DesignMind Forty|Forty - your weekly aggregator of the valuable news, industry insights, events and reviews. 15 March

News

Building Confidence increases moderately in 1Q2010
The FNB Building Confidence Index (FNB BCI) measures the business confidence of all the major role players and suppliers involved in the building industry including architects, quantity surveyors, contractors, sub-contractors and retail merchants and manufacturers of building materials.
https://www.fnb.co.za/economics/servlet/Economics?ID=4512

New technology campus takes a large step forwards for Libya
This project for a 45 hectare University campus to the west of Tripoli, Libya is a priority for the central government in their policies of social reform and opening of the country. The campus design can be considered as the multidisciplinary result of collaborations between expert consultants reunited under the exigencies and concept of the Libyan Government agency ‘ODAC’ and their London-based project manager Hill International. From a nation-wide masterplan and pedagogical programming scheme undertaken by architectural firms such as BDP and RMJM and space-planning and educational consultor Roy Newton, chair of RIBA’s ‘Higher Education Design Quality Client Forum’ to the Stage E and F design and build consultation of IAD, 40 under 40, 2008 winners a young and dynamic international firm with ample experience in the delivery of spectacular large-scale projects, the campus has the clear vocation to assert itself as an example of pedagogical design for the 21st century.
http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln....

Basil Read looking to expand further South Africa
Civil engineering and construction group Basil Read, which is aiming for a R10-billion turnover by 2013, would be looking at growth opportunities beyond South African borders to further boost its order book.
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/basil-read-looking-to-expa...

2011 Open ARchiTecture Challenge: Ghana
CALLING ALL ARCHITECTS, ECO-COMMUNITY DESIGNERS, STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS & IMAGINATIVE OTHERS:
http://architectafrica.com/nka2011

Adopt a future architect
Shop at Amazon and help fund an architecture student
http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln....

DEBATE: Will the architecture profession still exist in 40 years?
http://archrecord.construction.com/yb/ar/article.aspx?story_id=1422...

Design Competition : A HOUSE IN LUANDA: PATIO AND PAVILION
A HOUSE IN LUANDA: PATIO AND PAVILION is a Design Competition, an initiative of the Lisbon Architecture Triennale in partnership with the Luanda Triennale, and its aim is to select the best proposal for the design of a prototype of a family unit which leads to a patio, with a low construction cost, aimed at severely deprived families, typically consisting of 7-9 people (Parents, 3 children and 2 grandparents or Parents, 5 children, 2 grandparents), in an area of flat topography, located within the city limits of Luanda.
http://architectafrica.com/house-in-luanda-competition-2010

In Memoriam: Raimund Johann Abraham (1933-2010)
Raimund J. Abraham, an Austrian-born architect and educator, remembered as an unflinchingly independent thinker, died in a traffic crash on March 4th. The early-morning collision between the car he was driving and a city bus came after the dinner following a lecture he’d given at SCI-Arc, where he was currently visiting faculty. He was 76 years old.
http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/2010/100309r...

Residential Architecture

Housing: Joburg to build 100 000 homes
Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo yesterday promised to build 100 000 houses in the first five years of his term.
http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=561&fArticleId=538...

Aging in Africa / HWKN
HWKN has completed their schematic design phase for their recent project, Aging in Africa, which will move toward construction in the beginning of next year. The project, a retirement community for Catholic priests, (who are excluded from the traditional, family based, model of elder care in Cote D’Ivoire), will be the first age-valued community on the African continent. This simplistic approach to housing will create an environment which is well-suited for the users-where the elderly will be safe and comfortable, and continue to maintain a meaningful and healthy lifestyle.
http://www.archdaily.com/52529/aging-in-africa-hwkn/

Residential construction sector likely to pick up by mid-2011 – Ceramic Industries
Ceramic sanitary ware and tile manufacturer Ceramic Industries CEO Nick Booth expects to see an uptick in the residential construction market by the middle of next year, which would bode well for the group.
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/residential-construction-s...

Commercial Architecture

London’s 2012 Eco-tower at Royal Docks
Studio RHE announce design for new Eco-tower, marking gateway to East of London, home of the 2012 Olympics
http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln....

German technology at its best
The German-based Lindner Group has a good reputation for access flooring because the company offers the most extensive variety and the ultimate in quality.
http://www.archdaily.com/51436/hotel-musee-premieres-nations-lemaym...

Interior Design & décor

GAP Upside Down Store
"Shopping turned on its head" isn't just a meaningless tagline for GAP. They literally mean it. To promote their new loyalty program, Sprize, the GAP in Vancouver, BC turned its entire store upside-down. All of the mannequins, displays and even the sign were flipped, as well as some cars and a hotdog stand outside of the store.
http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/gap-upside-down-store

Designers Named for Swarovski's Crystal Palace 2010
The news from Swarovski is as clear as its crystals. Five designers—Tokujin Yoshioka, Gwenaël Nicolas, Vincent van Duysen, Rogier van der Heide and Yves Béhar—have been chosen to create this year's edition of the manufacturer's Crystal Palace exhibition, running concurrently with the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan from April 14-19,
http://www.interiordesign.net/article/CA6720569.html?industryid=48736

Tools and Technology

Try Autodesk Free product trials!
http://usa.autodesk.com/products/free-product-trials

Photoshop CS3 Tutorial: Working with curves
http://www.digitaltoolsforarchitects.com/?page_id=305

3ds MAX Tips and Tricks

In this section, you will find small video clips that cover various tips and tricks in 3ds max. All clips are shorter that 10 minutes and if a subject needs more than 10 minutes, it will always be broken in smaller parts. You will find all levels of tips here and this is on purpose. From beginner to advance, the clips are all based on common questions asked after public demonstration, at pods on the show floor of various conventions or simply during personal discussions. I have tried to make these videos useful for everybody.
http://www.louismarcoux.com/MaxTips.htm

Going Green

Best Green Houses
http://greensource.construction.com/features/BestGreenHouses/februa...

Conference on Promoting green
Building rating Systems in Africa
for building industry professionals
and national and local government officials
who want to promote green building practices in africa.
United Nations Complex, Nairobi, Kenya
4-6 May 2010
http://www.gbcsa.org.za/system/data/uploads/news/docs/52_doc.pdf

Best of Blogs

Design Competition extended . .
http://www.designmind.co.za/profiles/blogs/design-competition-extended

Ecological Materials
http://www.designmind.co.za/profiles/blogs/ecological-materials

Events

STANDARDS WORKSHOP
17-18 MARCH 2010
STELLENBOSCH
Contact SAIAT for more info on the above events

Autodesk Inventor Essentials
06 - 09 April '10
Learn the fundamental principles of 3D parametric part design, assembly design, and creating production-ready part and assembly drawings using Autodesk ® Inventor ® . Hands-on exercises representing real-world, industry-specific design scenarios are included.
http://www.cadco.co.za/training/inventor_learning.htm