Building Design articles from January 2005

Building Design archives from January 2005

Our shame.(women architects)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... These 58 faces represent a cross-section of our architectural society in 2005--a shocking and unacceptable 86% male. Look at their faces. They are all great architects, but it is man, after man, after man. So today we launch a campaign to...

Why this change matters.(The Campaign for more women in architecture)
January 7, 2005... Today we are asking you to confront a shameful truth: the shocking ratio of women to men in architecture. Fewer than one in seven architects are women. They make up 14% of the profession when they should be 50%. Now, in 2005, we must stop...

Call to action.(News)
January 7, 2005... Sign up The easiest way for you r practice to sign up to the 50/50 Charter is to visit our website, bdonline.co.uk/5050, where you will find a copy of the charter, information about the campaign and links to other relevant sites. The pledge...

Who's in our sights?(News)
January 7, 2005... Here are a few of the worst offenders who we will be pressuring to adopt our charter. * Stephen George & Partners Women architects 1 woman of 35 qualified architects Personnel manager Mike Strand said: "We don't seem to get enough female...

Patricia Hewitt: Trade & Industry secretary.(The Backers)
January 7, 2005... I wish the campaign every success--attracting and retaining female talent in architecture is not only good for women, but good for the profession. I hope that architecture firms can offer terms that encourage more women to join, stay and...

Richard Rogers: Architect and peer.(The Backers)(women architects)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... We are failing to attract women into architecture. Equally damaging, we are losing a great number of talented female architects along the way. We have to find ways of creating a more inclusive, flexible working environment.

Julie Mellor: Chairwoman, equal opportunities commission.(The Backers)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Architecture has been a traditionally male-dominated profession. This starts at school with the information and career choices that are available to young women and is compounded by the long-hours culture that makes balancing work and caring...

Jon Rouse: Chief executive, Housing Corporation.(The Backers)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... While I was at Cabe I was very aware of the gender divide at the top of the architectural profession. Although Cabe always had a good track record, I disliked working in a wider environment that was so white, male and middle class. Indeed, one...

Sexism: the real life story: a culture of long-hours coupled with sexism makes it hard to combine motherhood with being an architect.(From Jane to Sumita: architecture's glacial change)
January 7, 2005... Sacked for being pregnant, passed over for promotion, frozen out for daring to leave the office before 9pm--this is the shameful reality faced by many women trying to forge a career in architecture. An investigation into the obstacles...

Architects unite for rebuild effort: tsunami disaster presents design challenge for world's architects.
January 7, 2005... Architects from across the world have been at the forefront of reconstruction plans as the world tries to come to terms with the horrific aftermath of Boxing Day's devastating tsunami. Architectural associations across Asia are working with...

Profession hit by tsunami tragedy.(News)(Dominic Stephenson)(Obituary)
January 7, 2005... A trainee architect died in the tsunami disaster and his girlfriend is missing, feared dead. Dominic Stephenson, 27, who worked at Edinburgh practice 3D Architects, was the first confirmed Scottish fatality. He was on holiday on the...

Hutchinson spurred on by narrow escape.(News)(Architects)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... A leading architect escaped death in the Asian tsunami and spent two days hiding in the jungle. Maxwell Hutchinson has vowed to put the horrific experience to positive use and set up a charity, called Architects for Aid, which will send...

The largest residential scheme in London has been submitted for outline planning permission in what could be the first major test of the government's ambitious housing plans for the Thames Gateway.(hit and miss)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... The largest residential scheme in London has been submitted for outline planning permission in what could be the first major test of the government's ambitious housing plans for the Thames Gateway. The mammoth 10,800-home Barking Riverside...

The Aukett-designed Streatham Hub has been given the go-ahead.(Hit and miss)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... The Aukett-designed Streatham Hub (below) has been given the go-ahead. The project, which will include an ice rink, a swimming pool and 250 flats, had been called in by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, who had concerns over funding and...

A six-strong shortlist for the the new Avenham Park Pavilion in Preston has been announced.(Hit and miss)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... A six-strong shortlist for the the new Avenham Park Pavilion in Preston has been announced. Design Engine Architects, Ian McChesney, Niall McLaughlin Architects, Space Craft Architects and Studio Egret West are vying for the chance to design...

Ricky Burdett's position as adviser on architecture to London mayor Ken Livingstone, has been extended until 2007.(People)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Ricky Burdett's position as adviser on architecture to London mayor Ken Livingstone, has been extended until 2007. Burdett has also been appointed LSE centennial professor in architecture and urbanism.

Royal Academy of Arts.(appoints Nicholas Grimshaw)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Nicholas Grimshaw has been elected as the president of the Royal Academy of Arts. Grimshaw, 65, has been a Royal Academician since 1994 and replaces Phillip King, who stepped down last month after five years in office.

Prominent architects were recognised in the New Year's Honours list with civic architect John Thorp being awarded an MBE for his work at Leeds City Council.(People)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Prominent architects were recognised in the New Year's Honours list with civic architect John Thorp (below) being awarded an MBE for his work at Leeds City Council. Leslie Fairweather was awarded an OBE, as was Ralph Luck, the director of...

The RIBA has made its boldest move so far in challenging Arb.(Royal Institute of British Architects)(Architect's Registration Board)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... The RIBA has made its boldest move so far in challenging Arb. RIBA council has proposed a regulatory reform order to amend the 1997 Architects Act. The move follows the RIBA's Highton report, which called for the regulator to withdraw from...

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced new measures to end the backlog in planning appeals.(land use planning)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced new measures to end the backlog in planning appeals. These include extending the appeal period from three to six months and an extra 1 million[pounds sterling] for the Planning Inspectorate...

The university funding system widely blamed for the crisis at Cambridge's school of architecture is to be reformed to better recognise research.(Powerplay)
January 7, 2005... The university funding system widely blamed for the crisis at Cambridge's school of architecture is to be reformed to better recognise research. The Higher Education Funding Council for England has agreed to a number of changes to the next...

German Allianz.(News)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Herzog & de Meuron's stunning new stadium in Munich is nearing completion. The 66,000-seater stadium, to be shared by football teams Bayern Munich and TSV 1860, will feature over 1,000 panels which can be illuminated in red, white or blue to...

Richard Feilden dies in accident.(Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects)(Biography)
January 7, 2005... The soaring success of Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects was thrown into tragic perspective on Monday when the practice leader and "inspiration" Richard Feilden, was killed in a freak accident near his home. Feilden, 54, died when a tree he...

Holyrood haunts Scots court project.(Scottish Courts Service)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... A 134 million[pounds sterling] redevelopment of Scotland's Supreme Court building, Parliament House, has been dramatically frozen amid fears of a second Holyrood debacle. The Scottish Courts Service (SCS) halted the project, designed by...

Cabe panel shuffle.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Peter Stewart will be stepping down as director of Cabe's design review panel this spring to pursue a "new venture". Fifteen new members have joined the committee including Kelvin Campbell of Urban Initiatives and Christopher Egret of Studio...

Healthy advice.
January 7, 2005... One of the world's foremost healthcare design experts is coming to Britain to advise the government on its hospital building programme. Roger Ulrich is a highly respected academic and pioneered a design approach known as "evidence-based...

Stratford appointment.(DKS Architects contracts to design health center)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Middlesbrough practice DKS Architects has been appointed to design a 9 million[pounds sterling] health centre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The 5,670sq m scheme, for an unnamed developer, will incorporate a significant pre-fabricated element.

Grimshaw and Mowlem unite in new Bath spa investigation.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... The stalemate between contractor Mowlem and architect Grimshaw over the troubled Bath Spa project appears to have been broken as the two mounted a new investigation into continuing faults. In November, BD revealed a low in relations between...

Help not just for the privileged.(Comment)(Letter to the Editor)
January 7, 2005... I am very heartened to see the amount of support--including financial--offered to the threatened Cambridge School of Architecture. However, I do also have to note that while Cambridge provides many of the brightest and best architects in...

Teachers not stars.(Letter to the Editor)
January 7, 2005... I disagree with Zaha Hadid about the Architectural Association's need for a big hitter (News December 10). Not only does the unit-based teaching system at the AA run the risk of producing "fiefdoms", but the designs produced at the AA...

Adjaye adulation.(Comment)(Letter to the Editor)
January 7, 2005... The ridiculous hyperbole surrounding David Adjaye is proof that bullshit not only walks, it talks. Recent damning criticism of Iris work was provided by Janet Street-Porter, whose remodelled house was designed by Adjaye. With a couple of...

Expensive honour.(Comment)(Letter to the Editor)
January 7, 2005... I've just had Arb's latest demand for cash land on my desk. This year, it costs 74.50 [pounds sterling] for the "privilege" of calling myself an architect (and protecting the public against me, of course). This is a rise of around 6.4%--a...

Less of the lucre.(Comment)(Letter to the Editor)
January 7, 2005... As an attendee at the session reported in "Lessons in lucre" (November 26), I was concerned to read the subsequent article and feel the need to comment on two main points. 1 Financial performance--the figures attributed to our practice are...

More on marketing.(Comment)(Letter to the Editor)
January 7, 2005... It is perhaps not surprising to see such strong reactions to your article "Lessons in lucre" (November 26) as, indeed, some of the views expressed by Robert White in the workshop were rather provocative. I write to clarify that, at John McAslan...

Apple turnover.(Comment)(Letter to the Editor)
January 7, 2005... Regarding Malcolm Fraser's article (Soapbox December 10), I wonder if he is aware of the time his "bad apples" start work? If they are anything like me--apparently a true bad apple leaving dead on 5pm--he will find that they start work at...

Toilet humour.(Comment)(Letter to the Editor)
January 7, 2005... So Philippe Starck was embarrassed by the inappropriate completion, by a local practice, of a design which he clashed off in half an hour (News December 10). Perhaps he should put the time in for himself... From Paul Strong, Newcastle...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
January 7, 2005... BD reported incorrectly (News December 10) that David Mclean Developments won the first phase of the King's Dock project in Liverpool without an architect on board. The developer had in Fact appointed Birmingham based Glen Howells Architects...

Tsunami survivors need homes now.(Editorial)
January 7, 2005... The death toll grabs the headlines, but it is the disaster of homelessness that matters most now for the survivors of the Asian tsunami. The United Nations estimates that 5 million people across the region are in that dangerous predicament. ...

Practice lags behind in terms of equality.(Soapbox)
January 7, 2005... When I was a student at Newcastle in the late sixties, there was an abundance of female role models outside of architecture, such as Barbara Halunka and Mary Quant. But there were none in architecture. On my course--with the exception of nay...

Money for nothing.(Concrete Boots)
January 7, 2005... Designer Philippe Starck's housing venture with Manhattan Loft Corporation co-founder John Hitchcox has been given an injection of glamour. The firm, called YOO, has enlisted model and designer Jade Jagger to help design its new flats....

Seifert? Whatever.(Concrete Boots)
January 7, 2005... Poor old Richard Seifert. Just three years after he passed away, the Dictionary of National Biography has shrugged its shoulders at Seifert's long-standing reputation and all but dismissed his London buildings with the cutting words: "Many, if...

Bargain basement.(shoppers and home buyers)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Many happy shoppers noticed that the shops started their sales before Christmas this year, but for home buyers, there was even better news. Possibly with an eye to their annual sales figures, many of the major housebuilders were knocking...

Demolition man.(George Ferguson, Royal Institute of British Architects president on Channel 4's new show Demolition)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... RIBA president George Ferguson took some flak from Observer architecture critic Deyan Sudjic last week. Sudjic blamed Ferguson for Channel 4's new show Demolition, which will find one of Britain's most loathed buildings and demolish it at the...

Dog on the Tyne.(Concrete Boots)
January 7, 2005... BD may have called it a grub, but Private Eye has been far ruder about Norman Foster's Sage Music Centre in Gateshead, likening it to a large shiny condom and causing immediate outrage in Tyneside. The magazine's Piloti said: "This big,...

Sail of the century.(Concrete Boots)(Architectures)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... At this time of year, many of us pledge to take more exercise. But architect James Middleton-Stewart has taken matters one step further. Middleton-Stewart, who works for the Architects Design Partnership, has pledged to take to the seas next...

Glazing over: Foster's big gesture at Gateshead's Sage Music Centre--a single unifying membrane-like envelope--isn't new for the architect. But practice hasn't made perfect, and while the concert halls succeed, the external form disappoints again and again.(Works)(Foster and Partners)
January 7, 2005... Spencer de Grey can summon a battalion of arguments to account for the distinctive appearance of Gateshead's new Sage Music Centre. As we walk down the concourse of Foster & Partners' latest building I learn about its economic...

Salvation Army Chapel London: Architect: Carpenter/Lowings Building architect: Sheppard Robson Main contractor: Bowmer Kirkland.(Solutions)
January 7, 2005... The new headquarters of the Salvation Army is on one of the most significant public routes in London--between the Millennium Bridge over the Thames and St Paul's Cathedral. The chapel hangs at first floor over the entrance symbolising the...

Looks like rain: Damian Arnold reports on a weather-recording art installation in Exeter by Sutherland Hussey.(Solutions)(Daycaster)
January 7, 2005... Drivers passing through a previously bleak and unprepossessing roundabout near Exeter could now be forgiven for thinking the northern lights had migrated to Devon. The West Country version of the Aurora Borealis is in fact an illuminated...

Form follows fantasy: David Cunningham enjoys a book exploring the link between surrealism and architecture.(culture)(Surrealism and Architecture)(Book Review)
January 7, 2005... The relationship of architectural practice and theory to surrealism, one of the most important of the early 20th century avant-garde movements has rarely been attended to in any detail despite recent reconsiderations of the standard histories...

Tim Evans.(Radar)
January 7, 2005... Books Currently sitting on my bedside table are a diverse collection of books: Karaoke Capitalism by Jonas Ridderstrale and Kjell Nordstrom, one of the most engaging books on running a business; George Monbiot's The Age of Consent, which...

Collectors' fair.(Selector)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Peruse the best in applied art at Collect, the international art fair for contemporary objects at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Collect is from January 12-17 at the V&A. Cromwell Road, London. Tel: 0901 331 0035.

On the box.(Selector)
January 7, 2005... BBC2's new series Cathedral tells the story of the construction of five UK cathedrals including Winchester, which last century nearly sank, and arson-victim York Minster. Cathedral continues on BBC2, Mondays at 7pm.

Exhibition.(Selector)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... The intriguingly named Kubrick's Parlour (... a space oddity) uses architectural photographs by Lucia Helenka to evoke the future. Until January 12, the Bartlett School of Architecture, 22 Gordon Street, London. Tel: 020 7679 4642.

Concrete views of Japanese life: Pamela Buxton talks to Phoebe Dakin about her vision of Japan.(Lose yourself)
January 7, 2005... Phoebe Dakin's digital photographs o f Japan are not the images usually associated with the country. Instead of a Bladerunner-esque Tokyo. serene Zen landscapes or geisha and gadget cliches, her powerful black and white shots reveal a landscape...

Ancon.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... Need help selecting wall ties? www.ancon.co.uk now features an interactive product selector to identify the most appropriate Ancon or Staifix wall tie for your application. Visitors to www.ancon.co.uk simply click through a series of options...

Marley Roofing.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... Marley Roofing is once again at forefront of innovation supporting it's outstanding Plain Tiles range, with the introduction of a plain tile sample selector page to its successful website. www.marleyroofing.co.uk/plain tiles This convenient...

Flowcrete.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... Located in the heart of the commercial district on Hong Kong Island, the Cheung Kong Centre is one of the territory's most prestigious and distinctive buildings. Deckshield ID (Intermediate Decking) and Deckshield SD (for ramps and turning...

Lucid signs.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... Focussing on design, simplicity and cost-effectiveness, Lucid Signs' newly-launched range of digital signage brings prestige and efficiency to meeting rooms in corporate offices and conference centres. Customisable, easy-to-install, and fully...

Corus colors.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... The most specified pre-finished steel for roof and wall cladding in Europe, Colorcoat HP,S200[R] has been enhanced for 2005 to reflect the changing needs of the market Colorcoat HPS200 has been eco-designed for minimised environmental impact,...

Corus building systems.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... FalZinc's range of traditional half round rainwater gutters and down pipes, which is available in three different sizes, is now complemented by a wide range of accessories, including hoppers, brackets, clips, inspection and cleaning hatches and...

Irwin Industrial Tool Co ltd.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... Reinforcing he company's reputation for manufacturing pioneering and innovative tools, The Irwin Industrial Tool has developed an exclusive range of box levels for industry use. Part of the Irwin Strait-Line range, the groundbreaking levels...

Thermalite.(Products & Literature)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... The brand new Galleria situated in Glasgow's West End, houses thirteen luxury flats overlooking Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum--the most visited museum in the UK outside London. Built utilising Thermalite's range of innovative Aircrete...

Halfen ltd.(Products & Literature)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Halfen has published a White Paper called 'Vibration White Finger In Concrete Construction' to provide help to designers and contractors in understanding the most commonly prescribed disease under the Industrial Injuries Scheme, and the new...

Kinspan insulation limited.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... Kingspan Thermaroof TR26 LPC/FM zero ODP was in perfect tune with The Sage Gateshead, a purpose built music centre which has created a stunning landmark on the banks of the River Tyne. A total of 9.500 square metres were installed. Tel: +44(0)...

Knauf insulation.(Products & Literature)(new magazine launched)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2005... Thinksulation[R] is offering readers of a new magazine, At Home With Sarah Beeny, the opportunity to win an insulation makeover for their homes. Readers contacting Thinksulation[R] for information about how they can benefit from insulation will...

Brett Martin.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... A series of Xlox Express covered walkways have been installed all around Uffculme School, Birmingham as part of an ongoing programme of rerun. Designed, manufactured and installed by Brett Martin daylight Systems, the brightly coloured...

Thermalite.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... In July this year The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published a consultation document proposing extensive revisions to Part L of the Building Regulations. To reassure its customers, Thermalite has undertaken a examination of the proposals...

Rhepanol FK.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... Rigorous scrutiny by independent experts has confirmed the environmental credentials of one of the industry's most durable single ply roofing systems. Rhepanol fk scored maximum points in a rigorous life cycle assessment carried out by experts...

Gooding aluminium.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... Textured Aluminium Gravity Frames panels are now showing in the foyer of the Peckham Multiplex Cinema in South London. Fronting the kiosks the attractive and finely sculptured Vertex relief pattern provides superior impact resistance as well as...

Ubbink (UK) Ltd.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... Ubbink's Passive Stack Ventilation (PSV) system has been chosen by Derby City Council for the refurbishment of 68 properties which were previously deemed as 'defective" under the Housing Act Ubbink's PSV system was chosen because of its...

Selectaglaze.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... St. Albans based secondary glazing specialist, Selectaglaze Ltd. has successfully achieved IS09001 certification through LPCB (Loss Prevention Certification Board) and their security range, tested in accordance with LPS 1175, will become the...

Corus Building Systems.(Products & Literature)
January 7, 2005... FalZinc has developed a new six page full colour brochure, with information on its range of traditional half round gutters and down pipes, including the components and accessories to provide perfect drainage. The brochure entitled "traditional...

Your stars for 2005.
January 7, 2005... Aries Expect a surprise from a client early in the year, in the form of an itemised list and a solicitor's covering letter. Later, things "look up" when your insurance quote arrives. Respect yourself more during 2005, ignoring any weight you've...

The Charettes.
January 7, 2005... YOO HOO SUE POPPET [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SUE SWEETIE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BE A LOVE & FETCH ME BD'S 50/50 CAMPAIGN FOR WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE OH & WHILE YOU'RE UP I'LL HAVE A COFFEE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A capital face for architecture.(Zaha Hadid's design for Architecture Foundation)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2005... Zaha Hadid's winning design for the new headquarters for the Architecture Foundation. Hadid beat an international array of up-and-coming firms to land the prestigious commission, which will be the Pritzker Prize winner's first building in...

Foster's square dance.(Norman Foster got Parliament Square redesigning contract)
January 14, 2005... Norman Foster has once again proved to the world that he remains at the top of his game by securing the prestigious commission to redesign Parliament Square--the heart of British democracy. Foster, who made his name designing the German...

U-turn as Cambridge school reprieved.(Cambridge University department of architecture opens)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2005... Cambridge University performed the final part of an extraordinary U-turn on Wednesday, as its general board voted unanimously to keep its world-famous department of architecture open. Plans to close the school were revealed exclusively by...

Named and shamed joins 50/50 campaign.(News)(BD's 50/50 Charter)
January 14, 2005... The practice with the worst record in Britain for employing female architects joined the country's largest firm and 38 others this week and signed up to BD's 50/50 Charter. The opening days of the campaign for more women in architecture saw...

Traditional threat to Rogers library: listed building could replace Birmingham proposal.(News)
January 14, 2005... Richard Rogers' much-heralded design for the Birmingham library could be scrapped in favour of a traditional, listed building. The future of the Rogers scheme has been in doubt for some months after predicted costs spiralled. But it now...

Guideline warning after flood.(News)(floodplain guidelines from Environment Agency)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2005... The floods that devastated the North of England at the weekend have raised questions about the validity of the Environment Agency's floodplain guidelines. Carlisle City Council said it expected to redraw its local plan after the floods...

Housebuilder Taylor Woodrow has admitted that it has been hit by the slowdown in the housing market.(Hit and miss)(sales forecast)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2005... Housebuilder Taylor Woodrow has admitted that it has been hit by the slowdown in the housing market. Chief executive Ian Napier predicted sales would pick up in the second half of this year but admitted that full-year profits would be at the...

Basil Spence's archive will be put on public display at the Dean Gallery in Edinburgh in 2007.(Hit and miss)(funded by Heritage Lottery Fund)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2005... Basil Spence's archive will be put on public display at the Dean Gallery in Edinburgh in 2007, funded by a 1 million [pounds sterling] grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Whitechapel Gallery in east London has been awarded 3.26 million [pounds sterling] in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards its 12.36 million [pounds sterling] redevelopment, designed by Belgian practice Robbrecht en Daem.(Hit and miss)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2005... The Whitechapel Gallery in east London has been awarded 3.26 million [pounds sterling] in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards its 12.36 million [pounds sterling] redevelopment, designed by Belgian practice Robbrecht en Daem. The...

A funeral will be held at noon today in Bath Abbey for architect Richard Feilden, who died in a tragic accident while chopping down trees at his home on January 3.(People)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 14, 2005... A funeral will be held at noon today in Bath Abbey for architect Richard Feilden, who died in a tragic accident while chopping down trees at his home on January 3. All are welcome. A memorial service is also planned in London later in the year....