Interface®, a worldwide commercial flooring company and global leader in sustainability, to-day unveils its latest nora® by Interface rubber flooring designs – norament 926 castello and norament 926 kivo – featuring a modern design aesthetic.

London has a wealth of heritage architecture and listed buildings that chart its success as a city and map its fortunes as a centre of commerce and banking. Preserving those buildings is important, but transforming them into assets that can continue to be useful and relevant to 21st-century businesses and working practices is equally vital.

Although copper was one of the first metals used by man and one of our oldest building coverings, it has been rediscovered by architects as a thoroughly modern material.

Phil Brown, European Regulatory Marketing Manager at Pilkington United Kingdom – part of the NSG Group – discusses the role glazing can play in modernising heritage buildings while maintaining their original character.

Awareness of mental and physical wellbeing has never been greater, yet many of us are spending more time than ever online – and it’s taking its toll. Here, Sophie Weston, Channel Marketing Manager at Geberit, examines the role that the bathroom has to play in helping us escape from our ‘always-on’ world and examines the importance of considering each of our senses in creating the perfect sanctuary.

‘Pinghe Bibliotheater’ is the core of OPEN Architecture’s latest project. A library, theatre and a black box interlock together like a Chinese puzzle to form this characteristic building that some call ‘the blue whale’, while others see it as an ocean liner. The unique form of the building and the free-flowing spaces not only cultivate students’ interests in reading and performing, but also encourage their imagination to roam freely in the ocean of knowledge.

This month, we sit down with Henry Pescod, Project Director at Stow Projects, to find out more about Stow-Away, a completely recyclable eco apart-hotel in London’s South Bank that’s made out of repurposed shipping containers.

Cynthia Leung, Design Manager at Canary Wharf Contractors, is a qualified Architect. After working in a practice for a number of years and keen to gain exposure in the front end of the industry in relation to construction and property development, she moved to Canary Wharf Contractors to build upon her experience. Here, Cynthia talks to FC&A about her professional experience.

Staircases are one of the most vital transition elements in architecture; they are designed to connect two spaces, whether it is interior to exterior or different internal levels. The positioning of a staircase in a multi-level building will always be vital, but now it is just as essential to create a design visual and consider the staircase as a main feature. Using metal mesh for the balustrades or panel railings on the staircase is not only a great option for safety but also pushes the design boundaries, writes Anthony Millington, Business Development Manager at Amron Architectural.

Shenzhen Shuiwan 1979 Life Plaza is nestled within the leafy streets that neighbour Shekou’s South Mountain. At the heart of this new development is a ‘secret garden’ floating over three floors of retail space that sits at the summit of a grand atrium and offers visitors a pleasant retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city.