Credit: Assemble / Simon Terrill This summer the RIBA will present The Brutalist Playground – an exhibition that is part sculpture, part architectural installation, which invites people of all ages to come and play, the Brutalist way. Occupying the entire Architecture Gallery, the immersive landscape is a new commission by
A vehicle body manufacturing company in Stoke on Trent has been fined after two workers were seriously injured when they were crushed between a moving vehicle and stationary vehicles. North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court heard that a colleague of the two men was attempting to manoeuvre an 18 tonne vehicle in
Quest Industrial Flooring installed a Sika Comfortfloor Decorative Pro for Stick ‘n’ Step. The charity puts great price on having its classes fit with the right floor, as most of their work takes place on it. A fit for purpose and high performance replacement was necessary so that they can
Energy Assets Group, Britain’s leading independent meter asset management company, has unveiled plans for rapid expansion in the ‘final mile’ electricity and gas network ownership and operator market. Energy Assets has been awarded an Independent Gas Transporter (IGT) and Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO) license to own, adopt and operate
The managing director of construction consultancy at MPG, Michael Gallucci, offers his advice on how firms affected by the collapse of Carillion should respond. Around 30,000 businesses are owed collectively £1 billion following the catastrophe, with chains of first tier suppliers and subcontractors left in a state of uncertainty. The
Credit: Assemble / Simon Terrill This summer the RIBA will present The Brutalist Playground – an exhibition that is part sculpture, part architectural installation, which invites people of all ages to come and play, the Brutalist way. Occupying the entire Architecture Gallery, the immersive landscape is a new commission by Turner Prize nominated design and architecture collective Assemble and artist Simon Terrill. It explores the abstract concrete playgrounds that were designed as part of post-war housing estates in the mid-twentieth century, but which no longer exist. They became playgrounds unsuitable for play. The exhibition draws on features from a number of London estates including Churchill Gardens, Pimlico; the Brunel Estate, Paddington and the Brownfield Estate in Poplar. The playgrounds were often made from concrete, cast into sculptural forms, which presented a distinct move away from previous playground design. They were envisaged as a key aspect of the estate layout and design and as such reflect the preoccupations and social theories of society at that time. Assemble and Simon Terrill have drawn inspiration from photographs and visual material in the RIBA’s collections, documenting the playgrounds when they were newly built and in use. The exhibition installation will recreate visual elements from the playgrounds in reconstituted foam, creating an interactive, contemporary space where the viewer becomes participant and in this way completes the work. Archive images of the original playgrounds will be projected on the walls. Assemble on the creation of the installation: “The challenge of reconstructing elements of now forgotten Brutalist play structures within the RIBA gallery is an exciting opportunity for us to explore contemporary issues surrounding play, by looking at the often surreal objects from the past. Working closely with the RIBA collections and the artist Simon Terrill, the interpretation of these spaces has allowed us to ask questions around materiality and the nature of risk in play, while also giving greater visibility to the incredible original images of the playgrounds that can be found in the collections.” Artist Simon Terrill: “The original playgrounds evoke a disappearing world of concrete mazes and windswept walkways. Like a Brechtian stage set rendered in concrete, they speak to a time before soft play and highly regulated public space. The recreation of these forms is a kind of inverted hyper-Brutalism. Playable structures reveling in the sharp edged bush hammered concrete forms they reference. The surreal edges of the Brutalist aesthetic are seen here in the form of the playground.” The Brutalist Playground will be accompanied by a public programme of talks, debates and film screenings as well as workshops and events for families. Part of the London Festival of Architecture. Notes to editors: 1. For further information contact Beatrice Cooke in the RIBA Press Office: beatrice.cooke@riba.org; 020 7307 3813. 2. Press images of the original post-war playgrounds can be downloaded here: https://riba.box.com/s/w7w7cr7m6mbysqq114s77o5inm38ac2w 3. Press/Private view: Tuesday 9 June, 6-10pm, Tuesday Late ‘Welcome to the Playground’. An evening of talks and films with Assemble, Simon Terrill and others: http://www.architecture.com/WhatsOn/June2015/LATETUESDAYWelcometothePlayground.aspx 4. The Architecture Gallery at RIBA is open from 10am – 5pm Monday to Sunday and until 8pm every Tuesday. Free entrance. RIBA is at 66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AD. Nearest tubes are Oxford Circus, Regent’s Park and Great Portland Street. The exhibition is part of a RIBA season of wide ranging events and workshops, designed for all ages and experience levels. For further information go to www.architecture.com/whatson The Architecture Gallery opened in February 2014 in the RIBA’s Grade II* listed Art Deco HQ. Through regular, free exhibitions that explore the past, present and future of our built environment the gallery programme will help visitors discover and explore architecture. The gallery offers the opportunity for the RIBA to display its world class collections contained in the British Architectural Library. To explore the RIBA collections online go to: http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Visitus/Library/Collections/Collections.aspx 5. About the artists: Assemble are a London based design and architecture collective founded in 2010. Assemble design and build interventions as a way of critically addressing the typical disconnect between the public and the process by which spaces are made. Championing a working practice that is interdependent and collaborative, they seek to actively involve the public as both participant and accomplice in the on-going realisation of the work. http://assemblestudio.co.uk/ Artist Simon Terrill works with groups and crowds through the photographic medium, involving large scale orchestrated gatherings of communities in specific sites. The focus on the crowd is centred around an idea of a contrasting and oscillating space between the personal and the public, the individual and the collective and the impact of these fluid definitions on architecture, portraiture and the photograph. www.simonterrill.com 6. Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England 7. RIBA champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members. www.architecture.com Follow @RIBA on Twitter for regular RIBA updates http://twitter.com/RIBA The RIBA is a registered charity and it relies on the generosity of individuals, companies, trusts and foundations to preserve its world-class collections, to maintain free public access to its exhibitions and develop a diverse and exciting public events programme. Posted on Friday 5th June 2015 Source link
A vehicle body manufacturing company in Stoke on Trent has been fined after two workers were seriously injured when they were crushed between a moving vehicle and stationary vehicles. North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court heard that a colleague of the two men was attempting to manoeuvre an 18 tonne vehicle in the work shop of Commercial Body Specialists Limited on 12 January 2015 when two employees were pinned and crushed between the manoeuvring vehicle and two other stationary vehicles. One other employee jumped out of the way. One worker suffered several fractures to his pelvis and ribs as well as internal bladder and kidney lacerations. The other worker suffered crush injuries to his legs. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found that the company had failed to identify and assess workplace transport risks and had failed to put in place protective measures, safe systems of work and proper instruction and training to ensure employee pedestrian safety during vehicle movement. Commercial Body Specialists Limited, of High Street, Tunstall, Stoke on Trent, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,461. For further information on workplace transport visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/separating.htm Notes to Editors: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk Journalists should approach HSE press office with any queries on regional press releases. Source link
Quest Industrial Flooring installed a Sika Comfortfloor Decorative Pro for Stick ‘n’ Step. The charity puts great price on having its classes fit with the right floor, as most of their work takes place on it. A fit for purpose and high performance replacement was necessary so that they can keep supporting the young people with cerebral palsy with the right education. “The team at Stick ‘n’ Step needed to replace an old, uneven, and sloping floor with a brand new, state-of-the-art flooring solution for our work with children and young people with cerebral palsy. From quote to completion our team was kept up to date with progress and had regular explanations of the different phases involved in the work,” explained Matt Meaney, Development Manager at Stick ‘n’ Step. The new system is smooth, durable, slip resistant, and resin based, while holding excellent shock absorption properties. Its cushioning layers provide a comfortable surface to learn and play, while its durability and easy to clean benefits help maintain the health and safety standards, which is paramount for a children’s learning environment. Quest Industrial Flooring had only four weeks to complete the project and the discovery that the sub-base underneath the existing wood and vinyl flooring required a week’s worth of repairs, turned it into a difficult challenge. However, the company managed to do it and the new floor was ready at the start of the new school term. “Thanks to Sika’s advanced floor system, the technical know how and attention to detail of our installers and the understanding of close collaboration between client, contractor and manufacturer, the ideal solution for the school’s 90m2 classroom floor was created,” said Mark Jones, Contracts Director at Quest Industrial Flooring. Sika is a specialty chemicals company that holds a leading position in the development and production of bonding, sealing, damping, protecting, and reinforcing systems and products for the building sector and the automotive industry. It has subsidiaries in 97 countries and manufactures in over 190 factories.
Energy Assets Group, Britain’s leading independent meter asset management company, has unveiled plans for rapid expansion in the ‘final mile’ electricity and gas network ownership and operator market. Energy Assets has been awarded an Independent Gas Transporter (IGT) and Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO) license to own, adopt and operate gas and electricity networks and the company has launched Energy Assets Pipelines and Energy Assets Networks as independent gas and electricity network ownership entities. Working alongside its direct labour division and Dragon Infrastructure Solutions (part of Energy Assets) the businesses are also partnering with independent utility construction contractors and residential and commercial developers to provide innovations in asset-based finance, network design, network ownership, compliance and management. Colin Lynch, Energy Assets’ Chief Executive Officer, says the move into ‘final mile’ network ownership comes at a time of great opportunity for the house builder and developer sector. “Britain stands on the brink of the biggest house building programme for generations,” he said. “With the government’s stated aim of creating 300,000 new homes every year, the question is – how can developers and contractors make the most of this opportunity? “To help house builders and NERS and GIRS approved contractors deliver the most cost-effective and efficient utility networks, we’ve created ownership vehicles that will speed up design and approvals timescales and offer innovative asset-based finance packages. We are also one of just a handful of independent operators authorised by OFGEM for both gas and electricity network ownership and management.” As part of this drive, the Group’s recently-acquired business Utility Distribution Networks Ltd, an IDNO, is being rebranded Energy Assets Networks and will be building on its established relationships with house builders and contractors to drive expansion across Britain. Gas network ownership will be managed through Energy Assets Pipelines, a new business that will leverage the Group’s extensive gas network design and asset management expertise. Debbie Edgar, Managing Director of Energy Assets Networks, commented: “The launch of Energy Assets network ownership continues to transform the competitive landscape in the ‘final mile’ of utility connections and ownership. The flexibility that is available to IDNOs such as Energy Assets Networks creates innovative finance options for contractors and developers that the existing distribution network operators simply cannot match.” John McLuskey, who is leading Energy Assets Pipelines gas operation, said: “With Energy Assets’ proven asset management expertise and our track record in delivering process innovation, we see great opportunities opening up for our customers to speed up network construction through expert design certification, compliance support and flexible funding options, resulting in a more cost-effective utility provision.” www.energyassetsnetworks.co.uk www.energyassetspipelines.co.uk
The managing director of construction consultancy at MPG, Michael Gallucci, offers his advice on how firms affected by the collapse of Carillion should respond. Around 30,000 businesses are owed collectively £1 billion following the catastrophe, with chains of first tier suppliers and subcontractors left in a state of uncertainty. The questions is now what should these businesses do about the money they are owed for the work they had completed? Michael says that the first step is recognising how exposed your company is. If your business’ survival depends on this payment then it should become your number one priority. However, if your situation is not that critical, you are better off focusing on other customers and opportunities than wasting time on this issue. Banks have created a new fund to help those affected by the collapse and the government has a task force that will address this issue. This is worth looking into, but it is not a certainty and there are other things you can do to protect your business. After you understand your situation, look at where you have outstanding contracts and see if these are affected directly or indirectly with Carillion. Check them and make sure you are entitled to suspend or terminate the contract with the customer and then look at the options you have with the subcontractors. The contract may or may not tell you specifically what should happen if one of the parties in the supply chain becomes insolvent. If it does, make sure you keep track of the progress, if it doesn’t then you should start retrieving the owed money through legal means or by withholding future work on the project until you get paid. “I am a strong advocate of effective programmes and record keeping to protect yourself in the event of disputes or situations that lead to potential non-payment such as your customer going into liquidation. If you don’t already have full written records of the work you have carried out on any projects affected by the liquidation of Carillion, prepare them now,” advises Michael.
