Concrete Quarterly: Summer 2012

Posted on: 25 May 2012
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The latest issue of the quarterly journal from the Concrete Centre demonstrates concrete’s visual appeal and versatility: Maggie’s Centre, the curved and cut-out precast panels of the cancer care centre in Swansea; 11-15 Baker Street, the crisp white facade; Manchester’s National Cycling Centre, the material’s smooth and rough faces side by side, inside and out; London’s Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, a sculpture of dark pigmented concrete and LEDs.

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The architecture of the Olympics. London, 15 May 2012

Posted on: 24 May 2012
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This event, held at the LSE, brought together some of the UK’s most distinguished architects to present their designs for the Aquatic Centre, the Velodrome and the Basketball Stadium, three of the most inventive and symbolic buildings of the Olympic Park, explaining how they have been conceived to be adapted or dismantled after the Games. The complex process behind this massive regeneration project are described by some of the principal protagonists who commissioned the buildings and public spaces, providing a social, economic and environmental context to the architecture of the Olympic Games. A video of the event is available online.

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Roadmap on the Future Research Needs of Tall Buildings

Posted on: 17 May 2012
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This is an initiative led by the CTBUH (Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat), CIB (International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction) and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to identify key research gaps and topics that deserve priority research activities in the field of tall buildings. The intended outcome is a published document that presents an extensive agenda for necessary future tall building research. The primary aim of the Roadmap is to identify and prioritise research within the field of tall buildings, thereby allowing the CTBUH, CIB, UNESCO and their partners to plan future research and seek funding in order to advance the typology in the coming years. The Roadmap’s intended audience will include Intergovernmental Organizations, the United Nations including their agencies and programs, national governments and agencies, non-governmental organizations, academia and research institutes, industry and industry umbrella organizations. In order to achieve these ambitions, the CTBUH is gathering the expert opinions of those involved in the design, construction, planning and research of tall buildings through an on-line survey.

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HomeWise Campaign

Posted on: 16 May 2012
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The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have launched the HomeWise campaign because of its concern that new homes being built today aren’t good enough and consumers deserve better. As part of the Campaign, RIBA has issued a report, ‘The way we live now: What people need and expect from their homes’, which provides the only national evidence base setting out how people are using their homes now, what they look for when choosing a home and what they think needs to happen to improve the home-buying experience. The report, described by RIBA as the first of its kind for over 50 years, will be used as evidence by the Future Homes Commission, a national inquiry that is currently developing recommendations for how houses should be designed and delivered in future. It will provide policy makers, house designers and builders much-needed consumer evidence to ensure that new homes are good quality and fit for modern households.

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First International Conference on Architecture and Urban Design. Tirana, Albania, 19-21 April 2012

Posted on: 15 May 2012
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The First International Conference on Architecture and Urban Design provided an opportunity for participants to share professional experience and academic research. Papers from the event are available in a 1415-page report of proceedings, arranged under the following themes: Architectural history and historic preservation; Green building technologies and materials; User-friendly public spaces; Architecture and urban design education; Construction management; Information technology in architecture and urban design.

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Biennial conservation report on the government historic estate: The tenth report, covering the period 2009-11

Posted on: 9 May 2012
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This report has been produced by the English Heritage hosted Government Historic Estates Unit (GHEU). It provides information about twenty-six individual departments and agencies, which manage heritage assets as part of their estate, with an analysis of how they care for these assets.  Four other bodies which receive public funding (the Royal Household, the Parliamentary Estates Directorate, Historic Royal Palaces and British Waterways) are also covered.  The report is illustrated with examples of recent conservation projects and disposal cases. The annex lists 250 heritage assets (listed buildings, scheduled monuments and historic parks and gardens) which are at risk on the government estate.

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The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products

Posted on: 8 May 2012
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The ASBP is a cross sector, not for profit organisation, comprising, building product manufacturers and distributors, specifiers, designers, contractors, public interest and sustainability organisations, academics and other building practitioners. It is committed to accelerating the transition to a high performance, healthy and low carbon built environment by championing the increased understanding and use of building products that meet demonstrably high standards of sustainability.

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Eco Build, London, 20-22 March 2012

Posted on: 17 April 2012
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This event is described as the world’s largest event for sustainable design, construction and the build environment. A large amount of information is available from the conference and seminar sessions. Register for free to access documentation.

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The living and liveable city: Health, lifestyle and sustainability. Oxford, 29-30 March 2012

Posted on: 17 April 2012
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The Urban History Group’s annual conference focused on the notion of the living and liveable city in an historical perspective. Abstracts of papers are available online.

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Reinventing architecture and interiors: the past, the present and the future. London, 29-30 March 2012

Posted on: 17 April 2012
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The history of design has traditionally been a story of new ideas, new theories and, above all, new construction. However, today, the developed world is on the cusp of a new era. The financial crisis, the sustainability movement and the conservation agenda are all leading to ever more alterations of existing buildings and ever fewer new build projects. This new condition will have major consequences for all those involved in the design of the built environment both now and in the future. The objective of this conference is to examine the practice of interior design and architectural re-use in the context of this new condition, and look at historical tendencies, current conditions and future possibilities. Papers are available online.

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