24/05/2019
The Bower, Signal Townhouses and Television Centre have won 2019 RIBA London Awards, announced this week. The Bower was praised as ‘an excellent example of clever and inventive architecture adding both commercial and social value’, while Signal Townhouses ‘sets the benchmark very high for future developments in the area and clearly demonstrates the demand for contemporary homes.’ At Television Centre, judges commented that ‘with design vision on a grand scale, the client and architects have majestically celebrated this listed historic piece of modern architecture which now gives generously to the public realm.’ Find out more about all of this years’ RIBA Regional Awards here.
22/05/2019
Bristol City Council has granted planning permission for Portwall Gate, a new office building close to Bristol Temple Meads Station for developer Nord. The new six storey office building replaces a disused squash court and car park. The scheme retains the existing silver maple trees on Portwall Lane, creating a new pocket square with the potential to accommodate pop-up retail. Most significantly for AHMM, Portwall Gate will become its new home in Bristol, with the practice having agreed to pre-let one floor of the building.
21/05/2019
Two of AHMM’s models have been selected for this year’s Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. The models of the Alder Centre for Child Bereavement and the BRE Open Innovation Hub will be exhibited in the architecture room, this year curated by Spencer de Grey with a focus on sustainability. Now in its 251st year, the Summer Exhibition is the world’s largest open submission art show exhibiting around 1200 works in all media. The exhibition runs from 10 June to 12 August.
08/05/2019
Design proposals for Parliament’s Northern Estate, the group of buildings along Parliament Street and Whitehall, have been launched for consultation today (8 May). The plans are the essential first step to enable the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster and will see a new temporary House of Commons Chamber and associated facilities designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, together with workspace for all 650 MPs and staff within a single secure site. The development of the plans follows the decision of both Houses of Parliament in 2018 to temporarily move out of the Palace of Westminster while essential work to the building takes place.
The temporary Chamber will be delivered within a redeveloped Richmond House, the former Department of Health building which Parliament took possession of in 2018. The design proposals retain key frontages visible to the public on Whitehall including refurbishing the Georgian Richmond Terrace as well as 54 Parliament Street and 85 Whitehall. The chamber has been carefully designed to replicate the familiar character and the functions of the existing House of Commons chamber and will provide a greater level of accessibility for MPs and visitors, including an accessible public gallery.
AHMM is working with Lendlease, the construction consultant for the project, as well as conservation architect Feilden + Mawson. The wider masterplan for the Northern Estate site is being led by BDP. A public consultation has been launched alongside a new website, with comments sought by 28 June 2019 prior to a series of planning applications being submitted to Westminster Council.
02/05/2019
2 Television Centre has been presented with the Commercial Workplace Award at this week’s BCO London Awards lunch. The award recognises the best in new build, speculative commercially let office buildings in the city. The judges commented that ‘the architecture of the exterior reflected the site’s history, while the interior delivered a flexible and sustainable space, fit for a modern workforce.’ The new build ten storey mixed use block is an integral part of the Television Centre masterplan, completing Graham Dawbarn’s original ‘question mark’.
24/04/2019
Television Centre has been named one of seven projects shortlisted for the Architects’ Journal AJ100 Building of the Year. The winner will be announced at the annual AJ100 dinner in June, where the results of the Architects’ Journal’s AJ100 survey will also be revealed. Find out more about the award and other shortlisted projects here.
04/04/2019
Work is underway on site at London Square Bermondsey, a masterplan scheme in south London which regenerates a run-down and disjointed industrial estate, bringing many vacant and under-used buildings with historic value back into use. On completion the scheme will provide more than 400 new homes and approximately 20,000 sqm of commercial space dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises.