Zaha Hadid Architects’ Post

Metropolis has been featured in Architecture Today, where Ben Cross from General Projects reviews what the market for retrofit is like at the moment. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/erBdb6R7 B&K Structures delivered the CLT floor decks and roof, CLT upstands and structural steelwork elements for #Metropolis, on behalf of ISG. “Metropolis is retrofit at its most radical. This is a building that, seven years ago, would have been one of the 50,000 that are demolished every year to make way for a shiny new build – out with the old, in with the new. So the brief was simple. Reset the standard for what a refurbishment can achieve and deliver. Fast-forward over half a decade and we are only six months away from completion of one of the highest performing, amenity-rich and most sustainable developments in London. All rekindled from a Richard Seifert mid-century classic that was commissioned originally for Woolworths as their UK headquarters. It’s difficult to distil what is truly special about this building. We’ve created market-leading amenity throughout the whole building, given every floor a private garden, extended the building by 50 per cent using mass timber, planted over 4,000 trees, saved 4,240 tonnes of carbon through building re-use, achieved BREEAM Outstanding, removed all fossil fuels from our energy supply and we were the first building in London to achieve AirRated Platinum. It really is a building of superlatives. But if you were to say one thing about it, I would hope it is proof that radically reinventing an existing building is not only better for the planet, but delivers better product too.” Find out more about our work in the #Refurbishment and #Retrofit sector here: www.bkstructures.co.uk Henderson Park Capital Partners and General Projects alongside Heyne Tillett Steel, Stora Enso and Allford Hall Monaghan Morris. #construction #sustainability #sustainableconstruction #timberconstruction #masstimber #engineeredtimber #offsitesolutions #netzero #carbon #jobs #buildingdesign #builtenvironment #timber #masstimberconstruction #zerocarbonfuture #timberbuilding #masswoodbuilding #engineeredtimber #offsiteconstruction #timberconstruction #construction #sustainable #building B&K Hybrid Solutions

Passion Project: Marc and Felicity Bernstein-Hussmann embarked on a remarkable journey to create a family home in Melbourne, Australia, on a previously overlooked plot of derelict land. Despite initial challenges, including the land being deemed unfit for construction by the local council and hesitancy from banks, their determination paid off. They moved into a motorhome for four years while planning and saving for their dream home. The result? A modern passive house called Hütt 01 Coburg, sets new standards for sustainable living. Passive houses originated in Germany in the 1980s and are based on five guiding principles: airtightness, thermal insulation, mechanical ventilation heat recovery, high-performance glazing, and thermal-bridge-free construction. These principles eliminate the need for artificial heating or cooling systems. Marc and Felicity, both architects, have created a working prototype for a new generation of passive houses. Their home showcases their passion for sustainable and contemporary design, as well as their commitment to regenerating smaller urban spaces. While passive houses are gaining traction in Europe and the UK, they remain relatively new in Australia, with fewer than 50 certified examples. The Hütt 01 Coburg features a constant indoor temperature of 19°C to 21°C, even during Victoria’s chilly winters. The kitchen boasts black-stained American oak and marble surfaces, emphasizing aesthetics and functionality. Overall, passive houses offer incredible environmental benefits and substantially reduced power costs, making them an exciting avenue for sustainable living1. For the full article, you can visit The Guardian’s website. https://lnkd.in/drKYXuws #sustainableliving #passivehouse #architecture #sustainability

🪵 Rotterdam’s Fully Demountable Timber Housing Block Rises Fast! 🏗️ A groundbreaking timber housing project is taking shape in Rotterdam, showcasing innovative design and sustainability with its fully demountable structure. 🔎 What You Need to Know: 1️⃣ Innovative Design: The "Valckensteyn" project, developed by the Powerhouse Company, features a 12-storey, 82-unit social housing block comprising 85% timber elements. This adhesive-free structure is designed for easy disassembly and relocation, setting a new standard for sustainable building practices. 2️⃣ Addressing Housing Challenges: The Netherlands faces a significant housing crisis, and this project aims to contribute to the solution. The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency suggests adding a street with 50 homes to each community could yield 95,000 additional units, easing the current shortfall of around 400,000 homes by 2024. 3️⃣ Community-Centric Features: The building’s design includes floor-to-ceiling windows, expansive balconies, and communal gardens, emphasising a harmonious living environment. The project not only focuses on functionality but also enhances the quality of life for residents. 🔗 Read more about this exciting development in Rotterdam and its implications for sustainable housing: https://lnkd.in/g4EN-gC4 🗣️ #questionforgroup: How can we further promote demountable and sustainable building practices in urban development? What role do innovative designs play in solving housing crises in major cities? #sustainableconstruction #timberhousing #urbandevelopment #rotterdam #woodcentral #woodcentralau1 #wood #timber #construction #engineering #modular #prefab #greenbuilding #crosslaminatedtimber #netzero #demountable #fullycircular #netherlands

These Towers in Singapore Create Their Own Microclimate; how shape helps reduce local outside air temperature. The dramatically formed structures - called "DUO" - helped regenerate an area of Singapore that had previously gone under-utilised, and create several new public parks in the process. The orientation of the buildings is designed to maximise natural light and their concave shape captures and channels wind flow through the site, creating cooler microclimates. "The core vision of DUO was to create a new sense of urban habitat in which humans, architecture and nature can coexist in productive and socially responsible ways. The project repairs a broken piece of the city and celebrates public life as the central quality of a socially responsible urban environment,” explains architect Ole Scheeren. Built on the main route into the city from Singapore’s Changi Airport, DUO is a highly connected commercial and residential centre. Leisure zones and tropical gardens link with transport hubs and commercial facilities to create an mixture of lush greenery and public activity - all meant to encourage a more sustainable work/life balance. The 24-hour accessibility of the site harks back to the historic district of Kampong Glam and vibrant commercial Bugis Junction, and is intended to return a sense of community to the area. DUO’s design demonstrates how a landmark building can be carefully embedded within a commercial area as well as how a building’s form can be both practical and sculptural. One tower is residential while the other features offices and a hotel. The curved facades feature a textured honeycomb shading system that protects the building from heat and glare without obstructing views to the ocean or the wider cityscape. Within the site are a diverse range of public spaces. The buildings’ geometric form creates a landscape of covered and open-air gardens, walkways, cafes and restaurants. The integration of architecture and nature allows DUO to accomplish a "100% landscape offset" - that means it's created new green space equivalent to the site’s original unbuilt area. Image and text source: TheB1M

In the Greater Southern Waterfront neighborhood of Tanjong Pagar, Singapore, a stunning, environmentally conscious, new tower is nearing completion. The 33 Story skyscraper encompasses nearly 650,000SqFt of Grade A commercial office space. The BCA Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy Award winning tower blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor, public and private spaces throughout. To lower the energy usage at the tower, the facade of the building is wrapped in a screening material, which allows ample natural sunlight while shielding the interior spaces from the heat from direct sunlight. The facade does more than providing a thermal barrier, it also acts as a rainwater collection and filtration system, allowing the water to be used elsewhere onsite for the landscaping and vegetation. Rooftop solar voltaics provide electricity for the towers outdoor spaces and the entire tower has plans to be net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The expansive rooftop also boasts various terraces and gardens for public and private use. The tower is a marvelous example of the capability of creating sustainable high rises in unforgiving climates. #sustainable #sustainabledesign #sustainablearchitecture #sustainability #greenenergy #greendesign #rooftops #rooftopsolar #rooftopgarden #cleanenergy #singapore #design #architecture #architecturedesign

What does the most sustainable building in Germany look like? 🏢🌱 EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin is a seven-story office complex consisting of two buildings with an area of 32,000 square meters. It was built by TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten using sustainable techniques that save the climate and resources. The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) has awarded the EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin project the most sustainable building in Germany in 2022. Why is it so special? ⭐ All spaces at EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin are designed to be barrier-free and accessible. ⭐ The facades use weather-resistant fiberglass concrete panels, making them lightweight and recyclable. ⭐ The facades also absorb CO2 in their top layer of finely ground cement, which decarbonizes the air around the facility. ⭐ This is the first project in Germany registered for building construction that is 100% compliant with the MADASTER materials database and contains materials that can be reused and recycled. ⭐ The building has been awarded the DGNB Platinum certificate with the highest score ever achieved in Germany, 95.4%. In my opinion, the building is really impressive. What do you think about this project? 💬 #architecture #Germany #Berlin #modernarchitecture

🌿 Aspiring House: Mid-Rise Timber Buildings to Rise in NZ’s Ski Haven! 🪵Roa, a property investment company based in Wānaka, has received the green light from the Queenstown Lakes District Council for an innovative commercial building project, Aspiring House, within the Three Parks Development. This approval signifies a significant milestone, not just for Roa but for the architectural and environmental future of the Queenstown Lakes Districts and potentially New Zealand's Otago region. 🏗️ Project Highlights: 1️⃣Innovative Design: Designed by the acclaimed Warren and Mahoney, Aspiring House is slated to be a four-storey office tower that not only exceeds traditional height limitations but does so through mass timber construction, underscoring a commitment to carbon-conscious building methodologies 2️⃣Sustainable Construction: The council's decision to relax height requirements for this project underlines the growing acceptance and encouragement of sustainable development practices, setting a precedent for future mid-rise mass timber constructions in the region. 3️⃣Commercial Viability: The project’s approval, especially regarding its height, was pivotal in ensuring its commercial viability, demonstrating that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand with the proper support and vision. 4️⃣Green Benchmarking: With aspirations to make Three Parks an international benchmark for green commercial buildings, Roa is paving the way for innovative, sustainable developments that could redefine how communities approach urban planning and construction. 🔋 Forward-Thinking Infrastructure: The development’s inclusion of a mass EV charging park aligns with global trends towards electrification and further cements Three Parks’ reputation as a forward-thinking, environmentally conscious development. 📈 Implications for the Future: This landmark approval could catalyse a shift towards more sustainable building practices in New Zealand's Otago region and beyond. 🔗 For more: https://lnkd.in/gEYJRUN5 💬 #questionforgroup: How will this project influence sustainable development practices in New Zealand and globally? Do you believe mass timber construction is the future of commercial real estate development? 🗣️Join the conversation and share your thoughts on the potential impact of Aspiring House and the role of innovative design in promoting environmental sustainability. #greenbuildings #construction #masstimberconstruction #masstimber #nzmade #realestate #wānaka #nz #urbanplanning #architecture #engineering #timberconstruction #timberunlimited #timber #woodcentral #woodcentralau1 #esg #development #otago

Interested in buying and #flipping buildings? Whether homes or otherwise, you need to know how the pricing model works. Buildings have a price tag – when they’re built, occupied and sold. Buildings are usually purpose-built. They can be built to be a church, school, apartment building, office building, restaurant, factory, hospital and so on. And, no matter what a #building is built for, there are three important considerations in the early stages that will have a big impact on the future usability and success of the building: + Financing, + the location and + the building’s design. Each is an important consideration that, taken together, will have a huge impact on the overall success of the building. It is very difficult to have a good end result if any of these criteria are wrong. Click here to learn more about pricing buildings: https://lnkd.in/eNyc48k

Nominated: The City of London Lighting Supplementary Planning Document The City of London’s Lighting Supplementary Planning Document has been nominated for a Build Back Better Award in the lighting category.  In July 2023, the City of London Corporation Planning and Transportation Committee voted unanimously to adopt the ground-breaking document (SPD), a statutory set of guidance for external lighting within the City of London.  The document, developed by Speirs Major Light Architecture in collaboration with the City’s planning team, was an initiative that came out of the authority’s 2018 Lighting Strategy, which sought to establish an innovative approach to lighting within an area that boasts some of the tallest contemporary tower buildings in Europe, set within a unique mediaeval street pattern.  The SPD, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, takes a creative and flexible approach to reducing the environmental impact that lighting creates while encouraging solutions that will realise the social and economic benefits of good design.  The 2018 Lighting Strategy the City identified a series of desired outcomes, including reducing energy waste and light pollution, improving the quality of the public realm and mitigating potentially harmful effects of obtrusive light on both residents and local biodiversity.  These objectives formed the basis for the SPD, which aims to ensure that all new developments include proper consideration for how lighting will complement the unique architectural and heritage context, as well as addressing important issues of sustainability, safety, accessibility, inclusion and amenity for residents, workers, visitors and tourists.  Under the newly adopted guidance, lighting is integrated into the planning application process at a very early stage with applicants for major developments required to submit a lighting strategy as part of any pre-application and then a fully developed lighting concept at the application stage.  Technical details of lighting schemes are then delivered post-planning as part of the conditions, including mandatory information on how the lighting will be operated and maintained.  A simple methodology limits light spill and brightness based on a series of ‘District Brightness Zones’ including residential, heritage, cultural and tourist areas, and commercial, retail and transport hubs.  Each of these has varying ‘curfews’ to help control external illumination and the impact of interior lighting, particularly for highly glazed buildings, including dealing with such issues as the lights being left on in empty buildings.  The SPD also includes a ‘Lighting Charter’ that encourages existing building owners and their tenants to sign up to many of the initiatives on a voluntary basis. • The Build Back Better Awards celebrates and rewards innovation, creativity, environmental leadership and social purpose in the built environment. 

In 2024, commercial construction design trends continue to evolve, reflecting broader shifts towards sustainability, technology integration, and flexible work environments. At Broderick Dean Construction, we keep a close eye on these trends to ensure our commercial construction projects are innovative, relevant, and tailored to the needs of businesses in today's fast-changing landscape. Here are some of the most popular design trends for commercial construction in 2024: 1. Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Designs Sustainability remains a key trend, with an increasing number of projects incorporating green building materials, energy-efficient systems, and designs that minimize environmental impact. This includes the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, green roofs, and systems designed to reduce water usage. 2. Biophilic Design Biophilic design, which seeks to connect building occupants more closely to nature, is gaining traction. This trend involves incorporating natural light, indoor plants, living walls, and natural materials to create a healthier and more visually appealing environment that can improve productivity and well-being. 3. Smart Buildings The integration of smart technology is transforming commercial spaces into more efficient, responsive environments. Smart buildings can adapt to the needs of their occupants, optimizing lighting, temperature, and security systems in real-time for comfort and energy savings. 4. Flexible and Adaptable Spaces As the way we work continues to evolve, commercial spaces are being designed for flexibility and adaptability. This includes open floor plans, modular workspaces, and multi-purpose areas that can easily be reconfigured to accommodate changing needs. 5. Focus on Employee Well-being There is a growing emphasis on designs that prioritize the health and well-being of employees. This includes features such as enhanced ventilation systems, ample natural light, fitness centers, and communal spaces that encourage physical activity and social interaction. 6. Emphasis on Community and Connectivity Designs that foster a sense of community and connectivity among building occupants and the surrounding area are becoming more popular. This can involve creating public spaces within commercial developments, pedestrian-friendly pathways, and integrating commercial projects with local transit systems. #commercialconstruction #officetrends #constructiontrends