AKT II

Warm Eid wishes from everyone at AKT II — may this time bring joy, harmony, and peace to all who are celebrating.

AKT II was proud to take part in this year’s Grimshaw Foundation Careers Showcase, held at the Grimshaw #London Studio. The interactive event brought students together with professionals across the built environment—offering insights into the wide range of career pathways available, from architecture and engineering to design technology, sustainability, communications, and more. Senior Engineer Edvis Sejkati joined peers from other practices to share their day-to-day experiences, answer questions, and demonstrate how diverse disciplines contribute to shaping the built environment. AKT II is proud to support initiatives that open up the industry and empower the next generation to discover rewarding careers aligned with their skills and passions. 📸: Robert Waters for Grimshaw Foundation #CareersShowcase #NationalCareersWeek #BuiltEnvironment #Engineering

In an era of crises, we must think in the present, embracing a 'can-do' approach—seeing the site as both a physical and intangible opportunity. In the upcoming Steel Institute Lecture: 'Sitebound – Despair to Opportunity', Professor Hanif Kara OBE will explore how interdisciplinary #design, #research, and #collaboration can break free from the isolation of specialisation and traditional hierarchies. 📅 Date: 1st April 2025 🕑 Time: 18:30 - 20:30pm EDT 📍 Location: Frederick P. Rose Auditorium, 41 Cooper Square New York, NY 10003 United States Drawing from various projects, Hanif will share insights on how AKT II has synthesised knowledge into a holistic understanding of today’s design #challenges while seeking new #opportunities. This lecture promises to be an unmissable opportunity for those interested in the intersection of design, research, and innovation. For those of you in the US, you can secure your spot in the comments ⬇️ #Engineering #Construction #SteelInstitute #Opportunity #Lecture

Ambitious plans aim to make the City of #Cambridge a hub for growth and innovation — but will its infrastructure cope?   Later today our Cambridge studio director, Nicola Carniato, will join industry leaders, policy experts, and key stakeholders at a Building Magazine roundtable discussion. The discussion will examine the role of the construction sector in shaping the future of East Anglia and the wider Oxford-Cambridge Arc.   Stay tuned to hear all about what is discussed...   #Cambridge #Construction #Infrastructure #EastAnglia

Reducing carbon in construction starts from the ground up—literally. AKT II’s Technical Director, Dr. Dimitrios Selemetas, has been featured in Ground Engineering Magazine's latest article, “Cutting carbon through optimised design and foundation reuse”, where he discusses how #strategic engineering can significantly reduce embodied carbon in foundation design. Dr. Dimitrios will also be speaking at the upcoming GE Piling & Foundations Conference 2025, where he will explore best practices in foundation design that reduce material use, lower embodied carbon through integrated design, and maximise foundation re-use. 📅 Date: 22 April 2025 ⏰ Time: 1:50 PM – 2:15 PM 📍 Location: America Square Conference Centre, London Join him at the event to be part of the #conversation on the future of low-carbon construction. Click the link in comments to read this latest article👇

AKT II's projects are popular in the press this week! St Pancras Campus, a #London project with W.RE and Caruso St John Architects Llp has been featured in this week’s RIBA Journal. This mixed-use development brings together #offices and #market and affordable #residential spaces within a carefully considered urban setting, integrating public routes and a landscaped piazza to enhance the surrounding area. The fantastic feature highlights how the design respects the #historic context while delivering high-quality, #adaptable spaces. Find the full article in the comments: W.RE | Caruso St John Architects Llp | NDY | BAM UK & Ireland | exigere | B&CO | JCLA | Point 2 | Gerald Eve | London Borough of Camden #AKTII #StructuralEngineering #StPancrasCampus #RIBAJournal

Architecture Today explores the restoration of a true architectural pioneer— Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings. AKT II project Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings project has been featured in Architecture Today, highlighting the #collaborative façade design by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios). Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, originally built in 1797, is recognised as the world's first iron-framed building—the ‘grandparent of skyscrapers.’ Design director Christopher Blust shares AKT II’s perspective on the project, detailing the approach taken to retain its historic #integrity while ensuring its future #resilience. Chris noted about the project design team; “Each member adopted an unwavering position, digging-in and overcoming challenges as they arose[...]This made the design team work together as partners in pursuit of success, rather than as a team of individual consultants.” This project demonstrates the value of collaboration in preserving architectural #heritage while meeting contemporary needs. Click the link in comments to read the full article in Architecture Today. 📸: Historic England Historic England | Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios) | E3 Consulting Engineers | LT Studio | Croft Building & Conservation Ltd | Shropshire Council | The National Lottery Heritage Fund | Northcot Brick Limited #ArchitecturalHeritage #StructuralEngineering #HistoricRestoration #ShrewsburyFlaxmillMaltings #AKTII

We are moving forward in the next phase of the YZD Runway Design Competition run by Northcrest Developments. Our team—Team SLA —alongside Gehl - Making Cities for People, PCA-STREAM, Trophic Design Inc., AOA, Art-Public, HR&A Advisors, and Level Playing Field, , will help explore how this space can be reimagined for future public use.   “The Runway must become an extraordinary centrepiece for YZD, a magnet for the region, and a bold statement to the world. By turning the Runway’s transportation infrastructure into social infrastructure, we can help transform the Runway into a whole new form of public space encompassing all the social, ecological, historical, creative, and deeply human experiences and values of YZD,” says SLA Design Principal & Partner Rasmus Astrup.   We are proud to work alongside CCxA, Field Operations, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc., and Sasaki. This next chapter will help set a new standard for public space.

How can we design buildings that withstand the increasing challenges of climate change?   Mattia Donato, associate director and Head of Bioclimatic Design and Climate Adaptation at AKT II, recently shared his insights in a RICS article exploring how #resilience can help protect people and buildings against a changing climate.   The article follows a webinar panel discussion, where Mattia spoke about the urgent need to rethink our approach to resilience. He highlights: "We’ve been designing buildings and infrastructure based on historical weather patterns. But with a changing climate, we also need a changing built environment that can adapt and be resilient to future events."   His contribution reinforces the importance of proactive, data-driven design strategies to create a more #adaptable and #sustainable built environment.   Follow the link in comments to see the full article and watch the webinar 👇 Dr Tina Thomson | Aris Papadopoulos | james kavanagh | Steven Matz #ClimateResilience #SustainableDesign #AKTII #BioclimaticDesign #ClimateAdaptation

In the February half term, AKT II welcomed students from around #London and the #SouthEast into the office. As part of the Open City Accelerate programme, the scheme is designed for students interested in exploring careers within the #builtenvironment, and allows them to build upon #design skills, understand the industry #networks and gain the #confidence to make informed career choices. During their visit, the students made collages and models of kiosk structures they've designed around the theme of 'together', exploring how the different sectors of the built environment industry integrate to produce a final structure.    Whilst tapping into their #creative capabilities, the workshops also allowed them to experience life at AKT II and the exciting work we do.   A special thank you to Lucy Staley, Ece Naz Tonguc and Antonia Haar for hosting a #memorable week! #OpenCity #Careers #NextGeneration #Future #Creativity