International Construction Review - Issue 14 (Quarter 1, 2010)

Global round-up
Swiss nation votes to ban the construction of new minarets; Global fear and loathing at Dubai’s debt crisis; Legal storm brews over bid-rigging fines in the UK; Shanghai launches new code for building with timber

From here to 2020
A new report lists the fastest growing construction markets in the world

The Burj
The tallest building on earth, ever, opened in January and, as Kristina Smith discovered, the real stars of this story are the least sexy members of the cast

Shape of the future
We forget how building types morph dramatically. Imagine Manhattan without skyscrapers, or Russia without shopping malls. In his new book, Richard Barras identifies IT and sustainability as the main factors now driving change in the form and function of buildings. But how?

Markets: India
On course to become the world’s third largest economy by 2050, India’s demand for housing, infrastructure and commercial property is vast. David Smith examines how the need for professional services on the subcontinent could mean big opportunities for foreign firms

Profile: King of Steel
Meet Bao Guangjian, China’s pioneer of super-tall steel buildings and the man behind Beijing’s CCTV tower

Blobbier buildings
A new process sets out to revolutionise façade design by making “blobby” architecture lighter, more affordable and easier to control

Rainbow Nation & PPPs
South Africa embraced private finance to deliver much needed infrastructure and services, but 10 years on, the process is still costly, slow and prone to failure. Here, Alan Watt suggests a better model