黑洞社区

Views from the observation tower

An architect behind concept designs for expansion at Heathrow has described how he and his team were analysed by behavioural psychologists before winning the design deal. Jolyon Brewis, a partner at Grimshaw Architects, told 黑洞社区 the architects were observed by psychologists and people from Heathrow to see how well they work together. He revealed: 鈥淲e were observed by behavioural psychologists and people from the airport. They were looking at how we work together in our own team and with the team from the airport. It was quite a new one to us.鈥� Brewis admitted the behavioural assessment 鈥渇elt quite odd鈥� but insisted that 鈥渁s we got going we absolutely understood the logic of it鈥�. He didn鈥檛 elucidate what that logic was.

Bear with us 鈥�

As commissions go, it鈥檚 fair to say it was unusual one for a fit-out firm and an office design specialist. Morgan Sindall companies Overbury and Morgan Lovell have been tasked with producing four obstacles for the 2016 Bear Grylls Survival Race series - which involves adventurous types taking part in events that have themes like 鈥渏ungle鈥�, 鈥渕ountain鈥�, 鈥渁rctic鈥� and 鈥渄esert鈥� at their heart. They鈥檙e taking place, however, in the very unjungly, desert-free spots of Cambridge, Manchester, Edinburgh and London. Still, in a game attempt to link its everyday stuff with a man called Bear, the boss of Overbury and Morgan Lovell, Chris Booth, says: 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 transforming offices or building mammoth obstacles, we see unique opportunities to create exceptional experiences everywhere.鈥� Quite.

Brightoning up nicely

Developers are having another go at redeveloping what has been dubbed the ugliest building in Sussex, Brighton鈥檚 Anston House. The office block has been empty for 25 years, and was subject to a previous proposal by Urban Splash and AHMM which was turned down back in 2013 after locals said that plan - which included buildings up to 15 storeys tall - would overshadow the nearby Preston Park. But now developer First Base has put in plans with architects Conran & Partners to develop 229 apartments and space for start-ups on the site. Here鈥檚 hoping they have better luck.

European bind

Europe never had an entirely free market for architects, Shard designer William Matthews has argued. British practices are often asked to team up with a local firm when entering design competitions, he said, with the 鈧�700m overhaul of Paris鈥� Tour Montparnasse just one example. 鈥淚f it was any [other sector] you couldn鈥檛 force [bidders] to work with a local company,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it happened on design competitions, so there never really was a free market for us as architects working abroad.鈥� Matthews, who founded his own practice William Matthews Associates, after 20 years working for Renzo Piano 黑洞社区 Workshop, made the point while talking about his sadness over Brexit.

Looking up

Brexit may have dampened spirits in London鈥檚 commercial sector, but Down Under, developers are still very much reaching for the skies. Wilkinson Eyre鈥檚 275m tower on Sydney鈥檚 waterfront for Crown Resorts has won planning despite busting a local height restriction by 100m. The A$2bn Crown casino and hotel development is part of the A$6bn Barangaroo development which was masterplanned by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Nervous construction staff take note, there鈥檚 lots of work in Oz 鈥�