AIA UK Building Tour Series 2025 - The Blue by Just Inn, Tszwai So

Join AIA UK for an online tour of The Blue by Just Inn, by Tszwai So, which received a Commendation in the Professional - Medium Projects category at the 2024 AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards.

When: Thursday 17 April 2025 @ 13:30 (Eastern US Time)/ 18:30 (UK time)
Where: Online
CES Credits - Estimated 1.0 LU/HSW for AIA Members

RIBA Members may count this activity towards their CPD recording requirement.

Speaker

Tszwai So, Spheron Architects

Description

The Blue is an experimental transformation of a 50-year-old commercial building in central Taipei into a public art piece/functioning hotel for a Taiwan-based affordable hotel chain. Originally built in 1970 as an insurance office, the ten-story, 2,000 m² building was retrofitted to explore low-cost, low-carbon renovation strategies common in the Global South. The newly refurbished hotel features 56 guest rooms and a free art space on the GF. The project minimised carbon emissions by upcycling waste materials from the original structure into new artworks and installations. Retaining much of the existing fabric and rejuvenating components instead of demolishing them ensured sustainability while lending the interior a raw, natural aesthetic. This marks the most ambitious project under the ‘Emotionalist’ initiative, an international art/architecture movement reflecting on humanity in an AI-dominated era. Inspired by the Taiwan Blue Magpie, the building’s striking blue hue comes from locally sourced iron oxide.

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AIA UK Building Tour Series 2025 - Collège Amadou Hampaté Bá by Article 25

Join AIA UK for an online tour of Collège Amadou Hampaté Bá by Article 25, a winner in the Professional - Medium Projects and Exemplary Performance in Sustainability categories at the 2024 AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards.

When: Thursday 29 May 2025 @ 13:30 (Eastern US Time)/ 18:30 (UK time)
Where: Online
CES Credits - Estimated 1.0 LU/HSW for AIA Members

RIBA Members may count this activity towards their CPD recording requirement.

Speaker

Toby Pear, Senior Architect, Article 25

Description

Article 25’s project for Collège Amadou Hampaté Bá in Niger was conceived as an exemplar school design for the Sahel region. The classroom blocks are built using locally-sourced laterite stone as a beautiful, affordable, low-carbon alternative to the ubiquitous cement blocks. Meanwhile the roof form, which is inspired by Francis Kéré, helps cool the interiors passively to create comfortable environments for teaching and learning in.

The project has recently been recognised with a RIBA International Award for Excellence, and awarded two prizes by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) – Medium Project Winner and Exemplary Performance in Sustainability.

Article 25’s Senior Architect Toby Pear hosts an online ‘building tour’ to present the project’s successes along with some lessons learnt.