Anne's blog: From the architect's notebook

Thinking outside the box… from urban Leeds to the Thames Valley! Angles, levels and alcoves can make for distinctive and satisfying rooms I recently went to stay in an apartment block in Leeds for a weekend away. The apartment was in  an award-winning building  in an upcoming area on the waterfront, popular with young professionals, sandwiched between railway arches and the canal. Like many city centre buildings, it is tall, to make the most of a limited footprint. Also typically these days, it’s mixed use, with offices and restaurants on the lower level and residential apartments above enjoying expansive views and reduced urban noise.  Wedged in… in a good way! The exciting difference with this block is that it’s circular in plan. The staircase and lifts go up the centre, so the flats are shaped like the “cheeses” in a Trivial Pursuit counter!  As a result, the rooms in these apartments are not square either. Spending 24 hours in the apartment, I was struck b