http://www.adamcoupe.com/blogNews and updates from commercial and architectual photographer Adam Coupeen-gbAdam CoupePhotographyAcetylene 0.0.4 (RSSFeed 1.0)http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/458/grimshaw_designs_addition_to_frankfurt_airport/view.htm The design features a canopy clad in large, pre-fabricated panels Grimshaw has designed a detailed masterplan study for a new forecourt at Frankfurt Airport’s Terminal 1.  Grimshaw’s design seeks to reorder forecourt traffic to create a large central public space that brings light, greenery and fresh air into the airport. Inspired by the surrounding forest landscape, the design features dense planting at the forecourt edges and a delicate overhead canopy which shelters the forecourt that will produce interesting interior photography.  In addition, the new forecourt provides two stories of densely packed mixed-mode traffic and a retail concourse.  Speaking about the masterplan, Grimshaw Partner Andrew Thomas said: “We’ve sought to provide a solution that balances functionality with a striking new identity which provides a contrast to the linearity of the existing space.” adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/458/grimshaw_designs_addition_to_frankfurt_airport/view.htmSat, 12 Jan 2013 19:32:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/457/allies_morrison_wins_planning_for_vauxhall_square_scheme/view.htm Plans include two 168m residential towers Allies & Morrison’s Vauxhall Square development beside the transport interchange have won planning. The mixed-use scheme for CLS Holdings, featuring two residential towers of 168m, is part of the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area and will result in interior photography by an interior photographer.  It also contains two hotels, two office buildings, student housing, a four-screen cinema plus retail, cafes and restaurants, as well as a new 50-bed homeless hostel, replacing the existing hostel on the site.  More than 50% of the scheme will be public realm, including a large new square in the centre of the development providing a pedestrian route through the site. The square and public spaces will be the first step linking Vauxhall gyratory to a new linear park running through the whole opportunity area. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/457/allies_morrison_wins_planning_for_vauxhall_square_scheme/view.htmThu, 10 Jan 2013 19:36:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/456/bdps_broadcast_centre_for_shanxi_province_starts_on_site/view.htm BDP has been commissioned to design a new broadcast and TV centre in Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi Province in north China.  Commissioned by the Shanxi Broadcast & TV Channel, the development will form one of the focal points of the emerging Jinyang Lake Commercial District to be captured with interior photography by an interior photographer.  The first phase of the 200,000sq m scheme will comprise six building providing offices, film studios, a media centre and a cultural exchange centre. The main building is a 198m office tower which will house the press centre, ten studios and general office space and meeting rooms.  Work has already started on site and is due to finish in 2014. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/456/bdps_broadcast_centre_for_shanxi_province_starts_on_site/view.htmWed, 09 Jan 2013 19:30:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/455/assael_architecture_bags_planning_for_hammersmith_site/view.htm Previous schemes by Conran & Partners and Scott Brownrigg were rejected Assael Architecture has received planning consent for Queens Wharf in Hammersmith, west London.  The mixed-use residential scheme for interior photography, adjacent to the grade II-listed Hammersmith Bridge,  replaces a series of derelict office buildings at the site.  When complete the development will have 87 housing units alongside commercial space on the ground floor. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/455/assael_architecture_bags_planning_for_hammersmith_site/view.htmTue, 08 Jan 2013 19:39:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/454/norman_foster_presents_new_york_public_library_plans/view.htm Twice as much of the building will be open to the public Norman Foster has presented his plans for the renovated New York Public Library at the Stephen A Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street in Manhattan.  The proposals will see a new home designed for the circulating collections, replacing the existing book stacks which currently take up seven storeys below the Rose Reading Room that will feature in interior photography.  The stacks are inaccessible to the public and the books will be moved to a humidity-controlled chamber under Bryant Park.  This means the existing stacks can be removed and replaced with a new library, housing the Mid-Manhattan collections and the Science, Industry and Business Library.Foster said: “Our design does not seek to alter the character of the building, which will remain unmistakeably a library in its feel, in its details, materials and lighting.  “The parts that are currently inaccessible will be opened up, inviting the whole of the community – it is a strategy that reflects the principles of a free institution upon which the library was first founded.” Visitors will enter the new circulation library on a balcony in the centre of the former book stack space. From here a grand staircase will lead down to the main level.  The project would more than double the space currently open to the public. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/454/norman_foster_presents_new_york_public_library_plans/view.htmMon, 07 Jan 2013 19:40:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/453/crossrail_secures_extra_funding_for_public_realm_spaces/view.htm TfL board approves £30m for areas around stations Crossrail has secured £30 million towards public realm improvements around its stations.  The funding was approved by Transport for London, and is in addition to the £28 million allocated from Crossrail’s own budget. Architects including John McAslan, BDP, Gillespies and Atkins are working on the schemes, with plans for 16 stations completed. A further 12 will be done by the end of 2013.  Crossrail said the work would provide 92,000sq m of improved public space at new stations in central London including new pedestrianised areas, traffic calming measures, interior photography, new trees and new seating areas. Andrew Wolstenholme, chief executive at Crossrail, added: “We are using the huge momentum of this project to encourage further investment in new and improved public spaces and regeneration over a much wider are around Crossrail stations.” The work has been carried out together Design Council Cabe. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/453/crossrail_secures_extra_funding_for_public_realm_spaces/view.htmSun, 06 Jan 2013 19:47:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/452/green_light_for_battersea_power_station_flats/view.htm Ian Simpson and dRMM-designed first phase to go on sale in 2013 Wandsworth councillors have given the go-ahead to the Ian Simpson and dRMM-designed first phase of Battersea Power Station’s re-development.  Battersea Project Land Company’s reserved matters planning application was approved by the planning committee. Outline permission for Rafael Vinoly’s masterplan was granted in August 2011. The decision means 800 flats designed by Ian Simpson and dRMM will go on sale as planned at 10am on January 10. Rob Tincknell, chief executive of Battersea Power Station Development Company, said the project had received an additional boost from the autumn statement, which confirmed a £1 billion extension of the London Underground Northern line to Battersea Power Station. “We have seen a new rush of interest in the development from potential purchasers. It is incredibly exciting for us that we will be selling residential units off plan next month,” he said.  The project’s Malaysian backers said last month they expected construction of the flats - that will produce interior photography, to begin in 2013 and to be completed in 2016. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/452/green_light_for_battersea_power_station_flats/view.htmFri, 04 Jan 2013 19:09:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/451/nex_triumphs_in_cadogan_café_competition/view.htm Winning design features roof garden and glass wall Nex has won a prestigious competition to design a new £2 million cafe at the Duke of York Square in west London.  The practice, based in central London, beat five other shortlisted schemes including projects by Carmody Groarke, Duggan Morris Architects, Architecture :00/, Pernilla Ohrstedt & Sarah Price Landscapes and TaylorSnell. Its winning design is in the shape of an organic coiled form, featuring a roof garden and a glass wall that rises and falls depending on the weather that will create stunning interior photography.  Hugh Seaborn, chief executive at the Cadogan Estate, said the jury was “won over” by the proposal.  “We think it will intrigue passers-by and become a mini-landmark on the King’s Road,” he added.  Nex will now work with engineers AKT II, Equals Cost Consultants, Atelier 10, DHA Design and the Enterprise Collective to develop the design ahead of submitting a planning application. Alan Dempsey, director at Nex, said: “After thorough analysis, we were convinced that the best approach was an architecture which resonated with the architectural heritage of the site, while providing a contemporary space that has flexibility for year round use.”  The competition was organised by Malcolm Reading Associates. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/451/nex_triumphs_in_cadogan_café_competition/view.htmWed, 02 Jan 2013 19:53:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/450/1820_headfort_place_belgravia_by_march_white/view.htm The refurbishment of a three-storey mews building features a glazed frontage and vertical green wall London-based March & White has secured planning consent for the reconfiguration and refurbishment of a three-storey mews building in North Belgravia, London. The former office at 18-20 Headfort Place will be transformed to residential use for property developer Grosvenor.  March & White was founded two years ago by Elliot March and James White and the practice specialises in hotel and restaurant design, private homes and residential developments. The second floor will feature a glazed frontage across one side of the house, flooding the interior with natural light that will help create striking interior photography by an interior photographer. A bespoke-designed wooden staircase with glazed balustrade will lead up to a new roof extension. This will provide a living area and an external roof terrace located at the rear of the mews building. The terrace will accommodate a vertical green wall, which is designed to support a variety of planting. The project incorporates sustainable design features and is designed to achieve EcoHomes rating of Very Good. The existing Welsh slate from the mews will be reused on a roof that integrates water-saving devices. Handmade lava foam tiles are specified in all the bathrooms to create a natural finish. Work started on the project in September with the demolition of the existing mansard roof, allowing the addition of a contemporary roof extension to start shortly. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/450/1820_headfort_place_belgravia_by_march_white/view.htmThu, 20 Dec 2012 19:59:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/449/british_firms_in_race_for_west_kowloon_art_museum/view.htm Six-strong shortlist revealed for M+ while Canadian team takes district’s opera house A six-strong shortlist including two British firms has been announced for a new contemporary art museum in Hong Kong that will have interior photography created by an interior photographer.  Farrells has teamed up with Herzog & de Meuron and Benoy with Toyo Ito & Associates for the 62,000sq m M+ which will sit on the waterfront of Victoria Harbour.  Other teams in the running include Snohetta, Shigeru Ban Architects and Thomas Chow Architects, Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Sanaa. It is hoped that the museum, which aims to showcase 20th and 21st century visual culture, will rival the MoMA in New York. Rafael Moneo will chair the jury and the project is scheduled for completion in 2017. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/449/british_firms_in_race_for_west_kowloon_art_museum/view.htmWed, 19 Dec 2012 19:32:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/448/populous_chosen_for_russian_world_cup_stadium/view.htm Arena will be scaled down in legacy Populous has been appointed to design the new Rostov Stadium in Rostov-on-Don, Russia.  The appointment is the fourth for Populous in the country, having already been chosen to design stadia for Kazan, Saransk and Sochi. All will be used to host games for the 2018 World Cup and will create strong interior photography.  The stadium, inspired by the ancient earthworks along the banks of the river Kurgans, will have a capacity of 45,000 seats for the World Cup and will be scaled down to 25,000 seats in legacy mode.  Damon Lavelle, principal at Populous, said: “We are certain that the stadium will be a great catalyst for the city and this part of the river.” adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/448/populous_chosen_for_russian_world_cup_stadium/view.htmTue, 18 Dec 2012 19:22:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/447/downing_street_releases_50m_for_silicon_roundabout/view.htm Money signals green light for Architecture 00:/’s Tech City plans Architecture 00:/’s proposal for a new technical and creative institute at Old Street’s “Silicon Roundabout” will become reality after the government announced £50 million of funding.  David Cameron has announced the invesment at the LSE’s Electric City conference in Shoreditch, saying it would foser the next generation of digital entrepreneurs. The proposals by YAYA finalist 00:/, which also have the backing of the Mayor of London, include a new civic space owned and operated in the community interest providing workshop and exhibition spaces, free workspaces, education and innovation accelerators.  It will also feature public realm improvements to the Tech City area, including proposals to create a pedestrian peninsular, and safer cycle routes. A feasibility study to find a location is already underway and is expected to be complete in early 2013.  “What has really been announced today is the support for the proposition of the civic institution as a response to the institutional ‘thinness’ of east London, considering this exploding cluster of young startups in the area: an investment into cultural and economic infrastructure,” said 00:/’s Alastair Parvin.  “The proposition aims to follow in the footsteps of London’s great civic institutions, such as the British Library, the Royal Institution, the Tate: building a national commons for young inventors and creatives, which is accessible to all of us.” adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/447/downing_street_releases_50m_for_silicon_roundabout/view.htmMon, 17 Dec 2012 19:08:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/446/som_unveil_grand_central_designs/view.htm Proposals revealed as part of New York summit SOM’s design for the transformation of this area embraces public space at many levels. Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS) are re-imagined as Privately Funded Public Spaces (PFPS), allowing a variety of transformation and new public spaces. Light is brought down to the underground spaces, new corridors are created through buildings to facilitate pedestrian circulation at increased densities, streets (including Vanderbilt Avenue and the viaduct) are re-purposed as public spaces that will be captured in interior photography.  Most dramatically a new public space – a panoramic ring above Grand Central – rises above Midtown as a new kind of public experience and marker of New York’s commitment to public space.Roger Duffy, design partner at SOM, said: “Throughout New York City’s history significant urban growth has been matched by grand civic responses. The 1811 Commissioner’s Plan, the creation of Central Park, zoning regulations in 1916 and 1961, and Grand Central Terminal itself have all resulted from this fundamental relationship. MAS’s call to focus on the public spaces in and around East Midtown is an opportunity to propose a rebalancing of this equation, increasing the quantity and quality of public space as the city contemplates significant densification in the area.” adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/446/som_unveil_grand_central_designs/view.htmSat, 15 Dec 2012 19:25:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/445/zaha_hadid_draws_up_cafe_plans_for_aquatics_centre/view.htm Venue will re-open in 2014 The first sketches of Zaha Hadid’s plans for its Olympic aquatics centre have now been drawn up.  The firm is designing as a new entrance, crèche and 60-seat cafe for the centre which is due to re-open to the public by April 2014. Original project architects Jim Heverin and Glenn Morley are on site weekly to oversee the deconstruction of temporary elements such as the seating wings.  “The emerging images look absolutely spectacular,” said James Bulley, director of venues and infrastructure at Locog. They have not yet been released to the public.  Locog, which organised the Games, have handed control of the entire site to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) which is masterminding the £300 million transformation of the Olympic Park. Ben Woods, LLDC executive in charge of transforming the aquatics centre, said: “It’s very important to us that we don’t take a Zaha Hadid building and put in some identikit reception. ZHA are designing the reception desk which will be a striking sculptural object.”  The handover coincided with the removal of the last of the 17,500 temporary seats at the centre and the wrap that covered the wings. These will eventually be replaced with glazed facades that will be captured in interior photography by an interior photographer.  During the Olympics, the public entered the aquatics centre at first floor level. The venue is now being reconfigured to have a ground floor entrance with a large cafe spilling on to the canalside. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/445/zaha_hadid_draws_up_cafe_plans_for_aquatics_centre/view.htmThu, 13 Dec 2012 19:02:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/444/chipperfields_resi_plan_for_portland_house/view.htm Proposal replaces earlier office plan by Wilkinson Eyre David Chipperfield’s proposed design for the refurbishment of Portland House near Victoria station in London has been revealed. Chipperfield’s plan for the 29-storey tower, owned by developer Land Securities, involves converting the office building to residential use and replaces earlier proposals by Wilkinson Eyre.  The 1960s tower, that requires interior photography, was due to be replaced by an office building designed by Wilkinson Eyre as part of the wider 138,000sq m redevelopment of Victoria Interchange but the plan was dropped after it was criticised by Westminster Council. In 2010, Land Securities invited architects to submit proposals for a residential conversion of the 28,000sq m building, before proceeding with Chipperfield’s design.  A planning application is expected to be submitted during 2013. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/444/chipperfields_resi_plan_for_portland_house/view.htmTue, 11 Dec 2012 19:31:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/443/allies_morrisons_globe_theatre_revamp/view.htm First plays to be held in 2014 New images of Allies & Morrison’s plans to build a 340 seat extension to Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London have been released.  Called the Sam Wanamaker Theatre, after the organisation’s US actor and director founder, the extension will allow the theatre to present plays throughout the year. Two tiers of galleried seating and a pit seating area will be the centrepiece of the indoor theatre which will be mainly lit by candles that will produce stunning interior photography.  As well as the new theatre, redevelopment of the foyer is also planned to cope with more than one million visitors a year. The first plays in the new theatre are expected to be shown at the beginning of 2014.  Also included among the team carrying out the work is Farah Karim-Cooper who is leading the Globe’s Architecture Research Group which is made up of Shakespeare and early theatre architecture scholars and theatre lighting designer Martin White. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/443/allies_morrisons_globe_theatre_revamp/view.htmMon, 10 Dec 2012 19:31:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/442/leeds_firm_gets_43m_data_centre_ok/view.htm Six-storey building part of wider masterplan Local practice Garnett Netherwood Architects has won planning permission for a new data centre in the centre of Leeds that will result in interior photography for an interior photographer.  It is the first phase of a masterplan for a former manufacturing and industrial site in the South Bank area of Leeds.  The new £43 million data centre, for client Yorkshire Design Group, will be comprised of two towers linked via a glazed central core, each with four floors of data halls. The six-storey building will be clad in pre-weathered zinc panels, with a band of black brick on the ground floor.  The 11,600sq m building is the first phase in a wider masterplan for the site. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/442/leeds_firm_gets_43m_data_centre_ok/view.htmFri, 07 Dec 2012 19:53:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/441/farrells_earls_court_scheme_passes_planning/view.htm Kensington & Chelsea follow Hammersmith & Fulham in backing controversial plans Terry Farrell has won outline planning permission with his masterplan for a controversial 7,500 home redevelopment of Earls Court.  Kensington & Chelsea councillors gave their backing to developer Capital & Counties’ proposals, securing the approval of both local planning authorities after Hammersmith & Fulham gave the go ahead in September. Farrell’s masterplan is described as “four urban villages and a 21st century high street” and comprises almost 1 million sq m of development including hotels, offices and cultural buildings that will produce interesting interior photography.  Capco chief executive Ian Hawksworth said he was “delighted” with the decision.  The GLA will now also have to give its approval before the plans can go ahead. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/441/farrells_earls_court_scheme_passes_planning/view.htmMon, 03 Dec 2012 19:22:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/440/zaha_hadid_to_design_new_national_stadium_for_japan/view.htm 80,000 seat stadium must be ready by 2019 Zaha Hadid Architects has been selected to design a new national stadium for Japan in Tokyo.  Eleven practices, including Olympic stadium designers Populous, were shortlisted for the £164,000 competition. The design brief is for an 80,000 seat stadium on a narrow site and must be ready to host the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Other shortlisted firms included Australia’s Cox Architecture, Germany’s GMP International, the Netherland’s UN Studio with Yamashita Sekkei, interior photography by an interior photographer, Turkey’s Tabanlioglu and France’s Dorell Ghotmeh Tane Architects with A&A Architecture made the list, alongside Japanese firms Sanaa with Nikken Sekkei, Toyo Ito & Associates, Azusa Sekkei and Mitsuru Man Senda.  The jury was chaired by Tadao Ando and included Richard Rogers and Norman Foster. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/440/zaha_hadid_to_design_new_national_stadium_for_japan/view.htmMon, 26 Nov 2012 19:16:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/439/karakusevic_carson_gets_hackney_homes_green_light/view.htm Second phase of Colville Estate work wins planning   Karakusevic Carson Architects has won planning permission for the second phase of rebuilding work at a housing estate in east London.  The Clerkenwell-based practice has already completed the first phase of work (pictured) at the rundown Colville Estate and masterplanned the wider regeneration of the area.  The second phase will include 113 homes for social renting and 62 for private sale. Work at the Colville involves demolishing more than 400 existing homes and replacing them with more than 900 for social renting, shared ownership and private sale that will result in interior photography by an interior photographer.  Shops, children’s play facilities and a new community centre will also be built.  The work is being carried out for Hackney Council which is expected to decide later this month on a winner for the third phase of work – the biggest of the deals to be let. Two towers of up to 14 and 20 storeys will be built consisting of flats for private sale. As well as Karakusevic Carson, which has teamed up with David Chipperfield, the other bidders include Feilden Clegg Bradley, AHMM and Maccreanor Lavington. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/439/karakusevic_carson_gets_hackney_homes_green_light/view.htmThu, 22 Nov 2012 19:11:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/438/hok_scoops_167m_deal_in_sicily/view.htm Architect beats 14 rivals to win international design competition   HOK has been selected from 14 international firms to land a £167 million biomedical research facility near Palermo in Sicily. Plans for the 31,000sq m Ri.MED Biomedical Research and Biotechnology Centre were unveiled yesterday at an event attended by Italian politicians including prime minister Mario Monti.  The centre, to be managed by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, is intended to be a global hub for biomedical research and development. It is expected to open in 2016 and, when fully operational, to employ more than 600 scientists and other staff and will create interesting interior photography by an interior photographer.  Plans for future phases on the campus include a new hospital and medical school.  The HOK-led joint venture team includes fellow World Architecture Top 100 practice Progetto CMR in Milan, Buro Happold and local Sicily practices De Cola Associati, based in Palermo, and Eupro. Bill Odell, design principal for the project and HOK’s director of science and technology, said: “Our design integrates cutting-edge technology with flexible, functional space. The goal is to create an extraordinarily functional yet iconic facility that will advance modern medicine.” adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/438/hok_scoops_167m_deal_in_sicily/view.htmTue, 20 Nov 2012 19:33:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/437/levitt_bernstein_plans_popup_houses_in_lockup_garages/view.htm Proposal wins international competition to design homes for less than £20,000   Lock-up garages in Hackney could be turned into “pop-up” accommodation for homeless people under plans drawn up by Levitt Bernstein.  The concept has won a Building Trust International competition to find designs for single occupancy homes which could be built in urban areas in developed countries for less than £20,000. Levitt Bernstein’s design allows a 23sq m bedsit to be created within a disused garage for around £13,000. Each unit contains a sleeping area, washroom and kitchen facilities.  The units are intended to be built in groups of four, with every fifth garage containing additional kitchen facilities, a laundry area and communal space that will produce fascinating interior photography by an interior photographer.  If garages are redeveloped the pop-up homes can be dismantled and re-used. The garages could also be used as workshops or cafes. Levitt Bernstein has suggested that a partnership between a government funded scheme and a homeless charity could see the units built and occupied by apprentices.  Architect Georgie Revell from Levitt Bernstein said: “The proposal targets under-used spaces in high density areas where land value is high and rising. We believe it offers a creative and practical interim solution between other development opportunities.” The units fall just short of the London Housing Design Guide space standards. Revell added that the units will be temporary from a planning perspective, but that further design work could see the garage units extended to meet the minimum standard. Levitt Bernstein is now in discussion with social housing providers and local authorities to see if a pilot scheme can be funded. Several other architects received honourable mentions for their competition entries. Gensler was commended for its proposals for refurbishing old tower blocks, while Groundwork HK was recognised for its suggested use of train carriages as homes for the elderly in China. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/437/levitt_bernstein_plans_popup_houses_in_lockup_garages/view.htmMon, 12 Nov 2012 19:05:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/436/gary_neville_gets_goahead_for_rooftop_football_pitch/view.htm Revised plans for AEW-designed hotel win favour of Trafford councillors   Former Manchester United star Gary Neville has been given permission to put a football pitch on top of the ten-storey hotel he plans to build next to the club’s Old Trafford stadium.  Revised plans for the AEW Architects-designed hotel were given the go-ahead by Trafford councillors. The 16m x 12 m football pitch will be built on the roof and covered with a retractable canopy. Planning permission for an earlier version of the scheme was granted in May. Changes include reducing the number of bedrooms by one to 138, that will no doubt produce interior photography by an interior photographer and increasing the height of the building by two metres.  Neville’s former club objected to the proposals on the grounds that the scheme could undermine the club’s plans for a “holistic” redevelopment of the stadium grounds.  But planning officers noted that the scheme “has taken account of the proposed proximity to MUFC and the prominence of this international venue”. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/436/gary_neville_gets_goahead_for_rooftop_football_pitch/view.htmFri, 09 Nov 2012 19:48:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/435/stoke_regeneration_will_be_highest_green_standard/view.htm RHWL Architects says it will achieve BREEAM Excellent with city centre scheme   The first phase of a redevelopment of Stoke-on-Trent city centre will achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, according to the architect behind the project.  Genr8 Developments has launched a consultation period on its proposals for a 9,000sq m office building which will form the first phase of a city centre regeneration scheme. Stoke-on-Trent Council will occupy the building and alongside the Homes and Communities Agency has commissioned Genr8 Developments to oversee the wider £170 million regeneration of Stoke-on-Trent’s central business district.  The first five storey building is designed by RHWL Architects and will incorporate a glazed curtain walling system inspired by local ceramics designer Clarice Cliff. Michael Clark, principal director at RHWL, said: “The ambition for the building is to deliver a state-of-the-art design that exceeds energy consumption reduction targets and achieves a BREEAM Excellent rating, while drawing on Stoke-on-Trent’s ceramic heritage for a contextual approach to the new Central Business District’s emerging architecture.” The Stoke-on-Trent central business district regeneration project will create opportunities for an interior photographer and will provide around 110,000sq m of office, retail and hotel space, and around 25,000sq m of public realm. adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/435/stoke_regeneration_will_be_highest_green_standard/view.htmWed, 07 Nov 2012 19:56:00 +0000http://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/434/grimshaw_ploughs_ahead_with_london_bridge/view.htm When complete concourse will be largest in the UK   The second phase of Grimshaw’s redevelopment of London Bridge station, cited by Network Rail as the “most ambitious” in London, has started.  The scheme will see the renovation of the station as well as work on miles of outdated track and signalling.  When fully complete in 2018, London Bridge will have the biggest concourse in the UK and produce stunning interior photography.  Lifts or escalators will take passengers to every platform and new entrances will be provided on Tooley Street and St Thomas Street. Robin Gisby, managing director of network operations at Network Rail, said: “This will be the most ambitious redevelopment of any London station in a generation and one of the most technically demanding projects ever undertaken on our railway. “ adam@adamcoupe.com (Adam Coupe)Architectural Photographyhttp://www.adamcoupe.com/blog/entry/434/grimshaw_ploughs_ahead_with_london_bridge/view.htmMon, 05 Nov 2012 19:47:00 +0000