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

1:24

The width-to-height ratio of 111 West 57^th Street, a Manhattan-based skysraper designed by SHoP Architects that topped out in November. The structure is the second tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, reaching 91 storeys, and is believed to be the most slender skyscraper in the world. It is set to be completed in 2020.

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.

The Key Architecture News This Month

Ray Kappe, 1927-2019

Celebrated founding director of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) Ray Kappe has died at the age of 92. He is best known for his defining impact on Californian modernism, with over 100 custom residences forming key examples of the style. More recently, he has focused on developing more environmentally friendly approaches to design though modular prefab construction.

Source: Dezeen

Row breaks out over Notre Dame rebuilding

An ongoing argument over whether to replace the spire of the fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral with an exact replica or a modern alternative has bubbled over, with Gen Jean-Louis Georgelin, the army chief in charge of the project, telling chief architect Philippe Villeneuve to “shut his mouth” over the issue. Villeneuve wants to restore the spire as it was, but Georgelin favours a contemporary alternative.

Source: THE GUARDIAN

Ted Cullinan, 1931-2019

RIBA Royal Gold Medalist and founder of Cullinan studio Ted Cullinan has died at the age of 66. He is best known for his pioneering work on environmental issues and sustainable buildings, including designing a groundbreaking passive-solar house, as well as an acclaimed teacher. His key works include the “ziggurat” halls of residence at the University of East Anglia and the Weald and Downland Gridshell.

Source: ARCHDAILY

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