In Versaille at the European Construction Technology Platform (ECTP) conference. The ECTP has been created to establish a voice for the european constuction sector with the European Commission (EC) and in particular at the moment Framework 7 funding. The days were a mix of EC representative presentations, member presentations (from industry and academy) and a series of brokerage events around the 7 focus areas of the platform (networking opportunities to support the creation of collaborative projects). The focus areas are: innovative use of underground space, a living cultural heritage for an attractive Europe, ICT supported new integrated processes for the consturction sector, high added value construction materials, resource efficient and clean buildings, sustainable management of transport and utility networks, environment and quality of life for all. (Arup are coordinating the ICT processes focus area with VTT and facilitated the brokerage workshop in quite a bizarre room - Salle Lulli in the Palais des Congres)

The Strategic Research Agenda for ECTP is available for downloadable at http://www.ectp.org

The final ECTP road-map is due to be published to the EC in March but funding for FP7 starts in early 2007.

Presented the DTI Bop project at the event in a poster session for national technology programme projects. Other relevent posters are posted to flickr.

Coming up in the pipeline of the *of the future* series of workshops is on the subject of station retail. We have started work with the Narrative Environments students at CSM to create a series of future narratives around this theme. First design crit was held today and work is progressing - research is being posted at the fii delicious account

Nico Macdonald did an excellent job of hosting the first Innovation Reading Circle today. The theme was sustainability, design and society, and the main title to be discussed was *In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World* John Thackara and Bruce Sterlings *The Shape of Things To Come*
The objective of the Innovation Reading Circle is to develop a rich, well-informed, interactive public discussion around innovation (considering technology, design, society and organisation), drawing on and contributing to related discourses. I look forward to the next event...

Attended WorkTech06 conference and exhibition on 7.11.06 at the British Library in London. It all sounded familiar and cannot point to anything new that stood out from the day, but was great to be inside the British Library - a great venue. The day was charied very well by Jeremy Myerson (Director of Innovation RCA) and it was good to hear Charles Handy presenting although I found myself disagreeing with his idea that the future of the corporate HQ is nearing its end. I like coming to work where there are other like minded / spirited people (i also like working at home and public spaces such as this Eurostar...). James Woudhuysen gave an excellent closing presentation / rant - just a pity Charles wasn't there to respond...