The Architecture and Construction News Roundup

12%

The percentage of new homes in the UK being delivered by small local building firms, according to research by the Federation of Master Builders. This is compared to 40% in 1988, with the majority of homes now built by very large companies, a phenomenon the organisation says has played a key role in the development of the housing crisis.

1,131ft

The height of The Edge, an outdoor observation deck that will be the highest in the western hemisphere when it opens in March 2020. Cantilevered 80ft from the 100^th floor of 30 Hudson Yards in New York City, the deck will offer previously unseen views of the city below, New York State and Western Jersey, up to a distance of 80 miles.

-10

The current workload predictions from UK-based architects, according to the RIBA Future Trends survey for October 2019, with architects reporting slowing workloads and greater levels of underemployment. This represents a six-point fall from -4 in September, making it the second consecutive drop in workload predictions.

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£1,425

The cost per square metre of House Lessans in County Down, the winner of the RIBA House of the Year 2019. Designed by Kieran McGonigle and Aidan McGrath, the house has been praised for its contextual sensitivity yet contemporary aesthetic, as well as its ability to achieve “remarkable simplicity” on a very low budget.