Architects on the Frontline / Nightingale Hospital

While the nation rightly applauds the efforts of its carers, health workers and others directly tasked with supporting those affected by the coronavirus pandemic, architects are also earning respect and gratitude for playing their part on the frontline.

Gregory Fonseca AIA, BDP Director and AIA UK Board Director, has highlighted the role BDP Architects and Engineers has played in the  unprecedented challenge of converting the 115,000m2 ExCel Conference Centre at London’s Docklands into a temporary 4,000-bed field hospital for Covid-19 patients.

While there will be other coronavirus architectural success stories along the way, it is unlikely that any will capture the imagination as has the first Nightingale hospital.  Working under the main contractor CFES, BDP collaborated with clinicians, consultants, contractors, the ExCel Facilities Management Team and the British Army to complete the first 500 beds in just 9 days. 

According to BDP, ‘it is the scale, timeframe and purpose of this emergency facility that distinguishes it from any previous healthcare project’.   Watch the first 9 days of fit out curtesy of the BBC HERE.

Leading the design and engineering efforts, BDP Architect Director Paul Johnson and BDP Healthcare Director James Hepburn called on their experience of designing large-scale healthcare facilities and intensive care units in super-speciality tertiary hospitals.  

The key to Nightingale’s rapid progress ‘has been its clear concept and rigorous approach to procurement and construction’ requiring a team approach ‘to make rapid decisions so design and construction could take place in parallel’. All in all, it has been, ‘a monumental team effort which has been intense and exhausting’.

‘With the building structure in place, systems used to construct exhibition stands were used to form bed-heads and service corridors.  The existing electrical system was expanded and a large-scale new gas system for providing patients with oxygen was installed’.

The Nightingale Hospital is the first of several crisis centres planned around the UK, and BDP has published the NHS Nightingale instruction manual which clearly displays the fit-out strategies and processes used at ExCel.

Follow the link HERE to BDP’s instruction manual.  When it is updated, you will have access to the latest version.  

Working on the project has not been without risk.  According to Building Magazine, 9 Apr 2020, James Hepburn – who is a building services engineer - has been recuperating after a ‘fairly mild’ case of suspected Covid 19.  The AIA UK Chapter can only wish him the best of future health.

The Nightingale exemplifies the role architects can play in crisis management.  UK Chapter members are encouraged to send in their own pandemic retaliation contributions to add to this legacy via the new address newsletter@aia.org. See the companion piece to this article on how 3D printing is helping make personal protective equipment.

Compiled by Lorraine King AIA from a BDP Architects & Engineers Press Release and a BBC Health Report from 8 Apr 2020.

New Chapter Sponsors

The board is delighted to welcome two new sponsors to the AIA UK!  They are Portview Fit-Out Ltd. and Iris Ceramica Group. They join our “family” of corporate partners that also includes Beale & Co, Herman Miller, Laufen, and Roca.

Portview is a Belfast based contractor that is very active in the London and UK markets.  Founded in 1975, Portview expanded into the UK in the early 1990s. Leveraging their expertise with high end interiors and their growing retail client base, the decision was taken in 2004 to specialize exclusively in the fit-out market and rebrand the company as Portview Fit-Out.

Tottenham Stadium

Recent projects include work at the new stadium for Tottenham Hotspurs, and Harvey Nichols department store.  Portview has experience in the office, residential, retail, hospitality, and heritage markets. They are currently working with our 2020 AIA UK President Chris Musangi, on a super-luxe, prime residential Spa & Health facility, at the Southbank Place development by the London Eye. Portview has won numerous industry awards for their work.

We welcome Paul Scullion, Amy Black and their colleagues at Portview to the AIA!  www.portview.co.uk

Founded in Italy in 1961, Iris Ceramica Group has grown to be the world leader in the manufacture of floor and wall ceramics for residential, commercial, and industrial projects.  The group has 26 manufacturing plants and employs over 3,000 people around the world.

Matrix Floor Tiles

With more than 50 collections totalling over 2,500 items, Iris Ceramica is constantly demonstrating their commitment to the creation of ceramics with high technical and stylistic value.  This is characterized by the leading-edge design that has been recognized by their many international prizes and awards.

With their London showroom located on Old Street in Clerkenwell, Iris Ceramica is well placed to serve the UK market.  They are also currently working with Portview and our 2020 AIA UK President Chris Musangi, on the same super-luxe, prime residential Spa & Health facility, at the Southbank Place development by the London Eye. We are pleased to welcome Marco Corradi, Martina Terracciano, Giacomo Bertoni and their colleagues to the AIA!  www.irisceramicagroup.com

The chapter would not be able to organize such a large and varied programme of events for our members without the generous support of our sponsors.  Please take the opportunity to introduce yourself to Paul and Giacomo and their colleagues at one of our upcoming events. They will enjoy hearing from you!

Written by: Michael Lischer FAIA

Movie Nights

MORIYAMA SAN  | 11 FEBRUARY 2020

 As winter tightened its grip on the Kingdom, we were back to the BFI for the start of one of the favourite AIAUK calendar events : The Movie Series. Our inaugural movie of 2020 was ‘Moriyama San,' by Bêka & Lemoine.

In preparation for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, we made our way to Japan for our first screening. This documentary takes us through one week in the extraordinary-ordinary life of Mr. Moriyama. He is a Japanese art-, architecture- and music-enlightened amateur, who lives in one of the most famous examples of contemporary Japanese architecture, the Moriyama house, built in Tokyo in 2005 by Pritzker-prize winner Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA).

Introduced in the intimacy of this experimental microcosm, which redefines completely the common sense of domestic life, Ila Bêka recounts in a very spontaneous and personal way, the unique personality of the owner: An urban hermit living in a small archipelago of peace and contemplation in the heart of Tokyo. From noise music to experimental movies, the film lets us enter into the ramifications of Mr. Moriyama's free spirit. Moriyama-San is the first film about noise music, acrobatic reading, silent movies, fireworks and Japanese architecture!

This movie was unlike any we have ever screened before. It was very well received by the almost sold-out crowd in attendance, and generated huge debate. Some members from our new sponsors, Portview, also joined us for this screening. I am grateful to them and all those who set off our 2020 screenings to a roaring start!

PRECISE POETRY  |  10 MARCH 2020

 The 8th of March saw the World celebrate International Women’s Day, and for our screening on the 10th, we also celebrated the achievements of one of the many Women Architects. We screened ‘Precise Poetry' A documentary film about the famous Italian-Brazilian architect Lina Bo Bardi (b.1914 in Rome – d.1992 in São Paulo), who created poetry through architectural precision. 

Told in a series of interviews on the eve of her 100th birthday, Bo Bardi’s colleagues and friends recount the socio-political constraints and personal events that would lead to the timelessness of her work. This cinematic journey through her most important architectural projects in São Paulo and Salvador da Bahia, poses the question of what remains of a person in the work they leave behind.

Firstly, on behalf of the board, I would like to thank director Belinda Rukschio for her immeasurable assistance. Thanks to Her commitment to architectural education, she was kind enough to give us this documentary at no charge. The AIAUK is most grateful to her for her magnanimity. This documentary was also almost sold-out, and generated some interesting debates from the sponsors, members & guests in attendance. It was nice to see such a rich amount of work, from a talented and under-published architect. Many thanks to our new sponsors from Iris Ceramica who joined us for their first screening, as well as the Sponsors from Portview. Many thanks to all who attended this final screening of the Winter 2020 movie nights. We were able to screen this documentary before the Covid-19 pandemic took hold and changed all of our lives. We are hopeful that this pandemic will be over in the next few weeks, and we look forward to welcoming all of you back to the BFI for our Autumn screenings, on 20 October and 03 November 2020. Stay safe and well!

Written by: Chris Musangi AIA

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Architecture 2030

SO WHERE ARE WE NOW?

George Price, a physician at the turn of the last century, famously called the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic a "destroyer and teacher."  So, what about the COVID-19 pandemic?

What the COVID-19 pandemic is teaching us is that planning, preparation and preventive action are crucial, and complacency and indifference are dangerous and foolhardy. We were warned in consecutive Worldwide Threat Assessments by the U.S. Intelligence Community that such a pandemic was likely, that it was just a question of time before

"massive rates of death and disability, severely affect the world economy, strain international resources, and increase calls on the United States for support."

 – 2019 Worldwide Threat Assessment In the February 2018 Assessment we were advised that pathogens such as the MERS Coronavirus have pandemic potential, and the World Bank estimated that a severe global pandemic could cost more than $3 trillion-and cause more than 100 million deaths worldwide. Yet, we did not prepare ourselves.

Likewise, in these Assessments the threats of climate change were addressed in detail:

"Climate hazards such as extreme weather, higher temperatures, droughts, floods, wildfires, storms, sea level rise, soil degradation, and acidifying oceans are intensifying, threatening infrastructure, health, and water and food security."

 – The Center for Climate and SecurityClimate change has been a visible feature of the U.S. intelligence community's concerns since at least 2008. Yet many politicians and special interests, seeking to minimize or slow down the systemic change needed to address this threat, have labeled climate science as "alarmist."

Today we have unprecedented scientific knowledge to predict impending disasters as well as the technology and capacity to effectively address them, yet we've grown complacent about the future impacts of our current actions. We rush to prioritize and mobilize our resources once a crisis strikes, then scale back and return to complacency when it subsides, all at a terrible cost to human life and suffering, and economic and environmental wellbeing.

With the consequences of inaction on the COVID-19 pandemic becoming evident, it is clear that we must now accelerate our actions to tackle the serious challenge of climate change.

Make no mistake: the actions needed to successfully address climate change fall squarely on us – the architecture, planning and building community – as we are responsible for the majority of global CO2 emissions. Countries will not act unless they see a credible way forward, and we provide that way. While we have only days to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic, we still have time, albeit limited, to flatten and dramatically bend down the curve of CO2 emissions.

SO HOW DO WE DO IT?

The targets, roadmap and vision for the systemic change needed to address climate change are clear. They were recently discussed at CarbonPositive'20, which took place weeks ago in Los Angeles. At this milestone event, current actions and opportunities were presented, the latest tools, technologies and advanced materials were exhibited, experiences and expertise were shared, and the future was imagined.

CarbonPositive'20 focused on the actions necessary to avert dangerous climate change and limit planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. These actions included (to name a few):

2030 IS THE NEW 2050!

To maintain a high probability of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, humanity must limit its total emissions to a "carbon budget" of about 340 gigatons of CO2 beginning in 2020. The numbers may be abstract, but the implications are firm: we must reduce global CO2 emissions 50% to 65% by 2030, and reach full decarbonization by 2040.

Edward Mazria's keynote presentation explained the new targets, the roadmap, and the embodied carbon strategies in the built environment needed to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius carbon budget. Many of the sessions at CarbonPositive'20, including Ed's keynote, were recorded and will be made available soon at no cost via Hanley Wood University.  Ed's keynote can be downloaded here.

Farhana Yamin educated us about the UNFCCC negotiations and her deeply personal journey from environmental lawyer and lead author of three IPCC assessment reports to climate activist and protester. Farhana's presentation can be downloaded here, and a recording will be available soon on Hanley Wood University.

THERE IS NOTHING "NATURAL" ABOUT NATURAL GAS!

Image adapted from: Ban Natural Gas San Francisco 2019

There's nothing natural about "natural" gas, and it's clear that it is irresponsible to burn it onsite. The widespread electrification of new and existing buildings in tandem with grid decarbonization will remove gas in buildings and create healthier and safer spaces, as well as a steady and predictable market for renewable energy and further advancements in energy storage technologies.

Panama Bartholomy's fact-filled (everything you did not know about gas) and enlightening presentation "It's Electrifying!" will amaze you. His presentation slides can be downloaded here, and the recorded session with Panama and Cole Roberts will be available soon on Hanley Wood University.

THE GREENEST BUILDING IS ONE THAT IS ALREADY BUILT!

A huge wave of new construction is projected to accompany population growth and urbanization over the coming decades. Embodied carbon will represent the largest portion of emissions associated with this global new construction between now and 2030, highlighting the important role that repurposing existing neighborhoods and prioritizing the adaptive reuse and renovation of existing buildings will play in reducing embodied carbon.

Carl Elefante and Julia Siple's presentation "The Key to Zero Carbon" will open your eyes to the beauty and massive carbon reduction potential that exist within your own community. Their presentation slides can be downloaded here, and the recorded presentation will be available soon on Hanley Wood University.

ZERO-CARBON CONCRETE AND STEEL BY 2040

Just two materials – steel and concrete – are responsible for about half of all industrial sector CO2 emissions, and 20% of all global CO2 emissions. With the global building stock projected to double between now and 2060, addressing steel and concrete emissions to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius carbon budget – 40% reduction today; 65% by 2030; and zero carbon by 2040 – is a huge design, planning, and construction opportunity!

Dirk Kestner and Bruce King illustrated how the embodied carbon of concrete mixes can be reduced by 40% today using standard practices, and Margaret Hansbrough set out the technologies and industry initiatives leading the transition to low carbon steel. Their presentation slides can be downloaded here, and the recorded presentation will be available soon on Hanley Wood University.

SUSTAINABLE MASS TIMBERTODAY!

Photo by HDR, Inc. Carbon Balanced Buildings

Mass timber construction has the potential to dramatically reduce building embodied carbon emissions. Advancing the following recommendations will ensure we get mass timber right:

• Source wood locally

• Source wood from climate-smart forests

• Replace carbon and energy intensive building products with carbon sequestering biomass-based products

• Increase carbon stocks in the forests and wood products

• Keep working forests working

• Bring non-forest land under forest cover

• Produce wood products with longer working life

Mark Wishnie, Francesca Pierobon, and Jennifer Cover outlined design strategies to maximize mass timber's emissions reduction potential. Robert Jackson, Thomas Knittel, and Robin Schiller explored material procurement, project delivery, construction, lessons learned and building typology considerations. Their presentation slides can be downloaded here and here.

WE HAVE ALL THE TOOLS WE NEED!

We have all the tools and resources needed to to plan, design, and construct the built environment to stay within a 1.5 degree Celsius carbon budget. Beginning with the ZERO Code, 2030 Palette, and Carbon Smart Materials Palette, a few of the many resources available today include:

Planning and Building Design:

• UrbanFootprint – software to streamline urban planning and mobility decisions with actionable data for all U.S. locations.

• CoveTool – a plugin for Revit, Rhino and Sketch-up that allows designers to develop accurate daylight, energy, water, and cost simulations.

Embodied Carbon:

• Tally – an LCA app and plugin for Revit, that enables designers to calculate the environmental impacts of their building material selections.

• EC3 – a free online tool that allows benchmarking, assessment and reductions in the embodied carbon emissions of construction materials.

• OneClickLCA – integrated with Revit and other tools that allows designers to reduce the cost, embodied carbon emissions, and material use in their projects.

• EDGE – a free, easy-to-use, online residential and commercial building design tool and certification program for operational and embodied energy reductions in 160 countries.

• CarbonCLARITY – a suite of applications to reduce the embodied carbon of new construction projects and accelerate the rate of low carbon concrete innovation.

• Transparency Catalog – a free, online database of all HPDs and EPDs in North America.

• Beacon – an open-source Revit plug-in and embodied carbon feedback tool designed specifically for Structural Engineers.

• Concrete Calculator – a calculator that can rapidly analyze the life cycle assessments (LCAs) or proposed concrete mixes compared to regional practices and estimates.

So, as we face these challenging times, let's remember to focus on working together to create a bright future.

Written by: Edward Mazria FAIA, Founder And Executive Director of Architecture 2030, Santa Fe NM

Reprinted from: AIA College of Fellows Blog - 29 March 2020

Webinar: COVID-19: Mitigating Impacts on Construction Projects

COVID-19 and measures taken to contain its spread have by now impacted all businesses in the UK and worldwide.

As the crisis worsens the construction sector is likely to be amongst the hardest hit. There remains uncertainty over whether construction sites are permitted to operate in light of the Government’s unprecedented restriction on people’s movements announced on 23 March 2020 and later comments tweeted by the Communities and Housing Secretary suggesting sites can stay open where they can operate safely.

In this webinar recorded on the 31st of March 2020, Will Buckby, Partner and Nadir Hasan, Associate, consider the impact that the disease is likely to have on businesses and on live projects, and provide a basic rundown of the rights and remedies that contractors and consultants are likely to have (under bespoke and all major standard-form contracts and appointments), and the steps that they should take to safeguard their positions (both contractually and from a practical perspective).

To discuss any of the issues raised in this webinar please contact Will Buckby on w.buckby@beale-law.com or Nadir Hasan on n.hasan@beale-law.com. Alternatively, please call +44 (0) 20 7469 0400.

Please click here for a copy of the slides.

Please click here to access the webinar.