British prime minister David Cameron said the Belfast Agreement represented a massive step forward from what has gone before, a clear manifestation that politics and democracy would triumph over violence. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA Wire

The British prime minister has paid tribute to the architects of the Belfast Agreement in Northern Ireland on its 15th anniversary.

David Cameron said the 1998 political accord, which brought about devolved governance from Stormont after the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries declared ceasefires, heralded a new beginning after decades of division and terrorism.

He warned more remained to be done to build a new Northern Ireland.

It represented a massive step forward from what has gone before, a clear manifestation that politics and democracy would triumph over violence, he said, for that the architects of the agreement, and those who displayed remarkable political courage in pushing it forward, deserve our thanks.

The agreement was reached after nearly two years of talks and 30 years of conflict.

Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former British prime minister Tony Blair brokered the deal, known by many unionists as the Belfast Agreement, on April 10th, 1998, following a talks process chaired by former US Senator George Mitchell.

Codifying relations

The document codified relations within Northern Ireland and with the Republic of Ireland and other parts of the UK. It led to a powersharing government at Stormont and was endorsed by a majority of people in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

There was a lengthy interruption to the Stormont Assembly over alleged Provisional IRA intelligence gathering which ended in 2007, with Sinn Fin and the DUP elected the largest parties.

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Cameron pays tribute to Belfast Agreement architects

David Cameron said the 1998 political accord, which brought about devolved governance from Stormont after the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries declared ceasefires, heralded a new beginning after decades of division and terrorism.

However, he warned more remained to be done to build a new Northern Ireland.

"It represented a massive step forward from what has gone before, a clear manifestation that politics and democracy would triumph over violence," he said.

"The architects of the Agreement, and those who displayed remarkable political courage in pushing it forward, deserve our thanks."

The Good Friday Agreement was reached after nearly two years of talks and 30 years of conflict.

Former premier Tony Blair and the Republic of Ireland's leader Bertie Ahern brokered the deal, known by many unionists as the Belfast Agreement, on April 10, 1998, following talks chaired by former US Senator George Mitchell.

Mr Cameron said: "I have no doubt the Agreement was a truly momentous event in the history of Northern Ireland.

"After decades of division and terrorism, the Agreement heralded a new beginning ... Fifteen years ago people decided overwhelmingly that the future would only ever be determined by democracy and consent, never by violence."

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PM hails architects of Irish peace deal

OTJ Architects supports a Cassidy Turley commercial real estate broker's campaign to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as a 2013 Woman of the Year candidate, with fundraising efforts running now through June 8.

(PRWEB) April 10, 2013

However, her managerial efforts and helping ways do not end when she leaves the office. Earlier this year, Poliskey was nominated to use her leadership skills to conduct an individual fundraising campaign for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) as a 2013 Woman of the Year candidate. Her campaign kicked off on March 28 at The Huxley in Washington, DC, and runs through June 8. Her teams goal is to raise $200,000 in 10 weeks and to be linked to an LLS-funded, cutting-edge research portfolio to help people living with blood cancers.

Cancer research is an incredibly important cause and one that I have good reason to care about, Poliskey said. My friend Susan is a 13-year survivor of both leukemia and lymphoma I only wish every story was as uplifting. My mother-in-law lost her beloved husband, Joe, to leukemia and almost everyone I know has lost a loved one or knows someone who has been affected by cancer of some sort.

Cancer research and the fundraising that helps to support it can decrease the impacts of these diseases. According to LLS research information, more than one million Americans are living with blood cancers, every four minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer, every 10 minutes someone dies from blood cancers and leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20.

To help Poliskeys fundraising efforts, her team is hosting several events. Contact Poliskey at angela.poliskey(at)cassidyturley(dot)com if you are interested in attending:

According to Poliskeys fundraising page, LLS's continued advancements over the years, are responsible for the blood cancer survival rate doubling and tripling; in some cases, the survival rate has even quadrupled. And many LLS-supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are now used to treat patients with rare forms of stomach and skin cancers. They're even being tested in clinical trials for patients with a range of cancers including lung, brain, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers.

Poliskeys work with LLS will help rally fundraising support and also provides a way for colleagues to work together to achieve a common goal, which furthers the importance of philanthropic efforts in the workplace.

I attended an event in support of my coworker last year, Poliskey said. LLS staff, past candidate mentors and support staff are all so supportive and caring. Helping those who continue to battle cancer is the reason behind it all.

For those interested in helping this great cause, donations are tax deductible. These donations not only support LLS research but also fund patient services, advocacy, public and professional education and community services as well.

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OTJ Commercial Architects Supports Industry Philanthropy through Fundraising Campaign

FALLS CHURCH, VA--(Marketwired - Apr 8, 2013) - DuBro Architects + Builders, (www.dubro.net), a premier design / build firm serving customers in Northern Virginia, today announced signing a construction agreement with Patty Lomenick of Arlington, VA to do a complete interior renovation of her home.

"We have had an incredibly creative collaboration with Patty during our Design Step II part of our 5 Step process," said Jeff DuBro owner and Chief Architect."Our mission is to custom design and build homes that facilitate the way our clients want to live -- what we call 'Living Architecture.'" Step III of the DuBro Process created a Living Architecture Plan (past, present project, future) for Lomenick. Construction now begins Step 4 and transformation of spaces in the home.

Living Architecture is the intersection of building science and the art of design. It is an approach to building and renovation that marries beauty with design efficiency, functionality, utility and the economy of choices. It is the way a space feels to its owner. The Lomenick project will be no exception.

More about: DuBro Architects + Builders

Founded in 2001, DuBro Architects + Builders is an architect-led design / build firm whose studio office is located in Falls Church, VA.The DuBro Team is a 9 member group made up of architects, builders, carpenters, project managers and business managers.Living Architecture is the DuBro approach to home design.It is about integrating how you live, how you want to live and designing transformations that enable you to "live well."DuBro has serviced the needs of over 100 clients in Northern Virginia.

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DuBro Architects + Builders Signs Construction Contract

Hensure is an independent online insurance broker that believes in building long-term business relationships with its clients. It can access both general insurers and the Lloyds market for a diverse range of business insurance products, including architects professional indemnity insurance.

Cheshire, England (PRWEB) April 05, 2013

Hensure has launched an online quote service for architects seeking professional indemnity insurance. This gives clients the option to arrange their insurance either electronically or by using traditional proposal forms.

Professional Indemnity Insurance has been mandatory for architects since 1997. Architects can be involved at all stages of the design, planning and construction of buildings and, if offering specialist advice or a service, are considered to be acting in the course of their profession. The legal costs involved in defending a claim can be substantial, so architects will want to ensure that they have appropriate insurance cover in place.

As well as a quoting capability, hensure.com sets out the key information requirements that those seeking cover will need to disclose as part of the quotation process. This includes details about the practice size, qualifications and experience of those seeking cover, contract types and sizes, information about overseas risks, previous claims or incidents that may give rise to a claim and exposure to non-standard risks such as asbestos.

The policies that Hensure arrange are fully compliant with the minimum wording requirements set out by the Architects Registration Board (ARB). These include cover to be provided on a civil liability rather than negligence basis and with a limit for any one claim with legal costs. Minimum limits of indemnity are set out in accordance with fee income from the previous financial year and are:

250,000 where fee income is less than 100,000 in the past financial year

500,000 where fee income is greater than 100,000 but less than 200,000

1m where fee income exceeds 200,000

Policies are also required to cover a minimum six-year run-off period in order to ensure that cover remains in place for incidents that have already arisen but where claims have yet to be received.

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Architects Professional Indemnity Insurance Service Launched

ATLANTA, April 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Guesthouse Hospitality and SB Architects are pleased to announce that the two companies have partnered to create the design concept for the new Guesthouse Atlanta. Envisioned as a members-only social club, Guesthouse Atlanta will be the inaugural property for the Guesthouse brand. Targeted for opening in 2014, it will be the first of fifteen Guesthouse properties slated for development in key markets across the United States over the next seven years.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130404/PH88318)

Developed by brothers Fred and Andre Smith, entrepreneurs with a long family history in hospitality, Guesthouse is an exciting idea that promises to revolutionize the social landscape for young adults, establishing an entirely new concept in hospitality. Guesthouse Hospitality and SB Architects have worked for the past year to develop the design vision for this innovative social club.

"We lucked out in finding SB Architects," says Fred Smith, co-founder of Guesthouse Hospitality. "They are the perfect fit for our team, not only from a design standpoint but because they really understand hospitality. They can translate the luxury and community of a resort destination to an urban setting to create a truly groundbreaking destination."

"This is a partnership in every sense of the word," asserts Scott Lee, President of SB Architects. "We've pushed each other to achieve the best possible vision for this project."

Designed as an oasis within an urban setting, Guesthouse will combine amenities, events and a sense of community for its members. At the heart of the concept lies a luxurious outdoor entertainment area, with multiple options for relaxing and socializing, private cabanas, beach volleyball, multiple bars, and event venues. Indoors, the living room and dining room provide social hubs, while a state-of-the-art fitness facility ensures that Guesthouse enhances not only members' social and professional lives, but their physical lives as well. The design vision is modern but inviting, sophisticated but not stuffy.

The development team is narrowing in on the selection of the site, and is in discussions with an operating partner for the first property, which will be located between Buckhead and Midtown Atlanta.

About Guesthouse HospitalityGuesthouse Hospitality (www.guesthousehospitality.com) is an Atlanta-based hotel, restaurant and entertainment group, committed to creating unparalleled experiences for its guests by combining innovative concepts with elite service. Founded by Fred and Andre Smith, Guesthouse Hospitality is the next generation of a successful line of hospitality industry entrepreneurs that have founded numerous hospitality enterprises, including one of the largest tour operators in the Caribbean.

About SB ArchitectsIn over 50 years of design practice, San Francisco and Miami-based SB Architects (www.sb-architects.com) has maintained a long-standing reputation for excellence in the planning and design of luxury hotels and resorts, multi-family residential and urban mixed-use projects. The firm's work spans the globe, and includes projects throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, Asia and the Middle East.

Media contact: Heather Hebert, Director of Marketing, 415-673-8990, Email

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Guesthouse Hospitality Teams with SB Architects To Design Contemporary Social Club Guesthouse Atlanta

Residents and architects clash over Jericho's Blavatnik School design

6:00pm Wednesday 3rd April 2013 in News By Damian Fantato, covering Summertown, Jericho and North Oxford. Call me on 01865 425429

Buy this photo Visitors inspect the model of plans for the Blavatnik School Pictures: OX58226 Antony Moore

architects behind the controversial Blavatnik School of Government say they have want it to be seen and loved across Oxford.

But Jericho residents have described the Walton Street structure as something they wouldnt wish on Milton Keynes.

Plans have already been submitted by Oxford University but a public meeting was held in St Barnabas church last week to explain the buildings design.

Its height has already proved controversial and the fact that it is three metres taller than Carfax Tower and 26m high in total has been a frequent criticism. John OMara, from Swiss-based architectural firm Herzog & De Meuron, said: It is apparent that this building is visible from views like Raleigh Park but we wanted to engage with that visibility.

If we were to go over Carfax, which we do, we wanted to go over it with an identity, with a form. We expect this building to be seen, we want it to be seen and we want it to be appreciated.

The architects carefully studied views from Raleigh Park in North Hinksey, Boars Hill and Port Meadow and in all instances the top of the building can be seen in the distance. It has been recessed to prevent it from overwhelming what the architects describe as the civic scale of Walton Street.

But residents in both Divinity Road and London Place have objected to the plans because they fear the impact it would have on the views from South Park.

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Residents and architects clash over Jericho's Blavatnik School design

Exhibitions Museums News Brazil Hans Ulrich Obrist opens show in Lina Bo Bardi's Glass House in So Paulo, plans next exhibition at Calder house in America

By Charlotte Burns. News, Issue 245, April 2013 Published online: 02 April 2013

More than 30 artists and architects including Cildo Meireles, Isaac Julien, Cristina Iglesias, Norman Foster and Olafur Eliasson have created new works in homage to the Brazilian Modernist architect Lina Bo Bardi. The So Paulo exhibition, The Insides are on the Outside, is the latest house-museum project organised by Hans Ulrich Obrist, the co-director of Londons Serpentine Gallery. It takes place at Bo Bardis former home, the Casa de Vidro (Glass House) and at SESC Pompeia, the factory which she and her husband Pietro Maria Bardi converted into a cultural centre (5 April-2 June).

So many artists told me about the Glass House, and [they are] obsessed by it, says Obrist, adding that the Brazilian context is so dynamicthere are generations of amazing artists. He was introduced to Bo Bardi by Cildo Meireles, who has created an installation, Lina, va fare un caffe, which spreads the smell of coffee throughout the house. The artist Ernesto Neto has covered the SESC Pompeia tower with a gigantic installation, Obrist says, while Dan Graham has built a new pavilion. Several artists, including Adrin Villar Rojas and Tamar Guimaraes, have produced films in tribute to Bo Bardi, while the Japanese architect firm Sanaa has created a suite of furniture. Cinthia Marcelle has created a polyphonic soundtrack for the house, based on Lina Bo and Pietro Maria Bardis vinyl record collection while Gilbert & George spent a day at the house as living sculptures, documenting the results with postcards that will be distributed to visitors.

The project is the latest in a series of domestic interventions by Obrist, who has previously staged exhibitions at Londons Sir John Soanes Museum, as well as the homes of architect Luis Barragn in Mexico City, philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in Sils Maria, Switzerland and poet Federico Garca Lorca in Granada, Spain. I started my career as a curator in my kitchen, Obrist says. Artists do different kinds of work than they would in a museum or bigger space. That sense of intimacy is important.

This exhibition will be produced by Isabela Mora, international projects manager at the Fondation Beyeler, who worked with Obrist on the 2008 Lorca show.

The next project will take place in America, at the house of the late artist Alexander Calder in Roxbury, Connecticut. Calder is also part of the show in Brazilhe made two drawings of Lina Bo and Pietro Maria Bardi on the occasion of his first visit to Brazil in 1948, during which time he became friends with the couple.

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Artist and architects pay homage to Brazilian Modernist

For IT architects, one of the most important non-functional requirements to determine is the availability needs of a systems users.

Its often expensive and risky adding availability features to an already deployed solution, so getting it right first time is important. In current times however, were being asked to regularly provide levels of solution availability that until recently were reserved for the largest of enterprises, and perhaps more worrying, the business justification for these grand expectations is getting stronger and more un-deniable by the day.

The question is, are we right to be shocked at the requirements of even the most simple sounding internal IT systems? And are we in a period in which IT departments are struggling to deliver business expectations because they havent kept up with the pace of change? I believe so.

The impact of the consumerisation of high quality IT In times past, consumer IT had little impact on the design of business IT solutions because the IT we used at home was built to a low budget and to be just good enough. Today, its the other way round, the consumerisation of high quality IT has happened and is setting the standard for business IT.

My iPad is more robust than most of the appliances in my kitchen never mind an enterprise data centre, while a minor social media outage of Facebook quickly turns into a major financial media outrage. As a result of this turnaround, the role of an IT architect has got even harder, especially in the small- and mid-enterprise sectors where arguably the pace of IT change has never been faster and the lack of IT governance has never been lower.

With their iPads always working and Facebook always being online, business users increasingly have the same expectation of the IT systems they use.

Its now not un-common for architects to have to accommodate everything from the finance director wanting to look at KPI dashboards while at a conference eight time zones away to allowing marketing teams to analyse the companys Twitter feed during peak-time TV slots.

For IT departments with staff that grew up with 9 to 5 working hours, these are requirements that have been hard to predict let alone efficiently accommodate. The question for architects to answer now is whether having true 24/7 systems is an excessive requirement that has no business case or something that can be genuinely justified.

Helping business users understand, justify, and quantify their requirements is the skill of a good architect, and is a process we can still use to define availability needs even if its to show that ultra-high availability needs bring ultra-high costs.

We could compare a future solutions availability needs to existing systems does the new web site need to be more available than the dispatching system etc. The big change in 2013 that I see though it that while this traditional approach may still feel adequate, we need to make sure it doesnt make us appear antiquated and in denial of recent changes in the world outside of IT.

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How the iPad ruined the lives of IT architects

West Valley School wrapped up a community meeting Thursday with a more defined vision for expansion.

CTA Architects Engineers, along with members from a steering committee, presented five layout ideas and concluded with a tentative concept that combines desirable components from all five. The district has contracted CTA to do master planning for $26,520.

This relieves some pressure on your current space needs and looks to the future, said CTA educational facility planner Nick Salmon.

This early concept looks at the long-term needs of the district and involves multiple phases that may be implemented over several years to accommodate growth and allow the district time to acquire more funding.

The first phase would cost about $7 million and add 30,000 square feet of new construction to the existing building, which is about 60,000 square feet. This phase includes 13 classrooms essentially a middle school wing for grades six through eight two music rooms, a flexible area for eating and educational use, a teacher-preparation room, expanded library and administrative offices and a kitchen.

Currently, the district does not have a kitchen and food is prepared by Evergreen School District. Steering committee members said having its own kitchen would allow the district to provide more healthy options.

Two of the classrooms are designated as flexible spaces.

This is what we call 21st-century learning were trying to get away from just a bunch of classrooms with a hallway, said CTA architect David Koel. He noted that modern learning involves more flexible spaces.

An access road would also be built behind the school for student pickups and dropoffs and kitchen deliveries.

Optional projects would include a gym that could be used by the community and a student commons area.

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Architects draw up plans for remodel, expansion