Saturday 25 May 2013
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The Saint Louis Art Museum has announced that it will celebrate the grand opening of its new East Building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday 29th June. The Museum will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, offering extended hours for viewing the collections and participating in a range of celebratory art projects, performances and programs. Consistent with the inscription carved in stone above the Main Entrance, “Dedicated to Art and Free to All”, all grand opening events are presented without charge.…
The ArRiyadh Development Authority has announced that Zaha Hadid Architects will build the new King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With over 5 million residents, Riyadh’s population has more than doubled since 1990. To serve its fast-growing population, the city will build a new public transport system. The 20,434 sq. m. King Abdullah Financial Disctrict Metro Station will serve as a key interchange on the network for Line 1, as well as the terminus of Line 4 (for passengers to the airport) and Line 6 of the new Riyadh Metro. The local monorail can…
Construction begins today on the OMA-designed Bryghusprojektet in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 27,000m² mixed-use project will accommodate a new headquarters for the Danish Architecture Centre (DAC). The building will act as the missing link between the city centre, the historic waterfront and the culturally rich Slotsholmen district of Copenhagen. OMA Partner-in-charge Ellen van Loon explained: “Instead of stacking a mixed-use program in a traditional way, we positioned the DAC in the centre of the volume, surrounded by and embedded within its objects of study: housing, offices and parking. The urban routes reach into the heart of the building and create…
Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will, the London-based interior architect and workspace design and planning specialist, has won its second British Council for Offices (BCO), South West Fit-out of Workplace Award for its work with Microsoft UK. The award, presented on 25 April, was given to Microsoft UK’s Reading HQ offices. The BCO Awards highlight excellence in office space design and functionality, acting as a benchmark for excellence in workplaces. Having won the South West Award, the project will automatically be entered for the national awards, which take place in October. Microsoft UK occupies five buildings at Thames Valley Park near Reading and…
Architects ColladoCollins have secured planning consent for a striking redevelopment of the Grade II listed former Ford Motor Company garage and showroom at 184 Shepherd’s Bush Road, Hammersmith, London W6. Acting on behalf of the building’s owners, Access Self Storage Ltd, ColladoCollins’ designs comprise over 115,000 sq ft of office space across six floors, including the adding of three new floors to the existing three-storey building. These new floors will be housed in an innovative glass dome covering the entire roof space of the existing building. The designs propose the creation of unique, high quality office space that incorporates contemporary…
Plans have been submitted for the £20 million regeneration of the Tybalds Estate in Holborn, Central London, to bring new affordable and private homes to the area. The plans hope to increase the supply of family housing and improve the surrounding public realm and community space. The new housing will be developed directly by Camden Council. Under the broader regeneration objectives jointly led by Kim Sangster Associates Ltd, Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design is leading the team and handling the masterplanning and planning. The scheme includes buildings by three architecture practices: Avanti Architects, Duggan Morris Architects and Mæ Architects. The landscape…
Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will, the London-based interior architect and workspace design and planning specialist, has won the British Council for Offices (BCO), London and South East best ‘Fit-out of Workplace’ Award for its work with Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. (APEL), the European Headquarters of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc.(“Astellas”). The award, presented on 30 April, was given for work at APEL’s offices at 2000 Hillswood Drive, Chertsey in Surrey. The BCO Award highlights excellence in office space design and functionality, acting as a benchmark for best practice in workplaces. Having won the London and South East Award, the project will automatically be…
Arup has been instrumental in bringing to life the ZINARA (Zimbabwe National Roads Agency) Toll Plaza near Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, a completely off-grid toll plaza. The project is part of Arup’s appointment with Group Five International – Zimbabwe Branch, for the 822km Plumtree to Mutare roads upgrade. Group Five, a Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed company, has operations in Africa, Indian Ocean Islands and selected Eastern Europe countries. The Toll Plaza’s only source of power is derived from solar panels installed on the roof over the plaza lanes and collection booths. The project is part of the Zimbabwe government’s initiative to…
Architecture and urban planning practice Allies and Morrison has been appointed by Canary Wharf Group plc to help create the masterplan for the proposed development of Wood Wharf, a new 20 acre site immediately east of Canary Wharf in central London. The practice will lead on the design of the masterplan for the mixed-use site, with Terry Farrell and Partners consulting on the scheme as it moves towards a planning application later this year. They will complete an impressive list of architects working on Wood Wharf’s design, including Herzog & de Meuron and Stanton Williams working on individual residential buildings.…
BDP has won the design competition for a new cancer treatment centre for Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 36 architect-led teams entered the competition process from which six were shortlisted including Hopkins, Stantec Anshen & Allen, John Cooper, HLM and Steffian Bradley. Nick Fairham, Architect Director said: “BDP is delighted to have been selected to work with Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to develop their vision for the new cancer treatment centre. Our design focuses on the needs of the patients, families and staff to provide a truly supportive and flexible environment while offering state of the art clinical services.…
Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will, the London-based interior architect and workspace design and planning specialist, completed the interior design and fit out of Microsoft Research’s new Research Laboratory at 21 Station Road in Cambridge. Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will was chosen by Microsoft Research to assist in selecting a new location and building for its relocation and expansion. They were also chosen to develop a strategic brief, concept and design for the 83,500 st ft space, in addition to working with the developer to adjust the shell and core to Microsoft Research’s requirements. Hilson Moran, worked for Brookgate to develop the building for Microsoft,…
ADP has won a RICS North East Renaissance Award in the ‘Community Benefit’ category for the design of Jesmond Gardens Primary School. The project has been recognised for its positive impact on pupil behaviour and increased interest and engagement from parents in supporting in their child’s education. The 315 place school in Hartlepool is designed around principles of transformational learning, which encourages the use of personalised, independent learning approaches that reflect a child’s stage, rather than age. Hartlepool is in the top 10 per cent most deprived areas nationally, and the council saw the ‘stage not age’ philosophy as a…
Plans for a new £4 million public square on the site of an existing car park in the centre of Leicester have been approved by Leicester City Council’s planning committee. The proposals would see the car park replaced by a new civic square complete with lawns, hard landscaped events area and a sculptural boundary with perforated lighting panels. Working for the council, independent design, environment and energy consultancy LDA Design, has developed its concept design from inception to a full construction package for delivery on site during the summer. The scheme, to be called Jubilee Square, would create…
Three new products have been launched by Foster + partners at Milan Furniture Fair. Teso Table for Molteni & C The low Teso Table is the successor to the award-winning Arc table and shares a similarly experimental approach to materials and production methods. The table’s base is formed by a robotic arm, which is used to press and twist a perforated disc of steel into a tough, tapered cylinder. The design team tested different perforations to the flat metal sheet that would give the base strength, while creating a distinctive geometric patterned mesh – the resulting filigree texture is visible…
CSA Architects have secured planning consent for a spectacular new dwelling at Tintagel. Now derelict, Castle Minor was owned for ten years by actress Kate Winslet after which it was gutted by fire last year. Inspired by the culture and myths of this fabled area, CSA have incorporated stone buttresses which appear to emerge from the landscape. Similar to a small Iron Age settlement, the curve of the building will create a protected ‘keep’ at the centre of the home. In playful reference to the fabled Tintagel Castle opposite, the new design also includes a moat and drawbridge. The site,…
On 13 April the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam was reopened by Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands. The reopening marks the completion of a 10-year renovation project that has transformed the national museum, which is home to paintings, sculptures and works by artists such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, and Frans Hals. Architects, Cruz and Ortiz, led the design team responsible for the refurbishment and modification of the Rijksmuseum. Arup worked in joint venture with Royal Haskoning / Van Heugten and DGMR on the building services and other elements of the complex renovation project, including the lighting design of the iconic…
The new £70 million Cynon Valley Hospital in South Wales has been shortlisted for the RIBA Welsh Architecture Awards. It was designed by architecture, landscape and urban design, interiors and environment firm, HLM. Cynon Valley Hospital provides local primary care support for the residents of the Cynon Valley and local communities. The 18,500 sq m, two-storey building occupies 6.5 hectares (16.1 acres) and features 128 rehabilitation and intermediate care beds, children’s services, a large supporting therapies unit, outpatient clinics, community dental services and a mental health unit for community out-patient and elderly in-patient care. Jonathan Jones, Associate Director at HLM…
Stubbs Rich Architects has begun work on Phase 2 of a £15 million project at Milton Park in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The first two of four three-storey office buildings at Milton Park, which is owned by MEPC, were quickly let and are now fully occupied. Phase 2, the next two buildings, is thought to be the first speculative office development to be built in the Thames Valley since 2008. The development is located within the Government’s Science Vale UK Enterprise Zone. Bath based Stubbs Rich specialise in designing workplace accommodation in which knowledge-based businesses can thrive: adaptable, contemporary and inspiring. …
The first image of a new business centre for the government of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, has been released by Robin Monotti Architects. The design has been approved by all departments of the local government of Tbilisi. The design is a direct response to its neighbouring building, one of the most important examples of Soviet architecture. Robin Monotti’s design for the 16,000 sqm Tbilisi Business Centre proposes a glass building that contrasts with the solidity of its concrete neighbour, home to the Bank of Georgia, and adopts a circular plan that avoids competing with its box like cantilevers. A…
A design exhibition is set to showcase shortlisted entries to RIBA and the Landscape Institute’s design competition to create a striking new identity for the area in and around Vauxhall. The current area is a stretch of land dubbed the ‘Missing Link’ between the new US Embassy and London’s South Bank. It will bring together concepts and visualisations from professional architects, landscape designers and students worldwide and be held at the Garden Museum in Lambeth, 8th – 19th April. Entrants were required to take inspiration from the ‘everyday experiences that our city provides to people passing though’, creating clear and dynamic…
BDP was chosen from a shortlist of five architectural practices by Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA) to develop design proposals for Category A-listed building, Aberdeen Music Hall. The project will make this much loved concert hall more flexible, accessible, attractive and sustainable, providing greater audience comfort and improved facilities for performers. The revitalised Music Hall will play an important role in Aberdeen's vision to be a vibrant, creative and ambitious city with a strong cultural identity, a centre of artistic excellence and a cultural tourism destination. BDP was selected for its track record in multi-award winning arts projects such as…
Nestlé has officially unveiled a new £35 million state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution facility in Buxton, designed by Manchester-based architects, Fletcher-Rae UK Ltd. The facility is one of Europe’s most innovative and efficient bottling facilities and, for the first time, combines the bottling plant with warehouse capability. The new production lines have enabled Nestlé Waters to significantly reduce its total energy output, as well as reduce the packaging used in its bottles of Buxton Natural Mineral Water and Nestlé Pure Life Spring Water by an average of 25 per cent across the range, making them one of the lightest bottles in the…
Construction has started on a new £12.3m residential scheme, designed by Assael Architecture, on the site of the former Alfa Laval office on the Great West Road in Brentford, west London – the historic ‘Golden Mile’ of British industry. Assael Architecture has designed the mixed-use scheme which includes private and affordable residential housing with a mix of one, two and three-bed apartments, three-bed duplex apartments and four-bed houses. A second phase will incorporate hotels, commercial office space, a car showroom and additional residential and community facilities. Phase one of the scheme has been designed to link and compliment the…
Jesmond Gardens Primary School in Hartlepool, designed by ADP, has received a Civic Trust Commendation. ADP designed the 315-place school as part of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Primary Capital Programme. The school breaks away from the traditional ‘cells and bells’ approach and is designed around the principles of transformational learning. The approach encourages the use of personalised, independent learning techniques that reflect a child’s stage, rather than age. The design combines intuitive flexible spaces, agile furniture strategies, and state-of-the-art technology to enable pupils to grow in their own way. The new school represents a shift, too, in local perception, bringing a…
The Royal BC Museum has appointed the international award-winning lead architect John McAslan + Partners to create a master site plan which will lay the foundation for the renewal of British Columbia’s museum and archives. With local support from Merrick Architecture (Victoria, BC), the master site plan is expected to set the framework for a realistic, functional and affordable future development given today’s economic climate. Future development of the Royal BC Museum site will be guided by the master site plan, which will identify opportunities inherent within the site and its surroundings. The ideas formulated by the plan will capture…
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has honoured Mortenson Construction and Fentress Architects with its national Technology in Architectural Practice (TAP) Building Information Model (BIM) Award, the highest award for a project team that has integrated building information technology into their project. The AIA TAP BIM Award competition has been an annual event since 2005, and showcases award-winning case studies from the profession that harness Building Information Technology and processes that further design, construction, and project excellence. Winners will be acknowledged during the AIA National Convention in Denver on June 19th. The team’s award submittal highlighted documented metrics, which…
Foster + Partners has completed its first project in Latin America with the opening of the Faena Aleph Residences in Buenos Aires, Argentina, part of the reinvention of the former docks of Puerto Madero as a dynamic new urban quarter. Drawing on local architectural traditions, its apartments feature vaulted living spaces and deep, sheltered terraces that exploit the wonderful local climate and maximise views towards the city and Rio de la Plata. The Faena District combines new construction and refurbished historic buildings, with places to live and work, alongside new civic spaces, leisure and arts venues. The nine-storey Aleph…
The London 2012 Olympic Parklands and Public Realm project, designed by LDA Design and Hargreaves Associates, was given a special award in 'Recognition of Excellence in the Built Environment' at the Civic Trust Awards on 9 March 2013. The Olympic Park formed the centrepiece of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the most sustainable games to date. It is the largest new urban park in the capital since the Victorian era and will act as a catalyst for major regeneration in East London. The judges noted the challenging objectives that went beyond the usual, to include more far reaching…
The remodelled Lenbachhaus Museum in Munich is to open to the public on 8 May. The first works of art are now being installed, and a press preview was held last week to reveal progress so far and to introduce Foster + Partners' design, which will transform the experience for visitors. The Museum’s historic buildings have been carefully restored and the exhibition spaces augmented by a spectacular new wing, with an entire new floor of state-of-the-art galleries. These provide an ideal environment for viewing the magnificent ‘Blue Rider’ collection and incorporate a pioneering new LED lighting solution. As well…
After winning an international competition, OMA has been announced as masterplanners for Airport City, a new 10km2 development where 200,000 people will live and work, linking the new Hamad International Airport with the city of Doha, Qatar. OMA’s masterplan is a series of four circular districts along a spine parallel to the HIA runways, intended to create a strong visual identity and districts with unique identities. Phase One of the 30year masterplan, which links airside and landside developments for business, logistics, retail, hotels, and residences, will be mostly complete in time for the 2022 World Cup, hosted by Qatar. The competition…
Finalists for the 41st Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award 2013 were announced recently, bringing together shining examples of female entrepreneurship and business success. This year’s finalists span a wide range of sectors, including architecture and design, beauty and retail as well as renewable energy, demonstrating far reaching female success is in the UK. The finalists are, Thea Greene, Founder, Nails Inc, Zaha Hadid, Founder, Zaha Hadid and Dorothy Thompson, CEO, Drax. Regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of female entrepreneurs and business leaders, the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award, now in its 41st year, celebrates entrepreneurial women who have made a significant…
‘Foster + Partners: the Art of Architecture’ is being staged at Galeri PETRONAS, Kuala Lumpur until 12 May 2013. The exhibition is the first major survey of the studio’s work to be held in South East Asia and follows critically acclaimed recent shows in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Arranged around the themes of infrastructure, high-rise, urban design, history and culture – all within the context of a sustainable agenda – the works on display highlight the incredible diversity of the practice’s work. Details of a number of new projects underway in Malaysia will be revealed, including Arcoris Mont’Kiara and…
Holder Mathias has recently secured planning consent for the sensitive site in Swansea’s historic city centre. At £8 million the scheme will transform the historic heart of Swansea. Working on behalf of client Coastal Housing Group, planning permission has been secured for Castle Quarter - a mixed-use development overlooking Swansea Castle. It will consist of 26 affordable apartments and four duplex private apartments, together with 8,000 sq ft for use as restaurants and cafes. Castle Quarter follows on from the £30 million Urban Village development on High Street and the Strand, also led by Coastal Housing Group and designed…
BDP has won the competition to design the 16,000 sq m Cardiff City Centre Community Campus for Cardiff and Vale College. The college is one of the largest in Wales serving Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan and this project brings together many of its activities onto a single campus in the heart of the city. The design will create a real life environment for skills training. Open and welcoming faculty clusters are set around a public route through the heart of the college. The building’s distinctive wedge shape means interior spaces are connected to south facing terraces with views…
Southwark-based architectural designers MoreySmith have started work on-site with online fashion retailer ASOS’s expanded headquarters at Greater London House. The extensive 100,000sqft refurbishment will more than double the space ASOS currently occupies in the building. MoreySmith’s plans include a flexible events space, a showcase/press area, fashion-themed meeting rooms, open-plan offices and a tour route for visitors where they can follow the full journey of a garment from inception to completion, showcasing the innovative fashion and technology-led business. MoreySmith aims to create a space that will act as a window to the ASOS brand, taking inspiration from ASOS’s company…
AN INDIAN YMCA complex designed by UK based architecture firm Lewis and Hickey has won a major industry award. The YMCA building in Ahmedabad was picked as the Project of the Year within the Mixed Use Project category by the editorial board of the Architect and Interiors India Magazine. The awards, held in Mumbai, recognise the best building projects and designs in India and receive entrants from all over the country. Lewis and Hickey, who has offices across the UK and an international office in Mumbai, worked closely with the YMCA management team to design the building, which…
Gabrielle Omar, best known as the first architect to appear on BBC1’s hit TV show The Apprentice, is launching a new campaign, ‘Tea With An Architect’ to integrate communities with their local architect. Director of architectural practice 'Gabrielle Omar and Associates', Gabrielle left The Apprentice hailing for a brand overhaul in the architecture profession. Following her increased interaction with the public after the show, Gabrielle has realised that the large, iconic buildings springing up in the City, and their association with ‘star architects’, overshadow the general public’s knowledge of what an architect’s role really involves. Her new campaign intends to…
KREOD, the new architecturally-striking sculpture constructed of Kebony’s sustainable wood, has won the Surface Design Award for Temporary Structure. The Surface Design Awards are for international projects, interior or exterior, that have used surface materials in new or innovative ways. This year the Temporary Structure category attracted a particularly competitive and unusual range of entries of which KREOD was awarded the winner. Collecting the prize from De Magazine on behalf of the KREOD team was Managing Director of Pavilion Architecture, Chun Qing Li who commented: “A huge thank you to everybody that voted for us. The extraordinary partners and…
OMA has won the design competition for the Essence Financial Building in Shenzhen. The project, led by OMA Partners David Gianotten and Rem Koolhaas, and designed as a new generation office tower for Shenzhen, was selected from entries by four competing international and Chinese architectural practices. The Essence Financial Building, located in the Financial Development Area of Shenzhen, reflects on how the emergent forces in business and society could shape a contemporary office tower typology. The building challenges the many conventions that govern office tower designs, in particular the prevailing central core plan and curtain wall systems. The Essence Financial…
Liverpool-based K2 Architects has completed one of its biggest ever retail briefs by facilitating the launch of two upmarket restaurants at Liverpool ONE. K2 Architects worked with the Liverpool ONE management team to transform existing retail space for bar and brasserie Browns and hamburger brand Byron. K2 was charged with making sure that the existing space was prepared for the tenants. The restaurants then brought in their design teams to brand the units. The dining outlets will occupy the former Zavvi unit on Paradise Place next to Jamie’s Italian. Browns has taken a unit of more than 6,400 sq ft.…
Harton Quays Park, the £2.3 million waterfront park in South Shields designed by landscape architects Grant Associates for South Tyneside Council, has been awarded a specialist CEEQUAL Client & Design Award for excellence in sustainability. Scheduled for completion in May 2013, Harton Quays Park will stretch along the River Tyne from South Shields ferry landing to the Customs House and feature curved embankments, an amphitheatre, lawns and colourful planting, a promenade, sheltered gardens and a dramatic pine grove viewing point. A curved ribbon wall made up of 144 precast concrete panels is just one of the key features of the new scheme.
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mæ have been selected to design a new elderly person housing scheme, healthcare hub building and associated facilities for CityWest Homes on behalf of Westminster City Council on Lisson Grove, London. mæ won an invited competition for the housing scheme, which will be designed to HAPPI recommendations (Housing for an Ageing Population Panel for Innovation) and will accommodate existing residents of Penn House on Lisson Grove. Penn House will be redeveloped for the mixed-use healthcare facility hub and additional housing. In all, the scheme will provide around 90 flats and 6000sq.m of healthcare space, community facilities, offices and 1,300 sq.m…
The London 2012 Olympic Parklands and Public Realm, designed by LDA Design and Hargreaves Associates, has won the Mayor’s Award at the London Planning Awards. The award was presented to the London Legacy Development Corporation at the ceremony held on Thursday 31 January at City Hall, in London. The Olympic Park formed the stunning backdrop to the most sustainable games to date and it will be almost doubled in size post games to act as a catalyst to continue the regeneration of East London. Neil Mattinson, Senior Partner at LDA Design, said: “We’re immensely proud of our involvement with…
BuckleyGrayYeoman has completed the design of Fred Perry’s latest international store in Munich, Germany, uniting the brand’s iconic British heritage with the vibrant Reichenbachstrasse area of the city. The store has been designed to transport the brand’s ‘Britishness’ to this culturally rich area of Munich. Amongst the subtle references to Fred Perry’s roots are the same tiles used on the London Underground, which take their inspiration from Covent Garden Station – the closest stop to the brand’s flagship London Store and headquarters. Other details that capture classically British traditions are a series of wall-mounted wooden tea trays displaying the brand’s…
Work on the new offices for Admiral Insurance Group designed by Holder Mathias Architects has started on site in Newport, South Wales. The 7,500 sq m offices are being developed by Scarborough Development Group for Admiral and form part of a major mixed-use regeneration scheme based around the former Cambrian Centre, adjacent to Newport’s Railway Station. The offices will front not only onto Queensway, but also onto a new public plaza surrounded by new retail and leisure units with a stepped route linking to the town centre. The offices are designed to accommodate 1,200 people on flexible, shift work…
Following final presentations to the jury at the end of January, the Board of Trustees of the Royal Opera House has selected Stanton Williams Architects to carry out a feasibility study for the ‘Open Up’ project. This decision marks the culmination of a six month competition process involving seven firms of architects. The jury, comprising members of the Royal Opera House executive team and a number of external advisors, had invited Stanton Williams Architects and Witherford Watson Mann Architects to complete further work in response to a refined brief issued in December. ‘Open Up’ will make the physical entrances and…
Entries are now open for the 2013 European Copper in Architecture Awards 16 – a showcase for architects designing with copper and its alloys to promote their work to an international audience. The final deadline for receipt of entries is 31st May 2013. This biennial awards programme continues to grow in stature, not only demonstrating exemplary and innovative uses of copper in contemporary design, but also exposing to a wide international audience the very best in European architectural projects, some of which might otherwise go unrecognised. Entries must incorporate cladding, roofing, or other architectural elements of copper or…
RIBA Chartered Practice, Jefferson Sheard Architects, has been appointed to carry out the £4.5 million renewal and rationalisation of the Peterborough Regional College estate. The College specialises in vocational education training and currently operates an extremely successful apprenticeship programme. The project is set to include a new main entrance canopy and reception extension, as well as refurbishments to the existing Sports Hall, catering kitchen, hairdressing salon and science laboratory. A new state-of-the-art fitness centre and teaching space will be built adjoining the Sports Hall to enable visitors to share the changing and shower facilities and co-locate all sports…
Architect’s Eye, a competition which celebrates and encourages photography by architects, has just been launched. The competition, organised by International Art Consultants, is now being held for the fourth time since its launch in 2007. The competition is open to UK architects and is split into two distinct categories: Architecture and Place and Architecture and People. The former focuses solely on the aesthetics of the architecture and places it creates, while the latter explores and celebrates the interaction of people with the environments created by architects. The winner in each category will receive a weekend break for two anywhere in…
Robin Partington Architects has announced that its Park House project in London, has won a 2012 Be Inspired Award from Bentley Systems, Incorporated. The project won in the “Innovation in Generative Design” category. Commenting on the award presented to Robin Partington Architects, Huw Roberts, Bentley Vice President, core marketing, said, “The projects in the ‘Innovation in Generative Design’ award category used associative parametric modeling to automate design processes and accelerate design iterations. The projects exemplify new ways to efficiently explore alternative building forms and design options without manually building a detailed design model for each scenario. Their use of generative…
Amwaj Property Limited has submitted a planning application for Site 1 of Assael’s emerging masterplan for North Wharf Gardens in Paddington. The £70 million mixed-use scheme, will deliver 150 new residential apartments as well as retail, business, social and community space and an improved public realm. The overall masterplan covers 1.48 hectares in Paddington, on the site of the former North Westminster Community School, within the City of Westminster. Subject to consent, Site 1 will start on site in 2013, with completion due in 2015. The first phase will include the widening and public realm improvement of Hermitage Street for…
Oldham’s area planning committee has approved plans for the first phase of Oldham College’s capital development programme, designed by Aedas, that will see its Rochdale Road campus transformed into a 21st century learning hub. Work begins on site on 4th February. This first phase see the development of a five-storey Learning Hub, situated on the corner of Middleton Road and Rochdale Road. The building will house 28 new classrooms, a community space, new student support facilities, and a new front entrance to the College. It will bring a high quality learning environment, which will also be more energy efficient. It…
John McAslan + Partners’ King’s Cross Station redevelopment project has won the 2012 Bentley Be Inspired Award. The comprehensive redevelopment of King’s Cross Station has transformed an historic facility into a modern transport interchange and iconic gateway to London. Bentley is the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure. The project won in the “Innovation in Building” category. The recipients of the Be Inspired Awards are selected by independent panels of jurors comprising accomplished Bentley users and distinguished industry experts. The awards honor the extraordinary work of Bentley users improving and sustaining the world’s infrastructure, recognizing…
Ian Schrager has collaborated with architect John Pawson for the 'one-of-a-kind' Miami Beach residencies. These 26 limited edition residences are said to set themselves apart from anything else in Miami Beach and are the most unique and distinct spaces in all of South Florida. Ian Schrager commented, "There is simply nothing else like them currently in the marketplace. We tried to capture the details of life in the details of the architecture". All with commanding panoramic views, each of these sophisticated and stylish “Homes in the Sky” is a one-of-a-kind, custom one-off and different from the other. This makes them…
Canary Wharf Group plc has appointed architects Herzog & de Meuron, Allies and Morrison and Stanton Williams to design the first phase of new buildings at the Wood Wharf development, one of Central London’s most prestigious waterfront sites, adjacent to Canary Wharf. Working alongside developer Canary Wharf Group and masterplanners Sir Terry Farrell and Partners, Herzog & de Meuron will design a prominent new residential tower on the most south westerly corner of the site. Facing the waters of South Dock on two sides the proposed landmark tower will be taller than its immediate neighbours and enjoy views over a…
Bath architecture practice Stubbs Rich has won a competition to design a new visitor centre that could safeguard the future of horse rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming charity HorseWorld. The proposed development at Whitchurch, near Bristol, also includes the building of new homes on brownfield land around the existing HorseWorld visitor centre, which is now too small to cope with demand. Listed buildings on the site, along with the current centre, would be renovated and converted into homes, with the money raised through the development of the homes being used to pay for the new centre. Stubbs Rich partner David Beckett,…
Kalkwarf Architects has unveiled a series of flagship projects in Victoria which have transformed the commercial property market in the area. Led by Leon Kalkwarf and specialsing in luxury, high end residential & commercial development, Kalkwarf Architects boasts unparalleled knowledge of Victoria and is leading the charge to make the area a "destination venue" and not simply "somewhere to pass through." The area around Victoria station was designated an 'Opportunity Area' in the Mayor's London Plan and City of Westminster's Local Development Framework Adopted Core Strategy of January 2011. Leon Kalkwarf explained; "At 46-48 Grosvenor Gardens, we've transformed an…
James Ohle, an architect with decades of experience, had never worked on a steel building. So when he was asked to design a new, cavernous 18,000-square-foot, start-of-the-art Chicago-area nightclub and cabaret, he had to consider options he never would have otherwise. The challenge was getting the building up in time for an early 2013 grand opening within a tight budget. “Conventional construction just would not have worked,” Ohle said. “Construction materials and labor, and contracting costs would have rendered the project financially unsound.” He turned to Allied Steel Buildings. The focus of the club – and the budget…
The Crown Estate has given the go ahead from Westminster City Council’s planning committee for its £450 million plans to create a new destination for London’s St James’s. The scheme will deliver the most ambitious redevelopment of historic St James’s in the last century. The Committee resolved to grant permission for four linked planning applications, anchored by a transformation of the area known as St James’s Market. The redevelopment of two blocks will reconnect a currently isolated part St James’s between Haymarket and Regent Street with historic St James’s. The plans will deliver 340,000 sq ft of mixed-use…
Local architect Jim Rooney from James Rooney Chartered Architect Ltd in north Belfast and his son Christopher, a final year Business & Law student at UCD, are looking to 2013 as the year that will see the relisation of their creative vision. This year has seen the father and son duo pooling their architectural and business skills to develop a new easy-to-assemble and sustainable housing solution called the Hexi-House©. With a recent award of Creative Industries Innovation Funding (CIIF) from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure (DCAL), they are now positioned to…
A2Dominion has been granted planning consent for its 25 million Queens Wharf development by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The scheme has been designed by Assael Architecture. The project will transform the existing Queens Wharf site. It will replace an existing, derelict four-storey office building with a residential scheme offering 89 homes and a restaurant with river views, while also creating a new section of Thames footpath. The new building will rise from four storeys on its Crisp Road frontage to seven storeys facing the River Thames. The design of the scheme creates a curved façade in…
Architects maber have beaten off competition from around the country to be included in the prestigious Building Good Employer Guide 2012. The list, now in its sixth year, highlights firms within the building and construction sector that have had first rate reviews from their staff, as well as those recognised by Building magazine itself. Maber, which has offices in Nottingham, Leicester, London and Derby, achieved a rating of higher than four out of five in all seven judging criteria, including leadership, atmosphere and career progression. Over the past two years maber have experienced considerable growth, demonstrated by their…
Conwy County Council has granted consent for saving one of North Wales's principal landmark buildings and its conversion into a 5-star hotel for Castell Developments. Key to the success of the project has been a 50 bedroom extension to the Grade I listed castle. Specialist conservation architects Donald Insall Associates has designed the extension as a terraced garden which was welcomed as a positive addition to the historic Castle and in keeping with the sensitivity of its restoration. Commenting on the planning application Cadw the Welsh Government's historic environment service and official guardian of the built heritage of Wales said:…
GRAPHISOFT® announced back in December 2012 that two of the winning entries in 2012's International Property Awards were designed using ArchiCAD, GRAPHISOFT’s award-winning BIM software. Farkasvölgyi Arquitetura was ’highly commended’ for two of its designs: Complexo Andradas, a mixed-use development, and ABC-All Business Center, both located in Brazil. The Complexo Andradas will boast South America’s tallest building, the BH Tower. “We are pleased and proud to learn that one of GRAPHISOFT’s Key Clients has been recognized by this esteemed group of professionals,” said Viktor Várkonyi, CEO of GRAPHISOFT. “The Farkasvölgyi team can be rightly proud of this latest success”.…
The new and palatial Four Seasons Hotel, designed by specialist hotel architects, ReardonSmith, has opened in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan. In a city where East meets West and where sculptured high-rise towers co-exist with centuries-old buildings, the Four Seasons building references the French Beaux-Arts style of the late 19th Century – as directed by the owner. It is a jewel in the crown of Baku architecture befitting the Four Seasons brand and is an exuberant building of classical proportions appropriate to its location near the president’s office. At the same time, it is a building designed from the inside out…
MARCHINI Curran Associates (MCa) has been appointed to carry out an ambitious design project – the first phase of a multi-million pound science and innovation park. MCa will bring its extensive experience and expertise to create a new flagship centre, which will be part of a major hub for science and technology expertise. Based in Lincoln, the science and innovation park will be created by the University of Lincoln and Lincolnshire Co-operative, which are joining forces to transform a disused site in the heart of the city.The first phase will see Becor House, an existing 1940s building, and adjacent…
2013 sees the launch of the Government’s eagerly-awaited Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, aimed at delivering its promise that 12 per cent of the UK’s heat will come from renewable energy sources by 2020. Now Terra Therma, one of the UK’s leading heating and renewable energy specialists, has opened the doors to its ground-breaking demonstration Eco House to showcase renewable technologies. Designed and built by Terra Therma in collaboration with the UK’s leading renewables manufacturers, the two-storey Eco House shows interactive working examples of the latest innovations in renewable heating technology. The innovative Eco House was created in response…
2012 was another great year for Media One Communications Ltd and the team at Architects' Choice. We now look forward to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2013. Stayed tuned for more exciting architecture news and all the latest projects from the world of architecture and design. Jade Tilley, Editor
A new low carbon £4million academic faculty for Chinese studies, which mixes contemporary design with subtle references to Chinese culture and aesthetics, has just been completed for The University of Nottingham. The Si Yuan Centre has been built to house the university’s School of Contemporary Chinese Studies (SCCS) – a leading national and international institute dedicated to research and degree programmes about the study of China. Lewis and Hickey Architects (L&H) were appointed by the university to deliver the project following selection as part of a limited design competition. Antony Phillips, design director at L&H Nottingham, who worked with board…
BDP has been commissioned by the Shanxi Broadcast & TV Channel to design its new Broadcast & TV Centre. This highly significant, provincial level, public sector project is located in Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi Province in north China. The development will form one of the focal points of the emerging Jinyang Lake Commercial District, and will play a critical part in the urban expansion of south Taiyuan. A careful balance of the site’s massing, topography, water features, scale and viewpoints were very important considerations in the masterplan design. The 200,000sqm first phase will comprise six buildings providing offices,…
Cross-cultural London theatre organisation Tara Arts has been given the go ahead for a new theatre facility at its Earlsfield home that will create a striking local landmark and offer upgraded facilities and better performance experiences for audiences and artists. The London Borough of Wandsworth unanimously granted planning consent for the project. Designed by RHWL Arts Team, the new venue will significantly improve the existing theatre provision on the site – boosting capacity to 100 seats, creating a more flexible space for performances, adding a new rehearsal space and making the venue fully accessible to audience, staff and artists. The…
The wait is finally over – Ecobuild has announced the #Ecobuild100 - the top 100 Twitter influencers from across the sustainable construction, design and the built environment. Check out the #Ecobuild100 here: http://bit.ly/VBZ8hC In just three weeks the campaign received over 1800 tweets from the global sustainable built environment community reaching more than 2,562,566 sustainable built environment professionals and enthusiasts across Twitter. Over 280 experts were nominated. Twitter users within the sustainability industry were encouraged to nominate their top sustainable design; construction and the built environment Twitter accounts during November. The #Ecobuild100 list of the final top 100 influencers…
St Paul’s Way Trust School in Bow, Tower Hamlets, has been shortlisted for the 2013 National Civic Trust Awards. Winners will be announced on 9th March 2013. Designed by Astudio, the scheme has been recognised for its positive cultural, social and economic contribution to the local community. The school, which opened in early 2011, was rebuilt as part of Tower Hamlets’ Building Schools of the Future Programme. Funded predominately by Tower Hamlets council, the £36million project also received £1million from the London Thames Gateway Corporation. The development was led and managed by the council, and designed by Astudio in conjunction…
The results of the 2011 Emporis Skyscraper Award are now in: 8 Spruce Street in New York City is the winner of the renowned architecture prize for new skyscrapers. Every year, Emporis' expert international jury rewards ten skyscrapers completed in the previous calendar year. The award is being given for the 12th time. Image: Courtesy of Gehry Partners The winners were chosen from over 220 skyscrapers completed in 2011. 8 Spruce Street, the first skyscraper by the architect Frank Gehry, and also known as The Beekman or New York by Gehry, won over the jury with its…
RIBA Competitions has launched a competition on behalf of Millennium Point to seek design ideas to enhance the visibility and image of Millennium Point in Birmingham from the Jennens Road approach. Philip Singleton, CEO of Millennium Point said: “As a very successful millennium project, we are launching into our second decade with renewed vigour and ambition. We want to be more recognisable on the landscape of Birmingham and beyond. I am really delighted to be working with the RIBA to seek out ideas from the profession to design a fabulous and unforgettable pavilion.” A launch event with a briefing…
WWF, the independent conservation organisation, is collaborating with Jason Bruges Studio to design and build an immersive installation for the entrance of its new Living Planet Centre, currently under construction in Woking, UK. The WWF-UK building is aiming for a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating, the highest level of sustainable building design and construction. The installation will consist of four enclosed, themed zones - fresh water, marine, forest and wildlife - each designed to reflect a different environmental experience and core area of the organisation’s work. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves and interact with their environments through a range of…
The Government’s planning minister, Nick Boles, has warned that an area twice the size of Greater London needs to be built on to meet housing demand. In an interview with BBC Two’s Newsnight he said that, rather than fight all development, people need to recognise that some buildings could be more beautiful than nature itself. His comments though, come as much of England and Wales has been hit by flooding, which in some parts has been made worse by planners allowing development on natural flood plains which are meant to fill with water. On Newsnight Mr Boles said: “We’re…
David Morley Architect’s Hurlingham Club Outdoor Pool scooped the top award in this year’s hotly contested Wood Awards 2012 competition. The ceremony was held on the 27th November at the Carpenters’ Hall in the City of London. The Hurlingham Club Outdoor Pool first saw off competition of an exceptionally high standard to win the Structural category, before being awarded the winner of winners by Gordon Campbell, High Commissioner of Canada, in front of over 200 leading industry and architectural figures. The Hurlingham Club is recognised worldwide as one of Britain’s greatest quintessentially English private members’ clubs. Chairman of the…
Energy Secretary Ed Davey will set out fresh proposals to slash demand for electricity as he publishes a blueprint for energy today. The long-delayed Energy Bill authorises ministers to treble investment in "green" power generation to £7.6 billion, up from £2.35 billion this year. An estimated £110 billion is needed in the next decade to renew the UK's ageing electricity infrastructure, with much set to go into low-carbon power sources such as wind farms. Critics say the changes will be paid for by sharp rises in bills but Mr Davey insists state support for low-carbon electricity will cost the average…
The handover of the Olympic Park to the Legacy Corporation has been marked by removing the final piece of outer shell from the temporary seating stands at the Aquatics Centre. The iconic structure is one of a number of venues that will be transformed for public use as the Legacy Corporation creates Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Over the next 18 months, the Legacy Corporation will carry out a £292 million construction programme called ‘Clear, Connect, Complete’. The programme will clear Games-time overlay including temporary venues, walkways and stands, connect the Park to the surrounding area with new roads and pathways…
The RIBA has welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg's speech to the National Home-Building Council in which he calls for "Places which draw on the best of British architecture and design" and says the only way out of the housing crises is to think big, bold and beyond bricks and mortar. Commenting on the announcement, RIBA chief executive Harry Rich said: "I am pleased to see the Deputy Prime Minister reflect so many of the issues that have been raised by the RIBA’s Future Homes Commission in their recent report. This is a step in the right direction to…
The architectural profession’s regulator, ARB, has seen an 85 percent increase in the number of complaints about people pretending to be architects. This has cost the organisation £23,000 more than it planned to spend protecting the title. The ARB started 276 separate investigations into alleged misuse of title in the nine months to September. General complaints against architects have also continued to rise, suggesting a worrying trend of consumer dissatisfaction. A significant increase in costs relating to misuse of title and complaints referred to the Professional Conduct Committee is said to be behind the ARB's increase…
Highlights from Now Boarding: Fentress Airports + The Architecture of Flight will be featured November 26th – 28th, at the 2012 Airport Exchange held at the Amsterdam Rai Convention Centre. Developed by renowned curator Donald Albrecht and the Denver Art Museum, the museum exhibition provides a rich multimedia exploration of the past, present, and future of airport architecture, while showcasing the groundbreaking design work of Curtis Fentress and the firm he founded, Fentress Architects. In only a century, airports have become symbolic gateways, artistic and cultural representations of our highest aspirations, and an indispensable part of our economy. How did…
A planning application, which opens the way for the redevelopment of the Earl's Court site, has been approved by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Major Planning Development Committee. The decision gives outline planning permission for the redevelopment of the part of the site within Kensington and Chelsea which includes the Earls Court 1 Exhibition Centre. The overall Earl's Court plans will see the creation of a new urban quarter spanning the two boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham, which will provide thousands of new homes, a minimum of 7,000 new jobs, new retail units, community…
The Government is set to announce plans to intervene to unblock the stalled building of 50,000 homes next year. In a preview of next month's autumn statement by the chancellor, Nick Clegg will outline the plans in a speech warning of a housing crisis according to reports by The Guardian. Clegg will announce that the government has found a number of schemes – of between 4,000 and 9,500 homes – which have stalled and pledge to intervene directly, by providing funding in the form of loans which would be repaid when the homes were sold. It's thought the…
International hotel design was celebrated in London last night (20th November), when nine of Europe’s notable hotels claimed top honours at the prestigious European Hotel Design Awards. This international celebration acknowledges the passion and vision of the architects, designers and developers of Europe’s most recently completed and outstanding hotel projects. The Whitehall Penthouse Suite, Corinthia Hotel, London, England BBC World News’ presenter, Mishal Husain hosted the ceremony which took place at the Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge London. The shortlisted entries hailed from all over Europe including Italy, Spain, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and Croatia. Winning hotels included The Corinthia…
Over 100 artworks by renowned artists, architects and designers were auctioned at Somerset House on Wednesday the 14th of November, raising over £80,000 for Article 25, the UK’s leading construction charity that designs and delivers projects to provide better shelter where there is disaster, poverty or need. As part of this year’s 10x10 Drawing the City London, renowned auction-house Sotheby’s brought the hammer down on twenty-eight lots at the live auction, including works by artists Jake & Dinos Chapman, architects Zaha Hadid, David Adjaye, Eric Parry and Norman Foster and fashion designer Paul Smith. The remaining lots were sold in…
The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), the organization that defines, teaches, and promotes best practices in design-build, awarded Fentress Architects and Hensel Phelps Construction Co. an Honour Award for Alaska Airlines LAX Terminal 6 Renovation in the category of Rehabilitation/Renovation/Restoration. Additionally, DBIA gave the design team a Merit Award for the Military Department (MILDEP) Investigative Agencies Headquarters in the Civic Category. Fentress Architects was selected from over 100 entries submitted from firms across the nation. “It’s an honour to accept these awards from our peers. The team feels rewarded for their years of hard work on these highly complex projects,”…
HOK has unveiled designs for Marina Mall, an icon prime retail and leisure facility located in Lusail on the east coast of Qatar, approximately 15 kilometres north of Doha city centre. HOK’s designs are inspired by the natural forms created when water and land meet. Five interconnected retail islands, sculptural in shape, will be enclosed by a simple transparent membrane to create a light, sleek interior. The warm rich palette of materials, sculptural white fibre-reinforced polymer shell and blue tinted glazing enclose abstracted spaces featuring water, rock and planting, designed to flow into one another as if formed…
Five out of the ten tallest skyscrapers in Europe are currently located in Moscow, including the tallest building in Europe, Mercury City. Moscow is also the European city with the most skyscrapers; altogether, Moscow counts 87 buildings, which are at least 100 meters high or have more than 40 floors, leading architecture experts from building database, Emporis to name Moscow the new European capital of skyscrapers. © Liedel Investments Limited Even the London-based skyscraper The Shard, inaugurated in July and celebrated as Europe’s tallest building with a height of 310 meters, has been overshadowed by Mercury City. After its…
Grant is one of two British landscape designers honoured in this year's RDI Awards, the other being Dan Pearson. They are only the second and third British landscape architects to receive the award since it was introduced in 1936. The first was Kim Wilkie in 2009. Grant’s pioneering work in landscape architecture is extensively concerned with sustainability, incorporating fundamentals of ecological planting, biodiversity, water use and the sensitive and empirical needs of architects and environmental engineers. Andrew has developed a global reputation for a range of extraordinarily innovative work which fuses elements of nature, technology and design, such…
Plans for the new Linear Park were last week unveiled at an event hosted by Ballymore and Camlins, the landscape architects behind the project. Set to open in 2014, the Linear Park will run from Vauxhall station through the heart of Embassy Gardens and the adjacent new US Embassy to Battersea Power Station. This kilometre-long beautiful green avenue will form the lively centrepiece of the new landmark Embassy Gardens development and the wider nine Elms regeneration area. Winding its way through Embassy Gardens’ 2,000 homes, vibrant mix of bars and restaurants and 130,000 sq ft of retail, the Linear…
Weston Williamson architects has unveiled plans for a new flight-hub in Luton. This development follows the news that the government think tank Policy Exchange has now ruled out a new airport in the Thames Estuary and expanding Stansted or Gatwick. The group has concluded that though Luton is the second best option to expanding Heathrow, when balanced against their environmental impacts, a new four runway airport at Luton is the better solution. Already served by Thameslink and the M1 motorway, the single-runway Bedfordshire airport is the sensible location for the UK's largest airport hub, according to Weston Williamson architects. Anyone…
BDP has been commissioned for the relocation of a prestigious primary and secondary school in Jumeirah, Dubai. The relocation of Jumeirah College to Al Khail Road will provide additional facilities for 2,300 students. The new building has already started on site and will be a showcase school for the charitable organisation GEMS Education. The complex contains three main school groups: foundations, primary and secondary, which are designed as schools within schools. These groups are set around the main shared spaces which comprise a 600 seat auditorium, administration elements and a spectacular dining area overlooking sports fields and a sports…
Zaha Hadid has joined Soho China's Zhang Xin, Pan Shiyi and 15,000 guests, to celebrate the completion of Galaxy Soho, Beijing. The project, which is intrinsically 'Hadid', comprises a 330 000sqm office, retail and entertainment complex that will become an integral part of the living city, inspired by the grand scale of Beijing. Its architecture is a composition of four continuous, flowing volumes that are set apart, fused or linked by stretched bridges. These volumes adapt to each other in all directions, generating a panoramic architecture without corners or abrupt transitions that break the fluidity of its formal composition. …
Leading retirement developer, McCarthy & Stone, is seeking out the country’s most creative architects to help it revolutionise housing aimed at those aged 55 and over. Responding to its research into the facilities and types of property that would appeal to the post-war baby boomer generation, McCarthy & Stone has joined forces with the RIBA to launch a nationwide hunt for housing concepts of the future, aimed specifically at those in or reaching their third age. The British Open Design Competition will task competitors to think beyond what has previously been available in terms of retirement accommodation in the UK,…
The American Institute of Architects has recognised Curtis Fentress as the 2012 Colorado Architect of the year and acknowledged two of Fentress Architects most innovative designs. The Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine has won both the 2012 AIA Colorado Honour Award for Built Architecture and the 2012 AIA Denver Merit Award for Built Architecture. Mineta-San Jose International Airport Terminal B has won the 2012 AIA Colorado Merit Award for Built Architecture. Image credit: Jason A. Knowles © Fentress Architects “We’re deeply honored and humbled by these awards,” said Curtis Fentress. “It’s a testament to the artistry and dedication of…
The Stonebridge housing estate in Brent, the London 2012 Olympic Park, Leicester Square, Croydon Metropolitan Centre and the BBC’s New Broadcasting House have all been shortlisted for the prestigious 10th anniversary London Planning Awards 2013. Organised by London First, in conjunction with the Mayor of London, the Royal Town Planning Institute and London Councils, the London Planning Awards are the 'Oscars' of the planning and development sector, celebrating the outstanding contribution of planners to the capital’s urban renaissance. This year’s entries continue to raise the standard of nominations and promote awareness of good practice. Stonebridge Estate Regeneration, nominated…
The new state-of-the-art Marine Building at Plymouth University, designed by Burwell Deakins Architects, has been opened by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Located on the University campus at a prime location within the city, the building acts as a symbol of Plymouth’s eminence in marine sciences – encouraging a dialogue between the city, its academic institutions and the wider world. Built to provide a range of flexible research facilities, work and educational spaces, the new Marine Building also includes a World Class hydrodynamics facility and a dedicated business innovation centre for marine renewable technology. …
Scotland's largest architecture firm, RMJM Group, has placed three of its UK subsidiaries into receivership. Insolvency professionals were appointed to RMJM Limited, RMJM Scotland and RMJM London after directors concluded the businesses could no longer continue to trade. Following their appointment, receivers from accountancy firm KPMG immediately completed a sale of the business and assets of each company to the newly formed RMJM Architecture. Under the terms of the transaction, all 120 employees of the companies transferred to the purchaser. Commenting on the sales, Blair Nimmo, head of KPMG Restructuring in Scotland said: “The companies’ businesses…
Global interior design house HBA, Hirsch Bedner Associates, has announced that it is launching a wide-ranging collaborative venture combining more than 50 years of innovative design experience with a cutting edge background of leading architect, Jeffrey M. Williams, AIA. Ian Carr and René Kaerskov, co-CEOs, announced the launch of HBA Architecture. The shared skills, capabilities, and scope of the newly formed HBA Architecture provide a game-changing alternative for property ownership groups across the globe looking to blend the design acumen of HBA with the architectural standards and integrity of Williams’ project experience. Carr is based in HBA’s Singapore office…
The Queen has visited Jubilee Gardens on London’s South Bank to open the new Gardens and to mark the completion of the Gardens’ £5million re-landscaping to create a new green landmark for London. The Queen was able to view the new Jubilee Gardens which have been transformed from what was a flat and featureless patch of grass into a soft, green and sustainable landscape of the highest quality, with new flowerbeds, high quality turf, elegant granite edges alongside a new granite path network, lighting columns, benches, trees and a brand new playground. The £5million project was funded with a…
Richmond Hill Primary School, built on behalf of Leeds City Council, will use up to 80 percent less energy than a conventionally built equivalent facility, reducing carbon emissions by 60 percent without the use of renewable energy. The school for 630 pupils completed in Leeds by Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has not only achieved Passivhaus certification, but has smashed the air tightness target of the Passivhaus Institute. The new school was given a Passivhaus air tightness target of 0.6 ACH (Air Changes Per Hour), which means the building must not leak more than 0.6 times…
Hundreds of thousands of desperately needed extra homes could be built in the UK every year without an extra penny of Government spending or debt if the dysfunctional way we build homes is radically overhauled according to the findings of a radical new report released Friday 26th October by the Future Homes Commission (FHC). The UK could be propelled out of recession, institutional and international investment encouraged, tens of thousands of new jobs generated and the chronic shortage of quality housing solved by a major overhaul of the way we fund, build and market new housing development, the Future Homes…
The London Legacy Development Corporation has appointed Philip Lewis as Chairman of the Planning Decisions Committee, which oversees major planning decisions for the Legacy Corporation area, including Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Philip Lewis, a board member of the Legacy Corporation for the past three years, is a chartered surveyor with 40 years experience in the property market. He is currently Chief Executive of the property division of the Kirsh Group, which is part of Natie Kirsh’s international trading business. The Legacy Corporation became the local planning authority on 1st October for the Park and adjoining areas in Tower Hamlets,…
Norman Foster has presented proposals for a masterplan to bring clarity back to Grand Central Terminal at The Municipal Art Society of New York’s annual Summit in New York. Grand Central Terminal is one of New York’s greatest landmarks and contains perhaps the city’s finest civic space. However, over time it has become a victim of its own success. A building designed to be used by 75,000 people per day now routinely handles ten times that number with up to a million on peak days. The result is acute overcrowding; connections to the rail and subway lines beneath the concourse…
Internationally renowned architect, Tony Kettle, has teamed up with Colin Bone and David Tripney to create a dynamic, new design house called Kettle Collective. Focusing on architecture, but also bringing bespoke solutions to clients across other areas such as urban, interior and product design, Kettle Collective has set up its head office in Edinburgh, but is also in the process of establishing a studio in Dubai which will act as a hub, providing links to key markets in the Middle East and Russia. The trio previously worked together at RMJM and have joined forces to provide a client focused design…
Foster + Partners has been selected by a partnership of L&L Holding Company and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (LBHI) to design their new office tower at 425 Park Avenue, New York. The practice claims the new building will create an enduring landmark that befits its exclusive location, and is uniquely of its time and its place. All images credit: Foster + Partners The project presents an outstanding opportunity to contribute to the existing character of Park Avenue and responds to the scale and datum of the Avenue and neighbouring buildings. Clearly expressing the geometry of its structure, the…
