The design of the mixed-use development for Berkeley Homes received total support in the announcement from the ODPM’s office, which included an outstanding endorsement from the Inquiry Inspector, Mr Reid, in his report.

When the RSC Board decided to build a 1050 seat theatre last October, the challenge was to design it, obtain planning permission and build it within 16 months. It is on schedule to be completed in April 2006, and the new Courtyard Theatre enclosure is nearly complete, and interior works have commenced. The transformation of The Other Place theatre into the new foyer, booking office, bars, shop and theatre support spaces has also begun on site.

ARK have received confirmation from the DfES that the Westminster City Acdemy 4 can now proceed to full design and Ian Ritchie Architects Ltd will be working closely with ARK, Arup structures (David Glover) and Arup services (Andy Sedgwick) and DL cost consultants (Rob Knight). www.arkonline.org

The Publishing Group, Faenza, Italy, has organised an International Architecture Award for design and sustainability, titled “Innovative Architectures: Design and Sustainability”. Ian Ritchie has accepted to chair the jury which will take place in Faenza 20-21^st January 2006.

The aim of the competition is to identify and reward the best architectural solutions incorporating one or several technological façade systems which suggest a holistic synthesis of design and intelligent technology. Completed projects by the competition deadline are eligible. There is also a student competition. Prizes total €10,000.

Ian Ritchie will preside over the jury for the Prix Compasso Volante international student design competition between students at the schools of architecture in China - Tsinghua University, Beijing; South Korea - Hanyang University, Seoul; Italy - Milan Polytechnic and France - Lille, and Paris La Villette schools. The Award takes place in Paris, October 1^st.

The British Association of Science Week in 2005 takes place in Dublin (3-10 September). The BA Festival of Science is one of the UK’s biggest science festivals. It attracts 400 of the best scientists and science communicators from home and abroad who reveal the latest developments in research to a general audience.

Ian Ritchie will debate the relative values of design, marketing and engineering at Trinity college on 6th September.
www.the-ba.net/the-ba

Saturday September 24th 11.30am - 12.30pm
Homeless and confused, the characters in Shakespeare’s comedies are cast into a magical exile. If Shakespeare were writing now where would he make his characters run to? Join Theatre designer, Tom Piper, Architect, Ian Ritchie, Actor, Lia Williams and Adam Sampson, Director of Shelter to ask where the new realms of exile and mystery are? Hosted by RSC associate Director Dominic Cooke.
www.rsc.org.uk

The Irish Courts Consortium, in which Ian Ritchie Architects are lead design consultant, have been selected as one of three PFI consortia to prepare proposals for Ireland’s new Criminal Courts Complex in Dublin.