Feature Profile: A10 Studio

Re.evolution Lounge+Bar by A10 Studio

Cabo San Lucas: Town of Two Halves

In the center of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the Re.evolution lounge+bar is a project that you’d most probably see in Miami or LA than in a touristy Mexican beach resort. It provides a breath of fresh air to the city nightlife, and has also unintentionally triggered a micro urban renewal in the neighbourhood.

Read more

Architecture Naturally: Student Photography Competition

This week I recieved the latest brief for the ADP Architects Student Photography Competition 2009/2010. You can enter now, and find out more below.

My entry for last year. Festival in Trafalgar Square. Image by Robert Pike

The ADP website states:

Last year, ADP launched its first national student photography competition – Bricks and Mortals. Such was the success of the event, that we have decided to run the competition again this year, with a fresh new theme and brief: Architecture Naturally.

Architecture Naturally is open to students over the age of 16 studying photography or architecture, or related design courses. The focus for this year’s competition is on the important relationship between architecture, and the natural world.

Winners and selected entrants will have the chance to have their work exhibited at two private exhibitions. Prints on display at these events will also be up for auction, to raise funds for Architecture Sans Frontieres-UK.

ADP gratefully acknowledges the support of Adobe, Callprint and DIgital Photographer as this year’s competition sponsors.

(Source: http://www.adp-architects.co.uk/index.php Accessed website December 2009)

Download the brief here

London Festival of Architecture 2010: Design Your Own Festival

The Welcoming City

19th June-4th July 2010

Above: The Fresh Flower Pavilion from LFA08. Image by Robert Pike

The London Festival of Architecture takes place from 19 June to 4 July 2010 and will be a city-wide celebration of architecture in the capital. As London gears up for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games LFA2010 will look at ways that planners, architects and local communities play their part in the development of ‘The Welcoming City (LFA, 2010)’. The 2008 Festival was a tremendous succcess with events throughout London that provided interest for all. It attracted 250,000 visitors to some 800 events. If you took part or visited the many events you will agree that it was quite a spectacle. Now LFA in readiness for 2010 wants your ideas for events and ideas. If you visit the official site you can now create a personal profile, as Boidus has done, so that you can keep up to date with events. You can also add your own events to the schedule. So get you thinking caps on and contribute to this fantastic festival now!

LFA2010 Official website

General Enquiries: info@lfa2010.org

Above: Jelly St Pauls from the LFA2008 Design a Jelly Mould competition.

Read more

Breaking News: Boiler Scrappage Scheme & Feed-in Tariffs

The Chancellor Alistair Darling in his Pre-Budget Report (PBS) has announced a proposal to help 125,000 homes to replace inefficient boilers in a new ’scrappage’ scheme. This supports the need for the existing housing stock in the UK to become more energy efficient.

He also announced:

• £160m investment in low-carbon and renewable projects
• Homeswith wind turbines and micro generation measures that pay back to the national grid will benefit from a £900 tax free feed in tariff.
• £200m extra investment for Warm Front insulation scheme, helping 65,000 households
• Electric cars to be exempt from company car tax for five years

(Source: Pre Budget Report deliver by Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, 9/12/09. As broadcast on BBC Five Live)

Read more

RIBA Announces Winners of Presidents Medal 2009

At a ceremony at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), this year’s top students of Architecture have been awarded with the Presidents Medal. Here are the winners:

Part2.

Silver Medal.

Nicholas Szczepaniak.

A Defensive Architecture.

University of Westminster

Above: A Defensive Architecture by Nicholas Szczepaniak. University of Westminster

More images here

Westminster Summer Exhibition Review here

Read more

Christo Meyer: Nominee for Presidents Medal Dissertation Prize

It is my great pleasure to introduce Christo Meyer as one of this years nominees of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Presidents Medal dissertation prize. Having emerged from the same dissertation group led by Dr Norman Bayldon at London South Bank University, I can say that Christo  proved to be a student with a great passion for his subject. This is represented by the final result of his dissertation. I, along with my Boidus colleagues, would like to wish Christo our warmest congratulations on his nomination.

[...N1-N9-N10...] The Karoo Displaced

The Karoo Displaced. Investigates the phenomenological aspect of the given route. A video produced to accompany the dissertation. Filmed & produced by Christo Meyer.  (Source: Youtube, 2009)

Read more

Anish Kapoor at the Royal Academy of Arts

Anish Kapoor

Royal Academy of Arts

Till 11th December.

Buy tickets

View the webcam

Watch Anish Kapoor on BBC Imagine

Read more

Seminar: BRE’s Low Carbon Building Programme Phase 2

As reported by Della Pearlman

FUNDING

The Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP)  is divided into 2 phases:

• LCBP-1 is for householder, (providing grants of up to £2500) and 
• LCBP-2 is for Schools, Churches, community and other not-for-prfit organizations, providing grants of up to 50% to a maximum of £200,000.

An extra £45 million was announced in the budget of 2009, with LCBP-2 receiving an additional £35 million of funding.  There will be a £9 million pot for solar PV but other technologies have no limits applied to them. Applications are being accepted until the end of March 2010 for electrical and heat microgeneration, and until March 2011 for thermal energy.

Crossway by Richard Hawkes Architects. Photography by Robert Pike

Read more

I’ve Never Been to Vegas but I Have Been to Tokyo

By Kelly Burgess

Postgraduate Diploma in Architecture student at London South Bank University

Whilst reading Tom Wolfe’s “Las Vegas” (Too Noisy…etc) I couldn’t get over the similarities between the author’s interpretation of the city and my own experiences of Kabukicho, Tokyo.

I’m lucky enough to have spent six months living and working in Japan and suffice to say it left a lasting impression on me. Wolfe’s text re-ignited my senses and brought back to the surface the intense feelings experienced the first few times I walked through the Japanese streets.

Read more

Discovering Latin America Film Festival

26th November- 6th December 2009

Turn off the lights, draw the curtains, sit down and enjoy the best of Latin American cinema right here in London!

We are thrilled to welcome you to the 8th edition of the Discovering Latin America Film Festival. The festival will bring a wide variety of feature, experimental and short films, as well as documentaries, retrospectives, master-classes, discussions with well-known industry professionals, a much needed film network, and many other events!

This impressive programme will not only contribute to the cultural diversity of London but also help the most underprivileged people in Latin America. This is what clearly distinguishes our festival from others in London. We are committed to helping alleviate the poverty in Latin America. By coming to our films and events, you will be supporting a deserving cause. We very much look forward to welcoming you soon.

Libia Villazana

Film Festival Director

For more info click here

13/11/09: Community Spirit and Carnaval: Carnaval del Pueblo

Carnaval del Pueblo

Hear the drums. Smell the food. Latin America has arrived at Burgess Park, South London. Satiate the senses for one weekend a year in this corner of Southwark as Carnaval del Pueblo, Europe’s largest Latin American festival, takes place. Attracting communities and festival goers alike it is a scene of colour and culture.

Read more