Features
Dubbed a ‘modern ghost town’, ‘stillborn city’ and ‘failed utopia’ due to its abundance of infrastructure yet lack of migrants and business back in 2009, Ordos City’s population today has indeed grown since the media’s judgements nine years ago. So much so that the Ordos City Government has commissioned London-based experimental Architect Margot Krasojevic to design an out-of-this-world pedestrian bridge crossing the Wulanmulun River.
With population growth on the rise across the globe and gross floor area (GFA) in decline, architects have been looking to the sky in search of alternatives to meet the world’s housing demand for many years. However, with the development of high-rise alternatives for residential applications, many towns and cities have become densely urbanised and often neglect biodiversity, connecting us back to our natural habitats. One architect practice, however, is changing the face of high-rise structures in the populous city of Lagos.
In China, the name Shenzhen is associated with frenetic pace. The city’s metamorphosis from a fishing village with 30,000 residents into a 15 million-strong metropolis took just 30 years. A start-up at this location required only two decades to become the world’s fourth-largest industrial enterprise. Tencent, the high-tech concern that started out as an email provider, has already overtaken Facebook in terms of its market value.
The draft London Environment Strategy, published by the Greater London Authority last year, sets out the authority’s plan to tackle environmental and energy challenges in the capital. It makes clear that if the target of making London zero carbon by 2050 is to be achieved, big changes need to be made to the way in which heating and cooling systems are designed. Mark Deeney, Business Development Director for Glen Dimplex Heating & Ventilation, considers how heat pumps can contribute thanks to an innovative new approach to heating and cooling city centre apartments.
In this article, Ivan Colvil, Technical Sales Manager of Alumasc Skyline, explains why roofs and rooflines offer the perfect platform to show off creativity and style.
Founded in 1957, the Middle East Centre at St. Antony’s College serves as the University of Oxford’s facility for research and teaching on the Arab world including Iran, Israel and Turkey from the 19th century to the present day. The centre has been housed at 68 Woodstock Road (the former rectory of the Church of St Philip and St James, built in 1887) since 1978.
Andy Barrons from specialist structural refurbishment contractor, Construction Solutions, discusses the temporary works and RC requirements of the Camden Town Hall Annexe hotel project in Central London.
Modern Masonry’s recently-conducted homemakers survey unveiled some intriguing findings on the nation’s view of homeownership and the housing market. Here Andrew Minson, Executive Director at Modern Masonry, gives readers an in-depth insight into the verdicts; highlighting the highs and lows of the nation’s current and future house-building activities.
Joe Bell from the Formica Group discusses attitudes to disabled toilets and the influence of specification.
Woodbase Joiners is a traditional joinery business, which has successfully blended craft knowledge with modern technology to gain business benefits and drive its growth.
