The last day of the Archivisit tour started off with a session focused on Facade Engineering thanks to Clyde Abela from Wintech.
A brief presentation on the engineering aspects of modern facades and new materials and technologies involved. Clyde – a façade engineer by profession – explained that façade engineering is a specialization in the design process and a close collaboration between the architect, structural engineer, façade engineer and interior designer is required to provide an integrated high quality end product.
The insightful presentation was followed by a site visit at one of the high rise residential development being currently developed at Elephant Park (another major regeneration project in London). Wintech are responsible to oversee the façade unitized components coming together, as designed and tested up to certification.
Finally, Archivisit Day 4 ended in style when the group visited Foster + Partners design studio. Foster + Partners is a global studio for sustainable architecture, urbanism and design, founded by Norman Foster in 1967. Since then, he, and the team around him, have established an international practice with a worldwide reputation. With offices across the globe, we work as a single studio that is both ethnically and culturally diverse. F+P are also currently designing the MIDI Manoel Island with iAS acting as their local architects.
After a short tour around the studios, Toby Blunt from F+P gave a presentation to the students who also engaged in a meaningful debate about design inspiration, use of software and detailing. After the presentation the students also visited the model making workshops.
