Building Briefs – April 24th

• Naylor open for business

Managing director Jim Crawford said: “The team have been really pleased to play their part in keeping healthcare and infrastructure projects going. Most recently, we have seen the farming sector making a concentrated push to make waterlogged fields productive again.”

• Construction knowledge plug-in launched to support isolated practitioners

Designing Buildings Wiki has launched Designing Buildings Anywhere to help locked-down construction professionals, researchers and students.

The free browser plug-in gives users instant pop-up access to 20,000 construction definitions, explanations and acronyms without leaving the website they are on. When they see a term they don’t understand, a topic they want to find out more about, or an acronym they don’t recognise; they simply highlight it and a window pops up with an explanation.

The plug-in has been developed following a survey by the Construction Knowledge Task Group in 2019 that revealed more than a third of practitioners don’t have easy access to the knowledge they need to do their job.

• Gym planned for ruins of Castle of Esslemont

An “Olympic-standard” gym for athletes from across the north-east could be created next to the ruins of a 14th-Century castle.

Plans to transform agricultural buildings beside the Castle of Esslemont, just off the A920 Ellon to Pitmedden road in Aberdeenshire, have been recommended for approval by council planners.

If approved, the gym would have an access road around Castle Esslemont. Although the site would be relatively close to the castle, Historic Environment Scotland has not objected.

A report by Stephen Archer, Aberdeenshire Council’s director of infrastructure services, recommended councillors approve the proposal at next week’s Formartine area committee meeting.

• RIBA opens £30K funding scheme for architecture students

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has opened funding applications for five RIBA Wren Insurance Association Scholarships.

The annual scholarships are open to current students enrolled in the first year of their RIBA Part 2 course. A total of £30,000 will be available, with each recipient receiving £6,000 and the opportunity to be mentored by an architect member of the Wren Insurance Association throughout their second year.

The scheme, which was set up in 2013, has supported 35 recipients to date. The deadline for applications is May 26.

Applicants can find more information about last year’s award winners and how to apply for this year’s awards here.