Features

Human-centred design isn’t a new concept, but with a growing body of research highlighting its important role in boosting workplace productivity, it has become a key consideration for architects and interior designers, writes Laura Light, Interface Concept Design Team Leader.

Today, Alton Towers is best known as a theme park resort, home to Nemesis, Oblivion, The Smiler and new for 2018, Wicker Man. Yet, before the Corkscrew revolutionised the park back in 1980, the estate had been the property and home of the Talbots, Earls of Shrewsbury, for 700 years. At the heart of the park sits a reminder of this heritage, the iconic Towers, one of the greatest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Britain.

In construction, waterproofing is a process of making a building or structure waterproof or water-resistant, so it remains protected from the effects of water penetration or enables the ingress of water within a specified or controlled manner.

Scotland – synonymous with pristine landscape, harsh weather and, of course, whisky. Whisky has been distilled in Scotland for hundreds of years.

Over 30,000 buildings worldwide are accredited to the Passivhaus standard, with that figure continuing to rise as the global pressure to create energy-efficient buildings increases. Here Nicolas Tye, Director at Nicolas Tye Architects, shares his insight into the approach architects can take when designing and building Passivhaus-accredited buildings for both the residential and commercial sectors, particularly with regard to the importance of rooflights.

Is a reluctance to move away from traditional materials still holding us back when it comes to material selection for key products such as acoustically optimised drainage pipes and fittings? Sophie Weston, Channel Marketing Manager at Geberit, looks at the properties of four key materials used for drainage pipes and fittings and asks what learnings we can gain from the European market.

The BBA – or British Board of Agrément to give it its full name – has been an established part of the UK construction industry for more than 50 years, with the sole aim of providing specifiers, installers, users, regulators, manufacturers, insurers and the public with the reassurance they require that building products are safe, reliable, fit for purpose and correctly installed, explains Ramona Donnelly, Operations Manager – Engineering at the BBA.

There are many aspects to consider when designing a building – from the building system and sustainability to ongoing performance and costs. With numerous routes to take along the design and construction journey, selecting the core structural solution is one of the most important decisions. Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association, offers his perspective on how to select the optimum building solution to meet the budget and specific needs of the client.

With the end of the year nigh, many are relieved to see the back of 2018 – the renowned year of ‘uncertainty’, arduous negotiations and back and forth deal or no-deals. However, three months into the fresh, new year of 2019 lies ‘D-day’ for Brexit. Here, FC&A talks to two representatives from top law firm Womble Bond Dickinson about what they believe is on the horizon for the industry prior to and after March’s predicted events. Kathrine Eddon, Head of the Public Procurement Unit, and Michelle Essen, Managing Associate in Construction, take it from here...

Make Architects has completed work on its London Wall Place project, a new commercial scheme offering the largest set of public gardens developed in the City of London since the post-War Brutalist Barbican estate on behalf of Brookfield Properties and Oxford Properties.