John Jervis

1 week ago | ribaj.com | John Jervis

The gallery-cum-warehouse’s kaleidoscopic variety unfolds inside a vast, deliberately anonymous space, setting a benchmark for what a responsive institution can be, with near-infinite scope for future adaptation to its users' needsAs you probably know by now, V&A East Storehouse is a triumph – a gallery-warehouse hybrid that transforms public access to museum collections. Given the public hadn’t yet been granted access when those headlines were written, perhaps a little caution is required.

2 weeks ago | ribaj.com | John Jervis

Maximising the use of bio-based products is key to meeting current sustainability targets. Yet according to sustainability consultancy Metabolic, using bio-based products for half of new housing in Europe would require production of engineered timber to increase nearly fivefold, and roundwood by four and a half times.

3 weeks ago | ribaj.com | John Jervis

The collaborative, Cologne-born architect's high-profile revamp of the National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing has had a tricky birth. But as the controversial project completes, she remains (mostly) serene in the face of criticismAt this point in the Sainsbury Wing saga, Annabelle Selldorf might be forgiven for gritting her teeth.

1 month ago | ribaj.com | John Jervis

At the launch of the Venice Architecture Biennale, held at the Ca’ Giustinian in February, journalists questioned Carlo Ratti closely on Michelangelo Pistoletto, the politicisation of architecture, and this year’s theme, ‘Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.’ A month later, ill-prepared after time-zone confusion, I ask Ratti over Zoom if he possesses the ability to switch off, if he feels exhausted, if he’s ever considered building himself an extension.

2 months ago | ribaj.com | John Jervis

Since relocating to the Scottish capital in 2016, a community-minded ethos, outward focus and local authority expertise have helped the eight-strong practice wield outsized influenceThe word ‘strategy’ comes up surprisingly often when talking to O’DonnellBrown’s three directors. Founded in London in 2013, the practice has grown in a steady, deliberate fashion to today’s eight-strong contingent, despite a rapid rethink after a 2016 move to Glasgow.