RIBA Plan of Work 2013

Posted on: 23 May 2013
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This year, RIBA replaces the 50-year old Plan of Work (PoW) with a new revamped version that will see the traditional 11 alphabetically arranged work stages replaced by eight numbered stages. This programme looks at the reasoning behind the change, what architects can expect and how it will affect their day-to-day practice. An article outlining the changes can be viewed here.

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Housing standards and satisfaction: What the public wants

Posted on: 18 April 2013
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Exclusive research by Ipsos MORI for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has revealed strong public support for the introduction of minimum space standards for new build homes across England. The RIBA research, an independent gauge of customer attitudes to housing, has been published as the Government prepares to make an announcement on its crucial Review of Housing Standards in England within the coming weeks, which could result in current housing standards being reduced or abolished. The research has been revealed to coincide with the launch of a website Without Space and Light  to empower people to demand their local MP supports the RIBA’s HomeWise campaign for national minimum standards on space and natural light.

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Sir Terry Farrell’s review of architecture and the built environment

Posted on: 27 March 2013
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Architect Sir Terry Farrell has been appointed by the Government to make recommendations on promoting high standards of design. He will be supported by an expert advisory panel  of members from across the architecture and design industry who will look at the themes of the review in more detail. The review is intended to engage architects, designers and other built environment professionals to help the Department for Culture, media and Sport think about its role in achieving high-quality design, allowing it to better influence and shape policy across government. The review will look at four main areas: Understanding the Government’s role in promoting design quality in architecture and the built environment; The economic benefits of architecture; Cultural heritage and the built environment; Promoting education, outreach, and skills.

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International Building Exhibition Hamburg

Posted on: 27 March 2013
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The International Building Exhibition (IBA) Hamburg will run from 23 March until 3 November 2013.  About 60 projects will be exhibited to the public, following six years of project work and preparation. The IBA is an urban development project that combines architecture, urban planning and private housing construction with the transformation of socially disadvantaged areas and sustainability.

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Cities in the sky: Challenging their safety. Watford, 12 March 2013

Posted on: 26 March 2013
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The event provided an opportunity to discuss fire and safety, emergency response, evacuation and structural resistance to fire and extreme events in high-rise buildings. Presentations are available online.

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Engineering the Shard

Posted on: 14 March 2013
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This programme looks at how engineers WSP helped the architect realise his design for the Shard in one of the most constrained sites imaginable. The programme focuses on three main areas: top down construction, the building’s hybrid concrete and steel structure and construction of the building’s 60m tall spire.

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RIBA Research Symposium 2012. London, 4 October 2012

Posted on: 12 March 2013
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The refurbishment of existing housing stock presents a great opportunity for architects. With this context in mind, as well as the launch of the government’s Green Deal initiative, the RIBA’s 7th annual research symposium asked the question: what challenges and problems lie beneath the maxim ‘don’t move, improve’? Encompassing issues including conservation, sustainability and design quality, the symposium explored whether old houses can become modern homes. The event included case studies from both architects and academics, as well as the presentation of an exciting student design charrette showcasing how schools of architecture came together to tackle the challenge of retrofit. Presentations are available online.

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Nanotechnology in architecture

Posted on: 28 February 2013
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Significant uses of nanotechnology have surfaced in the last few years with applications for architectural design and the construction of built environments. It may take building enclosure materials (coatings, panels and insulation) to dramatic new levels of performance in terms of energy, light, security and intelligence. This video contains several interviews with experts.

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Ageing better by design

Posted on: 28 February 2013
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The Design Council has held two Design Forums on how design can respond to the needs of an ageing population. A series of talks on the built environment and products and services is available to view online.

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Forgotten Spaces 2013

Posted on: 22 February 2013
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RIBA’s Forgotten Spaces contest calls for architects and architecture students to dream up new designs for under-used spaces. There are cash prizes from an £8,000 fund for the best schemes, with £5,000, £2,000 and £1,000 earmarked for the first, second and third-placed respectively. The 2013 competition will give entrants the option to select their own forgotten space, or consider specific sites put forward by London boroughs that have been earmarked for redevelopment and improvement.

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