Westminster repairs could cost £5.7bn: With parliament’s palace falling apart, what are the options to save it? June 18, 2015 The Palace of Westminster is crumbling. According to leading architects, the UNESCO World Heritage site, which contains the House of Commons and the House of Lords, now suffers from “extensive” stonework decay, leaking roofs and corrosion – and that’s just the beginning. Dr Richard Ware, programme director for Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal, [...]
MPs will have to move out of House of Commons for at least two years under multi-billion-pound restoration plans June 18, 2015 MPs will be moved out of the House of Commons for several years under plans to renovate the UK's crumbling Palace of Westminster. A report, produced by consultants on behalf of the government, today put forward a number of options – but all of them involve the closure of both chambers for at least [...]
Former City of London planning officer Peter Rees on the launch of The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Environment in London: “We can’t have more piles of safe deposit boxes” June 18, 2015 The number of skyscrapers in London has increased noticeably over recent years – and it turns out that hasn’t gone unobserved by the international community of tall building enthusiasts. Last night, the Chicago-based Council for Tall Buildings and the Urban Habitat (CTBUH) – whose chief claim to fame is as the official arbiter of [...]
Cheesegrater bolts to cost Severfield £6m after Leadenhall building loses five June 17, 2015 Steelmaker Severfield said yesterday that the cost of replacing bolts in the Cheesegrater building, after five broke, is likely to hit £6m. There are around 3,000 bolts in the City skyscraper, formally known as the Leadenhall building, and most will be replaced, chief executive Ian Lawson told City A.M. “These bolts were a specialist [...]
Unexploded WWII bomb in Wembley: Army still working to defuse bomb discovered at building site May 22, 2015 Army officers are still working to make safe an unexploded World War II bomb in Wembley, with residents and local businesses still evacuated a day after it was discovered. In total 300 addresses have been evacuated by Brent police officers “as a precaution” while the air drop Sprengbombe-Cylindrisch 50 kg German bomb is dealt [...]
St Paul’s is the UK’s favourite building, followed by Stonehenge, The Houses of Parliament – and Edinburgh Castle May 22, 2015 The UK may like to think of itself as a young, up-and-coming country – but it turns out we're a nation of traditionalists at heart: a new study has suggested the UK's favourite building is St. Paul's Cathedral. Some 38 per cent of people said the Christopher Wren-designed building is their favourite. It was closely [...]
Record number of tourists flock to London: British Museum, National Portrait Gallery and Southbank Centre draw millions May 20, 2015 A total of £11.8bn was spent in London by tourists last year London attracted a record number of tourists from abroad in 2014, with 17.4m people coming to enjoy its history, culture, food and shopping. The figure marks a 3.5 per cent climb in visitor numbers on 2013, the Office for National Statistics [...]
The Shard just let another 20,000 sq ft of office space to a recruiter May 15, 2015 The Shard may be one of the most recognisable buildings in London, but since its official opening in 2012, office rentals at the building have come in more of a trickle than a gush. But today the building's owners announced its latest letting: 20,200 sq ft of space on the 10th storey will go to [...]
The future of London: New 3D model allows you to see how the capital will change over time April 24, 2015 The future of London's skyline lies in the hands of its architects, and there are plenty of exciting plans on the horizon. So what will the capital look in two years, five years, or even 20 years? To answer these questions, a huge interactive installation has been opened at the Building Centre near Goodge Street. [...]
The Garden Bridge needs our support – Editor’s Letter April 16, 2015 An eyesore and a vanity project, un-English and out of keeping with the times… that was, once, the contrarian view of St Paul’s. Thankfully, Sir Christopher Wren ignored the critique of its “heavy arches” and accusations of Popish design, going so far as to hide the works behind screens so his controversial vision could succeed. [...]