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The smart home of the future is not about more technology. It is about more independence. The housing crisis is not merely about not having enough housing provision, it’s about having the right housing provision to withstand public health challenges, an aging population, climate change and the appropriate use of technological advancement.

The new Currie Community High School in Edinburgh recently opened its doors, making history as one of Scotland’s first Passivhaus secondary schools; a significant milestone in the UK’s low-energy design agenda. The space was handed over ready for the start of the new school year, bringing a healthy and vibrant new space for the Edinburgh community. In Part 1, project architect Jorge Barreno-Cardiel explains the design choices for this exciting new building.

Architype is seeking new staff who share our passion for high quality design, to join our expanding team delivering a growing portfolio of projects across the whole of the UK. Architype offers exceptional opportunities to be involved in projects at the cutting edge of zero carbon and sustainability. Architype is the UK’s leading Passivhaus Architect and widely recognised for our innovative approach including multiple RIBA National, CIBSE Building Performance and BCO Awards.

Safe Schools for the Future saw its official launch on 2nd September. Co-author and Architype’s associate Seb Laan Lomas shares an introduction to the guidance, and why it is essential reading for everyone involved in the built environment. Safe Schools for the Future offers new guidance for project teams so the UK can rapidly upscale the benefits from the high-health, high-comfort, high-performance, low-impact benefits that timber frame primary schools can offer.

On 9th June, Architype’s Edinburgh studio hosted a film evening as part of 2025’s Architecture Fringe welcoming researchers from UK Treescapes, Deirde Heddon and Rachel Clive along with collaborators and members of the public.

On Tuesday the 20th May Architype welcomed collaborators to our London Studio for a roundtable discussion between actors at key stages of the material reuse journey – from those designing and commissioning buildings to those building and taking them apart, those determining what can be salvaged, and those trying to find materials a new home.

Over the past few months co-owners Aoife Gilchrist, Sioned Holland and Kim Huynh have had the privilege of working with a local primary school through Open City’s Young City Makers programme. The initiative aims to inspire year 5 students to engage with the built environment and think critically about how it shapes their communities, through a series of workshops and a city trip. In the first workshop, we invited the students to reflect on their neighbourhoods.

Do you want to make a difference? We are seeking experienced Architects, Technologist, Part 2 and Part 1 Architects Assistants to join our dynamic and friendly teams within our studios. We are pushing the boundaries by pioneering Passivhaus, EnerPHit, and zero carbon design, through our exciting portfolio of cutting-edge projects ranging from £10million to £100million.

Architectural Designer Jemma Ho reflects on her recent experience on NMITEs newly Timber Engineering Design 12-week course, dedicated to providing practical knowledge that highlights the wider value of timber – far beyond structural building use. Why timber? We have a wealth of trees within the UK but how are we, as built environment professionals, making the most of them?

This year’s UK Passivhaus Conference 2024 was held in Oxford – a city where historic tradition meets cutting-edge research and innovation making it an ideal backdrop for exploring the latest developments in Passivhaus and low-energy design.