World Architecture Day - 4 October 2021

Created by the UIA in 1985, World Architecture Day is celebrated on the first Monday of October each year in parallel with UN World Habitat Day. By choosing the theme “Clean environment for a healthy world”, the UIA, International Union of Architects, hopes to contribute to the global conversation on the 2030 development agenda by focusing on three key areas: housing, public spaces and their relation to climate change.

Housing: The UIA firmly believes that all humans have the right to adequate housing. According to UNHabitat, more than 1.8 billion people worldwide lack adequate housing. It estimates that by 2030, 40 percent of the world’s population will need access to adequate housing, a precondition for access to employment, education, health and social services.

Public Spaces: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact in shaping how we view the future of public buildings and open spaces. Cities on the frontlines of the health crisis and response efforts around the world are uniquely prepared to rebuild sustainably and resiliently while reducing inequalities and focusing on inclusion.

Climate Change: The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that cities are responsible for 75 percent of global CO2 emissions, with transport and buildings being among the largest contributors. Architects are equipped to respond to the complex challenges of the built environment. The UIA SDG Commission works to create a bridge between the UN initiatives and the practices of architects around the world. It aims to ensure that architects are not just responsive to the new Agenda for Sustainable Development, but instrumental in its implementation and evolution.

Read more HERE

AIA Strategic Council

Virtual Building Tour – One Fen Court by Eric Parry Architects

The 2021 series of the AIA UK Chapter’s “Virtual Building Tours” continued on 10 June with a visit to One Fen Court, designed by Eric Parry Architects (EPA) and completed in 2019. At its core, One Fen Court carries a civic aspiration by embodying an innovative human scale of design in the high-density eastern sector of London’s financial district.  Eric Parry, Founder and Principal of EPA, personally led the tour participants through a provocative tour of One Fen Court.

One Fen Court is an architectural and urban achievement that will assist in redefining the fifth façade of a building as public realm in an urban context.  The opening of the new, publicly accessible roof garden of Eric Parry Architects’ development for Generali Real Estate completes their collaboration of an overall project comprising of a 427,000 sq ft, 16 storied office and retail development that includes 10 Fenchurch Avenue, One Fen Court and 120 Fenchurch Street. This project marks a step towards putting the health and well-being of the public at a level as important as private interests.  This ethos, in fact, is becoming more and more of a necessity in city environments by “making spaces and places in urban centres for people.”

During the tour, Eric Parry discussed the history and dialogue held with planners and how those negotiations led to the civic and commercially oriented solution. The negotiated compromise resulted in a building that not only mitigates the scale within the emerging taller buildings of the eastern cluster but provides a place of respite for city workers and visitors in the area via new rooftop garden.  The building is recognisable within the cityscape of the financial district and is fast becoming a City of London landmark.

Fen Court was designed and can be visually differentiated in four distinct elements. The first is the two-storey base defined by a public passageway followed by the main body with nine storeys of offices, topped with four additional fully glazed floors featuring a restaurant at level 14. In addition the fifth façade or rooftop garden, designed by German landscape architects Latz + Partner, provides the fourth element. With a free public space at roof level, a public pedestrian route between Fenchurch Street and Fenchurch Avenue at ground level, the combination sets an example for future developments to include similar elements of public urban space and greening. 

Parry guided the participants through the development of the nearly column-free floor plates resulting from the structural columns cleverly placed within the fabric of the building.  He highlighted the building’s finely-crafted facade of glazed faience and glass.  The tour further showed participants how the introduction of coloured brise soleil not only adds to the sustainability credentials of Fen Court but combines subtle changes of colour with crisp geometries of the faience to present a sparkling appearance constantly changing as it is influenced by varied daylight and weather conditions.  

The upper four storeys elegantly top the building with folding planes of dichroic glass.  Similar to the brise soleil and faience the glass and dichroic together also reflect a changing range of colour as one moves around the building. The roof garden incorporates plantings inspired by English country gardens complete with fruit trees, a water feature and a perimeter walk that gives unique vistas of London’s skyline. The steel canopy structure is designed to give shelter to visitors whilst the Italian wisteria provides shade, shelter and a microclimate for insects and wildlife. Fen Court may become known as one of the best-crafted buildings London has seen in a while. The generosity of its public spaces, including the roof garden, has been balanced with the development of private interests resulting in an overall triumph.

The AIA UK Chapter continues to host its virtual building tour series for the 2021 season based on Winners of AIA UK 2020 Excellence in Design Awards. The series offers architects the opportunity to visit notable buildings that have particular design interests in the UK and abroad. Follow this link for further information to participate in the next tour of Carnaby Court by Rolfe Judd on 08 July 2021.

Written by Gregory Fonseca, AIA 

Business Opportunities & Sustainability Trends Amidst a Pandemic

Pictured above: ‘Opportunities and challenges in 2021’ on page 16 and 17 of the Business Opportunities & Sustainability Trends Amidst a Pandemic research report showing data findings on the challenges architects face on existing building projects & quality resources, and gaps in knowledge and available resources on the subject.

This report in collaboration with Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope was developed to give a deeper insight into the impacts of the pandemic within the industry and help firms identify new business opportunities. This report also examines the impact of the pandemic on sustainable projects and the role architects play in sustainable design. This study is part of AIA’s commitment to support our members by providing economic and market research that helps them navigate challenging times. Within the report you'll discover trends such as:

• How construction activity slowed in 2020 and how sectors were impacted differently.

• How the pandemic accelerated a shift toward existing building work and what opportunities will be available for architects.

• New challenges and support requirements that manufacturers and others can help meet.

• Increased challenges architects are facing due to the pandemic.​

• The ability to design sustainably and the impacts from the pandemic and recession.

• The role architects take in educating clients about sustainability issues.

The report is available for free. See what opportunities are available for your firm.

Get your copy >

AIA Film Challenge 2021 is open

The AIA Film Challenge 2021 invites you to share stories of architects, civic leaders, and their communities working together to achieve a zero-carbon, resilient, healthy, just, and equitable built environment. This year, we’re asking for 1:30- to 3-minute short documentary films that you can produce from any device. Your film must address at least one of the categories outlined in the prompt. Participants compete for more than $15,000 in prizes! Submissions are due August 16.
Learn more about this year’s prompt >

Call for Submissions 2021 AIA Upjohn Research Initiative

The AIA Upjohn Research Initiative supports applied research projects that enhance the value of design and professional practice knowledge. This AIA program funds up to six research grants of $15,000–$30,000 annually for projects completed in a 6-to 18-month period. The funds must be fully matched with hard dollars, with a maximum of 10% allocated for overhead. Grant recipients’ research findings and outcomes are published online by AIA. Grants are eligible to academic institutions, practice, and other research organizations.

2021 grants

Research should be relevant and applicable to practicing architects. Upjohn Research grant funding will be allocated to projects related to the priorities outlined in AIA's Climate Action Plan. These include a drive toward sustainable design that helps mitigate or adapt to climate change. More specifically, research projects must address one or more of these areas:

• distributed energy and grid-integrated buildings

• regenerative design (i.e., projects that lead to the improvement of the ecosystem, creating resilient and equitable systems)

• circular building economy (e.g., materials market)

• temporary and transitional housing models

• improving equity through adaptation of spaces/ neighborhoods

• water resilience & equity (e.g., equitable access to water systems, water system resilience, carbon impacts of water systems)

Submit an entry from this link.