#building projects

"... the council’s own assessment of the proposed site warns that the new town would be at risk of regular flooding and that development could cause “landscape harm”. ..."

“...The Malvern Hills AONB’s own lighting guidance warns that once dark skies are lost, they are almost impossible to regain. This development would effectively write off one of the last good stargazing spots left in the Midlands”, he added.

Sudden light pollution over the Malvern Hills would devastate natural habits, Mr Gamble added, noting that councils must take light pollution into account when allocating land for planning.

“Nocturnal animals – bats, moths, owls, hedgehogs – rely on true darkness to hunt, navigate and breed – artificial light throws their whole ecosystems out of sync”, he said. ..."

".Now, light pollution expert Ben Gamble, has warned that Glynchbrook threatens the “priceless” and “incredibly rare” dark-sky site at Castlemorton Common – 2.9-miles from the proposed new town."

“Light pollution is now recognised as a form of pollution under the Environment Act and in national planning guidance.

“Councils already have to assess air, noise and water pollution; light should be no different. It affects biodiversity, public health, and the character of protected landscapes like the Malvern Hills National Landscape.

“Ignoring it isn’t just short-sighted – it’s legally and morally indefensible when better lighting solutions exist and when other sites with lower environmental impact are available.”

Mr Gamble’s concerns were shared by local residents, all of whom want to see the Glynchbrook plan scrapped. ..."

"The assessment also recognises that the 113.8-hectare site is “poorly located for low carbon access to services”."

For the people who aren't from countries where it's more so domes of light than it is dark-sights, I must say, it is always rather ominous when I see cities in a distance. Even with modern lighting being so cold and blue-looking. They still look like tall domes fire. It's quite terrifying, really. Now imagine youre a creature that is practically blind in the light and can only truly see in the darkness. Imagine losing one of the final few places in the midlands that you can finally see, live, forage, hunt, meet others, copulate, so that the beings that took everything else and covered it in concrete, to have yet another place.

And for the people that don't care about animals, think about the fact that this is one of the last places in the midlands where you can actually see some of the stars. Light pollution travels so far, and despite the fact that I live in a forest, and the closest town is an hour away (via motorway), we can still see where the town is, as it creates a wide lightdome where it is at night. It's all rather frustrating when you want to see the stars, but literally can't, as the light is causing reflections to happen in the atmosphere, thereby making the sky less transparrent.

I find it so deeply depressing that most people alive today have never actually truly seen the stars.

“It will no longer be a rural oasis. It’ll be just another hill, next to an anonymous town.”

---

"A plan for a new town near the Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire border has been described as a "horror story" by nearby residents."

"Andrew Elliot, from Bromsberrow, said: "It's a travesty, it's a horror story". Herefordshire Council and Malvern District Council have both lodged opposition to the plan."

"

"Speaking to BBC Hereford & Worcester, Elliot said infrastructure in the area was "already bursting".

"The schools, the doctors, the dentists and Forest of Dean District Council are suggesting 3,500 new homes, which could equate to possibly 9,000 people.

"Do they think they're going to service them within the Forest of Dean district? Personally, I think that's very unlikely.""

"

He added: "Quite simplistically, Glynchbrook should be taken out of the draft Local Plan, end of."

Elliot also said he had experienced issues with the authority's consultation process, which he described as "so user unfriendly".

"I have found it complex, I have found it confusing, and I know I'm one of very, very many others who have found it really daunting indeed," he said.

"I know many people who have just given up trying to voice their concerns.""

yup, let's just take the whole forest, shall we. It's not like we need them to survive, breathe, and eat, or anything. No, not at all. Let's just smack a new settlement, right slap bang in the middle of everything. I'm sure it wouldn't negatively impact the encironment, local, infrastructure, etc. at all, in a negative way/s

""It's right up to the border of the area of outstanding natural beauty, which is the Malvern Hills," she explained."

Let's also ignore that some of the towns close by are under protected status, shall we.

5 years of dreaming

2 years in the making

In awe of, and very grateful for, Tony's vision, skills and hard work day and night to make those dreams a reality.

And with help from our friends we got soil and seedlings in - just in time for the growing season.

Dedicated to our beautiful boys, Harry and Wynter 🧡🧡

Alvar Aalto Designer

edited by Pirkko Tuukkanen

Alvar Aalto Museum,  Jyväskylä 2002, 240 pages,  1st edition,                    ISBN 9789525371048

euro 90,00

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An extensive English artwork about Alvar Aalto's design

Through the innovations in form and line that were born in his furniture designs, Aalto’s name has also become important in the history of design. Articles written by experts will shed light on many aspects of Aalto’s wide-ranging scope as a designer of furniture, glass and light fittings. Articles: Ásdís Ólafsdóttir: “Known all over the world” – Alvar Aalto as and International Designer Kaarina Mikonranta: Alvar Aalto – Master of Variation Pekka Korvenmaa: More light? Timo Keinänen: Alvar and Aino Aalto as Glass Designers Catalogue of Alvar Aalto’s Major Furniture Designs Catalogue of Alvar Aalto’s Glass Designs Manufacture of Alvar Aalto Furniture Production of Aalto Vases CV Aalto’s Main Building Projects

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If it has been a while since you last visited Oakland, CA, you are in for a surprise.  Over the last few years, Oakland has seen dozens of new construction projects throughout its downtown core and nearby neighborhoods. The Conco Companies have been pleased to be involved in several of them.  

One example is the Brooklyn Basin Parcel B Project, which is a 7-story residential housing project from the developer and owner, the Signature Development Group.  Along with 241 housing units, the 308,270 sq. ft. building includes 3,000 sq. ft. of ground floor commercial tenant space and 241 parking spaces.  The waterfront project is located at the corner of Brooklyn Basin Way and 9th Street and is adjacent to a park.   The building’s façade features a range of materials including concrete, metal siding, cement and glass.

Conco’s responsibilities on the project included providing concrete pumping, reinforcement, formwork, finishing, shotcrete, and Confoam services.  We placed 19,850 cubic yards of Confoam and 8,500 cubic yards of concrete as well as shotcrete.  Conco also provided 1,400,000 pounds of rebar and post tension reinforcement.

Another couple of projects we recently provided concrete services for are the Hanover Waverly and the Hanover Uptown at Valdez Street and 27th Street. Both projects are developed by the Houston-based owner, the Hanover R.S. Limited Partnership. The Hanover Waverly is a 7-story, mixed-use project that consists of 224 apartments and 22,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail.  The architect, TCA Architects designed the contemporary-style structure to take advantage of the curved lot and highlights the building’s location.  The Hanover Waverly also offers below grade parking with 226 parking stalls and has an exterior comprised of high quality materials including stone, brick, glass, metal wall panels and cement plaster.  

The Hanover Uptown is a 7-story, mixed-use project that consists of 253 residential units including studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and more than 33,100 sq. ft. of ground floor retail.  For both projects, Conco provided concrete pumping, reinforcement, formwork, finishing, and shotcrete services.  

The Conco Companies are proud to report that one of our recent projects is the Second Place Winner of the American Concrete Institute’s 2017 Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards in the High Rise category.  One of only 12 winners internationally, the Premiere on Pine (formerly known as 815 Pine) is a 42-story tower that highlights the structural and technological advancements made in the concrete industry over the last several years.  

This year’s winners were recognized at the “Celebrating Concrete Innovation and Excellence Across the Globe” Awards Gala that took place during the ACI Concrete Convention and Exposition.  In addition to Conco  serving as the concrete contractor for the Premiere on Pine’s project, the team included owner and developer, Holland Partner Group; architect, Weber Thompson Architects; general contractor, Holland construction Inc.; engineering firm, Cary Kopcznyski & Company; and Concrete Supplier, Stoneway Concrete.

The Premiere on Pine is constructed with high-strength concrete and reinforcing steel to create maximum floor space for the small site and is the first building in Seattle to have a specified concrete strength of 15,000 psi in its columns.  This allows the high-strength columns to be smaller than those in similarly sized buildings. Another innovation was to place the concrete continuously through the slab penetrations, which eliminated the need for concrete puddling around the columns.  

The building is the tallest residential tower in Seattle, WA and offers residents a range of amenities including a hotel-inspired rooftop sky lounge and five levels of above-grade parking and five-levels below. In addition the apartment units offer spectacular views of the Cascades, Puget Sound and downtown Seattle.  

Conco was pleased to be selected for this unique, challenging project as well as to be a part of such an exceptional team.  We are extremely honored to receive the ACI’s 2017 Excellence in Concrete Construction award.