There’s a definite green tinge to this edition of New London Quarterly, not least because of the impact that COP26 has had on the prevailing, pressing conversation we all need to have about climate change.

Oliver Heath, whose very name conjures up the biophilic, extolls the subject’s virtues in contributing to wellness, be that in the home, office, or indeed home office, in our profile, following on from the Planted show at King’s Cross. Sue Morgan, meanwhile, talks through the impact that landscape design as a discipline and landscape designers as a profession can or should be making on our environments, and how they should be shaping the discourse. The new chief executive of the Landscape Institute figures as our New Londoner interview.

But it is at the local authority level that perhaps most can be done in the name of attending to creating healthier environments, Waltham Forest leader Grace Williams explaining how the council is turning to cycling and active travel as well as emphasising the borough’s green attributes to that end. Williams talks about how the council is undergoing

a post-COVID ‘reset’, where one of the main challenges will be communicating how good growth should not be a thing

residents should be afraid of, and can in fact fund local services and even a sense of place.

There’s lots more besides, including coverage of the London Real Estate Forum and its concentration on (environmental) ‘resilience and resurgence’, and a look at the joy of modelmaking as an underappreciated boon to design and communication. Finally, we have two building reviews this issue that also epitomise a sustainable approach, with Heyne

Tillett Steel’s timber Chart Street offices and Arup’s 1 Triton Square retrofit.

Welcome to the new (green) normal.

Enjoy the issue!

David Taylor, Editor

The new teams 18

David Taylor interviews Waltham Forest leader Grace Williams about a borough on the up

Seeding the future — Oliver Heath of Planted talks all things biophilia with David Taylor

Louise Rodgers talks to Landscape Institute chief executive Sue Morgan about greener futures

Resilience and resurgence — an essay on the main thrusts at this year’s London Real Estate Forum. By David Taylor

David Taylor explores how models and modelmaking continue to provide inspiration for designers and public alike

Reuse, recycle — 16 Chart Street and One Triton Square get the building review treatment

The quarter — our summary of all the key news events this term

We ask: what will levelling up mean for London?

Peter Murray laments the demise of the Mound and decision to nip the Tulip in the bud

Professor Yolande Barnes makes the case for a London with better governance

Joe Morris of Morris+Company presents Office+, a radical rethink for workplaces

Earls Court Development Company creative director Sarah Gaventa answers NLQ’s questions

Our regular round-up of conferences and events at NLA

Tsuruta Architects’ Taro

Tsuruta describes his ongoing relationship with Catford

Making connections — Low Line Commons wins the Overall Prize at the New London Awards

Peter Murray looks back over the COVID period and the use of new technology

Empire state — Peter Murray reviews a new book on the Commonwealth Institute by Tom Wilson

David Taylor talks to Sally Lewis of Stitch Architects about a new scholarship for architecture students

LFA director Rosa Rogina on ‘Act’ — the theme of next year’s event

JLL’s Julian Sandbach on London’s rising confidence levels