Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The Olympic Stadium failed to gain its final gold medal of a momentous year, after it was pipped to the UK's most coveted architecture prize.

The Olympic Stadium was shortlisted for the Royal Institute of British Architects' Stirling Prize

The 80,000-capacity stadium, by Populous, was one of six new buildings to be shortlisted for the Royal Institute of British Architects' (Riba) Stirling Prize.

But the 20,000 prize went to 82 million Sainsbury Laboratory, a new plant science research centre in Cambridge designed by first-time winners Stanton Williams, at the ceremony in Manchester.

The judges described the laboratory as a timeless piece of architecture, a university building "taken to an extraordinary degree of sophistication and beauty".

Riba president Angela Brady said: "The Sainsbury Laboratory is an exceptional building that achieves at many levels - in blending a world-class science facility with a public social space in a highly energy efficient building. It is testament to the skill, experience and imagination of Stanton Williams architects that they have found a creative solution to this complex project."

The Stirling Prize is in its 17th year and celebrates the best of new British architecture.

The judging panel was led by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, the architect and former president of the Royal Academy; Sir Mark Jones - master of St Cross College Oxford and former director of the Victoria and Albert Museum; architects Joanna van Heyningen and Hilde Daem; and the designer, writer and broadcaster Naomi Cleaver.

In their judgment, they said: "The Sainsbury Laboratory is a timeless piece of architecture, sitting within a highly sensitive site, one overlooking the woods where Darwin walked with his tutor and mentor (John Stevens) Henslow, discussing the origin of species. The project is both highly particular and specialised, and at the same time a universal building type, taken to an extraordinary degree of sophistication and beauty."

Funded by Lord Sainsbury's Gatsby Foundation charity, the centre that bears his name is part of the University of Cambridge. It was praised for its energy efficiency and green approach. Rainwater is collected from the roof and stored in two huge tanks which irrigate the garden's glasshouse and plant chambers. Lord Sainsbury said that he was "very proud" to be associated with the inspiring building.

Continued here:
Laboratory wins architecture prize

A new plant science institute built to advance the research of plant growth and development, it features cutting-edge laboratories, meeting rooms and public spaces set within Cambridges botanical gardens.

Alan Stanton and Paul Williams, the directors of the London-based practice, were presented with the 20,000 prize at an award ceremony in Manchester on Saturday. It was the first time that Stanton Williams had been shortlisted for the prize.

Angela Brady, the RIBA president, said: The Sainsbury Laboratory is an exceptional building that achieves at many levels - in blending a world-class science facility with a public social space in a highly energy efficient building.

It is testament to the skill, experience and imagination of Stanton Williams architects that they have found a creative solution to this complex project. The low-rise building with its grand, colonnaded faade cleverly integrates itself with the surrounding botanical gardens and it is no surprise that the new public caf has proved to be extremely popular.

The building features energy efficient design, with rainwater collected from the roof and stored in two tanks which irrigate the gardens glasshouse and plant chambers.

Lord Sainsbury said: I am delighted that Stanton Williams has won the RIBA Stirling Prize for the Sainsbury Laboratory, in competition with some outstanding buildings. I am also very proud to be associated with their inspiring building which sets a new standard for laboratory design and blends in beautifully with the historic Botanic Gardens.

The RIBA Stirling Prize is awarded to the architects of the best European building that is built or designed in Britain.

Others shortlisted for this years Stirling Prize included David Chipperfield Architects for the Hepworth Wakefield gallery in West Yorkshire, ODonnell + Tuomey for the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, OMA for Maggies Centre in Gartnavel, Glasgow, OMA with Allies and Morrison for the New Court building in the City, and the London Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London, designed by Populous.

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Sainsbury Laboratory wins 2012 Stirling Prize for architecture

CHAMPAIGN Upscale apartments could be going up this spring in a new development at the southern entrance to the University of Illinois Research Park, but a retail component faces a tougher financial hurdle, developers say.

Meanwhile, park managers are exploring whether to invest more than $200,000 in an extension of Champaign-Urbana's Big Broadband network through the research park's newest phase to serve clients' growing data needs.

Plans for a retail-residential project at First Street and Windsor Road have been on the books for years but stalled in 2008 along with the economy. Conditions have improved, and construction of a major extension of Fourth Street through the park is nearing completion, opening up the east side of First to development between St. Mary's Road and Windsor.

Developer Peter Fox has been working with a university design review team on an 8-acre complex at First and Windsor.

Plans call for four residential buildings with 50-plus rental units set back from the corner, built around a water feature, and two retail buildings fronting First and Windsor with 10 units totaling 23,000 square feet. Site drawings unveiled this week show room for expansion to the north and east two additional residential buildings and two more 7,200-square-foot retail buildings.

The design review committee requested that some residential units be placed above the retail space; that some buildings be three stories and include a brick exterior; and that the retail buildings be pushed close to the street, with parking in the back, to create more of a community feel, similar to the Village at the Crossing.

Fox also hopes to make the development energy-efficient, possibly achieving LEED certification. Designs call for geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels on the carports, high-density insulation, green roofs, and a sustainable storm-water retention system.

Fox hopes to have the residential portion completed by the fall of 2013. To do that, he said he'd need to break ground by February or March.

But he's less certain whether the retail portion makes financial sense, given potential competition in the area and high construction costs relative to retail leasing rates of $15 to $16 a square foot.

Cost projections from UI Facilities and Services for extending the university's gas, electric, water and sewer lines to the area came in much higher than expected almost $977,000 compared with the $330,000 initially projected, said research park Director Laura Frerichs. The water feature in the current design requires a ring of utilities around the site, which pushed up the cost.

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UI Research Park construction plans take shape

Done Right Carpet Cleaning and Restoration offers an array of services to clean up and restore your home after Fire, Water or Storm damage. Its about getting your life back in order, and Done Right is here to help. With over 20 years of experience in residential and commercial clean up, you can trust that the job will be done right!

Spring Lake Park, MN (PRWEB) October 13, 2012

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Greta Prokott Done Right Carpet and Restoration 612-331-4454 Email Information

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Done Right Carpet and Restoration Offers More than just Carpet Cleaning

The minister put forward France Maude, the Cabinet Office minister, as a possible replacement for Mr Mitchell in a clear sign that many of his senior colleagues now see his time in office as fast running out.

Another cabinet minister said: It is true that many of us cannot see any other solution than Andrew going and it would be better done sooner rather than later. The PM, however, appears to be digging his heels in.

A friend of Mr Mitchell, while acknowledging many senior colleagues opposed his carrying on as Chief Whip, said there were many more who had been extremely supportive.

Asked in an interview for this newspaper whether Mr Mitchell should stay on, Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, said: That must be an issue between him and the Prime Minister.

Whenever something like this happens, there is misconduct of this kind, it reflects on the organisation. But we have to draw a line under this. He has apologised. His apology has been accepted. We have to move on.

A Downing Street source said: The PMs view is that he has apologised and has been admonished publicly on several occasions. This is not a zero sum game just because somebody does something wrong it does not follow automatically that they should always lose their job.

With the Commons returning on Monday, the focus will be on Mr Mitchells role in enforcing party discipline including ordering MPs to turn out and vote in divisions.

One Tory backbencher said: Dont get me going [on Mr Mitchell] or I shall say something I regret.

After Friday nights meeting, the Police Federation said it would try to get a Metropolitan Police investigation into the affair. Ken Mackaill, chairman of the West Mercia Police Federation who was at the meeting with two colleagues, said the politician had no option but to resign after refusing to give details of exactly what he said in his tirade.

Mr Mitchells version of events as told by friends is that is that after asking officers to open the main gates to Downing Street for his bicycle, and being refused, he said: You guys are supposed to f------ help us. He adamantly denies using the words plebs or morons.

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Andrew Mitchell faces cabinet pressure to quit in pleb row

You will find this hard to believe. I did. You can furnish your home, or a room in your home, beautifully for one-third of what it would cost buying the same furnishings retail -- and help provide housing for others who need it, and help the planet.

Get out!

That's what I said when I learned how Habitat for Humanity ReStores work. Folks like us donate home furnishings and building materials to ReStores. The stores then resell them to other folks at incredibly low prices. Profits go back into the community in the form of decent housing for low-income residents.

Although I have donated items -- extra lumber, drywall, trim, paint and other fallout from my remodeling projects -- to Habitat ReStores, I never considered shopping in one. Was I ever wrong.

Earlier this month, to celebrate World Habitat Day, three Orlando, Fla., decorators teamed up with Steve Thomas, former host of TV's "This Old House" and "Renovation Nation," to take on a design challenge. Using only furniture acquired from local ReStores, they created a showcase room.

I was invited to help moderate the event, but I was dubious about how the room would turn out. But, hey, it was all for a good cause, so I played along. Well, my friends, I ate sawdust. Any homeowner would be proud to have the room -- in this case, a man's den -- put together by the design team. It was classy, warm, harmonious -- and inexpensive!

How did they do it? They independently

"It was like being on a treasure hunt," said Luisa Padilla, one team member, "but you had to act fast. The good stuff goes."

They delivered the furniture to a ReStore in Casselberry, Fla., where they arranged it in a three-sided, 12-by-12-foot showcase room.

Besides adding celebrity pizazz, Thomas and some volunteers assembled a wood floor, put up moldings and did the heavy lifting.

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Marni Jameson: At Habitat for Humanity's ReStores, donations and purchases help others

The noise started in Taylor Church's room early Friday morning, tucked away in an otherwise quiet northeast Escondido neighborhood.

It was the welcome sounds of hammers and pry bars, men demolishing the shower and carrying the old toilet from her bathroom to the Dumpster.

In a week's time, dozens of volunteers will have finished their work to make life a little easier for the young mother, who lost parts of all four limbs during a months-long battle with sepsis this summer.

The project represents the third year in a row that the National Association of the Remodeling Industry has rallied its members to volunteer for a good cause in North County.

"It's extremely rewarding," said Sheen Fischer, an Escondido resident and president of the association's San Diego chapter. "As challenging as the economy has been the last four or five years, sometimes we get wrapped up in what we're doing, trying to survive, and a project like this gives us an opportunity to use our skills for something bigger than just paying the bills."

Church, 22, was admitted into the hospital in mid-May. She wouldn't be released until July 27, and in that time, doctors administered a regimen of drugs that prevented the blood infection from killing her, but cut off circulation to her hands and feet.

On Friday morning, she rolled her wheelchair into the hallway of her parents' house, around the corner from where the crew was beginning its renovation. Aiden, her 22-month-old son, sat calmly in her lap, waving at three television cameras pointed at him.

"I didn't know anything about it until it was set in stone ---- my dad was like, 'Hey, guess what they're doing for you?' I'm so excited," she said. "I'm letting them have free rein. They can do whatever they want."

That free rein includes improvements such as widening doorways and retrofitting the bathroom with an $8,000 toilet.

When it's all done next weekend, said Chris Church, Taylor's father, a large measure of his daughter's dignity will have been restored.

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ESCONDIDO: Remodeling for a good cause

Despite a slow start, the next five years will be a period of robust revenue growth for commercial construction companies, mainly because of the economic recovery. Falling vacancy rates mean that businesses will require more office space, while rebounding disposable incomes will raise demand for retail buildings. Further, heightened consumer spending and rising business investment will fuel growth. For these reasons, industry research firm IBISWorld has added a report on the Commercial Building Construction industry to its growing industry report collection.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 13, 2012

Commercial construction typically lags behind the overall economy by one to two years, due in part to the length of construction contracts and industry backlog. Industry revenue began to slow in 2008, and then plummeted 29.7% and 30.3% in 2009 and 2010, respectively. During those years, most contractors' backlogs diminished to unprecedented levels, despite the influx of stimulus dollars, causing profit to shrink. As the market for construction services declined, firms resorted to bidding on projects for a loss, just to keep their crews busy. In 2009 and 2010, profit margins dropped to less than 1.0% from a peak of 5.0% in 2007. Margins are expected to remain low in 2012, at 1.8%, showing a modest improvement as economic recovery stimulates demand for new commercial construction and as the prices of services gradually increase. After three consecutive years of revenue decline, the industry is expected to begin recovering in 2012, with revenue projected to grow 2.1%, says Alegria. Even more promising, over the five years to 2017, revenue is projected to increase at a much stronger rate. Improvements in the US economy will drive this growth, with demand for construction set to steadily rise as businesses begin to expand operations. Further, merger and acquisition activity will likely become prominent in the industry as the construction markets recover and more established firms compete for market share.

The Commercial Building Construction industry has a low level of concentration, with the four largest players accounting for about 5.7% of industry revenue. The largest industry participants are general contractors, but these firms often use subcontractors and local firms to develop projects. As a result, most participants are subcontractors that compete on a local or regional scale. Additionally, large participants operate in several construction segments outside commercial building, including civil projects, and municipal and institutional building construction, which further dilutes the concentration of industry revenue. About two-thirds of establishments employ fewer than 10 people, including about 47.0% of firms that employ fewer than five people. Only about 2.0% of industry establishments employ more than 100 people. These large-scale players are multi-establishment companies with branches that operate across many states and regions. For more information, visit IBISWorlds Commercial Building Construction report in the US industry page.

Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld

Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189

IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics

The Commercial Building Construction industry includes firms that are primarily responsible for work on the construction (i.e. new work, additions, alterations, maintenance and repairs) of office, retail, hotel and entertainment buildings. The majority of participants are general contractors or project managers. This industry does not include municipal building construction, which comprises institutional buildings such as schools, hospitals, and churches.

Industry Performance

Executive Summary

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Commercial Building Construction in the US Industry Market Research Report Now Available from IBISWorld

Bandar Seri Begawan - Bandar Seri Begawan - The Brunei-Muara District, in its efforts to provide quality services to its stakeholders, will have a new building next year. A foundation-laying ceremony was held yesterday at the construction site at the Old Airport area in Berakas.

With the new building, the Brunei-Muara District Office hopes to better serve the public in a more comfortable and spacious area.

Construction of the B$7.4 million project began in April 2012 and is scheduled to be completed by July 2013. The project was approved under the 10th National Development Plan of 2008-2013.

Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, the Minister of Home Affairs, officiated the foundation-laying ceremony yesterday.

The main form of the building was derived from the existing site conditions.

The building will have, among other facilities, a reception lobby, VIP lounge, surau, multi-purpose hall, conference room, meeting room and pantries.

In support of the Ministry of Development's Green Building Initiative, the building will have several features that reduce the consumption of energy, including low-E double glazed walls, which reduce the amount of heat that enters the building while allowing more daylight to enter the spaces.

The project is supervised and designed by the Technical Services Department of the Public Works Department (JKR). Other consultants for the project include

KR Kamarulzaman & Associated (Civil & Electrical), Sepakat Setia Perunding (B) Sdn Bhd (Mechanical & Electrical), Z-Arif Consultant (Quantity Surveyors) and LSL Sdn Bhd (Contractor).

Also present were the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yusof, and other senior government officers.

See the article here:
New Building For Brunei-Muara District Office

A student at Stout Middle School, 18500 Oakwood Blvd., was arrested at about 1:45 p.m. Friday for allegedly stealing a cellphone off an employees desk. The employee was talking to the boy, 14, in her office, stepped out and returned. She sent him back to class, realized that her phone wasnt on her desk and called him back.

He denied taking the phone, but an officer saw a bulge in his front waistband. It was the phone.

In addition to being arrested, the boy was suspended from school.

Man arrested for breaking into house

A Detroit man, 32, was arrested at about 7:45 p.m. Friday for allegedly breaking into his ex-roommates house on Chovin, north of Michigan Avenue, and stealing $14.23 in change, about 157 prescription anti-depressant pills, about 55 prescription painkilling pills and his ex-roommates car keys.

The man moved out in June and hadnt been back to the house since Aug. 3.

An officer found him as he was exiting the back door. The man was unsteady on his feet and said he took three anti-depressants. He was taken to Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center.

The man apparently entered through a sunroom window, moving a screen and window fan. Items were stacked near the window.

Graffiti painted on ex-roadhouse

Officers on patrol found graffiti on the closed Tenny Street Roadhouse, 22361 West Village Drive, east of Military, and more on a nearby trash bin at about 7 a.m. Saturday. Continued...

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DEARBORN CRIME BRIEFS: Classic Mustang stolen out of garage; Suspicious man found behind garage