RECLAIMING WEST KOWLOON IN HONG KONG

An open competition for the West Kowloon Reclamation in Hong Kong presented a milestone for the city's architectural profession. It not only paved the way for an innovative master plan for a cultural hub, it unlocked previously denied opportunities for private-practice architects to participate in the design of civic buildings. Next week, in the first part of a two-part article, writer Bernard Chan will explain why this is a direction most architects in Hong Kong have been hoping for.

COMPUTING SUSTAINABILITY

One of the most complex problems for architects interested in sustainable design is knowing what materials are "green." Are they recycled? Local? Renewable? Which factor is most important? And is it really "green" just because the manufacturer says it is? The choices can be bewildering. Next week Margaret Montgomery, an architect with NBBJ, will describe some life cycle assessment software that helps answer these questions.

BETTER IDEAS IN STEEL

The American Institute of Steel Construction recently announced the winners of their annual "Innovative Design and Excellence in Architecture with Steel" (I.D.E.A.S.) awards. This program honors projects in which structural steel forms a prominent architectural feature of the building. One of the winners was a building for the Des Moines Area Community College, in which the functional spaces were organized to resemble the interior of a computer. Next week we'll look at this and a few other I.D.E.A.S winners.