Our Journal
Stay informed about the latest news and perspectives from Block Architects. We provide valuable tips, guidance, and discussions on our recent projects and the world of architecture.
How Early Collaboration Prevents Costly Project Mistakes
The Most Important Conversations Happen Before the Design Begins With more than 20 years in architecture, I’ve seen it happen countless times. Projects stumble not because of poor design or construction failures, but because the fundamentals of the project weren’t...
Block: Beyond the Blueprint – Newsletter #10
Plan to Succeed in Bad Weather: What We Shared in February February in Scotland reminded everyone of something most delivery teams already know: winter doesn’t just slow a housing site down - it exposes weak points, creates risk, and turns small issues into programme...
Reflections & Highlights of 2025
A Moment to Pause - and Look Both Back and Forward I’m writing this in the week before Christmas 2025 - our final week in the office before the festive shutdown. It’s always a reflective time of year. A moment to pause, take stock, and think not just about what we’ve...
The Hidden Time Drain: How Email Consumes an Architect’s Day on a Construction Project
Why I’m Talking About Email - And Why It Matters to You If you were to ask most architects why they entered the profession, the answers are usually the same: “to design better places, solve problems creatively, and deliver buildings with purpose.” But ask what takes...
A New Era for Architectural Ethics: The 2025 Code of Conduct
A Childhood Dream Meets Today’s Reality From the age of twelve, I knew I wanted to be an Architect. To design, to create, to deliver buildings that made a difference. In those early years after university, the profession felt straightforward. Planning was manageable,...
Why Mental Health in Construction Needs Our Attention – More Than Ever
When people think about health and safety in construction, they usually picture hard hats, steel-toe boots and site inductions. While physical safety is a crucial part of what we do, I believe we need to start giving just as much attention to something far less...
Striding for a Cause – Supporting Kilbryde Hospice
At Block Architects, we believe architecture has the power to shape not just places - but support communities. That’s why we’re once again lacing up our walking shoes and stepping forward for a cause close to our hearts: Stride for Kilbryde, taking place on Friday 7th...
Why ‘The Hard Hat Talks’ Matter
I've always believed that the best conversations in architecture and construction don’t happen in boardrooms. They happen on-site - between architects, developers, surveyors, and trades - where real challenges meet real solutions! But too often, these insights stay...
Building Resilience: 12 Ways to Weather-Proof Your Development Against Delays
Scotland’s weather is as unpredictable as it is unforgiving. One day, it’s torrential rain. The next, it’s snow, high winds, and freezing temperatures. For developers, these conditions are more than just an inconvenience - they’re a direct threat to project timelines,...