Interrailing in middle age, learning from life on the continent, the joys of  1930s mansion blocks and a proposal to give architects the skills required to write a decent brief and be an effective client.

Finding magic in the mundane, understanding the power of a watertight contract and impeccable paperwork, speaking up for what you believe in and providing a platform for a wide range of professionals to make their voices heard.

Learning from European cities – and from Sheffield, the real Bilbao effect, the power of grassroots projects and thinking outside the red line to embed new parts of the city in the wider neighbourhood.

Taking cultural content beyond the museum and into the public realm, creating a framework that allows other people’s ideas to flourish and encouraging a wide range of city users to engage with the built environment in new and unexpected ways.

Celebrating cities, educating a new generation of architects from a wide range of backgrounds and with a whole new set of skills, the role of awards and academia in shaping the modern city and giving urban infrastructure the respect that it deserves.

Connecting with communities, creating projects that bring as much happiness as a cup of tea in the morning or a big bunch of flowers, making architecture without architects and refusing to be defined by the education that you have.

The myths and misconceptions that deter employers from recruiting refugees and the importance of building a diverse workforce and unlocking untapped talent.

Passivhaus design, retrofitting buildings to EnerPhit standards, tensions and contradictions within building regulations and planning policy and the urgent need for central government to up its game.

Zaha Hadid Architects’ culture of technological experimentation and the power of immersive environments as a tool for consultation, collaboration and anticipating the likely impact of human behaviour and climate change.

The new Cambridge Children’s Hospital, inclusive design, destigmatising mental health and the importance of creating sustainable healthcare buildings that nourish the mind, body and soul.

Gender inequality within architecture and construction, tokenism, diversity, role models and mentors, new models of practice and the groundswell of groups campaigning for positive change.

The Rock – a manifesto house in Canada's Whistler mountain resort, designing for extreme weather conditions and striking a balance between aesthetic purity and the messy reality of family life.

Learning from forest schools, allotments and falling out of trees and making the case for rewilding the urban childhood and enshrining access to nature as a universal human right.