Woods Bagot releases images of its latest design for China, an American urban planner pens a pair of super yachts and Irish architects are furious at the deputy prime minister...
IRELAND
Architects are furious after Irish deputy prime minister, Mary Coughlan, claimed that they are a yet to experience the "chill winds of economic reality", and that they should slash fees to make the republic more competitive. Her comments prompted a public rebuke for a government minister from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland. "Forty per cent of architects have been made redundant," said the Institute's John Graby. "Many architects in employment have experienced pay cuts and three-day weeks. How chilly does it have to get to reach the minister's attention?" Coughlan said that architects, accountants, lawyers and doctors are yet to explain how they will reduce their fees.
UNITED KINGDOM
Eight proposals have been shortlisted for the design of four disabled-accessible beach huts at Boscombe Beach, Bournemouth. There were 174 entries in total, coming from as far as Japan, China, the USA and Peru. The finalists include 'Point of View' by Liebermann, Hinsch, Nolte and Schwanitz; 'Alexandrina' by Studio Weave and 'Boscombe Boardwalk' by Trehearne Architects. The scheme is part of the Boscombe Sea Change Project, a government-funded scheme for the UK's only purpose-designed disabled accessible beach huts. The winning design will be announced in September and will be in September and will be completed in 2010.
CHINA
Woods Bagot's Hong Kong office has released designs for a new one kilometre development situated on East Port in Tianjin. The project is set to be a 'first-class seaside conference and tourist destination', according to Woods Baggot, and will consist of a 630-room Sheraton hotel, a yacht club and marina, seaside restaurants, retail mall, villas and a promenade. The hotel will consist of two wings connected by an eight-storey central atrium, designed to maximise the number of rooms with seaside views. The marina has a dynamic shape that opens up to the sea on the east, sheltering the building from the western sun and twisting up to form a visible beacon.
UNITED STATES
A pair of superyachts have been designed by urban planning architect, Kevin Schopfer. One of the designs, 'Oculus', a 76m long yacht designed for 12 guests, resembles a sea creature with one end looking like the jaw and eye of a shark or killer whale. The second yacht, 'Infinitas', is 91m long and is based on the shape of an infinity loop. Schopfer, based in Massachusetts, felt the design of luxury yachts should move away from generic boat shapes. The two yachts, which come with inside swimming pools and helipads, are still for sale and have a starting price of $95 million for Oculus and $140 million for Infinitas.
UNITED KINGDOM
Darlington Borough Council has granted outline planning permission for a scheme at Lingfield Point in Darlington which will create 1,200 homes, public sports facilities, local shops and restaurants, a medical centre and school as well as artists' studios and allotments. All homes will meet either level four or six of the Code for Sustainable Homes and the project aims to be 100 per cent carbon and water neutral and will include various green technologies such as a wind turbine and grey water recycling.
