Issue#02—2020

Editorial: We hope that our latest issue acts as an antidote to the present uncertain circumstances that we all find ourselves in.

In this issue, we focus on the use of galvanized steel as a protective cloak that either acts as a means of preservation, or as additional structural support – for a sports centre in Barcelona this even helps to provide a green shield from the scorching Spanish sun.

These simple interventions can make a big impact to the use of a new or existing building. Carmody Groarke have cleverly taken the principle of a box and refashioned it into a way of protecting and preserving the national treasure that is Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s The Hill House.

In Prague, Šépka Architekti have made a unique addition to a 1930s house by cloaking it with a structural frame that provides access to a delightful roof terrace. A more discreet use of galvanized steel has been made by John Robertson Architects with their recladding of Great Arthur House for the City of London Corporation. Hidden detailing provides fixing points and transference of loads for the vibrant new cladding.

Finally, in the picturesque town of Monschau, Germany, a new bridge will provide access for pedestrians and cyclists for over 100 years. Designed as a single-span structure, three galvanized steel beams with a concrete deck have replaced a dilapidated concrete bridge.

Iqbal Johal, Editor