NEW DIMENSIONS FROM ARUP | NO.4

performance by design

Business, buildings and the world around us: the impact of design 04_Business 07_News 10_User- 12_Case 13_Spotlight 14_Incomplete by design Some of the latest centred studies: A focus on how city John Miles, news from around design user-centred Rogier van der Heide, Malcolm Smith, Chairman of the Arup world. design Global Leader of Director of Urban Arup Management Arup Lighting, Global Consulting, Consultant, Dave Design, explores introduces this Ian Rowe, Head brings design and future-proofing Evans, explains of Human Factor technology together edition of Aµ, how truly user- the design of talking about the Integration, gives to improve business cities for long- centred design can case study examples productivity. importance of good have a beneficial term sustainable design and its role of how Arup has performance. impact on personal helped businesses in creating genuine productivity business advantage. achieve superior and business performance performance. through stakeholder involvement in the design process.

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2 | A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 16_Cost 18_Green 20_Case 22_Enabling 24_Interview: 27_ savings design study: design innovations Sir George Cox Innovations

by design Mick Hall and Tom for energy Feedback from a Sir George Cox, A round-up of Mike Willford, Arup Armour from Arup's efficiency two-day workshop, former Chairman innovation stories Environmental hosted by Arup, of the Design from across Fellow and Leader How Arup helped of Arup's Advanced Consulting to review how Council, talks about Arup, including Business discuss Pfizer save money innovation, the importance of sustainable Technology & and improve Research Group, how we can create creativity, design design in business product design and more sustainable their business and lateral thinking and society. Copenhagen Metro illustrates how performance. advanced technology environments can affect the redesigned. can identify areas by considering bottom line. for cost saving in landscape and design. ecology at the beginning of a project.

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This edition explores the importance of good design and the role it plays in creating genuine business advantage for Arup’s clients and lasting value for society. John Miles, Chairman of Global Consulting, sets the scene by exploring the meaning of “good design” and illustrating how it can lead to good business.

In the late 1950’s, the City of Sydney decided it wanted an opera house that would identify that city in the eyes of the world. They wanted an icon. The city conducted a competition to find the right design, and subsequently appointed a little-known architect from Denmark on the basis of what appeared to be just a few hand sketches depicting a sleek, provocative, shell structure. It was a bold leap of faith. The architect’s name was Jorn Utzon… and he called on Arup to help transform those sketches into reality. The final product, the Sydney Opera House, caused a great deal of pain during the design and construction period but, in the end, it surpassed all expectations. During the course of its development, the Opera House went from being a national scandal (as the costs ballooned and the timescales slipped) to becoming a 20th Century icon that sits on a par with the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal in terms of instant recognition. Oddly, it was never recognised as a particularly good opera house but there is no doubt that the building put Sydney on the world map. It gave the city a profile it could not have achieved any other way. What, do you think, has been the business benefit of the Opera House to the City of Sydney over these past 50 years?

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1 Sydney brochure (by permission of Tourism New South Wales)

2 A machinist in Henry Ford's Red River plant in Michigan © Getty Images

3 Raymond Loewy’s classic Coke bottle © The Coca-Cola Company

4 Apple iPhone (image courtesy of Apple)

5 (over) The CCTV tower in Beijing

In a slightly earlier era, North America’s was a benevolent act, or simply a search for the benefits of a cost-cutting programme; RKO network invested in a string of new greater productivity, is not clear. But the a supply-chain re-design; or a transfer of cinemas of modern, art-deco, design all effect of this design intervention was to operations. But how do you estimate the value the way across the USA. The chain was an enable production outputs to be achieved of the Opera House or Raymond Loewy’s enormous success, and RKO was widely that were previously unheard of, whilst Coca-Cola bottle, even with the benefit of acclaimed as a result. Except in a town in enabling the Ford enterprise to boast that it hindsight? Without a quantitative appraisal, Iowa where, against all expectations, the was a good and conscientious employer. there always has to be a leap of faith at the local RKO cinema was a complete flop. All of these examples illustrate the beginning of the road to good design. Despite vigorous house-management efforts, role that good design can play in the So, what is good design? It isn’t always the Iowa locals doggedly walked past the development of to do with aesthetics, indeed, sometimes attractive red carpet on the steps of the The Sydney good business. The it is the opposite, as evidenced by RKO’s RKO building and made their way to the Opera House creative input of rubber mat. And it isn’t always delivered by rather down-market competition further gave the city talented designers a designer name (who remembers the name along the street. a profile it enabled activities in of Henry Ford’s architect?). But it always It took some while before a design could not have such diverse spheres springs from a fundamental appreciation consultant finally understood what was achieved any as municipal of the purpose of a product (or service), and happening. The local farming community government; an allied ability to create original ideas that was not prepared to walk on the new red other way. entertainment; and significantly enhance the performance of carpet in their dirty work boots. The carpet manufacturing to be enhanced enormously, that offering. was duly replaced with a rubber mat, and with consequent benefit to all. Original thought is an indispensable the locals flocked to the new cinema. A If it is successful, good design can create hallmark of good design. Rule-based case of a small, but important, design value far in excess of the quantitative, business improvement processes, by their insight which unlocked the far bigger process-oriented, business improvement nature, can be replicated at will, but the potential of the new cinema. disciplines taught at business schools, good creative instinct that produces great design Even earlier, in the early decades of though those processes are. We need look no always has a uniqueness and freshness the 20th Century, Henry Ford pressed his further than today’s iPhone for further about it. That is why great design confers architect to put skylights in the roof of evidence of that claim. But, unlike those real business advantage and that is what his new River Rouge plant in Detroit so conventional business improvement makes good design so valuable in business that the workforce could enjoy a decent processes, good design is not easily amenable terms, despite the lack of quantitative working environment on his newly to a priori quantitative analysis. There may assessment tools which can be applied invented production line. Whether this be calculations that can be done to estimate to it. (continues)

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 5 The advent and significance of performance-based engineering design

In the past, conceptual design has existed in the provinces of intuition and art, whilst Age’. Understanding and predicting engineering design has existed in the the distribution of air movements, provinces of strict methodology and the temperatures and humidity levels within application of rule-based criteria. With a and around the complex shapes defined by few notable exceptions (Utzon and Arup, our buildings is vital if we are to design for example) there has always been a divide systems that simultaneously minimise our between these two essential elements of the environmental footprint and maximise design process. human comfort and productivity. This type Today, however, all that is changing. of simulation demands an understanding of Computers and simulation technology have 5 that most complex interaction between the begun to free the engineer from the slavery worlds of physics and human perception. of rules, and open the door to a much more spectacular CCTV tower in Beijing (above) What, for example, defines ‘comfort’, and creative relationship with the conceptual is just one example. This new technique is what type of environmental conditions designers. Performance-based design is also able to address areas of design that are foster greater productivity in an office a term that has been coined recently to relatively new. For example, exploring how or industrial context? Our historic, rule- describe an approach to design that stands buildings behave under extreme loads is based, methods could never come close to apart from the rule-based methods that increasingly a requirement in this modern providing effective answers to questions have traditionally dominated the world of world. The response of façades to impacts such as these. But the use of performance- engineering design. The difference between and blasts; the collapse of structures based simulation techniques now opens this, and the old rule-based approach is following severe fires; the shock-response the door to exploring all sorts of new and enormous. of floors supporting sensitive equipment creative design solutions and sets the scene In rule-based design, the designer – all of these things can now be predicted for talented designers to create opportunities is required to follow an accepted set of from first principles with a high degree of for real business improvement. rules that is deliberately constructed in a confidence. Consequently buildings can be But, in a business-oriented world, how cautious manner to ensure that a margin of constructed more economically, and their can you seek abstract attributes like ‘talent’ safety exists to protect against uncertainty envelope of allowable use can be extended. and prove their value in a risk register or and the unknown. Such methods The result is better client value, unlocked consultant evaluation exercise? sometimes preclude design deviations by the informed judgements of good This question, interestingly, brings beyond specified limits and, because of designers. us back to where we started. The City this, they sometimes represent a severe But the potential for performance-based of Sydney sought an icon which would constraint on what can be achieved. ‘You design goes well beyond conventional be instantly recognisable. There was no can’t do that’ is the unwelcome result. engineering needs. Historically, engineering prescriptive formula which could be In the performance-based approach, design has been limited to the principal applied. There was, simply, a leap of faith. the ‘rules’ are set aside, and the designer technical disciplines They retained the creative genius of the sets out to predict how the real product At the time of his of structural, little-known Utzon who, in turn, leaned on behaves from first principles. The ability to appointment, Ove mechanical the creative genius of Ove Arup. The result do this has only been conferred in recent Arup had a well- and electrical is with us today. times by the arrival of enormous, and earned reputation technology. Today, At the time of his appointment, Arup readily available, computing power. But the as a man able we also use very had a well-earned reputation for being a consequence of this is that the engineering advanced simulation man able to engineer buildings that others designer is now released from to engineer techniques to help couldn’t. His work was characterised by the application of rules, and is freed to buildings that us understand and an ability to think originally and give explore all sorts of previously prohibited others couldn’t… resolve problems form to creative, new, design solutions. technical solutions. Original thought has and give form which involve the The development of performance-based been allowed to enter the process and, to creative, new coupling of these design methods now helps us to ensure by the definition suggested above, an design solutions. disciplines with that original thought, and creative opportunity to create enhanced value has human perception design, continue to be seen as defining been presented. Does this open the way to and response. Examples are acoustics, characteristics of our firm. The articles better overall design and consequently to lighting, crowd movement, emergency which follow in this edition of Aµ illustrate significant market advantage? evacuations and security. this point. There is plenty of evidence to suggest Further examples of this type of coupled Through the continuing exercise of this is the case. At Arup, we have designed design problem lie in the developing area our design abilities, we intend to ensure increasing numbers of buildings that would of ‘workplace performance’. We live in that our clients continue to get results have been uneconomic (or impossible) if we what might be increasingly described that confer real market advantage in this had used rule-based design methods. The as the beginnings of the ‘Ecological competitive, ecological age.

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snow and 1 climate change Delivering a low-carbon UK

Over 500 business leaders gathered at Arup’s One Big Day event in London on 11 December 2007, to discuss how government, business, technology and society can work together to deliver a low-carbon UK by 2050. Jon Snow, the award-winning journalist and broadcaster chaired the event and praised the firm for its vision in moving the climate change 2 debate beyond the ‘why’ and to the ‘how’. Guests received high-quality presentations from HSBC, Arup, the Greater London Authority, WWF, The Climate Group, and New Scientist magazine. They also participated in open workshops facilitated by the Cambridge Programme for Industry and engaged in a lively ‘question-time’ session. A full report on evidence captured from interactive questions throughout the day 1 John Snow chairs is published in a special supplement with One Big Day Photo: Hamish Boyle this issue of A2. Findings will also inform a white paper to be prepared later this year. 2 Interactive voting on key themes took place Additionally, an online forum will be launched by Photo: Hamish Boyle Arup from 1 February 2008, in partnership with 3 Arup's 4-D integrated New Scientist magazine. modelling incorporating transport, architecture www.newscientist.com and pedestrians 1 3 picture this Advanced planning design

Arup is pioneering the integration of pedestrian and transport simulations with high-quality architectural rendering software. Combining the software can deliver advanced visualisations of design performance. Arup planners who commonly use micro-simulation software packages, Legion and Vissim, have been working with the designers of our 4-D Realtime software to add a fourth dimension to their models. The extra dimension means that for the first time, clients can visualise how a space will look and perform with accurate pedestrian and vehicle movements included. For business leaders, stakeholders and public consultations, the communication benefits are immediate. Seeing a design in operation makes it easier to appreciate its innovation and detail, as well as demystifying technical complexity. The potential of combined 4-D modelling in urban planning has already been harnessed by the team working on the redevelopment of King’s Cross. It is also being researched for future use in Dongtan eco-city in China.

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 7 1 Detail from Arup's new signs of signage manual for Dublin Driving in the times airport the sunshine 2 The Panasonic World Future of airport design Solar Challenge 2007 Solar car wins award covered 3 000km of Streamlined signage and an accompanying challenging Australian road A solar powered car sponsored by Arup, has won an design manual are being developed by Arup © World Solar Challenge environmental awareness award at the Panasonic World to improve the passenger experience for 3 Graham Sparey-Taylor Solar Challenge in Australia. Dublin Airport in Ireland. and team with their Solar The vehicle, built by a Welsh team for just £8 000 and led vehicle Gwawr (‘Dawn’) Like many international transport by lecturer Graham Sparey-Taylor, competed in the 3 000km operators, Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) 4 Gwawr on the road race from Darwin to Adelaide on 21–28 October 2007. has been affected by rising passenger Its impressive performance capability is highly significant numbers, retail growth, and slower check-in says Arup’s Head of Vehicle Development, Neil Ridley: times because of heightened security. Extra “We supported this entry because it used off-the-shelf signage and reduced mobility are immediate components and technologies to demonstrate what can consequences of expansion and Arup was 1 already be achieved with sustainable transport.” hired as part of a project team to make Arup is currently leading the development of sustainable wayfinding easier. transport solutions by assessing the energy and carbon By aiming to provide passengers with usage involved in vehicle manufacture, use and recycling. the right information, at the right time, Arup Ridley continues: “This ‘dust-to-dust’ approach provides has updated DAA’s signage, reducing it by the most thorough method of comparing new designs and 30%. On-site trialling of new signage and selecting those least damaging to the environment.” user group testing of the accompanying It is anticipated that this type of whole lifecycle vehicle design manual has indicated significant testing will soon become commonplace and could be part of improvements. the legislative or taxation regime in the future. “The business benefits of better design are clear”, says Arup Consultant Jo McKiernan: 2 “Good wayfinding can encourage passengers to turn up to the gate on time, spend money in shops, and use the airport again.” Similar results have also been delivered by Arup for Hong Kong International Airport.

Sustainability policy shapes strategy A sustainable approach to business

A team of Arup’s business leaders has formalised the sustainability policy that shapes the firm’s global strategy. The policy supports a process of continuous improvement and integrates Arup’s core sustainable values across its business, people, facilities and external relationships. This central framework and sustainable knowledge toolbox can be easily referred to by Arup businesses on behalf of their clients. It is also driving the development of region and sector-specific sustainability strategies that are being rolled out across the firm’s global operations. Arup Group Sustainability Director, David Singleton says: “At Arup, we believe there is an overwhelming case for taking a sustainable approach to business; it is an intrinsic part of any project solution.” With this policy in place, Arup is working to pursue, promote and develop sustainable business outcomes, both for clients and in-house. 3 4 www.arup.com/arup/policies.cfm

8 | A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 treading exchange lightly of ideas First footfall analysis white paper published Carbon trading boost

Experts at Arup’s software house, ability to predict absolute vibration Al Gore, former US Vice President and Nobel Oasys, have authored its first white levels at all locations on a floor. Peace Prize winner, was guest speaker at the paper on footfall vibration and finite Crucially, this enables consultants recent launch of Sydney-based Financial and element analysis. The development to position sensitive equipment and Energy Exchange (FEX) – a platform for the follows the launch of a new version services, or to improve problem trade of carbon and environmental commodities of Oasys’s popular GSA structural areas in a cost effective way. and derivatives. design and analysis software, Arup’s methodology was Arup is part of the FEX Advisory Group, which now incorporates footfall developed by the Advanced 5 and has developed the FEX Climate Voluntary analysis. Technology and Research Group Emissions Reduction Protocol. This prepares Version 8.2 of the software is and has been used extensively FEX member businesses for future carbon particularly useful for clients with within Arup for the past five opportunities and constraints by measuring, sensitive vibration requirements years. This methodology has been reducing and offsetting their emissions. such as hospitals, laboratories and adopted by the Concrete Centre, 5 Al Gore with Cathy FEX combines a national carbon registry, airports. The accompanying white who published an Arup authored Crawley (Sustainability a sustainable investment market, and a carbon paper offers a reference guide to ‘Design Guide for Footfall Induced Business Unit Leader) at and environment exchange that pre-dates the launch of the Financial the software’s capabilities, and also Vibration of Structures’, in 2006. and Energy Exchange in the emerging mandatory Australian scheme gives an overview of the vibration It also forms the basis of the new Sydney by a number of years. These structures are problem, market drivers and how to Design Guide published by the 6 GSA vibration and underpinned by FEX Climate which facilitates measure footfall. Steel Construction Institute in 2007. footfall response results carbon market demand and supply by on building and bridge Among the benefits highlighted directing investment towards climate conscious www.oasys-software.com structures by the white paper is GSA 8.2’s businesses, technologies, and product and service providers. Arup is pleased to be involved in the development of the FEX business model, as it presents a tangible, commercial way for business to make the transition to a low-carbon future.

www.fexclimate.com Strong medicine Healthcare productivity reforms

The second independent review of NHS 6 spending, written by Sir Derek Wanless, was published recently, revealing significant room for improvement in how and where money has been spent over the last five years. The review, Our Future Health Secured? was written in September 2007 for the Kings Fund – an independent charitable foundation working for better health. It reveals that, since 2002, there has been little evidence of improvements in productivity. This is despite an average real terms increase in yearly healthcare spending of over 7.5%, and the increase in numbers of doctors and nurses exceeding all targets. To support productivity improvement, Arup has been working with the NHS to manage the potentially conflicting challenges of improving patient care, cutting waiting times, enhancing facilities, reducing costs and boosting staff morale. Using lean techniques in partnership with clients, we are assisting them to improve pathway and process performance, freeing up time to add value to the patients and improving job satisfaction.

www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 9 A poorly designed workspace can have a real impact on productivity and business performance. Dave Evans examines Arup’s research into balancing the needs of people with systems to achieve truly user-centred design. Gty Images Getty ©

10 | A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 The way people work is changing and Once extensive user-centred research more of us are using our homes as has been done, practical solutions can Design for Human Performance: offices, or ‘hot-desks’ within the business be designed and applied. This can bring Research Excellence environment. Providing the right numerous benefits – helping teams to Through Collaboration infrastructure to measure and cater for form and be more effective in their Cambridge, December 2007 this change is essential to creating an performance, supporting organisations environment that inspires creativity and through significant change, and planning This Arup Research Network Forum collaboration in individuals and teams. and delivering maximum outcomes. fostered collaborative opportunities The workplace has an enormous effect on Recently conducted reviews of with academia and industrial partners the psychological wellbeing of the people psychological literature have helped Arup around the theme of Design for Human Performance. It was organised in in it and this should be factored into the to understand the science of workplace collaboration with Leeds University, design mix from the start. Arup business design and behaviour. Findings have also with guests including representatives consultant Dave Evans, specialises in revealed that ineffective design has a host from networking organisations, design business change, organisational behaviour of counter-effects. For instance, while open universities, manufacturing, automotive and and organisational development and says: workspaces can improve communication, telecommunications industries. “Early research into the client’s visions, they can also create a potentially negative Invited guest speakers gave presentations effect on interpersonal relations and values and desired outcomes including user on the needs and challenges facing needs, ensures that the right environment job satisfaction by encouraging the businesses in the area of design for human is created first time, saving effort and onset of intra-group conflict. ‘Hot-desks’ performance. These were followed by lively money that might otherwise be spent on also emerged as a prominent driver of discussion on issues such as design for redesign and retrofit later.” workplace dissatisfaction, as they cause stakeholder benefit, inspirational workplaces For architects and engineers, designing an undesirable reduction in individual and social sustainability. to accommodate the different physical workplace identity if they are poorly The event concluded with all delegates attributes, emotional needs, intellectual introduced or designed. proposing future topics for further abilities and workload demands of Having an intimate understanding of collaborative research around this theme. individuals is challenging. It takes the everything about an organisation, from These topics were summarised into three design and planning process far beyond its its mission and structure to customer and that will be developed and shared with usual boundaries and requires input from stakeholder relationships, can give vital research councils and potential research experts that are not normally included in insight into performance-enhancing design. partners: building design programmes. “At Arup we Despite this, ensuring that an organisation’s 1. Design of the workplace for new use a range of methodologies to engage facilities reflect its persona and culture work styles architects and engineers in design work is still very much an afterthought for 2. Green agenda and human behaviour that brings users into the process – from an many, admits Evans. “When a decision is individual, group or societal perspective”, made to redesign an existing workplace, 3. Building design and corporate productivity says Evans. “Gaining a comprehensive or commission a new facility, the key understanding of people’s interactions challenge for us is to raise the profile within an organisation’s daily operations of user-centred input on the project and analysing working styles can really management agenda.” Projects like those change programme as well as a facilities help to define and achieve the desired at the Merseycare NHS Trust and King’s management project”, Evans points out. organisational vision.” Cross station have been defined by early “Creating a programme to manage new engagement with stakeholders and staff. design transitions can help to enhance In these cases, Arup has achieved a final employee morale, corporate culture, Vital statistics design output that is most closely aligned operating procedures and processes, and Poor working environments could be with organisational aims, objectives and organisational structure.” costing British businesses more than working practices. While effective design may be difficult £135bn every year1 Ideally the design approach should to measure in financial terms, it is be multi-layered. In the first instance, clear that the full-term operating costs Six out of 10 office workers believe associated with populating and running their workplace has not been designed engineers are focussed on the built to support their company’s objectives, environment and application of the an organisation or a building are likely to or their own job function2 most appropriate technology. Secondly, far exceed the capital outlay of the facility. operations people concentrate on Ensuring a building is designed to optimise An employee’s workplace is developing processes that enable the the effectiveness of individuals and teams representative of 24% of his/her design to be exploited effectively. Finally, that will be working within it seems job satisfaction3 deployment of socio-technical approaches like an obvious and financially sensible Good design can reduce absenteeism by can be used to combine people, process investment. “As organisations, designers 15% and increase productivity by 20%4 and technology within the prevailing and individuals, we must continue to look 1 ‘These Four Walls, The Real British Office’, Gensler environment. This three-pronged approach critically at our workplaces and what we do , Design & Planning Worldwide, 2005 unites the design team and is applicable in them”, concludes Evans. By considering 2 HSBC research, cited in ‘Management Issues’ magazine 18 July 2005 to any project – from an Olympic Park, to the human impact of a new building and 3 & 4 ‘The Impact of Office Design on Business a building, station, or office.” Any change examining how it performs once people Performance’, Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment and the British Council for Offices, cited in workplace design, whether through are using it, we can get closer to striking a in Management, Issue 23, May 2005 refurbishment or commissioning of a new true balance between people, systems and facility, is effectively an organisational technology in every design.

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 11 case studies

Healthcare User-centred Merseycare NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK designs in practice Arup was commissioned to develop plans for a number of new healthcare facilities for Merseycare NHS trust in Ian Rowe, Head of Human Factor Integration, explains: 2007. Our organisational consultants and occupational “People are more likely to accompany an organisation on its psychologists deployed some simple behavioural tools to journey through change if they feel engaged and involved in understand how the building design could be maximised influencing that change. Arup has helped clients achieve superior from a staff morale perspective. Staff from five different performance across sectors including healthcare, transport and hospital sites (1) were sampled using a range of techniques media, by involving the people who will use the finished product including observation, unstructured interviews and focus in the design process.” groups. The effects of temperature, ventilation, space, safety and working processes were factored into the study. Arup 1 2 business consultant, Dave Evans explains: “Viewing physical environments as operational tools that can influence how people work enabled us to go beyond the surface to gain deep perceptions of each facility as a workplace.” The team found that the basic design approach could significantly ● 6 contribute to improved performance and an organisational culture that is more conducive to staff and patient wellbeing.

Public transport King’s Cross St Pancras Underground, Euston and Canary Wharf stations © Partnership Health Group When designing a new control room for King’s Cross St Pancras Underground Station in London (2), Arup consultants worked alongside the people who would be operating the controls to reach the most effective solution. By consulting end-users about the best layout for the equipment that they would sit at every day, we were able 3 to find a solution that would deliver optimum performance. Consulting users from the start of the design process also helped to make them feel part of the change and ensure that the performance benefits were sustainable. Making people feel like part of the process allowed them to carry the changes forward, work more effectively and efficiently, and ultimately deliver better business performance. Solutions for other public transport providers include helping Network Rail to re-align its team goals before taking over from Railtrack. Arup has also conducted crowd studies at Euston Station and Canary Wharf, to enable evacuation plans to be designed around how people actually behave in an emergency.

Global Media Operator BSkyB

Some organisations recognise ‘design for human performance’ as essential to their business strategy. As global broadcaster BSkyB want to inspire their staff with a new decentralised UK campus in Osterley, West London (3), Arup are working with stakeholders at every level to ensure that people’s work and personal requirements are being met. Studio and office buildings are being consolidated by the site’s campus-style framework which is being defined by a central, covered pedestrian corridor known as ‘the spine’. The spine provides covered pedestrian movement and access, landscaped areas in which staff can work and socialise, outdoor places for broadcast and a large area for entertaining. This flexible and integrated design concept recognises from the outset, that good design is essential to enabling optimum human and business performance at BSkyB.

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Since joining Arup in the Netherlands in 2003, a light touch Rogier van der Heide has become a major Rogier van der Heide profiled for Aµ creative force in the global lighting design and consulting sector business. As a leader of innovative, creative and well-executed projects all over the world, Van der Heide’s approach is focused on bringing Arup’s design and technology businesses together: “I like to show clients how we can deliver a true value proposition by developing and implementing better design, regardless of the disciplines involved”, explains Van der Heide. “Clients are showing an increasing Name: desire to converge design and technology Rogier van der Heide IALD (International into solutions that drive their businesses. Association of Lighting Designers) For us, this means bringing together experts Position: from all over Arup to work holistically Global Leader of Arup Lighting and Consulting and gain a thorough understanding of the Sector in the Netherlands client’s business.” Biggest challenge: This level of integration only works Converging design and technology to create when clients take part and collaborate unique, holistic solutions with designers. To make this happen, Van der Heide and his team ensure that every Most innovative work: client has a thorough understanding of the Louis Vuitton’s award-winning worldwide value of light and media: “Across the world, lighting concept we have lighting design teams that are Future aspirations: diverse groups of individuals. This enables “Influencing Arup’s design and us to develop multi-dimensional views technology business to act as a more holistic 1 on projects, and combine artistic flair with team, regardless of the disciplines involved.” sound technical excellence.” Arup’s designers are trained to think 2 beyond lighting. While every project has some level of innovation, Van der Heide believes that the best examples use existing, proven technology in a ‘new, different and unexpected way’. A high profile example of this is Louis Vuitton’s worldwide lighting concept. Design was led by Van der Heide and centered on a ‘smart and well integrated concept’ that ‘fused materials, light and architecture together into a single

1 Rogier van der Heide environment creating a total experience’. The approach was recognised in 2006 with the 2 Galleria West, Seoul Madrid LV store winning an International 3 Louis Vuitton, Madrid Association of Lighting Designers Award 4 Louis Vuitton, Hong Kong of Excellence. Rogier had already received the coveted IALD Radiance Award in the previous year for his work on Galleria West in Seoul. Creating a ‘total experience’ with lighting can improve a business’s productivity by making people feel happier and more inspired at work. But calculating commercial value is different for every client says Van der Heide: “The best design does not just improve functionality or sustainability, but adds intrinsically to the client’s processes or business, at a very fundamental level. A holistic approach that brings together the full spectrum of Arup’s design and technical capabilities can elevate a solution from 4 3 function-driven, to business-driven design.”

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 13 14 | A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 Designing cities for long-term sustainable performance is the natural thing to do, argues The Malcolm Smith, Arup Director of Urban Design. Incomplete To see the performance benefits of this approach you have to look no further than the efficiency of a beehive. By designing our City cities according to dynamic performance criteria – the same kind of process through which nature designs a beehive – they will have a dynamic, rather than absolute, relationship with the environment around them. For example, when you’re designing a building, you consider its impact on air quality, but you don’t consider that in isolation. You also look at its relationship with acoustics, wind speed and a host of other factors. This kind of bio-mimicry is a complex way of understanding cities’ relationship with the environment around them. To achieve it, we’d do well to pay attention to the lessons nature has to teach us. Mimicking the performance of eco-systems in urban design requires decentralised networks – energy, water, social, and financial. The recent flooding in the UK has shown the vulnerability of centralised systems to events which may occur more frequently as a result Resource depletion and climate change are In the UK, developments such as of climate change. Why design a system affecting the way we think about urban Stuart Lipton’s Broadgate Arena show where hundreds of thousands of people design. If we are to achieve sustainable understanding of the value public realm rely on one power station and are performance – environmentally, socially, has to offer corporations and people vulnerable if it should fail? Creating such and economically – from our cities in an alike. The Stratford City masterplan a network would increase resilience and uncertain future, we must design urban embraces seven new pieces of public realm, reduce risk. environments that can respond rapidly to including a series of water cascades and Delivering infrastructure – power, waste, change. This means thinking not just about North Park, an urban space which can water and sewerage – locally would unlock the specifics of climate change but con- hold 10 000 people. And in Northstowe, the market and enable local communities sidering how design can improve the ways a new town being designed for the north to take part in the delivery of their services. people interact with their environment – west of Cambridge, 80–90% of the 25 000 This would localise flows of money, the city as an eco-system. population will be within 200m of open people and intellect, and increase social It’s an idea that’s essential for the future, space, able to walk there in five minutes. accountability. If the person who provided and one that’s relevant and marketable today. UK Government agencies are beginning your power lived next door, you’d have a Businesses embracing this idea are already to insist that social infrastructure linking social as well as a financial connection. reaping the rewards. For example, developers people to each other and the environment Re-localising cities through integrated are increasingly recognising the corporate is embedded in developments. With this urbanism challenges the notion that value of civic space. People with access to infrastructure in place, cities can self- city-making is the realm of the heroic open space are happier and more productive. negotiate and respond rapidly to future individual. This is no longer the case. It’s So by creating public realm alongside private change. Think about London after the Great now the realm of negotiated interface residential or commercial space, developers Fire in 1666: people were re-building their – careful attention to the way all the are able to add value both to their buildings houses and businesses around the existing different elements work together. Individual and the people who live or work in them. infrastructure before Wren could put his visions of urban futures date before the The space taken by adding a park, for example, grand design for the city into action. We concrete is poured but by understanding is offset by the increased population density can harness this natural idea to develop the inter-relationships at work, we can in modern buildings resulting from factors sustainable cities that can respond quickly create cities designed to perform in an such as hot-desking in offices. to change. ecological age.

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 15 cost savings BY DESIGN from Advanced Technology Mike Willford explains how innovative designs can save millions of pounds and improve corporate performance on many projects. But gaining the maximum benefit requires a holistic approach, big thinking and questioning of conventional design methods.

16 | A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 Using performance-based design and Innovative seismic design Sustainable vehicle design sophisticated numerical simulation A highly unconventional concept helped How do you reduce CO2 emissions from technology, Arup’s Advanced Technology save $1M in construction costs on Maison a vehicle? One way is to reduce its weight, and Research Group has realised Hermès in Tokyo – architect Renzo Piano’s cutting the amount of fuel needed to drive major cost savings in the real world slender, transparent glass building. Arup it along. That’s exactly what our vehicle by exploiting innovative ideas. designed a structure which allowed design engineers did with the SuperLIGHT- columns to lift slightly at their bases in CAR, a collaborative project co-funded by Controlling wind sway major earthquakes. Numerical simulation the European Commission. A novel approach to controlling the sway showed better performance in the strongest Working in partnership with several of tall buildings in the wind saved in excess earthquakes than a conventional structure European car makers (Volkswagen, Fiat, of $5M in construction costs on a 60-storey using three times the quantity of steel. Opel, Renault, Volvo, and DaimlerChrysler) residential building in Manila. The original A similar idea saved almost $2M on we helped bring lightweight automotive scheme required large tuned liquid dampers another prestigious project in highly technologies closer to reality for high which took up valuable space at the top seismic San Francisco. Instead of the volume car production. If the project’s of the building. The alternative, patented conventional use of ground anchors to ambitions to allow a 30% weight reduction by Arup, is a damped outrigger system tie foundations down, we demonstrated in C-class car models of the future are incorporating viscous dampers connecting by advanced simulation that the modest fulfilled, it will save millions of tons of reinforced concrete outriggers from the degree of uplift on unanchored foundations fuel and carbon dioxide emissions. central core to the perimeter columns. It was acceptable – and the cost of anchors permits reductions in structural element unnecessary. sizes, cuts construction costs, and increases This kind of holistic performance- income potential with extra floor area. based seismic design – considering the structure and foundation together – can Designing lighter roofs often demonstrate that a simple design A new method of processing wind tunnel will perform better than a more expensive, test measurements is leading to significant conventionally designed solution. This 2 cost savings for long span roofs. Time- was the case with a liquefied natural histories of pressure distribution over the gas (LNG) facility on very soft ground in surfaces of a roof are measured in wind Trinidad. Conventional design required tunnel model tests, and conventionally a ground improvement and seismic isolators roof is designed to resist the peak pressures to achieve a viable design for the 70m applied in distributions selected by the diameter, 120 000 tonne tanks. Simulation Assessment of existing structures engineer to allow for various spatial proved however, that if the weight of the Advanced simulation can reduce the need pressure variations and factored for tanks was supported on an economic steel for expensive refurbishment work. Consult- dynamic amplification. The distributions piled foundation, ground improvement ants had originally assessed a multi-span are necessarily conservative since the was unnecessary. Existing soft soil would masonry arch bridge carrying a trunk road process is inexact. In the new method, naturally provide ‘free’ lateral seismic in the UK as requiring expensive strength- the many measured pressure time-histories isolation. ening work. Arup were able to prove that are applied directly to a dynamic model of the bridge had adequate capacity, without the structure, involving a computationally strengthening, by using an advanced intensive analysis, providing much more simulation methodology that we developed reliable and accurate wind response and validated with full scale testing. predictions than the conventional approach. This enables the weight and cost of stadium and other long-span roofs to be minimised. The technique has been adopted for several major roofs now completed.

Opposite Numerical simulation of masonry arches 1 Arup Damped Outrigger System 2 The SuperLIGHT-car in development © Volkswagen AG 1

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 17 Green design

From new cities to green roofs, landscape and ecology can improve performance as part of an integrated design solution. By considering them from the very beginning of a project, we can create sustainable environments which are beneficial for communities and business.

18 | A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 Green space is well-known to be desirable; were able to limit grass growth and reduce proximity to it increases property prices. In the need for maintenance. This approach Dongtan eco-city, China, ecology and layout also had the benefit of promoting the strongly dictated the urban layout. Wildlife biodiversity of the grasslands, allowing 14 corridors were created to connect people different communities to be established. to nature and these linear parks mean that Integrating landscape and ecology everyone is within three minutes’ walk into the project process has helped mega- of open space. This strategy increased the projects like High Speed 1 move through the value of property without increasing the Incorporating landscape and planning process and be built successfully. cost of construction, improving the city’s ecology considerations into But they also have implications for business. financial performance. It also provided an integrated design has We’ve worked with developer British Land wildlife corridors, increasing ecological proven performance benefits. at board level to see how their business performance, and the landscape design work It is performance that’s truly decisions engage with biodiversity and help has won a 2007 Landscape Institute Award. them create a strategy and minimise risk. It’s Arup’s work on a 150 hectare new town, sustainable in all senses of something that shareholders are demanding. in Shangdong province, China, integrated the word: environmental, So by demonstrating their commitment development needs with the site’s history social and economic. to encouraging biodiversity, they can and natural environment. With the area potentially increase their share price. struggling to keep up with water demand, We helped British Land design green we suggested turning drainage culverts roofs that would be appropriate for their into terraced parks in order to capture plants to develop. We went back to basics to business model. Their work includes refur- rainwater and build soil. The terraces use identify the key components and processes bishing existing buildings and building new natural resources to maintain themselves, on which the communities were based, and ones in London and standard green roof give people access to open space, increase designed a straightforward and low-tech products aren’t always right for these situ- the value of nearby property, and help solution that would achieve the desired ations. By finding a suitable solution, we’ll retain water for the city’s use. The parks result. The woodland soils, full of fungi and help them meet their own corporate respon- also provide safe and extensive cycle and invertebrates and plant progagules would sibility commitments and those of their pedestrian links through the city. be the key to the success of establishing stakeholders, such as the Mayor of London’s For High Speed 1 (formerly known as the full woodland community of oak Living Roofs initiative. But because the the Channel Tunnel Rail Link) and as part trees, brambles, bluebells, wood anemones, design will produce a roof which has per- of the Rail Link Engineering consortium birds and mammals. Now, eight years on, formance benefits (in areas such as insulation also comprising Bechtel, Halcrow and woodland communities similar to the and water retention as well as biodiversity) SYSTRA, Arup conceived and realised the original are growing on the sites. A low-tech they’ll be able to embed a commitment to high standards of landscape and ecology but carefully designed solution is delivering biodiversity at the heart of their business design that were essential to the potentially good performance. and deliver improved performance. contentious project. The design also provided Too often mitigation is piecemeal: for Incorporating landscape and ecology cost-effective and sustainable solutions. example, clumps of trees squeezed around a considerations into an integrated design The low-lying route meant that more than new business park can become neglected by has proven performance benefits. It is 10M cubic metres of soil were left over after office workers and not achieve the predicted performance that is truly sustainable in all construction. Instead of sending it to landfill mitigation value. But landscape and ecology senses of the word: environmental, social (which would have been both costly and considered as part of the integrated design and economic. wasteful), we used a sustainable solution to can improve performance by reducing improve the reference design – providing maintenance and even generating an an integrated route that blended into the income stream. The regenerated woodland landscape, delivered new habitats, and sites were carefully selected so that they provided noise bunds thus reducing the need expanded existing woodlands that were to erect special noise fencing. being managed successfully – the client A key objective for High Speed 1 was wasn’t left with odd pockets of land to to re-establish as quickly as possible the look after. Additionally, the trees planted woodland communities of Kent through included sweet chestnut, which have value which the route cut, many of which were to commercial forestry. And because High of ancient origin. Specialist lifting up of Speed 1 requires 12m of clear space either habitats and translocating them wholesale side of the tracks to ensure trees don’t fall is costly and is not always successful, and on the line, it creates grass areas which although planting trees will establish a could be a maintenance burden. However, canopy layer, it takes a long time for the by landscaping 430 hectares with low Above Mick Hall (L) and Tom Armour (R) field and ground layers of typical woodland nutrient subsoil instead of rich topsoil, we Main The ‘living roof’ at California Academy of Sciences

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 19 case study design for energy 1 supply air static pressure reduction The air handling unit static pressure setpoint was found efficiency to be set much higher than necessary. By reducing the setpoint, Arup was able to reduce peak and overall electrical Arup’s Strategic Energy Consultants energy consumption. Annual* electricity saving: 569,402 kWh / $62 565 conducted a major energy audit for a Pfizer. The result was a major 2 exhaust fan static pressure reduction improvement to their bottom line. Similar to supply, the exhaust fans were set at excessive static pressure setpoints. By reducing the setpoint, Arup was able to reduce peak and overall electrical energy consumption. Annual* electricity saving: 192,127 kWh / $20 787 Arup’s comprehensive audit on Pfizer’s existing campus of buildings in California led to the 3 reduce space airflow identification and implementation of efficiency Airflows to many spaces were found to be in excess of the measures worth over $1M per year in savings building occupants’ needs and code requirements. Arup plus a reduction of 5 000 tons of CO annually. 2 found and implemented an average 23% reduction to CFM Opportunity (cubic feet per minute), while the night-time CFM brought an To improve corporate sustainability and reduce average 30% reduction. energy costs, Pfizer looked to Arup to identify Annual* electricity saving: 1,744,673 kWh / $321 486 and implement energy conservation measures at Annual* natural gas saving: 44,694 therms / $36 649 its California research facility. 4 Thermostat deadband increase Challenge Field observations and information received from the campus Covering 38 acres, the 1M sq ft campus of personnel confirmed that the room temperature was set laboratories and offices was only six years at 72ºF without any deadband. Required by the California ® old and included a number of LEED certified Energy Code and where possible for non-critical spaces, buildings. Arup was engaged to evaluate and heating and cooling set point was re-established with a implement high-value, operational and engineering minimum of 5ºF between the heating and cooling set points. adjustments to reduce Pfizer’s $5.4M annual Annual* electricity saving: 409,608 kWh / $77 046 energy cost. This, in turn, would significantly Annual* natural gas saving: 568 therms / $466 reduce corporate carbon emissions. Solution 5 night-time setback of airflow Many air handling units run 24 hours per day for both lab Arup benchmarked energy consumption, studied and office areas. Airflow supplied during night-time hours building usage patterns and reviewed building could be reduced to selected spaces to maintain a systems control and operational sequences. wider deadband. Arup then developed a list of energy con- servation measures with associated costs and Annual* electricity saving: 4,281,882 kWh / $358 232 Annual* natural gas saving: 82,250 therms / $67445 estimated ROI for each measure. From this list, Pfizer was able to select a suite of Energy 6 night-time setback of Conservation Measures (ECM) to fit within its air handling unit temperatures financial objectives. For spaces that do not require critical temperature Results setpoint requirements, night-time temperature setback was Arup identified 42 possible energy reduction implemented. Allowing the setpoint for zones to drift during projects with a combined average payback of 8.4 unoccupied times resulted in less fan, chiller, cooling tower, years. Of the 42 projects, Arup recommended boiler and pumping energy being expended unnecessarily. six projects for immediate implementation. These Annual* electricity saving: 456,581 kWh / $38 199 projects are known as Phase 1. Arup calculated Annual* natural gas saving: 50,047 therms / $41 038 an annual electric and natural gas savings value of $935 000 for the Phase 1 projects and Total Cost/Benefit estimated the simple payback at six months. The A third party energy consultant certified the $1M annual Phase 1 projects were implemented in 2005 and energy cost savings results for the San Diego Gas & Electric the results indicate the actual savings to have Retro Commissioning programme. As a result of Arup’s work been approximately $1M annually, representing with SDG&E the campus received a $67 000 implementation. a 19% reduction in energy costs. These results Annual* energy savings $1 023 913 Implementation cost $380 500 have been verified by a third party consultant Simple payback 0.38 years working for the local utility company. * Estimated figures

20 | A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 rgnl ht © iStock © photo Original

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 21 22 | A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 Above ‘Enabling Innovation’ Workshop, November 2007 Enabling innovations

In an ever demanding working an assumption, or expectation Trends, Market Intelligence environment, creativity and of innovation happening by at Volvo, spoke about Volvo’s innovation are often over-looked chance was required. From beguiling creation: the YCC and neglected as areas for these initial discussions it was concept car, the first to be investment in terms of money, important to understand the designed and developed entirely resource and time. value of innovation to business by women. The concept alone ‘Enabling Innovation’, a two- performance and change “Ideas cannot be owned generated ¤400M of global day workshop, was designed internal behaviours to support by anyone: they are not media exposure. The key to and hosted by Arup’s Europe its proactive position in an possessions.” Ove Arup this creation was that while the Design and Technical Executive, organisation. initiative came from the bottom and Director Richard Terry. The characteristics of inno- up, it quickly secured funding The intent was to create much vators were explored. They can which are then posted on the and support from the top down. needed time and space for often be seen as curious, persist- Backstage website. Mogens pointed to the need for internal and external business ent and determined, but can This may at first have seemed change to stimulate innovation, leaders to review this area. also be misinterpreted as being like a risky step for some, but “If you keep doing what you Arup, like many organisations, disruptive and a nuisance. An the decision to go with the have always done, then you will recognises that innovation, innovator may be viewed as one creative flow has paid off in keep getting what you have creativity, design and new of four characters: the bright real business terms, providing always gotten. Keep an open ways of solving problems can spark, the enabler, the champi- direct access to a rich pool of mind – and trust.” often create a differentiator on and the implementer. In order ideas, pitches, developers and This session proved to be against the competition and to develop, innovate and create new prototypes for BBC services an inspiring exercise which ultimately affect the bottom the competitive advantage, how and and has paved the way for imbued all with a sense of line. The firm’s Design and many of these are visible and other initiatives such as the BBC optimism and a motivation to Technical Executive has been nurtured within organisations Innovation Labs. seriously commit to innovation, proactive and influential across today and how much collabora- Chris Luebkeman, Director but the last word of the day the organisation in promoting tion supports them? of Foresight and Innovation goes to Mogens Laursen and encouraging the highest Lucy Hooberman, at Arup echoed his support who reminded everyone of standards of design and Innovation Executive at for open innovation by important rule of three Ts technical skills. the BBC, talked about the emphasising the theory that when approaching innovation: Both delegates and speakers preconditions that need to exist there are more smart people Things Take Time… which of were invited to tell their own in an organisation in order outside of any company than course they do, but with the innovation success stories, to embrace 'open innovation.' within, and the key is to help of successful and inspiring and share favourite personal Opening up of internal stimulate, attract and harvest workshops like these, surely we innovations with the group. As communications including ideas for the benefit of the are one step closer to achieving well as understanding what had enabling staff to have internal company. He spoke of an our innovation goals. been accomplished, the context blogs and project wikis predated executive decision by Proctor in which it had been done was the move to releasing BBC and Gamble that about half of The next innovation workshop will also key to the discussions. content feeds via RSS and their research and development take place in Spring 2008. If you One of the aims was to APIs. via BBC Backstage. This should be sourced externally; would like to be involved please develop and define a common enables the external developer a move that has been widely contact Carrie Montgomery at: innovation vocabulary for communitiy to mix and mash- reported in the business press. [email protected] Arup and its guests. It became up BBC feeds with others to Mogens Laursen, Brand or Amy Lewis at: clear that a move away from make new ideas and prototypes Development & Consumer [email protected]

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 23 Sir George currently holds a range Directors, where it was clear of other posts, including member to me that the need for creativity of the Board of NYSE Euronext, the in British business was pivotal to sir global stock exchange group; Chair long-term economic health. There of the Board of Warwick Business is very little that the UK School; non-executive Director can do cheaper than the rest of of Shorts, the world’s longest the world and we are relying too george established aircraft manufacturer; heavily on the City of London as trustee of VSO; and Visiting a source of national advantage. Professor at Royal Holloway, Every field of business is now University of London. competing on a global basis cox Past roles include that of and we have to find ways to Senior Independent Director of differentiate ourselves from Sir George Cox held the post of Chairman of Bradford and Bingley plc, Senior low-cost competition. the UK Design Council from 2004 to December Independent Director of LIFFE This message obviously struck 2007, having previously been Director General (the London International a chord with Government because of the Institute of Directors. He has spent Financial Futures and Options shortly after my appointment I was most of his business career in IT: partly as Exchange) and Chair of Merlin, commissioned by the Chancellor an entrepreneur (co-founding Butler Cox plc, the international emergency to carry out my Review, looking medical aid charity. He was also at how to stimulate greater use of the consultancy and research group) and an international rowing coach creativity in UK business. partly as a corporate executive (becoming UK and chaired the sport’s selection Chairman of Unisys and heading its European committee for the 1979 World Q: How important is service-based businesses). In 2005, Sir George Championships and 1980 Olympics. design to business? carried out the Cox Review (of Creativity in Research undertaken by the UK Q: What attracted you to Business), commissioned by HM Government. Design Council shows that two the role of Chairman of thirds of companies who ignore the Design Council? design have to compete mainly on To be honest, I’d never thought of price. In companies where design the role until I was approached is integral, just one third do so. by the search company that the More than eight out of ten design- Government was using. Indeed, led companies have introduced a I was rather a strange candidate, new product or service in the last coming from a business and three years, compared to just 40% technology background rather of UK companies overall. This is than the creative sector. However, compounded by the fact that 83% my well-aired views on the of companies in which design is importance of creativity and integral have seen their market innovation to economic success share increase, compared to the UK seemed to resonate with what average of 46%. A business that they were looking for. increases its investment in design I suppose two things attracted is more than twice as likely to see me. The first was the challenge its turnover grow as of doing something different (a a business that does not do so. recurring theme in my career) The evidence speaks for itself. and the second was the chance to exert influence on thinking. Q: How did you approach When you feel strongly about an the 2005 review of creativity issue it’s always more satisfying in UK businesses? to be able to do something about Essentially, it was a one-man it rather than just rant over the review, in that I was entirely dinner table. responsible for the views expressed and the conclusions Q: Did you share the reached. However, the ideas Government’s view of the weren’t original. There was importance of design at the time? neither time nor the need to Absolutely. I had already been start with a clean sheet of paper. hammering that view during Moreover, I was supported by my time at the UK Institute of an excellent small team drawn

24 | A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 from different government My original fear was of producing Our creative industries represent an "The problems of departments. What we did was a worthy report that was well increasing proportion of the UK’s society, whether to consult widely: with business, received but had no lasting GDP and are respected the world trade bodies, central and local impact. In practice, the effect has over. We also have an outstanding they be in health, government and academia - indeed been far greater than I’d hoped, record (not withstanding transportation, with anyone who had already and the momentum is growing comparative under-investment in education, given the matter serious thought. rather than subsiding. research) in invention and scientific sustainability, We also carried out surveys and discovery. My concern is that our whatever, can commissioned a brief study in the businesses are not utilising these only be solved by Far East looking at the advances The positive impact of capabilities well and that we need in the use of design in places design: each £100 that to do so to prevent long-term new thinking: by such as China. To narrow the design-aware businesses erosion of our business base. UK creative solutions focus slightly we concentrated our spend on design raises business leaders need to incorporate implemented efforts on the impact on SMEs design and continuous innovation skilfully." (Small to Medium Enterprises) turnover by £225. into their strategies if they are to because that’s where the greatest Source: www.designcouncil.org.uk/factfinder remain industry leaders in the years potential lies. to come. In terms of recommendations, we were seeking just a handful Q: Where is there still Q: Are other countries tracking – I had a belief that dozens of further potential? what the UK is doing in design? recommendations left the door The answer to this question is The problem that the UK faces is open to cherry-picking and no clear as far as I am concerned. no different from that faced by real action. We were looking It’s the public sector. most advanced economies. for existing ideas that, if scaled- The problems of society, Developing countries up, could have a worthwhile whether they be in health, (which I think is an increasingly impact. We settled on just five. transportation, education, patronising term) have taken For example, we recommended sustainability, whatever, can only our low-skilled jobs because of changing the way that R&D tax be solved by new thinking: by their lower cost base. They are credits were administered and also creative solutions implemented now increasingly competing doubling the size of organisations skilfully. And I think the solutions for the high-skilled jobs and eligible to receive the full value are there. The problems are putting significant investment of such credits - both of which soluble. The trouble is that the into developing their high-tech were taken up by the Treasury. public sector, with its emphasis on industries, research capabilities, We also recommended rolling process rather than outcomes, its skills base and design capacity. out of a programme to help more aversion to risk and its rule-bound That means competition for businesses understand and exploit procurement procedures, is everybody. That applies to every the benefits of good design. Piloted very poor at applying creative sector of business, and to services earlier by the Design Council, thinking and adopting new ideas. just as much as manufacturing. and now known as Designing There’s a growing awareness The UK has probably given Demand, the programme has of the issue – not least because more recognition to this situation subsequently been taken up by of political pressures to satisfy in recent times than most other five of the national Regional public demands for better services countries. This is reflected in the Development Agencies and the – but doing something about it fact that I, along with my senior other five RDA’s have plans to do is a tough challenge, particularly colleagues at the Design Council, the same. It’s already reached because of the scale of the problem have been inundated with 1 000 companies en route to the and the cultural obstacles to be invitations to speak on the Review’s target of 6 000. We also overcome. However, I expect to see topic around the world. recommended that new, multi- progress. I wouldn’t be surprised Our challenge is to turn this disciplinary Centres of Excellence to see a public sector equivalent recognition of the issues into be established at leading of Designing Demand emerging real action – while we’re still Universities to bring together under my successor at the Design ahead of the game. the study of business, design and Council, Sir Michael Bichard. technology: disciplines which too Q: Are there any links between often fail to have their real impact Q: Isn’t the UK a design and climate change? because of a failure to understand leader in design? Climate change has, at last, one another’s roles and strengths. There is no doubt that the UK is permeated the consciousness The new venture between a world leader in many aspects of of both world leaders and the Imperial College and the Royal design. That’s true of architecture, general public. Sustainability will College of Arts is an example of fashion, product design and many, play a greater part in our future the outcome. many other disciplines. thinking and actions.

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 25 The challenge for design is to (who may well be embarrassed or my colleague, the organisation’s adapt our way of life to a new way shy, perhaps not even speaking chief executive, that it was of thinking without a drop in the the same first language as the remarkable that in such difficult quality of that life. We need to doctor) to spend time thinking circumstances we were able to eliminate waste, to generate and about what the doctor might treat some 200 patients each day. use energy more efficiently and to want to know. On arrival at the No, he replied, it’s more than that, travel far more efficiently. None of surgery, they simply hand over we save 200 lives each day. which is beyond the wit of man. the selected, applicable cards, No single moment comes close. Again, I believe the solutions are saving consultation time. It’s ideas I’ve never felt more privileged to out there. like that which could add to the be associated with an organisation. Designers need to become effectiveness of the healthcare part of the solution rather than system, without requiring massive Q: What are your key strengths? Images courtesy of the Design Council part of the problem. If the latter investment. I think it’s rather arrogant to implication seems harsh, just look claim one’s key strengths. In “Everyday I see Q: What have been your new opportunities at the stacks of household goods answer to your question let me or electrical products dumped career highlights? instead say what I’d like to think emerging in every week because they have A highlight for me is something of as my key strengths. Others sustainable design. deliberately been made obsolete from which I obtained real satisfac- may disagree. There are only two. Arup can help by new designs or at the piles of tion – which may, or may not be a The first is the ability to link business, appealingly-designed packaging highlight in anyone else’s eyes. stand back and see a situation academia, that surrounds all the goods we I suppose what gives me in perspective: to recognise currently buy. most satisfaction is seeing my what’s really happening and manufacturers and Clearly industry experts like handprint on an organisation. I identify what really needs to be the public sector Arup, working with the new don’t crave reward or recognition. done. That’s a skill I think you to find real and Centres of Excellence can provide I just like to sense that I leave can develop and I’d urge every unified solutions. the holistic thinking and solutions an organisation that bit different executive to work at it. Think As I say, these to deliver low-carbon places to live from the one I joined. of how a situation would be and work. The design industry I’ve certainly been very summarised for a case study 20 problems are quickly needs to invest in whole fortunate to have had so much years hence – because from that solvable.” life design, from inception to variety in my career. Forming a vantage point virtually every dismantling, in reducing the use business was probably the most problem is soluble! of non-essential materials used exciting thing, and eventually The second is a personal in products, and in designing floating it on the stock market characteristic that I value in products that are more durable. was hugely satisfying. Turning a others and try to exhibit. That Everyday I see new opportunities company around, which I’ve done is consistency: to have values, emerging in sustainable design. twice, is also pretty rewarding - attitudes and a way of behaving Arup can help link business, but I wouldn’t want to repeat the that don’t vary from day to day or academia, manufacturers and experience! Helping to modernise according to who you’re with. the public sector to find real and the Institute of Directors (a unified solutions. As I say, these process that started before I Q: What are your plans now, problems are solvable. got involved) was very pleasing, since stepping down as and I very much enjoyed my Chairman of the Design Council? Q: What has been the best time at the Design Council. I Nothing that I’ve ever done has piece of design that you think my sense of satisfaction arisen from sitting back and have seen recently? from the outcome of my Review contemplating what to do next. You might expect me to rave on must be obvious from my earlier That even applies to starting a about my car or about a gadget or comments. It’s a rare privilege to business – which I did in reaction a building. All of which I could get such a public platform to my boss not wanting to adopt easily do. However, it is often the for one’s views. my plans for growing the company! simpler things that most impress However, one of my highlights At present I’ve got plenty to – and could have a more profound – a particular moment – didn’t keep myself occupied. Playing impact. Just think of the impact of come from business. It came a part in helping to shape the wind-up technology in large parts during a field visit I was making world’s first global stock exchange of the third world. with Merlin, the charity that group is hugely exciting, as I recently saw a pack of I chaired. Merlin provides is helping the University of specially designed cards being emergency healthcare in crisis Warwick and its business school used in the healthcare sector situations around the world move further up the international to help patients identify their and I was visiting a makeshift league of academic institutions. symptoms before visiting the hospital in one of the conflict However, if something really doctor. It enabled the patient zones in Africa. I commented to interesting came along…

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Sustainable product design Extract, produce, use and dispose

How can designers and edge and future-proofed client manufacturers compete with solutions. As clients become the rate at which material more aware of this, demand resources are depleting? It’s for sustainable and economic solutions is growing. Arup’s a problem that affects the 1 2 extraction, production, use, and Product Design Group turns end-of-life disposal of a product. sustainable research into practice Implementing sustainable throughout the product life practices throughout the cycle. Products like our Technik product life cycle is the only real floor and the Arup/Kinnarps solution, and it is influencing desk are based on sustainable change in material choices, material choices, design and design and production. production to ultimately Finding new and improve the performance of abundant material resources individuals and their businesses. is a priority, but these need Technik Floor to be durable enough for Materials reduction and industrial use. Alternatives modernisation are both being investigated by Nikki- characteristics of the Technik Ann Wensley, an Engineering floor, co-designed by Arup. The Doctorate Researcher working floor replaces traditional sand within Arup’s Sustainable cement and gravel with 95% Manufacturing and Construction recycled board that provides Group, include materials that enough support to allow the are biodegradable, compostable, depth of overlaying stone tiling of crop origin, recycled and to be reduced by half. Time and recyclable. In particular, cost savings are inevitable as the those which can be extracted, floor is more sustainable and 3 manufactured and disposed of easier to install because the two with low environmental impact. to three months drying time Despite the obvious need needed for a cement alternative for a switch to new materials is eliminated. and technologies, lack of that is indistinguishable from 1 Installing the For clients, the Technik floor Technik flooring familiarity is preventing some is a sustainable and economic real wood. This low-risk paint- companies from accepting type finish is applied directly to 2 Arup/Kinnarps bench solution says Arup Director and Photographer: Richard Pullar change. Too often it is wrongly materials consultant, Bruno chipboard – itself a product of assumed that sustainable recycled waste – without the use 3 The Technik floor Miglio: “The steel pedestals are uses 95% recycled of glues or veneer. It is a hard alternatives are likely to be too completely recyclable and the board providing time expensive or less durable than prefabricated nature of the 95% wearing surface that reduces the and cost savings traditional materials. Nikki- recycled board floor significantly use of real wood veneers and Ann Wensley, says that in some reduces labour costs and lorry glues used in traditional finishes cases sustainable alternatives movements.” without impairing recycling at are more cost effective: “As the end of its life. we realise ways of creating Arup/Kinnarps bench But the desk’s sustainable more with less material, the The Arup/Kinnarps bench is a credentials are based on more associated improvements in sustainable and economic design than alternative materials says lean production make it easier that uses an inner honeycomb Arup Product Designer Rebecca and cheaper to maintain, repair, layer of recycled cardboard Minnitt: “The elimination upgrade and eventually recycle sandwiched between two outer of a metal sub-structure has products.” layers of hardboard to provide decreased the cost of extra For designers and a lightweight and ridged table components and assembly time, manufacturers, every top. Manufacturer, Kinnarps and a simple adjustment system breakthrough in alternative has also developed a patented makes it responsive to modern materials research is another desk finishing called 'Lamine', business demands like opportunity to deliver cutting a unique, rolled-on wood effect hot-desking.”

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 27 innovations

Factoring in the wind Seminar: Tate Modern, London; 20th September 2007

To measure how safety and The recent Arup-hosted comfort are going to be affected event on London’s Southbank by wind, Arup consultants demonstrated how advancing first assess the massing of a technology is driving development, taking account developments into how to of surrounding buildings harness wind in and around and prevailing winds. Burton urban environments to achieve continues: “An experienced better sustainability. Debate specialist can look at your rages on about the best methods, development and identify the but factoring wind into planning main windy areas and the and design is vital part of future- easier solutions without further proofing any development. analysis.” Obtaining and acting on these early predictions can Last year’s Scruton Lecture at often avoid problems that can be the Institution of Civil Engineers difficult to solve later even with by Andrew Allsop, contains a description of the dynamic nature of 1 the aid of wind tunnel testing. While reducing materials and wind behaviour and can be found at: cost makes a development more http://scenta.interwise.com/etechb/ 1 CFD studies for flow A seminar led by experts in the sustainable, the long-term energy portal/wes/default.asp?whichtab=2 around tall buildings fields of urban development and use is also clearly important. The 2 Development of an wind engineering was hosted potential of wind power from openable window façade by Arup Advanced Technology buildings is still up for debate system for high-rise buildings at the Tate Modern in London, but the potential energy savings 2 on Thursday 20th September through avoiding the need for 3 High-rise building forms for increasing the natural 2007. ‘City Development – air-conditioning are huge. As ventilation potential Factoring in the Wind’ was Arup Sustainability Consultant aimed at presenting the practical Chris Twinn explained, “At Arup, challenges and solutions to we are pushing towards a future wind problems to the attending with more naturally ventilated architects, planners, developers schemes, but there is a debate and owners. over the institutional standards With cities around the world which govern the perceived developing at an unprecedented acceptability of providing solely rate, high-rise buildings, energy natural ventilation and cooling in efficiency, environmental quality high value buildings.” and sustainability are all high The technology for studying on the agenda. It is important to wind is currently limited in what recognise the significant impact it can do reliably. As Professor Ian this natural force can have on a Castro of Southampton University development’s performance, says stated: “CFD (Computational Fluid 3 Arup Wind Engineer Melissa Dynamics) modelling using Large- Burton: “If a building directly Eddy Simulation techniques (LES) faces an oncoming wind, strong is expensive on computer time winds from a high level will be but for urban environments does brought down to ground level a significantly better job at model- (a phenomenon referred to as ling unsteady processes than RANS down-drafting). This can result (Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes) in difficulties using entrances or CFD and agrees better with wind just walking in the street.” Other tunnel data. However, full-scale microclimate factors such as sun data doesn’t always fit even the and temperature should be taken best current models”. We will be into account at the same time exploring the limits of what CFD as wind in assessing outdoor and wind tunnel testing can and comfort, although this is rarely can’t do compared to full-scale for done at present. some time.

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Public transport for the 2Is t century An integrated Arup solution

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1 The Metro’s award- Imagine 2018: it is entirely Arup’s Nille Juul-Sorensen daylight penetration at platform winning facade design features pyramids and possible that underground rail is the principal architect of the level. As Copenhagen is a country skylights to allow daylight commuters will be catching up Metro’s redesign and has been blighted by heavy rainfall, the penetration © Adam Mørk on the latest news by watching it working on the project since daylight enhancing design was 2 Surfaces can be live on tunnel walls – simply by 1995. He is now leading the greeted enthusiastically by the treated to enhance the activating an advertising space multi-disciplinary team through people of Denmark. Now the performance of daylighting with a mobile phone. With this a fourth phase of delivery design team are focused on 3 An initial sketch by Nille vision in mind, Arup is planning that will specify everything, enhancing the performance Juule-Sorensen for the Metro in Copenhagen an interactive design for the from ashtrays and benches, to of daylighting again by taking 17 new, deep underground advertising and station rooms design to a new level, says rail stations they have been for the 17 new stations. Our Juul-Sorensen: “We are looking commissioned to deliver for the biggest challenge, he says, is to build more interaction into Metro in Copenhagen. beating client expectations: tunnel walls by defining a system Using an integrated team “Adding new design visions for of spaces and surfaces that can of acousticians and lighting, a project that has already won be treated in different ways, as facades and materials experts international awards demands well as reflective surfaces that Arup is responsible for the full a solution that is state of the art, refract daylight and even change spectrum of architectural design, and better than anything we’ve colour.” With more interactivity, including wayfinding and already achieved.” the design aims to encourage product design. To make delivery The awards were won for passengers to enjoy a broader faster and more sustainable, a façade design that features relationship with public transport, Arup is undertaking the full impressive pyramids and making it distinctly ‘21st Century’ multi-disciplinary design of civil skylights, and distinguished the and more commercially valuable works in a joint venture with Metro as the first underground for the client, train operators and consultants COWI and SYSTRA. rail system in the world to permit advertisers.

A2 MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | 29 innovations

Advanced evacuation modelling Vodafone Arena, Melbourne, Australia

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How is it possible to carry out improvement on previous Vodafone Arena at 1 Key performance benefits an emergency evacuation study evacuation analysis carried out capacity before evacuation simulation of 3-D evacuation modelling for a high-capacity, public venue on the venue. The previously using SketchUp like the Vodafone Arena in used system, AutoCAD, required 2 Queuing patterns during evacuation simulation Melbourne, Australia, without significant upfront training, but Construction of a robust model has physically involving thousands Sketchup was easily picked up 1 enabled future scenario evaluation to of people? Arup answered without formal instruction. This take place with minimum time cost for altering this question by simulating a resulted in a significant time geometry and population numbers full scale evacuation with 3-D saving in converting 2-D CAD Advanced suite of evacuation simulations modelling software for the into a 3-D environment, with were produced based on varied arena Melbourne and Olympic Parks enough visual impact to ensure 2 configurations, each with different popula- Trust (MOPT). full awareness of how the arena tion distributions that MOPT can use to gain As a prominent landmark, would perform in an emergency approvals for future events the arena hosts regular high situation. profile events and a large scale After completion of the Visual quality of models allowed still evacuation would have been original scope of services, MOPT 3 images and video output to be produced impractical due to commercial approached Arup to evaluate and used for training of security staff for concerns, safety considerations the effect of alterations to the particular events and a range of other issues. venue configuration. Having Issues identified in the Arup report can To avoid this scenario, Arup been successfully trialled in be visualised and related to the physical Fire engineers in Melbourne the first round of simulations, 4 spaces with images rather than only words used the STEPS simulation Sketchup proved its worth software package and SketchUp, again by allowing the new Existing arena models can be easily a new CAD tool, to create a 2-D configuration drawings 5 modified to evaluate alternative arena visual simulation that the client to be quickly integrated into configurations and the flow-on effects of could easily relate to the actual the existing 3-D model. The opening additional paths of travel building. team then ran new simulations The resulting 3-D model was with a range of scenarios, and based on 2-D arena configuration reported results to the client in drawings supplied by MOPT. a short timeframe. With a range The client had expressed an of detailed simulations and interest in using visualisation results as a foundation, MOPT of evacuation simulations to has developed a fuller overview communicate key concepts and of the arena’s exit provisions outcomes early in the project, and identified where potential and the results were a dramatic improvements could be made.

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NEXT ISSUE Editor: Anna Goswell Writers: Deborah Hatch, The drivers of change: how will business respond? Matthew Blackbourn Designers: Tessa Smith, Bob Hanson Published by Arup, We are keen to ensure that this All feedback is welcome, so A2 magazine is a quarterly 13 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 4BQ publication is enjoyed by our please send your comments and publication produced by Arup readers and provides interesting, suggestions to our editorial team for our clients and reflects our Printed by Beacon Press using , their relevant and informative articles. at [email protected]. mission of shaping a better world. environmental printing technique. Cover © Arup Associates