All articles by Marcus Fairs – Page 4
-
FeaturesThe mask of command
After an exemplary career in the military, Sir Antony Walker has taken up service with Aqumen. He tells Marcus Fairs some of his secrets of leadership.
-
FeaturesAction stations
The British Army is about as tough as clients get: complex, demanding, and heavily armed. Victoria Madine looks at how contractors can get a piece of its rapidly increasing capital budget, and on pages 45-46 Marcus Fairs interviews a general who's also a construction guru
-
FeaturesSwiss ease
From the land of chocolate and cheese comes another remarkable product – a slot-together modular building system, not unlike Lego, called Steko. Marcus Fairs went to see the first UK project to use the blocks – a cliff-top home in Cornwall
-
Comment
Big top for tall towers
The City may fear that it stands to lose out to other areas of London, but its insecurities should not be allowed to dictate London's policy on tall buildings
-
NewsArup: We have fixed the Millennium Bridge
Engineers warn that many other bridges may have to be modified to prevent the same effect occurring.
-
FeaturesHanif Kara
Hanif Kara, founding partner of structural engineer Adams Kara Taylor, knows that image can be crucial when you're building a business. So how come he's so nervous telling Marcus Fairs about his own?
-
Features
Welcome to the eurozone
With the euro now in 300 million pockets, and even creeping into Britain's high streets, it'll be hard to ignore Europe in 2002. For our industry, the €64,000 question is whether the currency will eventually turn the UK into the north-west region of the biggest construction market on earth.
-
Features
PFI: off the critical list
For a while, it looked as if the PFI – and with it the business plans of dozens of contractors – was sinking under a welter of abuse. Now, parliament's bookkeeper has found that it does offer value for money.
-
News
Egan warns against turning to architects for advice
Strategic forum proposes role of independent construction adviser to give occasional clients impartial advice.
-
News
Firms should link up to help occasional clients, says Egan
Strategic forum urges construction firms to band together to offer framework-style savings to all clients.
-
Features
Market forces
Construction doesn't understand marketing, according to John Pratt, chairman of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. He spoke to Marcus Fairs about his frustration with an industry that thinks his discipline is about printing more business cards
-
Features
The invisible men
The government claims to be clamping down on illegal immigrants, so why is it apparently ignoring the thousands of foreign workers coming into the country to work on construction sites? A Building investigation suggests the situation is all too convenient …
-
News
BAA puts Heathrow and Gatwick projects on ice
Company insists major schemes have been deferred, not cancelled, as £90m Gatwick project put on hold.
-
Features
Outside the box
Charlie Luxton was a student when TV decided he was architecture's answer to Jamie Oliver. Building met him and found he's a pretty good riposte to housebuilders, too.
-
Features
Damage limitation
The World Trade Centre disaster has led to heightened concern over attacks on prominent buildings. We examine what is being done to reduce the terrorist threat and limit the damage that can be caused
-
Features
Mark Whitby
The next president of the ICE talks to Building about his role as construction's voice on the New York tragedy, and his passion for his profession.
-
Features
Scottish parliament: The true story
Building was given exclusive access to the site and team behind one of the most misunderstood projects in recent history. Over the next eight pages, we tell the tale of triumph over adversity and interview Benedetta Tagliabue, widow of architect Enric Miralles, who is taking her husband's vision forward.
-
News
NHS Estates to pay more for better hospitals
The cost of new hospitals is set to rise in order to encourage better design.
-
Features
Benedetta Tagliabue
The widow of Scottish parliament architect Enric Miralles talks to Building about her husband's death and taking over the reins of his most controversial project.