Welcome to Mæ

Mæ's projects Agar Grove and Brentford Lock form part of the research in a new publication commissioned by Historic England. Titled 'Good Growth, Heritage and Housing: Investigating approaches to future housing in London', the report investigates how London can meet its future housing needs by using historic character and density as catalysts for sustainable growth.

The large amount of new housing needed in London in the next ten years presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Historic England partnered with consultants Allies and Morrison to explore how new homes may be provided in ways that respond to London’s character and reinforce its identity.

The research suggests that London’s successful high-density historic places can provide inspiration for the homes and neighbourhoods of the future. The report examines the potential of three approaches to providing new housing: adaptive re-use, sensitive intensification, and contextual transformation. All three can be led by character. The full research report can be downloaded below.

Our work at the Regent's Park Estate is featured in a new book ‘Social Housing – Definitions & Design Exemplars (SECOND EDITION)’. The RIBA published book by Paul Karakusevic and Abigail Batchelor explores a new generation of Social Housing projects from across Europe.

Across Europe, architects working on social housing are at the forefront of new dwelling design, playing a crucial role in the reinvention of our cities. As public housing groups and communities take on the housing crisis, they must today navigate a range of crucial contemporary urban issues, including genuine affordability, demographic change and climate adaptation.

The new edition of the landmark 2017 volume, explores urban typology, building reuse, climate resilience, ageing populations and material innovation. Encompassing holistic approaches to dwelling design, it offers a practical guide and inspiration for housing practitioners, students and pioneers to learn, adapt and propose solutions for the future.

We are honoured to be part of this important conversation and thanks to Karakusevic Carson Architects and the RIBA for the beautiful new volume!

Mæ's Agar Grove project features in the Ministry of Communities & Local Government's draft Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). The guide is intended to support the application of policies in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). It outlines and illustrates the government’s priorities for well-designed places, and how planning policies and decisions should support this.

Four existing guidance documents have been consolidated into a single streamlined resource, now called the draft Design and Placemaking PPG. The 4 existing documents are:

• National design guide
• Design process and tools planning practice guidance
• National Model Design Code part 1
• National Model Design Code part 2

The aim is to make design guidance clearer, more accessible, and easier to apply in practice.