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FRIDAY MAY 22 2009

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LEADER

NEWSthe RIBA should be in the driving seat. Deprived of influence, the institute has boxed itself into a corner defending what it does to a sceptical public and the heir to the throne. At last weeks RIAS conference some of the architects present said the way out of the mess was to get closer to government, although one might ask if this is not the moment to promote ones independence from all parties, particularly New Labour. However, what John McAslan and others were articulating is a concern that RIBA is not being listened to. Being relevant is doubly difficult at a time when everything, from the House of Commons to banks and building societies, are under review but the public mood expects change and architects are right to expect their institute to change too.

The struggle to stay relevantAMANDA BAILLIEU

As the profession comes under attack, the RIBA must prove that is still capable of making a difference

Deprived of influence, the RIBA has boxed itself into a corner defending what it does to a sceptical public

Theres a school of thought that says splenetic attacks, like the one made by Simon Jenkins on architects last week, are best ignored. It does the profession no good to conduct a public war of words over whether or not its guilty of conspiring to destroy the world for its own ego, as Jenkins claimed, but at the same time how people react when under fire is interesting, as were witnessing with the attempts by MPs to wriggle out of their false expenses claims. Despite Jenkins gibe that the RIBA behaves like a fascist dictatorship the only real charge the institute faces is that its become irrelevant. For years now architects have lost power at the top end, becoming far less influential in the world. Except for the occasional blip and Richard Rogers is the only name that comes to mind architects are at best tolerated by politicians but more generally ignored because on the whole they do not have anything useful to say. This has persuaded the RIBA to rely on the razzmatazz end of what an architect does. Thus, the Stirling Prize is badged like the Oscars, except unlike the Oscars the public does not care what architects do in the intervening months and looks on this annual spectacle with wry amusement. Then, of course, there are occasions like last week when the RIBA opens its doors for the entire world to see, except instead of Fleet Street editors, entrepreneurs, fashion designers and academics, Portland Place was packed with grey haired, grey suited RIBA apparatchiks and individuals who had secured a place by ballot. Of course, architecture is more than just a handful of awards but no one is sure any more just what it is and why

IN BRIEFEDINBURGH

Farrell warns over complacencyI Edinburgh is at risk of losing its status as one of Europes greatest capital cities, Terry Farrell has said. Farrell, who is standing down as Edinburghs design champion after five years, claims political squabbles and dangerous complacency are hampering plans for the future of the city. He told city leaders, architects and planners at his valedictory conference, The Festival of Placemaking, on Thursday, that there was a lack of mature consideration about the future of Edinburgh. Farrell called for a forum of urban designers and citymakers to help co-ordinate the docklands redevelopment and improvements to the citys tram network.

HAMMERSMITH

New drama for Niall McLaughlin

Damaging demands for experienceWell done to the five young practices whove come together in order to bid for primary school work (see page 6). Whether or not itll make any difference to the bean counters assessing the bids is an entirely different matter. There is no question that primary school work should be open to young firms but Ojeu notices are demanding that bids can only come from those with the relevant experience. In some cases this means two large new-build schools plus a couple of refurbishments. Its a nonsense of course why does a firm need this level of experience? yet it ensures that only bigger practices can comply. This suggests that PFI, having squeezed secondary school design is about to gets its grip on primary schools as well. Will Cabe step in and object? Lets wait and see.I Niall McLaughlin Architects has designed an 8 million new base (pictured) for London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts in Hammersmith, west London. Work on the very cramped site sandwiched between a busy A road and a railway line will begin next year.

EDUCATION

Decisions under way on LSC fundsI Consultants employed by the Learning & Skills Council are scrutinising applications for 300 million in emergency funding announced for its college rebuilding programme in last months Budget. Accountant PricewaterhouseCoopers and property consultant Lambert Smith Hampton are now assessing which bids meet LSC criteria. An LSC spokeswoman said: The consultants are evidence-gathering and we will get their report before the national council meeting. This is being held in London on June 3 and will decide which colleges get cash. One of the 20 firms on the list is RIBA president Sunand Prasads firm, Penoyre & Prasad. He said: We havent heard anything from the colleges were involved with. For us, June 3 will be D-day. Around 150 projects stalled because of funding problems.

LEISURE

Architect sought for historic baths

WHATS ON THE WEBThe latest addition to our building study video tours this week is AHMMs Kentish Town Health Centre, which featured recently in BD Magazine. Take a virtual tour round the building at www.bdonline. co.uk/AHMM And if you are in the mood for videos, weve also got a flythrough of Atkins submission for the redevelopment of Mecca. Atkins has confirmed it is out of the running for the secretive projects, but Fosters and Faber Maunsell are believed to still be in contention. Watch the video and keep up to date with any developments at www.bdonline.co.uk/mecca I BD hits the Hay The annual arts extravaganza that is the Hay Festival kicks off this weekend, and for the first year

FULL HEALTH

This image of the viewing platforms at Renzo Pianos London Shard was released this week. Work began on the 310mhigh building earlier this year.

BD will be sponsoring an event. In association with AHEC (the American Hardwood Export Council) well be co-sponsoring a debate discussing the issue Does recession mean the end of the icon? It takes place on Friday May 29, is chaired by Amanda

Baillieu and features Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic and former RIBA president George Ferguson. It is sure to be a lively affair. Want to join us there? Weve got four pairs of tickets to give away. Email nathan.easom@ ubm.com to be entered in to the draw with one question youd

like the panellists to answer. Find out more at www.bdonline.co.uk/hay I Robin Hood rejection Last weeks decision by culture secretary Andy Burnham to reject calls for the listing of Robin Hood Gardens, and to impose a five-year moratorium on listing, was a huge blow for campaigners to save the building. Read the full letter and all of BDs coverage at www.bdonline.co.uk/RHG I This weeks most-read stories 1 Prince Charles warns of gulf between architects and society 2 Simon Jenkins launches all-out attack on architects 3 Mackintosh attracts stellar list of entrants 4 No let-up as HOK slashes UK staff 5 What did the architect say to the prince?

I Islington Council and leisure consultant Synergy are seeking architects to draw up plans for a 16 million renovation of one of Londons oldest Turkish baths, after commissioning early designs from S&P Architects. The council will contribute 12 million and the government almost 4 million to the scheme for the art deco Ironmonger Row Baths (pictured). An architect will be

chosen in the late summer and it is hoped work will be completed by 2012. But plans to rebuild Islingtons Finsbury Leisure Centre and Sobell Leisure Centre are likely to be delayed.

PLANNING

Details of new embassy revealedI The first details of the size and scale of the US Embassy in Battersea have emerged from the outline planning application submitted earlier this month. The application proposes a main building of between 40,000 and 50,000sq m, with three entrance pavilions. It has been submitted with a second detailed application for transport changes. Initial plans have been drawn up by Oregon-based practice Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects. There is a shortlist of four American practices: Kieran Timberlake, Morphosis Architects, PEI Cobb Freed & Partners and Richard Meier & Partners, and a winner is set to be chosen next January.

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FRIDAY MAY 22 2009

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RIBA Awards recognise quality of 103 schemesAllies & Morrison and Niall McLaughlin among biggest winnersDavid RogersAllies & Morrison and Niall McLaughlin Architects are the big winners in this years RIBA Awards, collecting four prizes each for architectural excellence. Their schemes are among just over 100 projects that will now go forward for consideration for this years RIBA Stirling Prize. The shortlist for the event is due to be announced in July. BDP and Hawkins Brown have also performed strongly, receiving three awards each. London projects account for almost a third of the winners 28 out of 97 UK schemes. They include Marks Barfield Architects for the Kew Treetop Walkway and Eric Parry Architects for St Martin-in-the-Fields. Elsewhere, Penoyre & Prasad, the practice co-founded by current RIBA president Sunand Prasad, is honoured for the practices first new-build school Minster School in Southwell and for Merchants Academy in Bristol. Other regional projects honoured by the RIBA include BDPs Liverpool One masterplan and the John Lewis department store in Leicester by Foreign Office Architects. Welsh schemes picked up two awards, having failed to win anything two years ago. Liz Walder, the director of the RIBAs Welsh equivalent, the Royal Society of Architects in Wales, said entries were up 40% on last year at 15. She added: Were very pleased this year because weve had entries from all corners of Wales. But the West Midlands saw entries down nearly a quarter with just three schemes recognised compared to last years seven. A spokeswoman for the region said Will Alsops controversial but high-profile scheme The Public an interactive gallery in West Bromwich dogged by computer glitches was not even entered for an award. BD buildings editor Ellis Woodman said he was pleased to see that the awards were not dominated by major arts and civic buildings to the extent that they have been in years past. There is a decent range of education and health buildings and a surprisingly strong selection of shopping centres, including work by Allies & Morrison, FOA and Stanton Williams, he said. One would hope to have found more housing being recognised but there are decent examples, notably by Riches

Robin Hood plans will move aheadHomes & Communities Agency London regional director David Lunts said the redevelopment of Robin Hood Gardens will move ahead despite the recession. His comments follow culture secretary Andy Burnhams decision to reject an appeal from the Twentieth Century Society to list the estate, designed by the Smithsons. Lunts told BD the downturn would affect plans, but not derail them: We wont settle for second rate, but there are different market conditions from when the site was first proposed for redevelopment, and its more appropriate to redevelop it with family housing than with one- and two-bed studios. We want to move ahead with a high-quality plan. He said the HCA had recently purchased a site south of the east London estate from Ballymore, giving it control over a far bigger area. Burnham agreed with former architecture minister Margaret Hodge that the estate did not merit protected status, and gave it immunity from listing for five years. The verdict follows BDs highprofile campaign Rescue Robin Hood Gardens, supported by 2,000 readers and industry figures. While new expert opinions have been submitted, very little new factual information has been supplied, the letter stated. The secretary of state concludes that, on balance, Robin Hood Gardens [is of] limited architectural quality. Twentieth Century Society caseworker Jon Wright said the society was disappointed but had not given up hope of saving the estate. Councillor Ohid Ahmed, who leads on regeneration for Tower Hamlets Council, said the council had received the decision with a mixture of relief and delight. He said: Now that the blight of a possible listing has been removed, we can once again concentrate on delivering the best possible regeneration package.

Castleford Bridge in Yorkshire by McDowell & Benedetti.

BDP strikes back in Wimbledon rowBuilding Design Partnership has placed the blame for alleged defects dogging the media and broadcast centre at Wimbledon on its client, the All England Tennis Club. In an 86-page defence the firm claimed the club should have spotted the problems sooner. The architect, along with subcontractor FB Ellmer, is being sued by the club for 4.6 million the amount the club says it will have to pay to sort out the problems. The club claimed the pair were responsible for defective design and poor workmanship, alleging the nine-year-old building leaks rainwater with three-quarters of the buildings double glazed units suffering from condensation. One of the key issues is BDPs decision to use untreated iroko hardwood, which the club claimed was incompatible with the Hodgson B6 glazing system used.

Ruthin Craft Centre in Wales by Sergison Bates.

Wimbledons media centre.

Deal Pier by Niall McLaughlin Architects.

BDPs Manchester studio.

PHOTOS: MCDOWELL & BENEDETTI; IOANA MARINESCU; MARTINE HAMILTON KNIGHT; GAVIN JACKSON; NICK KANE; DENNIS GILBERT; PETER DURRANT

But in its defence, filed at the High Court, BDP shifted the blame to Ellmer and the client. It argued that the club was contributorily negligent and failed to mitigate its loss (by investigating and addressing the alleged defects sooner). Turning to Ellmer, the architect said the defects are entirely attributable to poor workmanship at the time of installation (not inadequate design). All the parties involved declined to comment.

Southend launches competition for pierRiches Hawley Mikhails sustainable Clay Field housing at Elmswell, near Bury St Edmunds.

Hawley Mikhail, Stephen Taylor and Sergison Bates, any one of which would make a valuable addition to the Stirling Prize shortlist. Six European schemes have been honoured, including Richard Rogers headquarters building for winemaker Bodegas Protos at Peafiel, near Valladolid, in northern Spain. This years Stirling Prize will be held on October 17 at Old Billingsgate in London.Charles St Car Park in Sheffield by Allies & Morrison. Marks Barfield Architects Kew Treetop Walkway.FULL LIST OF RIBA AWARDS and more images at bdonline.co.uk

A competition has been launched for a design team to redevelop Southends pier, four years after it was damaged by fire. The design brief for the competition, run by the Landscape Institute and the RIBA for Southend Borough Council, aims to bring renewed vigour to the Pier Head and to make it a must-see destination for visitors to the town. Built in 1830, Southends grade II listed pier is the longest in the world, and attracts 250,000 visitors a year. The Essex coastal towns council wants to make the Pier Head a cultural destination comparable to St Ives in Cornwall. John Lamb, Southends executive councillor for enterprise, tourism and regeneration, said: Ultimately, the winning design

Southends damaged pier.

will develop the pier in a way that builds on the towns cultural attractions and also makes the most of its important heritage. The deadline for expressions of interest is June 15.COMPETITION DETAILS can be downloaded from http://www.landscapeinstitute.org/ news/competitions.php

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FRIDAY MAY 22 2009

WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK

NEWS

Arb set to overhaul electionsfor having a debate on the issues, but allegations have got personal. Arb will also look at ways of ensuring all candidates have fair access to campaign in the press, and will reconsider the nomination process, where candidates need to be nominated by 12 registered architects. Both Gibb and Carr refused to comment on the matter ahead of Thursdays meeting, but John Alford, one of the unsuccessful candidates in the elections, said: It wasnt a level playing field. Theres no doubt the Reform Groups adverts in the RIBA Journal and BD, and Sunands article, came across as an endorsement. Its corrupt, the people whove got the most money get elected. Arb hopes the changes will encourage a more diverse range of architects to stand for election, and will boost voting numbers. Turnout in this years poll was only 15%. The board meeting papers also detail the number of architects who have joined and left the register. There was a significant increase in the number of resignations up from 429 in 2007 to 717 in 2008. The total number of registered architects stands at 32,624. Annual accounts, published with the papers, show Arb had an operating loss of 17,000 for 2008, but still has accumulated funds of more than 1.4 million. Its annual staffing costs were 1.2 million, with Carr receiving over 100,000.

FIRST LOOK

Marguerite LazellThe Arb is to overhaul its electoral processes following the controversy that engulfed the election for board members earlier this year, during which RIBA president Sunand Prasad was accused of unfairly influencing the result. Papers submitted by registrar and chief executive Alison Carr for Thursdays board meeting state areas for consideration include the potential influence of the professional body in respect of the election of particular candidates. Gordon GibbWas enraged by Prasads apparent endorsement of Reform Group candidates

The seven-storey building includes 16 flats as well as commercial space at street level.

In the run-up to the elections in March, when seven architect members were voted on to the board, Prasad enraged some candidates by writing an opinion piece in the RIBA Journal which appeared to endorse the architects standing on the Arb Reform Group ticket. His article was branded an abuse of privilege by non-Reform Group candidate Gordon Gibb, who went on to be elected to the board. At the time of the row, Prasad refused to retract his comments, saying: Ive been very scrupulous not to endorse candidates. Im all

Hoxton block takes its influence from sixties and Tudor heritageEast London-based practice PH Plus has won planning permission for a 1,000sq m seven-storey residential and commercial scheme on Pitfield Street, Hoxton. The scheme is the practices first housing association project after it took part in a BD Magazine masterclass with Waugh Thistleton on attracting social housing clients. The practice originally submitted an application for a smaller private development on the site, and was retained by housing association One Housing Group when it bought the site in March 2008. Reworked plans involved changing the mass of the building to create 16 flats with 96sq m of commercial space at street level. The small street-corner sight resulted in a fairly traditional building with two blank elevations. To break this up, PH Plus has used an Balustrades and screens on the buildings flats. interlocking two-tone brick facade, inspired by local 1960s buildings, and fullheight glazing for each flat. On the original scheme wed actually done full cladding with a pattern, said practice co-founder Andrew Hamilton. The site is near Hoxton Fields, which is where they had one of the biggest displays of archery in Tudor times, so we took the Tudor rose and developed the pattern from there. But if you look at the existing 1960s buildings around there, they express each individual floor with a lot of repetition. That was a direct reference for us. The final proposal features a two-tone brick facade, used to define each floor, broken up with full-height glazing for each flat and perforated aluminium panels which retain the Tudor-influenced design on balustrades and screens.

Developer hitch delays princes eco-homeThe chief executive of the Princes Foundation has admitted its Natural House project will open three months late after it had to switch developers. Hank Dittmar said the original developer, Swan Country Homes, had to be replaced a few weeks ago by Kingerlee Homes after running into funding problems. The news came as the scheme, which is being built at the Building Research Establishment in Watford, was visited this week by Prince Charles. The prince was able to view the foundations of the property, and some of the walls. It had been hoped the house would be ready for next months BRE Insite09 sustainability exhibition, but Dittmar said its completion had been pushed back to September He added: Swan did a good job but it was proving a challenge. Kingerlee have stepped into the breach and are doing well. The house is built with natural materials, including aerated clay blocks, in an attempt to cut domestic carbon and energy input by 70%. The roof will be covered

PHOTO: ANTHONY DEVLIN/PA WIRE/PRESS ASSOCIATION

Prince Charles lays a clay box during his visit to his eco-home.

in clay tiles and insulated with sheeps wool while the outside walls will be rendered in lime and hemp. Once completed, the houses energy efficiency will be tested for two years with people living and sleeping in it. The cost of building the house is estimated to be around 1,0001,200 per sq m within the normal range for quality housing.

The balustrades feature a Tudor-influenced design.

THIRD FLOOR PLAN

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FRIDAY MAY 22 2009

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NEWS

Croydons third city project is in disarrayRuth BloomfieldSome of Britains leading firms have seen their landmark developments for Croydon collapse or stall as they fall victim to the recession. The string of projects, by architects including RTKL, Sheppard Robson and Rolfe Judd, had been intended to create Londons third city. RTKLs plans for a 84,000sq m mall for Minerva have been cancelled after Lend Lease pulled out of the deal last April. Croydon Council now admits the deal is not viable. Meanwhile, a 17-floor block by Sheppard Robson beside East Croydon station has received planning permission. But developer Terrace Hill admits the Chroma building in George Street will not be built without a pre-let in place. A spokeswoman for Berkeley Homes, which is planning a major mixed development, said the firm was concentrating on the affordable housing elements. She could not say when other parts of the project, including a 44-storey Rolfe Judd Architects tower and a new town square, would begin. And Croydon Council has decided to appoint a masterplanner for the area that includes the site of Makes 500 million mixeduse scheme for developer Menta. The area also includes the adjoining rail station and an adjacent mixed-use scheme by Fosters for by Stanhope and Schroders. The Homes & Communities Agency is funding the masterplanning exercise, which will focus on the public realm. Menta spokesman Craig Marks said he was willing to co-operate with the masterplanners recommendations, but he would not want to make major changes to the scheme or suffer major delays. He had hoped to be on site next year. But some Croydon schemes are moving forward. A planning application for a Piers Gough scheme, the Odalisk, for developer Guildhouse-Rosepride, will be lodged in the next few weeks. The scheme involves two linked towers, one of which is 51 storeys. Gough commented: These are big money schemes and the banks are not lending, but I cannot imagine this situation is going to last forever. Croydon is a hot location. I hardly think it is going to stay in the doldrums. Other schemes include a new Croydon Council headquarters by EPR Architects. A planning application is expected this summer.

Squiggly bridge for Glasgow

Dissing & Weitling, working with a team including Atkins and Halcrow, has designed a distinctive new bridge to span the River Clyde, part of a 33 million regeneration scheme for Tradeston in Glasgow. The pedestrian and cycle crossing, which spans more

than 100m, is the centrepiece of a project funded by Glasgow City Council, Scottish Enterprise and the European Regional Development Fund. Nicknamed the squiggly bridge, due to its lazy S shape, it was designed to accommodate the Clydes tidal

range, The quay walls were strengthened and new walkways constructed. At its opening, Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: The Tradeston Bridge and the wider scheme to develop new public places will act as a catalyst for future regeneration.

Goughs Odalisk scheme is one project that is progressing.

London icon schemes hit by local backlashTwo flamboyant schemes, by Make and ColladoCollins, hang in the balance this week after angry backlashes from conservation groups and residents. Makes faceted design for an eight-storey block of high-end flats and shops in Knightsbridge, London nicknamed the Brompton Diamond has been savaged by English Heritage and local groups. Kensington & Chelsea Councils Architectural Appraisal Panel complained that the schemes asymmetry, free form and lack of scaled elements seemed an overbearing statement in its context. English Heritage said the proposals were wholly inappropriate and would be a very dominant feature in the heart of Knightsbridge. In total the council has received 85 objections. The planning committee were set to make a decision on the scheme on Thursday. Meanwhile ColladoCollins Heart of Battersea 400 million scheme for twin 142m-high skyscrapers in south-west London, has been pulled from a planning meeting at the 11th hour after Wandsworth Council received a record number of objections.

ColladoCollins twin towers.

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FRIDAY MAY 22 2009

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NEWSMore art in ChicagoRenzo Pianos $300 million (194 million) Modern Wing extension to the Art Institute of Chicago in the USA has opened to the public. Construction of the 24,500sq m extension was completed last November and has increased the museums exhibition space by 30% to make it the second largest art museum in North America. A 316sq m open-air sculpture terrace, caf, restaurant, education centre and pedestrian bridge to the adjacent Millennium Park are also included, spread over three storeys in two pavilion structures which flank a central courtyard space.

PHOTO: CHARLES G. YOUNG, INTERACTIVE DESIGN ARCHITECTS

Young guns team up to win primary school workMarguerite LazellDuggan Morris Architects (DMA), Glowacka Rennie, Gort Scott, Harry Dobbs Design and Matthew Springett Associates have formed a consortium to bid for work designing primary schools, and to hold design charettes with education departments of local authorities. The five up-and-coming practices will work together under theThe programme offers a great potential for us to make an impact

Joe Morris banner Form5, and will focus on winning projects in the Primary Capital Programme, the 15-year, 7 billion government initiative to rebuild 8,000 of Englands 18,000 primary schools. The programme, which was first announced in the 2005 budget, was introduced nationally last month, with 23 local authorities running pilot projects. The practices met at an RIBA design for education charette held in February, when architects teamed up with pupils and teachers to come up with solutions for problems that had arisen at specific schools. Joe Morris, director at DMA, said: The Primary Capital Programme offers a great potential for

us and other smaller practices to make an impact in producing thought-provoking, intelligent and delightful pieces of work for schools and local authorities. Our approach draws upon many references, such as Surface to Air Charrette, Sorrell Foundation, School Works. We aim to provide a tailored, nimble and efficient workshop service to local authorities and schools alike. DMA has already established links with the Department for Children, Families & Schools through a green think tank initiative, while MSA is working as a client design adviser to Birmingham City Councils Building Schools for the Future programme. Matthew Springett, principal at MSA, said: We want to raise the design agenda within the PCP, and make sure theres an opportunity for smaller practices to get involved. Theres a real appetite for direct participation with schools. He said Form5 would also be able to work within construction consortiums bidding for PCP work, but that individual schemes would be designed by individual practices within the collective. High-profile education experts including Paul Monaghan of AHMM and Paul Middleton of Partnerships for Schools are supporting the consortium, which was announced on Thursday, to coincide with the launch of the Minimum Design Standard for schools.

Survey confirms women are worst hit by slumpFears that women architects are being worst affected by the recession were today heightened by the RIBAs latest Future Trends Survey. Aprils overall results do reveal signs of economic improvement, with 34% of practices expecting a decrease in workload compared with 44% in March and the number of practices predicting an increase in workload rising from 13% in March to 18% in April a trend exhibited particularly by small firms and sole practitioners. However, following BDs revelation earlier this month that a disproportionate number of female architects are joining the dole queue, RIBA practice director Adrian Dobson admitted that the surveys figures also point to rapid fall in the number of women in the profession. He said: The proportion of female architectural staff in the survey is higher than the overall mean based on RIBA membership figures (14%), but has dropped from 28% in January to 22% in April, offering further evidence of a disproportionate employment impact upon female staff. Dobson added: The April survey portrays a modestly improving picture across a number of areas for practices, particularly in terms of forecasted workload which has seen a 5% rise and the Workload Index increase to -16.

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FRIDAY MAY 22 2009

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NEWSBIRMINGHAM SCOTLAND RIAS WESTMINSTER

Council approves Council declares Archial to design Fabiani and Curling academy Gough honoured theatre scheme for EdgbastonBirmingham City Council has approved Broadway Malyans controversial plans to redevelop Edgbaston cricket ground a month after the planning committee deferred making a decision. The project will increase the grounds capacity to 25,000, and includes building 255 homes and 20,000sq m of offices, retail and restaurants and 1,200 parking spaces. Warwickshire County Cricket Club said the 32 million development would safeguard the grounds Test status, but local residents groups have vowed to take their campaign against the project to communities secretary Hazel Blears, who must add her approval before construction can start. Archial Architects is to design a National Curling Academy in Kinross, Scotland. The 4 million six sheet curling rink has been commissioned by the Kinross Curling Trust. Charles Smith, director at Archial, which has five offices in Scotland, said: This state-of-theart curling facility in Kinross will cater for local curlers and national elite squads alike and looks set to become the genuine curling centre of Scotland Having designed the new curling rink in Aberdeen Archial can stake a claim to be a world leader in curling rink design. The National Curling Academy is scheduled to be operational in time for the 2010/2011 season. The RIAS has awarded honorary fellowships to former Scottish Parliament minister of architecture Linda Fabiani and CZWG principal Piers Gough. The awards, which the RIAS grants to nonarchitects and non-Scottish architects, were presented at its annual convention in Dundee. President David Dunbar said: As Scotlands minister for architecture, Linda demonstrated an extraordinary understanding of the complexities of architects tasks and their focus upon creating work which contributes positively to society. Gough was recognised for his work on masterplanning the Gorbals scheme on Crown Street in Glasgow. Tim Foster Architects and LoatesTaylor Shannon have been granted surprise permission to create the West Ends first major new theatre in decades. Plans for the 314-seat venue in Palace Street, Victoria, appeared to be hanging in the balance after planners described the reworked scheme as overly bulky. But last week, Westminster Council granted planning permission for the project, to be built on the site of the former Westminster Theatre which was destroyed by fire in 2002. The theatre, plus a cabaret venue and restaurant, will occupy the basement and first floor of the development, with 35 flats on the upper floors of the eight-storey building.

The proposed rebuilt Westminster Theatre.

Delisting process to be reassessedHereford House controversy prompts rethink from ministerMarguerite LazellArchitecture minister Barbara Follett is to look at ways to improve the listing and delisting process following the controversy over the delisting of Colin St John Wilsons Hereford House in Kensington uncovered by BD last month. The delisting decision, which was taken at the end of 2008, will now be reconsidered as officials at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport assess new evidence. The DCMS confirmed it had received three new representations about the case. The house, designed by Wilson in 1958, was delisted by Follett against the advice of English Heritage, which argued that it was a good example of the new brutalist aesthetic. Follett made her decision based on evidence that included a report paid for by the buildings owners, and a report from EH which included a reference from Wikipedia. Twentieth Century Society director Catherine Croft said that following the controversy over the delisting, she was meeting DCMS officials to discuss wider concerns

Delisted: Hereford House.

about the way buildings are considered for listing and delisting. Croft said: Were meeting to discuss the processes, as well as this decision. [Follett] is clearly very aware that this is a major concern for us. It seems theyre keen to make the process more open. Since the Heritage Bill was shelved in December, organisations such as the Twentieth Century Society have been looking for ways to engage with the government to find other ways to improve the protection of the UKs built heritage. Speaking about the decision to reconsider the specific case of Hereford House, Croft said: Were really glad theyre still looking at it. It seemed like a great miscarriage of justice.

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FRIDAY MAY 22 2009

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LIVING ARCHITECTURE

Were all going on a desigests the initial investment is in the region of 10 million because the sites, in some of the most sought after locations in the country, were purchased at the top of the market. The only real benefits of the recession, Mark Robinson explains, is that it has been able to pick and choose its contractors. The projects backers have agreed to give the venture 15 years, but before they can know if there is a real appetite for de Bottons idea there are some more pressing issues, such as how to ensure that the houses are also comfortable and will appeal to families. The challenge, explains Mark Robinson, is that the architects will be trying to please their peers by doing something very interesting. But at the same time we dont want a situation where the people are asking how do I turn the lights on or are having to sit on hard benches. Its about balancing the architects vision and what we want as clients. More difficult still is ensuring the houses very exacting designs are built on time and to budget. Mark Robinson emphasises that his Serpentine experience has been crucial, adding: What we found is that you just need the right contractor, the right architects and for everyone to buy into the project and to want to be part of the team. The first house to be built will be MVRDVs Balancing Barn in Suffolk, the most complex and challenging to build, at least on paper. The architect was chosen by Robinson, who knew the practice from his Serpentine days, though its pavilion remains frustratingly unrealised. Set in a nature reserve and cantilevered at the northern end, the Balancing Barn is made even more dramatic by a glass floor and ceiling that will give a sensation of being enveloped by the landscape. By any standards its an extraordinary project, and one that fills the team with some trepidation. You look at all the steel work and how much youd save if you put a column in the end, says Dickon Robinson, but sometimes in order to produce a great piece of architecture you need to say what the hell. It may be illogical but the experience will be fantastic. And its this that will be Living Architectures real point of difference. It may not have the desired effect of changing perceptions after all five is still a modest number but for those who decide to rent one of the houses it will open their eyes to not only what is possible, but what it took to get there.

Living Architecture has had a long, sometimes difficult, birth. The idea to build a series of architecturally interesting domestic buildings that could be rented for holidays was first floated over five years ago. But its founder, the writer and philosopher Alain de Botton also had a more lofty ambition, which was to change perceptions of modern architecture by giving people a chance to experience great architecture at first hand. Just as the Landmark Trust has been successful in renting out restored historic buildings, so Living Architecture would do the same with modern buildings, although as de Botton himself acknowledged the trusts success reflects Britains reluctance to engage with contemporary architecture. By this summer, three of the houses will be on site overseen by Mark Robinson, whose previous job was as project manager for the Serpentine Pavilions. Dickon Robinson, Living Architectures chairman, says: Alain has been the midwife. He was the inspiration behind it but he doesnt want it to be seen as his thing. He wants it to have a life of its own. But there is no doubt de Botton, a Stirling Prize judge two years ago whose book the Architecture of Happiness asked what makes a beautiful building, has played a key role in commissioning the first five houses. This includes persuading one of the worlds most sought after and elusive architects Peter Zumthor to design the largest of the five, a house on the edge of Dartmoor. We wanted some mature and established architects and one or two emerging names, says Robinson. We talked to loads of architects and no one refused us, but in the end we chose what we thought would be a good mix and would respond to the five locations. We spent a year looking at lots of places. They needed to be terrific sites and accessible from London We needed to be very pragmatic in order to get the programme going. They also needed deep pockets. Even a conservative estimate sug-

Balancing Barn MVRDVLocation East Suffolk Size 224sq m Description The traditional barn shape and reflective metal sheeting take their references from the local building vernacular. The architect has played on the sites location which is in a nature reserve and accessed via a 120m-long drive. As visitors approach just the southern end of the house will be visible, but in fact it extends 30m back and at the half way point cantilevers over a slope. All the rooms have fullheight sliding windows, roof lights and a glass floor.4 3 2 2 2 2 1

Alain has been the midwife. He was the inspiration behind it but he doesnt want it to be seen as his thing

ZUMTHOR PHOTO: LIVING ARCHITECTURE

Key 1 Kitchen/dining 2 Bedroom

3 Living 4 Hall

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gner holidaySecular Retreat Peter ZumthorLocation Chivelstone, Devon Size 400sq m Description Peter Zumthor was attracted by the secluded site which is set on a rocky outcrop overlooking Dartmoor in one direction and the Devon coast in the other. Taking this as his inspiration, he has designed a house built from prestressed concrete, stone and glass. Stone will come from a local quarry which has been in use since the medieval period The house- the only one not to have planning so far is also the largest of the five. It has four bedrooms and a music room designed to appeal to professional musicians.Section8

Alain de Bottons Living Architecture project is creating architecturally interesting buildings for short-term lets, reports Amanda Baillieu

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Long House Michael and Patty HopkinsLocation Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk Size 341sq m Description The house has a double-height gallery hall and four bedrooms above with views of the sea and salt marshes to the north, and open country to the south. At ground floor, the gallery hall leads to a kitchen and dining area and at the east end and a sitting room at the west end with full-height glazed end walls. Materials are flint and timber inspired by local flint buildings, mainly barns. Above the flint walls are a series of timber structural mullions, which are mostly glazed, and an exposed roof.

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Peter Zumthor sketching his Secular Retreat.

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Shingle House NordLocation Dungeness, Kent Size 177sq m Description Living Architecture purchased a former smokery on Dungeness beach, which has one of the largest expanses of shingle in the world, a remarkable variety of wildlife as well as two nuclear power stations one now decommissioned. The replacement house takes its inspiration from its surroundings: the house will be covered in black-tarred shingles and the interior will be concrete and timber.7

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In Between House Jarmund Vigsns ArchitectsLocation Thorpeness, Suffolk Size 272sq m Description The complicated roof geometry was inspired by the irregular gable roofs of houses in the area as well as the existing house on the site. The design evolved from four separate pods around a central space into the current design which has a large sitting room area on the ground floor with built in furniture, and four bedrooms and a library above. Materials are black timber on the vertical facades, and a metal roof clad in bronze coloured steel shingles.

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YOUR SAYLETTER OF THE WEEK

Email letters to buildingdesign@ubm.com They must contain a postal address to be considered for publication. We reserve the right to edit all correspondenceto experiment. We need the zero carbon houses now, not after five to 10 years of observation or after an effective 30-year trial, only to find after this period that the buildings dont work or are unliveable. This is what happened with building projects such as Park Hill in Sheffield. I find it incredible that Owen Hatherley (Urban Trawl May 15) could describe this building, however heroic and striking it is, as one of the great buildings of the century anywhere. I would like to remind him that it sits almost derelict for a reason. Hatherley seems to turn his nose up at the developers recounting of the place as a sink estate, as if this were a mere trifle to be solved by the architectural equivalent of the waving of a hand, rather than through the major refurbishment works which are now under way. Perhaps this is the case for those of us who can afford to experience such places at a safe distance and via poetic ramblings, photographer in tow, but most people have to deal with reality. Muhammad Badr Croydon

There is no time to experimentSimply on the grounds that we often cant do it justice nowadays, Im not a fan of the sort of work which is done by the Adams and the Terrys of this world, and mostly believe that we have to find modern ways of applying the lessons of the past. However, I think your assertion last week (Leader May 15) that the princes traditional tastes necessarily imply his unwillingness to embrace innovation and new

technology in the fight against climate change, was disingenuous and smacked of an unhealthy partiality in this traditional versus modern pseudo debate. The Princes Foundations Natural House embraces aerated clay blocks, hemp, Fermacell and other equally sensible, although perhaps boring technologies. The house is designed to be built easily. As a practising architect who specialised in sustainable and ecological design during my part 2, I know that this is the kind of thinking, particularly in the context of the housing market, that will pay dividends most rapidly in the fight against climate change. With regards to this fight, we do not have time

Same old storyOne despairs of the architectural profession scrambling to hear Prince Charles lecture them on design fundamentals that any first-year student should know. Prince Charles has not contributed one alternative idea to the debate that has not originated in the architectural profession and culture that he so derides. From the 1920s at least there has been an organic, romantic, contextual, vernacular-inspired alternative to the hardline modernism of Le Corbusier or Mies. The latter dominated as it was seen to be more socially and politically relevant and easier to execute by mediocre designers. Prince Charles can only look backwards to irrelevant pre 20thcentury models that he thinks are the only ones ordinary people appreciate. How patronising. Simon Smith Sussex

The exception: RuralZed homes.

planners. The SAP 100 scheme at Milton Keynes proved that developers will come on board if there is no alternative. Peter F Smith University of Nottingham

Be in it to win itI agree with Gordon Murray (Letters May 8) that the RIBA is seen as being dominated by white males over 40, but lets not just blame the institute. Any chartered architect can stand for election to RIBA Council. In the current round there are 21 candidates for 17 seats, with only four women standing. In the national category where I am standing, there is only one women out of nine for six seats a very disappointing reflection of our profession where women feel disinclined to contribute to the RIBA at national level. The good news is two women will be elected unopposed. The message is clear: if you want to change the character of the RIBA, you have to stand, get elected and work from the inside. John Assael London SW6

Modest proposalDecapitation seems a little harsh (Boots May 15). My actual words after Prince Charless speech were Abolish the monarchy, not down with the monarchy, but nevertheless, quite a reasonable demand I think. In any case, someone had to stand up for progressive ideas, given that most of the profession agrees with the princes organic architecture these days. By the way, I never would have rattled a tin... direct debit was always a better bet, as BDs new subs department probably knows. Vicky Richardson Editor, Blueprint

Cabe deliversLast week saw two very important successes for Cabe. The government published World Class Places, which has been welcomed by many commentators as an imaginative, practical and joinedup approach to taking good placemaking in Britain to the next level. Within it was a commitment to set minimum standards for design on major public building programmes. The first of these for the Building Schools for the Future programme was the second big announcement of the week. Cabe was central to the shaping of both initiatives. Your leader (May 15) asks if this is an admission of failure by Cabe. Is it not rather the culmination of a lot of hard work? To get here weve had to be mouthy and critical when so deserved, weve had to come up with hard evidence and weve had to be persuasive and constructive. We havent finished yet. We are delighted to bring some good news in tough times, and we aim to go on so doing. Robin Nicholson Joint deputy chairman, Cabe

Body of evidenceHeres an idea: if culture secretary Burnham says Cabe is to be tasked with setting minimum standards for government building projects, it could form a body to set out standard specifications, contract documentation and design parameters, and it could have a name something like, oh, I dont know, Property Services Agency. Wasnt there something of the sort that was sold off to Tarmac 25 years ago, complete with all outstanding claims against them? DA Jackson Kelsall, Cheshire

Pile up the ZedsYour report on Upton housing (News May 15), implies that the ZedFactory housing is widespread there. In fact the RuralZed terrace is merely an island of excellence in a sea of mediocrity. It seems as though a few photovoltaic cells and solar thermal panels are to be the criteria for eco-towns of the future. The government may specify high standards for eco-towns but it is developers who have the whip hand as clearly shown by Upton. The answer: bring back development corporations with real budgets to enable them to employ innovative architects and

CorrectionIn John Allans article on Goldfingers Haggerston School (BD Magazine, May) we incorrectly added that Allan co-founded Avanti Architects in 1981. In fact he joined the practice as a director in 1983.

DOT TO DOT RESULTS: MAY 15The winner of last weeks competition was Neil Morgan of John Guest Ltd in West Drayton, who identified Edwin Lutyens Deanery Gardens at Sonning. He will receive a copy of Simon Henleys Architecture of Parking.

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OPINION

Creating value is the road to rewardBuilding Design UBM Built Environment Ludgate House 245 Blackfriars Road London SE1 9UY Editorial telephone 020 7921 8560 Editorial fax 020 7921 8244 Editorial email buildingdesign@ubm.com Advertising 020 7560 4100 Subscriptions/circulation 020 8950 9117 Recruitment 020 7560 4249 For direct lines, dial 020 7921 plus the extension below. For emails, type in name as shown, followed by @ubm.com Editor Amanda Baillieu (8681/email: amanda.baillieu) News editor Will Hurst (8214/email: will.hurst) News reporter Marguerite Lazell (8042/email: marguerite.lazell) Technical editor Amanda Birch (8216/email: amanda.birch) Buildings editor Ellis Woodman (8203/email: ellis.woodman) Chief sub-editor Simon Aldous Deputy chief sub-editor Lisa Hendriks Design consultant Matthew Ball Web editor Emily Cadman (8212/email: emily.cadman) Editorial/web assistant Katherine Hayes (8560/email: katherine.hayes) BD Magazine editor Will Hunter (8213/email: will.hunter) Librarian Sue Foster (email: sue.foster) Global commercial director Andrew Pert Business development & recruitment director Gemma Butler International sales director Matthew Robarts National sales director Nicole Rinaldi Area managers Ross Matthews, Mike Nelson, Catherine Wimhurst, Dawn Robinson, Cameron Marshall National key account manager Martin Hurn Key account managers Nathan Easom, Oliver Hughes, Daniel Woods Recruitment Katie Ogle Production Karen Ballard Julian Creber Repro by ITM Printed by Polestar Colchester Publishing director Nina Wright

PAUL MORRELL

Nostalgia and protectionism are distractions from the reality of how to make a living

These are anxious times, and in such times there are three places to look for comfort: internally, to see how acting differently might improve ones lot; externally, to find a scapegoat (its been a good week for that); or backwards, to an imagined golden age. As members of a profession that is capable of being so radical in its designs, architects are extraordinarily reactionary in their view of their place in the world. Some still yearn for the days of Wren (unpaid by Parliament for 14 years in an attempt to incentivise him) or of the master builders (design and build anyone?). Others seek shelter in measures that also belong in another century protection of function, and even scale fees, holding the RIBA

responsible when it realistically espouses neither. In parallel, they tilt at PPP or D&B or any procurement acronym that isnt JCT; and rail about their work being misappropriated by unqualified scribblers, philistine contractors and (worst of all) surveyors. All of this noise drowns out the reality about the one certain way to make a living in this world: to create value for your clients, and then keep some of it. How much you keep is a matter of the structure of the industry, and herein lies a major problem for architects: they almost outnumber their clients, and their greatest competitor is not an unqualified draftsman who will do the job for less, but another qualified architect who will do the job for practically nothing.

Nonetheless, the road to respect and reward follows the creation of value. This fundamentally resides in the clients purpose in building and yet the dialogue that should release that value remains sadly neglected. How many times does the architect turn up to the first presentation with an ovenready idea, or even a model? Perhaps the most shocking thing I ever heard an architect say was in response to my suggestion as to how the client could develop a detailed brief. Actually, he replied, we would not welcome that, as it may compromise our design concept. This prioritising of the object over the objective alienates architects from their client, and opens the door for all those Yellow Pages merchants who haunt their dreams.

Meanwhile, under architects noses, lies the real source of their competitive advantage: the unique ability to integrate space, people and process to the benefit of all ideally in a way that brings joy. If we dont get this, how can we expect our customers to? This means that architects must re-engage with cost. This is not yet another rallying cry to reclaim lost territory: let someone else do the sums. But if the power of money is not understood, then customers will be drawn to others who do seem to get it. It is one of the engaging qualities of many architects that they will have no truck with any of the above, concentrating on their art and eschewing commerce. Many will admire them for this attitude. But few will pay them for it.

DEBATEYESAli Sagarchi Chair, Traditional Architecture Group As architects we have to understand that we are a product of our generation as much as the banking industry is, so to think of ourselves as morally above the boom of the last 15 years is really a bit naive. We are the children of the yuppie generation and the boom generation, so whatever we produce should be seen in that context and if it takes someone like Simon Jenkins to put a mirror up to that then it should be welcomed. I think thats exactly what hes done. If the reflection is uncomfortable then that is not really his problem, its a problem that architects have to deal with. What is really surprising is how modernists, who profess to be on the side of the people and doing things for the good of the public, have come up against public opinion and found themselves on the other side. This has created an uncomfortable situation, because they profess to practice an architecture which is to do with democratic spaces and the liberation of architecture from the establishment but they have found themselves to be the establishment. Theyre pro-democracy but they dont want to submit themselves to the will of democracy. That, I think, is really the gist of the argument that Simon Jenkins is trying to express and I think its very true. It may be an uncomfortable and inconvenient truth, but modernists can no longer take modernism and somehow protect it in an infants cot with a halo, watched over by the wise Pritzker Prize winners.

BOOTSOnce again London mayor Boris Johnson has shown his lack of awareness of developments on the 2012 site. Apparently ignorant of the fact that the 500 million Olympic Stadium, by Populous and Peter Cook, is already half-built, he claimed while in Kyoto this week that discussion was ongoing about installing a fully retractable roof to protect spectators from the British weather. An Olympic Delivery Authority spokesman was quick to slap him down, pointing out the stadium design had been agreed in 2007.Shapps: squeaky clean

Was Simon Jenkins right to Over his head speak out against architects?

embarrassed, to learn Shapps is squeaky clean. With second home claims of less than 13,000 over three years, Shapps is one of the Daily Telegraphs frugal few.

Out of the blueThere are almost certainly more architects in Scotland than Conservative Party members, so David Cameron missed a trick last Friday when he found himself in the same hotel in Dundee as the speakers at the RIAS conference. The only message Cameron could muster for the 300 Scottish architects that attended? Im sure Prince Charles has given them plenty to think about.

Put the boots inZaha Hadid was profiled in the Times last weekend by journalist Tom Dyckhoff, who could hardly control his excitement at being in her fiercely bleached, immaculate penthouse living room interviewing a slinky Hadid, who talked mainly about Cardiff Opera House which, some may remember, was 15 years ago. But it seems architects PRs have become skilful in persuading compliant hacks not to ask tricky questions, so there was no mention of the very recent, albeit minor, fire at her Guangzhou Opera House, the cancelled Architecture Foundation building, Polands Lilium Tower, now on hold or why she spends so much time designing boots (right) for the cast of Keep on Star Trek. trekking.

Jenkins article, which appeared in last Fridays Guardian.

NOSean Griffiths Director and co-founder, Fat Simon Jenkins was wrong to support Prince Charles. Never mind the Chelsea Barracks, this tiresome, binary debate about traditionalism versus modernism is like a fight breaking out amongst Chelsea pensioners. Has anyone noticed that all of its protagonists are over 60? And that it takes no account of the pluralism that characterises public taste, nor of the varieties of architecture that range from ultra modern to ultra traditional and contain many shades in between. Just as there are traditional schemes that are destructive of the public realm, there are examples of modern architecture that respect the street. I dont think the public support architects being forced to design in a certain way. Modern architecture is in fact very old and people

have learned to love it. In a debate last year about whether the prince was right to assert that all modern architecture was awful, I opposed Simon Jenkins. The audience voted overwhelmingly against the motion, suggesting that Jenkins is wrong to claim that the prince has plugged into the public mood. Jenkins argues that architects claim unquestioned authority over the environment. If only! Compared to planners, developers, project managers and disastrous procurement methods, architects have less and less control over an increasingly crappy environment whose qualities are more and more shaped by marketing agendas and value engineering. These are the issues we should be discussing and the likes of Jenkins do much damage by detracting from them with trivial debates over style. Its been 25 years and its high time we moved on.READ JENKINS ARTICLE AT http://tinyurl.com/pcljw3

Under waterIn these difficult times, architects are looking for ways to become more productive. So its nice to know that someone with far too much time on their hands has put together a study showing that having a shower at work can make an architect 43% more effective and 22% happier according to the completely unbiased Mira Showers, which studied one practice, 3S, to come up with these groundbreaking statistics.

Home truthsGrant Shapps is fast becoming the scourge of quangos such as Cabe, with questions in Parliament about how thrifty the design watchdog is. So it must be galling for those hoping the recent MPs expenses scandal could see the shadow housing minister

Viral marketingThe frenzy surrounding swine flu has reached Slough, where, Boots hears, the councils already long and pernickety prequalification questionnaire for new primary schools now includes the question: what would you do in the case of a flu pandemic?

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WORKS: SAUERBRUCH HUTTON

The plot thickensThe Brandhorst Museum, the latest addition to Munichs emerging Museum Quarter, suffers from some poor masterplanning, but as a gallery it is very successful, says Ellis Woodman

PHOTO: HAYDAR KOYUPINAR/PINAKOTHEK

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FRIDAY MAY 22 2009

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PROJECT TEAM Architect Sauerbruch Hutton, Client Freistaat Bayern, Landscape architect Adelheid Grfin Schnborn, Structural engineer Ingenieurbro Fink, HVAC engineer Ingenieurbro Ottitsch, Daylight Arup Lighting, Electrical engineer Zibell Willner & Partner, Acoustic engineer Akustik-Ingenieurbro Moll

useum quarter. Good God, dont the mere words exhaust you to your bones? While the prospect of half a dozen heaving treasure houses piled together cheek by jowl may prove a lure to the package tourist keen to acquaint himself with 2,000 years of civilisation before lunchtime, the rest of us can surely only wonder what possible curatorial, social, economic or urban dividend such a compressed arrangement affords. In their mania for the encyclopaedic and self-conscious engagement with issues of national identity, the originals of the model such epic conceptions as Londons Albertopolis and Berlins Museum Island can at least be understood as quintessential products of the 19th century. The logic behind such present day iterations as Abu Dhabis Saadiyat Island and West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong is altogether more obscure. Over the past two decades, the burghers of Munich have, however, seen fit to put together yet another such ensemble. It is steadily taking shape on land immediately outside the medieval city centre, co-opting as its focus one of the worlds truly great museums, Leo von Klenzes 1836 Alte Pinakothek. This building takes the form of a 200m-long bar, which stands as a solitaire centrally located within an expanse of lawn. The new development lies alongside, occupying a block of similarly generous dimensions that was formerly the site of a 19th century barracks. Heavily damaged during the war, this structure was finally demolished in the 1970s, allowing a substantial university building to be erected along the blocks northern edge. In 1992, architect Stefan Braunfels won a competition that addressed both the blocks longterm development as the site of a number of new museums and the design of its first and largest component the Pinakothek der Moderne. His masterplan proposed an arrangement that was the direct inverse of the neigh-

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bouring block: in place of von Klenzes narrow built volume, framed to either side by open ground, Braunfels envisaged a central alle, or walkway, of green space framed between bands of building. Since its completion in 2002, his Pinakothek der Moderne has formed the southerly of those two bands. A bombastic exercise in intersecting plan geometries, it makes for a pretty rotten gallery and also points up a fundamental indecision in the masterplan. Straddling between the alle and the perimeter of the site, each of the five buildings anticipated by the masterplan effectively has two principal frontages. The Pinakothek der Moderne is of a scale that it can support an entrance on both, linked by a central atrium which slices through the body of the building on a (highly disruptive) diagonal. However, the others are very much smaller. Each is conceived as a linear block that straddles the 100m between the alle and Theresienstrasse, the road that closes the site to the north. Their narrow dimen-

There is a very real resonance between the Brandhorsts facades and the concerns of the art inside

sion varies, but none is of a width that could happily sustain a through-route. The question therefore arises: which way should they face? The first set of architects presented with this conundrum were the entrants to the 2002 competition for the Brandhorst Museum. This building a home for a substantial collection of modern art gifted to the city by Udo Brandhorst and his late wife, Anette was designated a plot at the northeast corner of the site. This part of the museum quarter is the closest to the city centre. The buildings loyalties were therefore particularly conflicted it could address the city or it could address the alle but it surely couldnt do both. One of the shortlistees, Zaha Hadid, thought otherwise, attempting a diagonal through-route in the Braunfels manner. She lost. Of the others, all but one opted to address the alle. The exception was Sauerbruch Hutton, and its choice ultimately proved decisive in securing the commission. Its building, which opened last week, stacks the galleries on three levels, one underground and two above. The width of the above ground volume is a mere 18m for much of its length but at the Theresienstrasse end it widens and also grows in height, marking the buildings entrance with a pronounced head. As the range of responses to the competition suggests, none of the possible orientations was ideal. However, while we evidently might not be in L

Left and above: The museum is clad in perforated metal with an outer layer of glazed ceramic rods.

PHOTO: ANNETTE KISLING

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WORKS: SAUERBRUCH HUTTONThe monumental staircase with the light-diffusing stretched fabric louvres to the right.

the position of reviewing a new Sauerbruch Hutton building had the practice faced its scheme in the opposite direction, I am not altogether persuaded that it made the right call. The citys gain is undoubtedly the masterplans loss, with the effect that where one might have imagined a caf spilling out in the central alle, we find instead a service entrance. One is also left wondering how convincingly the practice has capitalised on its choice. The principal elevation looks across Theresienstrasse to a really exceptional 1950s apartment building by Sep Ruf. This eight-storey block stands a significant distance back from the other buildings that line the street a decision Ruf took in order to prevent the barracks from overshadowing the beautifully detailed steel balconies that extend along his principal facade. Sauerbruch Huttons decision to build up the museums volume against Theresienstrasse offers a successful response to the apartment blocks height. What feels like something of a missed opportunity is the judgment that it has made about where to set the building line. Give or take a metre, this accords with that of the barracks and thus with that of every other building on the street. To question the wisdom of such an evidently

SECTIONgood-mannered solution might be thought perverse. And yet, what if the Brandhorst had mirrored not only the height of Ruf s building but also its setback? Then it would find itself on an intimately scaled square and any doubts about the buildings orientation would in large part be allayed. Being a Sauerbruch Hutton building, the Brandhorst is needless to say extravagantly coloured. The cladding takes the form of two distinct layers. The rear one is a rainscreen of perforated metal, backed with acoustic insulation to minimise the reflection of traffic noise to the immediate neighbourhood. The metal folds back and forth up the buildings height, the resultant bands being emphasised by alternating shades of red and blue. This can be glimpsed through the gaps in the outer layer, which comprises a continuous field of 36,000 glazed ceramic rods. The colouring of the rods gives the building the appearance of three intersecting volumes, which broadly correspond to the ground-floor galleries, those on the upper level and the head. Each has been assigned its own family of colours. The architect describes the treatment as akin to an abstract painting and while one cant help suspecting that should the practice ever land the commission for the headquarters of the Swedish Institute of Funeral Directors it would still choose to jazz up proceedings with magenta and mango stripes there is, nonetheless, a very real resonance between the Brandhorsts facades and the concerns of the (predominantly pop) art inside. This achievement must, of course, be weighed against the buildings impact on what is a highly established urban setting. Much of Sauerbruch Huttons oeuvre has been realised on sites that lie either on the urban periphery or within territories of vividly metropolitan character and the practices explorations of colour have been led by the particular challenges of those conditions. The scale of the fabric within which the Brandhorst sits is still much as it was in the 19th century and despite the effects of Second World War bombing, a great many historic buildings remain. The fineness of the Brandhorsts facades represents an attempt to respond to that shift of scale. Viewed up close, their polychromy certainly appears pretty strident but from a distance it seems to dissolve into a white noise, or more

A rare view out of the building.

PHOTOS: NOSHE AND ANNETTE KISLING

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The upper floor is given over to works by Cy Twombly.

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The staircase enjoys a very direct relationship with the exhibition areas.

precisely a pastel one which takes its place comfortably enough among the rendered facades of the surrounding streets. That said, one might still question whether the buildings urban obligations are adequately met by such a consistently applied facade treatment. The fracturing of the building into three differently coloured volumes is really the only visually significant modulation that the cladding accommodates, and while this gesture clearly introduces a sense of variety, what it determinedly does not do is instill any kind of hierarchical division. Indeed, very little distinction at all is made between the buildings front, back and sides. Whether this ambiguity serves to ameliorate or compound the confusions of the masterplan is a moot point but it does make for a building that feels pretty disengaged from the urban concerns of its neighbours. OK, enough gripes. The Brandhorsts interior really is very successful indeed. In the interests of maximising hanging space, visitors are almost entirely denied views out of the building but their journey is far from a monotonous one, modulated through variations in the layout of the galleries, their size and the the ways in which they receive daylight. Configured in a meandering

enfilade that frustrates long views through multiple rooms, the ground-floor galleries are the most intimately scaled and are further distinguished by being sidelit. This is achieved through the provision of a continuous clerestory along the external wall of each gallery, the light from which is reflected off a coved ceiling before being diffused and scattered by a bank of stretched fabric louvres. While this feature has a more demonstrative character than one might ordinarily expect to find in an art space the bullish Polke, Koons and Warhol pieces that live here prove more than capable of holding their own. Vertical circulation is by way of a monumental stair that ranges freely in plan. It is disengaged from the adjacent walls in order to open up a slot within which large canvases at 12m in length, Warhols piquantly named Piss Painting is the largest can be

The hard juxtaposition of these different viewing conditions feels particularly rich

hoisted up and down. The stair enjoys a very direct relationship to the exhibition areas. In fact, on the lower level it touches down in the middle of the largest gallery an epic 460sq m top-lit room of quasi-industrial character. Immediately alongside lie the only rooms without daylight spaces that have been designed to display early 20th century works on paper. The hard juxtaposition of these different viewing conditions feels particularly rich in curatorial potential. The rooms on the upper level also vary dramatically in scale but are lit consistently by way of an Okalux light. At present, the whole floor is given over to works by Cy Twombly, some from the Brandhorst collection and a number loaned by the artist but made in response to the spaces of the new building. Among those from the museums own holdings is a series of 12 gigantic canvasses, which depict the 1571 Battle of Lepanto. The Lepanto Cycle is one of the principal monuments of Twomblys late career and uniquely among the works in the collection has been put on permanent display in a gallery that has been tailored to its specific needs. This room occupies the upper level of the head but its plan has been developed independently of the

external form. The given geometry of the room has been dummied out by a series of faceting planes, with the effect that as visitors enter through a centrally located door they discover the entire series laid out panoramically in front of them. It really is a tremendous coup de thtre. The Brandhorst collection comprises about 700 works, of which less than a quarter can be shown at any one time a fact that lends weight to Sauerbruch Huttons suggestion that the site was ultimately too small for the brief. It is a tribute to the architects skill that the galleries feel in no way compromised by that situation. The challenges are, unfortunately, rather more legible in the buildings external expression. We can but wonder what the architect might have made of the task if the buildings mass had not been determined so rigidly by the masterplan and if the demand for hanging space had not precluded the introduction of windows to such an extent. Given that three more museum buildings of broadly similar proportions are set to be constructed immediately alongside, this would also surely be an opportune moment to reappraise the Braunfels masterplan in the light of the lessons that the Brandhorst now offers.

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SOLUTIONS: RETAIL & LEISUREProject

Whitechapel Dining RoomArchitect Project Orange Location Whitechapel Gallery, Whitechapel High Street, east LondonBy Pamela BuxtonRobbrecht & Daem and Witherford Watson Mann may have got the headlines but they werent the only architects working on the 13.5 million redevelopment of the Whitechapel Art Gallery. Project Orange was part of a third tier of architects and designers working on mini sub-projects to the main event. And regardless of pecking order, its project, the Whitechapel Dining Room, haspyrightRobbrecht en Daem Architectenand WitherfordWatson Mann ArchitectsLtd.

turned out to be one of the most externally visible elements of the whole project with a site right alongside the pavement of busy Whitechapel High Street. Those peering in will get a good look at the classic and elegant design of the 40-cover dining room. What they wont be able to see is the great thought that has gone in to creating a commercial catering operation in such tight back of-house facilities, in particular the difficulties of getting the necessary servicing into a listed building. So many strategies were required to make a 19th century building work to 21st century requirements, says Project Orange director James Soane. Its like coming in and doing surgery taking something apart and sewing it back together again in a different

The dining room: classic and elegant.

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1 Kitchen 2 Private dining 3 Main dining room

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way with modern technology. The site was a 35sq m former library room close to the bookshop with a narrow corridor leading beneath an existing staircase and past escape exits to a micro kitchen tailored specifically to the style of cooking on the menu. Opposite the entrance to the main dining space is a second, smaller private room served by the same kitchen. Adequate services were a priority, as Soane says, no one wants food smells escaping into the galleries. Taking advantage of the generous 3.6m floor-to-ceiling heights, the ceiling was lowered above the waiters station at the back of the room to accommodate cooling equipment with two louvres to take air in and out. A new cornice was created to match the rest using moulds of the original. Foot level radiators were incorporated into wooden panels beneath banquette seating that lines the long sides of the dining room.

We decided early on there wouldnt be any art there. Its all about the foodLayout is brasserie style, with two walls of banquette seating and tables and stand-alone tables in the middle. At one end are the windows onto the pavement, at the other, the waiter station and access to the kitchen. The original windows on to the street were preserved and secondary glazing was added as part of the base build. The main feature of the dining room is the bespoke oak panelling that lines the two long walls, broken up by a regular rhythm of lighting and mirrors. Project Orange settled on this after exploring other options such as darker

The private dining room.

panelling and decorative tiling inspired by the gallery buildings Arts and Crafts heritage. You could paint it pink and get designer furniture in but Iwona [Blazwick, director of the Whitechapel Art Gallery], was clear she wanted something that would age well and be classic. We

decided early on there wouldnt be any art there. Its all about the food, says Soane. Contractor Woodcraft Joinery created all the solid-tipped, veneered panelling from English oak including the banquette, which incorporates dark claret Andrew Muirhead leather upholstery. This matches the waiter station, and the wine rack above, and is also used in the private dining room. Here, the panelling opens to give access to services. There is original wood panelling elsewhere in the gallery, so this approach to the walls seemed particularly appropriate. We wanted to connect back to that warm feeling. But by treating it in a very modern way, its not too oppressive like a boardroom, says Soane. There are two other references to the rooms past: card indexes from the former library; and the original wood floor, which was

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PROJECT TEAM Interior architect Project Orange, Contractor Woodcraft Joinery, Services engineer Max Fordham, Project coordinator Mott MacDonald, CDM coordinator Tetra Consulting, Catering consultant Catersure

KITCHEN SERVICINGResolving the kitchen servicing was one of the biggest challenges of the dining room. Project Orange worked with services engineer Max Fordham to find a way of threading the ducts from the kitchen and dining room through the building and out after the main gallery redevelopment was largely complete. A stand-alone system was required. There was very little space for any services. For a wellserviced building, you need a lot of space, says Max Fordham project engineer Christine Wiech. It had to be designed very carefully to fit in and had to meet requirements of several architects dealing with the architecture, and environmental health requirements in terms of noise and odours. Another complicating factor was that the library was listed, and the extraction site was very close to a party wall, which couldnt be touched. The solution was to take the kitchen extractor duct through the ceiling and into an air-handling unit on the kitchen roof containing an extraction fan, attenuator and carbon filters. The extract duct enters a riser (which contains another attenuator) and is supported by a structural frame. The air is discharged vertically upwards some 9m above the kitchen roof level and above the roof level of the neighbouring properties.

DRINKS TROLLEY

Installing a bar was unfeasible in such a small dining room, so instead Project Orange designed a bespoke drinks trolley that sits near the kitchen door but

can be wheeled around if required. The chunky trolley was made out of oak by Woodcraft Joinery to match the rest of the woodwork in the Whitechapel Dining Room and has a built-in ice bucket.

The micro kitchen that serves the restaurant.

CARD INDEXWhen the Whitechapel Art Gallery took over the neighbouring library for its extension, it was keen to find new uses where possible for some of the library fittings and furnishings. Project Orange was happy to oblige when offered a set of oak index files that would make ideal drawers for cutlery and other small items. Thirty-five of them were cleaned and slotted into a new oak framework within the Dining Room waiter station, acting lifted, restored and re-laid in both the main and private dining rooms. Chairs in both rooms are a 1956 design by Hans Wegner with tactile, curved contours and a grey seat. These chairs were first launched in 2005 and are produced by Carl Hansen & Son. These are combined with chunky oak tables, again designed by the architect and made by the contractor. Alvar Aalto-designed pendant lighting is by Artek with Talo

as a subtle but appropriate reminder that the room was once a library. Its a bit of mix and match. It doesnt match the new oak but thats fine. It gives the idea of longevity, says James Soane. Halo wall lights in the private dining room by Artemide. The Dining Room, with food by head chef Maria Ella, opened last month after 14 weeks on site and has extended hours with its own entrance after the gallery is closed. At night, you get a sense of the street beyond and the neighbourhood. When youre outside looking in, you see this little world of people having a good time, says Soane.

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CULTURE

bd4jobs.comKATIE OGLE (katie.ogle@ubm.com) TEL: 020 7560 4333 FAX: 020 7560 4027 BOOKING DEADLINE is Monday at 4pm but this is subject to availability of space COPY DEADLINE is Tuesday at 9am CANCELLATION DEADLINE is Monday at 4pm VICKI CUNNINGHAM (vicki.cunningham@ubm.com) TEL: 020 7560 4249 FAX: 020 7560 4027

Spare us the archaeologistsPeter Carl considers a claim that the Roman Forum site has been torn apart in the name of research

Founded in 1911, The University of Hong Kong is committed to the highest international standards of excellence in teaching and research and has been at the international forefront of academic scholarship for many years. Of a number of recent indicators of the Universitys performance, one is its ranking at 26 among the top 200 universities in the world by the UKs Times Higher Education Supplement. The University has a comprehensive range of study programmes and research disciplines, with 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from 50 countries, and a complement of 1,200 academic members of staff, many of whom are internationally renowned.

Faculty of Architecture 1. Professor/Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture2008/2009-624) The University of Hong Kongs Faculty of Architecture invites applications for appointment as Associate Professor, or Professor (which is preferred) in the Department of Architecture. In addition to performing academic responsibilities, the appointee will also be appointed as Head of the Department of Architecture for a three-year term. This appointment will begin as soon as possible, on a three-year xed-term basis, with the possibility of renewal, or an appointment with tenure for a qualied appointee. An appointee on a xed-term basis may be considered for tenure during a second three-year contract. Applicants should have internationally recognized standing in architecture, a demonstrated record of excellence in design and/or scholarship, and administrative experience in higher education is preferred. The appointee is expected to work closely within the Faculty of Architecture to enrich and enhance the Departments international standing. While the focus of the Departments teaching and research is centered within the discipline of architecture, the core of the Facultys mission is to provide an international forum for intellectual, technical, and artistic inquiry into architecture, urbanism, landscape, and surveying. It is a dynamic centre of knowledge at the University, and strives to anticipate the important issues and practices emerging as challenges for the next generation of design and building professionals. Moreover, the Facultys approach is to educate students who will be at the forefront of their disciplines throughout their careers, through programs designed as the beginning of the life-long process of learning. Further information about the Department can be obtained at http://fac.arch.hku.hk/. (Ref.:

RIBA LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHS COLLECTION

Etching of the Forum, drawn in 1583, by Vincenzo Scamozzi.

BOOKTHE ROMAN FORUM David Watkin Profile Books, 280pp, hardback, 15.99 David Watkins treatment of the Roman Forum is part of the series Wonders of the World, under the editorship of Mary Beard. The remit of this series comprises small [too small at least twice the illustrations are required, and larger] books on some of the worlds most famous sites or monuments... much more enlightening, stimulating, even controversial, than straightforward histories or guides. Watkin uses this opportunity to mount a sustained attack on archaeologists, who have torn apart the site leaving incomprehensible holes, unsightly preservation-roofs and an entirely modern and unattractive public entrance, articulated here and there by 19th and 20th century reconstructions. Watkin clearly feels the sacrifice not worth the reward though he acknowledges that his book makes use of archaeologys insights. The depredations of early archaeology are well-known, the archaeologists have long passed into history, theres no putting it all back; and so it is not obvious why to beat this drum so relentlessly (raising the spectre of destroying Sta Maria in Campitelli seems like a sexed-up dossier). Most of Watkins book is devoted to the dismantling of the Campo Vaccino to recover the antique Forum. This provides the framework for a species of cultural history (largely anglophile) pertaining to the documentation and use of architectural details in later works, to speculations on Roman life in guidebooks and literature and to the agendas of popes and rulers responsible for organising excavations or posing among the ruins. Contained in these chapters is a useful gathering of disparate material for those interested in what is customarily omitted from

guidebooks as to the destruction of churches and other buildings as well as to the extent the visible remains are the result of recent reconstructions. This book is also the only place to find the cultural history, which is necessarily compressed to Watkins interests and is amusingly idiosync