Websites
Detonator
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More from 4
Building the Best
www.channel4.com/science/microsites/B/buildingthebest
This site looks at the cultures, styles and techniques that feed such developments around the globe – on land, on water and in the air.
Demolition Day
www.channel4.com/science/microsites/D/demolitionday
More insight in to building demolitions including an aqueduct, a lighthouse and a car park.
Going Critical
www.channel4.com/science/microsites/G/
going_critical/critical_index.html
Disasters don't just happen. They are the result of events locked together in time. The science behind what went wrong in a number of disasters is the subject of this website.
Grand Designs
www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/grand-designs/
Presenter Kevin McCloud follows individuals with some of the best ideas in
grand designs for their homes across the UK
Manser Medal 2005
www.channel4.com/4homes/microsites/S/
stirling_prize/manser.html
While the Stirling Prize recognises landmark architectural works, the Manser
Medal, presented in association with The Best of British Homes, rewards more
modest buildings – it is given to the designers of the best one-off house
in the UK.
RIBA Stirling Prize 2005
www.channel4.com/4homes/microsites/S/
stirling_prize/index.html
This prestigious £20,000 prize is awarded to the designers of the building
that is judged to have made the greatest contribution to British architecture
over the past year. This year it went to The Scottish Parliament Building.
Supercity Planner
www.channel4.com/science/microsites/B/
buildingthebest/game_city.html
You have £10 million to spend, how will you build your section of Supercity?
Tower Game
www.channel4.com/science/microsites/B/
buildingthebest/game_tower.html
Can you build the ultimate human tower?
Articles
Broomgrove – Power to the People
www.hastings.gov.uk/about/issue15_broomgrove.aspx
Inspiring article showing how local residents managed to get an eyesore building
removed and turned into a ‘green’ community area.
Eyesore Removed in Show of People Power
www.chestereveningleader.co.uk/ihome3/
readarchive.asp?storyid=38575&officeid=5
Article about how people power forced the removal of a 20-year old eyesore
from a village.
Life After Carbuncles
www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/
0,11710,1218271,00.html
Over 20 years ago Prince Charles denounced a piece of modern architecture
as a 'monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much loved and elegant friend'.
What was the impact of his outburst?
From here to Modernity
www.open2.net/modernity/inner_frameset.htm
Modernists changed the British landscape forever. This Open University site
describes how they did it and has lots of examples.
Urban Design
http://society.guardian.co.uk/urbandesign/
0,11200,595812,00.html
Excellent coverage in The Guardian on a wide range of topics from
planning and architecture to housing design and redevelopment.
General links
Architecture.com
www.architecture.com
One of the world’s most extensive built environment portals from the
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). It features events listings
and information on the organisation's activities, including awards, education
and competitions.
Architecture Week
www.architectureweek.org.uk
National public celebration of contemporary architecture, which will take
place from 16-25 June 2006. Check out the site for contact details.
Better Public Buildings
www.betterpublicbuildings.org.uk/
In 2000, the Prime Minister asked ministers and departments across government
to work towards achieving a fundamental change in the quality of building
design in the public sector. This is the associated website with some online
publications.
Brutalist Architecture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brutalist_architecture
The brutalist movement flourished from the 1950s to the 1970s and this page
looks at many of the UK buildings, with accompanying photographs.
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
www.cabe.org.uk
All the latest design reviews from the government's architectural watchdog.
It includes details of the latest initiatives to improve the design of public
buildings.
Constructing Excellence in the Built Environment
www.constructingexcellence.org.uk
A group set up to promote new construction and procurement methods in housing.
Design for Homes
www.designforhomes.org
A website dedicated to improving the design of new housing. In a bid to spread
good practice, it contains extensive case studies on the best housing designs,
both planned and built, and it gives out an annual award.
DirectGov – Home and Community
www.direct.gov.uk/HomeAndCommunity/fs/en
Loads of info on your home and your community, including environmental matters,
planning, repairing, renovating and much more.
The Great Buildings Collection
www.greatbuildings.com
Gateway to architecture around the world and across history. Documents 1,000
buildings and hundreds of leading architects, with 3-D models, photos, architectural
drawings, commentaries, bibliographies, web links and more.
Planning Portal
www.planningportal.gov.uk
Government website with lots of useful public information on the planning
process.
Planning UK
www.planning-uk.com
Town planning information portal with loads of info and advice, useful links,
a number of discussion forums and key town planning documents.
Regeneration – UK
www.regeneration-uk.com/Info/intro.htm
Information portal that provides an easy-to-use reference guide to regeneration
information on the internet. The site has news, policy documents and several
discussion forums.
SalvoMIE.com
www.salvomie.co.uk
A government-backed website which connects people who have materials from
demolitions and deconstructions with those who are looking for materials
for building and renovation projects.
Get campaigning
Action Network
www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork
Does something need changing in your neighbourhood? This is a great place
to start up a new campaign, join one, post comments and advertise any public
meetings that local people should know about. You can browse areas such as ‘environment
and planning’ to see if there are any campaigns or eyesores about to
be constructed near you.
Beyond Architecture
www.badbuildings.co.uk
This is the home of the campaign by George Ferguson to introduce the X-listing
of selected bad buildings for demolition. If you agree with his campaign
this is where you can sign his petition.
Guides to Help You Get Something Done
www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/guidelist
The BBC has a really useful page of information on how to take action on
problems that affect you, like organising a campaign or starting a petition
against the building of an eyesore.
Placecheck
www.placecheck.info/
This is a fantastic online tool that you can also download. It offers a method
of assessing the qualities of a place, showing what improvements are needed
and focusing people on working together to achieve them.
Risky Buildings
www.riskybuildings.org.uk
Website of the Twentieth Century Society, which campaigns to save buildings
under threat in the UK. Read about these sometimes stunning buildings and
join their campaign.
Save Our Street Campaign
www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.5411
Junior ‘Clutterbusters’ give street eyesores the red light in
a new campaign to clean up the streets of London.
Understanding the Planning System and Influencing Planning Applications
www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A1939944
Maps out the principles of planning, how to appeal against either rejection
or approval, and much more.
The buildings
Bidding Opens for Elephant and Castle Redesign
http://society.guardian.co.uk/urbandesign/story/
0,11200,1416741,00.html
This Guardian article, written in February 2005, looks at Southwark
Council’s framework for regeneration in this notoriously neglected
and ugly shopping centre.
Centre Point Tower, London
www.urban75.org/london/centrepoint.html
Excellent page with loads of photos of the building and a full report on
how a long series of extraordinary and cloudy dealings resulted in planning
permission being granted in 1959.
Northampton Town Centre
www.ketteringtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?
SectionID=324&ArticleID=1070906
Interesting piece about the current state of Northampton town centre, including
the ‘eyesore’, Greyfriars bus station. A new Commission is to
be set up to try to revive the heart of the county town, and will include
business people, residents and shoppers.
Officials Condemn ‘Carbuncle’ Tag
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4362410.stm
Article looking at Cumbernauld, which has won a Carbuncle award
and been named Scotland’s most dismal town for the second time running.
The Rotunda, Birmingham Architecture and History
www.virtualbrum.co.uk/rotunda.htm
Great tribute site to the Rotunda, with a history of the building, photos
of views from the 15th floor and the regeneration that is currently taking
place in Birmingham.
Save Britain’s Heritage – Tyntesfield
www.savebritainsheritage.org/tyntesfield.htm
Looks at a determined campaign to save this vast and extravagantly decorated
Victorian gothic mansion in Somerset.
The Scottish Parliament
www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/images/latest/
Official website with photos of the new, award-winning, Edinburgh complex.
Usable Buildings
www.usablebuildings.co.uk
The Usable Buildings Trust aims to improve buildings through better understanding of their performance in use, and more care with their design, construction and management.