Insights

This year, PLP Architecture moved into our new headquarters in Derwent London’s White Chapel Building. Designed by our in-house team, the workspace was conceived with two ultimate aims: to mark the end of one chapter and embed the legacy of our journey up to this point, and to set a tone for our work ahead by embodying the principles that we champion today.

Ascension Island, a small and remote island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, is a unique place with its fair share of challenges. Home to institutions like the UK Royal Air Force, the US Air Force, and the BBC, its small population relies on government infrastructure and housing that is at the daily mercy of its unique climactic conditions.

PLP’s AI Image Generation Competition has entered its third round, with our colleagues exploring innovative ways to integrate AI tools like Midjourney into design.

I am Dorsa Hosseinkhani, currently working at PLP as a Part II Architectural Assistant. I’ve come to the practice after completing my master’s degree at the Bartlett School of Architecture UCL, where my research focused on the use of AI and specifically “How to Write Correct Prompts”.

At PLP Architecture, we are hosting an in-house AI Image Generation competition where our team members utilize AI technologies to respond to a series of architectural and urban briefs. The initiative gives us a platform to train in using AI tools, explore the opportunities of using AI in an architectural context, and to have a bit of fun while we’re at it.

Hi, I’m Deepthi. I’m an Architect with a specialisation in Sustainable Design. My role at PLP is to help to inform early-stage design in the eyes of sustainability. It’s about ensuring that our buildings make a positive impact on users and on the environment at the same time. My work is very varied, I work on all different scales and different typologies of buildings. At the moment, a lot of my work is outside of London in Japan, South Korea and the Middle East.

The new “junior” in our studio resembles a recent graduate—skilled, equipped with the necessary tools, working remotely, and communicating exclusively via text-based chatrooms. Meet our latest team member: AI.

The conversation around regenerative construction has come a long way in the last decade, with a maturing understanding of the possibilities and a growing public focus on how well the built environment meets our sustainability goals. It’s heartening to see increased attention on whether we’re delivering the sustainability benefits we truly need.

In a world where our population is booming, it’s paradoxical that we’re feeling more isolated than ever before. We’re living in an era of unparalleled connectivity. Yet, this digital age hasn’t necessarily translated into deeper social bonds. In fact, some argue it might be driving us further apart.