A PLASTIC SHED IN DEPTFORD

In a few days, the Royal Institute of British Architects will announce the 2003 winner of the coveted Stirling Prize. One contender on the short list of finalists is Laban, a studio for contemporary dance, designed by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron. The translucent, polycarbonate-clad shed shimmers with color in contrast to its industrial site. Next week, ArchitectureWeek contributing editor Don Barker will guide us through Herzog and de Meuron's first new construction in the United Kingdom.

CHANGING BUILDINGS BY LEGISLATION

Since ratifying the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the United Kingdom has enacted legislation to enforce its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Despite grumbling in the conservative construction industry, these laws have paved the way for buildings like the new headquarters for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in Wimbledon. Next week, Ross French, of the engineering firm Rybka, will show how the new laws have fostered a more integrated and creative approach to design.