An essay on the unlikely friendship between artist Harry Becker and my great-grandfather Pierse Loftus, in a deeply divided early 20th century Suffolk.

Published on The Clearing, the online journal of Little Toller Books, 9/04/2026.

This essay about rebalancing in favour of the rural was one of my most heartfelt. But the timing was bad - published a week after lockdown began, when we were all understandably preoccupied by more pressing fears. I’m glad to have found that a few people did read it, and liked it, nonetheless: recently I found it quoted in a new book on rural futures. I’ve bumped it to the top of this list, just because.

Published in Icon Magazine, 17/03/2020 PDF

Going rural

I was asked to write an article on my work on village design and planning, and the future of the countryside.

It's great that London has new design advocates. But what about elsewhere?

I wrote for the Architect’s Journal about the lack of design literacy and advocacy within the public sector, in the context of London’s new cohort of Mayor’s Design Advocates - the exception that proves the rule. PDF

I posted a photo on LinkedIn and was asked to write about it for the AJ. Depressingly, it became their most viewed article that week. The piece is about the footbridge at my local railway station, and the sorry state of public design in the country at this time. Full article.

Is the Stirling Prize suffering from a case of tunnel vision?

I was asked to write about the Stirling Prize shortlist and winning scheme. I asked why more original, unusual and perhaps even difficult architecture is not celebrated, rather than the merely polite and decorous.

Architects should get involved with design codes - before it’s too late.

Self-explanatory headline for a commissioned opinion piece.

Knockdown vices – why demolishing post-war buildings shouldn’t be the default.

I was asked to write about the RIBA’s new Reinvention award, and the present debate about retrofit vs demolition.

“Building - whatever their aesthetics - should not be single-use, disposable items to be crushed into landfill at the end of their first generation.”

It’s great that Labour’s grasping housing - but homes have to make communities, too.

Another self-explanatory headline. I explore what Labour’s policies for building more homes were lacking - prior to the last election. Not much has changed since.

Cold Enough For Snow

I was asked to write about my favourite books for the new year and chose this beautiful slim novel set in Japan.

I was commissioned to write a series of articles demystifying the planning system for architects.

How to help planners approve your scheme

How do you do ‘the right thing’?

Planning should be plan-led

50 Wonders: Temple Mount, Jerusalem

I wrote about one of the most extraordinary places I ever spent time - sadly, in a somewhat happier time.

Eastern Promise - review of Gillian Darley’s Excellent Essex

Going rural

I was asked to write an article on my work on village design and planning, and the future of the countryside.

V&A Dundee review