Building Design
Building Design, or BD, is a leading online platform for architectural news, analysis, and commentary, based in London. BD was launched in 1969 by publisher Morgan Grampian as a closed circulation weekly at a time when high-tech architecture was just starting to take off. It ceased its print edition in March 2014, becoming a digital-only publication. Unlike some other architectural publications, BD's editors and staff are mainly journalists rather than architects. The magazine is free to subscribers and offers limited free access to non-subscribers. It is funded by revenue from advertising.
 | |
| Editor | Chloe McCulloch (Editorial Director) Ben Flatman (Architectural Editor)[1] |
|---|---|
| Categories | Architecture |
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Circulation | 7,698 (2013)  |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Final issue | March 2014 (print) |
| Company | United Business Media |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Based in | London |
| Language | English |
| Website | bdonline.co.uk |
| ISSN | 0007-3423 |
Building Design, or BD, is a leading online platform for architectural news, analysis, and commentary, based in London.[2]
BD was launched in 1969 by publisher Morgan Grampian[3] as a closed circulation weekly at a time when high-tech architecture was just starting to take off. It ceased its print edition in March 2014, becoming a digital-only publication.[4]
Unlike some other architectural publications, BD's editors and staff are mainly journalists rather than architects. The magazine is free to subscribers and offers limited free access to non-subscribers. It is funded by revenue from advertising.
Circulation
[edit]By 2025, Building Design had over 141,500 registered users and more than 17,100 paid users. Its website, bdonline.co.uk, attracted 79,000 unique users and over 210,000 page impressions per month. The publication also had a social media reach of 198,000 across Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
The publishing company is Assemble Media Group, which also publishes Building and Housing Today.[5]
AYA and YAYA
[edit]BD hosts the Architect of the Year Awards and Young Architect of the Year in central London, attended annually by over 500 senior decision makers.
The Architect of the Year Awards[6][7] reward the UK's top architectural practices behind excellent built projects. Since their launch in 2004, the awards have grown in size and stature, featuring entries and attendance from leading practices, and have become firmly established as a key event in the architectural calendar. The awards night is now one of the largest gatherings of architects in the UK.
The Young Architect of the Year Award[8] recognises and rewards Europe's most promising new architects and practices. Previous winners have included Coffey Architects, Jonathan Hendry, Serie Architects, David Kohn Architects, Hackett Hall McKnight, Carmody Groarke, Nord and Lynch Architects.
World Architecture 100
[edit]BD publishes an annual ranking of the world's biggest architecture practices known as the World Architecture 100. The listing is distributed to the top FTSE 100 companies as well as BD subscribers and is available to buy online.[9][10]
Print edition
[edit]
Building Design ceased its print edition in 2014 and became a digital-only publication.
In 2006, the last year of the independent ABC circulation reports, the magazine had a circulation of over 23,000, with 21,500 circulated free to professional and industry-related subscriptions.[11]
The magazine stopped free access to news, blogs and video content on its website in September 2010 when it introduced a subscription for full access.[12]
Carbuncle Cup
[edit]The Carbuncle Cup was BD's annual prize for the worst new architecture in the UK. It ran from 2006-2018, and was launched as a humorous counterpart to the Stirling Prize.[13]
A shortlist was announced each summer, based on nominations from the public. The winner was selected by a small group of architecture critics and professionals.
Recent winners
[edit]As of 2018[update], the winners were:
- 2018 – Redrock Stockport, Stockport, Greater Manchester, by BDP[14]
- 2017 – Nova Victoria, City of Westminster, London, by PLP Architecture[15]
- 2016 – Lincoln Plaza, Isle of Dogs, London, by Hamiltons Architects[16]
- 2015 – 20 Fenchurch Street (the 'Walkie Talkie'), City of London, by Rafael Viñoly[17]
- 2014 – Woolwich Central, London, by Sheppard Robson[18]
- 2013 – 465 Caledonian Road, London, by Stephen George and Partners[19]
- 2012 – Cutty Sark Renovation, Greenwich, London, by Grimshaw Architects[20]
- 2011 – MediaCityUK, Salford, by Fairhurst, Chapman Taylor and Wilkinson Eyre[21]
- 2010 – Strata, Elephant and Castle, London, by BFLS[22][23]
- 2009 – Liverpool Ferry Terminal, Liverpool, by Hamilton Architects[24]
- 2008 – Radisson SAS Waterfront Hotel, Saint Helier, Jersey, by EPR Architects
- 2007 – Opal Court, Leicester, by Stephen George and Partners
- 2006 – Drake Circus Shopping Centre, Plymouth, by Chapman Taylor
Staff
[edit]The editorial director is Chloe McCulloch and the architectural editor is Ben Flatman.
Past editors and staff include Amanda Baillieu, Paul Finch,[25] Peter Murray, Martin Pawley,[26] Hugh Pearman, Marcus Fairs, Oliver Wainwright, Owen Hatherley and Kieran Long.[27]
Campaigns
[edit]Building Design campaigned with the Twentieth Century Society for Robin Hood Gardens, a housing estate in Poplar, London, designed by Alison and Peter Smithson, to be listed and retained.[28][29] It has likewise argued against the unnecessary demolition of old school buildings.[30]
References
[edit]- ^ Building Design (website): Contacts, https://www.bdonline.co.uk/contact-bd
- ^ Muriel Emanuel (23 January 2016). Contemporary Architects. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 732. ISBN 978-1-349-04184-8.
- ^ Robinson, Doris (1991). Building design. Peri Press. ISBN 9781879796034. OCLC 4677701.
- ^ Woodman, Ellis (14 March 2014). "As ever, the changing face of BD reflects the industry". Building Design. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- ^ "About Building Design".
- ^ "Architect of the Year Awards". ubm.com.
- ^ "Architect of the Year Awards". BDOnline.
- ^ "Young Architect of the Year". BDOnline. Archived from the original on 1 November 2013.
- ^ "The 100 Largest Architecture Firms In the World", ArchDaily, 11 February 2013.[full citation needed]
- ^ "World Architecture 100". Building Design. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ "Certificate of Circulation 2005–06" (PDF). ABC. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- ^ Greenslade, Roy (24 September 2010). "As another magazine charges for access, where's the proof of paywall success?". Guardian.
- ^ "Bricks, mortar and mateyness". Observer. 12 September 2010.
- ^ "Winner of 2018 Carbuncle Cup announced". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- ^ "Carbuncle Cup 2017 winner announced". bdonline.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
- ^ "Hamiltons seeks planning for Tower Hamlets tower". Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ^ Wainwright, Oliver (2 September 2015). "Carbuncle Cup: Walkie Talkie wins prize for worst building of the year". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ^ "Carbuncle Cup 2014 winner announced". BDOnline. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
- ^ "Carbuncle Cup winner 2013: A triumph for the dark side". BDOnline.
- ^ Gilligan, Andrew (13 September 2012). "Cutty Sark wins award as worst new building in Britain". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012.
- ^ "Media City or Media Shitty: that Carbuncle Cup nomination (analysis)", The Drum, 29 July 2011.
- ^ "London's Strata tower wins Carbuncle Cup as Britain's ugliest new building". The Guardian. 12 August 2010.
- ^ "Towering above its rivals to win the Carbuncle Cup". Independent. 13 August 2010.
- ^ "Ferry terminal's Carbuncle award", BBC, 4 September 2009.
- ^ "Paul Finch OBE". Design Council. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
- ^ Jenkins, David (10 March 2008). "Martin Pawley". The Guardian (obituary).
- ^ "Restoration Home". BBC Two. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- ^ "Don't knock brutalism". Guardian. 26 June 2008.
- ^ "Robin Hood Gardens – C20 launches campaign for funds". c20society.org.uk. 30 November 2008. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011.
- ^ Wainwright, Martin (24 January 2010). "English Heritage issues SOS – save old schools". Guardian.