ViewPoint

The superior collection of high performance textiles. Granting outward vision, internal variety, external continuity and high heat rejection has even more colours to choose from.

The BlindBox keeps the roller and brackets out of sight providing a very neat, clean appearance. This system takes away the reliance on the installer, and provides bracket spacing that is correct to the millimetre. In the case of a poor substrate, the roller blind is no longer reliant on the fixings at each end of the barrel. Extra fixings along the whole width of the blind means that the point load is dramatically reduced to each fixing.

The BlindBox removes the need for fixing and drilling of the brackets on site, meaning that the blinds can be inserted just before handover when no dust or debris can soil the fabric.


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Register for free for the fourth Clerkenwell Design Week which attracts over 150 UK and world-wide designers and manufacturers showcasing their latest designs.

A series of installations and exhibitions by local architects and designers will be presented around central London. Zaha Hadid are to open its gallery of furniture, design and architectural models to the public for the first time. Jaguar is working with the Royal College of Art to create an installation for the Farmiloe Building, where Jaguar will also show its new F-Type vehicle.

To find out more or to register for free visit the Clerkenwell Design Week website.

06 May 2013


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Architects Feilden Clegg Bradley plan to refurbish the existing 1960’s building of the Southbank Centre by improving site access, creating new arts spaces, including a 12m-high glass pavilion, and building a new slab-like ‘liner’ arts and commercial block. Subject to planning permission the project is estimated to cost £120 million and will start in Autumn 2014. “We are delighted with the positive response we’ve had from the public,” said Southbank Centre chief executive Alan Bishop. “It is hugely encouraging that the project has been well supported.” An exhibition of FCB's plans will open in the summer, and involve work on the Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Hayward Gallery, and will be known as Festival Way.
23 April 2013

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The ‘ski-jump’ canopy of Arup Associates Vauxhall bus station in south London could be demolished under proposals to build a new ‘linear walkway’ in the area.

Just six years after the £4 million stainless steel shelter opened, local developer CLS has launched an international competition for designs to replace the landmark structure.

Five practices – including local studio Marks Barfield and Irish company Heneghan Peng – have been shortlisted for the contest, with each set to reveal their designs early next month.


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Project visuals have now been released for the new Volkswagen HQ in Tongwell, Milton Keynes. The 100,000 building features mainly office space as well as conference facilities and a coffee shop and restaurant.

The project is due to start shortly on site with completion in 2014.

08 April 2013


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After a long ongoing discussions, West Ham United have finally won the tenant position at the Olympic Stadium.

Newham council will be investing the most into the stadium transformation programme at £40 million, West Ham have pledged to spend £15 million on the scheme and the government have agreed to fund up to £25 million dependent on need once the project costs has been finalised.

The transforming of the 54,000 seat venue will be looked after by the original designer, Populous.

25 March 2013


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Recovery has finally started in Christchurch, New Zealand, following the earthquakes last year. Christchurch has experienced 10,500 tremors since the first major earthquake in September 2010. London based fourfoursixsix architects are the first company to start rebuilding with a £3 million project. Although a temporary structure, it is designed to remain for at least 20 years. Daniel Welham, director of fourfoursixsix: “Seeing buildings going up is bringing a certain level of positivity back to people who have spent 18 months watching the city being demolished,”

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An innovative architectural sculpture, organic in form, environmentally-friendly and inspired by nature has won the Surface Design Award for Temporary Structure. Pavilion Architecture, MD, Chun Qing Li on behalf of the KREOD team collected the prize. “A huge thank you to everybody that voted for us. The extraordinary partners and team that provided the products, services and support are the reason KREOD was a success
The structure currently forms the centrepiece of Peninsula Square, between the Emirates Air Line and The O2 Arena on Greenwich Peninsula. From 5-7 March, KREOD will form the media and visitor centre for Ecobuild at Excel.


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During the last quarter of 2012 turnover in the architectural work was significantly down in most of Western Europe. The European Architectural Barometer Report revealed workloads were down by 73% in Italy; 42% in France and 57% in Spain, and 33% in Netherlands.

UK Architects are more positive about workloads in their own country than their counterparts in much of western Europe. Architects order books rose from 26% to 36%.

A further rise of 1% in the UK is predicted by the report, whilst France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands would decline further.

Adrian Dobson, RIBA director said: “One thing we are seeing is an increase in the number of students being employed. It’s usually an early indicator of more positive signs.


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The Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly, London has now been fully refurbished. The developers Meyer Bergman purchased the arcade in 2010 and wanted to restore it to its original appearance 200 years ago. Traders and conservationists who originally complained about various aspects of the project are now happy. Blair Associates recently took over the project and have included a new glazed canopy at the entrance, as well as uplighting and spot lighting at the archways.

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The 63 Storey tower designed by KPF could be completely abolished a replaced with a new, more cost effective design. The construction of the ionic Pinnacle Tower stopped last year in a push to reduce costs after only 7 floors of the concrete floor were up.

Lipton and Rodgers are now said to be drawing up a rival, most cost effective proposal for the project, although they haven’t yet approached Arab investments.

07 February 2013


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AHMM was confirmed last week as the project architect following their appointment nearly a year ago. There are roughly 30 architects committed to the Google project substantiating a big push on recruitment in 2012 which has seen office numbers nearly double to 200.

The project covers 93,000sq m extending across a plot 300m long and will reach a top height of 11 storeys. Impressive feature of the project include three light filled entrance halls which will link the workplace with cycling ramps, shared amenities and a roof garden. Currently Google have staff in Victoria and Holborn with staff due to move into the new building in 2016.

25 January 2013

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Planning applications have been submitted to Tower Hamlets council for a new 75 storey residential tower, designed by Squire and Partners for Chalegrove Properties.

The 239 metre tall tower will include 864 residential units and 84 serviced apartments as well as fitness and retails areas. This will be one of the tallest residential towers in the UK, second only to The Shard. The project is due to on site in April 2014 subject to the necessary permissions being granted.

07 January 2013


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The team at Armour would like to wish you a Happy New Year, we look forward to working with you on your projects!

Exciting changes are in the pipeline here including a number of all new fabric ranges due for launch in Spring so keep in touch!

03 January 2013

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Be careful when you are using coloured blinds to emphasise a theme colour in a building. All fabrics, except blackout ones, will allow some natural light through the fabric into the room which has the effect of lightening the colour of the fabric slightly. Something to keep in the back of your mind next time you have the samples on the mood board!

06 December 2012


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We know how important colour is to interiors, that’s why we offer a textile that can be dyed to any colour meaning your never left with a mismatch. Specify your RAL colour and we will dye the fabric to suit giving you a perfectly co-ordinated colour scheme every time.

27 November 2012


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- Manual Sidewinder is a simple, easy to operate mechanism. Fabrics will stop in any desired position without the need for cleats or chain retention. Specify chain tidies for anti ligature healthcare or education applications.
- Crank Handle operation with smooth gearing systems allows the heaviest fabrics to be used with ease. Detachable crank handles with bayonet fitting can be specified to eliminate unauthorised use.
- Electric operation can be controlled via wall switches, remote transmitters, linked into building management systems (BMS) or sun sensors/timers. Electric operation is used extensively where blinds are inaccessible or a highly professional finish is required.

20 November 2012

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Ladder strings give the venetian blind a contemporary look and feel, whilst specifying ladder tapes will give a more traditional, elegant aura.

14 November 2012

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Our team are creating quite a storm at the moment with our Interior Design Service. They take the load off you by taking care of the whole window blinds specification, making sure it meets you and your client’s requirements.

- Make recommendations
- Create LookBooks
- Produce specifications
- Find solutions
- Assist on mood boards

08 November 2012


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The annual Sleep Event celebrates hotel excellence with over 150 international exhibitors showing high end products for the hospitality sector. The leading suppliers will showcase exquisite bathrooms, creative lighting, bespoke furniture, accessories and fabrics alongside innovative technology.

The event will take place on 21-22 November 2012 at The Business Design Centre in London.

30 October 2012


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The existing building at Hanover Square is set for a complete conversion over to office space throughout all its floors. The building’s facade will is planned to be carved with a pattern by artist Catherine Bertola that interprets the Spitalfields Silk pattern used for the coronation canopy of George II in 1727.

Cara Bamford, partner at Make, said: “This is the latest in a series of heritage projects for Make and one we are extremely excited about.’

23 October 2012

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Adeas has completed the consolidation of a series of 1950’s buildings into a modern 6 storey campus housing 1,500 pupils.

The new building on the north of the site allows land at the south to be sold at £105m to fund the new development. Colin Hall, head of Holland Park School, said: “We think our new building is iconic, dynamic, original and wonderfully constructed.”

The school has an atrium running the full length of the building with teaching wings either side. General classrooms are located on the quieter east side while the larger specialist classrooms and noisier sports facilities are located on the west.

22 October 2012


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Cameron yesterday announced plans to make it easier to amend planning applications for new developments. Developers will no longer have to pay a second “community infrastructure levy” if they wish to adjust applications to changing market conditions.

Cameron said the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, which will also see £160 million invested in new gas market infrastructure, was intended to help Britain compete “in the global race”.

19 October 2012


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The top architecture award for 2012 has been awarded to the Sainsbury Laboratory in Cambridge designed by Stanton Williams. The practise won ahead of David Chipperfield’s Hepworth Wakefield, Populous’ Olympic Stadium, OMA’s Rothschild Bank & Maggie’s centre and O’Donnell + Tuomey’s Lyric theatre. It is the first time the practice was shortlisted for the prize and also the first time a privately funded science centre was handed the award.

Juror Joanna van Heyningen said it wasn’t an easy job to pick the winner, but the result was inevitable: “It’s a sublime piece of beautiful and calm architecture.

15 October 2012


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The mayor granted planning permission for the Spitalfields redevelopment on Wednesday night overturning the local council’s unanimous rejection of the plans. In a desperate attempt to save the historic buildings, Save Britain’s Heritage applied this week to have the buildings spot-listed, backed by Cruickshank, Ptolemy Dean, Simon Jenkins and Gavin Stamp but Johnson dismissed the bid as last-minute.

Rab Bennetts welcomed the mayor’s decision. He said: “This is an enormously important building, both for Spitalfields and for Bennett’s Associates, as it shows how a major commercial property can form the backdrop to a lively conservation area’

12 October 2012


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Associated Architects have released new images of the £37m library. Works include demolishing the existing 1950s library and replacing it with a new building covering 13,000sq m of floor space arranged over six levels.

Warren Jukes, director at Associated Architects, said: “Whilst the site posed significant challenges, there was also an opportunity to make an important contribution to the historic campus and to create spaces that are bright and fun to work in.”

10 October 2012


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ECE Architecture have won planning for a £6.5 million construction teaching building at Chichester College. The four-storey building will form a new entrance to the western end of Chichester College’s main campus.

Project Director Nick Evans said: “We are delighted to have been able to assist Chichester College in reviving this important project from the remains of the FE funding collapse.”

05 October 2012


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AHMM have been appointed ahead of Hawkins Brown, BDP, Terry Farrell and Wilkinson Eyre to carry out a feasibility study on the re-haul of the key London station.

Site owner Metro Shopping Fund is looking to resurrect the large scale regeneration project featuring two 42-storey skyscrapers, 556 residential units and 20,557m² of retail, commercial and community floor space. The scheme was previously abandoned following opposition from the public and the local council.

01 October 2012


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BDP has secured planning permission for a £10 million development of the grade II listed Old Town Hall in Oldham to provide an eight-screen, 1000-seat cinema complex.

The North West Design Review Panel said it “fully supported” the approach taken and agreed that the building’s use as a cinema is “appropriate and likely to be commercially viable”. English Heritage said it supported the overall design concept.

29 September 2012


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Aecom, DEGW’s parent company, has announced they are phasing out the DEGW brand by October and are replacing it with ‘Strategy Plus.’ The new division will employ planners, interior designers, architects and building engineers to work for commercial clients.

Former RIBA president Jack Pringle said, “There was a time when DEGW was the academy that trained everybody that came into the business. The brand going is a full stop on a very good chapter. It is rather sad.”

27 September 2012


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RMJM has submitted plans for a new £81 million engineering building for the University of Sheffield. The 6 floored building reaches a total of 19,500sq m and will house 19 laboratories, workshops, study areas, a 400-seat lecture theatre and computer rooms.

The works on site are due to start in 2013 and finish in 2016.

25 September 2012

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Kieran Timberlake’s plans for the new US Embassy in Nine Elms has been approved by Wandsworth City Council.

Nick Cuff, planning chairman at Wandsworth council, said: “This remarkable building will be a fitting centrepiece for the new Nine Elms and could be among the highest performing buildings in the world in terms of energy use and sustainability.”

21 September 2012


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The well known confectionary company is relocating its head office of 800 staff to a new HQ building at Gatwick at the beginning of October. Legal & General, the developer that took over the site at the start of this year has plans to turn the building to 300 homes with retail and community use at the ground floor.

Designs are expected to go to planners next month.

20 September 2012

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An MP has suggested that the House of Commons could temporarily be housed in the Olympic Park media centre to enable the Palace of Westminster to close for the necessary 3 billion repairs that was announced last month.

17 September 2012


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Taxpayers will be expected to pay up to £157m towards the refit of the Olympic Stadium if West Ham win the bid to turn it into a football stadium. The costs of converting the Stadium has been estimated at £160m while West Ham have only offered £3 million towards the costs. A senior Olympic Source said ‘their reasoning is that it will be publicly owned so why should they put money into it?”

15 September 2012


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The next 10 days will see the London Design Festival showcasing the city's pivotal role in global design across 200 events. The Partner organisations events show the richness and depth of the design activity that takes place in and beyond the capital. There is a further series of major events at the V&A and other best loved landmarks.

Boris Johnson says "I am delighted to be backing the London Design Festival, which is an unrivalled showcase of some of the best creative ideas from the UK and around the world."

13 September 2012

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The proposed ‘London Britannia’ airport will ‘float’ rather than being built on reclaimed land with high speed rail links, ferry and jetfoil connections linking it up to car parks on the mainland. The first stage will feature four runways each 5km in length. Future plans include two additional runways with the airport operating 24 hours a day to handle 150 million passengers a year from more than 400 gates.

There is current speculation that the government is changing its views and now looking more favourably towards airport development after the replacement of Justine Greening, the anti-airport expansion transport minister in the recent cabinet reshuffle.

10 September 2012


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The new 35 storey ‘scalpel-shaped tower’ is being designed for insurers WR Berkley Corporation where they plan to have their HQ.

The new development, known as 52-54 Lime Street will stand at 190m tall in the London’s Square Mile, close to Richard Rogers’ Lloyds of London building.

Subject to approval from the planning board, construction could start as soon as early 2013.

06 September 2012


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A meeting with Network Rail is arranged for later this month to discuss further the proposed SkyCycle lane for London.

SkyCycle which has already had backing from Boris Johnson, will be a commuter-only cycle network using a mixture of disused rail lines as well as active routes. Cyclists will get off the rail network at stations – like regular rail commuters with the flow of cyclists being regulated by a new signalling system.

05 September 2012


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Broad Group, a Chinese company, wants to build a 838m tall tower from prefabricated blocks in just three months. If it gets approval to go ahead the 220 storey ‘Sky City’ will be taller than the Burj Khalifa in Dubai which took 6 years to complete.

With their prefabricated walls, Broad Group completed a 30-storey tower in 15 days last year. The Chairman commented “Lots of industries are very high-tech these days but not construction and we wanted to fix that.”

31 Aug 2012


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The British Government buildings could be closed for up to 5 years whilst essential internal repairs are carried out. A spokesperson for The Commons said “We either move out or spend £10 billion over 20 to 30 years on trying to do the work during the summer recesses. We need to shut the building, let the builders in, pull the innards out and gut it.”

The scheme has to be approved by Parliament and the Treasury, but the go-ahead could come as soon as next year. It will be the first time the Houses of Commons and Lords has been evacuated since the 1940s.

29 August 2012


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Secretary of State Eric Pickles this week ruled in favour of Squire and Partners’ £400 million proposals for two towers on an island site surrounded by Vauxhall gyratory.

Farrell, who also drew up a masterplan, argued that the Squire and Partners scheme would do little to improve the pedestrian experience and wanted to create a more traditional high street.

Squire said: “New retail, offices and public spaces will improve the ground floor environment and bring life to this previously derelict site.’

24 August 2012


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The campaign to save the Grade II-listed Elliott School in Putney has received more than 55,000 signatories. It needs 100,000 signatures to force a debate on the issue in parliament.

Ed Lattimore of the Save Elliott School campaign said: ‘The proposal destroys 41% of the original landscaping design and still includes significant demolition and alteration of the sports hall which has many special features that should be preserved.

22 August 2012


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Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners plans for a mixed use development at South Bank was approved unanimously by members of Lambeth's planning applications committee on Tuesday night.

The scheme, which has sections of 14, 21 and 28 storey’s, includes 48 homes as well as office space and a cafe. Sean Ellis of The St James Group said 'the Government's lease expires in June next year and we fully intend to start on site as soon as they vacate."

16 August 2012


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Plans by ADAM Architecture for the world famous historic members pavilion at London’s Oval cricket stadium will start this autumn and is due to complete by spring.

The project includes the remodelling of the Long Room bar, the Pavilion Restaurant will be refurbished and provided with its own south facing terrace. It will also create a ‘grand facade’ looking out over Kennington Park and Oval Tube station.

14 August 2012


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The Rio Olympics will follow London’s example and use as many temporary venues as possible, the city’s mayor has said. Speaking at a joint press conference with the Boris Johnson, Eduardo Paes said Britain had staged the best games ever.

“What I like about London is that there are no white elephants,” he said. “It’s good to see that London didn’t waste money building these crazy things you sometimes see around the place.

13 August 2012

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The £1 billion expansion of the city masterplanned by Aecom is to be designed by leading architects including David Chipperfield, Wilkinson Eyre and RH Partnership.

Vice-chancellor Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz welcomed the news: “This development is a major part of the university’s long-term future. It will provide much of the residential and research accommodation that the university needs as it grows over the next 20 years.’

10 August 2012


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Plans have been submitted for a 15-storey office block above the Crossrail station at Paddington, London. The latest development, if planning is approved, will bring an extra 29,728sq m of office floorspace to the area.

Ian Lindsay, Crossrail land and property director, said: “This major new commercial development will play an important role in the continued transformation of Paddington.”

07 August 2012


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The £23 billion airport planned for the Thames Estuary was dealt a major blow today when BA chief Willie Walsh said it was “crazy” to expect airlines to fund the project through Heathrow landing charges.

“If Foster has this plan, let him put it together without relying on funding that is provided at Heathrow because the airlines operating at Heathrow have not committed to go to this new airport and won’t commit to going to this new airport. That is the bottom line.”

01 August 2012


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Olympic bosses have admitted spectators in some of the top rows of the seating wings will have to watch the highest dives on screens. The affected seats are so high the sightline to the 10m board is obscured by the roof which bulges down between the main pool and the diving pool.

Locog, the ticket providers, is explaining the situation and offering full refunds. Zaha Hadid insists it is a ticketing issue not the result of bad design.

27 July 2012


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Allies & Morrison have been appointed to a design team overhauling Keybridge House for BT in Vauxhall, South London.

Sally Leonard, BT’s head of asset management and strategy, said: “Keybridge House’s operational life is coming to an end and we are very keen for the redevelopment to play a constructive role in the regeneration of the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area.’

25 July 2012


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The Manser Practice’s Hilton hotel opposite Wembley Stadium has opened just days before Olympic football comes to the area. The design has been inspired by the sporting location with the ninth-floor roof bar giving views over the stadium, arena and Wembley Way.

David Horton, global head of Hilton Hotels & Resorts, said the opening marked a milestone in the regeneration of the area which is slated to become “one of the most thriving parts of the capital for sport, entertainment and architectural excellence”.

19 July 2012


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Buckingham Palace Properties is revamping 123-151 Buckingham Palace Road to bring it up to date given that Land Securities is completing its overhaul of nearby 123 Victoria Street next month.

The £7 million scheme by Morrow & Lorraine will create 3,500sq m of retail space with shops, restaurants and a supermarket. Project architect Matthew Austen said: “We have enhanced aspects of the original building while breathing a new lease of life into those parts that needed it.”

18 July 2012


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WR Berkley, a US insurance company, is working with the American architect on plans for an office development scheme on the corner of Lime Street and Leadenhall Street.

The skyscraper would stand at the centre of a cluster of towers in the City which includes the Gherkin and the Heron Tower also designed by KPF.

17 July 2012


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Aukett Fitzroy Robinson and PLP Architecture have won planning for an Imperial College campus on the former BBC Woodlands site, west London. Councillors rejected a last-ditch attempt by local campaigners to block the development granting outline permission for a public square surrounded by university buildings, shops, offices and housing.

11th July 2012


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An analysis of 29 BSF schools found improvements in performance and attendance in two-thirds of schools. 62% improved the number of students achieving a minimum of 5 A*-C grades at a rate above national average.

Education secretary Michael Gove has played down the importance of school buildings in students’ education but this has been proved otherwise by the report.

09 July 2012


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Renzo Piano, speaking at the ceremony to mark the external completion of the building this week, described the Shard as a ‘sparking spire’ and not a symbol of arrogance and power.

Irvine Sellar, the developer, claimed the height of the Shard was never a priority in design. “The fact we happen to be the tallest building in Western Europe is a by-product of what we wanted. We wanted a multitude of uses and a design which we think is pretty spectacular.”

05 July 2012


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Populous are proposing a Formula One route that runs round London’s two royal parks – Green and St James’s, takes in Parliament and Trafalgar squares and a stretch of the Embankment. Although the idea of a London grand prix has been mooted before, Populous’ plans are the most detailed yet.

Project architect John Rhodes consulted F1 world champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton who described the circuit as “utterly epic”.

02 July 012


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Boris Johnson opened the Wilkinson Eyre cable car crossing over the Thames yesterday.

Running from the O2 arena to the Excel exhibition centre, it can carry 2,500 people an hour. Journeys take five minutes during peak hours but TFL will slow it to 10 minutes off peak as they believe a lot of usage will be from sightseers.

29 June 2012


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Unesco is preparing to strip Liverpool of its world heritage status if Chapman Taylor’s Liverpool Waters scheme is built.

Unesco say “If the proposed Liverpool Waters scheme is be implemented, the World Heritage property would be irreversibly damaged. We strongly recommend that the three principal stakeholders, being Liverpool City Council, Peel Holdings and English Heritage, reconvene around the table and work out an adjusted scheme.”

28 June 2012


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Judges have ruled in favour of SPPARC’s 31 storey student accommodation block after a long legal battle between the developer Ivestream and opponents.

A High Court judge dismissed claims that Southwark council acted unlawfully in granting it planning permission in 2010. Mr Justice Lindblom also ruled out a judicial review for the student accommodation block which Cabe criticised for its “ungainly form and awkward and inefficient spaces on plan”.

26 June 2012

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John Robertson Architects are designing the 20,000sq m of offices with Crossrail and its development partner Cardinal Lysander. The scheme, at the corner of Cowcross Street and Farringdon Road, will also include a series of retail units at street level.

The development is part of the wider revamp of Farringdon which the enlarged Crossrail and Thameslink rail stations will herald. More than 140,000 passengers are expected to use the station every day when Crossrail opens in 2018.

20 June 2012


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After an international competition Caruso St John beat Allies & Morrison, Bennetts Associates, Witherford Watson Mann & John McAslan to win the refurbishment of the 1939 grade II-listed Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

The brief demands a refurbishment that complements the heritage of the hall but at the same time all areas of the building must meet contemporary standards for audiences, musicians and visitors.

Caruso hopes construction will be complete by the end of 2015.

18 June 2012

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Plans are unveiled for 400 residential units, two office buildings and 3,600m² of retail. Parts of a nineteenth century brick railway viaduct will also be incorporated into the scheme, featuring shops and cafes within the arches.

John Drew said: ‘Our proposals open up the site, attracting more people into the area from surrounding streets and creating solid links between Shoreditch and Hoxton, Spitalfields and the City.’

A planning application is expected to be submitted in the summer.

12 June 2012


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Construction orders fell 3.6% in the first 3 months of 2012 compared to the same time last year, according to latest figures. Orders for the overall housing market fell 21%, but orders in some sectors were up, with infrastructure orders rising by 60% and commercial orders by 8.4%.

Noble Francis, at Construction Products Association said: “With government cuts impacting sharply upon construction, it’s no surprise to see that public sector construction new orders were hit hard"

11 June 2012


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The gardens opened to the public just in time for last weekend’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. West 8 has won 3 competitions for the gardens, but the brief kept changing due to financial crises and difficulties over ownership of the land.

“Its completion in time for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is testament to the commitment of the entire project team” said Vincent Kane, head of culture for Aecom/Davis Langdon.

6 June 2012


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Heathrow Airport should be knocked down and turned into a garden city supporting 30,000 homes writes Graham Bell, current vice president of the TCPA. Heathrow needs to be reinvented rather than expanded and a new airport built elsewhere – possibly in the Thames estuary.

Bell said Heathrow had passed its sell-by date and added: “With Heathrow bursting at the seams, now is the time for the government to take a bold step to realise the vision of a new international hub airport for the benefit of both the UK and London.”

30 May 2012


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London-based Pringle Brandon is in advanced discussions about a merger with major US design firm Perkins + Will. The two companies are on the verge of a deal that would see the 90-strong London practice operate as Pringle Brandon Perkins + Will.

“We are desperate to get into Shanghai,” Pringle said. “It would be massively difficult and expensive to open there. Now I can just jump on a jet and go.”

28 May 2012

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Allies & Morrison have presented plans for a 35-storey Westfield development on the site of the Whitgift shopping centre to Croydon councillors. The ideas were presented ahead of an outline planning application expected to be submitted later this year. Between 400 and 600 residential units are also proposed, with four residential towers reaching heights of up to 35-storeys.

22 May 2012


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Running for the 22-24 May 2012, is the three-day festival celebrating design's creative richness, social relevance and technological advancements through a programme of workshops, presentations, product launches and debates.

It is an opportunity for the creative design community to meet new and existing clients in a relaxed yet inspiring environment.

21 May 2012

The document intends to provide guidance to help architects design and manage construction projects using bim. It, together with the green overlay, will form the basis of the first changes to the Plan of Work in 50 years.

Angela Brady, RIBA president, said: “This new publication cuts though the confusion and anxiety surrounding bim and offers our members best practice principles to enable them to get the best out of the opportunities it offers for their business.”

We’re making it super fast for you to register online; we will create your account within 30 minutes! Get exclusive access to;

-Blinds Configurator | Builds your specification online
-Fabric & Product Downloads | Have technical data to hand
-TasteBud | View our online gallery

With in-depth analysis of industry take-up, a guide to choosing the right software for your practice, case studies from a wide range of practices and commentary from government construction advisor Paul Morrell, the white paper is relevant to every architect in the UK.

15 May 2012

Days after his re-election Boris Johnson has renewed his backing for Norman Foster’s Thames Estuary airport proposals. Johnson said: “My gut feeling is that you could entrench London’s position as the economic powerhouse of Europe.’

Last November Foster & Partners revealed its proposals for a Thames Estuary airport as part of a radical overhaul of the UK’s infrastructure network. Ministers are expected to publish an aviation strategy this summer but have thus far been reluctant to back Fosters’ plans.

11 May 2012

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Architects are warning practices will go bust while they wait for the school building work to come through.

The government has commissioned an audit of the condition of every school in the country. Bidding closed last October and successful schools were to be announced by the end of the year. Five months later, architects have heard nothing while the DfE said it was taking its time to get the process right and would announce its decisions “as soon as we can”.

10 May 2012


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Running from the 5th – 13th of May at the Excel in London, Grand Designs is the number one consumer show exhibition for prestigious self build, design, interiors and innovation. Presented by design guru Kevin McCloud, and based on the hugely popular Channel 4 series, the show offers visitors a unique opportunity to see all the latest trends for the home.

Taking place at the Business Design Centre in London this two day conference will bring together industry leading experts and specialist providers to discuss and demonstrate the latest Building Information Modelling technologies. Here from experts including William Lopez-Campo at HOK, James Pellett of Great Portland Estates and Gary Furphy of Jacobs.

03 May 2012

Controls of blinds can be managed with a wall switch, remote, smartphone, or integrated into Building Management Systems and time switches. This increases security as the blinds can operate during sunlight hours but can automatically close when the building’s unattended. Automatic operation by a sun sensor closes the blinds with no human interaction, so the areas with high solar glare are always being shaded. Multiple amounts of blinds can also be operated with one switch by setting up a bank function, the advantage being that you can easily operate all the blinds for one room, area or façade.

01 May 2012

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Zaha Hadid, Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners and Foster & Partners are on the shortlist to create a new skyscraper in Manhattan for L&L Holdings.

David Levinson,CEO of L&L, said: “It’s not often that you get a vacant building on Park Avenue. It’s a very important moment and we want to create the finest building we possibly can."

Entries are due in early May, with finalists chosen by the middle of the month. A winner should be announced in October.

26 April 2012


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The design of the Olympic torch by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby beat 89 entries to scoop the prize at the Design Museum tonight.

Deyan Sudjic said: ‘The torch not only captures the spirit of London as Olympic host city but also demonstrates how design can celebrate traditional ideas in a modern way.”

All the short-listed designs will be on show at the Design Museum until July 4.

25 April 2012


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A bid to cover one of South Banks tallest buildings in billboards has been rejected by the council. The adverts were planned to stretch from the 9th floor to the 27th floor of the Kings Reach Tower and were set to stay in place until next summer.

Graham Morrison of Allies & Morrison said in favour of the decision ‘Southwark would have been selling itself very cheaply. It’s an incredibly prominent site by the river and would have set an awful precedent.’

20 April 2012


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-Ultra versatile light control
-Ideal system for very large widths and drops
-Suitable for curved or arched windows
-Louvers can stack to the left, right or centre of the window
-Components are available in a range of colours

18 April 2012

The 14 platform station at Old Oak Common, West London will form part of the High Speed 2 link between London and Birmingham and will be capable of handling up to 250,000 passengers a day.

News of the win comes as Weston Williamson co-founder Chris Williamson accompanied Prime Minister David Cameron on a trade visit to South-East Asia this week.

David Rogers
12 April 2012


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The final steel spire has now been craned into place making The Shard Europe’s tallest building at 310m high.

Work on the Shard began in February 2009 and an estimated £450million has been spent on its construction so far. When finished it will give an uninterrupted view of London for 40 miles in every direction.

John Hutchinson
03 April 2012


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The Armour Venetian System has a custom paint slat option to help you to get exactly the right colour match that you are after. You can customise your blinds to match any Farrow & Bull colour or RAL colour you want.

30 March 2012

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Roller blinds can be linked together so that one control operates two or more blinds at the same time.

26 March 2012

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Speaking in the House of Commons, Osborne said the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which is expected to be largely unchanged from the draft version, would be made public on March 27 and would come into effect immediately.
The chancellor also backed Cameron’s announcement earlier this week to proceed with plans to expand airport capacity in the south-east of England, as well as investment in the rail network.

22 March 2012


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Ken Shuttleworth predicted when speaking at Ecobuild yesterday that the Shard will be torn down and replaced with an even taller tower within a few years.

“When the Shard was designed energy was cheap and sealed, air-conditioned buildings were acceptable. Now we know better” he said. ‘Each generation thinks it has designed the “ultimate building” only to see many of them bulldozed when technology moves on.’

Elizabeth Hopkirk
21 March


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John McAslan + Partners began work on the project in 1998 and established the overall master-plan for the development in 2005.

John McAslan, chairman of the firm, said: "We are very proud of our role as lead architects and master-planners of the King's Cross redevelopment, and its immensely satisfying to see the project delivered on time, ready for the capital's celebration of the London Olympics later this year."

16 March 2012


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Building Information Modelling is now becoming the future of building design. This event will provide an insight into the many opportunities of BIM, how it can help your future build projects and a 3D demonstration of the capabilities of BIM.

15 March 2012

Our solar reflective fabrics allow you to vary blind colours internally whilst keeping a consistent external appearance. Great for high rise developments as the outside is kept looking neat, but internal decorations can change with each floor.

Simone Coke | Armour UK
12 March 2012

To celebrate the new Facebook timeline and Easter we’re launching our latest & greatest giveaway, Easter Eruption!

IT’S THIS SIMPLE;
1. ‘Like’ Our Facebook page
2. Complete the form with your post address
3. We’ll post the mini eggs to you!

No small print, no hooks. Share the word – there’s chocolate for everyone!

The US company currently has its offices in Victoria, but last week signed an agreement with Argent to build new Headquarters on land north of Kings Cross Station with AHMM appointed for the design.
The offices will be a group of five buildings in the south-east corner of the site which also includes shops and restaurants.

Sophia Kelleher
07 March 2012


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Senior Indian business figures are coming to the UK this month to promote numerous design opportunities to architects as the country plans to spend £600bn on infrastructure over the next five years.

Greg Pitcher
05 March 2012

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-Specify chain tidys and chain break connectors on all corded blinds
-Specify motorised blinds so there’s no operating cord
-Don’t design to have furniture near windows

2 March 2012

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All major structural work is now completed. Colin Matthews, CEO at BAA, said: “There is still a lot to do but the opening of Terminal 2 could move Heathrow into pole position among European hub airports.’

The first phase sees the building of the main terminal as well as a satellite terminal. The second phase will extend the main Terminal 2 building and will see another satellite building constructed, increasing capacity by a further 10 million passengers annually.

Andrea Klettner
29 February 2012

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New proposals see tighter carbon dioxide emission standards for new homes and non-domestic buildings, plus tighter performance standards for works to existing buildings. It is hoped the regulations will pave the way for the zero-carbon homes and will help form the Green Deal, which is due out this autumn.

The consultation is open until April 27; the regulations are expected to come in to force in 2013.

Nice idea on paper, but in reality when the louvers are closed they overlap slightly, this results in double thickness of the fabric giving you darker vertical lines. You end up with an undesirable ‘zebra’ effect as you can imagine.

Screen fabrics are best specified on a roller system as it is just one continuous panel of fabric, giving you a very clean and quality look.


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-Can by dyed to match any colour
-Ideal fabric for roller blinds
-Prestigious textile for elite environments
-58% heat rejection saves air conditioning loadings
-Weave fabric gives you outward vision

21 February 2012

Flooded houses are a thing of the past with the new design by waterworld specialists BACA Architects. This house rests on fixed foundations inland (next to the Thames at Marlow). In the event of a flood the entire building rises up in its dock and floats there.

17 February 2012


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The theme this year is the ‘Playful City’. Focusing on three London areas over three weekends:
- City and Southwark (23-24 June)
- Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury (30 June-1 July)
- King’s Cross and Hoxton (7-8 July)
Organised by The Architecture Foundation, British Council, New London Architecture and RIBA London. A series of interactive and entertaining events seeks to encourage a better appreciation of architectural design.

15 February 2012

May your day be filled with blessings, love and super designs. Happy Valentine’s Day

The Armour Team
14 February 2012


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Pacific Dream Plaza in Qingdao, northern China caused a particular challenge for Atkins designers, as it faced the river on two sides. Built around a series of landscaped squares, it includes 1,500 residential units, offices and retail space built in a series of landscaped squares and a 30-storey hotel. Peter Ridley, Atkins’ senior design director, said: “This project presented a fascinating challenge because the area was partially enclosed by a river but it also gave us a great opportunity to create a remarkable quarter in a new urban location.”

10 February 2012


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It has been announced that the creation of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion will be by Swiss architects duo Herzog & de Meuron and Chinese designer and artist Ai Weiwei. Previous winners of the prestigious RIBA Lubetkin Prize for the design of the Beijing National Stadium. The Gallery is a public area in London’s Hyde Park,it will also include a venue for events and host talks.

The pavilion will be open from June to October 2012.

08 February 2012

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The 3 yearly R + T Stuttgart show is running this year, 28th February – 3rd March. This leading world trade fair for roller shutters, doors, gates and sun protection systems is hosting 808 exhibitors and 2240 product lines for 2012. New products and innovative solutions in the blinds and shutters industry will be presented at the show.

07 February 2012