How the 54-storey towerwould look when built Architect Patel Taylor has unveiled images of what one of London’s tallest residential towers in Canary Wharf would look like. The 54-storey 77 Marsh Wall scheme is being developed by Areli Developments on behalf of British Airways Pension Trustees and would contain around 820 homes above a mixed-use podium which will include retail, restaurant and café space. It would be Canary Wharf’s third tallest tower if built, behind the 235m One Canada Square and 233m Landmark Pinnacle. The scheme would require the demolition of the site’s existing building, a 17-storey office block built in the early 1990s known as Sierra Quebec Bravo. The 77 Marsh Wall scheme would include restaurants and retail at ground floor level Areli said the existing building offers “very little in the way of benefits to the community” and that it wanted to maximise the “unique and exciting” potential of the waterfront site with new public spaces, shops and restaurants. The podium would contain around 4,000sq m of retail, leisure and workspace along with a cinema and cycle parking under early plans aired in a public consultation. Green space is also included in the plans which saw two public consultation events held last month. Homes in the tower above the podium would be of a mix of tenures including shared ownership, build to rent, social rent, apart-hotel and co-living. The site’s existing 17-storey office block would be demolished An environmental impact assessment scoping report has been drawn up by consultant Trium for to Tower Hamlets council with a planning application expected to be submitted later this summer. Other firms currently on the project team include planning consultant DP9 and communications firm Kanda Consulting. #patel #taylor #unveils #images #54storey

Ongoing Regent’s Park Estate Story Trail Regent’s Park Estate, London NW1Regent’s Park Estate Story Trail is a public art trail. Artworks include Unwritten by Polish artist Rafal Zajko, which excavates the history of a clandestine LGBTQ+ bar located beneath St Mary Magdalene church and You Are Here by Ocean Stefan, a queer, trans and non-binary artist based in Margate. olddiorama.com Unwritten by Rafal Zajko. Photography: Nick Turpin 22 May AJ goes OUT sixteen3’s showroom, London EC1Advertisement Sponsored by UK furniture designer sixteen3 and held at its showrooms in Clerkenwell as part of Clerkenwell Design Week, the AJ is holding a party to celebrate the release of this issue. Expect music, drinks, posters, copies of the AJ and lots of networking with co-collaborators and contributors. sixteen3.co.uk 24 May Queer Archi* Social London LGBT+ Community Centre, London SE1Organised by Queerscapes, Queer Archi* Social is a meet-up for queer and trans people working in the architecture, landscape, horticulture and built environment sectors. Not a formal networking event, it’s a chance to meet others who get it, swap stories and find new collaborators. londonlgbtqcentre.org queerscapes.com Still from E.1027 Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea. Credit: Rise And Shine World Sales 31 May Linden Archives Museum of LiverpoolStuart Linden Rhodes established Instagram account @Linden_Archives during Covid, digitising hundreds of 35mm photographs he shot for All Points North and Gay Times in the 1990s. This talk covers his books on the pub and club scene from Birmingham to Newcastle, as well as Pride events across the whole of England. liverpoolmuseums.org.ukAdvertisement 7 June Queer Realms – Zine Workshop Ada Haus, London SW8Part of The London Festival of Architecture, this zine workshop, organised by and for LGBTQ+ people, invites attendees to explore how their identities shape and are shaped by the London landscape, using zine-making as a creative tool. londonfestivalofarchitecture.org You Are Here by Ocean Stefan. Part of Regent's Park Estate Art Trail. Photography: Nick Turpin 9 June-14 September The Painted Picnic – A Summer Pavilion Citypoint, London EC2Designed by artist John Booth, Citypoint’s plaza will be transformed into a vibrant scene from an outdoor party. Inspired by the LFA’s 2025 theme Voices, the installation reimagines a still-life composition at an architectural scale that visitors can interact with. Digital illustrations by Booth celebrating Pride month will also be on display on the screen at Citypoint throughout June. Brookfield Properties as the commissioners. londonfestivalofarchitecture.org 14-18 June Queer Frontiers 1 Customs Wharf, EdinburghHeld over five days of the 2025 Architecture Fringe in Scotland, Queer Frontiers is a project that explores the ‘corporate capture’ of the queer as we progress towards a future where queer has become the norm. The event includes an exhibition and talks, organised by designer and researcher Kirsty Watt, designer Samuel Stair and Architecture Fringe co-director Andy Summers. architecturefringe.com Still from E.1027 Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea. Credit: Rise And Shine World Sales 18 June E.1027 Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea Museum of BathAs part of Queer Bath 2025’s festival and in partnership with FilmBath, this screening sheds light on Irish designer and architect Eileen Gray’s story and the significance of the Modernist villa E.1027 in queer architectural history. The screening will be followed by a discussion on gender, space, and visibility in design. queerbath.co.uk June, date TBC Architecture LGBT+ Life Drawing HOK, London W1Architecture LGBT+’s next free-to-attend monthly life drawing class is being held at HOK’s offices near Warren Street. A queer model will do a variety of poses throughout the evening for attendees to draw. Drawing supplies, music and drinks are all included. The event is aimed at those who work or study within the architectural field. architecturelgbt.com Life drawing at Heatherwick Studio. Photography: Daniel Innes and Joe Stancer 21 June Soho Queer History – Walking Tour Trafalgar Square, London WC2A two-hour walking tour exploring the history of London LGBTQ+ life. It takes you through the West End, sharing stories of drag queens of the 1700s, gay soirées of the 1920s, and the development of this queer neighbourhood. londonfestivalofarchitecture.org 4 July Queer Nightcrawl Through the City NLA, The London Centre, London EC2Dani Dinger and Dan de la Motte of Queer Tours of London shine a light on London's hidden queer stories. The tour strolls down Sodomites Walk, heads to the docks to discover the secret lives of the Mollies of 18th Century Wapping and minces down Old Compton Street to navigate the danger and dalliance of 1930s Soho. thelondoncentre.org 5 July Architecture LGBT+ London Pride Celebration 2025 London, location TBCArchitecture LGBT+ hosts a breakfast and drinks ahead of the London Pride parade to gather architects and built environment professionals together before joining the parade with the official architecture float. architecturelgbt.com London Pride Float competition winning scheme Proudspeaker by oo office. Credit: oo office 5 July London Pride Float Hyde Park Corner, LondonIn March this year, the LFA, Architecture LGBT+ and Freehold announced an open call for the annual £8,000 pride float competition, which is backed by Brookfield Properties and will celebrate the contributions of LGBTQIA+ architects to the built environment. The winner is oo office. architecturelgbt.com November, date TBC Queer Places: The Exhibition 2.0 Liverpool, location TBCLaunching its second round, exhibition Queer Places, a growing archive of Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ spaces past, present and future, opens its doors again in November. The exhibition will be filled with art, architectural models, maps, photographs and artefacts celebrating queer heritage. New this year are interactive 3D models of historic queer spaces. queerplaces.co.uk Queer Places exhibition. Credit: Queer Places Organisations, initiatives and platforms Architecture Foundation Young Trustees’ Spatial Queeries Spotlight Sunday A weekly spotlight on LGBT+ practitioners, design initiatives and queer spaces. @youngtrusteesArchitecture LGBT+ Not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers. It aims to provide an inclusive and prejudice-free environment for LGBT+ architects and those working and studying within the profession through learning, mentoring and networking events – including life drawing and yoga. architecturelgbt.com @architecturelgbtArchitecture LGBT+ Academic Champions NetworkAn alliance of academic champions – one per architecture school in the UK – working to improve representation and understanding of queer identity and action in architectural education. architecturelgbt.com/academic-champions-networkBuilding Equality UK-wide member association with resources for built environment consultants, engineers, developers, contractors and institutions – plus events. buildingequalityuk.comFirst Brick Community-led, democratically run housing organisation aiming to build housing and community spaces for LGBTQ+ people who want and need it. firstbrickhousing.co.ukFreehold Networking hub for LGBTQ professionals and allies in the UK’s real estate industry. freeholdlgbt.comFriends of The Joiners Arms: The JOIN Project Collaboration with community partners to explore how LGBTQIA+ venues and organisations can help create inclusive spaces and better opportunities for work, training and volunteering. friendsjoinersarms.comHomotopia Arts and social justice organisation based in Liverpool supporting local, national, and international queer and trans creatives, artists and makers. homotopia.netInterEngineering A professional network aiming to connect, inform and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender engineers and their straight allies. interengineeringlgbt.comLondon LGBT Community Centre Based in pop-up premises in Southwark, this centre is a safe, sober space that welcomes and supports anyone identifying as LGBTQ+. The space was fitted out by the design and architecture community, who rallied around to support the space. londonlgbtqcentre.orgOpen Plan Scotland A volunteer-led advocacy and support network for all who identify as LGBTQIA+ and study or work across architecture in Scotland. openplan.scot @openplanscotlandOutwardly Creative A new event in Brighton bringing together queer members of the arts and creative industries, including architects. outwardlycreative.co.uk @outwardlycreativePlanning Out Network for LGBT professionals in the town planning and planning sector. @planningoutPride of Place: England’s LGBTQ Heritage Resource and interactive map uncovering and celebrating the LGBTQ heritage of buildings, places and landscapes across England. historicengland.org.ukThe London Queer Housing Coalition Specialist steering group made up of by-and-for LGBTQ+ housing and homelessness organisations working in the capital. stonewallhousing.org/lqhcThe Outside Project London’s LGBTIQ+ community shelter, centre, domestic abuse refuge and trans night shelter. lgbtiqoutside.orgThe Proud Place, Manchester Manchester’s LGBT+ Community Centre hosting The Proud Trust in a purpose-built building. theproudtrust.orgTonic Community-led, not-for-profit organisation focused on creating vibrant and inclusive urban LGBTQ+ affirming retirement communities to address issues of loneliness and isolation of older LGBTQ+ people. tonichousing.org.ukRIBA Collections: LGBTQ+ spaces Research guide to a few of the historical spaces that have formed sites where LGBTQ+ communities have explored, celebrated or concealed sexual and gender identities. architecture.comQueerscapes A platform and community for queer and trans spatial practitioners, including architects, designers, landscape architects, urbanists, builders, gardeners, artists and anyone working with space. queerscapes.com @_queerscapesQueercircle Charity founded to fill the gaps and advocate for systemic change where other arts, health and education institutions fail or actively perpetuate harm, based in the Design District in a David Kohn-designed building. queercircle.orgQueer Design Club Online platform where LGBTQ+ designers can celebrate queer contributions to the design industry and visual culture, share their work and connect with each other. queerdesign.clubQuEAN: Queer Educators in Architecture Network Network of queer spatial design educators – with a focus on queer theory, pedagogies, identities and intersections with spatial design – founded by Gem Barton. @quean_the_networkQueer Places A growing, free digital archive celebrating the vibrant LGBTQ+ spaces of Liverpool’s past, present and future. queerplaces.co.uk @queerplacesQueer Scenarios A research, practice and dissemination community that explores and supports queer identities and queer approaches within critical spatial practices, working collaboratively between teaching staff and students. Based at Central Saint Martins. @queer_scenariosThis list is by no means comprehensive and there are plenty of other resources available. If you are doing something in this field, the AJ would love to hear from you. #goes #out #upcoming #events #calendar

Source: Watson A planning application has been submitted for the £100 million redevelopment of Church Wharf, a long-vacant 7.5-acre site at a key gateway to Bolton town centre. Developer Watson has lodged proposals with Bolton council for a four-phase, mixed-use scheme designed by jmarchitects. The project forms part of the town centre’s regeneration masterplan and is supported by £5 million from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Brownfield Housing Fund. The proposed development includes 415 homes across a mix of one, two and three-bedroom houses and apartments, with an unspecified proportion expected to be delivered as affordable housing. Plans also include a 130-bedroom hotel, as well as retail and restaurant units. According to the application, the development is designed to create a new urban neighbourhood close to Bolton Parish Church, with public realm improvements, pedestrian connections and active ground floor uses. If approved, construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2025, with completion expected by 2029. Source: Watson Source: Watson Source: Watson Source: Watson Source: Watson 1/5 show caption An economic impact assessment submitted with the plans projects that the development could create 1,500 jobs and contribute £64 million in gross value added to the local economy. It also estimates that the scheme could generate £7 million in annual household spending from future residents. Watson is currently also delivering the Creams Mill housing project in Little Lever. #plans #submitted #jmarchitects039 #415home #regeneration

Got a project that’s too bold to build? Submit your conceptual works, images and ideas for global recognition and print publication in the 2025 Vision Awards! The Main Entry deadline of June 6th is fast approach — submit your work today. In architecture, a building’s function often plays a pivotal role in shaping its design and aesthetic expression. This approach addresses the functional needs of its users and contributes to a unique architectural identity, reflecting the innovative spirit of the institutions it serves. That said, technological advances in architecture not only enhance efficiency but can also become unique design features that elevate aesthetics as much as functionality. For instance, innovative materials and construction methods, automation, or energy-saving control systems can meet practical demands and be visually appealing design features. This approach includes incorporating passive design principles, planning for long-term adaptability, and enhancing occupant comfort. Research institutes, laboratories, data centers, universities, manufacturing plants, medical centers, and tech incubators are notable architectural expressions of an era’s technological progress. The following examples of technological facilities effectively illustrate these principles, showcasing the dynamic relationship between design, function and innovation. Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex By Behnisch Architekten, Boston, Massachusetts Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex by Behnisch Architekten. Boston, Massachusetts | Photo by Steve Dunwell Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex by Behnisch Architekten. Boston, Massachusetts | Photo by Steve Dunwell The Harvard University Science and Engineering Complexis a notable centerpiece for Harvard’s Allston Campus, reflecting a deep commitment to interdisciplinary research, sustainability, and innovative design. This architectural marvel is not just a facility serving a specific function; it represents the forefront of scientific research and technological advancement. The 544,000-square-foot complex embodies the complexities and adaptabilities of modern scientific facilities through its three interconnected lab block thoughtful configuration. It features modular layouts that promote collaboration and creativity, with inviting lounges on multiple floors encouraging researchers to pause and exchange ideas. Aesthetically, the SEC uses a layered façade that integrates hydroformed stainless-steel screens with expansive floor-to-ceiling ribbon glazing. This design creates a visually striking silhouette against the urban landscape while optimizing natural light, ventilation, and thermal performance, showcasing the technological advancements in sustainable architecture. California Institute of Technology Resnick Sustainability Center By CannonDesign, Pasadena, California California Institute of Technology Resnick Sustainability Center by CannonDesign. Pasadena, California | Photo by Michael Moran California Institute of Technology Resnick Sustainability Center by CannonDesign. Pasadena, California | Photo by Tim Griffith Photography Caltech’s Resnick Sustainability Center is a dynamic structure that reflects the institution’s commitment to tackling some of the most pressing environmental challenges, such as clean energy transitions, water scarcity, and environmental degradation. The center fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to advance research in renewable energy technologies, carbon capture, sustainable manufacturing, and ecosystem resilience to create practical, science-based solutions for a more sustainable future. However, the building’s design is not merely functional; its undulating façade, composed of high-performance glass and metal fins, contributes to its striking aesthetics as much as serving environmental purposes. The rhythmic curves of the exterior not only give the building a distinctive identity but also optimize solar performance by managing heat gain and glare throughout the day. Paired with expansive windows that let in generous natural lighting, this striking building skin creates inviting and comfortable interior spaces. Green roofs and vertical gardens serve aesthetic and environmental purposes, enhancing biodiversity and offering a peaceful retreat within the urban fabric. Inside, the center’s shared labs and cutting-edge equipment emphasize transparency and accessibility, encouraging interaction among the building users. One North Quay By Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, London, United Kingdom One North Quay by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. London, United Kingdom | Visualization by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. One North Quay is Europe’s largest commercial health and life sciences building and exemplifies how a research-driven urban campus can integrate into a dense urban setting. Situated in Canary Wharf, one of London’s most space-constrained and strategically connected districts, the building responds to its limited footprint by organizing high-performance laboratories, flexible workstations, and communal zones into a stacked ecosystem that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and long-term growth. The building organizes tenants into blocks that connect labs, lounges, and meeting spaces. This configuration not only fosters interaction but also allows different tenants to scale according to their needs within a shared environment. While the efficient interior layout is impressive, it is its exterior design that stands out. The architecture draws from the site’s industrial heritage, balancing aesthetic appeal and environmental performance. Sections of the facade are clad in graphite aluminum fins and warm-toned terracotta panels, enhancing the building’s vertical expression. These materials are arranged in an elegant gradient, giving the structure a distinctive identity that stands out in the urban skyline. Beyond aesthetics, the facade integrates key sustainable features—including an airtight, high-performance envelope, energy-optimized systems, and extensive photovoltaic arrays—all supporting the building’s goal of achieving a net-zero carbon footprint. These case studies demonstrate that sustainable features are not simply utilitarian elements added to buildings but essential components that shape a building’s architectural identity and aesthetic expression. Harvard’s Science and Engineering Complex’ s high-performance materials and a layered façade system reduce energy use while defining the building’s contemporary, high-tech appearance; Caltech’s Resnick Sustainability Center’s undulating building envelope, green roofs, and abundant daylighting elevate the environmental performance and the user experience; One North Quay’s gradient façade of terracotta and aluminum blends industrial heritage with modern environmental technology, proving that sustainable strategies can contribute to a distinctive urban presence. These examples highlight a shift in the way architecture is approached, where environmental awareness can harmonize with design ambition. Through the integration of passive design strategies, innovative technologies, and creative use of materials, sustainable features are becoming expressive design elements in their own right. In doing so, they redefine what technological facilities can look like: functional, forward-thinking, and visually inspiring. Got a project that’s too bold to build? Submit your conceptual works, images and ideas for global recognition and print publication in the 2025 Vision Awards! The Main Entry deadline of June 6th is fast approach — submit your work today. The post In High-Tech Facility Design, Form Follows Function — and Sustainability appeared first on Journal. #hightech #facility #design #form #follows

Group looking to overhaul Docklands estate in wake of changing working practicesThe Greater London Authorityhas granted permission for a 912-bedroom student accommodation scheme at Canary Wharf in east London. Canary Wharf Group’s46-storey student accommodation tower at 7 Brannan Street in Wood Wharf was called in by the mayor’s office after being rejected by Tower Hamlets councul in November last year.  The local authority had deemed that the development by “virtue of its density and high number of student occupants” would lead to anti-social behaviour and noise that would be “detrimental to the existing residential amenity of neighbouring properties”. Source: CWGThe scheme at Wood Wharf will be home to more than 900 students But officers at the GLA recommended the council’s decision be overruled, which was confirmed after a hearing yesterday afternoon. Designed by Howells, the scheme includes a range of amenities at ground, mezzanine, ninth and roof levels, as well as ground floor retail and two waterside public gardens. Others working on the scheme include Chapmanbdsp as M&E and sustainability engineer, Waterman Group as structural engineer, Arup as fire engineer, T&T Alinea as cost consultant and WSP as planning consultant. The tower will be located to the south of Blackwall Basin and falls within both the Isle of Dogs Opportunity Area and the Wood Wharf masterplan, the latter of which was approved in December 2014 under outline planing permission for between 1,700 and 3,610 homes. A S106 agreement for the scheme requires provision of 320 affordable rooms, secured at equal to or below 55% of the maximum government maintenance loan for living costs. Tom Venner, chief development officer for Canary Wharf Group, said: “7 Brannan Street will be a fantastic addition to the diverse range of residential offerings at Canary Wharf. “We are already home to world-leading education and learning facilities, including the UCL School of Management operating from One Canada Square. “This building will help meet the demand for modern, high-quality accommodation located within a metropolitan environment offering a rich mix of retail, leisure, hospitality and green spaces for students to enjoy.”   Canary Wharf has historically been office-focused and dominated by the financial and professional sectors, but recent years have seen CWG, which owns nearly 40ha of land across the estate, push for a diversification of the site, with additional residential, educational and life science uses. CWG currently owns and manages interests in more than 1,100 build-to-rent apartments and claims that 3,500 people already live in Canary Wharf. Earlier this year, the UCL School of Management doubled the size of its presence in the One Canada Square building in Canary Wharf. #howells039 #canary #wharf #student #tower