“- Our economic system: harm caused by various materials, processes, types of work are not factored into the cost this skews what seems cost-effective. Many clients with good ethics have low budgets.

– Not being brought into projects early enough curtails broad and imaginative discussions about what is really to be achieved, ways it could be done, wider impact, innovative solutions than just a new building serving a single purpose for a single client, delivered cheaply.

– Limited project boundaries: meaningful urban ecological systems would include strategies going behind each plot. Without an overarching plan, it’s not possible for each tiny project to drive the change needed in neighbouring sites.

– Our current methods of ‘assessing’ things have limited metrics and are on differing timescales. Buildings can be demolished, replaced with something else, i.e. a building that is ‘better’ if you use our limited measurement methods and only ‘better’ for its few occupants in the immediate term – but not necessarily ‘better’ for everyone else.”

Bond Bryan Architects

“Our greatest challenges to becoming a more regenerative practice are related to the service we provide – architecture. From an architectural design perspective, we are limited by the client’s brief and the contractor’s implementation, particularly on design and build projects.

Most commonly there is a lack of opportunity on projects due to a lack of client aspirations, budget and timescales and a lack of control for us, as architects, to influence to maximum effect. There is a small element of shortcomings in knowledge and understanding of how to implement regenerative practices successfully and in a long-lasting manner, but through this process of applying for the Regenerative Architecture Index we hope to upskill ourselves and improve on our current practices.”

New-works

“Working across all work stages on marginal fees encourages reliance on existing solutions; a new way of working is needed to bring about change. Specialism and collaboration are founding principles of New-works. We need to make space to engage with this transition to regenerative practice, and specialising — rather than being stretched across all-stages — will allow us to that. Client attitudes can be hard to change, especially in the current market.

The shortage of sites, high cost of finance, inflated material prices and the sale values of projects not significantly moving has put pressure on developers’ margins. We have seen this pressure translate to a desire to de-risk the construction phase costs, which leads to a bias for familiar approaches. To try and combat this we have carried out speculative feasibilities demonstrating how moving to regenerative approach could be taken.”