Ground breaks on billion dollar leisure towers at Dubai's Aykon City
by Kim Megson | 24 May 2016
Aykon City will have four towers, two of which will house luxury hotels / DAMAC
Construction has begun on Aykon City; a four-tower mega-project in Dubai which will bring new leisure space to the city’s skies.
Designed by Handel Architects for developer DAMAC, the towers will house hotels, offices and residences. They will be supported by a podium featuring leisure amenities for the public – including a beach club with swimming pools and green spaces, a children’s playground, an Aykon Spa, restaurants, high-end shops, cafes, a yoga lawn and a jogging track.
Located on Sheikh Zayed Road, Aykon City will cover 6.5m sq ft (600,000sq m) when completed. According to local reports, the project will cost some AED7.4bn (US$2bn, €1.8bn, £1.4bn).
The towers, while different in size, are sculpted to flow with one another. The architects have envisioned wrapping planes and layered forms to create a sense of movement. The architectural inspiration derives from Dubai's sand dunes and the quartz crystals that form them.
Two of the towers will be used by separate branded hotels – DAMAC Maison Hotel & Hotel Apartments and the five star Aykon Hotel & Serviced Residences. The latter will be topped with a sky lounge with panoramic views of the city.
The office tower will be the tallest of the four. It will feature an attraction called Aykon Dare, accessible from the 79th floor lounge and dining room. Here, guests will walk out onto a landing platform where they’ll be harnessed into a safety line and able to walk out onto the roofline of the upper level, nearly 1,000ft (305m) above ground.
Akyon City is the latest large-scale development to take place on Sheikh Zayed Road. It will join a new Hilton Worldwide luxury hotel and apartment complex and the forthcoming Museum of the Future, among others.
Handel Architects are currently working on a number of design projects around the world, including the Shangri-la at the Fort hotel in Manila, Philippines; a Proper Hotel in Austin, US and the transformation of Pier 57 in New York into a mixed-use leisure space.
Dubai Aykon City Handel Architects DAMAC Sheikh Zayed RoadSantiago Calatrava hot streak continues with bird-inspired UAE pavilion for Dubai 2020 Expo
'A signal to the world': New details emerge about Calatrava's US$1bn Dubai tower
Antonio Citterio and Bulgari join forces for luxury Dubai resort
Hilton Worldwide's Curio brand to debut in Dubai with five-star development
Construction has begun on Aykon City; a four-tower mega-project in Dubai which will bring new leisure space to the city’s skies. Designed by Handel Architects for developer DAMAC, the towers will house hotels, offices and residences. They will be supported by a podium featuring leisure amenities for the public – including a beach club with swimming pools and green spaces, a children’s playground, an Aykon Spa, restaurants, high-end shops, cafes,
CLD,HHR,HOT,PRO,ARC,DES,DEV,INV
More news
UNStudio reveal 'mammoth' theatre complex in Hong Kong
by Andrew Manns | 07 Dec 2018
Dutch architecture practice UNStudio have unveiled renderings for the Lyric Theatre Complex – an expansive cultural venue currently being constructed in Hong Kong's West Kowloon Cultural District. The mammoth complex, which will occupy roughly 41,000 sq m of the city’s waterfront, will include a 1,450-seat Lyric Theatre inspired by European "Baroque-era" extravagance; a 600-seat Medium Theatre for smaller-scale productions; and a 270-seat Studio Theatre for intimate performances. The arts facility
'Sociable' and 'energising' Living Coral selected as Pantone’s Colour of the Year
by Andrew Manns | 06 Dec 2018
International colour authority Pantone has announced a "sociable and spirited" shade as the Colour of the Year for 2019. The company, which said it made the selection in "reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media" described PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral as representing intimacy and the "need for optimism and joyful pursuits". Commenting on the announcement, Leatrice Eiseman, executive director at the Pantone Color Institute, said: "Colour is
Michaelis Boyd design cantina-style taquerias at Coal Drops Yard
by Andrew Manns | 06 Dec 2018
London-based architecture and interior design studio Michaelis Boyd have completed work on Casa Pastor and Plaza Pastor – two interconnected Mexican restaurants at the recently opened retail destination Coal Drops Yard. The restaurants, which feature a varied menu inspired by the time its founders spent in Mexico City, were designed to pay "homage to the vibrancy of Mexico". In a statement, Michaelis Boyd said that Casa Pastor – an 80-cover,
HBA London breathe new life into Zagreb hotel
by Andrew Manns | 06 Dec 2018
Architecture studio HBA London (HBA) have designed the Amadria Park Capital, a boutique hotel in the centre of Zagreb, Croatia. The newly opened establishment, which was co-developed by the Ugo Group, occupies the former site of a Roaring Twenties-era bank and features 109 rooms and 3 suites. Each guestroom is also furnished with artwork curated by HBA and Muzeo Iconographic Design. Other amenities at Amadria Park Capital include a restaurant
Ice hockey club Helsinki IFK leading the charge in creating 'new kind of recreational hub' in Finland
by Andrew Manns | 05 Dec 2018
Finnish ice hockey team Helsingin IFK (HIFK) are helming a development team to build what is projected to become one of Finland’s most popular leisure attractions: Garden Helsinki. The complex, major parts of which will be situated "almost entirely underground", will feature a number of sports, hospitality, and recreational facilities including an 11,000-seat indoor arena, 200-room hotel, ice rink, gym, hotel, and spa. On-site restaurants and residential apartments will also
Spratley & Partners transform Heckfield Place into luxury country hotel
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 05 Dec 2018
Architecture firm Spratley & Partners have completed a multi-million-pound renovation on the historic Heckfield Place estate, in Hampshire, UK. Formerly a conference centre and wedding venue - and home to Horace Walpole, the 4th Earl of Orford in the 18th century - the Grade II listed Georgian house has been transformed into a lavish country hotel. It boasts 38 bedrooms, six Signature rooms and one two-bedroom cottage, each designed to
Brutalist civic building to be reborn as The Standard’s first international hotel
by Andrew Manns | 04 Dec 2018
The first European iteration of The Standard Hotels franchise is gearing up to debut in London inside a Brutalist structure that once housed offices for the local city council. Formerly known as the Camden Town Hall Annexe, the 1970s-era concrete complex – located opposite London’s St Pancras and King Cross stations – will soon be transformed into a 266-room, 184,000 sq ft (170,940 sq m) luxury destination. The architects responsible
Studio Seilern-designed concert hall to open at alpine wellness resort
by Andrew Manns | 04 Dec 2018
A concert hall designed by architecture firm Studio Seilern is slated to debut next year in Andermatt, Switzerland. Erstwhile a wartime bunker, the 1,412 sq m auditorium – once complete – will be able to accommodate major orchestral ensembles and seat up to 700 guests. The hall is being built in the centre of the Andermatt resort village, a wellness destination which boasts attractions like the Chedi Andermatt, a retreat
Danish architects Adept win competition for new Berlin City Museum
by Luke Cloherty | 03 Dec 2018
A former union club for naval officers in Berlin is to be converted into a new city museum for the German capital. Designed by architectural practice Adept, Stadtmuseum Berlin at 'Marinehaus' will be "a cultural pivot that anchors the museum in the neighbourhood through exhibitions, workshops and as a community centre for the locals", according to the architects. Renderings show that the 7,800sq m (84,000sq ft) building's existing floors will
Singapore development named World Building of the Year
by Andrew Manns | 01 Dec 2018
Kampung Admiralty, a community-centred mixed-use development in Singapore, has won the World Architecture Festival Building of the Year 2018. Designed by WOHA Architects, the 11-storey structure, which is reportedly the first integrated facility in Singapore to provide housing for retirees, features a biophilic rainforest and includes residences, restaurants, and medical centres. Describing the Admiralty as an "elevated village green", the firm said: "The close proximity to healthcare, social, commercial, and
Bjarke Ingels reveals designs for Oakland's new 'intimate' baseball stadium
by Tom Walker | 30 Nov 2018
Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise Oakland Athletics has revealed detailed designs for an ambitious waterfront stadium. Designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels and his BIG practice, the 34,000-capacity stadium is being planned for a site at Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal. The expansive project includes two connecting elements. The site of the MLB team's current stadium, the Coliseum – where the club has played since 1968 – will be redeveloped
Leisure buildings win big on second day of World Architecture Festival Awards
by Andrew Manns | 29 Nov 2018
The second day of the World Architecture Festival Awards (WAF) saw a number of restaurants, hotels, and cultural spaces celebrated in multiple categories. In the Culture Future Projects category, Studio 44’s Museum of the Defence and Siege of Leningrad took the top prize. Created to commemorate the Siege of Leningrad, arguably one of the most violent episodes of WWII, the building features an in-depth 'Chamber of Diaries' which narrates the
FaulknerBrowns Architects-designed £270m indoor ski centre plans approved for Swindon, UK
by Tom Walker | 29 Nov 2018
A major new indoor snow centre and leisure destination in Swindon, UK has been given the green light by the local council. Designed by sports and leisure specialists FaulknerBrowns Architects, the £270m (US$345m, €303m) project will include a 2,00sq m (21,500sq ft) snow centre featuring two real-snow slopes – measuring 75m and 170m in length. It will also house a 12-screen cinema with the largest IMAX screen in the UK;
BIG and Heatherwick Studio crowned at World Architecture Festival
by Andrew Manns | 28 Nov 2018
BIG and Heatherwick Studio were among the winners on day one of the World Architecture Festival Awards in Amsterdam. The Audemars Piguet Hotel des Horlogers – designed by architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), has been named the best building in the Future Projects Leisure Led Development award category at this year’s World Architecture Festival (WAF). The hotel, which is being constructed alongside the BIG-designed Audemars Piguet luxury watch museum
Mauritian architect Jean-François Adam and French artist Camille Walala create colourful property for first Salt location
by Jane Kitchen | 28 Nov 2018
The first property from new hotel brand Salt, launched by the team behind Lux Resorts, has opened in Mauritius. The 59-bedroom Salt of Palmar has been conceived to champion sustainability, connect with the local community and introduce culturally curious travellers to the “real, unvarnished Mauritius,” the company said. Its distinctive look is born out of collaboration between local Mauritian architect Jean-François Adam of JFA Architects and French artist Camille Walala,
Populous-designed "epicentre for esports" opens its doors in Texas
by Andrew Manns | 27 Nov 2018
Esports Stadium Arlington, the largest video gaming stadium in North America, has opened in Texas. Designed by international architecture firm Populous and built by Shawmut Design and Construction, the new 100,000 sq ft (929 sq m) facility features eight tea rooms, a player lounge, and a competition space amplified by surround sound. The venue, which will be able to accommodate up to 2,500 people, will also utilise broadcasting technology supplied
GroupGSA creates mega-resort in thousand-year-old Chinese town
by Andrew Manns | 27 Nov 2018
Global design practice GroupGSA have revealed the latest images for "Huangyao Ancient Town Resort", a soon-to-be-built luxury destination in Guilin, China. Developed by Guangxi Lingyu Chuanghe Tourism Investment, the resort will comprise 103 rooms and 27 villas and feature a gym, spa, and playground, as well as multiple pools, sporting facilities, and restaurants. The structure will also include an observatory tower which will provide guests with 360-degree views of the
Thailand’s tallest building unveils Ole Scheeren-designed skywalk
by Andrew Manns | 27 Nov 2018
The MahaNakhon SkyWalk – an observation deck designed by German architecture studio Buro Ole Scheeren – has opened in Bangkok. Located a heartstopping 314 metres above the ground atop the 77-storey King Power MahaNakhon complex, the deck – dubbed the "Skytray" – features a walkable glass platform and bar, providing panoramic views of the surrounding urban landscape. Speaking on the opening, Scheeren said: "The idea behind MahaNakhon was to take
SPARK Architects to head up design for Guangzhou shipyard
by Andrew Manns | 26 Nov 2018
Architecture firm SPARK have won an international competition to design a new waterfront destination in Guangzhou, China. The planned 56-hectare mixed-use development, which will be constructed on the site of a 19th-century shipyard, will feature a sports hall and pavilion park as well as multiple dining, residential, and commercial facilities. According to SPARK the aim of the "design scheme is founded on the pragmatic principles of good connectivity, density and
Dubai firm to build the world’s largest sports mall
by Andrew Manns | 26 Nov 2018
Emirati real estate developer Viva City Developments has announced that it will supervise the creation of a record-breaking sports complex in Dubai. Dubbed "The Sports Society", the 3-storey structure will occupy 3,717 sq m of space and a feature number of leisure attractions, such as an ice-skating rink, trampoline park, martial arts dojo, bowling alley, and cricket simulator, as well as multiple climbing walls and retail shops. Other amenities in
Grimshaw Architects offer first look at the newest Eden Project
by Andrew Manns | 26 Nov 2018
London-based architecture firm Grimshaw have unveiled renderings of Eden Project North (EPN), a marine-centred recreational complex and leisure attraction in Morecambe, UK. Conceptualised for environmental charity Eden Project International, the new destination will take the form of a series of mussel-shaped pavilions on the Morecambe seafront. EPN will also feature a number of amenities and facilities intended to enhance well-being, including lidos, performance halls, gardens, and observatories. The development is
Former North Carolina steel factory resurrected as The Foundry Hotel
by Andrew Manns | 22 Nov 2018
Curio Collection by international hospitality group Hilton has opened a boutique hotel on the site of a former steel mill in Asheville, North Carolina. Designed by local design studio Lagom Interiors, the 87-room Foundry Hotel – which will be operated by Charlestowne Hotels – features an herb garden, fitness room, and a 3,400 sq ft courtyard. Other facilities include a mixology bar and lounge as well as the Benne Eagle
Eye in the sky: Foster + Partners envision the City of London’s tallest skyscraper
by Andrew Manns | 22 Nov 2018
Foster + Partners have unveiled images for the Tulip Tower, an observatory and event space intended to become the City of London’s next cultural attraction. The 305-metre skyscraper, which will stand alongside the now iconic Gherkin building, will be an office-free venue, providing panoramic views of the city. Developed by J. Hafra Group as part of the City Corporation of London’s Cultural Mile public engagement initiative, the complex will feature
Miami says 'yes' to David Beckham’s Freedom Park and Soccer Village
by Andrew Manns | 21 Nov 2018
The City of Miami has thrown its support behind Freedom Park and Soccer Village, David Beckham’s long-awaited stadium and training facility. The proposed complex, which has been a subject of media speculation since it was first announced in 2013, will be the home of Beckham’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team, Internacional Club de Fútbol Miami. Designed by Miami-based architecture firm Arquitectonica, the development will include a 25,000-seat stadium and a
Handel Architects design ocean club and resort at historic Asbury Park
by Andrew Manns | 19 Nov 2018
Handel Architects have released images of their latest project on the New Jersey Shore: the Asbury Ocean Club. Developed by iStar, the new mixed-development property, which will be located in the popular Asbury Park beachfront district, will rise 16 storeys and include a 54-room hotel as well as 130 residences. The estimated US$300m (€262m, £233m) complex – which will feature the interior design expertise of studios Anda Andrei and Bonetti/Kozerski
Steven Chilton Architects reveal mind-bending Puzzle Ball Theatre
by Andrew Manns | 19 Nov 2018
Steven Chilton Architects (SCA) have unveiled the first set of renderings for their mesmerising Puzzle Ball Theatre in Guangzhou, China. The 2,000-seat conceptual structure, which – if constructed – would serve as a venue for performances by Belgian drama company Dragone, is inspired by Chinese puzzle balls. These objects, which often appeared in Victorian-era cabinets of curiosities, are made from a single block of ivory and feature intricate tracery and
Construction begins on Miami’s Underline linear park
by Andrew Manns | 16 Nov 2018
Work has started on the what is expected to become Miami’s next "world-class trail". Designed by landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations, the 10-mile (16 km) Underline – Miami’s first integrated transport mobility corridor – will create new public realm beneath the city’s Metrorail guideway. Set to link Miamians to eight Metrorail stations and 250 miles of trails, the park – which has been likened to New York City’s
First look at University of Warwick’s heavily anticipated sports centre
by Andrew Manns | 16 Nov 2018
The University of Warwick has released an in-depth fly-through video of its soon-to-be-completed sports and wellness hub in Coventry, UK. Set to become one of the largest recreational and fitness facilities in Britain, the David Morley-designed complex will span 16,684 sq ft (1,550 sq m) and feature a 12-court sports hall and 230-station gym, as well as pools, indoor climbing walls, fitness suites, studio spaces, and outdoor sports pitches. The
Loughborough University opens doors on innovative Elite Athlete Hotel
by Andrew Manns | 15 Nov 2018
The Elite Athlete Centre and Hotel (EAC) – the first sports-centric venue of its kind in the UK – has opened at Loughborough University. Designed by David Morley Architects and developed in partnership with UK Sport, Sport England, the English Institute of Sport, and Imago Venues, the 44-room, fitness-focused hotel also includes 20 'high-altitude rooms'. These unique chambers simulate the low oxygen atmospheric conditions of transalpine mountains and accelerate the
Pavilions Hotels launches Nepal’s first-ever tented eco-villas
by Andrew Manns | 15 Nov 2018
Luxury group Pavilions Hotels & Resorts will soon debut the Himalayas Lake View – the first tented eco-villas in Nepal. Designed by Wonaw & Associates and Coconut Groove Interiors, the eight villas – which range between 40 and 82 sq m – are located on the shore of Phewa Lake in Pokhara. The resort provides a number of wellness and leisure offerings, such as Ayurvedic massages, access to a nearby
latest jobs
company profile
Try cladmag for free!
Sign up with CLAD to receive our regular ezine, instant news alerts, free digital subscriptions to CLADweek, CLADmag and CLADbook and to request a free sample of the next issue of CLADmag.
sign up
features
Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
To advertise in our catalogue gallery: call +44(0)1462 431385
Ben Channon has written Happy by Design, a new book about how architecture affects our mental health. He explains how we can all be happier at home
features
cladkit product news
Designer Alejandro Aravena created O to 'reconcile the needs of the natural and the urban environment'
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Herzog and de Meuron, Neri & Hu, MAD Architects and Elemental, the firm of Pritzker winner
...
The tiles contain light-absorbing luminous pigments so they glow-in-the-dark
High-end tile supplier Designworks has created a range of illuminous mosaic tiles for commercial use. Designed to bring light into
...
cladkit product news
Bright Buildings will be showcasing its range of BrightOpen buildings
At this year’s Euro Attractions Show (EAS), design and architecture firm Bright Buildings will be exhibiting its range of BrightOpen
...
Bartok Design creates traditional Japanese soaking tubs
Bartok Design, a Japan-based supplier of Ofuro (Japanese bathtubs), has completed a major installation at the newly opened SpaFusion at
...
cladkit product news
The carpets capture Hadid's notable use of layering and interweaving as well as her use of light and shadow
Zaha Hadid Design has partnered with carpet manufacturer Royal Thai to create a new carpet collection inspired by the work
...
Rainmoon is an innovative sensory shower experience designed for use in the home
Dornbracht is taking experience showers to the next level with its multi-sensory Rainmoon concept. “Rainmoon is a culmination of bliss
...
