UK invests in eco-building, Abu Dhabi searches for developers of $2 billion power plant and Jennifer Anniston cuts "his" facilities from mansion.
UNITED KINGDOM
Six thousand new green homes will be built across the UK after the government announced a $107 million investment in eco-building. The houses will feature water-saving systems, smart meters to monitor energy use, renewable power and electric car charging points. Around 100 of the new homes are expected to be 'eco show homes' and will not be lived in at first. All the new homes will have to meet high standards of insulation, water saving and energy efficiency.
ABU DHABI
International developers will soon be invited to submit proposals to build and operate a power plant worth $2 billion. The Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority is in the process of sending requests for proposals, with selection expected in November this year. The Schuweihat 3 independent power project will be the area's ninth power project and is part of a nuclear program to try to meet spiralling electricity needs.
UNITED STATES
Actress Jennifer Aniston and her Beverly Hills mansion will feature in the March edition of Architectural Digest. The property has recently undergone a two-and-a-half year renovation, which involved converting the "his" section of the his-and-hers baths into a spa bath with a soaking tub. When Aniston and ex-husband Brad Pitt were together, Pitt was in talks with Frank Gehry to design a building in Brighton.
FRANCE
A press conference held last weekend at the Grand Palais has drawn attention to what was described as "ugly Paris" and the increasing number of large and unsympathetic buildings being built in the city. There was extensive discussion on the way in which architects are selected for projects, the role of politicians, the lack of public involvement and inappropriate architecture.
ITALY
Oscar Niemeyer's auditorium in the town of Ravello on Italy's south coast has been completed, ten years after its conception. The 1,5000 sqm space comprises an auditorium which seats 400, a semi-circular stage, a recording studio, a rehearsal room and 107 parking spaces. WAN reports that environmentalists have protested the project because of its prominent position on the Amalfi Coast, while others argue that it is respectful of the landscape, with Niemeyer's work reflecting the curves of the hills and the small white houses that surround it.
