All articles by Alex Smith – Page 28
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FeaturesDamage limitation
Richard Rogers' design for Heathrow Terminal 5 has a 43 m glass facade to flood his elegant interior with natural light and lift weary travellers' spirits. But would it be safe in a bomb blast? Alex Smith talked to Pascall + Watson about how to specify for terrorproofing
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FeaturesThe hanging offices of rotterdam
Where do you build if you don't want to use up your valuable land? In mid-air, of course … We found out how it was done at the latest wonder of the construction world – the gravity-defying De Brug office block in Holland
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NewsPart L draft calls for draconian rises in U-values – and energy-efficient kettles
Leaked proposals to overhaul energy provisions of the Building Regulations reveals swinging changes to combat global warming
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NewsGovernment hopes to stop air-conditioning in homes
The Government is considering ways to lessen the impact of domestic air-conditioning units as part of its revamp of Part L of the Building Regulations
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News
Housebuilders spared sound tests
Housebuilders may not have to test the acoustic insulation of homes to prove they comply with Part E of the Building Regulations, provided they use approved construction methods.
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FeaturesTiles of the unexpected
Or how a Kohn Pederson Fox architect with a burning obsession went on the trail of gleaming ceramic facade tiles, and uncovered their secrets with the help of a mysterious, code-cracking stranger … Alex Smith followed the story
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Comment
Glazed and confused
Terracotta glazing is enjoying a revival. It was used extensively at the beginning of the last century, and is proving popular at the start of the 21st. Specifying it is not always straightforward, though, as architect Kohn Pederson Fox found out when it tried to recreate an 80-year-old mottled glaze ...
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FeaturesFit for a king
Poundbury. The very name of this 21st-century housing model strikes fear into the hearts of specifiers everywhere, as it demands strict compliance with tough design rules – and under the watchful eye of a rather important man. We meet a valiant developer who wouldn't be deterred
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FeaturesThe new skool rules - OK?
Oi, you at the back – pay attention! Superstrict new sound regulations for school buildings are set to test the abilities of every education specifier in keeping the noise down. So no messing about, or else … Alex Smith takes the class
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Features
Check list
Those tough new sound regulations apply to residential houses and flats, too. Alex Smith has 10 things you need to consider to comply with Part E
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Features
A test of their metal
It's easy to say steel-frame housing is the way of the future, but things get a bit trickier when it comes to actually making it work. We look at the struggle over the spec at one Basingstoke housing scheme
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FeaturesKeep on truckin' … please
Within two years, the road haulage industry is going to undergo a personnel crisis that will make construction's skills shortages look like a walk to the shops. So how are your materials going to find their way to the site?
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FeaturesStretching the truth
Or, how a sculptural fabric roof at Chatham's historic dockyard was designed to be energy efficient – something that everybody thought was impossible. As Alex Smith discovered, the solution was in the spec
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News
Architects face fire nightmare
Architects could be forced to pay millions of pounds in compensation after a landmark court case this month found that they are liable for fire damage if they specify combustible cladding
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FeaturesChurchill Hospital hospice: A design for life
Creating an environment in which terminally ill patients can enjoy the rest of their lives requires the utmost sensitivity and imagination in the architect’s choice of materials. We look at how Nightingale Associates went about the task at an Oxford hospice
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News
Sound regs fall short, says report
New Building Regulations intended to improve sound insulation will actually lower standards, according to a university survey.
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News
Laying down the law
Materials and finishes are far from the only things to consider when choosing your flooring. New regulations on access and facilities for disabled users are about to change the way floors must be specified. Alex Smith has the details