Philip Oldfield
@sustainabletall.bsky.social
Head of School at UNSW Built Environment and Professor of Architecture. Writer, researcher & teacher, tall buildings, climate change, embodied carbon, cities
We don’t *just* need to build more homes, but also retrofit our existing homes to reduce energy bills and improve comfort
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
June 15, 2025 at 7:07 AM
We don’t *just* need to build more homes, but also retrofit our existing homes to reduce energy bills and improve comfort
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Shameful really
One of the big contributors is our poor quality of housing. You can rate the thermal performance of housing on a star rating of 0-10.
The average star rating of Australian homes built before 2003? 1.8 stars…
One of the big contributors is our poor quality of housing. You can rate the thermal performance of housing on a star rating of 0-10.
The average star rating of Australian homes built before 2003? 1.8 stars…
June 15, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Shameful really
One of the big contributors is our poor quality of housing. You can rate the thermal performance of housing on a star rating of 0-10.
The average star rating of Australian homes built before 2003? 1.8 stars…
One of the big contributors is our poor quality of housing. You can rate the thermal performance of housing on a star rating of 0-10.
The average star rating of Australian homes built before 2003? 1.8 stars…
Cladding made from reclaimed railway sleepers - looks fantastic!
By Reed Watts Architects and Allies & Morrison
timberdevelopment.uk/roundhouse-w...
By Reed Watts Architects and Allies & Morrison
timberdevelopment.uk/roundhouse-w...
June 15, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Cladding made from reclaimed railway sleepers - looks fantastic!
By Reed Watts Architects and Allies & Morrison
timberdevelopment.uk/roundhouse-w...
By Reed Watts Architects and Allies & Morrison
timberdevelopment.uk/roundhouse-w...
Such simple, beautiful social housing. One main material used externally, no set backs, simple form and generousity of external space (just look at that balcony!)
21 apartments in Lyon by Rue Royale Architects and Claire Tournier
21 apartments in Lyon by Rue Royale Architects and Claire Tournier
June 8, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Such simple, beautiful social housing. One main material used externally, no set backs, simple form and generousity of external space (just look at that balcony!)
21 apartments in Lyon by Rue Royale Architects and Claire Tournier
21 apartments in Lyon by Rue Royale Architects and Claire Tournier
Lovely scale of urban infill by West of West, proposed for LA
A winning scheme in the Small Lots, Big Impacts competition
A winning scheme in the Small Lots, Big Impacts competition
June 7, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Lovely scale of urban infill by West of West, proposed for LA
A winning scheme in the Small Lots, Big Impacts competition
A winning scheme in the Small Lots, Big Impacts competition
I mean, come on….
June 6, 2025 at 7:13 AM
I mean, come on….
I will never get over the architectural quality of Swiss schools
This is a 14 classroom school by CURA Architekten
This is a 14 classroom school by CURA Architekten
June 6, 2025 at 7:13 AM
I will never get over the architectural quality of Swiss schools
This is a 14 classroom school by CURA Architekten
This is a 14 classroom school by CURA Architekten
I don’t think people realise quite how inequitable development is globally
In the US there is 30x more built up volume (buildings and infrastructure) per person than in Bangladesh
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
In the US there is 30x more built up volume (buildings and infrastructure) per person than in Bangladesh
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
June 2, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I don’t think people realise quite how inequitable development is globally
In the US there is 30x more built up volume (buildings and infrastructure) per person than in Bangladesh
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
In the US there is 30x more built up volume (buildings and infrastructure) per person than in Bangladesh
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Mass timber office building in Lyon, by BFV Architectes
Top notch detailing
Top notch detailing
May 31, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Mass timber office building in Lyon, by BFV Architectes
Top notch detailing
Top notch detailing
May 29, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Adaptive reuse of a 1927 post office building in Brest into 93 apartments
By Chatillon Architectes
www.dezeen.com/2025/05/25/b...
By Chatillon Architectes
www.dezeen.com/2025/05/25/b...
May 27, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Adaptive reuse of a 1927 post office building in Brest into 93 apartments
By Chatillon Architectes
www.dezeen.com/2025/05/25/b...
By Chatillon Architectes
www.dezeen.com/2025/05/25/b...
This is quite impressive from one of the UK’s largest house builders
They should roll it out across the whole country
www.businessgreen.com/news/4413943...
They should roll it out across the whole country
www.businessgreen.com/news/4413943...
May 26, 2025 at 7:06 AM
This is quite impressive from one of the UK’s largest house builders
They should roll it out across the whole country
www.businessgreen.com/news/4413943...
They should roll it out across the whole country
www.businessgreen.com/news/4413943...
Lovely against a blue sky as well
May 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Lovely against a blue sky as well
Simple and effective articulation of this apartment building in Qom, Iran, provides visual interest but also creates shade and amenity for residents
By Siyagh Studio
By Siyagh Studio
May 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Simple and effective articulation of this apartment building in Qom, Iran, provides visual interest but also creates shade and amenity for residents
By Siyagh Studio
By Siyagh Studio
Nice piece of urban infill in Bushehr, Iran
Apartments with a mix of shade, brick texture and greenery. By Mehdi Baghbani
Apartments with a mix of shade, brick texture and greenery. By Mehdi Baghbani
May 24, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Nice piece of urban infill in Bushehr, Iran
Apartments with a mix of shade, brick texture and greenery. By Mehdi Baghbani
Apartments with a mix of shade, brick texture and greenery. By Mehdi Baghbani
Would definitely live there…
May 24, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Would definitely live there…
15 social housing apartments in Paris by MAO Architects
Again, a stone facade with timber shutters
Building cost = €1.9m
Again, a stone facade with timber shutters
Building cost = €1.9m
May 24, 2025 at 7:01 AM
15 social housing apartments in Paris by MAO Architects
Again, a stone facade with timber shutters
Building cost = €1.9m
Again, a stone facade with timber shutters
Building cost = €1.9m
This has got to be one of the best train stations built in the 21st Century?
Naples underground central station by EBMT Architects
Naples underground central station by EBMT Architects
May 23, 2025 at 11:15 AM
This has got to be one of the best train stations built in the 21st Century?
Naples underground central station by EBMT Architects
Naples underground central station by EBMT Architects
May 23, 2025 at 6:48 AM
15 social housing apartments in Paris
Concrete frame, with a solid stone facade and timber shutters. Looks wonderful, despite a compact and challenging site.
Cost = €2.7m
Concrete frame, with a solid stone facade and timber shutters. Looks wonderful, despite a compact and challenging site.
Cost = €2.7m
May 23, 2025 at 6:47 AM
15 social housing apartments in Paris
Concrete frame, with a solid stone facade and timber shutters. Looks wonderful, despite a compact and challenging site.
Cost = €2.7m
Concrete frame, with a solid stone facade and timber shutters. Looks wonderful, despite a compact and challenging site.
Cost = €2.7m
The detailing of Farshad Mehdizadeh’s Goldstan Residence building in Iran is looking sharp
Left is a construction photo, right is how the whole apartment building will look
Left is a construction photo, right is how the whole apartment building will look
May 23, 2025 at 6:36 AM
The detailing of Farshad Mehdizadeh’s Goldstan Residence building in Iran is looking sharp
Left is a construction photo, right is how the whole apartment building will look
Left is a construction photo, right is how the whole apartment building will look
This is only a render, but it promises to be a beautiful series of homes
Brick apartments in Tabriz, Iran, by Saeed Davatgari and Samira Amini
Brick apartments in Tabriz, Iran, by Saeed Davatgari and Samira Amini
May 22, 2025 at 7:22 AM
This is only a render, but it promises to be a beautiful series of homes
Brick apartments in Tabriz, Iran, by Saeed Davatgari and Samira Amini
Brick apartments in Tabriz, Iran, by Saeed Davatgari and Samira Amini