SOUTH AFRICA
The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) will customise its Green Star rating tool for retail buildings and shopping centres after receiving more than $230,000 in funding to further develop the system. The newly developed GBCSA will launch its pilot version of the Green Star tool in October before further kick-starting development on the second suite. Green building development has been identified as an “urgent issue” in South Africa and the GBCSA says demand for the retail tool has been of “particular interest”.
IRELAND
A redeveloped stadium by Murray O'Laoire Architects has won the People’s Choice award in this year’s Royal Institute of the Archtiects of Ireland Awards. The Thomond Park redevelopment kicked off in early March 2007 to increase the existing 11,091 capacity rugby stadium in Limerick. Taking 20 months and nearly $71.7 million to construct, the development has been hailed a great success for adding vibrancy and atmosphere to the city centre on the day of a big match. The redevelopment was also nominated for an award in the best sports building category.
ESTONIA
The innovative ideas of BIG Architects have been recognised in an international competition to design the new city hall in Tallinn. The firm won an idea contest to develop the best architectural solution for the new building that will be situated on a 35,000 m2 plot near the Linnahall building in Estonia. The design features panoramic windows enabling occupants to view the marketplace and city and, in turn, allow citizens to see the public servants at work. BIG Architects shone above 81 international entrants to win the competition.
SOLOMON ISLANDS
A school building design being used as a prototype for more than 80 re-developments in tsunami-hit provinces in the Solomon Islands has received international praise. Ngari School, designed by the voluntary organisation Emergency Architects Australia, has received mention in the World Architecture Community Awards for providing an ‘outstanding model’ for school redevelopments after the April 2007 tsunami. More than 30 volunteers banded together each day to carry timber to the site and hand-drill holes to construct the building in eleven weeks. The building is designed to better withstand earthquakes and other disasters prone to the area.
NEW YORK
A public showcase of the memorial and museum taking shape at the heart of the World Trade Centre site will be showcased at the Centre for Architecture from June 25. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum was developed from an international design competition to commemorate those killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. An astounding 13,683 individuals registered for the competition, submitting more than 5,000 designs. The winning “Reflecting Absence” design incorporates two sunken, one-acre pools that are constantly refilled with cascades of water. The memorial will be set within the framework of the WTC site master plan by Studio Daniel Libeskind, which is expected to be open by 11 September 2011. The museum is set to be opened one year later.
