Features

2017 was a rollercoaster year for the construction industry and its workers. From Brexit, zero growth predictions and reports suggesting that the sector is struggling, to seemingly climbing out of a recession thanks to a surge in house-building, it’s fair to say we’ve had quite a year, says Steve Mansour, CEO of construction insurance specialist CRL.

Marina One in Singapore is to date the largest project by Ingenhoven Architects. The project was officially opened on 15th January 2018 by the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, and the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak.

Scandinavia is currently the centre of attention on the global stage as the world goes mad for its clean, minimalistic aesthetic and interesting lifestyle trends such as ‘hygge’. However, Norway and Oslo, in particular, seems to be at the hub of it all. Here Leonard Design Director, John Morgan, discusses ‘the Oslo factor’ as the city is named the fastest-growing capital in Europe.

In 1899, Wilbur and Orville Wright, the inventors of the aeroplane, put their first model to flight. They faced several problems, including insufficient lift and deviation from the intended direction. Following a trial flight in 1901, Wilbur said to Orville that man would not fly in a thousand years. Since this occasion, good design has dispelled Wilbur’s theory. Here Jonathan Wilkins, Marketing Director at industrial obsolete automation equipment supplier EU Automation, discusses how virtual reality (VR) can be used to improve the design engineering process.

The industrial concrete trend has been around for some years, featured on TV and in high-end architectural and interior design magazines. Poured concrete kitchen worktops, splashbacks and cladded walls are becoming highly fashionable, but there are shortcomings with the real thing, explains Jon Stanley, Vice President of Marketing at Caesarstone UK.

New legislation has changed the way that the seasonal efficiency of heating equipment is calculated. Danny Packham, European Product Manager – warm air and radiant – from Nortek Global HVAC, outlines the key points.

Cundall’s new Hong Kong office is a showcase in how to cost-effectively deliver a first-class office fit-out whilst creating a healthy, efficient and future-proof space that is both kind to the environment and puts the wellbeing of occupants at the heart of the design.

The tail end of 2017 was not without its fair share of announcements relating to the UK house-building industry. With a raft of budget commitments to increasing new starts and aiding first-time buyers through to an industrial strategy white paper containing a sector-specific deal for construction, there’s plenty to be optimistic about as we enter 2018, says Andrew Minson of the Modern Masonry Alliance.

The STA’s annual survey of UK structural timber markets forecast continued growth within the sector as companies are taking advantage of market opportunities. These opportunities include factors such as advances in off-site construction supported by modern manufacturing processes and computerised technology. Alex Goodfellow, Chairman of the STA and Managing Director for Stewart Milne Timber Systems, discusses the findings of the report and outlines the STA’s priorities for 2018.

The Butterfly Pavilion is an iconic design element of Noor Island. Together with numerous installations, small structures, light, media objects, unusual plants and a musical soundscape, it gives rise to a holistic, multi-sensory experience.