Jane Embury, director, looks at high wind loading. Last week, Hurricane Laura battered the coast of Louisiana, with wind speeds of up to 150mph. It was one of the strongest storms to ever hit the US Gulf Coast, killing fourteen people in Louisiana and Texas. In Haiti, which was earlier badly hit, at least 31 […]
public safety
Foreseeing the unforeseeable
Jane Embury, director, looks at perceptions of safety and looking to the future. If COVID-19 has taught us anything it’s that we must be better prepared. It’s a lesson that government must learn to counter any further pandemic. We should also review contingency plans for other possible events. The lesson of COVID-19 is that, while […]
What next for public architecture?
In the first part of her article on public sector building after Covid-19, director Jane Embury looked at some of the financial pressures the country faces. Here she weighs up construction costs with whole-life costs. Earlier this week, I outlined my worry that the new austerity brought on by COVID-19 may lead to new public […]
A toxic legacy for public building design?
In a two-part article, Jane Embury, director, looks at the future of architecture in civic building. Here, she looks at the toxic legacy of COVID-19 that may shape civic architecture. Coronavirus has touched every aspect of our personal and working lives. Its effects will probably be felt for years to come. While the country struggles […]
Town centre trauma
Jane, Embury, director Wrightstyle recently cautiously welcomed the government’s pledge to “build, build, build.” The prime minister has promised to build hundreds of thousands of new homes across the UK. He’s also promised investment in major infrastructure projects. The prime minister likened his £5 billion pledge to US president Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1930’s New Deal. […]