I.M. Pei honoured in celebratory film, India focuses on sustainable cities and Madonna's Academy for Girls gets under way.
UNITED KINGDOM
To celebrate I.M. Pei receiving the Royal Gold Medal this year, there will be a celebratory film screening in his presence on 10 February at the Royal Institute of British Architects. Architect David Adjaye will present a short film on Pei which reveals his friendship with the modernist greats Mies, Breuer and Aalto. It also discusses some of his projects, including the National Gallery in Washington, the Louvre Pyramids in Paris and his latest work in Doha.
INDIA
The CTBUH 2010 World Conference, focusing on 'Remaking Sustainable Cities in the Vertical Age', is currently being held in Mumbai. The event will run for three days and will be based around the sustainability of existing rather than new cities. Architectural associations from around the world, high profile practices such as NBBJ and SOM and an international selection of academics will be attending the conference.
AFRICA
Work has started on The Raising Malawi Academy for Girls in sub-Saharan Africa, funded by pop star Madonna. Designed to accommodate 450 students, the school is designed by New York's studioMDA and Adams Kara Taylor. It will comprise a library, administration building, dining hall, gym, wellness centre, 30 classrooms, 12 dormitories and 18 staff houses.
CHINA
Perkins+Will have claimed first place in the Conceptual Design category at the 8th International Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism for its masterplan for Sany Beijing. Sany is the largest heavy equipment manufacturer in China and wanted to achieve a high degree of efficiency in its manufacturing process. This, and environmental efficiency, were the guiding principals behind the design, which includes created and preserved wetlands and buildings designed for optimal solar orientation and community interaction.
SAUDI ARABIA
The Haji Terminal at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, designed by SOM, has been selected to receive the 2010 AIA Twenty-Five Year award. The award recognises an architectural design that has stood the test of time for 25 years. The space serves as a gateway for the millions of pilgrims who journey to Mecca each year. Completed in 1981, the terminal is a tented structure that covers 120 acres.
