Features

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.

COVID-19 has created problems in every sector of life, and the building industry is no exception. However, it is also true that with a crisis like this, people think differently, and lateral thinking certainly creates new ideas and opportunities.

Given the recent reports that building products used in Grenfell should never have been specified, Chief Strategy Officer at NBS, Richard Waterhouse, explains why the construction industry has many more lessons to learn before it can regain its integrity.

Hudson Lambert, Director at Safeguard Europe, answers some of the most common queries arising from waterproofing basements – whether new or refurbishment.

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.

Breitenbach Landscape Hotel proposes a holistic and a true ecotourism experience in Alsace, inspired by Scandinavian traditions and building on the region’s culinary, wellness and nature opportunities. Perched on the heights of the Alsatian village of Breitenbach, the landscape hotel 48° Nord reinterprets the traditional Scandinavian hytte, a place of retreat and reconnection with wild nature. At the heart of a protected Natura 2000 site, the project was designed to fit into a preserved setting without ever disturbing it.

Celebrating a decade of working within the architectural industry, Hala ElKhorazaty, Senior Interior Designer at Perkins&Will London, looks back on her past 10 years in the sector and describes when her interest in architecture and design began.

In a world of smart buildings, the link between building management systems and IT has never been more critical, but these computer-based systems require an army of efficient sensors to ensure a building’s performance is optimised. Stacey Lucas, Commercial and Marketing Director of smart sensor supplier Sontay, offers insight into the vital role of sensing devices and how they help create smarter buildings.

What’s in store for our office spaces post-COVID-19? Have we woken up to the potential that remote working offers for individual, focused tasks? Here, we talk to one of GT3 Architects’ workplace consultants for some inside knowledge.

Specialist construction lawyer Rebecca Harries-Williams discusses the potential pitfalls associated with modern methods of construction (MMC), particularly the risk of fire. Rebecca, a Senior Associate with national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP, says modular construction can be an attractive prospect if the correct care is taken.