Local developer Castleguard Homes approached aoft in 2021 to explore the feasibility of a restricted backland site at the end of a small lane at the back of Walthamstow Village.Originally occupied by the large rear kitchen of a double-fronted restaurant, the developer wanted to bring more housing to the neighbourhood. A mature London plane tree to the corner of the site guided the design strategy for the new-build home.The home is a single-storey, two-bedroom dwelling with level access, all within a compact 63m floor plan. Accessibility played a key role from the outset, prioritising flexibility for future adaptations.AdvertisementCorridors have been omitted to maximise space efficiency and offer smooth transitions between spaces throughout the home. The entrance sits to the centre of the plan, with a living room, kitchen, dining and bathroom all accessed off this and bookended by two bedrooms facing a courtyard garden.The house has been positioned in the north-east corner of the site to allow for a 50m garden, protecting the London plane trees roots.Internally, a hip roof creates the main focus within a L-shaped plan, developed in collaboration with ConstruktCLT. The main supporting glulam beam has been cut diagonally, inverted and embedded into the roof construction, allowing the CLT panels to the underside of the ceiling to appear unsupported.To protect the privacy of the homes inhabitants from overlooking, the faade has been extended to create a mono-pitched roof form. Windows are located higher up, giving views out to the tree foliage. This has also in turn made the courtyard into a protected enclave. A large skylight to the bathroom looks out onto neighbouring trees.The CLT structure was prefabricated offsite, dispensing with the need to shut down local streets. An air heat pump re-uses energy from exhausted air, reducing operational carbon.AdvertisementExternally, the project is clad in a dark brick, with light mortar joints to blend into its context. Deep border planting around the tree and to the front of each bedroom allow for extra privacy.Architects viewsWe wanted to maximise space and comfort within limited site constraints. Ultimately, our goal was to design a house that is generous for its occupants, but also considerate and sensitive to the needs of its neighbours.Liz Tatarintseva, director, aoftThe context guided our design process. We thought about the people who could possibly inhabit the building even before design and construction. By prioritising logistical efficiency and understanding the needs of both our client and the wider community, we made decisions that elevated the project beyond mere construction.Zach Fluker, director, aoftClients viewIdentifying this opportunity for a neighbourhood I was born in and have worked in for almost 40 years has been incredibly rewarding. My first time working on a development with CLT resulted in a home that embodies the essence of the local community open, warm and cosy. aoft has successfully created a unique space, designed sympathetically to its surroundings.Jonathan Hooker, director, Castleguard HomesProject dataStart on site March 2023CompletionMay 2024Gross internal floor area 63mGross (internal + external) floor area 103mArchitect aoftForm of contractDesign and buildExecutive architect aoftClient Castleguard HomesStructural engineer Foster StructuresLandscape consultant Saul JonesPrincipal designer aoftApproved building inspector HarwoodMain contractor ARG Building ServicesCLT contractor ConstruktCLTCAD software used AutoCAD, Rhino

Chosen as the winner of the 2024 Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award, the 68.25 million Burrell Renaissance project saw off two schemes by Reiach and Hall Architects, the rescue of a historic rural farmstead by Moxon Architects and the North Gate Social Housing, Glasgow, by Page\Park Architects.John McAslan + Partners was asked to carry out the most comprehensive refurbishment of the museum since the building, designed by Barry Gasson, John Meunier and Brit Andresen, was opened in 1983.The scheme repaired the Category A-listed building, upgraded its environmental performance and enabled more of the collection to be displayed.AdvertisementThe Doolan Award judges praised the revamp as an outstanding example of problem-solving and future-proofing that has rejuvenated an old friend and had been impressed by the practices respectful and deferential approach [which] has transformed the building, without losing any of its architectural integrity.The retrofit, they said, had played a key role in helping to immerse more visitors in all aspects of the collection and the series of approachable new entrances had helped make the museum a more accessible visitor experience.This is a bold declaration about the role of architectureThe jury added that the refurbishment had made a bold declaration about the role of architecture a renewed confidence and belief in it at a time when Glasgow and Scotlands creative and cultural industries are in peril.The finalists for the prize, drawn from the winners of each years RIAS Awards, were assessed by an expert jury, who visited each of the projects.The judges were chaired by David Kohn, director, David Kohn Architects, alongside author and journalist Gabriella Bennett and RIAS president Karen Anderson.AdvertisementAnderson said: In the skilled hands of John McAslan + Partners, one of Scotlands architectural gems has been given a new lease of life saving the building and its incredible collection and making the museum greener and more welcoming to its thousands of visitors.It is a fantastic example of how an existing building can be adapted to address new and future needs and is unquestionably this years best building in Scotland.The annual award was founded in 2002 by architect and entrepreneur, the late Andrew Doolan, and was famously billed as the richest architectural award in the UK, initially boasting a 25,000 top prize at the time 5,000 more than what the winner of the Stirling Prize received. In 2019 the Doolan jackpot fell to 10,000 and there was no cash payment to this years winner. The AJ understands the RIAS continues to explore a number of sponsorship options so a prize fund can be brought back in future years.Last years RIAS Doolan Award went to Ann Nisbet Studio for its Cuddymoss scheme, a home within a ruin in Ayrshire, which the Doolan judges described as carefully positioned and playful. It was the first one-off house to pick up the prize. Source:Hufton + CrowDoolan finalist: The Burrell Collection, Glasgow, by John McAslan + PartnersRIAS Doolan Award shortlist with judges citations[WINNER] The Burrell Collection, Glasgow John McAslan + PartnersJohn McAslan + Partners has refurbished this internationally significant building, opening up the heart of the museum to create a three-storey atrium, unlock additional space and improve connections throughout the building. The judges praised the project as a considerate and bold reimagining of a seminal late-20th-century building and an exemplary retrofit that will allow visitors to engage with more of the Burrells collections for generations to come.Ardoch, Ballater, Aberdeenshire Moxon ArchitectsNorth Gate Social Housing, Glasgow Page\Park ArchitectsAn urban social housing scheme on the south side of Glasgow, North Gate is primarily designed to suit the needs of older residents, enabling them to lead active, independent lives. It comprises 31 apartments with shared facilities including a communal lounge, kitchen, activity area, bike store and laundry. The jury were impressed by the architects commitment to provide convivial, attractive and robustly detailed homes clearly adored by residents and making for a new part of the city.The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh Reiach and Hall ArchitectsThis popular gallery has been refurbished and extended, bringing a neighbouring warehouse building into use. While the work to the original gallery is a subtle upgrade to its much-loved interiors, the extension is a rich tangle of structure and rough materials to create a dark, uninhibited and materially intense space. The judges praised Reiach and Hall Architects expression of a contemporary architectural spirit of reuse and openness, and for challenging how art can be displayed and received.University of Aberdeen Science and Teaching HubReiach and Hall ArchitectsThis building enables, promotes and signifies the importance of scientific learning to the university, city and the wider region. Laboratories from a range of departments are gathered into a singular entity, with a series of flexible, digitally enhanced lab spaces. Inspired in part by buildings of the Enlightenment period, the building exudes a sense of quiet and controlled scientific optimism. It impressed the jury with its high quality and architectural precision.

The Kent-based architects' proposals for a new 1,439m2 workshop and museum for rocking horse maker the Stevenson Brothers has secured approval from Ashford Borough Council. Councillors unanimously backed the plans.Hollaway submitted two applications for the site in Bethersden, High Halden: one for a new museum, a workshop and 22 homes south of the village; and a separate application for nine homes to replace existing work spaces.The new workshop and museum includes a caf, farm shop and views of the rocking horse making process.AdvertisementThe existing workshop in the village, south west of Ashford town centre, will be demolished to make way for nine affordable one and two-bed flats in two three-storey buildings on a 0.1ha plot.The practice told the AJ that the 6.8 ha museum and workshop site was an opportunity to demonstrate [the] genuine craftmanship of the 40-year-old firm, which made rocking horses for the late Queen.Hollaway added that the housing provision would enable the redevelopment of the Stevenson Brothers workshop. The scheme also brings all parts of the manufacturing process together on one site alongside new homes and associated landscaping, biodiversity gains and landscaping improvements.Hollaways schemes were recommended for approval by Ashford council ahead of committee, with planning officers saying they would deliver an addition to the councils 5 Year Housing supply, which it cannot currently demonstrate.The planning report added the homes represented a social benefit that would contribute to the governments target to significantly boost the supply of homes [and] Such homes would be affordable which would address the needs of groups with specific housing requirements.AdvertisementLast year, Hollaway Studios 17 million F51 skatepark in Folkestone was crowned the best new building in the RIBAs South East region.

Danny Campbell - Hoko founder with Hoko blue bricks (September 2021) Source:&nbsp Jeff HolmesScottish celebrity architect Danny Campbell said he had learned lots after being reprimanded by the ARB over a conflict of interest at his architecture company, Hoko Design The BBC Scotland Home of The Year host says he has scaled back his business after being handed the sanction at a hearing of the ARBs professional conduct committee, held between 28 and 30 October in Glasgow.The committee concluded that Campbell failed to appropriately manage a conflict of interest at his 2016-founded architecture firm, Hoko Design, which arose over a property development project in Giffnock, in Scotlands Central Lowlands, between 2020 and 2022.The hearing heard how the client on the project selected a second company, also owned by Campbell, Hoko Build, to be contractor on his project without understanding the conflict of interest between the companies. The client, who later terminated the contract, said he only realised the extent of the conflict of interest after the project had fallen well behind schedule.AdvertisementCampbell was director and majority shareholder for both companies, as well as a third company, Hoko Shop, which were all separate legal entities but were collectively intended to provide a one stop shop for clients seeking design, build and shopping resources for small domestic projects. The self-billed Uber of architecture was featured in the AJ in 2020.The ARB concluded that Campbells actions breached the standards of the Architects Code on three counts, including failing to recognise a conflict of interest, and failing to adequately supervise the Hoko Design employee who was overseeing the project.However, the panel concluded that Campbell's failings were not deliberate. It stated: This was not a wilful disregard of regulatory obligations but was an error from an architect at the start of his career.Moreover, the ARB said Campbell has since shown empathy towards the client, been reflective of his practice, and had taken corrective steps, including closing Hoko Build.The panel said it was satisfied that Campbell had set up his company with an intention to create a better service for clients, and that profit, while an inevitable goal, was not intended to be at the expense of clients interests.AdvertisementIt said this was demonstrated by Hoko Designs tendering method, which was deliberately designed to prevent [Hoko Design] from having an unfair advantage by knowing the value of competitors tenders.The committee chose to impose a reprimand as its sanction against Campbell, which it said is appropriate for cases at the lower end of seriousness.Responding to the outcome, Campbell told the AJ that he took full responsibility for the project in question, and had since scaled back his businesses to operate solely as Hoko Design, which now outsources all construction work.The architect said: While it was not a project I was involved in, and there was sufficient oversight with six architects within the team at that time, I take full responsibility as the owner of the company. Its important to note this was during a period marked by the pandemics significant project backlog and challenges in securing tradespeople.Hoko has worked with more than 1,000 homeowners and this is the first time weve had a dealing with the ARB and we've learned lots from the process that is making the business better.Hoko Design and Hoko Build, though part of the same ownership structure, operated as distinct entities managing different aspects of projects. The oversight of these structures followed standard industry practices designed to streamline operations and make the process more seamless for homeowners.Being faced with the logistical barriers of making this a reality, we have scaled back our operations and Hoko design is now the sole entity of the business. We now fully outsource building on every project.2024-11-21Anna Highfieldcomment and share

A new warts-and-all investigation into workplace culture by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) has laid bare what many already feared about the profession it is often a brutal and abusive environment, especially for women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds. The regulator surveyed nearly 900 professionals at different stages of their careers as part of the proposed revamp of its Code of Conduct. Sadly, the findings echo problems highlighted by the AJ over years (AJ survey reveals 1 in 7 women architects have experienced sexual harassment). Yet they still make grim reading and are described by the ARB as alarming.A jaw-dropping 41 per cent of those surveyed said they had faced bullying and harassment; a third had been subject to some form of discrimination; and one in four female professionals had experienced unwelcome sexual advances.The ARBs 83-page report highlights how excessive workloads and hierarchies that create power imbalances are not only having a negative personal effect but also having an impact on the quality and due diligence of architects work. While some of the issues, causes and solutions fall outside the ARBs remit, given that the regulators role is explicitly about policing professional competence and protecting consumers, the board says: This makes workplace culture an issue for ARB.AdvertisementAs well as informing its new code, the ARB wants the research to provoke an industry-wide debate to help find potential solutions. Here the AJ reveals the headline findings.Bullying and victimisationIt is against this backdrop that a significant proportion four in ten of those polled had experienced bullying or harassment in the workplace.This ranged from intentional undermining, which had been experienced by 45 per cent of all respondents, to having work unfairly or overly scrutinised something reported by half of those surveyed.Bullying overwhelmingly related to abuses of power by senior staff, the research states.It is also more likely to be experienced by women (55 per cent), those with disabilities (61 per cent) and those working in larger practices (small practices 38 per cent, practices with over 50 staff 45 per cent).AdvertisementPurple: Part 1 & Part 2 students and apprentices | Black: Architects with less than five years' experience, Part 3 students | White: Architects with more than five years' experienceThe anonymous testimonies quoted in the report are equally damning of the profession. One said: In my previous position at a large practice, it was part of the culture that cliques would form around more senior staff members. This would lead to bullying or demeaning behaviour by members of other cliques.Another respondent said: I experienced harassment and bullying daily via WhatsApp. I was constantly put down, belittled and blamed for things out of my control. My employer would guilt trip me and Id feel pressure to work on weekends and public holidays.One young architect said harassment extended from unfair and unexplained criticism of their work to being expected to help with the upkeep of the directors house [and] never to leave the office before them.Excessive workloadsTheres a key line in the report: Despite the creative aspects of the job, professionals strongly feel they are underpaid, overworked and undervalued.A huge 38 per cent of all respondents said they had an unacceptable workload; nearly half (48 per cent) claimed they felt pressurised to work long hours and nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) said that the profession exploited architects passion for the work in order to pile heavy loads on employees. Many felt the resulting workplace culture was stressful, leading to mental burnout, unhappiness and disillusionment with 59 per cent of all professionals claiming their workload was detrimental to their personal wellbeing. Breaking that data down, the impacts were felt most strongly by female professionals (men 55 per cent, women 65 per cent) and those from an ethnic minority background (white British 53 per cent, ethnic minorities 66 per cent).Whats more and of particular concern to the ARB more than a third (35 per cent) said they lacked the time to finish their work to an appropriate standard.DiscriminationA third (33 per cent) of all professionals surveyed said they had experienced insults, stereotyping or jokes relating to protected characteristics, rising to more than half in some demographic groups.Again, female professionals (53 per cent), those from ethnic minorities (46 per cent) and those with disabilities (46 per cent) were significantly more likely to report experiencing discrimination. It is also more prevalent in larger practices and those in London and the southeast.Comments made anonymously by respondents are, once again, revealing. One experienced architect said: [There have been instances] where clients have been minimising or belittling staff members, owing to their race or English-speaking skills, and senior [practice staff] have not defended [junior employees] nor called out [the] behaviour.The ARB reports that a lack of representation, particularly at senior levels across the profession, continues to limit the understanding of others experiences.As a result, junior architectural staff are having to take care of themselves. One early career professional said: [When] looking for a job Ill see if there are other people of ethnic minority backgrounds [] to avoid the same discrimination and sexual misconduct [happening again].Sexual misconductThe ARB report is clear: architecture professionals suffer from higher levels of discrimination and sexual misconduct than employees in other professions that publish similar research including academia and parts of the medical profession.The research team at Thinks Insight & Strategy, who ran the survey on behalf of the board, found that 10 per cent of the architectural respondents said they had experienced sexual misconduct. This is double the percentage (5 per cent) of civil servants who said they had experienced sexual misconduct in a similar 2023 survey.Female professionals are far more likely to have experienced unwelcome sexual comments (38 per cent) and unwelcome sexual advances (24 per cent) than their male colleagues (6 per cent and 5 per cent respectively).The testimonies from the respondents are shocking. A female senior architect at one major practice reported that there had been a sweepstake among male staff to see who could get me into bed.Meanwhile, one early career professional reported that a client had requested a lush young [girl] with [a] tight skirt to be sent to survey his house: The director let me know I [would] be doing the survey the day I was wearing a tight skirt. The request [was] later revealed in an email chain.Another senior architect who had been on the receiving end of sexual comments said the matter was not escalated properly because a conversation under the radar was deemed sufficient.Hugh Simpson, chief executive and registrar at the ARB, described the levels of discrimination, misconduct and harassment as alarming.He told the AJ: [We have] to set clearer and stronger standards of conduct for the sake of architects and the clients and communities they work with. Were consulting on a new Code of Conduct and Practice, but making a positive cultural shift within the profession will require leaders across the sector to work together to take action.Barriers to reporting misconductKnowing how, when and where to complain will be vital to any shift in behaviours. The investigation, worryingly, found that architects overwhelmingly lacked confidence to raise concerns about problems within practice, with many calling for greater regulation and enforcement.One respondent said: I just feel like you cant complain. The partners are treated like gods. Another said: Ive never worked in a company that had HR. So my boss is jury, judge and executioner.The ARB acknowledges there is work to be done. It says in the report: Professionals are often unclear on how they can escalate complaints of workplace misconduct, and how ARB relates to misconduct. ARBs existing processes are often perceived as only relevant to client-related misconduct [not colleagues].The regulator has set itself an action list in response to the survey which, as well as the new Code of Conduct (consultation closes on the draft code on 12 December 2024), includes supplementary guidance on leadership and inclusion, together with providing tools to support how to raise concerns and challenge unethical behaviour.It is also writing to those providing ARB-accredited qualifications to highlight the research and a new condition on sexual misconduct being introduced by the Office for Students, the education regulator in England.However the ARB can only do so much.Tackling the long hours for low pay culture highlighted will need industry-wide action. The profession must not ignore these troubling findings.*Overall figures reflect number of category respondents: future professionals (89), early career professionals (293), experienced professionals (516)** Future professionals - Part 1 or Part 2 students or apprentices; Early career professionals - currently taking Part 3 or with less than five years' post-qualification experience; Experienced professionals - architects with more than five years post-qualification experienceAnonymous testimony from a recently qualified architectIn terms of bullying, there were things like [feeling pressured to] work over the weekend or even on Christmas holidays. I remember at one of the jobs it was pretty normalised to work the weekends. On Friday night [a colleague would say]: 'OK, so tomorrow this is what we have to do.'I said I had a history of kind of anxiety and had to prioritise my mental health [and had to rest weekends]. But I was told I had to get a doctor's note for this.I've done a few late nights here and there, because [if you don't] you feel like you're letting your team down. But there is zero paid overtime in architecture, unfortunately.A lot of my friends are architects and we literally sometimes just say how much we feel scammed. But [many] people won't even know where to start pushing back.

Following the failure of two previous planning applications by another practice for a single dwelling on the site, Novak Hiles Architects won planning consent for the two dwellings in summer 2021. The client is a local family-turned-private-developer with longstanding ties to the area.The backland plot, which previously accommodated a derelict lock-up garage, sits within a varied context of Victorian housing and infrastructure alongside more recent volume housing developments.The building was conceived as a solid pale red brick mass, sculpted with deep setbacks and undercuts as well as deep window reveals.AdvertisementThe dual-aspect units are designed for private rental. Flexible in their layout they have bright and spacious interiors with simple, robust detailing. The ceiling joists in the upper storey unit have been left exposed, offering additional headroom.The three-bedroom ground floor flat has a large private garden while the first floor one bedroom flat has a private south-facing terrace. Permeable pale-red terracotta paving tiles reinforce the language of the architecture and are part of a SuDs strategy, which also includes green roofs, gravel beds and a small rain garden.Architects viewBringing our expertise in creative responses to challenging small sites to the fore, we have carefully configured the building form in response to issues of distancing, mass, privacy and outlook relative to the specific characteristics of the site.The ground floor had to be raised to deal with surface water flooding considerations particular to this location. The building was also subject to strict height restrictions owing to its Conservation Area setting. The massing was purposely arranged to minimise any impact on the adjacent residential gardens as well as the windows of the Victorian terraced houses situated to the north.Deep inset openings reinforce the entrance to both dwellings and brick bonds on the front elevation express the external steps leading to the dwelling on the first storey. The external steps are an inherent part of the character of the frontage, and a celebrated part of the architecture, drawing upon historic mews house references and brick details, albeit in a contemporary manner. Deep planters are built into the solid frontage of the building, providing defensible perennial planting and a visual buffer to the cul-de-sac street beyond. The development is car-free, with secure cycle storage integrated into the frontage of the building.Both properties have their own front door and are accessed directly from the street, which the practice considers to be an important ambition across its housing projects. The external steps leading up the top-storey unit mean that there is no loss of area for a shared internal core, maximising the efficiency of the layouts and avoiding the inevitable issues that come with ongoing maintenance of common parts in smaller residential buildings, a characterful solution to a practical problem.The building has been designed to utilise timber frame construction to minimise steel use and maximise insulation thickness, resulting in a building fabric which is thermally high performing. Sustainable technologies including air source heat pumps have also been successfully integrated into the scheme. Collectively, these measures have significantly reduced carbon use within a brick outer fabric that is intended to be robust enough to last for centuries. The development achieves a total carbon reduction of 49 per cent over Part L 2013 regulations.Furthermore, the building provides green roofs and surface water flow control mechanisms utilising gravel beds and a small area of rain garden to attenuate water as part of a SuDs strategy to ensure the development will not impact on wider surface water levels.This project is an important milestone for Novak Hiles Architects, which has enabled the practice to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to the delivery of good-quality housing on challenging urban sites.Contemporary development within conservation areas is often backed into a position of homogeneity or pastiche. This project seeks instead to very carefully find an architecture that is contemporary and bold, but also appropriate, and that enhances the character of the conservation area and beyond.Carla Novak and Adam Hiles, directors, Novak Hiles Architects Source:Novak Hiles ArchitectsProject dataStart on site June 2022CompletionJuly 2023Gross internal floor area 143m2 total (92m2 / 3 bed 5 person unit, 51m2 / 1 bed 2 person unit)Form of contractTraditional, RIBA Concise Building Contract 2018Architect Novak Hiles ArchitectsClient Private DeveloperPlanning consultant Wildstone PlanningStructural and civil engineer GCAEnergy consultant Pro SustainabilityMain contractor TMP Build SolutionsM&E contractor Aspire ServicesApproved building inspector ICWEnvironmental performance and sustainability dataLow-carbon energy sources Air source heat pumpsAnnual CO2emissions 17.8 KgCO2/m2. A total reduction of 49% over Part L 2013 regulations which goes significantly beyond the London Plan overall requirement of 35% reduction.

Make Architects, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBS) and Fletcher Priest Architects have all confirmed they made staff cuts in recent weeks It is the second time this year that Ken Shuttleworths practice Make has been through a round of redundancies, having laid off around 15 per cent of its staff in March.The practice said it had now made 20 employees redundant and shut down its Sydney office which it set up in 2016.The news comes in the wake of poor financial figures published last month. The company's accounts for the year ending 31 December 2023 revealed a loss of 1.46 million and a drop in turnover from to 19.2 million in 2022 to 18.3 million. The practice, whose key workload is in the office sector, said the downturn had been caused by the economy taking longer to recover than expected and planning decisions [on key projects being] held up.AdvertisementSpeaking about the latest cuts, Shuttleworth, said: Its been a tough time for everyone in the industry.[We] have had to say goodbye to 20 friends and close the Sydney studio, which has been very painful.Looking ahead, the practice founder said: The budget impact on the National Insurance (NI) has been a cruel blow to everyone in a people-based business. It means that costs have increased, which will have an impact on the ability to pay more or employ future staff, when the market changes.However, we believe that we are now very well placed to respond to the challenges and opportunities ahead.The practice will be hoping that one of the schemes to soon move forward is its redevelopment of the former ITV Studios on Londons South Bank.AdvertisementNext week a ruling is expected on a High Court action brought by Save Our South Bank Action Group (SOS), a coalition of local opponents of the 25-storey project who successfully applied for a judicial review.Meanwhile, AJ100 practice Fletcher Priest has confirmed it recently made 10 voluntary redundancies. The company was ranked 28th in this years league table of the UKs largest architectural firms and had a 130-strong workforce at the end of last year.The practices most recent accounts show a 10.5 million turnover. Earlier this year Fletcher Priest unveiled concept plans for a 40-storey tower at 63 St Mary Axe, in the City of London, next door to Foggo Associates Can of Ham, which completed in 2019.Bath-based practice FCBS said it too was reducing the number of employees on its books. The company, which recorded a 19.6 million turnover in its most recent accounts, had 164 staff at the end of last year.FCBS said: Like many practices, we have recently made some redundancies, including voluntary redundancies, across our four offices. This decision was driven by a reduced workload, including a few major projects put on hold or cancelled due to funding.Earlier this month, it emerged the government was looking to scrap funding for FCBSs Liverpool museums plans, along with cash pots promised to other major Northern projects.In its October Budget, it said it was minded to cancel the as-yet unfunded Levelling Up Culture and Capital Projects which were announced in the previous governments final Budget earlier this year.The move throws into question a number of major projects planned in the North, including FCBSs proposed 58 million transformation of Liverpool Slavery and Maritime Museums, a new northern branch of the British Library in Leeds and schemes for the National Railway Museum in York.The AJ understands Hopkins Architects has also carried out a round of redundancy consultations, though the outcome of that process could not be confirmed.In April, Hopkins reported a 30 per cent hike in turnover on the back of increasing international workloads but revealed that income from UK jobs had dropped.According to Hopkins Architects group accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023, the practices fee income rose from 23.4 million to 30.6 million while its headcount remained steady at 180. This increase was down to a significant hike in work outside the UK and Europe, where its turnover more than doubled from 7.9 million to 16.9 million.However, fees from projects in this country fell from 15.3 million to 13.7 million during the reporting period.Last months RIBAs Future Trends survey the institutes monthly bellwether of the professions workload confidence shows that optimism has dropped among the practices regularly surveyed.RIBA's head of economic research and analysis Adrian Malleson said: On balance, practices remain positive about Future Workload, but only just.The recent gains in overall outlook and sectoral confidence have fallen back somewhat this month. Practices are increasingly cautious about recruitment. While the north of England remains positive, the south of England (excluding the capital) has seen marked falls in confidence and recruiting intention.After increasing confidence across the monitored sectors, this month sees all four soften, with a negative outlook.Practices described projects being put on hold ahead of the new governments first budgetHe added: Commentary received from practices described projects being put on hold as practices, clients and contractors awaited the new governments first budget. Practices also reported higher-risk building (HRB) projects being put on hold or progressing slowly, with clients being reluctant to commission HRB projects, and contractors being reluctant to tender for them.While awaiting the budget, practices described ongoing planning delays, a still weak economy, and elevated (though slowly falling) interest rates holding back the sector.2024-11-20Richard Waitecomment and share

From the 17th-storey roof terrace of whats commonly called the Paddington Cube, Londons cityscape unspools with leisurely aplomb. To the south, the trees are turning brown in Hyde Park; to the north, the still terraforming Paddington Basin features a jostling cluster of disparate buildings, like over-dressed guests at a cocktail party studiously trying to ignore each other. To the east, the Citys multifarious extrusions of capitalism dominate the horizon presided over by the hypodermic pinnacle of the Shard. Yet, if the Shards developer, Irvine Sellar, had realised his original ambition for Paddington, the Shard would have had a twin: a 72-storey, 254m-high tower that quickly became known as the Paddington Pole, the pair winking conspiratorially at each other across central London.The ensuing saga of how the Pole became the Cube was measured out in the minutiae of planning and legal battles but, from the getgo, there was a torrent of spitting feathers outrage from heritage groups and the local community over its Brobdingnagian scale. An online petition opposing it attracted 1,800 signatures. Where the Shard exuded a swashbuckling swagger in a part of London already in thrall to tall buildings, the Pole seemed like an opportunistic pale imitation, audaciously out of sync with its surroundings, dwarfing Paddington Station and the neighbouring St Marys Hospital and looming over the localitys agreeable Victorian terraces and squares.AdvertisementUltimately, the outrage proved insuperable and Westminster planners rebuffed the scheme. So, just like that, Sellar and his architect, Renzo Piano, went back to the drawing board and lopped off 65 storeys, a volte-face that was a gift to architectural magazine headline writers. Pole-axed, trumpeted Building magazine. The scheme also changed from being residential-led (the views from those literally high-end apartments doubtless commanding huge premiums) to being essentially a shell-and-core office block.Sellar, a man who once said with the Shard, we can kick sand in the face of the Eiffel Tower and whose urge to reshape the London skyline seemingly knew no bounds, was phlegmatic about this reverse ferret, as was Piano. I was a bit surprised by the criticism; but theres a lack of love for towers in England, where theyve long been seen as symbols of power and arrogance, he told the AJ in 2016.Paradoxically, after all the hoo-hah, the Cube does everything it can to blend in. It appears made of a singular material glass and is of a singular colour, a kind of pale, milky grey, as if it had been batch-dipped; practically the same hue as the roof of Paddington Station. Homogenous, crystalline and curiously self-effacing, despite its cubic chonk, its sheer flanks of low-iron glass reflect the mutable London sky. Derived in part from studies of the lace-like station vaults, full-height glazing modules a mere 1.5m wide, held in place by slim structural fins, ripple around its colossal, four-square volume.Apart from its notched corners, where the structure is exposed and expressed with some discreet cross-bracing, the Cube has a glacial, Euclidian perfection. Theres also a scenic exterior lift set within a skeletal tower clamped to its west side, another residual hint of Pianos High-Tech proclivities, that will whizz diners up from the pavement to a penthouse eatery (West Londons highest rooftop restaurant). But this polite and refined ghost building is, perhaps predictably, a very far cry from the batshit exuberance of the Pompidou Centre.The schemes genesis lay in the changing post-industrial patterns of use around Paddington Station, specifically the historic link between rail and mail. The Cube occupies the site of the former Paddington Sorting and Post Office, originally designed by Henry Tanner in 1892, and later extended in 1907 by Jasper Wager. Strategically situated next to the station, it leveraged this infrastructural proximity to convey mail on trains across the west of England. But, as mail volumes declined, it was vacated in 2010 and remained unlisted and unloved. Its subsequent removal paved the way for a major and much-needed redevelopment of the area around Paddington Station. For Sellar and Piano, there were clear parallels with London Bridge and the Shard, in how a station-adjacent showpiece building could intensify and reactivate a languishing part of the city.AdvertisementEmblematic of Victorian engineering puissance, Paddington has assumed a kind of national treasure status. When completed in 1854, Brunels iron and glass tour-de-force could claim to be the largest train shed roof in the world. Yet, for decades, the user experience was unspeakably dismal, with no sense of arrival and no obvious station front door, exacerbated by a chaotic and inhospitable public realm. Passengers were siphoned down a busy vehicle ramp from Praed Street to an underwhelming entrance resembling a giant mousehole, where the stations undulating roofscape telescopes down to a single bay.Where the Cube is rational and repetitive above ground, with its slickly stacked floor plates, where it meets the ground it becomes more subverted and fractured, catalysing and shaping a new public realm. This is how most people will encounter it and its fair to say that the experiential uplift is palpable. The dismal ramp is now a paved piazza, with steps around its edge and new landscaping, part of a network of spaces and routes designed to embed the station more legibly and logically into its wider surroundings.A key move is the creation of a diagonal axis across the footprint of the Cube, which forms a subterranean concourse connecting with a new entrance to the Bakerloo line. This also opens up views through to the main station, so people can see where they going. A familiar gamut of shops and cafs activates the ground plane and specially commissioned artworks, including a serpentine sculpture by American multimedia artist Pae White precipitously suspended over the Bakerloo concourse, add further visual incident. The area is sheltered by a large glass canopy suspended from the base of the Cube. Flaring out like a protective tutu, this also marks the distinction between public and corporate realms. To access the Cube, you ascend an external bank of escalators to the entrance, where a softly lit and softly furnished concourse straight from the playbook of WeWork is contrived to winkle people out of offices for a spot of informal interaction. Lower floors have fugitive, Rear Window-style views of neighbouring buildings, from the hospital campus of St Marys to assorted hotels, while upper levels enjoy master of the universe panoramas.Irvine Sellar died in 2017, as the Cube was making its not uneventful way through the planning system, so he never saw it completed. Yet, though Sellar was denied a second trophy tower, the outcome is still, in its way, a showpiece, albeit more demure in form and scale, the yin to the Shards yang. But beyond the fixed point of the building and its architecture, how it reimagines the public realm and redefines what goes on around it, transforming the day-to-day experience of station users and the wider Paddington populace, is ultimately just as if not more consequential. Perhaps its not always the size of the ship but the size of the waves.Catherine Slessor is a writer and critic and president of The Twentieth Century SocietyProject dataStart on site November 2019Completion December 2022 (offices), September 2024 (public realm)Gross internal floor area 63,000mConstruction cost UndisclosedArchitect Renzo Piano Building WorkshopClient Great Western Development with Sellar Property GroupExecutive architect Adamson Associates ArchitectsInterior designer Universal Design StudioStructural engineer WSP StructuresM&E consultant WSPCost consultant Gardiner & TheobaldProject manager Gardiner & TheobaldPrincipal designer Adamson Associates (International)Approved building inspector Sweco Building ControlAccess consultant David Bonnett AssociatesLighting designer Cosil-Peutz Lighting DesignLandscape designer BDP, Flora FormMain contractor MaceCAD software used RevitAnnual CO2 emissions 149kgCO2/m2

On Monday (18 November), the prime minister bought up the proposed embassy scheme in a face-to-face meeting with Xi Jinping during the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro. It was the first time a UK prime minister has met their Chinese counterpart since Theresa May was in No 10.The proposals which would transform the former Royal Mint site opposite the Tower of London into embassy quarters was resubmitted to Tower Hamlets, the local planning authority, in the immediate aftermath of Julys general election.The planning application for a 2.3ha embassy complex was called in last month by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner. This means Chipperfields scheme will now face a planning inquiry with government ministers making the final decision.AdvertisementVideo of the encounter with Xi Jinping showed Starmer saying: You raised the Chinese embassy building in London when we spoke on the telephone and we have since taken action by calling in that application. Now we have to follow the legal process and timeline.China had criticised the previous government for failing to intervene in an original planning application, which Tower Hamlets councillors refused in December 2022 a decision later upheld by London mayor Sadiq Khan.Tower Hamlets councillors cited the schemes potential harm to surrounding heritage assets such as the Tower of London, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the impact of the development on residents of the neighbouring Royal Mint Estate. They overturned a recommendation to approve the scheme by council planning officers, who had described the scheme as well-designed.Protesters and local politicians opposed the scheme because of Chinas repression of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur people and David Chipperfield was criticised for accepting the commission. Tower Hamlets has the largest Muslim population of any local authority in England and Wales, at 39.9 per cent.Last month it was alleged that China was blocking proposals by Eric Parry Architects for a new British ambassadors residence in Beijing in response to the delays to its London embassy plansAdvertisementAccording to a report in The Guardian, Chinese officials have resisted the UKs requests to rebuild its embassy complex for at least a year. The AJ understands that plans for the site were first submitted to authorities two years ago.A Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: Applications for a new Chinese embassy in Tower Hamlets have been called in for ministers to decide. A final decision will be made in due course.There is currently no timeline for the inquiry into the Chipperfield scheme.

The Architects JournalQueen Elizabeth memorial competition to launch in coming weeksA competition to design a memorial to Queen Elizabeth II in St Jamess Park, central London, is due to launch in the coming weeksThe post Queen Elizabeth memorial competition to launch in coming weeks appeared first on The Architects JournalMerlin Fulcher

The contest organised by local urban research platform ONplan lab on behalf of Penta Real Estate seeks compelling proposals for 85,000m2 of mixed-use development including new homes, offices, leisure spaces, and retail areas.The project comes three years after a team including London practice Marko and Placemakers won a high-profile contest to re-masterplan the entire 24ha Florenc area.Florenc is the largest brownfield site in close contact with Pragues historic city centre. It is shaped by transport infrastructure, including a bus terminal, train station and highway flyover, and represents one of the citys most complex urban challenges.AdvertisementAccording to the brief: The objective of the architectural competition is to generate compelling design proposals for the western part of the Florenc redevelopment zone into a vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhood featuring new homes, offices, leisure spaces, and retail areas. Total gross floor area of Phase West is 85,000 m2.The site is divided into four distinct blocks of different sizes and functional use, each with its dedicated competition. All four competitions will run in parallel through three phases and share a common jury.Bjarke Ingels Group won an international contest organised by The City of Prague for a major new 204 million (CZK 6.1 billion) waterfront concert hall close to the Vltavsk metro station in 2022. The City of Prague also announced an international competitive dialogue to rethink a prominent 56ha waterfront site in the same year.Penta Real Estate is one of the largest independent developers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and has worked on previous schemes by Serie Architects and Fuksas. Fourteen years ago, Zaha Hadid Architects won a competition held by the developer for a high-rise Sky Park development in Bratislava.Czech architectural studio ADNS architekti won a contest launched three years ago by Penta Real Estate to design a mixed-use development in Pragues post-industrial Vysoany suburb. In 2023, Studio Egret West and Snhetta working in a 50:50 collaboration alongside local practice Gro Architekti were named overall winners of a Penta Real Estate contest to redevelop Bratislava Southbank.AdvertisementJudges of the latest contest will include the German architect Stefan Behnisch, Italian architect Maria Alessandra Segantini, Dutch urbanist Kees Christiaanse and Czech Architecture Prize winner tpn Valouch.Up to eight teams will be shortlisted for each site and invited to participate in the design phase of the competition. The contest features a 700,000 prize fund and the overall winners will be announced in autumn 2025.Competition detailsProject title Florenc21: Phase West Penta Real EstateClientContract value TbcFirst round deadline 13 December 2024Restrictions TbcMore information https://florenc21.eu/

The competition organised by Manchester's School of Architecture student-led Climate Action Group invites architects, students, and interdisciplinary teams to draw up new sustainable, resilient and rapid housing solutions for post-war crisis zones.The 'Modular Resilience' call for concepts aims to identify a range of solutions which challenge conventional design paradigms. Modular housing solutions which provide for immediate needs of those in areas of war while also offering a foundation for a hopeful future are encouraged.According to the brief: In the aftermath of war, an urgency for re-building and a return to life becomes paramount. For this, the first steps are almost always the deployment of quick, effective, and resilient shelter in order to rebuild and return to a pre-apocalyptic society.AdvertisementThis competition calls upon architects, students, and interdisciplinary teams to conceptualize a self-sustainable modular housing unit specifically tailored for post-war crisis zones. The design should address the challenges of rebuilding communities in environments that have been defaced by the ravages of conflict.With a focus on rapid development, adaptability, and sustainability, the housing unit designed for this brief should serve as a sign of reformation and stability in regions striving to recover and rebuild.Participants may select any post-conflict scenario including hypothetical and historic environments. Concepts should provide a solution that can be quickly and efficiently assembled in post-war environments while also incorporating renewable energy sources, low-impact construction methods, and environmentally friendly materials.Submissions should include a fully functional waste disposal and recycling system and be resilient to the harsh conditions often found in post-war zones. Participants may explore any architectural style or design approach but must reflect a vision of hope and renewal for communities emerging from conflict.Teams may feature up to four members and submissions should include a maximum of four A2-sized panels featuring design concepts, drawings, visualisations, and models. Evaluation will focus on innovation and creativity, sustainability, functionality and usability and aesthetic & social impact.AdvertisementJudges will include Kevin Singh, head of Manchester School of Architecture; Alexander Esfahani, head of sustainability and senior architect at Chapman Taylor; Angela Connelly, senior lecturer at the Manchester School of Architecture; and Sam Hayes, associate at EPR Architects.The overall winners will receive a cash prize and see their projects featured in ZINE MSSA, and the MSA Gallery Exhibition Space.Competition detailsProject title Modular resilienceClient Manchester's School of ArchitectureContract value TbcFirst round deadline 6pm, 18 February 2025Restrictions TbcMore information https://www.theunionmmu.org/groups/manchester-student-society-of-architecture-mssa/events/mssa-climate-action-group-design-competition-modular-resilience

Killingworth Towers in North Tyneside, a 750-flat housing estate plagued by problems, stood for just two decades before it was demolished in 1987. It was one of the shortest-lived post-war housing estates in the UK only outdone by James Stirlings Southgate Estate in Runcorn New Town, which lasted 12 years. The estate was designed by architect Roy Gazzard, and the towers faades featured an unusual textured panelised concrete. Alarge-format photograph hanging on the wall of Newcastles Farrell Centre catches your eye as you focus on what minimal detail there was within the estates architecture. As you step back, the true anonymity of these near identical blocks across the estate hits you. Theres a total lack of urban life in the image and it becomes clear why it didnt stand for long (aside from being a giant cold bridge) no one could find their way around it.Killingworth Towers in 1980 (courtesy of Amber Collective)On the floor next to this striking photograph is a quirky cast-iron manhole cover from the same estate. It has a map of the blocks embellished on top, each ironically named after a Northumberland castle, made before the towers were toppled to perhaps help residents navigate the area. Reclaimed during the estates demolition, it was sitting in someones garden until now.AdvertisementThese are both on display at Brasilia of the North, an evolving exhibition exploring the ideas, personalities and broader social, cultural and political climate that underpinned the desire to transform Newcastle into a shining, north European equivalent to the futuristic new Brazilian capital city then emerging. Today, it feels like a ridiculous comparison tomake.The exhibition is part of the Farrell Centres Concrete Dreams, an eight-month programme which features an immersive installation and a wide range of events at architectures new dedicated northern outpost. The series showcases how Tyneside was transformed in the latter half of the 20th century, as well as providing an open discussion on how one might reimagine the city of today.Exhibition room exploring Ryder and Yates 1969 Tyne Deck proposal (credit: Colin Davison)Concrete seemed an obvious topic, says the exhibitions curator, Owen Hopkins, who is also the centres director. As someone who doesnt visit Newcastle often, I associate the city less with concrete and more as a powerhouse of industrial heritage, the many bridges of the Tyne, and the home of Ralph Erskines notorious Byker Wall, a long, unbroken block of nearly 700 maisonettes built in Functionalist Romantic styling and based on participatory design a break from the Brutalist high-rise of the time.As such, the exhibition highlights some known architectural moments of the 1970s but mainly covers unknown yet fascinating aspects that play a part in the citys more recent built history.The exhibition starts in an ante-room featuring the original model of Trinity Square shopping centre and car park, designed in the 1960s for the heart of Gateshead by Owen Luder Partnership. Never that successful commercially, the car park is perhaps most famous for taking a lead role in the cult 1971 Michael Caine film GetCarter.AdvertisementNewcastle City Centre Planning Model, first built in 1963 and updated until 2010 (credit: Colin Davison)Going full circle, Hopkins reminds me that the new Trinity Square shopping centre built on the car parks former site, complete with a massive Tesco, was shortlisted for the Carbuncle Cup in 2014. The car parks original architect, Owen Luder, also happened to be a Carbuncle Cup judge that year, remarking: Whatever you thought of the car park, this project is much worse.Luders model is juxtaposed with a piece of concrete rubble salvaged during the car parks demolition and on loan from the Tyne Archives.Beyond this is a reproduction of Ryder and Yates large-scale model for the 1969 speculative proposal Tyne Deck, a megastructure over the Tyne. The proposal was for huge platforms, including a six-lane motorway, to be constructed across the river where the Gateshead Millennium Bridge now stands. It had emerged from a need to rethink the relationship between the post-industrial city and the Tyne.The analysis on which it was based was very sound, says Hopkins. It was a nuts project, he adds, but one that is crucial for understanding the rest of the exhibition and city context. It highlights the long-term, expansive thinking of many of Newcastles Modernist projects, rather than looking at the city in isolation.Display with items from the archive of FaulknerBrowns relating to its work on the Metro in the early 1980s (credit: Colin Davison)The rest of the exhibition is split into three rooms, with an additional space for a VR experience. The first room explores FaulknerBrowns Mies-inspired work on the Tyne & Wear Metro system in the early 1980s (perhaps the era's most transformative project for Newcastle); the second covers key housing estates across the city including Killingworth; and the third focuses on planning. The latter accommodates a large Newcastle City Council planning model, first created in 1963 and updated until 2010 as the city evolved. Made of timber with polystyrene additions, it is evident that many hands have created it, with some proposed additions never actually built.As a contested period in the citys history, it felt an impossible task to tell a single or linear narrative, explains Hopkins. The curatorial approach is deliberately a mish-mash of artefacts, photographs, models and books. Yet each has a particular individual story and one that adds to the overall story of Newcastles postwar history.The exhibition design also reflects this. Plinths are covered in a stretchy fabric skin printed with imagery, colour photography is chosen over black and white (as would be the case in most exhibitions on Brutalism), and all artefacts are laid out with no timeline tying them together rather a constellation of objects as Hopkins puts it, adding: Its arranged with loose connections but open to impressions and stories. And, suitably, object titles are spray-painted in a high-impact font, inspired by the graffiti with which Brutalism is associated by many.Artist impression of Kenton Bar Estate, 1966 (courtesy of Newcastle City Library Local Studies Collections)There are a few tropes of the era, however. Linear City, a theoretical studyby Napper Architects published in Northern Architect in July 1965, focused on distinct aspects of the urban and rural environments linked by a monorail. The visuals combine collage with original drawings, reminiscent of Archigram and, while they are highly whimsical, they do pre-empt several future developments such as the Metro system, the pedestrianisation of shopping and leisure areas, arterial routes and bypasses and the Kielder reservoir project.At a time when cities like Newcastle had an uncertain economic future, the concept stimulated ideas and raised aspirations for the future of the region particularly in terms of looking towards Europe.T Dan Smith (left) in Cruddas Park, west end of Newcastle, 1960s (courtesy of Amber Collective)The exhibition also covers controversies, as one would expect considering many Brutalist projects prompted protests at the time. One that is covered in depth is the fall from grace of Labour politician T Dan Smith also known as Mr Newcastle and The Voice of the North. A dominant figure in North East politics in the 60s and leader of Newcastle City Council for just five years, Smiths vision brought about many changes in the city. He was later imprisoned for corruption and, for a long time, everything he was associated with was tainted. The exhibit including footage and articles invites the visitor to decide for themselves: hero or villain?Virtual-reality set up for Alisons Room by artist and researcher Paula Strunden (credit: Colin Davison)Finally, artist and researcher Paula Strunden has created an immersive virtual reality experience of the study/office of one of the best-known figures in post-war British architecture, Alison Smithson, who studied at Newcastle University in the 1940s.The 1:1 scale installation combines the spatial experience of some of her and husband Peters influential designs instrumental in the development of Brutalism in the 50s with objects, furniture and even a talking cat. As you move through what is dubbed Alisons Room, you are invited to enter the imaginative space and explore key projects in the reimagining of British architecture. While I am usually sceptical about VR, this is unexpectedly incredible. Once you have the headset on, you are handed the cat to pet, and are transported into Alisons world. Its imaginative, escapist, educational and artistic.As a massive fan of Brutalism, I couldnt not enjoy this small exhibition. It invites you to relate to your own experience, whether you live in the city, or are just visiting, and it carefully balances architecture, history, politics, design and everything in-between.Brasilia of the North and the eight-month programme of events, Concrete Dreams, run until 1 June 2025 at the Farrell Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne. Alisons Room: An Extended Reality Archiverequires booking and runs until 20December 20242024-11-19Fran Williamscomment and share

Dropping the news on World Toilet Day (Tuesday, 19 November), the council said the money would fund a series of inclusive facilities that demonstrate high-quality design.The project is already on a roll more than half of the cash (6.5 million) has already been pumped into West End toilet upgrades, managed and coordinated by the council's infrastructure partner FM Conway. A further 6.2 million will follow in the next financial year.Loos at Victoria Embankment, Parliament Street, Piccadilly Circus and Green Park will be revamped between now and 2025, while Carnaby Street, Westminster Pier, Covent Garden and Leicester Square are gearing up to be flushed out and overhauled the following year.AdvertisementHugh Broughton Architects was commissioned for the project alongside toilet management company Healthmatic and the Contemporary Arts Society. The council said they were all chosen to assist in the complexities of working with ageing and listed infrastructure.It added that it wanted the revamped toilets to enshrine as much civic pride as the Victorians displayed when they first started looking at a proper sanitation system for the general public in the 19th century.The same material palette will be used throughout the modernised facilities, alongside playful patterned motifs designed by artist James Lambert to respond to each local area.The first project to open will be the toilets on Victoria Embankment, where Lamberts artwork has been inspired by the work of Joseph Bazalgette, the Victorian engineer who masterminded the construction of Londons sewers, and George John Vulliamy, the superintending architect to the Metropolitan Board of Works.The second site to be refurbished is one of Westminsters busiest public toilets, sitting beneath Parliament Street and linking via an underpass to Westminster underground station.AdvertisementThe third is in the Grade II-Listed underground station at Piccadilly Circus.Practice founder Hugh Broughton said: The project demonstrates Westminsters commitment to their public realm. It will create high-quality public conveniences in some of the most significant sites in central London.While our designs deliver consistency, James Lamberts engaging art will give each its own character, aligned to local context. The design will also reduce water use and ensure a low energy solution which matches Westminsters commitment to the environment.'Westminsters cabinet member for city management Paul Dimoldenberg added: Were delighted to have chosen James Lambert to not only beautify our public spaces but also to create a visual story that resonates with everyone who visits and lives in our city we hope the artwork, which will tell a story of Westminsters diversity and vibrancy, will capture the publics imagination.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is recruiting an architect for the conservation and repair of its deteriorating Victorian conservatory in Corporation Park [Deadline: 16 December 2024]The winning team selected for the estimated 136,800 contract will draw up a restoration plan for the Grade II-listed cast iron frame-structure which was originally constructed as a grand and unique landmark in the early 1900s but partially collapsed five years ago.The project aims to restore the highly decorated structure which sits on a stone and brick plinth and has been made safe with timber propping following the collapse of its west wing in 2019. Key aims of the project include delivering a sympathetic and sustainable restoration which enables future use of the structure.AdvertisementAccording to the brief: The aim of this project is to gain a full understanding of the condition and significance of the conservatory and create a set of guiding principles for its restoration.This will include producing costed high level concept designs for future uses in agreement with stakeholders with the aim to allow public consultation to follow this piece of work.Sustainability and options to bring the building back into use in a manner which can contribute to the councils net zero targets, will be key.Blackburn is a former textiles manufacturing town located around 34km north of Manchester. The settlement is home to around 100,000 people and is part-way through an ambitious 34 million regeneration masterplan by Sanderson Borland.Recent projects in the local area include an 8 million extension to the Grade II*-listed Blackburn Cathedral by Purcell. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council launched a search for an architect to refurbish and upgrade the ruined, Grade II-listed Church of St John the Evangelist in 2021.AdvertisementBids for the latest commission will be evaluated 85 per cent on quality and 15 per cent on social value. Applicants must hold employers liability insurance of 5 million, public liability insurance of 5 million and professional indemnity insurance of 2 million.Competition detailsProject title Architectural Design and Conservation Repair ServicesClient Blackburn with Darwen Borough CouncilContract value TbcFirst round deadline Midday, 16 December 2024Restrictions TbcMore information https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/1ea47691-59ca-47fc-9482-b35616f2b478

Backed by Skanska and the City of Malm the two-stage contest will select a team to create a new athletics and football stadium for the Swedish city on the site of its existing Malm Stadion which was originally built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup.The project, planned to complete in 2028, will create a new 8,000-cpacity stadium on the site which is located immediately to the north of the citys 2009 Eleda Stadion which has a 22,500 capacity. Up to four teams will be invited to participate in a parallel design competition following an initial round for expressions of interest.According to the brief: Skanska invites you to an open prequalification for the upcoming parallel assignment regarding the design of a new athletics and football facility of international high class. The architecture should have a high level of originality, become an icon in Malm and highlight beautiful materials and engineering.AdvertisementConnected to Copenhagen by the resund Bridge Malm is the third largest city in Sweden with a population of around 350,000 residents. Last year, UK firm 6a won a contest to rethink a series of disused cement silos in the centre of the city.The latest competition comes just a month after an international contest was launched for a new transport hub next door to the MalmMssan exhibition hall and Emporia shopping centre in Hyllie on the outskirts of Malm.The original Malm Stadion was constructed in 1958 and has capacity for around 26,500 spectators but is deemed no longer suitable for international events. The latest project will create a new football and athletics stadium to replace the existing structure.Proposals for the new venue must include a restaurant with outdoor seating, changing areas, storage facilities and media spaces. Concepts must be inviting and accessible while also enhancing the character of the surrounding city centre.Competition detailsProject title A new Malm StadiumClient Skanska, City of MalmContract value TbcFirst round deadline 6 December 2024Restrictions TbcMore information https://www.kommersannons.se/eLite/Notice/NoticeOverview.aspx?ProcurementId=63219

The design team set to work by the housing company, which is wholly owned by Manchester City Council, includes landscape architect Planit, engineers Buro Happold and ZCD Architects, acting as engagement consultants. The team was chosen by Mace, the leading contractor on the scheme.The project includes a 700-home masterplan for Monsall in north Manchester, a further 150 homes in Grey Mare Lane in east Manchester and another 150 at Hyde Road close to the National Speedway Stadium.All the sites will use brownfield land and developer This City said it was taking an inclusive approach to engagement, which included both traditional public consultation and new community panels for two of the sites, one working with typically hard-to-reach stakeholders in the local area and the other with a group of young people from a local school.AdvertisementManchester City Council has approved a further 5.1 million funding to progress the developments. The cash will support initial design work and surveying costs ahead of planning applications next year.Designs for the Hyde Road plots and Grey Mare Lane estate regeneration package are expected to be shown to the public in February and submissions lodged in May. Masterplanning for the Grey Mare Lane estate regeneration has already been completed as part of a partnership between Manchester City Council, Great Places Housing Group, One Manchester and This City.At Monsall, designs will be shown at public consultation in mid-March, with plans due to be submitted by the end of May.Both the market and affordable housing delivered through This City will contribute to Manchester City Councils wider housing strategy to build at least 36,000 homes by 2032. This vision includes 10,000 genuinely affordable, council and social homes of which at least 3,000 will be in the city centre.Founding director David Mikhail said that a fifth of the 1,000 proposed homes would be capped at the Manchester Living Rent.AdvertisementHe said: Manchester has long been a city that does things differently and we are delighted to have been chosen for such an exciting project. The council is planning to deliver their homes at speed, focusing on low energy bills for their residents while making high-quality new neighbourhoods.Mikhail Riches previous history of masterplanning large-scale housing schemes includes the 575 units it is working on at the Bridgewater triangle in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the 600-home low-carbon housing projects for City of York Council across multiple sites.In September, the practice, working with Periscope, was chosen by Capital & Centric to create a major new housing-led neighbourhood in Wolverhampton city centre on a site which previously housed a Sainsburys and a car park (winning design pictured below).The developer has teamed up with the City of Wolverhampton on the inclusive and sustainable transformation of the plot next to Wolverhamptons Grade II-listed St Georges Church, which has been disused since 2015.WINNER: Mikhail Riches and Periscope (Team 2)

Plans sent to Camden Council last week include student accommodation, 27 affordable homes and 3,325m2 of adaptable workspace in new buildings at 33-35 Jamestown Road and 211 Arlington Road.The blocks are roughly 500m to the south-west of the Roundhouse and Chalk Farm station.Drawn up for developer Regal and 4C GROUP, the scheme will replace existing light industrial buildings on the corner site with blocks up to six-storeys high around a 19th century pub that will be retained and restored. About 35 per cent of the habitable rooms will be designated as affordable when complete.AdvertisementHomes on offer will be both double and triple-aspect with internal units including student accommodation overlooking two shared internal courtyards designed by New Practice, working in collaboration with Context Office.The PBSA offering meets a growing demand for student units in Camden, the project team says, and provides wellbeing-focused amenities for collaboration, study and socialising.Ground-floor commercial units are designed to be welcoming and open while offering a clear, intuitive sense of entry for residents and visitors alike, with spacious ground floor units to create active frontages, connecting visually to the courtyards, the project team says.Project lead Morris+Company added that the plans represent a sensitive response to a complex, contextually rich site, with the architectural language of the proposals including blending varied brick types, textured panels, and refined metalwork detailing. The surrounding area is made up of terraced housing, mansion blocks, and industrial warehouses not far from the Regents Canal.On sustainability, a fabric first approach and low carbon technologies will help the scheme meet London Plan targets while minimising environmental impact, integrating on-site energy generation and circular economy principles throughout.AdvertisementRegal is also behind the cylindrical DSDHA-designed student housing-led scheme at nearby 100 Chalk Farm Road, approved in September.The developer and 4C Group have previously worked together on the Acme-designed The Haydon in Aldgate, which completed in March this year.Steve Harrington, planning director, at Regal said: Our partnership with 4C Group is rooted in a shared commitment to delivering great urban developments.[This] latest project in Camden demonstrates our aligned expertise and ambition to reshape underutilised sites into thriving, future-forward spaces. 4C Groups ambition, coupled with Regals strong development and construction capabilities is the ideal match. Together, were bringing a richly layered development to Camden Town that meets community needs, supports biodiversity, and elevates urban regeneration.In October, women and LGBTQ+-led firm New Practice, which shares a space with Morris+Company in Hackney in addition to its Glasgow home, announced that it had been acquired by Civic, the parent company of Civic Engineers.A decision on the scheme is expected in early spring 2025.

Key design features on the houses exterior are inspired by its context of decorative Victorian brick architecture, including the front elevations dog-tooth brickwork, its angled brick soffits and set-back glazing line. Materials include hand-made moulded bricks and extensive use of timber, similarly echoing their use on surrounding houses.Inside, the house is designed to maximise natural light and create a sense of openness, optimising views towards the rear garden. Floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings create bright, airy living spaces. Recessed glazed panels in the rear faade draw natural light deep into the house while offering expansive views out to the garden.The main living space is an open-plan kitchen and dining area, from where large sliding doors open to a terraced garden. Upstairs, French doors with Juliet balconies in the bedrooms are designed to frame views of the landscape beyond.AdvertisementTo minimise the effect of a deep layout, large skylights and an open-thread staircase create a lightwell down through the centre of the house.The houses fabric is highly insulated and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) is installed. Solar glazing and rooflights incorporate shading to mitigate the risk of overheating and there is a biodiverse green roof.Architects viewFrame House embodies an innovative architectural approach that celebrates light, views, and openness while balancing privacy within a contemporary urban setting. At its core, the design is distinguished by an angled faade that both frames and directs the interiors connection to the outside world, enhancing natural light and creating dynamic sightlines.The strategic angling of the buildings exterior acts as a frame to the landscape, capturing specific views and transforming the homes orientation. Large, thoughtfully placed glass panels invite daylight to flood the interiors, creating a sense of continuity between the indoor and outdoor environments. This brings a strong visual and spatial openness, while the contemporary brickwork grounds the structure in an inviting warmth that suits the local context.The framing concept also extends inside, where careful consideration of materials and layouts emphasses spatial flow, giving each room a unique perspective and connection to light. This approach creates a living experience that is ever-changing with the seasons and the movement of sunlight, marking Frame House as a distinctive, harmonious addition to its surroundings.Ayca Vural-Cutts, director, Studio AVC Source:Studio AVCProject dataStart on site August 2023CompletionOctober 2024Gross internal floor area 190m2Gross (internal + external) floor area 240m2Form of contract or procurement route Two-stage tenderConstruction cost UndisclosedArchitect Studio AVCStructural engineer Anderson Consulting EngineersPrincipal designer Studio AVCApproved building inspector Stroma Building ControlMain contractor Onebuild GroupEnvironmental performance dataOn-site energy generation 0% (PV cells to be installed at a later stage)Annual mains water consumption 125l/p/pm3/occupantAirtightness at 50Pa15 m3/h.m2Heating and hot water load 19218 kWh/m2/yrOverall area-weighted U-value 0.21 W/m2KAnnual CO2 emissions 4564.99 kgCO2/m2

This week, Minister for Housing Matthew Pennycook announced the closure of the Office for Place. Launched in 2021, the Office for Place shifted the housing debate away from bricks and mortar, pounds and pence, to focus on places and people, I, for one, welcomed this. The 2022 announcement that it would become an arms length body was even bolder.In full disclosure, I was one of four candidates selected by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), now known (once again) as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), for the role of Chair of the Office for Place. While this role wasnt one I had initially considered, my research into the organisations remit piqued my interest.To prepare for the interview, I spoke with many colleagues and friends in the industry. I had always felt I understood the challenges we face, but speaking with others reminded me of Albert Einsteins words: The more I learn, the more I realise how much I dont know.AdvertisementThe key message from these conversations was clear: aligning the goals of key stakeholders is critical. Creating a coalition of the willing, as one colleague eloquently put it. Issues such as land value, funding gaps for art, culture, public realm, sustainability and risk are important; but the first step is uniting these disparate groups. This should have been a key goal of the Office for Place.As I rearranged the ferns in my office, crafting the perfect backdrop for the online interview for the job, I was tickled by my obsession with making my place perfect. I was uncharacteristically nervous as the panel appeared one by one on my screen. After the polite introductions, I was asked to articulate my vision for the Office for Place. I kept it simple: it must bridge the gap between our housing ambitions and the ability to deliver them. It must break down barriers to development, unite stakeholders and remind them that, despite differences in approach, we are working toward the same goal.I went on to explain that the Office for Place should use its political influence to guide the government on meaningful actions: lowering the cost of land (starting with revising the strategic land process), simplifying the planning system (through expanded planning passporting in key areas), innovating funding methods (such as tokenising funding), and developing powerful stakeholder engagement strategies. Above all, it must be attuned to the unique needs across the country. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to placemaking. Every development, community and location is different and thats the challenge of placemaking.Although Im disappointed by the disbanding of the Office for Place, I believe this will not be the end of the governments focus on place. The New Towns Taskforce is promising, but I hope its vision doesnt become too narrow. The government must be mindful not to shift its focus entirely from people and place to numbers and units and build on the work of Nicholas Boys Smith and the wider Office for Place team.Regeneration will be key, as these sites are often in areas where people want to live. We need to understand how to retrofit place to safeguard and enhance existing communities rather than displacing them.AdvertisementTrue placemaking demands that we look beyond buildings, beyond houses, and focus on community, health, culture, art, nature and wellbeing. Thats placemakings secret sauce.In recent days, many, including Michael Gove, have suggested that Labour has gone wrong by shifting focus away from beauty in the creation of homes, cities, and towns. However, the Office for Place should never have been centred around beauty. Beauty is important; but it is too ephemeral a concept to be used as a yardstick for judging good development. Instead, places should be judged by how they improve the lives of the people who live, work, play and move through them.The Office for Place should have focused on widening our understanding of good development, figuring out how to adapt and replicate that in other areas and encouraging the government to support these developments through ambitious policy and legislative changes.With its closure, I hope this broader, more holistic vision of development is not lost. I hope that we have not lost our sense of place. If we have, I fear that we will not be able to deliver the homes, places and spaces the country needs.Kunle Barker is a property expert, journalist and broadcaster2024-11-18Kunle Barkercomment and share

Known as The Shed: Gather and Grow, the multi-use design by architects Jennifer Speirs, Adrienne Campbell and William Brady was named as the winner of an Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA)-organised competition to revamp Iris Alley, off Springfield Road. All three early career architects work at locally based Isherwood + Ellis.The Shed was chosen because of its creativity and thoughtful incorporation of Iris Street residents, and because the concept could easily be applied to other alleys in Belfast, the RSUA said.The winning scheme beat off 10 other competitors, all of whom had to demonstrate a maximum materials budget of 500, and was awarded a 1,500 prize at RSUAs annual Architecture Night, held recently in the Ewart Building in Belfast.AdvertisementThe shortlisted entries were Stick around laugh a while by Ian Pitt; Lunar Phase by Ben Weir; The Cillary Device by Joel Jamieson and Scott Kennedy; and Under the Shelter by Jordan Beattie.Amberlea Neely from 9ft in Common, a council-backed programme to rejuvenate Belfast alleyways which supported the competition, said: Alleyways are an important part of Belfasts cultural fabric, so its wonderful to see projects like this one reimagining these spaces as a focal point for local engagement.The Shed demonstrates the possibilities for what lies just beyond our back gates, and we look forward to seeing the transformation of this underutilised alleyway into a green and vibrant space where community can flourish.The design competition was run by RSUA in collaboration with 9ft in Common and builders merchant JP Corry, as part of a Belfast 2024 Commission.Ciarn Fox, RSUA director said the competition was a joy for judges to assess and praised the creativity and generosity of the entries.AdvertisementHe added: I want to thank all the individuals and teams that put forward a proposal and for their generosity in making their plans available for public use[and] Whilst we only currently have funding to build the winning design, were hopeful that people will borrow some of the other designs and build beautiful shelters in alleys across Northern Ireland.Judges included Amberlea Neely and Aisling Rusk from 9ft in Common, Debbie Carragher, an Iris Street Resident, Connor Couston from JP Corry, RSUA President John Lavery, RSUA Vice President James Grieve, RSUA Council Member Alan Jones and RSUA Director Ciarn Fox.Concept OutlineThe Shed will serve as a catalyst for the regeneration of Iris Alley. Crafted from a repetition of modular timber panels that can be easily customised to create diverse forms and arrangements.Conceptually this will be a community led process, seeking input on the selection of each element from the residents to create a space tailored to their needs.This flexibility allows The Shed to take on various forms with a variety of purposes. It may encourage neighbours to gather for barbeques, gardening and skill-sharing.Ultimately, it will become a destination that will foster connections, reminding us that community can thrive in the most unexpected places. Source:Jennifer Speirs, Adrienne Campbell and William BradyThe Shed_ Gather and Grow by Jennifer Speirs, Adrienne Campbell and William Brady

Source:&nbsp Shutterstock The number of mayor-funded affordable homes started in London last year collapsed by 91 per cent compared with the previous 12 months, according to a new report Published on Tuesday (12 November), the Greater London Authority (GLA)s Housing in London report said 2,358 affordable homes funded by City Hall got under way in 2023 until the end of Q2 2024.That is 91 per cent down on the 25,658 affordable homes which made headway in the capital with GLA money in 2022-23.In 2024, a grand total of 528 GLA-funded affordable homes began construction in the capital between March and September, data published on Tuesday also revealed. Of that number, 364 appeared to be for social rent.AdvertisementExplaining the dramatic fall in affordable housing delivery, the GLA said financial challenges faced by housing associations and councils were one of several reasons, alongside rising borrowing and material costs.The report also blamed competing pressures from remediation and refurbishment of existing stock, and changes to regulation in an apparent nod to the impact of updated fire safety regulations as factors behind the collapse. Source:GLA Housing and Land: Housing in London 2024 reportResponding to the GLA report, Bell Phillips founder Hari Phillips told the AJ: The council housing sector has almost entirely fallen away, with live projects indefinitely shelved and very few new projects emerging.Phillips continued: The figures coming out of the GLA reflect my own experience on the ground.Like all housing developers, local authorities have been wrestling with the uncertainty, additional complexity and impact on costs resulting from the new fire regulations, in addition to rising construction costs and rising interest rates negatively impacting their borrowing. Furthermore, councils are suffering severe budgetary constraints in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic.AdvertisementOf the 2,358 affordable homes begun with GLA support in the 12 months up until the end of Q2 2024, council homes accounted for 939. The GLA said that was down from a high of 10,267 in the previous 12-month period for 2022-23.Meanwhile, affordable homes funded from all sources, including both GLA and central government accounted for 15,768 homes in 2022-23, the same report said. That figure is 30 per cent higher than in 2021-22.Steve Beard, partner at affordable housing appraisals firm Beacon Partnership, said the collapse in affordable housing starts showed that you cant have affordable construction costs and still have met the current quality, design, and performance criteria.He argued: I would guess that the starts may be lower this year. It is not a popular view, but surely it is time to look at modifying design requirements with a view to reducing build costs [and] For the first time, I am seeing developments within zone 2 in London where the construction costs and fees alone [without land costs] are higher than the open market value of the completed home.Beard called for higher grant funding to keep up with the approximately 200k to 250k of grant being requested to build one social rent home in London.At the end of last month, chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government would prop up the Affordable Homes Programme with a 500 million cash injection. The scheme, which was understood to be running out of cash, is due to be updated in the spring budget.The GLA says it has received 4 billion from central government under the Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026.Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, told the Centre for Londons annual conference this week: If there was ever a time for more public investment in housing, then its now. And if there was ever a place to show how government still has the capacity to improve the condition of peoples lives, then its housing.Khan, whose GLA has been set a target of 80,000 new homes annually by the Labour government but delivered roughly 35,000 homes last year, has claimed to be delivering the highest number of council homes since the 1970s, with 23,000 council units started since 2018, he said in May last year. Source:ShutterstockCity Hall2024-11-15Gino Spocchiacomment and share

The Twentieth Century Societys Coming of Age campaign is calling for the listing of 10 buildings that opened in 1994.The architectural campaign group, which works to save outstanding buildings completed after 1914, is demanding a more proactive listing process for iconic buildings as they turn 30.The poster child for its campaign is Nicholas Grimshaws International Terminal at Waterloo, which it describes as an iconic transport interchange and a masterpiece of engineering which has a confidence and swagger few buildings embody in the 21st century.AdvertisementThe High-Tech building, which features a telescopic glass and steel superstructure, served as Londons Eurostar terminal from 1994 till 2007 when operations moved to St Pancras. It has won awards including the RIBA Presidents Building of the Year and the Mies van der Rohe Award for European Architecture. Source:Peter CookWaterloo International Terminal, London by GrimshawAnother Grimshaw building, the RAC regional control centre in Bristol, is also on the list.Others included in the eclectic mix include: Populouss Kirklees Stadium in Huddersfield winner of the 1995 RIBA Building of the Year award; Hopkins Architects Glyndebourne Opera House in West Sussex; Cullinan Studios Library at St John's College in Cambridge; Phillip Englands Pepsi Max rollercoaster station in Blackpool; and Niall Phillips Welsh Wildlife Centre in Pembrokeshire.Also featured on the list are two houses: Future Systems Hauer-King House in Islington, which featured in the BBCs Building Sights series; and Hudson Architects Baggy House in Devon. There is also a spot for Garthdee student housing in Aberdeen by Jeremy Dixon and Edward Jones. Source:Twentieth Century SocietyBaggy House, Devon by Hudson ArchitectsThe selection criteria for listing buildings are set by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, while Historic England provides detailed guidance and carries out research for each specific case.AdvertisementPrimary considerations for listing a building include its special architectural and historic interest, although the principles state that buildings under 30 years old are not generally considered eligible as they have yet to stand the test of time.The Twentieth Century Society is arguing that there is no current mechanism to proactively review buildings when they reach this 30-year threshold, leaving them unrecognised until they come under threat of demolition or harmful alteration.The societys director, Catherine Croft, said: Why wait until the bulldozers are poised, to intervene and try to protect outstanding buildings such as these, when it is possible to make an objective judgement far earlier?She described the 10 selected buildings as vivid manifestations of Britains aspirations and priorities at a time, in the early 1990s, which is now at the centre of our cultural nostalgia, but probably more distant than we might think from our world today.She added: The sheer glamour of Waterloo International Terminal speaks to a confidence and swagger few buildings embody in the 21st century and is one of the best examples of High-Tech architecture in the country, open and accessible for all to see. Source:Martin CharlesGlyndebourne Opera House by Hopkins Architects

Positive addition (5 million and over) category: Tower Hamlets Town Hall by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Source:&nbsp Tim SoarAllford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) has become one of the first major UK practices to release its emissions data in full including from the buildings it has designed Data shared with the AJ and published by the AJ100 practice in September outlines both direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with its work, with Scope 3 emissions, from completed projects, included for the first time.Publication of the firms Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions comes after the companys annual financial report for April 2022 to March 2023, published at the end of last year, identified IT as contributing a third of all its greenhouse gas emissions.That report stated that total operational emissions were 1,410 tCO2e for the April 2022 to March 2023 period.AdvertisementControversially, the practice did not include upfront embodied carbon from completed projects in its reported Scope 3 emissions at the time of that report. But now, AHMM is thought to be one of the first of the major UK practices to make its full Scope 3 emissions public.The data shows that AHMMs emissions resulting from the upfront embodied carbon of completed projects in 2023 rose from 80,400 tCO2e in 2022 to 102,000 tCO2e in 2023.However, retrofit schemes and buildings with larger footprints but greater carbon efficiency mean the carbon intensity of those completed projects reduced from 628 kgCO2e/m2 GIA to 553 kgCO2e/m2 GIA, the practice said.Meanwhile, AHMMs operational emissions have reduced from 1,410 tCO2e to 1,010 tCO2e between 2022 and 2023 a decline of 400 tCO2e. That was despite an increasing number of staff returning to its office post-pandemic, which resulted in a rise in direct Scope 1 and 2 emissions. These derive from the gas boilers at AHMMs London headquarters and purchased electricity across all locations.The practice said its biggest operational carbon savings were made through changes to IT equipment and in-house events programmes, where 513 tCO2e has been saved compared to 2022.AdvertisementAHMMs head of sustainability, Craig Robertson, said: These figures show that AHMM is on track to deliver against our operational and project carbon reduction commitments. However, we cannot be complacent.The balance of our operational emissions needs to be carefully monitored, particularly as our studio events programme is re-established. Similarly, our design decisions will continue to be closely reviewed and interrogated using our in-house tools to ensure that we are driving robust low-carbon decisions.According to the National Grid Group, Scope 3 encompasses emissions that are not produced by the company itself and are not the result of activities from assets owned or controlled by them.Typically, practices do not include Scope 3 when calculating their emissions. Instead, Scope 1 and 2 are used to cover direct emissions associated with running an office.Many practices do not include the embodied carbon from projects they design in their reported Scope 3 emissions. This is the subject of disagreement in the industry. A leading group of property developers has called on architects to join them in counting and declaring such project emissions, partly in order to transform the professions environmental approach and climate literacy.AHMM says it is committed to reducing its emissions by 42 per cent by 2030 and 90 per cent by 2040.2024-11-14Gino Spocchiacomment and share

The 4m-wide timber structure is also the first permanent part of British Land and pension fund AustralianSupers wider 4 billion development around the waterside plot in Southwark. This planned 21ha new district will comprise nearly 100,000m of shops and leisure space, 200,000m of workspace, up to 4,000 homes, a new park and a leisure centre as well as the first new high street in London for 100 years.Khans S-shaped pedestrian bridge no cycling is permitted is made almost entirely of wood, except for the foundations. This is a nod to the areas role at the heart of the international timber trade during the 19th and 20th centuries when Canadian timber was imported into the dock. The timber used has been sustainably sourced from Brazil and its red painted colour is a reference to Canadian maple leaves as well as the nearby Rotherhithe Bascule Bridge.The bridges deck height varies by nearly half a metre as it undulates across the dock. This has been inspired by the movement of rafters who historically hopped between floating deal planks across the water.AdvertisementThe project also features a series of steps down to the waters edge, new wetland habitats consisting of over 24,000 plants, shrubs, trees and perennials and waterside seating alongside an educational dipping pond designed by Townshend Landscape Architects. However, a planned pergola was dropped to create more open public space. Source:Brendan BellKhan said: Crossing water can give us powerful sensations. This boardwalk immerses us in a few moments of colour, nature and beauty. I want to evoke the crossing of time, too. I hope this gives someone a chance to take a breath and look at things in a new way. In todays world, I think this is more important than ever.Over 5km of timber, weighing 90 tonnes, has been used to build the boardwalk, its balustrades and handrails. The structure comprises over 400 cantilevered timber fins.Southwark Council approved Asif Khan and Townsend Landscape Architects plans for the boardwalk in 2022.At the time, its planners said the boardwalk would increase permeability in the area, adding that it would be an attractive feature, allowing people to enjoy views across the water.AdvertisementThe dropped pergola was planned to replace an existing jetty on Canada Water, covering 84m2, with a circular roof having a 14m span. It was also going provide access to the dipping pond for dipping nets and exploring waterside habitats. Source:Luke HayesArchitects viewCrossing water can give us powerful sensations. This boardwalk immerses us in a few moments of colour, of nature and of beauty. I want to evoke the crossing of time too. I hope this gives someone a chance to take a breath and look at things in a new way. In todays world, I think this is more important than ever.Asif Khan Source:Whitby WoodClients viewAsif Khan is a world-class architectural talent and he has created a striking new centrepiece at Canada Dock that will be used every day by the local community. The design is a fantastic tribute to the areas rich history. The boardwalk will connect people to both nature and the surrounding area.Canada Water is progressing at pace with the first phase of homes, workspace and retail completing in the coming months. Canada Dock provides us with a unique opportunity to create an interesting place for people to meet and socialise, especially on the southern edge where cafs and restaurants will spill out onto the dock in the future.Emma Cariaga, joint head of Canada Water, British Land Source:Whitby WoodEngineers viewThe double-curved 4m-wide boardwalk is designed in keeping with bridge codes and is curved in elevation and plan. Its steel beams typically span 8m between supports formed by pairs of driven steel piles, which are coupled by cross elements to form a ladder frame. Timber bearers support cassette decking panels, and steel fin plates connect architectural timber fins on the underside of the bridge. A straight link bridge connects the west dock edge to the centre of the main boardwalk. Whitby Wood used the bridges curves to manage the differing behaviours of steel and timber under dynamic loads and varying thermal conditions.A new dockside balustrade along the western edge of the dock has been designed with the advice of SH Structures, the principal steel fabrication subcontractor, to achieve the most economical approach. The design was informed by the uncertain nature of the existing dock wall coping stones (unreinforced concrete) to which the new balustrade is fixed.The Southern Steps area is founded on reclaimed land within the dock. This was achieved by installing sheet piling to form a new dock wall 10m inside the existing wall, along the southern boundary. The area behind the new wall has been infilled with stabilised soil, enabling the boardwalks south abutment and the Steps hard and soft landscaping to be founded on shallow ground-bearing foundations.Whitby Wood Source:Whitby WoodProject dataCompletion date November 2024Client Joint venture between British Land and AustralianSuperArchitect Asif Khan StudioProject manager AecomCost consultant Gardner & TheobaldSteel and timber connection design Whitby WoodMain contractor Galldris ConstructionMain subcontractor XylotekSubcontractor and steel fabricator SH StructuresLandscape design Townshend Landscape Architects

The AJ100 practice is drawing up a fresh masterplan to overhaul Croydons Whitgift shopping centre, Centrale shopping centre, and the surrounding town centre for site owner Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW).URW, which also owns Westfield Stratford and Westfield Sheppard's Bush, said yesterday (12 November) that a mixed-used, residential-led scheme would replace Allies and Morrisons original vision which featured a large shopping centre.That masterplan, which won consent in 2013, was never delivered. Last year the AJ reported last year that firms including KPF were being considered to lead on a new masterplan for the same site.AdvertisementHowever Allies and Morrison has been officially unveiled as the design lead and its revised masterplan will focus on delivering housing and pedestrian-friendly public spaces to create a more sustainable and better-connected town centre, URW says. The development could also include shops and cultural uses.Proposed housing tenures will include market sale, build-to-rent, student, co-living, and supported housing. No numbers have been put on the homes set to feature in the scheme.A consultation runs until 29 November to seek public views on the emerging plans for the 10.5ha site, which has now been branded The North End Quarter masterplan,Allies and Morrison partner Paul Eaton said: The masterplan framework focuses on revitalising the centre of Croydon; transforming it with green pedestrian-friendly routes and public spaces, high-quality homes and thriving retail and community spaces.URW chief operating officer Scott Parsons added that the new vision will drive major positive change, establishing a thriving heart of Croydon that is inclusive and welcoming for all.AdvertisementWe know there is a strong desire from residents, businesses and stakeholders to see progress in the town and our goal is to harness Croydons creativity, youth and connectivity to develop a scheme that leverages its strengths with a diverse economy across retail, finance, community and the arts.Speaking to the AJ last year, Parsons said URWs vision for the site would be much more focused on the sustainability side of things and include more retrofitting of existing structures, while avoiding this big Deathstar-type inward-looking Westfield thats all singing, all dancing.He added: Were looking at the whole of the Croydon estate and have structural engineers and specialist advisers on board to look at what we can repurpose and what can be adapted and reused [and] It will be a phenomenal mixed-use development opportunity but it will happen in a much more organic and feasible way rather than just getting the wrecking ball out.In May last year, URW took full ownership of the site after buying out its 50 per cent joint venture partner Hammerson, which once had its own Terry Farrell-designed scheme to regenerate Croydon.Plans for Croydon town have been in limbo for almost a decade. A previous 1.4 billion plan drawn up by Leonard Design Architects was axed in 2021 after Croydon Council deemed it no longer appropriate.Croydons mayor, Jason Perry, said of the new masterplan: The regeneration of Croydon town centre remains a top priority, and we have been working closely with URW so that our vision for the future of Croydon is aligned with the plans they are consulting on.

The AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards celebrate architectural expertise and ingenuity in the physical and environmental adaptation and upgrade of buildings, and the reuse of building materials and structure in response to the climate emergency and changing requirements of use.The awards (formerly the AJ Retrofit Awards) were retrofitted themselves last year brought up to date with the introduction of brand-new categories, which the AJ adapted with the help of industry experts to make more appropriate to the discussion surrounding repurposing and renovating existing buildings.These range from adaptive reuse to positive addition, to decarbonisation and net zero. The 15 categories are listed below.AdvertisementAt this years inaugural awards held last September all shortlisted practices were able to present their projects to a panel of judges. This will be repeated in 2025.The awards saw Scottish practices coming out strong. Glasgow-based ODonnellBrown won top prize Retrofit of the Year for its Glasgow defurb of New Olympia House. The sensitive 1.7 million scheme has transformed a former Salvation Army Citadel in Bridgeton into 280m2 of commercial office space, announced on the streetscape by a sculptural metal entrance tower. Source: David BarbourNew Olympia House by O'DonnellBrownThe AJs editorial team said that the overhaul ticked all the boxes of what a good adaptive reuse should be: making careful interventions while improving the sustainability and lifespan of a building but, above all, creating something special for the community.Glasgow and Leeds-based practice Page\Park won the 2024 Practice of the Year accolade for its excellence in conservation and adaption of existing buildings, while Client of the Year was awarded to Historic England for pushing hard for over 15 years for the repair and transformation of the worlds first iron-framed building Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings into a social enterprise hub and leisure destination and in doing so creating a flagship heritage regeneration project.Have a retrofit project that similarly fits the bill? The deadline for entries is 7 February 2025 and your project must have completed between 1 July 2023 and 31 January 2025 (except for the Retrofit revisited and Future reuse categories).AdvertisementThe awards ceremony will be hosted again at The Brewery, London, on Wednesday 10 September 2025, the same day as AJ Retrofit Live. More details and entry requirements can be found here.AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards 2025 categoriesAdaptive reuse into mixed use The conversion and repurposing of an existing building to multiple uses other than that for which it was originally built.Adaptive reuse into office The conversion and repurposing of an existing building to a new use that must include workspace. The new use must differ to that for which it was originally built.Adaptive reuse into residential The conversion and repurposing of an existing building to a new use that must include housing. The new use must differ from that for which it was originally built. Excludes one-off houses.Adaptive reuse into other The conversion and repurposing of an existing building to a single use other than office or residential and other than that for which it was originally built.Climate resilience and adaptation Projects with a focus on adaptations/additions intended to deal with or mitigate environmental change and weather extremes. Can be adaptions to both/either built fabric or landscaping including increased shading, incorporation of green roofs, landscaping SuDS strategies etc.Conservation and historic The restoration or careful upgrade of ancient, historic or listed buildings and structures.Decarbonisation and net zero Projects involving the environmental upgrade of fabric and services of large or multi-occupancy buildings or multiple buildings across a property portfolio OR data-driven projects that have specifically or demonstrably targeted net zero benchmarks during their upgrade in anticipation of the grid becoming decarbonised. For example: council schemes to upgrade and electrify housing stock etc.Deconstruction and reuse New-build or retrofit projects demonstrating circularity and the reuse of building components, materials and structural elements from previous buildings. For example, reclaimed doors or flooring. Excludes reuse of a stripped-back concrete frame alone.Fit-out Projects focused on the rework and refresh of interior spaces, including shop and commercial fit-outs, employing low-carbon and circular economy principles.Future reuse Planned and future projects on the drawing board, particularly those looking to push the envelope in terms of retrofit and reuse.Meanwhile and grassroots Neighbourhood-based and community-initiated and/or led projects, or temporary retrofit projects for meanwhile use in anticipation of a larger retrofit scheme.Positive addition Projects that include new build adjoining an old/existing element. Must involve the renovation of the existing as well as a new-build addition that together extend the useful life of the whole. The existing needs to be larger in m2 than the new-build element. Excludes domestic projects.Private/individual renovation From domestic renovations and home extensions to other personal projects designed to improve private houses or properties.Project under 800,000 Retrofit on a budget and for smaller renovation or adaptive reuse projects.Retrofit revisited Open to retrofits over five years old, celebrating proven long-life/long-lasting projects. Can include projects that have previously been entered for an AJ Retrofit Award. Projects must have been completed before January 2020.

Patrick Bellew Source:&nbsp Astrid Eckert / PhotographieEnvironmental engineer Atelier Tens founding director Patrick Bellew is stepping down after 34 years Bellew will leave the environmental design, building services and lighting design consultancy at the end of the year, Atelier Ten confirmed.The award-winning engineer founded the company in 1990. It now employs more than 350 staff in 11 different countries.As of January, Bellew will step into a new role as senior sustainability adviser at the Surbana Jurong Group (SJ Group) the global design collective which Atelier Ten joined in 2020. There he will continue to provide mentorship and ambassadorship of SJs sustainability, according to Atelier Ten.AdvertisementThe SJ Group is a Singaporean government-owned consultancy whose 16,000-strong workforce includes architects, designers, planners, engineers, facilities managers and other specialists. It has more than 120 offices in 40 different countries.The other member companies in the group are AETOS, B+H, CHIL, KTP, Prostruct, Robert Bird Group, SAA and SMEC.Bellew will also be reprising a former role as visiting professor at Yale Universitys School of Architecture, where he will run a design studio, and embracing a second educational role as a royal designer for industry at theRoyal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).Nico Kienzi, a founding director of Atelier Tens New York City office, who has worked with Bellew for 21 years, took over as senior executive director of Atelier Ten internationally in 2023.Meanwhile, Duncan Campbell, a director of the London office since early 2023, will become Atelier Tens UK executive director.AdvertisementThe consultancy has collaborated on projects including Googles new London HQ with Heatherwick Studio and BIG, the National Theatre in London with Haworth Tompkins, Singapore's Gardens by the Bay with WilkinsonEyre and Grant Associates, and Zaha Hadid Architects Beeah HQ in Sharjah, in the UAE.Atelier Ten said Kienzi and Campbell will be working closely to bring forward a new generation of leadership to take on the environmental challenges of the next decade while ensuring Atelier Ten continues to work on the most exciting, interesting and cutting-edge construction projects in the UK.Bellew said: After 34 years leading Atelier Ten, four years of which have been within SJ, it is the right time to hand over the baton so I can take on a strategic advisory role and pursue other interests including teaching and writing.I have had the immense privilege of working with some incredible people from colleagues to clients, collaborators, and peers who have each played a vital role in our ambition for a greener future.I am confident that both Atelier Ten and SJ will continue to drive forward innovation in the built environment to create a more sustainable world.Campbell said was is delighted that Bellew would continue to support [Atelier Ten] in his new role, adding: The opportunity to work with a pioneer in this field is what attracted me to work at Atelier Ten, and we will continue to use his positive, proactive approach to develop the next chapter of Atelier Ten in the UK and Europe.2024-11-12Anna Highfieldcomment and share

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook and Office for Place interim chair Nicholas Boys Smith Source:&nbsp House of CommonsThe Office for Place, the government body set up in 2021 to champion good design and placemaking, is to be scrapped, housing minister Matthew Pennycook has announced In a statement made today (Tuesday, 12 November) in the Commons, Pennycook announced that the arms-length body would be dissolved and its staff reabsorbed back into the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).He said it was being wound up in order to make housing design and placemaking more efficient and fully integrated.In its place, the minister said he would be setting up quarterly steering boards to support the delivery of more high-quality, well-designed homes with expert design and placemaking guidance, which he said would be particularly relevant to new and larger sites including new towns.AdvertisementThe Office for Place was set up in the wake of the 2020 Living With Beauty report by the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission, which was co-chaired by Nicholas Boys Smith, founding director of pressure group Create Streets. Boys Smith was then appointed as the Office for Places interim chair.Boys Smith was one of a small number of candidates who had been interviewed for the position of permanent chair along with former RIBA president Ben Derbyshire and property expert and broadcaster Kunle Barker. The candidates had been left in limbo over the outcome since March.The body had continued operating since Julys general election with Boys Smith acting as interim chair. Labour initially said it planned to retain both the Office for Place and the role of chair.Boys Smith was paid 500 per day for a two-day week in this role, equating to 52,000 between September 2023 and September of this year. The AJ understands the decision to scrap the office came as a surprise to the candidates.Pennycook said: I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the interim board, led by Nicholas Boys Smith as chair, and the Office for Place team for their exemplary work on this important issue.AdvertisementIn putting design and quality at the heart of the housing supply agenda and establishing the principles of design coding and embedding them in practice across the planning and development sectors, Nicholas and the team have made a significant contribution.Pennycook said that, following the resetting of departmental budgets, he and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner had concluded that support to improve the quality and design of new homes and places can be more efficiently and effectively delivered by the department itself.The minister insisted the government was not downgrading the importance of good design and placemaking, or the role of design coding in improving the quality of development. He added: We want exemplary development to be the norm not the exception.He said: Rather, by drawing expertise and responsibility back into MHCLG, I want the pursuit of good design and placemaking to be a fully integrated consideration as the government reforms the planning system, rolls out digital local plans and provides support to local authorities and strategic planning authorities.He said the decision would not affect wider government commitments to Stoke-on-Trent, where a headquarters for the Office for Place was being established, including the 19.8 million the city had been promised in Levelling Up funding.Elsewhere in his speech, Pennycook said the MHCLG intended to update the National Design Guide and National Model Design Code next spring, and reaffirmed the governments commitment to continue to bolster design skills and capacity through the 46 million package of capacity and capability support provided to local planning authorities.'Without the Office for Place we must hope that design quality is not forgotten'Former RIBA president Ben Derbyshire Without the Office for Place we must hope that design quality is not forgotten in the new homes that the government has committed to build, and in the re-use and renovation of existing buildings it must also deliver if the nation is to meet its climate commitments.The New Towns Task Force has been asked to ensure that quality and design are integral to its agenda, and it does have an architect amongst its number.Its good to see that Office for Place personnel are to be brought back into MHCLG where quarterly Steering Boards on design and placemaking are intended to ensure work is guided by those with relevant professional and practical expertise.Any future Office for Place equivalent must eschew populist rhetoric and follow in the footsteps of the late, lamented CABE as a champion of good, contemporary design. It provided excellent guidance, research and exemplary design review processes. Local planning departments still desperately need an accessible central resource such as that.Now we must think again.2024-11-12Anna Highfieldcomment and share

With the increasing demand for sustainable and efficient solutions, more and more professionals are discovering the benefits of combining RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Bright and the RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar system to boost the performance of photovoltaic roofs What key benefits does RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Bright offer for your solar projects?Reduced temperature for better performance: RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Bright membrane helps to lower the temperature on the roof surface, thus promoting a cooler environment for the solar panels. This results in higher energy efficiency and a longer life for the modules.Increased light reflection towards the solar panels: thanks to its high reflectance, RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Bright allows the solar panels to capture more light from different angles, improving their overall performance and ensuring higher energy production.Create the perfect synergy for your solar projectBy combining RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Bright and the RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar system, you can create a comprehensive solution that optimises the photovoltaic performance of your project and ensures long-lasting and sustainable waterproofing.The RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Solar system: lightness and reliability without perforationsIt is the modular and lightweight fastening that guarantees an installation without perforations and completely watertight, some of the benefits it offers are:Light load: less than 17kg/m2.Modular and adaptable to the integration of solar panels.Fast, simple and reliable installation.No ballastBe one of the professionals who already use our roofing solutions, contact us.2024-11-11AJ Contributorcomment and share

The 29-year-old building, which has sat empty for nearly a decade, is due to be flattened as part of the major redevelopment of the Adelphi Village area backed by the university, Salford City Council and the English City Fund, the AJ can exclusively reveal.Its only possible chance of survival is a listing bid, which has been made by the Twentieth Century Society.The Hodder block was completed in 1995 and was described as a dynamic, modern and sophisticated exercise in steel, glass and concrete when it won the first RIBA Stirling Prize the following year. It was originally designed to be the School of Electrical Engineering before a change of use, during construction, to the Faculty of Art and Design Technology.AdvertisementIn 2018, plans were unveiled to convert the building into a primary school under wider proposals by 5plus Architects for the universitys existing campus and surrounding area, which included the delivery of a significant amount of new housing.But the school scheme has now been ditched and the development team, having explored multiple options for the long-vacant four-storey block, said it intended to press ahead with demolition.A spokesperson for the project backers said: While the Centenary Building has been part of our university estate for a number of decades, unfortunately, its ageing infrastructure means it no longer meets modern standards and requirements. It has now been vacant for a third of its built life.Careful consideration has been given to the history of the building, and the partnership, which includes Salford City Council, ECF and the University of Salford, intends to demolish the building as part of the comprehensive development of Adelphi Village.Reacting to the news, Hodder Associates founder Stephen Hodder said he had received the news of the demolition with great dismay.AdvertisementHe told the AJ: This is not borne out of nostalgia, it being the inaugural RIBA Stirling Prize winner, or indeed the importance of the building to the development of our practice, but as an original signatory to Architects Declare and past chair of the Construction Industry Councils Climate Change Committee, I simply cannot support the demolition of a building that is only 30 years old.The former RIBA president said he had previously been encouraged by the earlier 2012 Crescent Development Framework, which proposed retrofitting the building as either a community or social facility.Hodder said that the universitys previous director of estates had invited his practice to submit a fee proposal for its reuse, but it had never received a reply.He added: [Were] not aware that there has been an exhaustive effort to repurpose the building.For a university that promotes its sustainability credentials, the intention to demolish surely undermines the credibility of its policy. We urge it to reconsider, and hope the architectural community and wider industry collectively exclaim its concerns.Meanwhile, Historic England has confirmed it received an application for listing the building last month and was considering the application.The Twentieth Century Society, which made the bid before the universitys official confirmation of its plans to flatten the academic building, said: The disciplined romanticism of the Centenary Building at the University of Salford saw it recognised with numerous awards at the time of its completion, most notably the inaugural RIBA Stirling Prize in 1996.'Its hugely disappointing that the commendable previous proposals for conversion to a school or for community use have floundered, and to now see the vacant building proposed for demolition. That would be wholly irresponsible and unnecessary outcome, and we urge the University to reconsider.'It added: This is a sophisticated piece of modern architecture, with clear opportunities for adaptive reuse. It acted as a catalyst for regeneration before and could do so again.The [listing] application provides an intriguing test-case for the heritage status of previous Stirling Prize winners, as the award approaches the 30-year anniversary of its founding.'If the buildings which have made the greatest contribution to the evolution of architecture [as per RIBA's Stirling Prize definition] only have a shelf-life of 30 years, what does that say about the current state of British architecture?'The RIBA has been contacted for comment.See the Centenary Building in the AJ Buildings Library

The Line first phase 'core' design (November 2024) Source:&nbsp DMAA/Gensler/Mott Macdonald for The LineGenslers London office has been named as one of three firms leading on detailed designs for the first phase of Saudi Arabias controversial 170km-long linear city, The Line The practices European headquarters in London is working with Austrian practice Delugan Meissl Associated Architects (DMAA) and UK engineering and consultancy giant Mott MacDonald on the scheme, which is at the heart of Saudi Arabias wider NEOM megaproject.NEOM announced today (11 November) that Gensler, DMAA and Mott MacDonald would together shape the core design, city planning and engineering for the Hidden Marina, The Lines under-construction 2.4km-long first phase. The AJ understands that architects on common design elements on The Line also known as vertical neighbourhoods are due to be announced in early 2025.AdvertisementUK firms Assael Architecture, AHMM, PLP Architecture and SimpsonHaugh are among 24 international practices understood to have competed for work on The Lines vertical neighbourhoods but it is not yet known whether they have won jobs on the scheme.The announcement comes on the heels ofreports that an estimated 21,000 workers, mainly from Nepal, India and Bangladesh, have lost their lives since 2016 working across Saudi Arabias so-called giga projects, according to an ITV documentary last month, Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia.Saudi Arabian authorities have denied the claims made in the report, which also documented 16-hour work days and poor working conditions on The Line the flagship project at the heart of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Saudi 2030 Vision development drive.In a statement to the AJ, human-rights charityAmnesty International said it was vital that architecture firms considering operating in Saudi Arabia are doing proper due diligence to ensure theyre not contributing to labour exploitation and other human rights abuses, which it said were inevitable given the size of Saudi Arabias development push.The documentary, which did not make direct links between specific schemes and worker deaths, said The Line alone had a 140,000-strong workforce.AdvertisementITV also cited a doubling of executions in the country since 2015, under the rule of bin Salman, the figurehead of Saudis pivot to development. In addition, it is understood that five people have so far been given death sentences for refusing to leave their homes to make way for The Line and that 50 people have been arrested for similar reasons.The design update on The Line comes after the AJ revealed in June that DMAA had taken a leading role on the linear city following the departure of US firm Morphosis. A dozen names were featured in The Line exhibition in Riyadh in late 2022, as the AJ exclusively revealed last January. Since then, several firms have since withdrawn or ended their involvement in the scheme. These include Adjaye Associates, Coop Himmelb(l)au, and HOK.Genslers managing principal, Europe, London-based Duncan Swinhoe, said: The Line presents an extraordinary opportunity in the history of urban development to redesign and reimagine a new future for our cities.[We] are working around the globe to design places for people and to shape the cities of tomorrow. We look forward to bringing our design values and expertise and collaborating with the greatest minds from across the world to develop one of the most transformative, resilient, and innovative architectural projects of our time.Mott MacDonald group managing director Cathy Travers said: The Line is a hugely complex project with an ambition to change the way we think about urban living. It requires deep technical expertise across multiple engineering disciplines, planning and design, and, alongside our partners, we are well placed to realise this vision.DMAA partner Martin Josst described The Line as a groundbreaking project in relation to traditional ways of making the city.He said: It introduces the variables of a city, such as its infrastructures, mobility, public or private spaces, the organisation of activities, and the extensive list of hierarchies and topics typical of a complex organisation, all within a new logic derived from the ultra-compassionate nature of its unique proposal. Zero-gravity urbanism envisions scenarios for a new livability, where the relationship between physical spaces and human experience is redefined through a three-dimensional approach to urban design.'The Line is planned to complete in 2045, holding nine million people across 140 modules measuring 200m wide and 800m long. The first phase will house three separate modules. Earlier this year, however, there were rumours that the plans were being scaled back.In April, Bloomberg reported the number of residents forecast to be living in the scheme by 2030 had been revised down from 1.5 million to 300,000. Bin Salman who is NEOMs chairman has long said only a first phase of The Line would be completed within the next six years.A NEOM spokesperson told the AJ last year the first section would still welcome its first residents and visitors by 2030.Other UK names previously or currently involved in The Line include Weston Williamson + Partners, AtkinsRalis and Aecom.Saudi Arabian press have also reported that the countrys National Council for Occupational Safety had strongly refuted claims suggesting a rise in worker fatalities due to poor working conditions in the country and according to astatement issued last week, and reported by the Saudi Gazette, the council confirmed that Saudi Arabias work-related fatality rate stood at 1.12 per 100,000 workers, claiming it was one of the lowest rates globally.2024-11-11Gino Spocchiacomment and share

Source:&nbsp ShutterstockThe government has announced 47 million in funding to unlock up to 28,000 homes stalled by nutrient neutrality rules The Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund, announced on Thursday (7 November), will support development across seven councils in England that have been hit by the wastewater run-off rules designed to protect the environment.Areas to receive funding include the Norfolk Broads and the River Wensum 8.8 million to unlock more than 6,000 new homes; the Solent nearly 7 million to unlock more than 2,700 new homes; and the River Axe 4 million to unlock around 1000 new homes.The money will be used to protect local rivers and precious habitats in the affected areas, ensuring new homes built there do not come at the expense of the environment, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).AdvertisementIt will support locally led schemes, such as creating new wetlands and upgrading septic tanks to enable sustainable housebuilding.The seven councils will each receive a cut of 45 million of the funding, while 20 of the largest sites affected by nutrient neutrality rules will each get an additional 100,000 to support planning teams implement pollution solutions in their area.Building work in the affected areas is expected to start shortly, according to the MHCLG.New nutrient neutrality rules were introduced by Natural England in March 2022 to prevent new dwellings from adding wastewater run-off particularly phosphates and nitrates.The rules affect 74 local planning authorities in rural areas and apply to applications that propose a net increase in the number of dwellings.AdvertisementIn order to gain planning consent in the affected areas, applicants must calculate nutrient neutrality to prove that their proposed development avoids adding pollution.But the rules have stalled the development of thousands of homes. Shortly after their introduction, the RIBA said they were bringing development control to a standstill in some areasas planning officers were caught off guard by the new restrictions.Speaking about the new funding, housing and planning minister Matthew Pennycook said:We must build more homes across the country and unlock growth, but this must not come at the expense of our natural environment.Through this fund and alongside major reforms to the planning system, we will accelerate housebuilding and deliver nature recovery, creating a win-win outcome for both the economy and for nature.Environment Minister Mary Creagh added: Britain faces a housing and nature crisis. This new government was elected with a mandate to get Britain building again and restore nature. That is why we will deliver a planning system that unlocks the building of homes and improves outcomes for nature.Areas to receive nutrient neutrality funding:Norfolk Broads and the River Wensum - 8.8 million to unlock over 6000 new homesRiver Axe - 4 million to unlock around 1000 new homesThe Solent - nearly 7 million to unlock over 2700 new homesRiver Wye - over 2.7 million to unlock over 3000 new homesRiver Mease - over 2.5 million to unlock over 700 new homesRiver Lambourn - over 2.4 million to unlock over 800 new homesRiver Eden, River Derwent and Bassenthwaite Lake, River Kent and Esthwaite Water Catchment - over 15 million to unlock over 13,000 new homes 2024-11-08Anna Highfieldcomment and share

David Chipperfield Architects' model of the former Royal Mint Source:&nbsp David Chipperfield ArchitectsChina is blocking Eric Parry Architects proposals for a new British ambassadors residence in Beijing in response to delays to Chinas own London embassy plans, designed by David Chipperfield Architects The UK wants to demolish the existing British embassy and ambassadors residence in China's capital, with Eric Parry designing the new ambassadors home.But, according to a report in The Guardian, Chinese officials have resisted the UKs requests to rebuild its embassy complex for at least a year. The AJ understands that plans for the site were first submitted to authorities two years ago.It is understood a tweaked planning application was submitted in July by the British embassy for city centre site in the Chinese capital.Although Eric Parry's name is attached to the ambassadors residence, it is unknown which architect is working on the new embassy building itself.AdvertisementChina has expressed frustration at the years-long planning saga surrounding David Chipperfield Architects plans to overhaul the former Royal Mint in east London into a new Chinese embassy complex.A Chinese embassy spokesperson told the AJ last year that it had urged the UK government to fulfil its relevant international obligations over the stalled project.And in August this year, the embassy released a statement saying: Both China and the UK have the need to build a new embassy in each others capital, and the two sides should provide facilitation to each other.Last month housing and communities secretary Angela Rayner called in Chipperfields resubmitted scheme.Tower Hamlets councillors refused the scheme in December 2022 with China not appealing the decision.However in July this year, shortly after the UK general election, it resubmitted an almost identical scheme for the plot.AdvertisementCiting a British source close to the former Royal Mint proposals, The Guardian said China see[s] it as a reciprocal-type thing where both people want changes, but our system doesnt really work quite as centrally as theirs does.It quoted a Conservative Party source adding: Until that one gets moving, the British embassy in Beijing wont move [and] the grounds for turning it down were pretty spurious It came about more because they were so angry that [planning permission for the Chinese embassy in London] was just turned down without any support.Eric Parry Architects won an international competition in 2020 to deliver the UK ambassadors residence as part of a wider overhaul of the 1959 embassy, located within the Chinese capitals diplomatic district.The London and Singapore-based practice won a competition run by the RIBA and the Foreign Office, beating a shortlist that included Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, Carmody Groarke, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and The Manser Practice.In August, the Foreign Office put out a tender for a 100 million job to demolish and deliver the new embassy. As AJ sister title Construction News reported in August, the Foreign Office expects to publish a contract notice next March and to award the contract in December.The same tender document said: Planning permission has been submitted in Beijing seeking the approval of the proposed design. The works are split across two adjacent sites in Beijing which currently provide both embassy office space and [ambassadors] residence.'A government spokesperson told the AJ: Applications for a new Chinese embassy in Tower Hamlets have been called in for Ministers at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to decide. A final decision will be made in due course.The China UK embassy was approached for comment. Eric Parry Architects declined to comment. Source:David Chipperfield ArchitectsDavid Chipperfield Architects' model of the former Royal Mint2024-11-08Gino Spocchiacomment and share

Over an impressive and influential career, King worked on a number of important buildings, including during stints with Denys Lasdun & Partners and Arup Associate. He also taught for more than a decade at the Liverpool School of Architecture.Urban Splashs Jonathan Falkingham, with whom he co-founded Shedkm in 1997, praised him as a true inspiration for an entire generation of architects.Tributes (see below) have also come in from former colleagues and pupils, including musician Chris Lowe who was taught by King at Liverpool before forming the Pet Shop Boys with Neil Tennant.AdvertisementCurrent shedkm managing director Hazel Rounding described him as a truly unforgettable man, an absolute character and the reason she joined the practice in 1998.King was born in Liverpool in 1938 and grew up in Bromborough on the Wirral, later moving to Hoylake where he lived above a bank managed by his father.After attending Kings School in Chester, in 1956 he went to study architecture at Manchester University, where he would become friends with Mike Cummings, John Drabble and Norman Foster. However, he would return to Hoylake every weekend to race dinghies and he continued sailing until the last weeks of his life.He left Manchester to work at Liverpool firm LAG Prichard in 1962, joining Denys Lasdun & Partners in London three years later.There he worked on Christs College Cambridge, the University of East Anglia and the National Theatre. King was a keen photographer, and the picture he took of the South Bank landmark was used for the National Theatres publicity (pictured below).Advertisement Source:Dave KingNational Theatre, London, through treesIn his memoirs, King recalls: I retained the photo. Not because I designed the building (only bits of it), but because it kept me in touch with both Denys and the theatre for many years after I left. It paid for all my Nikons and it reminds me of formative years in that office [and] the magic of the late 60s. Working for Lasdun was very special indeed.In 1970, he moved to Arup Associates, joining the practices Group 1 to work on Dock Support Buildings at Portsmouth Naval Base.Six years later he became a lecturer at Liverpool School of Architecture and shared his time between London and Liverpool with brief spells working at Foster + Partners and Ahrends Burton Koralek during the long holidays.In 1986, he was approached to design the new studio for the Liverpool School of Architecture with Rod McAllister, another former student, and they subsequently set up a practice together, King McAllister.Working with Lee Bennett, Andy Purvis and James Weston, the practice based at the side of his home in Lark Lane, Liverpool would go on to design the schools Student Services Centre (SSC) and its Guild of Undergraduates (G95) as well as competing in numerous competitions. Source:Nick HuftonMatchworks, Liverpool by shedkm for Urban SplashTen years later, aged 60, he set up Shedkm (the km referencing King McAllister) along with Falkingham who was already having success with emerging developer Urban Splash.One of the practices first jobs was for Urban Splash, converting the closed Mersey Match Factory, Garston, into offices and workshops. Renamed the Matchworks, the scheme was completed in 2001.Two years later Shedkm took the wraps off a new landmark pavilion on the end of Southport pier. Then, in 2008, it completed the radical and inventive revamp of a group of rundown and derelict Victorian terraces in Salford to create Chimney Pot Park also for Urban Splash.In 2012, the practice expanded into London and King moved to the Barbican. In his later years, he remained a mentor and consultant to the practice, as well as working as a visiting lecturer at the Liverpool School of Architecture.More recently he lived in Old Portsmouth with his wife Sue and, according to his daughter Sophie, enjoyed doing up his racing boat every day, even sailing it sometimes.King, who also loved skiing, died peacefully following a sudden onset of pneumonia with added heart complications. He is survived by Sue, his children Rachel and Matthew (from a previous marriage) and Sophie as well as two grandchildren, Max and Molly.Dave King with his wife Sue on the rooftop test track at the Lingotto, Turin (Christmas 2015) where part of the film The Italian Job was filmed. The former fiat factor was converted by Renzo Piano (2003)Jonathan Falkingham, Urban Splash and Shedkm I, along with many colleagues in the profession, am deeply saddened by Dave's passing. Dave was my go-to tutor at Liverpool University, my co-founder at Shedkm and, above all, a lifelong friend and mentor.A passionate Modernist, Dave was an exceptional thinker and designer and, as an educator, a true inspiration for an entire generation of architects. His unique spirit and vision made him a rare talent and it was a real privilege to have worked alongside him.As a designer, he contributed to Urban Splash over three decades joining us on a daring journey from our early days when he designed the Matchworks in Liverpool and continuously bringing fresh ideas to new, trailblazing projects. His creativity and determination to approach things differently were constants, shaping many of our projects with his innovation, clarity of thought and eye for detail winning us many awards on the way.His impact on the profession and a generation of designers cannot be underestimated; I for one will really miss him.Hazel Rounding, managing director, ShedkmAlmost 30 years ago, Dave became my biggest critic, fan and challenge. He is the reason I joined Shedkm in its infancy.An absolute character and inspiration, he exuded wisdom. We've shared an insatiable desire to live every second, follow dreams, understand our purpose, nurture youth and make a workplace a home and (of course) to consistently create bold, clear, timeless, design solutions with a little splash of colour to keep things bright!He guided and entrusted me with others to grow Shedkms ethos and approach from the start, and his insight and impact certainly live on. A truly unforgettable man. Source:Morley von SternbergMatchbox in Liverpool by shedkm for Urban SplashChris Lowe, Pet Shop BoysIll never forget he had a piece of glossy red card hanging on his wall and introduced me to minimalism. Inspirational!Rod McCallister, an original partner in King McCallister (where the KM in Shedkm came from)Dave was unique, and a mentor to a huge number of us who met him in Liverpool. His background in Modernism and technology sprang from the Manchester School and his pre-Liverpool days, working with inspiring designers like Denys Lasdun, Jan Kaplicky, Norman Foster, Chris Wilkinson, Philip Dawson and Peter Foggo on many fabulous projects, including the University of East Anglia, the National Theatre and Portsmouth Dockyard. In turn, he inspired us with his relentless pursuit of harmony with a minimal palette of form and colour. He was my tutor, and landlord, and became my architectural partner and life-long friend.In 1986, he asked me to help him with the new studios and galleries project at the school of architecture. Upon completion in 1988, we founded KM. With Lee Bennett, Andy Purvis, Jenny Jones and later James Weston and others, our small team worked closely together on university projects and design competitions in the Lark Lane studio in Liverpool, obsessing about geometry, proportion, symmetry, politics, coffee and grappa. Daves clear, bright and optimistic design leadership continued after KM merged with Shed in 1997. I already miss our endless debates and evenings of laughter.Nik Randall, founder of reForm and Reimagine Architects, and a student at University of Liverpool (1978-1984)Dave was my tutor while studying architecture at the University of Liverpool in the 1980s. He stood out, not only because of his impressive experience working for some of the countrys leading architects but due to his passion for architecture, and his cool black and red attire. He had credibility and style.In my final year, Dave got funding from Arup for me and a fellow student, Pete Brimelow, to make a documentary covering the design and construction of the Liverpool Garden Festival Building a fantastic opportunity to see a project close up in all its stages and to interview and learn from those involved.But the film had to follow the building programme, and ate into the time we had to design our final schemes. I'd set myself a design task that was experimental and, with a month to go, felt I had not resolved everything I had set out to achieve and had little to show. I was considering deferring until the next year until I had a tutorial with Dave. He saw something interesting in my emerging design that I couldnt see, and said: Nik, draw what youve done and dont worry about what youve not done. So I did, non-stop for a month, and he was right.Daves advice was a good lesson for life. I have tried to work to my strengths ever since.Dave became a friend and someone whose advice I always trusted. I didnt see him nearly as often as I should and deeply regret that now. He just seemed to be someone who would always be around, to moan about a poor piece of design, enthuse about one he liked or just to chat about life. His wry sense of humour could be missed by others but he always made me smile.As an external examiner at Leeds, I met his daughter Sophie who was presenting her final project. I had to declare an interest and step aside, but I could see Daves talent for architecture and presentation had been passed on.I am thinking of Sophie and Sue now and send them all my love.Tom Bloxham, chairman and founder, Urban Splash Dave was a clever, crazy, fun and eccentric individual. He was one of the smartest architects I ever met and as close to genius as anyone Ive had the fortune to know.We shared a love for skiing, and Ill be forever grateful for him introducing me to Marcel Briers ski resort in Flaine. Ive grown to really love the place as my favourite resort and Dave even designed an amazingly beautiful home there for me and my family.He will be sadly missed. Source:RIBA88029New Court, Christ's College, Cambridge by Denys LAsdun & Partners: detail of the concrete guttering under construction. Photograph by Dave King

Unlike the two earlier editions of the Building Beauty Awards, awards organiser the Royal Fine Arts Commission Trust has pre-announced the individual category winners from which the overall victor will be chosen later this month.The four practices competing for the top prize all won their individual categories, namely: building; little gem; public space; and engineering.The winner of this years Building category is the Faith Museum at Auckland Palace, designed by former Stirling Prize-winner Nall McLaughlin Architects with Purcell and completed in 2019. The museum received an RIBA National award earlier in the year.AdvertisementWinning the Little Gem category, meanwhile, is Lynch Architects addition to Westminster Coroner's Court addition which opened this summer and was recently covered by the AJ.Previous editions of the prize involved shortlists for the four categories with the winners of these, as well as an overall winner, all announced on the night.The AJ understands that the 12,000 cash prize on offer to winners in 2022 and 2023 was connected to Ballymore's sponsorship of the awards, and that this has ended after a two-year deal. The cash prize was the biggest in UK architecture.The Building Beauty Awards were set up in 2021 to advocate for design excellence in architecture and the built environment. Former winners include Tintagel Castle in Cornwall by William Matthews and Laurent Ney for English Heritage (2022) and Bayside Apartments in Worthing, Sussex, by Allies and Morrison for Roffey Homes (2023).The awards were set up at the same time the Conservative government established an Office for Place to improve building design standards and aesthetics in homes and public spaces, and promote then housing secretary Michael Goves now-axed building beautiful agenda.AdvertisementThis years ceremony will take place on 21 November at a dinner in central London.2024 category winnersBuilding Faith Museum at Auckland Palace, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, by Nall McLaughlin ArchitectsLittle Gem Westminster Coroner's Court Extension, Horseferry Road, south London, by Lynch ArchitectsPublic Space The Grand Courtyard and Pavilion at the OWO, south London, by Daewha Kang DesignEngineering: HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct, South Buckinghamshire/Hillingdon, by ALIGN JV (Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McApline and Volkerfiitzpatrick) with Ingerop and Jacobs (engineers) and Grimshaw (architects)

The Architects JournalMae and Archio join Studio Egret West on 1,700-home Lewisham schemeMae Architects, Studio MULTI and Archio have joined Studio Egret Wests giant 1,700-home regeneration scheme for Lewisham town centre in south-east LondonThe post Mae and Archio join Studio Egret West on 1,700-home Lewisham scheme appeared first on The Architects JournalGino Spocchia

The Architects JournalRayner to massively restrict right to buy for new council homesAngela Rayner will restrict tenants rights to buy new council homes in order to avoid losing social housing stockThe post Rayner to massively restrict right to buy for new council homes appeared first on The Architects JournalAnna Highfield

The Architects JournalUS architects react to Trump comeback: Im sick to my stomachArchitects have spoken of their fear of a regressive impact on architecture and sustainability after Donald Trump was re-elected as US presidentThe post US architects react to Trump comeback: Im sick to my stomach appeared first on The Architects JournalRichard Waite

A decision on whether to refurbish and extend the existing ground, or demolish it and build the biggest stadium in the Premier League was due to be made before the end of this year, the AJ previously reported.However, Manchester United bosses will not make a final choice until next summer, The Telegraph reported yesterday (5 November). The newspaper said the club will wait for post-budget developments before deciding whether to build [a] new stadium.United has yet to name an architect for a new or refurbished stadium but it has been rumoured that Foster + Partners, which has the wider stadium district architect role, is also lined up to take on the ground redevelopment itself.AdvertisementInitial plans for the development of the area around Old Trafford were unwrapped in September alongside a fan consultation on the AJ100 practices early vision for a new stadium district. At the same time, images and video teased what a 100,000-seater stadium at the heart of the Fosters masterplan could look like.Manchester United said yesterday that a recent fan survey showed overwhelming support for a new ground to replace the Premier League side's 124-year-old stadium, with 90 per cent of supporters saying they were positive about regeneration.The club said it took on board the difference in opinion between younger and older season ticket holders, with the former favouring a refurbished Old Trafford and the latter preferring a new stadium at the centre of a redeveloped Old Trafford mixed-use neighbourhood and stadium district.A feasibility study conducted by the Old Trafford Task Force, an advisory group composed of local leaders and national experts, was reportedly presented to United bosses earlier this year, recommending an all-new ground with 100,000 seats.The taskforce includes London 2012 boss Sebastian Coe, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, and ex-United defender and property developer Gary Neville, who has spoken publicly in support of an all-new Old Trafford.AdvertisementThat could cost an estimated 2 billion, according to the report presented to United officials earlier this year. Refurbishment of Old Trafford would cost between 1 billion and 1.2 billion and reduce stadium capacity while work is underway.Based on initial feasibility plans drawn up by Populous, Fosters masterplan for the area around Manchester Uniteds main ground in the Salford Quays area aims to create a world-class football destination for fans as part of a wider vision which includes homes and workspaces which will benefit the local community.The stadium itself will not form part of the design work, which will only begin once the club has decided on the development options. However, the club said a stadium will ultimately sit at the heart of the proposals and help act as a catalyst for wider regeneration.Fosters founder Norman Foster previously said of the Old Trafford masterplan: As a proud Mancunian, Im passionate about building a vibrant sustainability community on the foundations of Manchesters industrial heritage.United revealed earlier this year that Fosters was leading a planned 50 million revampof the football clubs Carrington Training Complex.Old Trafford is the UKs second-largest football venue after Foster + Partners and Populouss Wembley Stadium.