+44 (0)207 939 0985
mail@baca.uk.com
+44 (0)207 939 0985
mail@baca.uk.com
2nd Apr 2010
Baca Architects have been appointed by British Waterways to develop a waterspace strategy for Liverpool's South Docks - a 70 hectare site of which 35 hectares is water. The masterplan will develop and unlock Liverpool's waterspace potential to form an internationally recognisable and sustainable waterway and waterfront destination. Julie Sharman, Head of Regeneration North at British Waterways said “British Waterways is pleased to be appointing Baca architects to prepare an innovative and creative water space strategy for Liverpool South Docks. We believe that Baca will bring an interesting new approach to waterspace design that will unlock the potential of these wonderful docks and the World Heritage Site, and ensure their sustainable future as an important part of the City.”
4th Feb 2010
The Green Dot Awards is an annual, international award competition that recognizes businesses, entrepreneurs, designers and innovators that are focused on creating projects, products and services that honor the environment.
Baca were awarded the Green Dot Award, third place for the best other entries category. The LifE project demonstrates an innovative planning approach to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
http://www.greendotawards.com/winners/index2.php?type=Other&compName=2009%20Green%20Dot%20Awards
28th Jan 2010
Baca were awarded the prestigious European prize and €10,000 euros for ‘The LifE project’. IULA recognised urban design solutions for the challenges of dynamic population changes and shifting economies, placing emphasis on energy-efficiency and demonstrating solutions to some of the most pressing environmental challenges we face.
The event was supported by Topos magazine and sponsored by Eurohypo AG, leading international bank for real estate and public finance. London’s Olympic Park was awarded Silver. Gold was awarded to the regeneration of Bremerhaven new habour in Germany.
6th Jan 2010
Maintaining our 100% planning record, Baca have secured full planning for a major affordable housing scheme for the East Thames Group in Crow Lane, Romford. In his final report the Planning Inspector wrote that the scheme would ‘introduce a high-quality contrasting modern architecture, designed as a coherent whole, which would give the street scheme and surrounding area a lift . . . in my view the design has struck an appropriate balance between achieving efficient use of the site whilst complementing the local area.’
5th Jan 2010
The LifE project (Long-term Initiatives for Flood-risk Environments) is one of five projects shortlisted for the International Urban Landscape Award, IULA, organised by Eurohypo AG together with Topos. Other shortlisted entries include Lea River Park, London and West 8's New Living in Hamburg-Jenfeld. The winners wll be announced on 26th January 2010 in Frankfurt.
Simon Guy, Professor of Architecture at the University of Manchester and Chair of the IULA Jury said: “The shortlist of entries for IULA ‘09 demonstrates the contribution to sustainable development these five projects can make to the urban landscape. The innovation and broad ranging ideas for developing flexible, low carbon, publicly accessible developments greatly impressed the jury"
9th Dec 2009
Baca Architects were awarded the RIBA President's Awards for Outstanding Professional Practice-located Research for their project LifE (Long-term Initiatives for Flood-risk Environments), about which the judges commented: 'The documents communicate well, are skillfully illustrated, and are easy to navigate, serving as valuable references for practitioners and students who must deal with the urgent pressures from climate change and the demand for secure and affordable housing.'
27th Nov 2009
Baca Director, Robert Barker delivered a key note speech explaining how to design flood resilient cities, to a packed international audience at UNESCO, Paris. He presented findings from the award winning LifE project, eco-resort in Nijmegen, Holland and other innovative ideas from the Baca studio.
18th Nov 2009
Baca Director, Richard Coutts, speaks at the Royal Institute of British Architects about the practice's research led design approach, how this has led to innovative forms of architecture and how this model could allow architectural practices' to adapt and transform to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.
15th Nov 2009
The Royal Academy of Arts presents Earth: Art of a changing world will present new and recent work from more than 30 leading international contemporary artists, including commissions and new works from the best emerging talent.
Friday 4 December, Gallery 10, Focus Works of Art: It’s My Island l-lV, 2007, Antti Laitinen
A forum with artist Antti Laitinen speaking about his piece Its My Island and Robert Barker and Richard Coutts of Baca Architects discussing the challenges and solutions of architecture and engineering to house a rising global population, constructing on areas previously not built on and designing buildings to cope with rising water levels. David Buckland will moderate the ensuing discussions.
http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/gsk-contemporary-season-2009/plan-your-visit/
27th Sep 2009
Our new memorial for HRH Royal Marines to honour all Marines killed in action since 2000, is unveiled by General Andrew Salmon CMG OBE; the current Commandant General Royal Marines.
Our brief was to design a ‘fitting’ memorial that would allow friends, family and comrades of fallen marines to grieve and commemorate their passing. The memorial is not for a specific event or engagement but a memorial that must embody the spirit and core values of the marines for the next 100 years. It needed to be designed to allow the names of marines to be added in the future in a collective and coordinated fashion.
BBC spotlight covered the story: http://www.baca.uk.com/pages/publications-war-memorial
8th Aug 2009
Baca’s research project - LifE (Long-term Initiatives for Flood-risk environments) makes the final shortlist of 4 for the RIBA President's Awards for Research - Professional Practice-located Research.
The awards help to promote and champion high-quality research and encourage its dissemination and incorporation into the knowledge base of the profession. They contribute to raising the profile of architects, practitioners and academics engaged in outstanding research, and raise awareness of the need for research across the profession to foster innovation and strategic thinking.
Winners will be announced in November 2009
4th Aug 2009
Following our work with water in Dordrecht and the LifE project here in the UK, we have been invited to propose designs of ‘international allure’ for a new peninsula in Nijmegen, that will be created as part of a extensive dyke relocation programme along the River Waal (the Dutch section of the Rhine).
The brief calls for a 70m residential tower, new footbridge, approx. 200 houses and a new theatre.
The invited practices are: West 8 Architecture, Rotterdam; Neutelings Riedijk, Rotterdam; Vera Tanovshtchinsky Architectens, Gravenhage; Mecanoo Architecten, Delft; 24H Architecture , Rotterdam; Schneider & Schumacher, Frankfurt; Atelier Dreiseitl, Uberlingen; Baca Architects, London.
1st Aug 2009
We are pleased to announce that the launch of our first major publication – The LifE Report. Funded by Defra, and written by Baca Director, Robert Barker the LifE (Long-Term Initiatives for Flood Risk Environments) Project is an integrated design approach to achieving sustainable, adaptable (to climate change) and safer development
This report offers substantial guidance for those involved in achieving flood risk management and sustainable development in new construction works. It shows how this can be achieved, what it might cost and how it might look. Forward by Sir Neville Simms, chairman of BRE Trust.
The book is available from the BRE Bookshop: bookshop@bre.co.uk
ISBN: 978-1-84806-101-9
28th Jul 2009
Work is nearing completion on a new memorial for HRH Royal Marines to honour all Marines killed in action since 2000.
Our brief was to design a ‘fitting’ memorial that would allow friends, family and comrades of fallen marines to grieve and commemorate their passing. The memorial is not for a specific event or engagement but a memorial that must embody the spirit and core values of the marines for the next 100 years. It needed to be designed to allow the names of marines to be added in the future in a collective and coordinated fashion.
The dedication ceremony is to be held on the 27th September 2009.
1st Jun 2009
British Waterways, in partnership with H20 Urban Ltd, has today announced Baca and PCKO Architects as winners of a competition to remodel five historic Spits Barges to create an exceptional mixed-use scheme in London's Docklands.
British Waterways’ London director, Mark Bensted said: ‘The approach demonstrated design flare and variety with considerable thought given to the three main areas of animation; the dockside, the urban space around the barges and the on-deck space.
The work is on exhibition in ‘BARGE: breathing new life into Docklands’ at the NLA centre, Store Street, London.
15th May 2009
Baca Director, Richard Coutts fronts ‘Waterworld’, a TV short for BBC Scotland’s Learning Zone. Developed for 11-16 years old and shot on location at the Thames Barrier and at Baca HQ, Central London this programme explores existing solutions to dealing with flooding and introduces an alternative approach of ‘Making space for Water’. The programme also visits Dr. Chris Zevenbergen, our colleague for the Dordrecht flood-proof pilot, and showcases his companies amphibious homes in Maasbommel.
http://tinyurl.com/bbc-waterworld
1st May 2009
Groundbreaking started today on the Smith House in the picturesque Chilterns.
Further information on the Smith House can be found in our Residential sub-menu or via the link to the ‘Building Design’ article below.
http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3130233
10th Mar 2009
Following the successful launch of the LifE project at the Mayor of London’s Living Room at City Hall, Baca Director’s Barker and Coutts were invited to Westminster to meet with Rt. Hon Peter Jackson, Shadow Minister of the Environment.
The MP for Peterborough was particularly interested in the LifE proposal for site 2, located on the River Nene in Peterborough.
17th Feb 2009
The LifE Project was launched today at the Mayor of London’s Living Room, City Hall, to a packed room of UK and international representatives from local and national government, the Environment Agency, the HCA, the RIBA, architects, planners and engineers, including Jean Venables the president of the ICE.
The launch showcased the first publication from the DEFRA funded project, the LifE Handbook, a concise introduction to flooding and development. It contains useful references to other sources of information and further reading. The LifE handbook is available from the BRE Bookshop.
‘It’s a model of distilled expertise and a great example of an architect-led initiative with benefits for all’
Hugh Pearman, Editor,
RIBA Journal
