Building Weekly Digest: 03 March 2023

We have covered a lot of ground this week. We've explored HS2's Colne Valley viaduct project, interviewed the boss of CO-RE and pushed ahead with the Building the Future Commission. On top of this we have taken another walk down memory lane with our From the Archives series plus plenty more. Check it all out below.

On site at HS2's Colne Valley Viaduct

A sensitive landscape and stiff local opposition presented the Align team building Britain’s longest railway bridge, a joint venture made up of BOUYGUES UK, Sir Robert McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick Ltd, with a major challenge. Technical editor Thomas Lane reports on how they got on. As part of the #HS2 package we've published today Thomas has also shared his view on whether HS2's scope should be cut to save money?

The latest from the Building the Future Commission

It has been another jampacked week for the #BuildingtheFuture Commission. Daniel Gayne published a fascinating read on The University of Salford's Energy House 2.0, where he visited the homes of the future that are being devised to meet the challenges of climate change. Commissioner and Gleeds chairman Richard Steer also shared an opinion piece on how the government needs to support the sector realise its potential to shape our nation’s future as one of the largest employers in the UK. In exciting news, we launched our Ideas Hub - where we want to hear your radical ideas to transform the sector, while we've also heard from two more of our commissioners. Foster + Partners' Martha Tsigkari and Cundall's Simon Wyatt have given us an insight into their views on the industry and hopes for the commission. You can read the former here and the latter here.

From the Archives: Glasgow subway, 1887

This week's instalment of #FromtheArchives revisits a piece from 1887 that explains an early set of proposals for the Glasgow subway. The scheme had its detractors, notably the tramway operators. The Builder also raised concerns about how closely the carriages would pass each other through the subway’s single 12ft-wide tunnel, a point which turned out to be well founded. The railway’s first accident occurred on its opening day when two carriages collided, injuring four people and forcing the closure of the line for more than a month. Another great instalment of this #Building180 series from Tom Lowe.

An interview with CO-RE chief executive Bradley Baker

In this interview David Rogers speaks to CO-RE London's chief executive Bradley Baker. In the piece, the developer's boss recalls hanging out with The Clash, falling into crevasses – and reveals why the office is not dead. It's a definite must-read.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend