Architects Journal
February 2012
View all stories from this issue.
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An outsider’s view of the royal re-boot, and a tentative proposal for an atheist cathedral
Ian Martin texts the royals -
Boots property chief handed £4.5bn education brief
Boots’ property chief Michael Green has been appointed as the new director of capital for the Education Funding Agency, which will replace Partnerships for Schools in April -
British practices vie for Danish stadium
A number of high-profile British practices are among the teams shortlisted in the competition to design a £120 million indoor arena in Copenhagen -
Gareth Hoskins unveils vision for Helensburgh
Gareth Hoskins Architects has released images of its independent ‘vision document’ for Helensburgh in Scotland -
Grandstanding at Battersea
If Battersea Power Station needs a big idea then it’s hard to think bigger than squeezing a 60,000-seat football stadium next to – or maybe into – the iconic and decaying Grade II*-listed structure -
London’s £12bn office pipeline at risk
More than 150 office projects in London collectively worth £12 billion are at risk of being mothballed or stalling due to a lack of funding and pre-lets, according to a new report -
Mackintosh students to help with extension build
Steven Holl’s £50 million extension to the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is to become an ‘operating theatre’ for its students -
Plot to save Manchester’s CUBE from closure
A last-ditch bid to save the ground-breaking CUBE – Centre for the Urban Built Environment – is being made by a group of supporters hoping to prevent the gallery closing in April -
Roundtable: Professional indemnity
The AJ and insurance broker Griffiths & Armour gathered a selection of industry experts to debate contracts that cut risk and support innovation -
The chips are down
The residents of Will Alsop’s ‘Chips’ building in Manchester are not frying. In fact, for most of last week (13 February) they were freezing -
West Drayton Primary School, London Borough of Hillingdon, by The Architects Practice
Updates to this west London primary school show how multiple problems can be solved with one thoughtful solution, writes The Architects Practice’s Simon Foxell -
A new age dawns with the advent of the Royal Institute for the Pop-Uption of British Architects
Ian Martin redesigns Liverpool and Battersea -
A Place to Call Home
The RIBA’s exhibition is an entertaining and accessible retrospective which hopes to engage the public with 300 years of British housing, writes James Pallister -
ABIR bags planning for Brighton student block
[First look + plans + project data] ABIR Architects has landed planning permission for this student accommodation building for Ovingdean Hall International Language College in Brighton -
ABK shuts London office
Leading architectural studio ABK has wound down its London office following the retirement of its founding partners -
Adam Khan among finalists for Norfolk nature reserve scheme
Pensthorpe Nature Reserve and Gardens has named a four-strong shortlist, which includes Adam Khan working with gardening star Dan Pearson, in the competition to design its new £1.5 million visitor hub -
Ai Weiwei and Herzog & de Meuron to design Serpentine Pavilion
Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and Herzog & de Meuron have been chosen to design this year’s pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery, London -
AJ exclusive: DC CABE relocates to Angel Building
Design Council CABE is leaving its Covent Garden offices for Allford Hall Monaghan Morris’s (AHMM) Stirling Prize-shortlisted Angel Building in Islington -
AJ hosts design day in Peckham
Six architecture firms and six lighting designers joined forces last week to ‘make Peckham even better’ during a day-long design event at Will Alsop’s Stirling Prize-winning Peckham Library -
AJ Specification 02.12 – Insulation
Case studies of Emmanuel College Library by Kilburn Nightingale Architects, 103 Park Road by Sam Tisdall Architects and Walderslade Primary School by Clay Architecture -
Alvaro Siza in Machu Picchu
An exhibition of Álvaro Siza’s sketches of Machu Picchu makes Tim Abrahams reconsider the glorification of the architect’s scrawl -
Ambitious plans for new London footbridge revealed
Recently founded One-World Design has unveiled plans for a new £20 million footbridge next to the Chelsea Railway Bridge in London -
Analysis: The slow re-build of Japan
After the Great East Earthquake and its resulting tsunami hit the coastline of Japan’s Tohoku region in March, architects and engineers were among the first to the opportunity for improved design, communication and recovery in the country’s neglected urban areas, writes Michael Fitzpatrick -
Anglo-US team wins Moscow Mega-project
A team including John Thompson & Partners, Gillespies and Buro Happold has beaten a raft of big names in the contest to ‘double the size of Moscow’ -
ARB distances itself from email gaffes
ARB said leaked emails, which included an attack on RIBA president Angela Brady, were ‘not sent on its behalf or as part of any of its activities’ -
ARB elections: Brady backs Stephen Lawrence Trust candidates
RIBA president Angela Brady has come out in public support of two ethnic minority candidates endorsed by the Stephen Lawrence trust for election to ARB’s board -
ARB elections: Reform group accused of ‘dirty tricks’
RIBA-endorsed candidate John Assael has hit out at the ARB Reform Group for ‘exaggerated and unsubstantiated’ claims in its election manifesto -
ARB elections: Reform group chases institute backing
The ARB Reform Group (ARG) has demanded official RIBA backing following the institute’s controversial decision to support four non-reform group candidates for election to ARB’s board -
ARB elections: Shrimplin warns of ‘grave’ threat to UK architectural pre-eminence
UK architecture is facing a ‘grave’ threat from European directives which could ‘undermine’ its pre-eminence, a candidate standing for election to ARB’s board has claimed -
ARB elections: Stephen Lawrence Trust backs candidates
The Stephen Lawrence Trust has come out in support of two ethnic minority candidates running for election to the ARB’s board -
ARB elections: The ARB Reform Group candidates
The ARB Reform Group has called on architects to vote its seven candidates onto the ARB board -
ARB elections: The other candidates
There are 13 candidates standing for election to the ARB board who are neither endorsed by the RIBA nor part of the ARB Reform Group -
ARB elections: The race is on with one week left to vote
The AJ delivers the ultimate guide to the front-runners in this year’s hotly contested ARB elections -
Architect sought for Hillbrook Primary School extension, London
[Expressions of interest should be received by 5 March] Wandsworth Council is seeking architectural services for the expansion of Hillbrook Primary School in south-west London -
Architect sought for Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall revamp
[PQQ’s must be returned by 19 March] The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society is seeking a design team for the £7 million refurbishment of Liverpool’s Grade II*-listed Philharmonic Performance Hall and associated spaces. -
Architect sought for Stormont Assembly's new roof
[Expressions of interest must be received by 8 March] The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission in Belfast is on the hunt for design teams to offer ‘creative design solutions’ for the refurbishment of the Stormont parliament building’s roof -
Architectural installations sought for Tent London show
[Submissions must be received by 16 March] Tent London exhibition is on the hunt for four installations to exhibit at its Old Truman Brewery show between 20 and 23 September 2012 -
Architecture and urban space in Baghdad
[PREVIEW] A lecture at the Mosaic Rooms on Thursday 1 March will focus on urban spaces in Baghdad, many of which are at risk due to damage in the Gulf wars or through neglect -
Architecture Students Network replaces 'defunct' Archaos
The Architecture Students Network (ASN) has replaced Archaos as the main body representing architecture students in the UK -
Article 25 launches ideas contest for Haiti’s National Palace
[Expressions of interest must be received by 10 February] Architecture charity Article 25 has launched an ideas contest looking for proposals to replace Haiti’s earthquake-struck National Palace building -
Assael reveals home-led rival to council-backed Dreamland plans
Assael Architecture has unveiled its vision for Margate’s Dreamland site as the battle continues with Thanet District Council over the future of the former fun park -
AStudio and LCE complete £50m Wigan Life Centre
[First look] Work has completed on AStudio and LCE Architect’s £50 million Wigan Life Centre, which houses a library, swimming pool and council offices -
Atkins bags Adelaide Oval bridge
Atkins is to use its experience working on Oxford Street’s diagonal crossing on a project linked to the redevelopment of the Adelaide Oval cricket ground -
Atkins’ Qingdao ‘dream plaza’ starts on site
Atkins has said it is chasing luxury mixed-use work in China as construction of the company’s 300,000m² Pacific Dream Plaza scheme commenced in the north of the country -
Battersea Power Station up for £500m sale
Giles Gilbert Scott’s disused Battersea Power Station will be offered for sale on the open market for the first time next week -
Battersea Power Station worth £470m more if flattened
The demolition of Giles Gilbert Scott’s disused Grade II*-listed Battersea Power Station in south London could increase the site value by up to £470 million – it has been claimed -
BDP lands huge Zhengdong transport-node masterplan
BDP is hunting for further masterplanning work in China after securing a project to design a 2 million m² district close to new high speed rail infrastructure -
BFLS in hot water over contentious Dalston skyscraper
BFLS’s Eco Tower scheme in Dalston, north London has been described as ‘horrendous’ by locals and come in for criticism from English Heritage -
Bill Dunster’s PortZED vision rejected
Bill Dunster’s PortZED project at Portslade near Brighton has been denied planning permission -
Black Box: Invoked Computing
Here’s a way to ease off the carbon: retrofit everyday objects as well as buildings, writes Rory Olcayto -
Bradford university tenders architectural framework
[Requests to participate should be received by 28 February] The University of Bradford is seeking architectural services as part of a four-year framework agreement -
Brebner leaves struggling ASL for AECOM
Austin:Smith Lord (ASL) partner Ian Brebner has jumped ship to join global giant AECOM. -
Bristol City seeks architect for Ashton Court revamp
[PQQ’s must be returned by 3 April] Bristol City Council is on the hunt for a conservation architect for works on the Grade I-listed Ashton Court -
Britain in Venice: ‘It feels right to try something new’
Vicky Richardson, director of architecture, design and fashion at the British Council, defends Britain’s effort at this year’s Venice Biennale -
Broadway Malyan predicts Middle East growth despite job losses
A senior figure at Broadway Malyan has insisted the UK-headquartered practice will continue to grow in the Middle East despite possible job cuts -
Building for Life faces major re-think
Building for Life’s (BfL) network of accredited assessors and points-based assessment system for housing in England has been abandoned ahead of a re-launch expected later this year -
Cabin fever
David Kohn’s boat hotel for Living Architecture is pure whimsy writes Felix Mara -
Camden Council seeks learning centre architect
[Requests to participate must be received 19 March] Camden Council is seeking a multidisciplinary design team for the design and construction of the Camden Centre for Learning -
Chinese star Wang Shu wins Pritzker
Chinese architect Wang Shu has been awarded the 2012 Pritzker Prize -
Clay Farm community centre, Cambridge
[Requests to participate must be received by 27 February] Cambridge City Council is looking for a design-led consultancy team for its Clay Farm community centre project -
Comment: Small will always lose out to big
Michael Casey of emerging practice CaseyFierro talks about the disappointment of losing out to the big boys on a huge east London scheme, and why small practices will always struggle to win large-scale projects -
Competitions: Editor's Pick, 01.03.12
St Cecilia’s Hall Edinburgh, the Camden Centre for Learning and Imperial College London’s framework. The editor’s pick of this week’s top competitions -
Competitions: Editor's Pick, 02.02.12
Clay Farm community centre, a Passivehaus contest in Sofia and the Northern Ireland Prison Service’s framework. The editor’s pick of this week’s top competitions -
Competitions: Editor's Pick, 09.02.12
Durham university physics facility, a £12,500 urban habitat contest and Hillbrook Primary School in London. The editor’s pick of this week’s top competitions -
Competitions: Editor's Pick, 23.02.12
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, a pavilion for Littlehampton and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark. The editor’s pick of this week’s top competitions -
Construction market dips Down Under
Hopes of a revival in the Australian built environment sector have been dealt twin blows this week. -
Construction professionals using BIM up 18pc since 2010
The number of construction professionals using BIM has more than doubled in two years, reports AJ’s sister title Construction News -
Contentious Middlesex Hospital revamp wins planning
Plans for a major mixed-use development by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and Sheppard Robson on the site of the former Middlesex Hospital have been granted permission by Westminster City Council -
Contest launched for nature-inspired architecture
[Registration is to be completed by 1 July] Competition organisers D3 have launched an international ideas contest seeking architectural designs inspired by nature -
Contest launched for Stage by the Sea pavilion, Littlehampton
[Expressions of interest must be received by 26 March] Littlehampton Town Council is on the hunt for practices to design a seafront shelter and theatre space -
Converted shipping container named Londonʼs best office extension
Gundry & Ducker Architects, Carl Turner Architects and Ashton Porter Architects have scooped the top accolades in the NLA’s third annual Don't Move, Improve! competition -
Corb’s Unite goes up in flames
Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation housing estate in Marseille, France has been damaged by fire -
Council backs contentious Robin Hood Gardens plan
Tower Hamlets Council has unanimously approved Horden Cherry Lee and Aedas’ controversial £500 million project to redevelop Robin Hood Gardens in Poplar, east London -
Council seeks architect for 44 homes in Ayrshire
[Requests to participate must be received by 16 March] North Ayrshire Council is on the hunt for architectural services to build 44 new homes in Kilwinning, Scotland -
Council seeks architect for Derbyshire care buildings
[Tenders should be received by 19 March] Derbyshire County Council’s adult care department is seeking architects for two multi-use social care buildings for the elderly -
Danish Roskilde Festival seeks architect for poverty installation
[Submissions must be received by 1 March] Designs for the ‘poor city’ area of Denmark’s annual Roskilde Festival are being sought -
David Kester: We need design champions as politicians
Design Council chief executive David Kester has called on policy makers to recognise the value architects and designers bring to the UK -
David Miller scoops planning for 23-storey Aldgate Hotel
David Miller Architects has won planning permission for this 251-room tower hotel at Aldgate, east London -
DC CABE backs YRM’s Hinkley Point nuclear plan
DC CABE has given YRM’s £10 billion Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor scheme a glowing design review -
DC CABE to ‘refresh’ design panels
Regeneration expert Nahid Majid has been tasked with revitalising the now-independent design body, adding ‘faith and community advisors’ to its 450-strong network of architects, designers and academics -
Death at foot of Aedas tower could lead to corporate manslaughter charge
The inquest into the death of a man crushed by a lorry that blew over at the foot of Aedas’ Bridgewater Tower in Leeds has been adjourned so prosecutors can consider corporate manslaughter charges -
Debate: Liverpool opts to elect city mayor
Last week, Liverpool stole a march on the country’s biggest regional capitals, bypassing a city wide referendum and voting to create the post of a directly elected city mayor -
Delays hit later stages of mammoth Doha project
Major construction work on the final phase of the £3.5billion Qatari Musheireb development is on hold, the Architects’ Journal has learned -
Design team named for Olympic International Quarter
BDP, Gensler, Pringle Brandon Drew, TP Bennett and Woods Bagot have been chosen to design the new £1.3 billion commercial district on the edge of the Olympic Park in Stratford City -
Digital Edition: AJ 01.03.12
The Architects’ Journal | 01.03.12 | Number 8 | Volume 235 | Amin Taha / Davy Smith Architects / David Kohn -
Digital edition: AJ 02.02.12
The Architects’ Journal | 02.02.12 | Number 4 | Volume 235 | OMA/ White Architecker -
Digital edition: AJ 09.02.12
The Architects’ Journal | 09.02.12 | Number 5 | Volume 235 | Schools: AHMM, Archial, Duggan Morris and more -
Digital edition: AJ 16.02.12
The Architects’ Journal | 16.02.12 | Number 6 | Volume 235 | Foster + Partners/ Threefold Architects -
Digital edition: AJ 23.02.12
The Architects’ Journal | 23.02.12 | Number 7 | Volume 235 | Page\Park Architects / De Matos Ryan | Sustainability in Practice -
Digital edition: AJ Specification, February 2012
Insulation -
Disabled access champion Cave dies
Disabled access specialist Adrian Cave (1935-2011) has died of cancer aged 76 -
DSDHA bags planning for Westminster homes
DSDHA has finally won planning permission for a new luxury, 275-flat scheme in Westminster, central London, for Berkeley Homes -
Dunlop: 'Hand drawing represents the stain of the true architect’s soul on paper'
[ARTS IN BRIEF] Bookings are now open for a drawing masterclass with Glasgow architect Alan Dunlop and artist Patricia Cain -
Durham university seeks architect for physics research facility
[Requests to participate must be received by 13 March] The University of Durham is seeking architect-led teams to design a new physics facility on its science campus -
Ecophon - Acoustics are top of the class at Southport college
A college in Southport is reaping the rewards of an acoustic ceiling solution from Ecophon, part of leading international materials company Saint-Gobain. -
Ecophon - Acoustics are top of the class at Southport college
A college in Southport is reaping the rewards of an acoustic ceiling solution from Ecophon, part of leading international materials company Saint-Gobain. -
End for Birmingham Central Library: Paradise Circus plans revealed
Glenn Howells Architects has revealed its latest vision for a replacement of John Madin’s soon-to-be-demolished Brutalist 1974 central library in Birmingham. -
Exclusive: AJ Small Projects winners announced
An almost invisible live/work scheme on the site of a former carpenter’s workshop has won this year’s AJ Small Projects Awards -
Exclusive: Newcomer scoops Cronton Colliery contest
Unknown practice Michael Lee Architects has won the international contest to design a new visitor centre at Cronton Colliery -
Familiar Faces
Page\Park’s retrofit of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery paints as detailed a picture of the country’s cultural character as the works within -
Farrell to submit speculative Battersea Power Station plans
Terry Farrell and Partners is set to submit a fresh planning application for Battersea Power Station as part of a bid to save Giles Gilbert Scott’s brick icon from total demolition -
FaulknerBrowns out of blocks with Derby sports arena
[First look + project data] FaulknerBrowns has submitted plans for a multi-sport arena next to Pride Park Stadium in Derby -
First look at Bell Phillips' east London housing retrofit
Bell Phillips Architects has released these photos of its £8.5 million, RIBA competition-winning retrofit of a housing estate in Plaistow, east London -
Foreign students must earn £20k to stay
Architects have spoken out against tough new immigration rules for foreign students set to come into place ‘within weeks’ -
Foster + Partners posts huge profits
Foster + Partners has increased its turnover by nearly 19 per cent to £159.27 million and hiked its profits by 13.3 per cent to £49.64 million -
Foster misses out on £45m Indian museum job
Foster + Partners has narrowly lost out to Japanese practice Maki and Associates in the competition to design the £45 million Patna museum of ancient India -
Foster’s formula: McLaren Production Centre
Obsessed with detail and process-driven, Foster + Partners’ factory for McLaren is as finely tuned as the supercars it produces, writes Felix Mara -
Foster's $250 million NY library scheme resurrected
Foster + Partners’ competition-winning scheme to overhaul New York’s Central Library has been given the green light, nearly three and a half years after the practice landed the job -
Geoff Wilkinson’s Regs: Part A, C, and L changes
How changes to Part A, C, and L of the Building Regulations will affect you, by Geoff Wilkinson -
Geoff Wilkinson’s Regs: The [HSE’s] Fee For Intervention will recover costs from those who break health and safety laws
Site deaths are on the rise and architects can be prosecuted for unsafe designs, warns Geoff Wilkinson -
German architects busiest in Europe
German architects continue to perform well ahead of those in the rest of the continent, a report has revealed -
Gillespies reveals rooftop gardens for British Museum extension
Landscape architect Gillespies has released these designs for roof terraces above Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’ £135 million extension to the British Museum in London -
GKD - Golden Wings
The Hilton Frankfurt Airport Hotel is connected to Terminal 1 of Frankfurt Airport via a skywalk. At the same time, the hotel is located in close proximity to the biggest motorway junction in Europe and above the ICE long-distance railway station. -
Going for Gold at the RIBA and the AIA
From the Architectural Review: William JR Curtis reflects on the medal winning success of Herman Hertzberger and Steven Holl -
Green light for Assael's office-to-home scheme in Clapham
Assael Architecture has won planning consent for this £6 million scheme in Clapham, South London -
Green shoots? University work ‘on the rise’
Practices are reporting a resurgence of work in the higher education sector as universities face competition for students -
Greengate residential development, Salford, by White Arkitekter
Social housing When Salford wanted healthy lifestyle housing, Swedish practice White Arkitekter was well equipped for the challenge, writes Felix Mara -
Grimshaw lands spot on Buffalo university shortlist
Grimshaw has been shortlisted to design a $375m (£235m) School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences for the University at Buffalo in the US -
Grimshaw to design secret airport in Russia
Grimshaw has beaten an all-British shortlist to win top-secret Russian project, location unknown -
Grimshaw, HOK and Aedas’ shortlisted Chicago Navy Pier schemes revealed
Images showing the five shortlisted schemes competing to revamp Chicago’s 900-metre long Navy Pier amusement attraction have been unveiled -
Half-size Skylon mooted for Herefordshire
Plans to build a 50 metre-tall Skylon replica near Hereford have emerged -
Haptic team wins Riga airport contest
London-based Haptic Architects, with Oslo architects Narud Stokke Wiig, have won the international contest to design the new airBaltic terminal in Riga, Latvia -
Hello, goodbye - Lennon and McCartney's homes listed; Starr and Harrison's rejected
Architecture minister John Penrose has given Grade II listings to the childhood homes of Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney but has rejected calls to protect the former homes of George Harrison and Ringo Starr -
Hermann Hertzberger at the RIBA - Familiar themes
From the archive 1971: Peter Scher reviews RIBA Gold Medal winner Hermann Hertzberger’s lecture given at the RIBA in February 1971 -
Hertzberger on the slow track
From the archive 1988: Francis Duffy in conversation with Hertzberger reflects on the leading and blunt edges that the Dutch ministry of social welfare headquarters represents -
Hertzberger: ‘Architects try to make the special ordinary. We should do the opposite’
Herman Hertzberger ended his Royal Gold Medal lecture with a sideswipe at icon-culture and a plea for architecture which concentrates more on the social than the individual -
Hillhead Primary School, Glasgow, by JM Architects
Hillhead Primary School combines a parkland setting with the bustle of Glasgow’s cultural quarter to create a school of two halves, says Alan Dunlop. Photography by Andrew Lee -
Hodder lands planning for £20m Manchester hotel
Hodder + Partners has bagged planning permission for a 330-room hotel opposite Piccadilly Station and the Grade II* listed Fire Station -
Holder Mathias finds new outlet in Estonia
Holder Mathias has landed this retail outlet project in Estonia – and believes Eastern Europe could become a hotbed for similar schemes -
Hollywood helps London developers weather financial crisis
The world of film is helping an increasing number of developers and landlords weather the economic crisis by opening the doors of vacant buildings in London and turning their offices into film sets. -
Hopkins to revamp Herne Hill Velodrome
Olympic velodrome architect Hopkins has been confirmed as part of the team looking at the redevelopment of the historic Herne Hill Velodrome in south London -
Housing debate: What the UK needs now
Architects weigh in on UK housing reform after the RIBA’s exhibition, ‘A Place to Call Home: Where We Live and Why’ opened last week -
Housing starts down 4% in 2011
The number of housing starts in England fell last year by more than four per cent, government figures have revealed -
How the transformative power of art can turn a northern wilderness into a dessert
Ian Martin browses the pudding menu -
Hugh Broughton sees off stars to win Welbeck contest
Hugh Broughton Architects has won the contest to design a new £5 million gallery on the historic 15,000-acre Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire. -
Imperial College tenders eight year framework
[Expressions of interest must be received by 2 April] Imperial College London is calling for architectural design services as part of an eight year framework agreement -
In Cohousing We Trust
Stephen Hill is a firm advocate of the ideas contained within Cohousing in Britain: A Diggers and Dreamers Review -
In pictures: Tiny crane placed on top of Renzo Piano’s London Shard
A compact mini-crane has been lifted 238 metres to the top of Renzo Piano’s almost complete Shard skyscraper in London -
Interview: RIBA Gold Medalist Hertzberger talks candidly to the AJ
As the RIBA honours Herman Hertzberger, 79, with a Gold Medal, the Dutch architect tells James Pallister why he advocates a return to tool-based education, re-using empty office buildings and why the profession should stop thinking about beauty and start making buildings that work -
Jeremy Rifkin's The Third Industrial Revolution and The Very Hungry City
Two new books on global energy dependency deal in anecdote, theory and ‘dreams come true’ writes Hattie Hartman -
Keppie looks for partners to bolster Far East growth
Glasgow-based practice Keppie Design is looking for partners to help it expand into South-east Asia -
Kirk Balk Community College, Barnsley, by AHMM
Kirk Balk Community College’s sophisticated use of standard components shows what BSF was capable of, writes James Pallister -
KPF hunts staff after landing Abu Dhabi airport go-ahead
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) is set to hire architects for its London office following the Abu Dhabi government’s recent decision to back a huge new airport terminal -
KPF’s Canary Wharf tower starts on site
KPF’s 45,000m² 25 Churchill Place office scheme in London’s Docklands has started on site -
Legalese: Schoolwork
Education projects are among the most fraught – here’s how to avoid disputes, writes Mark Klimt -
LEGO unwraps Sydney Opera House miniature
LEGO Architecture has created a miniature tribute to Jørn Utzon’s Sydney Opera House -
Living the high life
Davy Smith’s Digby Road scheme provides an intelligent mix of homes - and the tallest living wall in Europe -
Livingstone unconvinced by Thames Estuary airport
Ken Livingstone has hit out at plans to build a new London airport -
Make reveals Elephant and Castle redevelopment vision
[First look] Make has revealed these images of its £1.5 billion masterplan for the redevelopment of Elephant and Castle in south London -
Making the most out of MIPIM 2012 - Tom's top 10 tips
Urban Splash co-founder Tom Bloxham delivers his ten top tips on how to get the most out of MIPIM… -
Mapei showcase Mapefloor System at Benetton Knightsbridge store
A system of products from Mapei’s Resin & Cementitious Flooring line has been specified in the major refurbishment of Benetton Knightsbridge retail store. Its 1,200m2 existing tile floor has been replaced with Mapei’s Mapefloor System, to create a concrete look epoxy finish -
Market analysis: Firms compete for slice of American pie
As architecture practices report an upsurge in construction opportunities, analysts warn that recovery from the sub-prime disaster may be slower than frustrated global companies would like -
Mays joins RIAS amid bullying claims at Historic Scotland
Deborah Mays has become the latest big name to exit Historic Scotland (HS), after jumping ship to join the RIAS. -
Michael Trentham scoops planning for Peckham pub redevelopment
[First look + plans] Michael Trentham Architects has won planning permission for this residential project to redevelop a pub site in Peckham, south London -
MIPIM: As it happened
Revisit the AJ’s live blog from Europe’s biggest property fair – experience the thrill and champagne spills of the annual MIPIM property show in Cannes -
Moxon completes 'looping cradle' bridge in St Helens
Work has finished on Moxon Architects’ £1.2 million foot and cycle bridge linking St Helens’ Rugby League stadium with the centre of the Merseyside town -
Muf bags place on Bankside Urban Forest longlist
Muf, Publicworks, Carl Turner Architects and We Made That are among sixteen teams longlisted to design installations for the Bankside Urban Forest in London -
Muf lands spot on Bankside Urban Forest shortlist
Muf has been shortlisted to design installations for the Bankside Urban Forest in London -
My blueprint for a successful House of Lords
Paul Finch’s letter from London: Reform of the House of Lords has failed because it hasn’t addressed who should sit in the second chamber -
New findings: Women in Architecture Survey
Continuing the AJ’s campaign to promote the status of women in architecture, further analysis of the AJ’s survey results reveals a shocking pay gap at director level, writes Christine Murray -
New Practices #100: One-World Design
The latest in a series of practice profiles looking at architects who have recently decided to go it alone either through choice or redundancy -
New Practices #101: CoWorks
The latest in a series of practice profiles looking at architects who have recently decided to go it alone either through choice or redundancy -
New Practices #99: Stone Opera
The latest in a series of practice profiles looking at architects who have recently decided to go it alone either through choice or redundancy -
New Practices: East West Architecture Studio
The latest in a series of practice profiles looking at architects who have recently decided to go it alone either through choice or redundancy -
New York City Vision competition
[Registration should be completed by 9 April] Students and design professionals have been invited to submit proposals envisaging the future of New York City -
NEX Architecture bags place on Kedleston Hall shortlist
AJ Small Projects Sustainability Award-winner NEX architecture has been named on a five-strong shortlist to design a contemporary architecture pavilion at Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire -
Next year's President's Medals should reward real life briefs
[THIS WEEK] The President’s Medal winners ‘seem to think ordinary life processes of contemporary society are too boring to merit attention’. -
Norma Merrick Sklarek dies
Norma Merrick Sklarek, the first African-American woman in the US to become a licensed architect has died of heart failure at the age of 85 -
Northern Ireland Prison Service tenders architectural framework
[Requests to participate must be received by 22 February] The Northern Ireland Prison Service is on the hunt for architect-led design teams for its four year framework agreement -
Notre Dame High School, Greenock, Scotland, by Archial
With its giant colonnade and stepped entrance, Greenock’s Notre Dame High School is a genuinely civic building, writes Alan Hooper. Photography by Keith Hunter -
Obituary: Martin Charles (1940-2012)
Martin Charles (1940-2012), who died last month after a long illness, was one of Britain’s greatest architectural photographers. -
Off Broadway (Market)
Abstract and asymmetrical, Amin Taha Architects’ mixed-use development makes a flamboyant and frugal addition to its hip East End neighbourhood -
Office values struggle as confidence remains low
Germany is the only European country expecting to see an improvement in the value of commercial property in the first three months of this year -
Oldham and Brennan resign after ARB email blunders
The ARB board has accepted the resignations of members George Oldham and Ruth Brennan who mistakenly sent private emails to the AJ that included an attack on RIBA president Angela Brady -
Olympocrat U-turn
Remember all the fuss about Olympic bosses refusing to allow architects to advertise their role in the London 2012 Olympic Games construction? -
Parritt Leng’s Butterfly House starts on site
[First look + plans] Work has started on Parritt Leng’s £1.2 million Butterfly House, near Godalming, Surrey -
Passivhaus community centre: Mayville by Bere Architects
Bere Architects’ retrofit stretched its tiny budget, winning funding for being the first non-domestic London Passivhaus -
Passivhaus leaves home
Public buildings in the UK are now winning the rigorous German standard, writes Hattie Hartman -
Passivhaus primary schools: Bushbury Hills by Architype Architects
Architype was determined to prove that Passivhaus certification need not cost more, nor limit architectural expression -
Patricia Brown joins London mayor’s design advisory panel
Former Central London Partnership chief executive Patricia Brown has been appointed to London mayor Boris Johnson’s design advisory panel -
Paul Finch: We should tell UNESCO where to stick it
Letter from London: It’s time for French bully UNESCO to stop interfering with our heritage sites -
Pavilions for Westwood Girls’ College for Languages and Art, and Virgo Fidelis Convent School, Croydon, by Duggan Morris
Modular school construction: Duggan Morris turns prefabricated components into site-specific pavilions for two schools, writes Felix Mara -
Peabody launches hunt for architect to design 150 east London homes
[Expressions of interest must be received by 5 March] Commemorating its 150th year, the Peabody housing trust has launched a two-stage competition to design 150–200 new homes on a brownfield site in east London -
Peel not afraid to 'walk away' from Liverpool Waters
Developer giant Peel Holdings has said it is unafraid to ‘walk away’ from £5.5billion development of Liverpool’s waterfront if the Chapman Taylor-designed project goes to public inquiry -
Pie wins Irish town plan
Emerging practice Pie Architecture has won the open competition to masterplan the overhaul of the existing Station House and the space around itin the town of Carlingford, southern Ireland -
Planning permissions hit five year low
The number of schemes given planning permissions in te UK fell to just 115,000 last year – its lowest level in half a decade -
Planning permissions tumble 12 per cent
The underlying value of planning approvals fell 12 per cent in 2011 compared to the year before -
Planning portal - The conversion of office space to new housing
Using empty offices for homes makes sense – and the government knows it, says Arita Morris -
Planning portal: PPS7 and design of ‘exceptional quality’
Having our appeal dismissed taught us valuable lessons about PPS7 and design of ‘exceptional quality’, writes Richard Rose-Casemore -
Plans for Olympic Park museum unveiled
The British Olympic Association (BOA) is planning to open an Olympic Park museum close to Anish Kapoor’s ArcelorMittal Orbit tower -
Plans unveiled for £150m Shrewsbury mega mall
A planning application has been submitted by Chapman Taylor for a £150 million regeneration project to replace Shrewsbury’s three existing shopping centres with one giant new mall -
Plymouth schools showcase sound design
One of the themes for this year’s Noise Action Week (23-27 May) was looking at the importance of a healthy acoustic environment for students and teachers. During two case study visits to contrasting schools in Plymouth on Friday 27 May, Saint-Gobain Ecophon’s invited guests were able to see first-hand the impact good acoustics can have on learning environments. -
Pollard Thomas Edwards wins planning for 500-home Chelmsford scheme
[First look + project data] Pollard Thomas Edwards architects (PTEa) has bagged permission to build a huge, housing-led scheme on the former Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) campus in Chelmsford -
Prejudice and amateurism within the ARB board
Prejudice, stupidity, hypocrisy: the email leak has exposed harsh truths about the ARB board, writes Rory Olcayto -
Priority schools in 'chaos' as delays grow
Labour’s shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg has said the government’s £2bn Priority Schools Building Programme appears to be ‘in chaos’ -
Private finance not the way forward, says Margaret Hodge
The head of the committee that scrutinises government spending has said she no longer believes private finance should be used to fund public sector capital projects -
Protest looming over threat to Bancroft’s last surviving work
Campaigners against plans to demolish parts of John Bancroft’s last surviving work, Elliott School in Putney, south London, have pledged to protest against a crucial council vote later this week -
PRP wins massive Russian theatre project
PRP Architects has won the contest to design a multi-purpose complex on Vasilievsky Island, St Petersburg, featuring four residential towers -
Rave against the machine
Molly Macindoe’s photography reveals the gritty former life of familiar city sites during the free party heyday of the late 90s, writes Merlin Fulcher -
Raw wins go-ahead for rural gem
Emerging London-based practice Raw Architecture Workshop has won planning for this 150m2 home on an ‘exposed, steeply sloping’ site at Camusdarach Sands, Morar, Scotland -
RCA reveals new head of architecture
Charles Walker, the tutor behind the AA’s annual summer pavilion, architect and structural engineering whizz, has been named as the Royal College of Art’s (RCA) new head of architecture -
Rebuilt to Last: Home Farm by De Matos Ryan
Tinkered with since the 16th century, Home Farm’s newest interventions by De Matos Ryan include a barn conversion, a suite in the loft and a garden pavilion -
Report highlights ‘serious flaws’ in UK arts building procurement
A critical investigation into the construction of new UK arts buildings has recommended a radical shake-up of procurement -
Residents celebrate Oxley Woods expansion veto
Residents of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’ (RSHP) Oxley Woods housing estate in Milton Keynes are celebrating the defeat of Taylor Wimpey’s expansion plans -
Revealed: mae scores Olympic fringe hat-trick
Housing specialist mæ architects has bagged planning permission for a trio of projects to revamp rundown sporting facilities in east London -
Revealed: new home for Royal Scottish National Orchestra
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) has revealed of plans to move to a new £14million home next to Glasgow Royal Concert Hall -
Revealed: Serie's BMW Olympic pavilion
Starlet practice Serie Architects has revealed images of its competition-winning design for BMW’s new pavilion in the London 2012 Olympic Park -
Revealed: the first ever amphibious house
Waterworld-specialists BACA Architects have cornered the market in the floating future - and have come up with yet another ingenious scheme -
Revealed: Zaha's plans for Chartres Expo centre
Zaha Hadid Architects has released images of its €29.5 million Expo centre on the outskirts of Chartres, France -
RIBA Launches Future Leaders program for 2012
The RIBA has announced the first of three training events throughout 2012 aimed at future leaders of the architecture profession. -
RIBA marks death of Norma Merrick Sklarek
Angela Brady, president of the RIBA, has spoken of her sadness at the death of Norma Merrick Sklarek, the first black woman architect to be licensed in the US -
RIBA scholarships launched as president warns of student hardship
RIBA president Angela Brady has raised serious concern over architecture students’ financial hardship as the institute invited entries to its 2012 Part II scholarship programme -
RIBA trade mission: small practices bid for Chinese foothold
The RIBA is flying seven practices from the South-east of England to China this month to target the country’s luxury homes, hotels and shopping sectors -
RMJM's £81 million Ayr campus opens doors
RMJM’s £81 million Ayr campus for the University of the West of Scotland and Scottish Agricultural College has officialy opened -
Rockpanel: independently certified as an A+/A rated facade cladding
Rockpanel’s sustainability performance has been assessed by the highly respected British Building Research Establishment (BRE) and on the basis of a Life Cycle Assessment, BRE has awarded Rockpanel an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). -
Rogers, Heatherwick and Bjarke Ingels talk cycling with Cameron
Prime minister David Cameron met with architects Richard Rogers, Thomas Heatherwick and Bjarke Ingels this week to discuss urban design and safer cycling -
Round One to OMA in contest for Moscow mega-project
Dutch practice OMA has won the first round in the high-profile competition to masterplan the doubling of Moscow -
Saint-Gobain Isover 2012 Architectural Student Design Competition shortlist revealed
The eight shortlisted entries in the 2012 Architectural Student Design Competition will showcase their designs at Ecobuild -
See Hockney for free
[THIS WEEK] Avoid hefty ticket prices and see Hockney for free, writes James Pallister -
Seilern 'positive' about Nigerian market after key win
The head of Studio Seilern Architects has hailed the ‘sophistication’ of the Nigerian market after the practice secured its first scheme in the country -
Shed design contest launched in Canada
[Registration must be completed by 5 March] A competition has been launched to design new storage sheds in Greater Sudbury, Ontario -
Shedkm unveils Merseyside villa proposals
[First look + plans] Shedkm has submitted plans for this two-storey, six-bedroom villa on a site in Formby, Merseyside -
Shell Centre developers looking for architects
The backers behind London’s Shell Centre redevelopment are looking for architects to design the scheme’s commercial and residential elements -
Sheppard Robson completes stem-cell centre
Sheppard Robson has unwrapped this stem-cell research centre for the University of Edinburgh -
Shock email leak as ARB elections heat up
Emails mistakenly sent to the AJ by ARB board members call RIBA president Angela Brady ‘a prat’ and refer to Stephen Lawrence Trust-backed candidates as ‘the ethnics’ -
St. Cecilia’s Hall revamp, Edinburgh
[PQQ’s must be returned by 16 March] The University of Edinburgh is on the hunt for an architect with conservation accreditation to manage the £3.2 million redevelopment of St. Cecilia’s Hall, Edinburgh -
Student ideas sought for Aurora Borealis observatory
[Registration must be completed by 18 March] Students have been invited to submit ideas for a small hotel and observatory on the edge of the Arctic Circle -
Studio Meda unwraps £350,000 Shropshire pool
Emerging practice Studio Meda has completed this 165m2 timber-framed swimming pool and gym for a retired couple in the Shropshire Hills -
Tall buildings council launches £12,500 research fund
[Proposals must be submitted by 15 May] The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) have offered a £12,500 award for research proposals relating to the world’s urban habitats -
The ARB should be abolished
Paul Finch’s letter from London: Why do architects need a regulatory body at all? -
The Diary of an Anonymous Academic #1
The first in a new series about the unreported trials and tribulations from the frontline of architectural education. This week: new entry -
The Diary of an Anonymous Architect #8
The latest in an ongoing series about the day-to-day travails of an embattled practitioner. This week: House for Sale -
The Diary of an Anonymous Architect #9
The latest in an ongoing series about the day-to-day travails of an embattled practitioner. This week: It’s the economy, Stupid…… -
'The English will spare no expense to get something on the cheap'
Paul Finch’s letter from London: We need to educate the public about what buildings really cost -
The humanity of Hertzberger
RIBA Gold Medalist Herman Hertzberger has spent the past 50 years designing buildings on a human scale, writes Andrew Dawes -
The importance of having a conscience, and the obligation to keep it properly landscaped
Ian Martin says à bientôt to Darcy Farquear’say -
The life, times and misdemeanours of Augustus Pugin, in the style of fossilised music hall
Ian Martin says hello to Bauhau the dachshund -
The MIPIM 2012 bloggers
Introducing the architects, developers, recruiters and journalists blogging from MIPIM (March 6-9) exclusively for the AJ -
There's no room for doubt in de Botton's Temples for Atheists
[THIS WEEK] Alain de Botton is planning a series of ‘Temples for Atheists’ in the UK -
This, Mr Gove, is how to create a great school
If the Education Secretary is out of ideas for schools, he should read the AJ – or ring up his Irish equivalent, writes Rory Olcayto -
Trio of Heygate Estate housing relocation schemes complete
The latest wave of Southwark’s innovative Heygate Estate housing relocation schemes completed last month -
UAE housing upsurge predicted
The United Arab Emirates housing market is picking up, according to a respected report -
UK's £131bn PFI bill 'four times the value of assets'
PFI had left the UK with £131 billion of future debt by 2009/10 – four times the value of the assets secured through the deals -
Urban Splash to move into mass housing
Regeneration expert and urban developer Urban Splash is looking to diversify its portfolio with a move into mass house building -
US housing market recovery on the horizon
Fresh evidence has supported talk of a recovery in the long-suffering US built environment market -
US mini-boom continues
US architects have reported a third consecutive month of improved demand, giving further impetus to belief of a recovery in the country -
Victorian re-evaluation: Threefold's mixed-use retrofit
Technical & Practice: This once-derelict Victorian corner house in east London now houses a gallery, office space, and a glass box with views of the City, writes Jack Hosea. Photography by Charles Hosea -
Video: Mobile Sauna, Åland by Denizen Works + Friends
See a video of the story behind the AJ Small Projects Award shortlisted mobile sauna in Finland -
Vote ‘yes’ for city mayors
City mayors could replace icon-building as the drivers of regeneration, writes Christine Murray -
Water beauty: Bradford's city centre park completes
Bradford’s new City Park, which contains the largest city-centre water feature in the UK, will finally open next month -
What now for Battersea Power Station?
Paul Finch’s letter from London: We need a big idea for Battersea Power Station – time to call in Professor Alsop -
What's old is new again for the AJ print edition
A bigger AJ print edition is just one of the many traditions we’ve brought back to the AJ, writes Christine Murray -
White Cube architects planning 500-home Damien Hirst eco-town
MRJ Rundell + Associates is poised to submit an outline application for 500 new homes as part of an ‘eco-estate’ for artist Damien Hirst in Ilfracombe, North Devon -
Whiteheath Infant & Nursery School, London Borough of Hillingdon, by The Architects Practice
Updates to this west London primary school show how multiple problems can be solved with one thoughtful solution, writes The Architects Practice’s Simon Foxell -
Wilkinson Eyre unwraps £9.5m office building in heart of Soho
[First look + project data] Wilkinson Eyre Architects has completed this £9.5 million seven-storey office building in Great Pulteney Street, in the centre of the Soho Conservation Area, London -
Wokingham Council seeks architect for Bulmershe School revamp
[Requests to participate must be received by 16 March] Wokingham Borough Council is seeking an architect to remodel and refurbish Bulmershe School in Woodley -
Work starts on Allies and Morrison's Doha housing
Construction has begun on Allies & Morrison’s 1,165 home scheme for nursing staff at the new Sidra hospital in Doha, Qatar -
Your chance to see Manchester's heliports and moving walkways
[THIS WEEK] A new show in Manchester documents the ones that got away, writes James Pallister -
Zero carbon by 2019?
An update to EU law will bring the UK closer to its ‘zero carbon by 2019’ objective, writes Nick Cullen -
Zuber shows off 1960s house rebuild in Highgate
Emerging outfit Zuber Architecture has completed this £550,000 replacement for a 1960s home in Highgate, north London -
Zygmunt Bauman on the norm of stressful cities
[THIS WEEK] Stressful cities are inevitable, Zygmunt Bauman reminds us, writes James Pallister
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