ZHA directors/senior staff at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in 2024 Source:&nbspFrederic Aranda Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has slashed its gender pay gap, but there still remains a hefty disparity between men and women’s pay in the UK’s largest architecture practices The median pay gap across 15 of the biggest practices now sits at 15.5 per cent, a slight fall from 16.2 per cent a year earlier. The median pay gap records the difference between how much is paid per hour to the median-earning female employee and the median-earning male employee. Newly published data shows the decrease across all 15 practices is mainly due to ZHA, where the median gender pay gap has fallen by 9.5 per cent, and now sits at 6.3 per cent, comfortably the lowest of any practice.  Excluding ZHA, the median gender pay gap across the biggest UK practices only reduced by 0.1 per cent last year. It increased at six practices, including by 3.6 per cent at PRP and 5.2 per cent at Ryder. Advertisement The architecture practice with the largest median pay gap is Corstophine + Wright, at 32.9 per cent. A director at the practice said it has equal pay for equal roles and that its sizeable gap was due to the acquisitions of male-led practices.  Practice name Gender pay gap (hourly pay) - Median 2023/4 Gender pay gap (hourly pay) - Median 2024/5 Increase in pay gap (percentage points) Aecom 13.6% 13.9% 0.3% Allford Hall Monaghan Morris 16.5% 17% 0.5% Allies and Morrison 13.3% 16.6% 3.3% AtkinsRealis 15.9% 14.1% -1.8% BDP 20% 16.4% -3.6% Corstophine + Wright 31.5% 32.9% 1.4% Foster + Partners 14.4% 12.3% -2.1% Grimshaw 9.91% 9.91% 0% Hawkins\Brown 12.9% 11.7% -1.2% PRP 14.4% 18% 3.6% Purcell N/A 15.6% N/A Ryder 16.3% 21.5% 5.2% Sheppard Robson 13.1% 10.2% -2.9% Stide Treglown 19.8% 16.3% -3.5% Zaha Hadid 15.83% 6.3% -9.53% Average pay gap 16.2% 15.5% -0.7% The data is published by the government, which requires large companies with 250 or more employees to submit their gender pay statistics. Only 15 architecture practices are large enough to be required to reveal the data. The data shows that women make up 43.3 per cent of staff at the 15 practices, although this figure is skewed by lower numbers of women at AECOM and AtkinsRealis, which also employ a range of other built environment consultants.  Despite there being fewer of them overall, female employees make up a majority (53.4 per cent) of earners in the bottom quartile of salaries across the 15 practices. However, women make up just 28.5 per cent of employees in the top quartile of earners – effectively meaning only a quarter of those earning the most in the profession are women.  Practice name Percentage of women in each pay quarter Lower Lower middle Upper middle Upper Aecom 35.2% 38.7% 25.8% 21.4% Allford Hall Monaghan Morris 60.9% 41.8% 40.7% 26.1% Allies and Morrison 58% 57% 49% 30% AtkinsRealis 39.3% 36% 29.8% 21.7% BDP 57% 50.2% 46.4% 26.1% Corstophine + Wright 58% 35% 25% 10% Foster + Partners 46% 44% 39% 27.5% Grimshaw 44.23% 44.23% 50% 64.71% Hawkins\Brown 60% 50.8% 52.3% 23.4% PRP 59.65% 61.4% 42.11% 24.56% Purcell 60.3% 66.1% 48.4% 35.5% Ryder 52.7% 59.5% 44.6% 21.6% Sheppard Robson 54.8% 63.1% 49.4% 41% Stide Treglown 60% 46.4% 38.1% 22.6% Zaha Hadid 55% 46% 47% 31% Average 53.4% 49.4% 41.8% 28.5% Only one practice – Grimshaw – has a majority of women among its highest-earners. At Grimshaw women make up 57 per cent of employees in the upper-half of earners, but just 44.3 per cent of the lower half.  Advertisement Corstophine + Wright has a majority (58 per cent) of women among its lowest quartile of earners, but a large majority of men at all other levels, with just 10 per cent of its highest quartile of earners being women.  Simon Jones, group operations director at Corstophine + Wright, said: ‘We recognise that our median gender pay gap is currently higher than the industry average, which is a reflection of our fast-paced growth through mergers, many involving male-led practices. ‘While the median doesn’t reflect equal pay for equal roles, which we rigorously uphold, we know representation at senior levels must improve. We’re committed to long-term change and proud to be making progress through the hard work of our environment, social and governance committee.’ 2025-04-08 Will Ing comment and share

Instagram has already moved 54 million kids into Teen Accounts. And there's more to come.

Path of Exile 2 fixes incoming following criticism of Dawn of the Hunt update's slow pace Huntress re-balanced. Image credit: Grinding Gear Games News by Ed Nightingale Deputy News Editor Published on April 8, 2025 Path of Exile 2 developer Grinding Gear Games has acknowledged feedback to its Dawn of the Hunt update from players frustrated with the game's slow pace. The update, 0.2.0, arrived last week with a wealth of new content and a new playable character class, the Huntress. Simultaneously, the developer nerfed plenty of abilities and made other changes to tweak the endgame, many of which have unintentionally impacted the main campaign. Now Grinding Gear Games has released a post detailing new and forthcoming changes to appease fans, as development continues in early access. Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt Gameplay TrailerWatch on YouTube "Many people are reporting that gameplay is feeling too slow," the developer acknowledged. "Sometimes this comes in the form of people saying that monster life is too high, or player damage is too low, or areas are taking too long. In this post we will talk about some of the things we have already done, and more of the changes we are planning on making." Having nerfed minion damage and life, these will now be increased to a level similar to before the update, while retaining the new scaling for the endgame. Monster health has also already been dropped by 25 percent to alleviate clearspeed concerns. The developer is also looking into the size of environments, with players criticising their large size. "Many players are reporting that areas feel like they are too large," wrote the developer. "Normally when this is the case, the main reason is due to other concerns such as monster life or player damage being incorrect, or just a lack of entertaining content in the area. However, we are checking to see if there are any outliers that players are spending too long in to see if any changes to area size need to happen." Additionally, the developer is making changes to its new Huntress class, following concerns the power of the class is locked behind the parry mechanic. As such, a new skill will be added to provide Frenzy charges without needing to parry, though this will be carefully balanced to still reward those using the mechanic. Further, the feel of the parry itself will be improved and spear throws will be buffed to incentivise players alternate more between ranged and melee playstyles. Server side crashes have been approximately six times higher in this update, but the developer noted these are "significantly easier for us to debug" so should be fixed imminently. Lastly, quality of life features are on the way such as bookmarking locations on the map, and adding stash tab affinities for more item types. It's hoped these changes will address concerns from players, with the game's subreddit full of memes and frustration. Perhaps the game's most famous player, Elon Musk, however, attempted to play from his private jet and died to the tutorial boss. Still, Grinding Gear Games is attempting to give Path of Exile 2 more demanding combat in comparison to its biggest competition, Diablo 4. Indeed, Eurogamer's Bertie described "Souslike thrills" in his Path of Exile 2 early access review. As for the full release of the game, there's a 65 percent chance it will be released this year, according to game director Jonathan Rogers.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Id Software’s original DOOM games are still some of the most satisfying FPS games ever made. To this day, nothing feels better than chucking a slug into the Super Shotgun and blasting through the Cacodemon’s still-confusing rear ports. Nevertheless, DOOM modders are constantly tinkering away to force the original Doom Guy—now known as the Slayer—to do things other than firing through hordes of demons. Following the terrifying MyHouse.wad, one modder has created the scariest mod yet: a McDonalds Simulator. Doom Guy goes to McDonalds Created by modder SlendyMawn, the “Put the Fries in the Bag Mod” curses the 90s FPS hero to work forever in a McDonalds restaurant. As you stand behind the counter, the constant beeps and chirps of fryers, grills and service tills replaces the expected music to fill you with an instant sense of dread. As you continue to work, classic DOOM enemies and marines will come into the restaurant to order food which you then give them with a series of clicks. Sometimes, a demon might enter, run all the way up the cashier’s till, and ask to use the bathroom. (Existing in the outside world tip: every McDonalds is too busy to notice if you go to the bathroom—you don’t need to ask.) As we all know, demons are not the most friendly creatures, and they will punish you for screwing up their order, as well as for being too slow. If you take too long, they’ll shout “Hurry the Hell up”, which is fitting. If you mess up their order, they might simply storm away with anger or summon an Arch-vile to burn you alive—which is how I expect fast food service to work in America. At the end of the day, the new DOOM mod is yet another example of Id Software’s shooter living forever. DOOM is now 31 years old and yet “just put the fires in the bag” is a phrase that’s only become a common saying in the last year-or-so. DOOM is eternal—not the one—and despite being older than the people creating most memes these days, it always finds a way to adapt them. Of course, the series isn’t just kept alive by the talented and passionate modding community. DOOM: The Dark Ages is set to release on May 13, 2025. With an open-ending designed to create even more medieval-style games, this could be a new future for the iconic franchise. Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

As usual, Lionel Messi has a lot to celebrate. Most recently, the Argentine soccer legend broke Inter Miami’s goal contribution record and made some major real estate moves. According to the Wall Street Journal, Messi just entered contract on four luxury condos at Cipriani Residences Miami, an under-construction 80-story tower slated for completion in 2028. One of the units, a 3,500-square-foot four-bedroom, is priced at $7.5 million; details of the other three condos scooped up by the Inter Miami captain are still unknown.Developed by Mast Capital, the curvy glass condominium will house 397 one-to-four-bedroom residences starting at $1.7 million. The structure’s Canaletto Collection (comprised of six penthouses and 68 other high-end units that make up the building’s top 18 floors) features wraparound views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline, with the penthouse units also featuring private pools. Amenities offered to residents will include a private restaurant, 24-hour catering, a wood-paneled speakeasy, a resort deck with two swimming pools, a holistic spa, a screening room, a gym, a library, and a pickleball court.Join NowFlash Sale: Become an AD PRO member today and unlock your design potential.ArrowRenderings showcase modern, organic-inspired interiors designed by 1508 London. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors offering sweeping views of the water are among the elements future residents can expect in the luxury units. Each dwelling will also feature a kitchen equipped with high-end appliances and glossy wooden cabinetry; primary suites with walk-in closets and spa-like bathrooms; and curved terraces lined with glass railings.Messi has several lavish options for where to rest his head while he waits for his newest Miami residence to be built. The athlete maintains a $10.75 million Fort Lauderdale mansion that he bought in 2023, the same year he joined Inter Miami. That home spans 10,500 square feet, with 10 bedrooms and an equal number of baths. He also already owns multiple Miami condos, including a space at the Porsche Design Tower.

New Release: 3DT Stylized Rocks & Cliffs Pack – Build Better Environments, Faster By 3D Tudor on April 8, 2025 Models & Rigs The 3DT Stylized Rocks & Cliffs Pack is designed to remove the biggest headaches in environment design—slow sculpting, messy seams, and a lack of modular flexibility. Built in collaboration with Marcus Rosefield (creator of the popular Stylized Ruins Pack), this collection gives you everything you need to create dramatic cliffscapes, rocky outcrops, and floating islands—without the usual grind.What’s in the pack: 16 modular cliff and rock assets (32 total with grass-covered and bare-rock variants) Hand-painted 2048x2048 PBR textures Optimized models ranging from under 1k to 3k vertices Fully 360° visible meshes — no “back-side only” geometry Easy-to-stack, seamless modularity for fast kitbashing Included Blender compositor addon for quick cinematic lighting and renders Compatible with Blender, Unreal Engine, and Unity What problems does it solve: Time-consuming sculpting: Pre-made stylized assets let you skip the sculpting and go straight to layout. Clunky workflows: Modular pieces snap together cleanly with no gaps, speeding up prototyping and final assembly. Visual inconsistency: Grass and bare-rock variations make it easy to mix biomes while keeping a consistent art style. Limited flexibility: Assets are built for scale, rotation, and reuse—so you can create everything from towering cliffs to tiny details. Whether you're building a stylized RPG, a fantasy short film, or an arcade-inspired game level, this pack gives you creative control with professional polish.Support Independent Artists – The Starving Artist CampaignThis release is part of the 3D Tudor Starving Artist Campaign, a project that helps independent creators like Marcus Rosefield earn fairly while focusing on what they do best—creating beautiful 3D art. When you purchase this pack, you’re directly supporting that mission.Check out the pack and see how it can speed up your workflow while powering up your visuals.Join the 3D Tudor community for feedback, support, and inspiration:Until next time, happy modelling everyone! Neil - 3D Tudor

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The Yuck Yuck 3000 Switch 2 cartridges will taste terrible we're afraid, which shouldn't be too big a deal unless the economy gets really bad Doesn't matter if you suck it down or nibble at the edges, Switch 2 carts won't taste good. Image credit: VG247 News by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on April 8, 2025 Listen, times are tough. Who knows what the future will hold. But no matter what happens there's something you've got to know. The Nintendo Switch 2, for all its quirks and cool features, will still have physical cartridges and they will taste bad. This was revealed straight from the horse's mouth as it were, as Takuhiro Dohta from Nintendo spoke to GameSpot and dropped us a dose of sad reality. He states: "We don't want anybody to be at risk of any unwanted consumption. We have indeed made it so that if it enters your mouth, you'll spit it out." To see this content please enable targeting cookies. This may sound obvious and stupid, and it is! It is very silly. But, there's a reason it was asked. Back during the early days of the original Nintendo Switch people tried tasting them (for content, obviously) and were surprised just how bad they tasted. The reason is simple: denatonium benzoate. It's a chemical used on the original carts which is used to keep folks from eating plastic and metal, regardless of how tasty they may look. While Dohta was sure to emphasize not putting a Switch 2 cart in your mouth, one Kouichi Kawamoto spilled the beans on his own adventure, showing clearly that at one point in his life he was in tune with his inner animal. "When the Nintendo Switch was being developed, I did lick it once, but never again. I can't believe that other people are trying that." Good on Nintendo, thinking of the children and truly demented among us who'd consider eating such a thing. However, think of what flavours you've not tasted, what colours you've not seen. It could unlock something in you, y'know. Flip a switch, open a door to a new you. A wiser you. Why not taste it, just once? (For legal reasons I assume exist, please do not actually eat a Nintendo Switch 2 cartridge. Or any cartridge, for that matter.) So there we have it, there's no reason at all to try eating a Nintendo Switch 2 cartridge. Unless of course, the economy gets really bad. But at that point, you may as well try eating tree bark or your fellow man first. Who knows when you'll want to get some Mario Kart World in.

Wrapping up soon.Switch 2 pre-orders have been gradually popping up throughout Europe since Nintendo's big reveal last week and while most have taken the standard approach to purchase (click 'Pre-Order' and you're done), the likes of Amazon UK opted for an invite-only method instead. Fortunately, it seems the storefront won't be sticking to this for too much longer.As reported by VGC, customers who missed out on a Switch 2 pre-order invite through Amazon UK have recently received a message from the online store, clarifying that the console will be available for 'normal' pre-orders soon.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Meta is introducing Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger. The feature, which automatically enrolls young users into an app experience with built-in protections, will be available on these platforms in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada before expanding to additional regions in the future. Teen Accounts first rolled out to Instagram last September after Instagram and other popular social networks were grilled by U.S. lawmakers for not doing enough to protect teens. As part of Tuesday’s announcement, Meta said it’s bringing new built-in protections for Teen Accounts on Instagram. With the expansion to Facebook and Messengers, teens will automatically be placed into an experience that is designed to limit inappropriate content and unwanted contact. Teens under the age of 16 need their parents’ permission to change any of the settings. Image Credits:Meta While Meta’s blog post about the launch doesn’t share the exact restrictions that teens will be placed under, the company told TechCrunch in an email that teens will only receive messages from people they follow or have messaged before. In addition, only teens’ friends can see and reply to their stories. Tags, Mentions, and comments will also be limited to people they follow or who are their friends. Teens will also receive reminders to leave the social networks after using them for an hour a day. Plus, they will be enrolled into “Quiet mode” overnight. As for the new restrictions on Instagram, teens under 16 will not be allowed to go live on the platform unless their parents give them permission to do so. Plus, teens under 16 will need to get parental permission to turn off the app’s feature that blurs images containing suspected nudity in DMs. Image Credits:Meta The changes announced on Tuesday demonstrate Meta’s latest step toward addressing teen mental health concerns tied to social media. These concerns have been raised by the U.S. Surgeon General and several states, some of which have even begun restricting teens from using social media without a parent’s consent. Meta has shared some insight into how Teen Accounts are doing on Instagram, as the company says it has moved 54 million teens into Teen Accounts. Meta says there are still many more to go, as the feature continues to roll out globally. The company also shared that 97% of teens ages 13-15 keep their built-in protections on, Meta says. Meta also commissioned a study conducted by Ipsos that found that nearly all parents surveyed (94%) say Teen Accounts are helpful for parents, and 85% think they make it easier to help their teens have positive experiences on Instagram.