How can protective coatings strengthen, enhance and improve the lifespan of buildings?

Xuhong Zheng has worked at Hawkins\Brown for the past six years and completed her Part III qualification at the practice while working on a diverse range of projects across the residential, education and workplace sectors. Here, FC&A talks to Xuhong about her time before Hawkins\Brown and finds out more about her passion for architecture.

Architects, urban planners and roof designers are no longer dismissive of this ‘new’ building material which was widely introduced to them 12 years ago. Any initial hesitation they may have originally expressed has given way to a profound understanding and professionalism which has radically influenced our urban environment. In other words, they are no longer ‘green’ about the enormous physical, social and money-saving benefits of green roofs.

For the last few years, the construction sector has been high on the Government’s agenda, particularly around the subjects of fire and building safety. Recently thrown into sharper focus through the publication of the Hackitt Report and industry reaction, 2020 has seen an assertive drive towards the establishment of new laws and a dedicated regulator to improve building safety. Importantly, the new legislation will also act as a much-needed catalyst in the move to digital transformation, which has started to stagnate following an initial flurry of activity, writes Richard Waterhouse, Chief Strategy Officer at NBS.

Anna Broadbent, Senior Architect at Saunders Boston Architects, trained at Kingston School of Art, the Royal College of Art and the University of Cambridge. Prior to qualifying, she worked at de Metz Forbes Knight and Carl Turner Architects. In 2008, she started her own company, focusing on high-end renovations and extensions for homes in London and conservation projects in the Home Counties. With a desire to work on larger-scale residential, mixed-use and more socially conscious regeneration projects, she joined Saunders Boston Architects in 2016.