It has been a long haul but the book that Jon Broome and I have been writing for some years now has finally gone to print and should be on the shelves by January 2026. We have been slightly embarrassed by the initial glowing reviews of the pre-print copy but are braced for a backlash from those that may well disagree with some of what we say.

As we neared the final deadline, chasing what seemed like a never ending list of permissions for quotes and images, we could not help but wonder if books will still be a thing when it hits the shelves? What was initially just a working title, posed a very challenging question we could not ignore, ‘so what is a good building’?? The first draft of the section to address that started with an answer from ChatGPT which, whilst perfectly reasonable, did highlight why there is still a role for books written by humans. Unfortunately Bloomsbury editorial policy meant that we could not use AI generated text although they acknowledged that the point we were making was to flag up the shortcomings.

No doubt our text and even images will at some point be digested by AI but if you want the original undigested article it is available to pre-order. We hope you will support your local bookshops if you want a copy.

More information on the publisher’s website.

‘A deeply fascinating book. The two authors have been grappling with the question of what makes a good building all their working lives. Here they make a deep dive into what they’ve learned along the way. Whether you are a self builder or a major developer, prepare to have your pre-conceptions turned upside down and to emerge a great deal wiser.’

Mark Brinkley, author of The Housebuilder’s Bible

‘Lucid insights into making buildings (particularly dwellings) and places nicer, simpler, more sustainable, and more cost-effective to build and to run. Hard-earned wisdom and iconoclasm from the deep experience of the authors and their colleagues. A must-read for anyone wondering how to do better.’

Bill Bordass, research and policy adviser at the Usable Buildings Trust UK