GSA Library Architecture News

Brutally Honest - Scottish Brutalism Site from University of Strathclyde

2013-05-22T16:10:00.003+01:00

The threat of demolition looming large over increasing numbers of Brutalist buildings has inadvertently thrust the style back into the public conscience. Down the road at University of Strathclyde, planners are still refusing to rule out demolition of its famous architecture building while in England, Preston Council's bid to block Preston Bus Station being granted listed heritage status rumbles on.

Brutalist architecture has courted controversy since its inception in 1950s Britain. Simultaneously held up as an affordable solution for public buildings and cheap housing and as an urban decay problem, the buildings have, over the decades, weathered the critics little better than the elements. As more beleaguered buildings are condemned to demolition, efforts are being stepped up to conserve the architecture style's heritage.

Enter research student Ross Brown who has launched the website scotbrut.co.uk to accompany the Scottish Brutalism project at the University of Strathclyde. The site is modestly being billed as a work in progress, downplaying the extremely useful and well-researched content on offer. The aim is to illustrate the quality and variety of the architecture style around Glasgow and the west region of Scotland through the continuous mapping, documenting and archiving of prime examples. There are a number of high-quality images of the Strathclyde campus and the Charing Cross area, as well as an article by Brown on Glasgow School of Art's former Newbery Tower. Our top tip would be to check the links to other sites, which lists Robert Proctor and Ambrose Gillick's project-blog on Roman Catholic Architecture in Britain, and the illustrated online database of Gillespie, Kidd & Coia images. The fact that many of these sites have direct relevance to the Brutalist style, is in itself, evidence of growing popular interest.

To be alerted to new posts from the scotbrut.co.uk website, follow @scotbrut on Twitter, or join the mailing list.

Plan to Restore Jaded Langside Halls has Green Light

2013-05-17T15:21:00.001+01:00

Local architecture firm Collective Architecture have won the tender to begin restorative work on Glasgow's Langside Hall in Shawlands. While the Georgian exterior is still in good condition, the jaded Victorian interiors are in need of a refurbishment to transform the space into a social hub for the southside community.

The A-listed building is in fact, a rebuilding of the National Bank of Scotland, which in 1847, was located on Queen Street in the city-centre. Each stone used to construct the bank was moved to the building's current location in Shawlands for its conversion to public halls in 1902-03.

Engineer A.B. McDonald remodelled the halls to include a green-tiled entrance hall which the architects are referencing as their inspiration for the new interior design. The above CAD-drawing shows plans to extend the existing green tiles throughout the building to accentuate this Victorian period-feature.

The creation of a new emerald-green space comes as good news for local action group Southside Glasgow Heritage Environment Trust (SGHET) who have been spearheading the campaign to restore the halls to their former glory. This local committee were successful in their funding application to the European Enterprise Fund last year, bringing the total budget to conserve this hidden architectural gem to £4.8 million.

The development is part of Glasgow City Council's wider Shawlands Town Centre Action Plan which aims to reinvigorate Shawlands and its surrounds. Locals can look forward to a planned cafe-bar, restaurant, heritage information centre and cultural venue when work is completed after two years. In the meantime, the elaborate exteriors can still be enjoyed including the frieze-work and coat-of-arms, done by John Thomas, the same sculptor who worked on the Houses of Parliament.

National Library Scotland Release Hutton Architecture Drawings

2013-05-15T11:35:00.003+01:00

George Henry Hutton must have cut an interesting figure in the late eighteenth century, fascinated as he was by architecture in spite of losing an eye while serving a soldier in the Royal Artillery in the West Indies.

The National Library of Scotland certainly seem to think so and have added documents and drawings of Scottish churches and monuments from Hutton's collection to their digital gallery.

The collection is presented across two volumes and contains over 500 drawings, maps, plans and prints relating mainly to ecclesiastical buildings with a few more depicting castles and other dwellings such as this one showing the ruins of Innerwick Castle in East Lothian. Many of the drawings are by Hutton himself and show a sketchy, graphic style at odds with the picturesque scenes depicted. In some of the featured images the artist is unknown, however thanks to Creative Commons licensing, most can be reproduced, thereby forming a rich image-bank for architecture historians. Short blurbs for each image provide more contextual information.

One of the interesting quirks of the collection is that many of the buildings cited still exist today. Try entering in the name of a historic Scottish building or area into the National Library's search engine to see if Hutton recorded any details of your research area over two hundred years ago.

What's more, links can be made between the collection and GSA Library. The above image for example, entitled 'Part of Balmerino [missing text]' appeared in Volume 1 of Francis Grose's book, 'The Antiquities of Scotland,' a copy of which is held in the GSA Library's Special Collections. Check our thematic guide to rare books written about Scotland if historic architectural illustration and photography inspire your research.

Plans to Demolish B-Listed Building For Commonwealth Development Plans

2013-05-13T10:25:00.005+01:00

A 1907 board school designed by architects Thomson & Turnbull is under threat of demolition following plans submitted by Glasgow's Celtic Football Club to replace it with an expanded superstore. The club want to knock down the disused London Road Primary School as part of their plan to regenerate the area around the ground in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Included in the plans is the formation of a landscaped avenue paved with inscribed stones which would run from Dalmarnock Station past several key venues towards the football stadium. Due to financial budgets and time constraints, it seems unlikely the club's full plans could be realised before the start of the games, however the avenue is being heralded as a necessary development to make the area more attractive to the influx of visitors expected next year.

London Road Primary is understood to be Glasgow's sole remaining B-listed school and is a fine example of English Baroque with carved ornamental features and Venetian and circular windows in the pedimented end bays. Historic Scotland are bound to object to the proposed plans, however as the school has been unoccupied for several years, the case could well proceed on the basis of the building being structurally unsound. Councillors are in support of the club's plans, perceiving the school as an unnecessary eyesore making it even likelier that the building will eventually be razed. Indeed, it seems that the financial advantages to be gained from redevelopment in the East End will inevitably outweigh the costs of conserving some of its architecture.

Manufacturing Pasts - University of Leicester Learning Resources

2013-05-10T11:02:00.002+01:00

A new online resource developed by University of Leicester tells the story of what life was like and how quickly it changed in British industrial cities during the second half of the twentieth century. Manufacturing Pasts is arranged into four major themes: 'Conservation and Urban Regeneration,' 'De-Industrialisation,' 'Factory and Community' and 'Social Life of the Factory.' Each theme links through from the site's main page to a vault of learning resources about the city's industrial history including photographs, maps, architectural drawings, oral history interviews, company publications and newspaper articles.

The great news is that thanks to Creative Commons licencing, the sources are copyright-cleared, easy to access and free to reuse for educational purposes.

Much like Glasgow, the city of Leicester serves as a strong example of the effects of industrial growth and decline on the transmutable city which challenge architects and urban planners to think imaginatively about the future use of space. This retrospective case study considers the impact of industry on the city and more than that, analyses what happened to the buildings that previously housed and supported Leicester's manufacturing sector. Rather than demolition, can the carcasses of buildings left behind from Leicester's manufacturing past be used to support its commercial future...?

Discovery Guides

2013-05-09T11:07:00.000+01:00

We've recently updated all our guides to make them easier to use and more helpful. You'll find guides to our collections (such as graphic novels or artists' books), finding aids and bibliographies (for particular research topics), info skills guides (for services such as Google and Wikipedia), and support guides in a brand new Discovery Guides section of our website. In addition we've developed new attractive branding to differentiate between different types of guide. Let us know what you think!
http://www2.gsa.ac.uk/library/discovery_guides.html

The Glass-House Community Led Design

2013-05-07T15:58:00.000+01:00

They say people in glass-houses shouldn't throw stones but community participation experts 'The Glass-House Community Led Design' have been pitching some weighty ideas around community engagement in urban design since 2006.

The charitable organisation brings together communities and regeneration professionals to equip both groups with the skills to contribute to urban design projects that benefit local people. The idea is to better inform the design process with the result being "more intelligent, dynamic and sustainable places." And the theory is backed up by practice; the group are actively using their experiences of supporting projects to influence policy and practice around the issue of community led design. Projects have so far included various buildings, spaces, homes and neighbourhoods including the Aviemore Sports Centre Project with collaborative research projects underway at University of Sheffield, University of Birmingham and the Open University.

Follow the links to the group's blog, project showcase and list of useful resources for a directory of regularly updated opinion, project information and publications. Also, look out for touring events which offer the opportunity for everyone with an interest in urban design and community initiatives to share experiences and debate the priorities behind area-planning and redevelopment projects.

Pastmap - Free Interactive Mapping Tool

2013-05-01T16:34:00.002+01:00

An interactive map which allows anyone to map Scotland's historic environment online has just been launched by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). 'Pastmap' consolidates information previously held on five heritage-organisation databases into one multi-layered, online space. Visitors to the website can navigate to their area of interest, zoom in on a section, arrange the information into layers, and click on the map's objects for more information.

The visual nature of the site and it's easy-to-use controls means that it will probably appeal to both those with a professional interest and others who may simply take delight in exploring the archaeological and historic features of their local area. A great way to explore local heritage and architectural landmarks from the comfort of your armchair!

Emotion Recollected in Sustainability - Carbeth's Hideaway Huts

2013-04-25T15:56:00.001+01:00

If you go down to the woods today, you're in for a big surprise... that's if like me, you've only just discovered the eldritch charm at Carbeth. The huts made the news when Carbeth Hutters Community Hutters were granted a loan which is helping the community to buy their land.

The development of huts in the area north of Milngavie has existed since 1919. During the second world war, families from Clydebank stayed at Carbeth to escape the bombing of industry on the Clyde. Gradually, more huts were built and a small community was formed. Today, Carbeth is part of The Thousand Huts movement, which aims to promote hutting as a sustainable way of living that gives city-dwellers contact with the countryside. Around 140 self-powered cabins, huts and shacks form the collective, all of which rely on water standpipes, solar panels and wind turbines to sustain the inhabitants.

In an age of convenience and energy expenditure, Carbeth makes a useful case-study of our relationship with place and how sustainability ethics inevitably stand to influence the future of design. It is intriguing to reflect that the community's original settlers may only have been searching for a calm oasis outside Glasgow when they began hand-building the community 80 years ago. Perhaps unbeknown to them, they were in fact laying the foundations for an eco-friendly ideal which today, is actively supported by people enjoying the same tranquility in the wooded retreat.

Architects such as Torsten Ottesjo show that improvisation and functionality are common concerns in the architecture profession. Surprising that the values of self-reliance and responsibility for fuel-use should take root in communities like Carbeth.

See also artist Frances McCourt's photography works like the one above compiled for an exhibition at Street Level Photoworks in Glasgow.

http://www.carbethhuts.co.uk/

Spomeniks - Lost Between Sculpture and Architecture

2013-04-18T13:44:00.000+01:00

Jan Kempenaer's series of photographic works focusing on Spomeniks, the abstract, concrete monuments punctuating the boundaries of the countries once comprising the former Yugoslavia, is available to view here. Kampenaer's work is preoccupied with the 18th century Picturesque tradition and his photographs of these oddly incongruous structures consider the enforcement of societal rules upon the natural landscape. Out of the many hundreds of Spomeniks commissioned in the years following World War II, most have since been demolished or neglected, their location only discoverable through committed research or spontaneous encounter in the wooded, mountainous regions where they were constructed. The isolation of these once magnificent emblems of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia raises interesting questions around the function of architecture which could be thought of as ideologically defunct. Should the Spomeniks be confined to history or should their use be reconsidered, as perhaps Kempenaer's photographs intend.

Living Architecture Takes Root in Oban

2013-04-16T11:51:00.000+01:00

Think of Oban, the sleepy port town in the Scottish Western Highlands, and you'll probably call to mind McCaig's Tower, the folly overlooking the bay that was commissioned by its namesake in 1897 to keep the town's local stonemasons in work. Now, thanks to the feats of German architect Marcel Kalberer, head of the firm Sanfte Strukturen, the town can finally lay claim to two sculptures with real architectural clout.

Nestled in the gardens of the Dunollie Castle estate, the 22ft woven tower and dome are made entirely of live willow branches, sourced from Glasgow. The branches will continue to grow over the coming months, thereby altering the form of the natural structures. Kalberer refers to his designs as "living architecture" due to the botanical and ecological implications behind the architecture and the fact that all of his structures are brought to life by a community of volunteers. The tower, for example, took a week to build and will change gradually with the passing of the seasons. The theory behind the process is to show the value of socially-sustainable buildings and encourage human co-existence with the natural world.

Karlberer has designed a number of green cathedrals, towers and domes from willow branches including 'Auerworld Palace' in Germany which is the world's largest living structure of its kind. The as yet unnamed works on show in Oban are the first examples to be shown in Britain, built on the proceeds of a £5,900 grant from Creative Scotland. Visit them for free if you're making any visits over to the Western Isles, or for more information and further examples of Karlberer's work, read on at the link below:

http://www.sanftestrukturen.de/Weidenbau/Weidenbau.html

Gillespie, Kidd & Coia on Radio 4

2013-04-09T12:09:00.001+01:00

There are six days to catch up on a Radio 4 programme exploring the church architecture of Isi Metzstein and Andrew MacMillan, the innovative partners for Glasgow firm Gillespie Kidd & Coia during the second part of the 20th century, and the pioneers of a contemporary form of European architecture.

In post-war Britain, the Catholic Church drew on the visionary talents of Metzstein and MacMillan as a means of constructing places of worship which would meet its ambitions to expand Catholicism in Scotland. While the religious renaissance may never have been fully realised, the creative partnership between Metzstein and MacMillan flourished, culminating in their masterpiece at St Peter's Seminary at Cardross. Once rising statuesque out of the landscape, the site now lies derelict, abandoned in 1980, just 14 years after completion, due to structural changes in the church. The site is still regarded as hallowed land by many architects and enthusiasts, and there is still belief that it will, eventually, be conserved as a ruin.

In this half-hour Radio 4 programme, Jonathan Glancey discusses Scotland's landscape and the country's religious element to discover more about the lives of two of Glasgow's most extraordinarily talented architects. Listen in at the link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rqnf3

Flickr Photostream puts Scotland in the Frame

2013-04-08T16:39:00.001+01:00

Modern and historical images from the archive collections at the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) have been added to the Flickr photostream where some of the best archive images from their vast collection will continue to trickle through.

RCAHMS collects, records and interprets information on the architectural, industrial, archaeological and maritime heritage of Scotland. It holds an archive of over 18 million items including photographs and albums from the 1840s to the present day, original architects’ drawings, excavation plans, new survey drawings, engravings, sketches, books, manuscripts and maps, offering a unique insight into the special nature of Scotland's places. The archive contains images and information on over 300,000 archaeological and architectural sites across Scotland making it an invaluable resource for some of the best-known, man-made landmarks.

More images can be seen on the Commission's Facebook, Twitter and YouTube account.

Link to the Flickr photostream here and click on the 'detail' of each image for more context.

"Avian Architecture" - New Library Book

2013-04-05T14:39:00.000+01:00

We've just spotted a rare breed of book to add to the architecture lending shelves. Peter Goodfellow's book Avian Architecture describes how birds design, engineer and build their nests, deconstructing every type of nest or avian structure by rendering it in the style of an architectural blueprint and annotating its construction processes and engineering techniques. Through a combination of simple text, illustration and photography, the book reveals the science of the humble nest over 35 case studies, profiling the skills of some key bird species.

We expect our printed copy will find a cosy place to nest in the architecture lending section at 720.108/GOO when it appears later this month.

New E-Book on University Library Design

2013-03-28T13:49:00.001Z

With a refurbishment of the GSA Main Library planned in the Summer, the new e-book we've just added to the library catalogue couldn't be any more relevant. 'University Libraries and Space in the Digital World' considers the issues impacting on library design, both historically, and in the context of today's libraries with their focus on digital technologies. The book explores the use of space by bringing together international case studies and academic perspectives. There's also a look to the future use of library spaces - something we're on tenterhooks to learn more about as planning for the refurbishment continues.

Search for the book on the library catalogue and follow the link to access the resource online. You'll need your MyGSA log-in details to read.

Glasgow Architect Practice Make Shortlist for RIAS Award

2013-03-25T16:55:00.000Z

The Ghost of Water Row, an architectural art installation which existed for one night in Govan, has made it to the final 25 nominees for Scotland's most coveted architecture prize. The phantasmagorical structure made of Scottish pale spruce and permeable fabric will be judged against multi-million pound ventures, including Edinburgh's redeveloped Assembly Rooms, when the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) select a 2013 award-winner.

The comparatively modest project by Edo Architecture pays homage to the weaving trade which was established at Water Row in Govan before being replaced by Glasgow's flourishing ship industry in the early 20th century. It was built as part of a community engagement project and coincided with commemorative celebrations for the late Glaswegian sculptor George Wylie. Despite being created on a shoe-string budget, the structure's retrospective emphasis on local history has won favour among the judges who are also inspired by its ambition for a creative future in a site better known for its redevelopment focus than rich cultural heritage.

By encouraging the local community to engage with a bygone time, Edo Architecture hope to raise the ghost of Govan's cultural past. Read more about the project and the history of the site at the links below:
http://edoarchitecture.com/
http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5995

WIRES - Women in Renewable Energy

2013-03-22T14:46:00.002Z

Remember as you traipse through the blustery snow on this Spring day, that the cold and windy climes of Scotland are useful for generating a large proportion of the country's economy. As we capitalise on the money generated from our renewable energy sources and subsequent developments in the industry, there is a thriving employment sector springing up. Surprising then, that of this large demographic, (covering careers such as engineers, lawyers, environmentalists and admin staff) women account for just 17%.

That's according to WIRES, a forum for female professionals working in the industry. Its aims are to support and inspire women to seize the emerging employment opportunities, and highlight the benefits to business of diversifying in a sector where women are chronically under-represented. The thinking is that if employers and industry representatives can be made to recognise the talents of women studying and working in renewable energies, then Scotland can be helped to achieve its potential as a world leader in renewable energy- with a lot more than just the poor weather going for us!

Events are occasionally held in Scotland with talks given from MSPs and women in the industry. Visit the WIRES website http://www.wirescotland.com/, or follow the group on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Women-In-Renewable-Energy-Scotland-3713259

Department of Architecture Celebration Event at Strathclyde University

2013-03-20T15:32:00.000Z

The University of Strathclyde Architecture Department are hosting a joint event with the new Glasgow Society, to celebrate its purpose-built building at 131 Rottenrow and to showcase the works of GSA graduate and sculptor, Charles Anderson. The evening event on 26th March will be split into two parts; the first focused on Charles Anderson's successful career as a professional mural painter and sculptor, and the second on the construction of the architecture school by Fielden and Associates in 1965-66.

Charles Anderson studied Drawing & Painting at the School of Art under Donald Donaldson and Mary Armour, graduating with the Diploma in 1959. The many examples of his sculptural works to be found in Scotland include the Glasgow Charing Cross wall mural and concrete wall sculpture at the entrance to the Strathclyde Architecture School Building the event is being held. The second half of the evening will be led by Professor Frank A. Walker, an academic in the Strathclyde department and John C. Cunningham, another successful GSA graduate who was chief-architect on the Architecture Department project.

The event is bound to be of interest for all who have an interest in 1960's Scottish art and architecture, not least given its apt location in the iconic Strathclyde Architecture School Building.

Anyone interested in attending would be wise to book a place in advance at this link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/event/5787048217?ref=emobiem

Gillespie, Kidd & Coia Cabinet Display in Library

2013-03-14T14:47:00.000Z

Library materials sit alongside items from the recently catalogued and conserved Gillespie, Kidd & Coia archive in a new display cabinet located at the entrance to the Library. Amongst the pieces which took our fancy are spectacles, rulers and drafting tools, a study of the 1970 Glasgow Summer School at which Jack Coia taught, and a humorous collection of misaddressed mail which the partners chose to keep for their amusement.

An introduction to Glasgow's most famous architecture firm of the twentieth century and captions relating to the materials provide more information. These can also be found, along with bibliographies of related sources, in the ‘Library Display Cabinets’ folder as part of the Archives and Collections course on the VLE.

Watch out for more posts about our cabinet displays which we hope to fill with lots more interesting items over the coming months. Each display will aim to highlight the connections between library holdings and those in the Archives & Collections, and will cover a broad range of taught subject areas, and GSA alumni. Ask at the librarians' office or at Archives & Collections if you have any questions and check the newly-revamped ACC blog for further inspiration.
http://gsaarchivesandcollections.wordpress.com/

Walking Heads - City Tours App!

2013-03-07T15:58:00.000Z

Downloadable audio tours encouraging anyone interested in exploring Glasgow's alternative, low-fi culture on foot are available from the website of Walking Heads, the team responsible for the app's creation and the organisation of walking tours around the city.

Two tours: one, exploring Glasgow's music scene; the other, Edinburgh's comedy circuit, are available as mobile apps for devices including iPhone and Android phones and MP3 players. Radio presenter and DJ Jim Gellatly acts as tour guide on an audio musical odyssey into 100 years of Glasgow's rich musical heritage, stopping along the way at some of the buildings which have coupled as some of the city's favorite music haunts. Among the highlights of architectural interest are the City Halls, The Old Fruitmarket, Barrowlands, King Tut's and The Panoptican.

The group occasionally run attended tours which are guided by two irreverent guides and receive rave reviews. Keep an eye on the website for details of forthcoming tours which take you off the beaten track in an exploration of some of the history cemented in Glasgow's buildings.
http://www.walkingheads.net/tours/

New online resource from NLS - 'Gazetteers of Scotland,' 1803-1901

2013-03-05T12:51:00.000Z

Gazetteers are listings of geographic names which provide historic information about towns, cities and their features. These topographical encyclopedias have traditionally been consulted in paper-form by researchers interested in the local history of places and their antiquities. Now, thanks to a digital project by the National Library of Scotland (NLS), it is possible to browse and search 20 volumes of the most popular descriptive gazetteers of 19th-century Scotland, covering towns, counties, parishes and glens online.

The gazetteers are housed in NLS' digital library which can be accessed at the link below. The text from the paper copies has been transcribed making it possible to search by keyword using the search engine in the left-hand margin. You might find detailed historical and geographical descriptions about Scotland's principal antique buildings and estates useful - search either by name, or alphabetically, by the area in which you know them to be built. Some old illustrations and maps took our fancy...
http://digital.nls.uk/gallery.cfm

Kernels of History - Glasgow's Odeon Cinema

2013-03-01T09:12:00.000Z

With demolition imminent at Glasgow's Odeon Cinema on Renfield Street, a posting by the Urban Exploration Forums gives us snapshots of this one-time great institution.

Once the busiest picture-house in the city, the Odeon was designed by architects Frank T. Verity & Samuel Beverly in the early 1930s. It was originally built as a single 2800-seater cinema and opened as the Paramount Theatre in 1934. The building was promptly snapped up by the Odeon chain and flourished as a popular music venue - the Beatles and the Rolling Stones both famously played here in its halcyon days! The cinema was divided into smaller screens in 1969-70, by which time the neon lights lighting-up the uber-cool curved entrance and bare brick walls were also gone. The history books may critique Odeon for stripping the building of its glamorous 30s interiors to bring it in line with the company's corporate image yet, thanks to the building's Grade B listed status, the Art Deco facade and entrance-hall should be retained.

In the days before Cineworld's domination, the Odeon, for many, was the main place to queue around the block, waiting for the doors to open on the latest picture. Those doors may have closed to the public in 2006, the building due to be transformed into another office block, but the photographs will ensure its legacy is always shown.
http://www.urbexforums.com/showthread.php/14800-Odeon-Cinema-Renfield-St-Glasgow-24-3-11-%28Permission-Visit

'It's Alive!' - New ARUP Report Imagines Intelligent Cities of the Future

2013-02-26T11:15:00.001Z

Last week's report from Arup's Foresight + Innovation team is helping to feed our blog's current appetite for all things futuristic. The 'It's Alive' report predicts that in 2050, buildings will be continuously adapting and made from materials that will enable them to do everything from filtering air to producing energy.

According to its vision for the future "structures will be fully integrated into the fabric of the city, responsive to changes in the external environment, and designed for continuous adaptability, according to real-time needs and demands of its users.” Buildings' facades will react to changing environmental conditions and use this information to make intelligent decisions that are able to support tomorrow's cities.

The evolution of buildings from aesthetic casings to living and breathing structures is expanded on by Josef Hargrave, foresight and innovation consultant at Arup : “In the ecological age, buildings do not simply create spaces, they craft environments.” Rather than continually churning out buildings that are well-designed in the classical sense of the word, Arup's Frankenstein model proposes a seismic shift at the heart of how architects approach the function of the building and arguably, their roles as architects of the future.

With population trends showing an increase in the number of city-dwellers over the past few years, the idea of the robotic building may be an experiment that offers much inspiration to many an architect dwelling on the possibility of bringing our buildings to life. The report can be read on Arup's site at this link:
http://www.arup.com/Home/News/2013_02_February/4_Feb_New_report_predicts_the_future_of_buildings_in_2050.aspx

"City Shock"- the Why Factory's new book reaches the Library

2013-02-20T17:12:00.000Z

The events in the news this month read like fictitious headlines: a meteor plunging towards Earth injured dozens of people in Russia as it shattered against the atmosphere; an asteroid passed above our heads - a mere 28,000 km away. With all this intergalactic activity dominating the headlines, we were relieved to discover that the only thing that had landed on our desks by Monday morning was the Why Factory's new book "City Shock - Planning the Unexpected".

This outlandish, journo-style publication explores the theme of 'fear' in urban planning decisions in a world where even the most absurd scenarios are plausible. In "City Shock" the Why Factory take our fear of disaster further by proposing a set of radical 'What if' scenarios and composing a sequence of fantastical newspaper reports -(im)possible headlines included. The book then imagines how each of these scenarios could play out in the Netherlands between 2018 and 2047.

The idea is fantastical but the theory behind the publication is grounded in logic: expose the possible causes and potential consequences of disasters and 'fear' itself can be used as a guide for urban planning.

The book will be appearing in the New Books stand and at 720.103/MAA on the main lending shelves soon. You can read more about The Why Factory's activities at the link below:
http://www.thewhyfactory.com/?page=thewhy

Geothermal Glasgow - Mining for Heat

2013-02-14T11:59:00.000Z

For those of us raised in Scotland who were ever threatened with work down the mines at a young age, the latest BBC News is sure to raise a wry smile.

It has been widely reported that Glasgow's labyrinth of disused coal-mines could soon be used to generate up to 40% of the city's heat. A study of the city's hidden tunnels is under-way at Glasgow Caledonian University where researchers are hoping to find reservoirs which can be pumped to create geothermal energy. The hope is that Glasgow will become the third city in the world behind Stockholm and Hamburg to have under-street heating.

Using the blueprint developed by the research team, ground-source heat-pumps could be installed to begin extracting heat from the water. This untapped resource could then be used to warm homes. Sustainability experts and Scottish Power (who are part-funding the research) are championing the project as a solution to fuel poverty issues prevalent in some areas of Glasgow, particularly those with a mining legacy hidden beneath their feet.

A pilot scheme of the plans has been running in Glenalmond Street in Shettleston for the past ten years in which time, the sustainable design initiative 'Sust' have deemed the scheme a success.

Read the news article, and the Sust report below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21443745
http://www.sust.org/pdf/glenalmond.pdf