THE government has said that it will disclose the names of blacklisted architects and quantity surveyors within and outside the country so that they don't get jobs in Tanzania or elsewhere in the world.

Works Minister Dr John Magufuli said on Friday that individual experts and companies that have made offending mistakes in some projects in Tanzania will not be spared in other countries especially those in the East African Community (EAC).

Magufuli vowed to disclose the names of individuals and companies which have been stripped off their membership with Architecture and Quantity Surveyor Registration Board (AQSRB) to his counterparts in the EAC. The minister made the announcement yesterday in Morogoro when inaugurating the new AQSRB Board of Directors.

The board included the Chairman, Dr Ambwene Mwakyusa. Members are Dr Geraldine Kikwasi, Dr Ramadhan Mlinga, Ewald Mroso, Elius Mwakalinga, Ludigija Bulamile, William Ngowi, Albina Burra, Anael Sawe, Adrian John and Julius Mallaba. Mr Magufuli also addressed a seminar for Architects and Quantity Surveyors where he said: "If they (architects and surveyors) can't do their job properly and follow the rules and regulations, it is better they go fishing."

Magufuli ordered AQSRB to regularly publish the list of individuals and companies whose membership has been revoked and hand the list to him for disclosure. According to the AQSRB Registrar, Jehad Abdalah Jehad, a total of 59 experts and 21 companies have been blacklisted since the board started in 1998 for failure to adhere to the board's code of ethics and regulations.

In order to tackle the problem of substandard work on projects implemented by Local Government Authorities, the minister said the government will soon dispatch experts to inspects their work and take action. He said that architects, quantity surveyors, contractors and engineers will be sent to district councils and ministries in order to ascertain the quality and value for money for construction of roads, bridges and buildings.

"We will take stern measures against those who will be involved in construction of substandard structures. If we fire 10 District Executive Directors, this will send signals to others who misuse public funds," the minister said. Magufuli said, however, that this will be possible only if the experts will cooperate with the government in disclosing culprits. He said money for the audit was available.

The audit, according to Magufuli, will also identify personnel used in the projects so that he can make sure that only registered surveyors and architects get jobs in the councils' projects. The minister also advised the experts to come together and apply for jobs in the government because it's only through collaborations they can win big jobs in the country.

According to Mr Jehad, the board has inspected 7,023 projects since 1998 and will continue to do so. He said that currently there are 327 architects and 193 quantity surveyors. There are 177 architecture companies and 82 quantity surveying companies.

Jehad said that financial constraints were restraining his board from fulfilling budgetary obligations.

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Tanzania: Blacklisted Architects to Be Made Public

23 March 2012 Last updated at 07:31 ET

A Dundee-based firm of architects has won a contest to design the visitor centre at the 43m Helix project near Falkirk.

Nicoll Russell Studios beat global competition to secure the 1m contract.

The company will also create the public space inside the 30m (98ft) high Kelpie Heads, designed by sculptor Andy Scott.

The Helix project, which was approved in 2009, is aiming to transform 300 hectares of unused land between Falkirk and Grangemouth.

It is being co-ordinated by Falkirk Council, British Waterways and the Central Scotland Forest Trust.

Nicoll Russell Studios, which has its head office in Broughty Ferry, was chosen by a panel of four judges from the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

Brian Moore, director of RIAS Consultancy, said: "The calibre and level of response to the competition was overwhelming and myself and the other judges had a tough time trying to shortlist five, let alone decide on a winner.

"Ultimately, we were looking for a practice whose designs best met the objectives of the wider project and which would deliver an architecturally outstanding but realistic proposal within the given budget."

Work on the Helix project, which also includes a canal extension, pathways and cycle networks, began in February 2011.

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Architect chosen for Helix centre

Published: Friday, March 23, 2012 at 10:20 p.m. Last Modified: Friday, March 23, 2012 at 10:20 p.m.

A design for Houma's planned youth-education center on wetland-science and coastal-restoration issues should be complete by this summer.

Organizers with the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center say they hope to use the design to launch a fundraising campaign.

We're looking forward to taking the next step, said Martha Thibodeaux, president of the center's foundation. We want to prepare something visual and concrete to wage our capital campaign.

The center aims to teach middle- and high-school-age children about wetlands issues. It will be built on land behind the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center and will also have exhibits to attract visitors.

Board members selected the Perez architectural firm of New Orleans to design the buildings. Audubon Studios, a design staff at the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans, will design the museum themes, habitats and exhibits.

Spackman, Mossop + Michaels, a group with experience designing for zoos, educational facilities and botanical gardens, will serve as landscape designer.

The group will pay Perez $54,910 for the design, which will be ready by June, said Jonathan Foret, the center's development director.

The group hopes to raise about $1.2 million to build the main building. It will continue to raise money to expand the center from there, which will cost about $4.5 million total, Foret said.

The center will have to renegotiate a deal with the Terrebonne Parish Council that set aside land for the center. The council agreed to set aside the land for five years to give organizers time to raise money; that deal expires later this year.

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Architects hired for Houma's Wetlands Discovery Center

GARNER OPN Architects of Cedar Rapids completed nearly three days of discussion in Garner on Wednesday about what renovations citizens would like to see in their library.

The design which received the most support on Wednesday was extending the building by a total of about 3,000 square feet from the back of the facility.

The building at 416 State St. now measures 6,166 square feet. Plans include new heating and cooling systems, roof and replacement of several interior walls with columns, according to OPN architect Brad Brown.

We want to give you a nice, open flexible space, Brown said.

The plan also includes a large skylight to allow natural light into the building.

Among the other ideas were a separate childrens area with a large space for storytime and other activities, a teen space with bean bag chairs and an adult space with comfortable chairs and a fireplace.

Library director Ellen Petty said the library was built in 1978.

Most of the stuff in it is original to the building, Petty said.

The architects will return to Garner in about a month with drawings of the exterior facade, interior spaces and cost estimates.

We have Wi-Fi but we dont have places for people to sit and use it because thats not how the building was configured 34 years ago, Petty said.

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Architects gather ideas for Garner library update

A committee of students, professors and administrators is working with EHDD Architecture to develop plans for the renovation of Pomona College's Robert S. Millikan building.

The committee, which is made up of students and faculty from the Math and Physics & Astronomy departments and representatives from the Office of Facilities and Campus Services and the Dean of Students Office, hosted a brainstorming session March 8 in Millikan's math lounge.The event allowed interested students to meet the architects in charge of the project and offer input while Physics Professor David Tanenbaum whipped up some liquid nitrogen ice cream.

EHDD, a San Francisco-based firm, has also worked on the Monterey Bay Aquarium and various LEED certified buildings.

One major point of discussion at the meeting was whether to attempt a renovation of the current building or to tear it down and rebuild it completely. Committee members said that while the plans are still vague, they will likely include a science courtyard that would replace the parking lot currently behind the building, in hopes of improving the aesthetics and sustainability of the area.

Students use Millikan both during the day for classes and at night for mentor and study sessions.

There are lots of people here after hours, said Allison Miller PO 12, a math major. Miller mentioned one student who routinely slept at Millikan and then went to his morning class in the building.

At the event, the architects from EHDD asked students to mark on a diagram the ways they entered and exited the building and the paths they took inside the building. The architects collected these diagrams and will use them in creating design plans. The architects also asked students to suggest any ideas they had for a renovation that would make for their ideal Millikan.

Some of the more outlandish ideas included a particle accelerator in the basement, a hot tub time machine in the courtyard and the exclusion of any 90-degree angle from the building. More realistic suggestions ranged from more windows, an additional staircase and better study spaces.

An intense discussion on the merits of chalkboards versus whiteboards also raged on for several minutes as whiteboard advocates suggested that the chalkboards be replaced with the less powdery and noise intensive dry erase system.

Millikan was built in the 1950s and is the final science building to undergo renovation, or potential demolition. The renovation is not only occurring to improve lab, office and study spaces, but also because the current plumbing and air-conditioning systems leave much to be desired.

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Students Work with Architects on Millikan Remodel

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Filled with art inside and out, the new Johns Hopkins Hospital building is the result of a unique and close collaboration between artists from across the country, a curator, a group of architects, Michael Bloomberg and Johns Hopkins. Together, the team has helped to create not just a state-of-the-art medical facility but also a haven that will feature over 500 works of art created for the facility by more than 70 artists.

The new Johns Hopkins Hospital building is one of the nations largest hospital construction projects. It features The Charlotte R. Bloomberg Childrens Center, named in honor of the mother of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloombergphilanthropist and Hopkins alumnusand Marjorie B. Tiven, Commissioner of the New York City Commission for the United Nations, Consular Corps & Protocol.

"Through these exceptional artists and architects, we have created a unique space that incorporates art and design thoughtfully and with attention to detail, said Michael Bloomberg. The center has a calming presence and creates a healing environment for all the families that pass through these doors, the expert medical professionals who work here, and for the Hopkins and Baltimore community.

The new hospital building also includes the Sheikh Zayed Tower, for adult care, named after the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder and first president of the United Arab Emirates.

This was a collaborative effort that included a team from Johns Hopkins, the architecture firm of Perkins + Will, the landscape architects from OLIN, along with consulting architect Allen Kolkowitz and curator Nancy Rosen.

The resulting highlights include:

The goal is to create a humane and dignified experience for those under stress, says Michael Iati, senior director of architecture and planning, Johns Hopkins Health System. The art created for the building and the buildings design are central to elevating the experience of coming to the hospital. Visitors and patients may not be able to quantify this directly but they will feel the buildings uniqueness and comfort.

For over two decades, Michael Bloombergthrough his philanthropic and corporate efforts and his public servicehas demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting and promoting the use of art as an essential element in the creation or refurbishment of both public and private spaces. The Charlotte R. Bloomberg Childrens Center, along with the recent opening of the William H. Bloomberg MDA Jerusalem Station, exemplify his continued commitment to creating world class medical facilities that are enhanced by the use of art and architecture.

Bloomberg is a 1964 engineering graduate of The Johns Hopkins University and a longtime supporter of the University and Johns Hopkins Medicine. He served as the chairman of the Universitys Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2002, overseeing the largest fundraising campaign in the Schools history. He also is the largest donor in the 132-year history of the Johns Hopkins Institutions. The hygiene and public health school at the University was named the Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2001 to recognize his commitment and support. In addition, he has generously supported many other programs, projects and scholarships including the Institute for Cell Engineering, the Institute for Malaria Research, the Bloomberg Physics Building as well as the re-development of the main campus, Gilman Hall and Brody Center.

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Over 70 Artists, a Curator, and Architects Incorporate Art and Architecture to Enhance Healing at the New Johns ...

Regional News of Thursday, 22 March 2012

Source: GNA

Ms Sherry Ayittey, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, on Thursday appealed to architects to design buildings that could capture sunlight into the interior parts to help reduce the heavy burden of electricity.

She explained that with the cost of electricity rising, there was the need for buildings to be designed such that the roofing, windows and doors could capture sunlight during the day for the bulbs to be turned off to save energy.

Ms Ayittey made the call when addressing the opening session of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA), in Accra.

The meeting would brainstorm on past achievements, challenges and chart a good path for the architecture industry.

It is on the theme: The Architect and National Development and sought to discuss areas that would help the industry to design buildings that could withstand the test of time.

Ms Ayittey said it was sad to observe that though there were a wide range of credible professional bodies with the requisite expertise to contribute to the sustainable and harmonious development of the built environment, there was rapid deterioration of the natural environment over the years.

She said the serious problems confronting human settlements and the continuous deterioration in the country was the failure of practitioners in the development of the built environment involving planners, architects, engineers and environmental and social scientists.

Ms Ayittey said since both urban and rural communities were vulnerable and could be adversely affected by the high risk of future climate change it was advisable to promote participatory and stringent land use and planning services as well as zoning codes.

Excerpt from:
Sherry Ayittey urges architects to design buildings to capture sunlight

Inaki Alday came to visit Iowa State's campus Wednesday night. Alday shared some of his work he has done throughout the years with Aldayjover Architecture and Landscape. He also spoke of some of the roles architects should play and expectations and goals they should have.

Alday said he thinks architects should use the environment when creating projects. He also emphasized the power of communication. When people have an idea he said it is best to communicate it to make sure it meets the desires of the city and that it ecologically fits into its surroundings.

Alday spoke of when he saw his work actually finished.

When you see people using your architecture you feel happy and that you're doing something people care about, he said.

Alday said that some goals an architect should have are to do more energy saving and move towards the integration of multiple scales and logic. Also, he said that architects should create a system of new technology and renovate the older technology.

Alday went over the role an architect should play in society. He said they should manage complexity, widening their range of activities. Also they should take political activity by spreading education.

Architects should do more then create beautiful things they should be relevant, Alday said. He said people should be relevant in society by knowing how to solve problems and help cultural development.

Architects have to be activists through design, it's their social commitment and responsibility, Alday said.

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Alday encourages architects to communicate with the environment

Jim Christianson | 3/20/2012 From restaurants to multi-million dollar sports arenas, one architectural firm is in the midst of designing several new projects. And JLG Architects are hoping to bring in some more help to handle the workload.

Sitting in his Main Avenue conference room with a wall full of mockups and architectural renderings, Jeff Hysjulien and his staff are in the midst of some exciting building plans, including a new downtown night spot.

"And it`s kind of starting to get some new energy, and some new growth. Part of that is kind of creating an after five o`clock environment," Hysjulien said.

Since 1989, JLG Architects has been designing hundreds of projects of all shapes and sizes, including both residential and commercial buildings throughout the upper Midwest. And they have to stay on top of the technological changes in both the construction and the design business.

"With the pace of the construction industry, everything happens, the design and planning side is a very boiled down and consolidated process."

The firm is working on a number of local projects for the summer, including expanding the Bismarck Community Bowl and designing a new JL Beers location on 3rd street in downtown Bismarck. All of the projects are challenging, but also rewarding.

"The adaptive reuse, taking an old building and giving it new purpose, and the JL Beers project is an example of that, from an architectural perspective, they`re a lot of fun."

To accomplish the workload, JLG is doubling the size of its Bismarck office. They recently expanded into Minot and will soon be opening a seventh branch in Williston.

"We really strive for the fact that the site of the building and stuff really work well together, it`s a very integrated process."

An integrated process indeed. And a high-tech process that incorporates environmentally friendly building materials into eye-catching designs that are built to last.

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Inside Business: JLG Architects | Video

Mackey Mitchell Architects said today it will leave its long-time home near Union Station and move late this year to a renovated Cupples Station building a block west of Busch Stadium.

The firm, founded in 1968 by Gene Mackey, plans to lease 11,000 square feet of fifth-floor space at Cupples 9, which is under renovation by an affiliate of the Koman Group. For 24 years, Mackey Mitchell has been at the Power House, a building it designed. The company said it hopes to relocate by Dec. 1.

TKG Acquisitions LLC, a Koman affiliate, bought the vacant Cupples 9 building out of foreclosure on May 26. Koman says its$30 million rehab of the 117-year-old building should be completed in early 2013. The building is next to the Westin Hotel at Cupples Station, made up of old warehouses in six blocks west of Busch Stadium. Other buildings in the century-old complex have been redone as offices, restaurants, condos and apartments.

In addition to Mackey Mitchell, a tenant of Cupples 9 is to be Osborn & Barr, a communications company thatwill occupy 45 percent of building. Osborn & Barr plans to move from another Cupples Station building on Spruce Street.

The two relocations will fill most of what is now an empty downtown building. But the moves do little to boost overall occupancy downtown.

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Mackey Mitchell Architects to relocate to Cupples Station