Dr William Tozer | RIBA ANZIA 📍
@williamtozer.bsky.social
Critic, educator, researcher, architect | Posting daily about architecture | Bartlett UCL PhD | also studied RMIT, University of Auckland | Founder of William Tozer Associates @williamtozerassoc.bsky.social
Pinned
A very short bio, for this new platform:
I’m an architect with my own practice—studio is in London, but some projects are elsewhere.
I’ve taught in the UK and US, and written for architectural journals like ARQ, industry magazines like Detail and Monument, and a number of lifestyle publications.
I’m an architect with my own practice—studio is in London, but some projects are elsewhere.
I’ve taught in the UK and US, and written for architectural journals like ARQ, industry magazines like Detail and Monument, and a number of lifestyle publications.
‘Farrell grew disenchanted with high-tech Modernism — an architecture that, as the architect Colin Fournier wrote in 2011, tolerated “no contradictions, no jokes, no attempts at seduction, no symbolic references, no slang, no local dialects”’
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/a...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/a...
Terry Farrell, Whose Buildings Embodied Late 20th-Century Extremes, Dies at 87
www.nytimes.com
January 22, 2026 at 4:19 AM
‘Farrell grew disenchanted with high-tech Modernism — an architecture that, as the architect Colin Fournier wrote in 2011, tolerated “no contradictions, no jokes, no attempts at seduction, no symbolic references, no slang, no local dialects”’
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/a...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/a...
What architectural style is this?
January 20, 2026 at 2:54 AM
What architectural style is this?
‘John Merz could not shake the sense that what was happening now was a defamation of his parents’ legacy. His parents understood their domestic space as a shared civic commodity.’
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/s...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/s...
The Hip Priest, the Ex-Hedge Funder and the $10 Million Townhouse
www.nytimes.com
January 19, 2026 at 4:44 AM
‘John Merz could not shake the sense that what was happening now was a defamation of his parents’ legacy. His parents understood their domestic space as a shared civic commodity.’
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/s...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/s...
The Roses is pretty good entertainment, but the architecture angle is a bit cringey. The only fun bit for architecture viewers is his architect friends eviscerating his museum design, and another friend then pointing out how unintelligible they sound.
youtu.be/XkgMaS5gbaA?...
youtu.be/XkgMaS5gbaA?...
January 14, 2026 at 3:45 AM
The Roses is pretty good entertainment, but the architecture angle is a bit cringey. The only fun bit for architecture viewers is his architect friends eviscerating his museum design, and another friend then pointing out how unintelligible they sound.
youtu.be/XkgMaS5gbaA?...
youtu.be/XkgMaS5gbaA?...
‘From dark, sound-proofed rooms to clever storage solutions, families with autism and ADHD are finding inspired ways to adjust their environments’
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
How neurodivergent households design ‘a home that knows your brain’
From dark, sound-proofed rooms to clever storage solutions, families with autism and ADHD are finding inspired ways to adjust their environments
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:18 AM
‘From dark, sound-proofed rooms to clever storage solutions, families with autism and ADHD are finding inspired ways to adjust their environments’
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
‘A RIBA report says “stark displays of sexism” are driving women from the profession. If we don’t fight this systemic misogyny, we won’t just lose dazzling designs – we’ll have a world only fit for 6ft tall policemen’
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
From Byzantine cottages to vulvic stadiums: the brilliance of female architects
A RIBA report says “stark displays of sexism” are driving women from the profession. If we don’t fight this systemic misogyny, we won’t just lose dazzling designs – we’ll have a world only fit for 6ft...
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 4:29 AM
‘A RIBA report says “stark displays of sexism” are driving women from the profession. If we don’t fight this systemic misogyny, we won’t just lose dazzling designs – we’ll have a world only fit for 6ft tall policemen’
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
‘housing policy should be understood not only in terms of supply, affordability, and efficiency, but also in terms of social architecture.’
epsig.substack.com/p/why-modern...
epsig.substack.com/p/why-modern...
Why Modern Housing Is Making Us Lonely
An evolutionary perspective on housing and mental health
epsig.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:03 AM
‘housing policy should be understood not only in terms of supply, affordability, and efficiency, but also in terms of social architecture.’
epsig.substack.com/p/why-modern...
epsig.substack.com/p/why-modern...
‘Still, the water rises and more houses tip their contents — fiberglass insulation, toxic chemicals, a novelty pillow — into the sea.’
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/m...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/m...
Houses Collapsing Into the Sea? It’s Not as Baffling as It Looks.
www.nytimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:42 AM
‘Still, the water rises and more houses tip their contents — fiberglass insulation, toxic chemicals, a novelty pillow — into the sea.’
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/m...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/m...
‘The origins of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when CH “Buck” and Carlotta Stahl bought a hilly patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles for $13,500.’
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
‘An idealized version of LA’: fabled mid-century Stahl house on sale for first time
Home perched in Hollywood Hills, constructed for $37,500 and made famous by Julius Shulman photo, listed for $25m
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:58 AM
‘The origins of the Stahl house date to May 1954, when CH “Buck” and Carlotta Stahl bought a hilly patch of land in the then undeveloped Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles for $13,500.’
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Just saw a one-sentence journalist bio describing them as a ‘skilled and knowledgeable journalist’.
Similar vibe to fast food ads proclaiming their food, ‘fresh and tasty’ because it’s all they can really say, and people even need reassurance on that.
Similar vibe to fast food ads proclaiming their food, ‘fresh and tasty’ because it’s all they can really say, and people even need reassurance on that.
November 10, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Just saw a one-sentence journalist bio describing them as a ‘skilled and knowledgeable journalist’.
Similar vibe to fast food ads proclaiming their food, ‘fresh and tasty’ because it’s all they can really say, and people even need reassurance on that.
Similar vibe to fast food ads proclaiming their food, ‘fresh and tasty’ because it’s all they can really say, and people even need reassurance on that.
‘Through Ruys’s influence, this approach to gardening became the basis of the modernist garden aesthetic of the 20th century and onward.’
www.dwell.com/article/mien...
www.dwell.com/article/mien...
How to Build a Modernist Garden According to the “Mother” of the Genre
A new biography on renowned Dutch landscape architect Mien Ruys will have you on your way to cultivating a lush outdoor oasis of your own.
www.dwell.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:04 AM
‘Through Ruys’s influence, this approach to gardening became the basis of the modernist garden aesthetic of the 20th century and onward.’
www.dwell.com/article/mien...
www.dwell.com/article/mien...
‘ . . . the specific teachings of one ultra-Orthodox community have led to more generous council housing for everyone.’
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
‘Our hallway’s big enough to play football in!’ The council housing that feels like a holiday resort
Boasting two-sink kitchens, London’s Tower Court is tailored for the Haredi Jewish community – but its generous proportions and outside space for religious observance are a treat for all residents
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:39 AM
‘ . . . the specific teachings of one ultra-Orthodox community have led to more generous council housing for everyone.’
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
Surely a large part of this is just survivorship bias. The ‘traditional’ buildings around us today are the best ones, which have survived demolition for that reason.
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/30/t...
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/30/t...
November 4, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Surely a large part of this is just survivorship bias. The ‘traditional’ buildings around us today are the best ones, which have survived demolition for that reason.
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/30/t...
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/30/t...
How does this article not make comparisons to Louis Kahn’s Yale Center for British Art? The university architect even mentions Kahn—all they needed to do was run with it . . .
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/31/a...
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/31/a...
Adjaye Associates-designed Princeton University Art Museum opens
The Princeton University Art Museum has opened, the first major project designed by Adjaye to open since he was accused of sexual misconduct.
www.dezeen.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:08 AM
How does this article not make comparisons to Louis Kahn’s Yale Center for British Art? The university architect even mentions Kahn—all they needed to do was run with it . . .
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/31/a...
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/31/a...
‘Build It Together highlights growing examples of good practice: flexible working, transparent promotion processes, and networks leading change from the ground up. ‘
www.riba.org/campaigns/po...
www.riba.org/campaigns/po...
October 31, 2025 at 4:53 AM
‘Build It Together highlights growing examples of good practice: flexible working, transparent promotion processes, and networks leading change from the ground up. ‘
www.riba.org/campaigns/po...
www.riba.org/campaigns/po...
‘To be truly local, architecture should prioritise process over product’
🤔
Curious to choose three distinctive-looking buildings to demonstrate the very polemical argument that process matters more than output, particularly style.
www.ribaj.com/intelligence...
🤔
Curious to choose three distinctive-looking buildings to demonstrate the very polemical argument that process matters more than output, particularly style.
www.ribaj.com/intelligence...
To be truly local, architecture should prioritise process over product
Piers Taylor highlights three projects that show why architects need to shift towards engaging more deeply with local conditions, people and ecologies
www.ribaj.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 AM
‘To be truly local, architecture should prioritise process over product’
🤔
Curious to choose three distinctive-looking buildings to demonstrate the very polemical argument that process matters more than output, particularly style.
www.ribaj.com/intelligence...
🤔
Curious to choose three distinctive-looking buildings to demonstrate the very polemical argument that process matters more than output, particularly style.
www.ribaj.com/intelligence...
London domestic architecture trends for 2025, for no particular reason whatsoever:
Round skylights, and spiral staircases.
And the fake exposed ceiling rafters won’t stop. Please, make it stop!
Round skylights, and spiral staircases.
And the fake exposed ceiling rafters won’t stop. Please, make it stop!
October 23, 2025 at 7:02 PM
London domestic architecture trends for 2025, for no particular reason whatsoever:
Round skylights, and spiral staircases.
And the fake exposed ceiling rafters won’t stop. Please, make it stop!
Round skylights, and spiral staircases.
And the fake exposed ceiling rafters won’t stop. Please, make it stop!
‘In the 1960s, home builders Pettit & Sevitt collaborated with Australian architects Ken Woolley and Michael Dysart to bring good architecture to the suburbs, delivering simple, functional, and affordable homes that respond to the natural landscape.’
www.dwell.com/article/new-...
www.dwell.com/article/new-...
A Suburban Home by the Eichler of Australia Is Revived for a New Generation
After inheriting the ’60s residence by midcentury builder Pettit & Sevitt, a family adds a second level and reverential finishes.
www.dwell.com
October 23, 2025 at 3:42 AM
‘In the 1960s, home builders Pettit & Sevitt collaborated with Australian architects Ken Woolley and Michael Dysart to bring good architecture to the suburbs, delivering simple, functional, and affordable homes that respond to the natural landscape.’
www.dwell.com/article/new-...
www.dwell.com/article/new-...
Just saw another one of those posts bemoaning the travesty that architects only design 5–10% of the built environment.
Architects need to remember that they’re the OG influencers of the building industry. We don’t have to design every building to have a huge impact.
Architects need to remember that they’re the OG influencers of the building industry. We don’t have to design every building to have a huge impact.
October 22, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Just saw another one of those posts bemoaning the travesty that architects only design 5–10% of the built environment.
Architects need to remember that they’re the OG influencers of the building industry. We don’t have to design every building to have a huge impact.
Architects need to remember that they’re the OG influencers of the building industry. We don’t have to design every building to have a huge impact.
October 21, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Real estate agents are so funny about architecture. Often list houses as ‘architect-designed’ without naming the architect.
Went to a viewing recently where they named the architect, but said it was disrespectful to take pictures of it. Architecture as commodity only, please.
Went to a viewing recently where they named the architect, but said it was disrespectful to take pictures of it. Architecture as commodity only, please.
October 19, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Real estate agents are so funny about architecture. Often list houses as ‘architect-designed’ without naming the architect.
Went to a viewing recently where they named the architect, but said it was disrespectful to take pictures of it. Architecture as commodity only, please.
Went to a viewing recently where they named the architect, but said it was disrespectful to take pictures of it. Architecture as commodity only, please.
‘Designing social housing for later life is too often reduced to a simple provision of service. Appleby Blue, however, is a provision of pure delight . . . high-quality spaces that are generous and thoughtful, blending function and community . . .’
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
Spa vibes with a grow-your-own-dinner option: Britain’s best new building is a revamped almshouse
With its shimmering ginkgo trees, tinkling pools and a rooftop garden, the Appleby Blue Almshouse housing complex for older people is a worthy winner of RIBA’s prestigious Stirling prize
www.theguardian.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:54 AM
‘Designing social housing for later life is too often reduced to a simple provision of service. Appleby Blue, however, is a provision of pure delight . . . high-quality spaces that are generous and thoughtful, blending function and community . . .’
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...