Opinion 鈥� Page 370
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Comment
From one Jim to another
I was saddened to read of the death of James Nisbet (5 June, page 14)
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CommentThe world according to Terry 鈥�
Thanks to architect Francis Terry, son of Quinlan, for sending us this pictorial explanation of the practice鈥檚 views on architectural styles 鈥� a useful aide-memoire for anyone following the Chelsea Barracks saga
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Open debate
To state that open-plan schools have not been studied, as suggested in your article 鈥淐an you hear me at the back?鈥� (15 May, page 40), is somewhat wide of the mark
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Hear, hear
I read your article on school acoustics with much interest. As a maker of acoustic ceiling and wall absorbers, we have been working with our customers for some time now to push acoustics higher up the agenda for new schools and we warmly welcome the end-user鈥檚 contribution
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Inflammatory words
The Practitioners Forum and the Business and Community Safety Forum鈥檚 recent report to the minister makes some valid points on the fire risks of timber-framed buildings during construction, and they urge the government to review the 黑洞社区 Regulations
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Comment
The long game
The construction industry is undoubtedly one of the hardest-hit sectors in this current recession so it is no surprise that consolidation and survival have become watchwords. Job cuts are the answer for some but wholesale cutbacks can prove dangerous in the long term
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CommentAim high 鈥�
The tower blocks that were built in the sixties and seventies failed because they were for the most part poorly constructed and detailed (鈥淭hat past is gone鈥�, 29 May, page 19)
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Comment
Maybe a little lower
I鈥檓 not convinced that energy efficiency is a reason for advocating high rise
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CommentLife after debt
Before you know it, UK plc is going to be staggering under a real debt burden of 拢2 trillion. Here鈥檚 Kevin Cammack鈥檚 simple survival guide
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Comment
And the good news is...
The uber-bearish traders in house price futures appear to have softened their view on the depth of the slump in house prices quite markedly over the past month or so.At the turn of the year you could have bought a notional average house three years hence on the futures market ...
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Comment
The orders figures and public spending fears point to industry chaos ahead - need it be so?
The good news is that after the monstrous distraction over the past month cause by raking over expense claims made by MPs we are getting back to debate about things that really will shape our lives - notably how much dosh there is (or rather isn't) in the Treasury coffers ...
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Comment
Housing activity rises but prices set for further falls
The latest RICS housing market survey paints a more optimistic picture of the housing market, with evidence that confidence and activity continue to improve.The 鈥榥ew buyer enquiries' series (the balance of surveyors reporting an increase rather than a decrease in buyer interest) has been rising since November and, at 48 ...
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North-South divide develops in housing market - is it a cause for concern?
The latest housing market report from the surveyors' body RICS will provide further cheer for most of those selling homes.The June 2009 report suggests that the pace of collapse in prices continues to ease, the volume of sales has nudged up and there appear to be more buyers. And there ...
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Comment
Worst fall in output on record
The construction output figures from the Office of National Statistics covering the first quarter of 2009 highlight the true nature of the construction recession, or should we say depression, with considerable destocking leading to sharp falls in output. Total output in construction during the first quarter of 2009 fell an ...
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Comment
Construction shrinks at the fastest rate ever recorded
It was with genuine shock that I looked at the latest output figures. I was busy finishing something off when Noble Francis of the Construction Products Association called to ask if I'd seen the figures.I thought he was pulling my chain when he read over the numbers.I'm regarded as gloomy, ...
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Comment
Why you might want to raise a glass to building homes?
As we rage about the cost to the taxpayer of 80p bath plugs and the construction of elaborate duck houses, here's a figure to contemplate.For every new home built in recessionary times, each taxpayer is about 10p to 15p better off.Not a lot maybe, but see 20 homes being built ...
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CommentHansom: Rock, paper, scissors
It鈥檚 a dead heat for who鈥檚 had the worst week: a load of rockery-dwelling statues, the man faced with a mountain of company records, or a client forced to delay a 鈥� ahem 鈥� delicate procedure
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CommentThe true aim of architecture
Robert Adam鈥檚 rant (22 May, page 24) about architects and how 鈥渢hey like to pretend they know best about what鈥檚 good for society ... 鈥� reminded me of a talk Buckminster Fuller gave at the school of architecture at Bristol university in 1965
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Comment
A cable to the sun
In reply to Hugh Bantin鈥檚 query about wind energy (8 May, page 32), yes, it is fickle and average output is about 30% of maximum