The Architecture and Construction News Roundup
The latest news and data from the architecture and construction industry
In Data:
Architecture and Construction News in Numbers
76%
The percentage of builders that have reported an increase in the cost of building materials in Q2 of 2018, according to a survey by the Federation of Master Builders. The organisation has warned that this, combined with growing skills shortages, is creating a challenging environment for construction.
462m
The height of the now topped-out Lakhta Center, an 87-storey tower currently under construction in St. Petersburg, Russia. The first supertall building in the city, it is now the tallest skyscraper in Europe.
3000
The number of homes to be built by budget supermarket Lidl in London, the UK. The German retailer is increasingly supporting mixed-use development schemes in order to gain planning permission to build more stores in the UK.
70%
The percentage of British adults who will be more likely to support a new housing development if transport link improvements are included in the scheme, according to a report by the RIBA. The report, Joining the Dots: a new approach to tackling the UK’s infrastructure challenges, found that UK infrastructure issues are systemic.
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1 in 7
The number of female architects practicing in the UK that have experienced some form of sexual harassment, according to the 2018 Women in Architecture Survey by AJ magazine.
Top Stories:
The Key Architecture News This Month
Glasgow School of Art to rebuild Mackintosh building
Glasgow School of Art’s director Tom Inns has vowed to rebuild the Mackintosh building that was gutted in its second fire in four years. The building had been mid-way through an extensive restoration project following the 2014 fire when the blaze broke out in June. There had been concerns that the damage is now too severe for an effective restoration.
Source: The Guardian
David Adjaye’s Wakefield Market Hall to be Demolished
The Wakefield Market Hall buildings in Wakefield, the UK, are to be demolished just a decade after they were constructed. The market, which was the first public building by David Adjaye, is to be replaced by a cinema following the sale of the site to a private developer. The canopy that forms part of the scheme will, however, be retained.
Source: DEZEEN
Constance Adams: 1964 – 2018
Constance Adams, an architect who was employed by NASA to develop structures for the International Space Station (ISS), has died at the age of 53. She is best known for developing TransHab, a three-level inflatable module designed to provide extra living space for astronauts onboard the ISS. She also was involved in the world’s first commercial spaceport terminal.
Source: NEW YORK TIMES
RIBA Stirling Prize 2018 shortlist unveiled
The RIBA has announced the shortlist for the Stirling Prize, the British institute’s award for the best building of the year. Favourite to win the prestigious award is MUMA’s Storey’s Field Centre and Nursery in Cambridge, with Foster + Partners Bloomberg in London the second most likely, according to bookmakers William Hill. Unusually, three of the six buildings are university-backed projects.
Source: ARCHITECTS' JOURNAL
Mergers and Moves:
Industry happenings from around the globe
J. Meejin Yoon named dean of Cornell’s School for Art, Architecture and Planning
J. Meejin Yoon has been named the next dean of Cornell University’s School for Art, Architecture and Planning, one of the leading architecture schools in the US. The appointment makes Yoon the first female dean in the school’s history. Yoon founded the firm Höweler + Yoon with Eric Höweler in 2005, with work including the UVA Memorial for Enslaved Laborers in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Source: ArchDaily
Kit Malthouse appointed UK Housing Minister in Brexit reshuffle
Kit Malthouse has been appointed as the new Housing Minister for the UK, the eighth to take the position in as many years. While Malthouse’s appointment has been welcomed by the RIBA, many have criticised the UK government of treating the position as a "revolving door". RIBA president Ben Derbyshire has expressed hope that Malthouse can have an impact on the UK’s growing housing crisis.
Source: VERDICT
LDA Design to become employee-owned
LDA Design, a UK-based design consultancy spanning architecture, landscape architecture and masterplanning, has announced that it is to switch to employee ownership. The switch is part of an ambitious expansion of the consultancy, which will see LDA open startup studios in Bristol, Cambridge and Manchester. The consultancy joins a growing number of practices in the UK switching to an employee ownership model.
Source: Architects Journal
US’ NCARB releases new set of model ethical standards
The US’ National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has released a new set of model ethical standards. These will, if adopted by the US’ regional licensing board, create a new set of ethical standards for US architects. The ethical standards include issues around harassment, which has been a growing concern in architecture due to how male-dominated the field still is.
Source: archdaily
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