Architects Journal
July 2011

View all stories from this issue.

2012 Olympics: AEW and Philippe Avanzi reveal ‘largest ever’ McDonald's

Fast food chain McDonald’s has revealed these images of planned restaurants designed by AEW and French interior designer Philippe Avanzi for the London 2012 Olympic games
Amanda Levete job for Murdoch ‘safe’

A top secret proposal by Amanda Levete Architects (AL_A) for BSkyB will not be derailed by the controversy surrounding its non-executive chairman James Murdoch or the collapsed BSkyB takeover by News Corporation
Amnesia, politics, BSF and the South Bank

There is an exchange in an early John le Carré novel where one character says (to the George Smiley figure) that he loves music and melody, but no sooner has the music ended than he forgets what he has just heard. ‘You should go into politics,’ replies Smiley.
Broadgate granted immunity from listing

Culture minister Jeremy Hunt has granted buildings Three, Four and Six on the Broadgate estate a certificate of immunity from listing for five years
Canterbury School of Architecture

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] ‘The design work of the degree school is connected with direct human experience and wider political and social conditions,’ says BA course leader Oliver Froome-Lewis.
Kevin McCloud’s housing to be rolled out

Work has almost completed on Glenn Howells Architects’ £4 million, 42-home Triangle development in Swindon – the first housing scheme by Grand Designs TV presenter Kevin McCloud’s development company, Hab
Quantity surveyors and architects must learn to get along, writes John Boxall

A colleague recently returned from giving a talk to a group of architecture students with a rather dispiriting story
The demise of a publishing giant, the resurrection of a mahoganised pillock

Ian Martin meets Andy Poulson, former architecture news editor of the Sunday Minimalist, and his ironic Staffordshire terrier, Snoopy
We cannot escape the past, or the extra-heavy molecules that defined it

Ian Martin fits out the last chance saloon
Weston Williamson scoops planning for Pudding Mill DLR

[First look] Weston Williamson has won planning permission for a new Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station at Pudding Mill in east London
‘100 architects’ may work on Earls Court

A huge wave of architectural design work could be up for grabs if Terry Farrell & Partners’ 28-hectare masterplan for the redevelopment of the Earls Court in west London wins planning
A new cultural theory for everyone, and everyone for themselves

Ian Martin joins up to, and splits from, Schismism
AHMM and FCB make Gallions Quarter design team

A design team including Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios, Maccreanor Lavington and MUF Art and Architecture has been appointed to design the Gallions Quarter at the Royal Docks in East London
AJ Buildings Library now open to all AJ subscribers

The AJ Buildings Library (AJBL), a digital archive of more than 1,000 projects, is now available to all AJ subscribers as part of their subscription
AJ Buildings Library: Alexander Fleming House (1960)

Each week a selection of exemplar projects from the twentieth century is added to the AJ Buildings Library
AJ Buildings Library: Hallfield Estate (1955)

Berthold Lubetkin’s Grade II listed housing scheme, in central London joins five other Tecton projects in the AJ Buildings Library
An exciting opportunity to rebuild our entire moral infrastructure with localism

Ian Martin lunches with the balaclava-wearing Amy Blackwater
ARB to monitor ethnicity

The ARB is currently considering a revision to its equality policy which will see it monitor the ethnicity of people joining the register, but not the estimated 33,000 professionals already on it
Architects slam Gove's £2bn BSF replacement

Architects have criticised education secretary Michael Gove for keeping private finance initiatives (PFI) at the heart of a new £2 billion privately financed ‘priority school-building programme’
Arts complex, Southampton

[Requests to participate must be completed by 21 July] Southampton City Council has begun the search for an architect to take on plans for its new £10,000,000 arts complex
Arup Associates unwraps Dalston Square

Arup Associates has completed a 553-home, mixed-use scheme in Dalston, east London
Attractive and enduring limestone interiors

In addition to their unique and durable indigenous slates, Kirkstone also source a selected range of hard wearing, high quality limestones which are suitable for all aspects of commercial interiors. As with their volcanic slates, durability and functionality are key to ensuring a good looking and practical floor.
Benchmark and the RIBA Stirling Prize

Benchmark is proud to be sponsoring the RIBA Stirling Prize for a second year and the opportunity to be working closely with RIBA and AJ on this prestigious event
Bennetts Associates unveils Camden town hall scheme

[First look] Bennetts Associates has been appointed to design a new headquarters for Camden Council in Kings Cross, London
Breaking news: How the AJ reports on architecture

The AJ’s not listening to your voicemail: we get our stories directly from you, says Christine Murray
Breaking news: Lubetkin Prize shortlist announced

Five ‘big budget’ blockbusters have been named on the shortlist for this year’s Lubetkin Prize, including two schemes by Foster + Partners
Brian Waters appointed as National Planning Forum chair

The National Planning Forum has appointed architect and planner Brian Waters as chair
CABE backs Scott Brownrigg's Marco Polo House redevelopment

Scott Brownrigg has welcomed a positive CABE design review of its Marco Polo House redevelopment project in Battersea, south London
Chipperfield and other St Petersburg Island finalists unveil proposals

David Chipperfield Architects proposal for the redevelopment of New Holland Island in St Petersburg, Russia, has been revealed as part of an exhibition of competing ideas for the site
Civic society hits out at Gleeson Homes-designed Toxteth scheme

Design experts have slammed a ‘bog-standard’ housing scheme approved by Liverpool City Council
Comment: allowing offices to become homes could have dangerous side-effects

Arita Morris argues that proposals to allow office to be converted into housing without planning permission could fall short of its aims
Comment: Post-BSF future looks bleak

Sebastian James, author of the James Review, offered little clarity at the IOC Conference on how the government will implement his report’s recommendations for new schools, says Yasmin Shariff
Competition launched for Bauhaus museum in Weimar, Germany

A competition has been launched to design a new Bauhaus museum in Weimar, Germany
Competitions: Editor's pick, 07.07.11

The refurbishment of Brooke Park in Londonderry, an arts complex in Southampton and alternative car park ideas in Hong Kong; the editor’s pick of this week’s top competitions
Competitions: Editor's pick, 14.07.11

A new entrance to CERN in Switzerland, a school for Burmese refugees and a £150 million university framework; the editor’s pick of this week’s top competitions
Competitions: Editor's pick, 21.07.11

Restoration of Lightwoods Park in Birmingham, a visitor facility for the University of Bremen and the 2011 Nationwide Sustainable Housing Awards; the editor’s pick of this week’s top competitions
Competitions: Editor's pick, 28.07.11

Three London 2012 Olympic Legacy design competitions, a Bauhaus museum in Weimar and a Brothers Grimm museum in Kassel; the editor’s pick of this week’s top competitions
Construction starts plummet 24 per cent

The underlying value of UK construction starts for the past three months has dropped by nearly a quarter compared to this time last year
Contest launched for Brothers Grimm museum in Kassel, Germany

[Request to participate must be completed by 18 August] The city of Kassel in Germany has invited architects to propose a Brothers Grimm museum
Contest launched for Olympic Legacy play space at Three Mills Green

The Architecture Foundation has called upon designers to take part in a design competition for a new play space for Three Mills Green in the east London borough of Newham
Cork Centre for Architectural Education, Ireland

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] This school is a joint venture between University College Cork and Cork Institute of Technology, writes John McLaughlin
Cross about King’s

King’s Cross fans had their interest piqued last week when Stanton Williams unveiled its £6 million plans to replace the central London train station’s 1970s concourse structure with 7,000m2 of new public realm
Crown Estate to fund coastal regeneration

A coastal regeneration fund financed by the Crown Estate has been announced by the Treasury
Curvy Kalzip’s just the ticket

Over 1,000sqm of convex and concave smooth curved Kalzip aluminium standing seam roof sheets have been installed on the impressive new Pudsey Bus Station by experienced Teamkal contractor, KGM Roofing Ltd. Built by Allenbuild Ltd for Metro, the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, this futuristically designed canopy roof is attractively finished all round with a continuous ‘true’ curved bull-nosed fascia, also from Kalzip.
DC CABE hits back at accusation of ‘style’ bias from TAG

Design Council chair Martin Temple has refuted criticism that Design Council CABE (DC CABE) is biased against traditional architecture, claiming the organisation has a ‘big tent’ approach to design
De Montfort University School of Architecture

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] De Montfort is often dubbed a school with a shady past, but anyone visiting this show would certainly forget this
Deborah Saunt slams the Tesco-ification of profession

Deborah Saunt has hit out at the Tesco-ification of the construction industry, saying big firms were ‘hoovering up smaller, niche practices’ and ‘killing off smaller scale competition’ by bidding for tiny jobs
Delays and late projects on rise

The number of projects designed on time has taken a hit in the past year and is now worse than at any time since 2002, according to a government-backed report by industry monitor Glenigan
Design triumphs in draft NPPF

Architects and planners alike are celebrating the release of the National Planning Policy Framework for its emphasis on local decision-making and innovative design
Digital edition: AJ 26.07.12

The Architects’ Journal | 26.07.12 | Number 4 | Volume 236 | Student Shows
Does architecture have the media it deserves?

Paul Finch’s letter from London: In the wake of the News of the World scandal, it is timely to audit architectural publishing
Dundee House, Dundee, by Reiach and Hall

Reiach and Hall’s Dundee House proves that new civic buildings can be daring and retain a stately sense of the past, writes Miles Glendinning
Ecophon has sound effect on showroom

Ecophon, part of leading international materials company Saint-Gobain, has transformed a car showroom after installing an acoustic ceiling.Coalville Car Auctions now features an Ecophon Focus Wing acoustic ceiling in its showroom, greatly improving the environment for staff and customers. Ecophon worked with interior design company Blueprint Interiors, who were initially proposing to use a fabric canopy for the ceiling, and recommended installing a free hanging system which could provi
Essence of Engineering exhibition open at the Building Centre

The Architects’ Journal and Price & Myers’ Essence of Engineering exhibition opened at the Building Centre on Store Street in London last week
Ex-CABE director heads Elephant and Castle regeneration forum

Former CABE Space director Sarah Gaventa has been appointed chair of the Elephant and Castle regeneration forum
Facade detail: Dundee House, Scotland by Reiach and Hall

[Working Detail 21.07.11] Brick facade for Dundee House
Falkirk seeks masterplan and developer for Grangemouth Town Centre

[Request to participate must be completed by 2 September] Falkirk Council is seeking developer-led bids for the regeneration of Grangemouth Town Centre
Falling to pieces: Hadid's Guangzhou opera house

The Daily Telegraph has reported that Zaha Hadid’s £65 million Guangzhou Opera House, China is falling apart - just months after opening
Farrells and Ryder launch China healthcare business

TFP Farrells and Ryder Architecture have launched a joint venture business aimed at tapping into opportunities in China’s healthcare sector
Faulty V&A balustrade to be ﬁxed

The shattering of the faulty glass balustrade of the multiple award-winning MUMA staircase at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) was ‘categorically’ not the architect’s fault, a source close to the project has said
Finch hits back at TAG bias claim

Design Council CABE chair and Architects Journal editorial director Paul Finch has issued a stinging rebuke to claims he has a stylistic preference against traditional architecture
First look at Stanton Williams' Central Saint Martins project

[First look] Stanton Williams’ new campus for Central Saint Martins College in King’s Cross, London is almost complete
First look: Fly-through video of AZPA’s New Street

A fly-through video has been unveiled showing previously unseen details of Alejandro Zaera-Polo Architecture’s £600 million Birmingham New Street redevelopment project
FJMT bags planning for Oxford chemistry lab

[First look + plans + project data] Australian practice FJMT has won planning permission for this £170 million Chemistry laboratory complex for the University of Oxford
Foster + Partners reveals Thames Estuary airport plans

Foster + Partners has produced plans for the world’s biggest airport to be built in the Thames Estuary
Foster and Make win planning for Croydon schemes

Separate schemes by Foster + Partners and Make have been approved for planning by Croydon Council in London
Foster and Snøhetta on Union Terrace Gardens shortlist

Foster + Partners, Snøhetta and Mecanoo are among six high-profile design teams shortlisted to redevelop Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen
Free schools: 21 meetings for Gove and Murdoch empire

Rumours that Rupert Murdoch is in talks with government over the development of free schools continued to grow this week
Fringe benefit

One ARB card-carrying architect got a welcome call from Stoke Newington Farmers’ Market last week to report they’d found his lost wallet
Geoff Wilkinson’s Regs: Sewers

Private sewers are to be transferred to water companies
Get fit, Rogers style

You’d be surprised quite how good the view from a £4.95 million Neo Bankside flat is, even from behind its red and grey exposed perimeter bracing
GKD: New highlight for Big Apple

Broadway and business, nightlife and neon adverts – this is the pulsating heart of Times Square in New York, the city that never sleeps. Just 500 metres from this legendary spot is one of the best known and busiest bus stations in the world, the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the number one transport hub for commuters and overland passengers. Over three billion people have visited the terminal to date. Its overbearing metal grid façade has earned it the title of one of the ten ugliest buildings
Government confirms £22 billion construction spend

The government has announced plans to invest £22 billion into UK construction projects over the next three years
Government unveils National Planning Policy Framework

The government has revealed its long awaited Draft National Planning Policy Framework document aimed at replacing the existing system of planning policy statements
Green light for Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands at 120 Moorgate

[First look] Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands has secured planning permission for a 19,000m² office development on the edge of Finsbury Circus in London
Halliday Clark completes elevated Learning Link for Bradford Grammar

[First look + plans] Halliday Clark has created this cathedral-like bridge as part of a £3.9 million extension programme at Bradford Grammar School in West Yorkshire.
Hawkins\Brown scoops planning for Oxford physics lab

[First look + plans + project data] Hawkins\Brown has won planning permission for this £34 million physics laboratory in Oxford
HCA handed all Regional Development Agency land and assets

The government has agreed to hand over the land and property assets of the soon-to-close Regional Development Agencies (RDA) to the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)
Hellman: the alternative Stirling Prize shortlist

The AJ’s cartoonist Louis Hellman gives his view of this week’s biggest news
Heron Tower, London, by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

Time capsule: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates’ Heron Tower provides lessons from the past that are relevant to the future, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Hufton?+?Crow
HMP Inverclyde prison, Greenock

[Requests to participate must be made by 16 August] The Scottish Prison Service is procuring architectural services for the design of a new prison in Greenock
Hogarth Architects wins approval for Frank Lampard house

[First look] Hogarth Architects has bagged planning permission for this £1 million home and office project in west London for Chelsea footballer - and now developer - Frank Lampard
How high-quality sustainable design creates value

Footprint: Sustainable design cuts costs and carbon for investors and occupiers alike, says Derwent’s Benjamin Lesser
Hudson wins Jersey go-ahead

[First look + plans] Hudson Architects has won planning for a 544m2 home in St Ouen’s Bay, Jersey
I am not an implacable enemy of the 'traditional'

Paul Finch’s letter from London: Despite being in trouble with my old mucker, Robert Adam, I don’t value the ‘contemporary’ over the ‘traditional’
Ideas competition for alternative car park tower in Hong Kong

[The closing date for submission is 15 October] Architectural competition organiser AC-CA has launched an ideas contest seeking proposals for an ‘iconic and alternative car park tower’ in Hong Kong, China
In pictures: RPS Burks Green completes Olympics' International Broadcast Centre

[First look] RPS Burks Green has taken the wraps of its International Broadcast Centre (IBC) project at the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London
In pictures: Studio in the Woods celebrates Ted Cullinan’s 80th birthday

Visitors to last weekend’s sixth annual Studio in the Woods party and workshop celebrated the 80th birthday of acclaimed architect Ted Cullinan
In pictures: the BCIA judges visit the finalists

The AJ can reveal an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the judging of this year’s BCIA Awards
In Pictures: The Olympic Park with one year to go

These are the latest images of the London 2012 Olympic Games Park in Stratford, east Lonton
It’s a wrap...sponsor to pay for 2012 Stadium banner

LOCOG has chosen US-based silicone textile producer Dow Corning to sponsor the 2012 Olympic Stadium wrap
Jonathan Tuckey reveals Westminster primary school revamp

Jonathan Tuckey Design has unveiled these plans for a three-stage revamp of the Wilberforce Primary School in North Westminster
Judah's E-type to be sent to Coventry

Gerry Judah’s 28m-tall, 150 tonnes sculpture of an E-type Jaguar is to be re-erected near Coventry
K4 Architects reveals 30-storey Birmingham tower

[First look] Emerging outfit K4 Architects has unveiled these plans for a £50 million, 30-storey student accommodation-led scheme above Birmingham’s former central fire station
Kalzip’s BBA Certificate revised

Kalzip’s BBA Certificate No: 98/3841 has been revised and is now far more comprehensive than the original version. It is presented as two separate product sheets covering the Kalzip Liner Roof System and Kalzip Deck Roof System - this allows for the addition of different Kalzip systems at a later date. Covering all of Kalzip’s profiles, this revised version is in the BBA’s new, easier to follow format which makes the search for information much quicker and more convenient for the user.
KAP's Platt named new Mac head

Christopher Platt, the director of Glasgow-based Studio KAP, has been named as the new head of the Mackintosh School of Architecture after an ‘exhaustive’ search
Kent School of Architecture

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] The title of this year’s show was REGIONerate and, not surprisingly, it focused on regeneration, working with sites in the south east including Canterbury, Dungeness and the more socially and economically deprived Chatham and Margate
KPF scoops planning for King’s Reach Tower

KPF has won planning permission for its scheme to revamp King’s Reach Tower on London’s South Bank
Leeds Metropolitan University

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] The school has continued to follow the sustainabilty theme of former years, this time taking on climate change and energy shortages under the umbrella of ‘post-industrial urbanism’, writes Richard Waite
Legalese: The problem with BIM

Copyright and liability must be tackled before BIM can reach its full potential, writes Mark Klimt
Lego reveals Covent Garden greenhouse plans

[First look] Lego has unveiled these images of its Sebastian Bergne-designed project to build a greenhouse in Covent Garden during the London Design Festival
Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands bags planning for Fulham Wharf masterplan

[First look + plans + project data] Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands has won permission for this 3.2 hectare residential and retail development in Fulham, south London
Lightwoods Park restoration, West Midlands

[Requests to participate must be completed by 10 August] Architectural services are required for the restoration of Lightwoods Park, Smethwick
Liverpool pair win 3DReid student prize

This year’s 3DReid student prize has been awarded to David Devereau and Elifira The of Liverpool University. Their Kogami Tsunami Alert Community project scooped the top prize of £1,500
Major Olympic legacy design competitions launched

The Olympic Park Legacy Company has launched two design competitions worth £17 million in total
Make responds to Design Council CABE criticism of Croydon tower

Make has hit back at claims its 53-storey Cherry Orchard Road tower in Croydon is let down by ‘superficial styling’ and concerns about the potential quality of the ‘detailing and finishes’
Make's City 'concertina' makes way for John Robertson's 'grand piano'

[First look + plans] John Robertson Architects (JRA) has revealed these images of its proposed office scheme next to Monument - a replacement for Make’s doomed ‘concertina’ project
Mayor publishes reworked London Plan

London mayor Boris Johnson has published a revised edition of the London Plan which aims to shape the capital’s spatial development strategy for the next 20 years
McAslan scoops planning for ‘super-prime’ Notting Hill flats

John McAslan & Partners has won planning permission for this 17,000m² residential scheme in Campden Hill, north west London
McGarry-Moon wins OK for passivhaus barn conversion

[First look + project data] McGarry-Moon Architects has won planning permission for this self-build barn conversion in Broughshane, Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Michael Gove: No comment on phone hacking

Astragal notes with interest that certain politicians have remained quiet during the phone-hacking affair
Milord Rogers waits in line

Share some sympathy for Richard Rogers, who spent all day last Thursday at Westminster waiting for the RIBA-backed amendment to the Localism Bill to be debated in the House of Lords
Modular school for Burmese refugees

[Registration must be completed by 1 October] Charity Building Trust International has launched a single stage design competition looking for proposals to design and build a modular school for Burmese refugees, submission deadline has been moved back to the 22 October
More beautiful than nature

[Sustainability in Practice] Piet Oudolf’s garden within a garden at the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion is part of a larger movement in greening the public realm, writes Hattie Hartman.
Moving Landscapes ideas competition, Montreal, Canada

[Registration must be completed by 26 August] A single stage competition has been launched focusing on a 17 kilometre strip of brown field land running along Canada’s Autoroute 20
National Planning Policy Framework: the verdict

Industry bodies and campaigners have been clamouring to offer their views on the government’s planning framework, revealing a wide range of opinion on the likely effect of the reforms
New blog: architecture minister John Penrose shares his views

Architecture minister John Penrose has begun airing his thoughts on design and architecture, among other things, in a new blog for the the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
New inpatients building for St George’s Mental Health Trust, London

[Registration must be completed by 19 August] RIBA and South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust have launched a design competition for a new inpatients building
New Little Magazines I: The Modernist Magazine

[THIS WEEK] The Modernist is a welcome addition to architecture’s small press scene, writes James Pallister
New Little Magazines II: Block Magazine

[THIS WEEK] Well-designed and produced, Block Magazine excels where it treads unexpected territory, writes James Pallister
New practice #76: Alma-nac Collaborative Architecture

The latest in a series of practice profiles looking at architects who have recently decided to go it alone either through choice or circumstances
New Practices #74: K4 Architects

The latest in a series of practice profiles looking at architects who have recently decided to go it alone either through choice or circumstance
New Practices #77: Mohsin Cooper

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 public entrance for CERN, Geneva Switzerland

[Registration must be completed by 24 October] The CERN research laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland has launched a design competition for a new public area and entrance
Nightingale Associates reveals Malaysian ‘healing hand’ hospital scheme

Nightingale Associates has been commissioned to design a 400-bed hospital in Johor Bahru, Malaysia
NORD to design Glasgow youth hospice

[First look] NORD has been chosen to design a new building for the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice, a charity which provides palliative care for terminally ill young people in Glasgow
Olympic park: No lights, no cameras, no action

Astragal hears TV companies are already turning their backs on the uninspiring International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) in the Olympic Park
OMA reveals latest Commonwealth Institute plans

Rem Koolhaas’ OMA has unveiled images of its proposals to revamp and redevelop RMJM’s Grade II*-listed Commonwealth Institute (CI) in Holland Park, west London.
One year to go: Olympic projects still up for grabs

A wealth of architecture work is still up for grabs on the Olympic Park, including housing and office scheme, which will transform the east London site post-games
Open-City seeks architects to promote green innovation

Architects have been invited to throw open their studio doors to the profession as part of Open-City’s Green Sky Thinking event which will run immediately after the annual Open House festival in London
Opposition to Foster's island airport plan

A Norman Foster proposal to build the world’s biggest airport and transport hub in the Thames Estuary is facing opposition from councillors and environment groups
Page\Park unveils new granite-clad cloister for Glasgow’s Metropolitan Cathedral

A £4.4m refurbishment and extension of St Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Glasgow has been completed by Page\Park Architects
Patients in well-designed buildings need less medication, says RIBA

A new report by the RIBA claims well-designed buildings can cut both the amount of time and medication patients need to recover, reduce vandalism and improve homeowners’ mental health
Penrose lists 16 London underground stations

Architecture minister John Penrose has listed 16 London underground stations at Grade II and upgraded a further three stations to Grade II* status
Phone hacking and architecture

A spokesman for Rupert Murdoch’s News International has assured Astragal that the shock closure of the News of the World will have no impact on the progress of Amanda Levete Architects’ large remodelling of the group’s headquarters in east London
Pickles dressed down by CLG select committee

Communities secretary Eric Pickles has been slammed by an influential cross-party group of MPs for his response to their concerns about planning reforms
Pioneering physiotherapy unit benefits from sound design

Children being treated at a brand new state-of-the-art rehabilitation and physiotherapy unit at Liverpool’s Alder Hey Hospital are set to benefit from an acoustic ceiling solution from Saint-Gobain Ecophon.The 4,000 sq ft unit, which was officially opened by cricket legend Andrew Flintoff and his wife Rachael, was funded by The AF Foundation, a charity set up by the couple.
PLP joins Wellcome Trust's bid to buy entire Olympic Park

Health science charity Wellcome Trust has appointed PLP Architecture as part of a team to work on an audacious bid for the freehold ownership of the entire Olympic Park in east London
PLP’s and Wellcome Trust’s Olympic Park bid hangs in balance

The Wellcome Trust’s bid with PLP Architecture for full Olympic Park ownership has been potentially derailed by the start of exclusive talks with rival companies vying to buy the 2012 Athletes Village
Prince Charles targeted for supporting Islamic architecture

Prince Charles was targeted in Norwegian gunman Anders Breivik’s 1,500-page manifesto, due to his support of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
PRP resubmits plans for Myatts Field estate redevelopment

PRP Architects has resubmitted its planning application for the redevelopment of Myatts Field North estate in Lambeth, south London following a cost review by the government
Quiet please

Is the RIBA paying ‘hush money’ to departed staff?
Rebrand: Paul Stallan leads RMJM rebirth

RMJM’s top designers have set up a new ‘design powerhouse’ to lead the embattled global practice into a new era
Recycled surfaces

[Sustainable products] Innovative technologies are helping manufacturers to turn waste into raw material, says Sandy Patience
Reed hails Gove meeting as 'productive'

RIBA president Ruth Reed says the institute is to work with the government on how to obtain ‘best value from school design’ following her meeting with ‘value-driven’ education secretary Michael Gove
Refurbishing Daylighting

Refurbishment of bradford’s eccleshill pool with kalwall is yet another example where this highly insulating system has been used to refurbish curtain-walling, skylighting and rooflights which have aged and failed. Kalwall is unique in its ability to distribute diffused daylight evenly as ‘museum-quality’ light, without the need for blinds, curtains or solar control and to eliminate the stark contrasts of light and shade. The system is widely used for all types of project and is particularly
Renzo Piano’s Baby Shard scheme revealed

[First look] These are the latest images of Renzo Piano’s 17-storey Baby Shard project close to London Bridge train station in London
Revealed: Higgins among winners in inaugural New London Awards

Former Olympic supremo David Higgins was named New Londoner of the Year at the first ever New London Awards, announced yesterday (12 July)
RIBA council elections results revealed

The RIBA has announced the results of its council elections
RIBA London seeks entries to 'Architecture Open'

[Submissions must be received before 1 September] RIBA London is seeking ‘unseen’ projects to feature in an exhibition at Portland Place later this year
RIBA Stirling Prize 2011 shortlist revealed

The AJ can reveal the six contenders shortlisted for this year’s RIBA Stirling Prize
RIBA to debate globalisation

The RIBA will attempt to grapple the big issues affecting architects on the global stage at its annual research symposium taking place this September
RICS survey: homeowners opt to improve rather than move

A new survey by the RICS has revealed that 48 per cent of chartered surveyor estate agents reported homeowners were deciding to improve their properties rather than move
RMJM and BDP on shortlist to redevelop Larkin library

RMJM, BDP, Atkins and Sheppard Robson are among eight practices shortlisted to redevelop the workplace of acclaimed English poet Philip Larkin
RMJM's profits tumble by nearly three quarters

Accounts lodged with Companies House last week show that RMJM’s turnover fell by a third and its pre-tax profits by nearly three quarters in 2009-2010
RMJM's University of Ireland building opens doors

[First look + plans] RMJM’s £40 million engineering building for the National University of Ireland in Galway (NUIG) has been officially opened
Robert Adam completes Northampton mental health facility

[First look + plans] ADAM Architecture has taken the wraps off this 20,000m² project for a mental health charity in Cliftonville, Northamptonshire
Rogers wins Geneva Airport project

Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners has been selected to design the £270 million Aile Est terminal at Geneva Airport
Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge by Stanton Williams

Charles Darwin’s theories of reconciling nature and thought were the inspiration for Stanton Williams’ Sainsbury Laboratory at Cambridge University, writes Felix Mara. Photography by Hufton + Crow
SAS International acoustic solution for Ordnance Survey building

Over 2750m2 of SAS International metal ceiling systems with bespoke perforations were designed and manufactured as a feature element as well as a high performing acoustic solution for the new Ordnance Survey building in Southampton. This new three storey building has been designed by architects, Broadway Malyan, to be energy efficient with low environmental impact as well as cost-effective to maintain. The building has been awarded a BREEAM Excellent rating.
Sentinel – Innovative hand and finger protection doorset

For some time the hinge edge of a door has been seen as a possible area of harm for children, with a potential risk of finger-trapping. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), 30,000 children trap and seriously injure their fingers in doors every year and more than 1500 of these children will need surgery. The cost of litigation for such incidents can also be substantial. Now, Leaderflush Shapland the UK’s leading doorset manufacturer has developed an innovativ
Sponsorship for Populous’ London 2012 stadium wrap confirmed

Populous has welcomed news that US conglomerate Dow Chemical is sponsoring construction of its £7 million Olympic Stadium wrap project
Squire and Rogers win Shell Centre contest

A developer-led bid supported by Squire and Partners and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has won a high-profile contest to redevelop the Shell Centre site at London’s South Bank
St Patrick's School extension, London, by Coffey Architects

Coffey Architects’ thoughtful extension at St Patrick’s School in north London has given pupils an inspiring space to read, play music and perform. Photography by Tim Soar
Stanton Williams unveils Kings Cross square plans

[First look] Stanton Williams has unveiled its competition-winging design to create a new public square outside Kings Cross train station in London
Steni Cuts Its Cladding Competitors Down To Size

Steni’s unique ability to factory-cut panels to size has won over yet another architectural practice after it specified Steni’s Colour rainscreen cladding range for a multi-million pound school project in York.Architects
Stirling Prize 2011 shortlist: What the judges said

The judges explain why they chose the six finalists for this year’s RIBA Stirling Prize in association with the Architects’ Journal and Benchmark
Stirling Prize winners in the AJ Buildings Library

See images, drawings and data for 13 previous Stirling Prize winners - including projects by Foster, Hadid, Rogers, Alsop and Future Systems - in the AJ Buildings Library
Stirling Prize: 72 RIBA Award-winning projects now available in the AJ Buildings Library

[AJ Buildings Library editor’s choice] Look in detail at drawings and images of the projects eligible for the Stirling Prize
Student Shows 2012: University College Dublin School of Architecture

Contextual architecture abounds at the UCD show, says Stephen Best
Studio Egret West wins planning for floating Docklands proposals

[First look + plans] Studio Egret West (SEW) has scooped permission for its competition-winning, ‘meanwhile use’ swimming pool and leisure project in east London’s Docklands
Study box detail: The Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge by Stanton Williams

[Working Detail 21.07.11] Study boxes at Cambridge University Sainsbury Laboratory
Sunand Prasad named Architects Benevolent Society president

Sunand Prasad has succeeded MAKE-founder Ken Shuttleworth as president of the Architects Benevolent Society (ABS)
Tadao Ando completes ‘Silence’ fountain in Mayfair

Japanese architect Tadao Ando with BDP and Blair Associates has completed this ‘Silence’ water feature and street improvement scheme on Mount Street in Mayfair, London
The 2011 RIBA Nationwide Sustainable Housing Awards

[Entries must be submitted by end of October] RIBA and high street bank Nationwide are seeking entries to the third annual Nationwide Sustainable Housing Awards
The Architectural Association

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] Variety defined this year’s AA summer show – or a palpable absence of any one singular direction, at least
The Broadgate files: Lipton’s letter to Hunt, 'Don't destroy Broadgate'

An undated letter from developer Stuart Lipton to culture minister Jeremy Hunt supporting the listing of Broadgate in the City of London has emerged
The Bundesgartenschau - blumen marvellous!

Since 1951 Germany’s biennial garden festival has left lasting impacts on its respective host cities. Peter Sheard reports back from this year’s ‘Bundesgartenschau’ in Koblenz, and argues that the German approach provides a useful model for the UK to follow
The next best thing to the next big nexus thing

Ian Martin heads for a Winter of Disconnect
The Olympics is a triumph of contemporary design

Paul Finch’s letter from London: One of the great things about London 2012 is that none of it is endorsed by the Prince of Wales
The Perfect Architect

Architects are characterised as little more than gormless buffoons in Jayne Joso’s new novel, finds Jay Merrick
The University of Cambridge

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] The Cambridge School of Architecture has a focus on materiality and craftsmanship, writes Laura Mark
The University of East London

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] Taught within separate studios, students choose to specialise in particular areas. Vying for places in certain studios creates a competitive attitude among the students
Traditional Architecture Group forges US alliance

The Traditional Architecture Group has announced a formal tie with its American equivalent, the New York-based Institute of Classical Architecture and Art
Translink framework agreement, Belfast

[Requests to participate must be made by 24 August] Belfast public transport company Translink is on the hunt for architects to take part in a two year framework agreement with an estimated total value in fees of £1,500,000
Unesco: Chapman Taylor's Liverpool Waters would cause 'irreversible damage'

Unesco has attacked Chapman Taylor’s huge £5.5 billion Liverpool Waters regeneration scheme claiming it would cause ‘irreversible damage’ to the city
Union Terrace Gardens competition ‘silly’, says RIAS

The Aberdeen City Garden Project has come under fire from the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS), who has questioned the feasibility of the high-profile international design competition, amid local opposition to the scheme
University of Bremen academic hub, Germany

[Registration must be completed by 30 July] The University of Bremen in Germany has launched an ideas competition seeking proposals for a new ‘Academic Interchange’ visitor facility
University of Greenwich School of Architecture

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] The Department of Architecture and Urban Design staged its end of year exhibition, Shifting Sands, in the illustrious setting of Queen Anne Court on its Greenwich Campus
University of Nottingham

[STUDENT SHOWS 2011] Nottingham puts a strong emphasis the benefits of designing through doing, with a particular focus on designing real, usable buildings rather than taking a more theoretical approach towards architecture
University of Sheffield students rack up gongs at RIBA Yorkshire Awards

Students from the University of Sheffield have bagged three of the four top prizes at the RIBA Yorkshire Student Awards
Video: Robots of Brixton by Kibwe Tavares

Bartlett student Kibwe Tavares has created this video featuring a robot riot in Brixton in the year 2050
Video: The future of architectural education

Deans from the world’s top schools of architecture met last month at IE University to debate innovation in the teaching and learning experience
Wealth of work at Elephant and Castle as masterplan revives

The long-awaited regeneration of London’s Elephant and Castle was resurrected this week with a string of high-profile architectural appointments – and more are promised
Wellcome remains silent over rival Athletes' Village deal

The Wellcome Trust has refused to comment on speculation that its plans to take over the Olympic Park after next year’s Games are under threat from a Qatari-backed consortium
Welsh design improves but still more to do, says watchdog

Design quality in Wales is steadily improving but standards still need to be raised, according to the Design Commission for Wales
Westborough School, Westcliff-on-Sea, by Cottrell & Vermeulen Architecture

Green generation: as a champion for a greener ethos in school design, Cottrell & Vermeulen Architecture has put its theory on sustainable refurbishment to the test at Westborough School, Westcliff-on-Sea. Photography by Anthony Coleman
Wexford County Council headquarters, Ireland by Robin Lee Architecture

Public service: In choosing design over big names, with Robin Lee Architecture Wexford has secured an original civic hub by a major new talent, writes Stephen Best. Photography by Andrew Lee
What the Stirling Prize and blockbuster movies have in common

Christine Murray on why, when it comes to awards, a good story is as important as a good building
Why the AJ Buildings Library is now open to every AJ subscriber

We are giving you access to the AJ Buildings Library 1,000-project archive as part of your AJ subscription, says Christine Murray
YRM nuclear plans pass planning hurdle

Plans for a £10 billion nuclear power station at Hinkley Point designed by YRM moved a step forward this week after EDF Energy secured permission for preparatory work at the site.
Zaha Hadid completes Olympic Aquatics Centre

Construction of the Olympic Aquatics Centre, designed by Zaha Hadid, has completed, a year before the start of the London 2012 Games and just over three years since construction started

Architects JournalJuly 2011

Architects Journal
July 2011