Architects are demanding strict design standards be enforced on new apartments and say a generation of residents in high-rise towers are at risk of being forced to live in substandard homes.

Confidential draft design rules, leaked last week, show the Victorian government architect is preparing to recommend that all new apartment towers adhere to strict new guidelines.

The draft proposals include that apartments have minimum ceiling heights of 2.7 metres, and a minimum floor size of 37 square metres for a studio apartment or 50 square metres for a one-bedroom unit.

The guidelines also recommend all apartments above ground level have a two-metre deep balcony.

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Australian Institute of Architects national president David Karotkin said developers had claimed the new guidelines would hurt housing affordability. They say that design standards should be dictated by market forces, he said.

But developers were motivated by profit, not affordability, he said.

They seek to build as cheaply as possible and to sell for as much as possible fair enough. That is why regulation of minimum standards is essential to protect the interests of occupants ... long after the developers have taken their profits and moved on.

The institute argues that the current high demand for high-rise apartments skews market forces in favour of developers seeking quick profits, not residents seeking a place to call home.

So controls are required now more than ever to ensure we do not end up with a poor housing legacy, Mr Karotkin said.

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Strict design standards needed now for Melbourne high-rises: architects

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Spending on non-residential construction in the U.S. will be less than initially projected as state and local governments scale back investments in such properties as schools and health-care buildings, the American Institute of Architects said.

Total spending on commercial and institutional development probably will increase 4.9 percent this year, down from an earlier estimate of 5.8 percent, according to a semi-annual survey by the Washington-based group.

A slowdown in funding for institutional projects, which include education, health-care, religious and public-safety facilities, has been a drag on the recovery of the wider industry, according to Kermit Baker, the AIAs chief economist. The group expects institutional-construction spending to fall 0.1 percent this year, compared with Januarys projection for an increase of 3.4 percent, Baker said.

While growth in institutional construction tends to lag behind commercial building, it has been even more delayed than previously expected because of fiscal problems on the local and state level and some uncertainties, such as around the new affordable health-care act, Baker said. There isnt a lot of appetite to build new facilities.

In the commercial-construction category, which includes hotels, offices and retail and industrial buildings, spending probably will climb 9.9 percent, down from the earlier estimate of 10.3 percent, the AIA said.

Lending standards at financial institutions continue to fall well short of the increasing demand for commercial real estate loans, Baker said in the report. Thats a source of concern for the entire industry.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nadja Brandt in Los Angeles at nbrandt@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Kara Wetzel at kwetzel@bloomberg.net Christine Maurus, Daniel Taub

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Architects Group Lowers U.S. Construction Forecast

Victoria

Tim Leslie (left) of Open House Melbourne and Tom Kvan, dean of Melbourne Uuniversity's Faculty of Architecture. Photo: Justin McManus

Ever wondered if the citys new architects get the benefit of learning in a beautifully designed building?

Decide for yourself with a visit to Melbourne Universitys architecture students' new school this Sunday as part of the weekends Open House Melbourne event.

Sunday is the first time the public will beable to see the state-of-the-art design school before it is occupied by up to 3000 students in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning.

Faculty dean Tom Kvansaid the new building would inspire learning and encourage enquiry the design was driven by this purpose.

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He said its features included zinc louvres that filter sunlight to reduce heat gain while allowing for views from each room, and suspended studios that drop into the buildings atrium.

The new architecture school, which is almost complete, is one of more than 100 buildings in the city providing free access this weekend.

While the architecture school is only open on Sunday, the university will allow access to its Wilson Hall and Grainger Museum at the Parkville campus the entire weekend, between 10am and 4pm.

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A beautiful new home for architects? Decide for yourself

Architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien will receive the National Medal of Arts, the U.S. governments highest award given to artists and art patrons. The pair, who founded Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects in 1986, was selected for their contributions to architecture and arts education.

Whether public or private, their deliberate and inspired designs have a profound effect on the lives of those who interact with them, and their teaching and spirit of service have inspired young people to pursue their passions, according to a statement.

Notable projects by Williams and Tsien include the American Folk Art Museum in New York, two additions to the Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona, and the David Rubenstein Atrium at New Yorks Lincoln Center. They also teach and lecture worldwide.

Williams, Tsien, and the other National Medal of Arts winners will travel to Washington, D.C., where President Barack Obama will present the medals on July 28 in the White Houses East Room. The 3:00 EST ceremony will be streamed live at WH.gov/Live. To view the complete list of recipients, click here.

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Tod Williams and Billie Tsien Receive National Medal of Arts

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