Future Architecture

Lifescale - When we come across profound thinking in architecture and design, it opens up new avenues of action…Check out acclaimed Ar. Jaisim's views on architecture and share with us your feedback...Click on the link to read more>>

Inherent respect for our heritage can only enhance contemporary lifestyle. Agree? Read about the recent refurbishment in Grade I St. Pancras and leave us your views...Click on the link to read more>>

Approach and skill sets are always unique. We profile a design firm that is spreading its wings at a fast pace with its idiosyncratic appeal. Read here and share with us other such examples...Click on the link to read more>>

Jaisim- Thought n Impact - What really constitutes the timeless habitat of man? Ar. Jaisim shares his thoughts and invites a dialogue...Click on the link to read more>>

Jaisim Project - How important is it to be contextual in architecture? Ar. Jaisim's ongoing project is one such embodiment that calls for holistic perception of the structure per se. Read here and comment...

Ambulance Redesign: A fine example of design to combat medical emergencies. Check out the new ambulance design and leave us your feedback...

Instil a sense of pride in your work, says Ar. K. R. Jaisim as he addresses architecture aspirants in a brief focussed interview. Click on the link to read more and leave us your views...

A constantly ticking brain cohabiting with a continually seeking mind makes the body agile and inspired. Profiling Ar. Jim Olson has been like meeting 'dynamism' in person and understanding that where vocation is passion, there is no delineation between the man and his work...Click on the link to read more>>

Being an architect with a natural affinity for art and nature, I have generally always followed my instinctual responses to a space and its surroundings. I find great inspiration from nature and art. I see the landscape, architecture, interiors, and art as one integrated design statement.

The architecture industry has been in recent times exploring the growing world of artificial organisms. We have continuously covered this increasing trend, with examples of man-made organics in China and Singapore, varying from artificial islands, to trees and most recently coral reefs. It is no surprise that through the heightened levels of toxins and rubbish now running into our oceans everyday that certain sections of incredibly valuable, and aesthetically stunning underwater environments are dying. This is caused by various reasons including: the everyday home owner chemical run offs, the larger oil spills and natural disasters, but the fact is, we are killing it faster than it is able to grow back.

The announcement that Melbourne is set to receive one of its largest redevelopments on record has set the tongues of both the nation, and the globe, wagging. Finding even further international acclaim last year when it was deemed the World's Most Liveable City, Melbourne has seen a massive population surge, topping 85,000 new residents a year, causing both industry and government leaders to put together in a scheme which aims to perform the dual function of expanding and refurbishing the central Melbourne area. Much like Sydney's Barangaroo project, this latest CBD expansion is too large and high-impact to go unnoticed, for both positive and negative reasons.

Rather than plunder resources, however, the Romans set about using them wisely. One such resource was the hot springs to feed public baths and underfloor heating.  Back then, the result was a beautiful form of bathing on a chilly winter's day. Nowadays, the result is tourist drawcard in the English county of Somerset known all over the world as a place called Bath. Sitting in a lovely warm bath on a cold winter's day back then, few Roman citizens would have contemplated the idea that the same concept used to heat their baths - a concept now called geothermal energy - would be widely used around the world and would be considered a serious part of a solution to stop the whole world from getting too hot. Today, however, such is the reality. In 2005, according to a GeoHeat Quarterly Bulletin published by Origin Institute of Technology, a total of 73 countries around the world produced a total of 273 petajoules (PJ) of energy using geothermal techniques. With the renewed push to achieve carbon emissions reduction in Australia, some engineers believe geothermal technology should be used more widely here.

One of London's more whimsical architecture competitions has been completed once and for all, and the much speculated 'a room for London' design concept now stands. The competition, run by Living Architecture, boasted a much lusted after brief that offered the winning design team the chance to build a room on top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, to act as a temporary accommodation space throughout the 2012 Olympic Games. The incredible competition, which ran throughout 2011, picked the finalist collaboration team of architectural firm David Kohn architects and Fiona Banner with their quirky and imaginative design scheme which has seen the completion of a boat-shaped living space overlooking some of the most famous London sights. The design is a reflection of the city's strong literary roots, taking its riverboat form from Joseph Conrad's  'Heart of Darkness'.

Sustainable architecture and classrooms of the future have finally come together in an Australian green building concept that is out of this world. The latest renderings of what is arguably one of world's most impressive sustainable educational facilities have been released and already they are causing a stir in both architectural and green building fields. Created by architectural firm LAVA, the aptly named 'classroom of the future' is a design concept that sees the creation of a prefabricated, relocatable learning environment, which incorporates innovative and clever design features.

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has been ardently backing a complete retrofit of all 'brown' or sustainably unfit operational buildings in this country. Which is only logical, as these buildings, particularly in the commercial sector, join together to become the largest carbon emitters in Australia. Their move to transform these unfit buildings has received a huge boost recently, with the support of Australand for their Green Star - Performance rating tool. The rating tool will become the backbone of the GBCA's work moving forward, as it will most precisely "help building owners, operators and occupants to measure and monitor the environmental impact of their buildings and take practical action to improve their buildings' performance".

Towers are marketed as iconic places to work, live, visit and simply experience. It is important that they keep up their appearance. But the maintenance and cleaning of tall buildings can be a complex and costly business for building owners. Conversely, the integration of large and unsightly building maintenance units (BMU) can potentially compromise the architectural design integrity. Modern BMU designs combine the integration of efficient, cost effective cleaning and maintenance procedures with a solution that maintains the aesthetic ambitions. The cleaning technology options are numerous; from traditional abseiling techniques to self climbing cradles and davit arms, through to monorail systems and BMU machines.

Australian architecture has had an impressive start to 2012, already boasting a globally recognised industry award. The architectural firm in question is Australia's own HASSELL who have been ranked as the number one practice in all of Australasia at this year's BD World Architecture survey. Managing Director of the firm Robert Blackhouse indicated that the achievement is a testament to the works, both nationally and internationally, that HASSELL has been producing.

Arguably one of Melbourne's most controversial construction projects has been given final approval, leaving a trail of both dismayed and jubilant responses. The major architectural redevelopment project at the focus of this almost five year long drama is the Windsor Hotel, and its semi-demolition by the Halim Group in early 2013.  The project has been marked as one of Victoria's most prominent in the latest state analysis, and comes with a sizeable price tag. The $250 million redevelopment will see the refurbishment of the interiors of the building, which was built in 1883. The interior restoration will maximise the amount of rooms available, increasing the capacity from 180 to 300 rooms. The ballroom and other rooms will also be upgraded and redeveloped, with Heritage Victoria approving everything.

In the construction and design industry, architecture is one of the most complex and multi-faceted sectors. As we have stated previously, it encompasses a whole range of broad and varying components, from mathematics to the currently trending biology. At its most basic root though, architecture deals with form. It is for this reason that architecturally designed buildings are able to become art forms as one of the industry's most artistically based facets. It only makes sense then, due to the crossover and widely varied field, that some buildings would share these sculpturally formed aspects more than others. One such building that is due for completion this year and is an example of the aforementioned form is architectural firm Zaha Hadid's Performing Arts Centre in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

It's easy to forget that urban design is not a new concept. Ancient examples of carefully-planned and designed cities exist in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, and are particularly well-known within classical Chinese, Roman and Greek cultures. The pioneer of urban planning, Hippodamus of Miletus, planned ancient cities of Rhodes, Miletus and the harbour-town Piraeus at Athens as early as the fifth century BC.  In England, many ninth century towns were designed on a grid plan, and by the twelfth century, urbanisation was seen as a means of stimulating economic growth and generating revenue throughout Western Europe. One of the earliest international contributions made by Australia to urban planning theory and practice sprang from the international competition held between 1911 and 1912 to design Australia's new federal capital, Canberra.