Aardman Animations HQ, Bristol - Feature Staircases

Aardman Animations new HQ, based in Bristol, has a feature article within Hot Dip Galvanizing Magazine.

MLDE designed and engineered a pair of new bowstring double flight feature staircases to provide a central focus to the atrium space. The building was designed by Alec French Architects for Aardman Animations.

Please refer to our website for more details of these elegant staircases.

Engineering – Autumn Statement

The global market runs world businesses, governed by global economics. The scant world resources, commodities and products naturally determine their own value and market size. The global market with subtle shifts in trends, skews the market allowing opportunities for different economies or new products to take a firmer hold of the sector. The current world economic model based on continual growth cannot function into the future, it is simply not sustainable. The current Western economies are faltering due to excessive debt caused by trying to create growth.

In the past few decades most global scale products were made in the lowest cost centres in the world, irrespective of the remoteness of the manufacturing plant. The actual transportation cost of the materials and consumables to and from the works and onwards to their markets has had little impact or influence on where they are actually made. This trend will become outdated as energy and resources become more expensive and difficult to find. More efficient local recycling of goods will also be needed in order to limit the unnecessary use of fuel and energy.

New highly sophisticated fabrication facilities will make a huge range of different mass produced products for different global brands from downloaded secure Cloud based information sources.

The design specification will be the critical intellectual property which Cloud technology will protect via safe direct non externally downloadable CadCam interfaces within the new generation of sophisticated Fabrication facilities. These facilities will be more evenly dispersed over the globe than the current production centres. Their density will increase as energy prices increase. The relentless world demand for internet and computers almost ensures that the predicted Cloud production will happen quite soon.

It is believed that about 9% of all the world energy is currently consumed by computers and the internet, albeit inclusive of the embodied energy of the systems and the power needed to run them! Regional economies will need to be re-established. The world needs joined up thinking by engaged joined up thinkers to create an holistic solution which actually works for mankind. A celestial alternative to spaceship earth is not an option for the majority of this planet.

Mark Lovell

Anglepoise Giant Chandelier - MLDE Providing Design Engineering Assistance

MLDE have been providing Anglepoise with Structural Engineering assistance in the realisation of their 4.5m diameter Giant Chandelier consisting of eight Giant 1227 lamps.

This visually impressive piece will be shown for the first time at Qubique, a new designer show in Berlin, Germany, showcasing an inspiring selection of high-quality and unique products.

Qubique will run from October 26 to 29 2011 at Berlin’s decommissioned Tempelhof Airport.

Trade Days: Wednesday, October 26 and Thursday, October 27, 2011

Public Days: Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29, 2011

Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 19:00 PM

MLDE working with Benchmark Furniture for DesignJunction

MLDE have recently been working in collaboration with Benchmark Furniture to create an exciting new table for designjunction, an event to be held as part of London Design Festival and intended to showcase the very best in global design.

Bringing together a stellar line-up of leading UK and international lighting and furniture brands, the event is set to excite, inspire and challenge anyone with a passion for design.

designjunction will be open from Thursday 22 September - Sunday 26 September from 11am to 6pm.

Designjunction
Victoria House Basement
37-63 Southampton Row
LONDON
WC1B 4DA


“ The table will be made from a log that took 6 months to locate. It is the longest planked oak log that any of Benchmark’s sources in the timber trade has ever known. To machine the log, Benchmark has had to cut holes through the walls on either side of the workshop. It might be expected that a table of these proportions would need a substantial under frame but this table will deliver long, clean lines with minimal interference from the under structure as a result of an inventive design and intelligent use of materials.”

The relationship between the two parties goes back several years with MLDE acting as Structural Engineer for Benchmarks Offices in Kintbury in 2003. The project involved utilising the exiting roof space and Structure and inserting a very lightweight structure to allow the conversion of the loft space with minimal disruption.