Viro Consult’s Post

As timber construction makes its way from the margins to the mainstream of construction activity it could be that proof that timber hospitals have shorter occupancy levels is the turbo booster we need for a dramatic, rather than the current steady, increase in the use of timber in construction. Shorter occupancy linked to the health benefits of timber buildings would save large sums of (often public) money. Add in wooden schools and universities with higher educational results and wooden offices with higher productivity and we could see the order books for timber builds explode upwards.

I’m glad to announce that months ago, I participated in the UIA 2030 Award. Organized biennially in six categories and aligned with the World Urban Forum, this prestigious award invited architects from around the world to submit their projects. These projects were evaluated for their design quality and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I submitted in *Category 6: Promotion, Restoration, and Sustainable Use of Ecosystems*. Weeks ago, I felt quite desperate not making it to the finalists, but I’m honored to have made it to the pre-finalists. At this young age, reaching such an international competition and raising the name of my country high is a significant achievement. I received an email with this honorable comment: --- "Dear Aya Ezzelarab, Thank you for your interest in the 2024 edition of the UIA 2030 Award, organized by the International Union of Architects (UIA) in collaboration with UN-Habitat. Having now concluded the first stage evaluation, we regret to inform your project has not been selected to proceed to the finalists stage. This year’s award attracted over 100 high quality entries from around the 5 regions of the UIA. The finalists will now go forward to the second stage, and the winners will be announced at the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum (WUF12) next November in Cairo, Egypt. We hope that you will continue to participate in UIA-endorsed prizes and competitions." --- The competition was assessed regionally, representing the five UIA regions: Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East, The Americas, Asia and Oceania, and Africa. The selected entries highlight the power of design to address complex social, economic, and environmental challenges and showcase progress towards achieving the SDGs across six categories. On a side note, the competition involved several stages: project submission, assessment for being a pre-finalist, assessment as finalists, and winners announcement. #UIA2030 #SustainableDevelopment #Architecture #YoungArchitects #InternationalCompetition #DesignForGood

I'm Glad to announce that months ago, i had participated in the UIA 2030 award, This award is an Organized biennially in six categories and aligned with the World Urban Forum, the UIA 2030 Award invited architects from around the world to submit their projects. These projects were evaluated for their design quality and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I had submitted in *Category 6: Promotion, restoration and sustainable use of ecosystems* and weeks ago, I had been quite desperate that I couldn't make to the finalists which were announced and i only made it to the pre-finalists but I'm honored that at this young age i could make it to such an international competition raising the name of my country quite high and receiving an email with such an honorable comment: "Dear Aya Ezzelarab, Thank you for your interest in the 2024 edition of the UIA 2030 Award, organized by the International Union of Architects (UIA) in collaboration with UN-Habitat. Having now concluded the first stage evaluation, we regret to inform your project has not been selected to proceed to the finalists stage. This year’s award attracted over 100 high quality entries from around the 5 regions of the UIA. The finalists will now go forward to the second stage and the winners will be announced at the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum (WUF12). We hope that you will continue to participate in UIA-endorsed prizes and competitions." The competition had assessed regionally, representing the five UIA regions: Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East, The Americas, Asia and Oceania, and Africa. The selected entries highlight the power of design to address complex social, economic, and environmental challenges, and showcase progress towards delivery of the SDGs through six categories. On a side note the competition is stepped into project submission, assessment for being a prefinalist, assessment as finalists and winners announcement.

I’m excited to share that I’ll be attending the RICS Built Environment Europe Summit in Bilbao this year! 🌍 As an AssocRICS member and founder of COLUNA, where we deliver integrated architecture and engineering solutions, I’m passionate about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the built environment. 🏗️ This summit represents an important opportunity to engage with industry leaders, discuss emerging trends, and explore cutting-edge innovations that are transforming how we design, build, and manage projects across Europe. 🌱 From sustainability practices to smart city integration, the future of our industry is more interconnected than ever, and I’m looking forward to sharing insights, learning from fellow professionals, and expanding the conversations that will shape tomorrow’s built environment. 💡 For me, attending this event is not just about professional development—it’s about being part of the change that will drive a more sustainable and resilient future in the architecture and engineering sectors. 🚀 If you’ll be attending, let’s connect! 🤝 #RICS #BuiltEnvironmentEurope #ArchitectureAndEngineering #SustainableDesign #SmartCities #ProjectManagementExcellence #LifecycleSolutions #FutureOfConstruction #CircularEconomy #BuildingInnovation #UrbanResilience #Collabor

Lots of new development for Edinburgh including work by leading Scottish Architects Studios … but hoping more projects are funded beyond the pre-planning stage - especially the active travel projects some of which were commissioned in the late 2010s https://lnkd.in/ezcguzME

👏 P U B L I C S T A T E M E N T: And here is the public statement from Moriyama Teshima Architects on the recent and abrupt closure of the Ontario Science Centre by the Ontario Government | Gouvernement de l’Ontario The landmark 1969 building by renowned Japanese Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama was closed following an engineering report by Rimkus with the Ontario government citing that the report found “serious structural issues with the Ontario Science Centre building.” While these issues would not be expected to materialize until the winter, according to Infrastructure Ontario, the intervening months were needed “for staff to safely vacate the building.” A deep dive into the engineering report revealed a different story. It suggests that the building’s key exhibition areas could continue to operate safely for years to come—even if the Ontario government chooses not to invest in any structural roof repairs this year. #OntarioScienceCentre #SaveTheScienceCentre #architecture #heritage #historiclandmark #canadianarchitecture Elizabeth Pagliacolo Stefan Novakovic Eric Mutrie AZURE Media Canadian Architect magazine

On Tuesday, our CEO, Amanda Searle attended the Building 4.0 CRC Annual Conference. It was fantastic to see global industry leaders and professionals gather to discuss pressing topics including industrialised construction, MMC (Modern Methods of Construction) decarbonisation, and sustainability. A highlight was hearing from Dr. Jerker Lessing, an expert in industrialised construction with a track record spanning two decades across Europe, North America, and Australia. As an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University, Dr. Lessing shared insights into strategic and practical aspects of industrialised construction, with his presentation covering how adopting a customer-centric approach is key to achieving successful outcomes. Dr Lessing explored how new systems, materials, and technologies can accelerate innovation and deliver better, more sustainable buildings. This year's theme, "Making it Happen" underscored the urgency of adopting innovative solutions amid global challenges like housing crises and environmental commitments. This focus on sustainability and technological advancements is a great example of our industry’s commitment to shaping a progressive future. See more on the conference here: https://lnkd.in/gFEVru2c

If you read no other newsletter, I strongly recommend the The American Institute of Architects (AIA) COTE (Committee on the Environment) updates. Take time and check out the winning COTE Top Ten projects for 2024. Intellectually and physically beautiful, and a great resource! Looking for a job in a future-facing firm? Start with COTE Top Ten winners. Looking for a visionary architect? Start with COTE Top Ten winners. Looking for inspiring project examples? Start with COTE Top Ten winners. Want to get involved in COTE? Apply for AIA Knowledge Communities leadership roles this fall. Jump in. 😎

Discover how Africa's embrace of sustainable infrastructure, led by innovators like Leander Moons of studio OMT architects, is shaping a greener future. In this episode, we delve into the rising trend of mass timber construction, its potential impact on global sustainability, and the collaborative efforts with local communities. Listen now! 🎧🔗 https://lnkd.in/e_nJd8_i

Mass timber construction isn't just for high-income countries! I learned quite a lot from this conversation with architect Leander Moons about the mass timber value chain, or lack thereof, in Africa and what is being done to build it.