Outlet profile

Building Design

UK trade/professional press (architecture industry) — not aligned with a US political spectrum

Owned byAssemble Media Group, a private UK publishing company led by former editor Tom Broughton, which bought the title (along with Building and Housing Today) from UBM in 2018

FundingAdvertising and sponsored content, plus a paid-subscriber tier; free registration gives limited access to most content

On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

Building Design was launched in 1969 by publisher Morgan Grampian as a weekly trade title covering UK architecture at a time when high-tech architecture was emerging. It later passed through several corporate owners, including United Business Media (UBM), before ceasing print publication in March 2014 and becoming digital-only at bdonline.co.uk. In January 2018, UBM sold Building Design along with sister titles Building and Housing Today to Assemble Media Group, a management buyout led by former Building editor Tom Broughton. Its staff are largely trained journalists rather than practicing architects, and it is known for independent-minded architecture criticism, building industry news, and coverage of controversies in the profession (such as design competitions, planning disputes, and high-profile architects' projects). As of 2025 the site reported over 141,000 registered users and roughly 17,000 paying subscribers, with about 79,000 monthly unique visitors. Its coverage centers on the UK built environment and architecture profession rather than party politics, so it has no consistent record of favoring or opposing US administrations.

Sources

Profile compiled 2026-09-24; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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