cities news
Healthy cities conference to discuss diversity and inclusivity in urban planning and design
by Tom Walker | 05 Oct 2022
A conference held in London this month will discuss the "next frontier" in health- and wellness-based urban design and civic architecture. The Healthy City Design 2022 International Congress & Exhibition – held from 10 to 11 October 2022 – will take place at the Royal College of Physicians, London, UK and will also be streamed virtually online. Organised by Salus Global Knowledge Exchange, in collaboration with The Helen Hamlyn Centre
Neil Jacobs reveals Six Senses Places concept for major cities
by Megan Whitby | 04 Jan 2022
Global hotel and spa operator Six Senses is incubating the launch of a new global wellness concept called Six Senses Place. CEO Neil Jacobs and his team have indicated that new ‘clubs’ could potentially open at urban Six Senses properties in New York – where the company is busy on a property designed by Bjarke Ingels Group – as well as London, Bangkok, Shanghai, the Loire Valley, Istanbul, Rome and Lisbon.
Webinar: Cities after COVID-19 – lessons for greenfield megaprojects
by Liz Terry | 25 May 2020
Having seen COVID-19 disrupt the very functioning of cities worldwide, what would we do differently if we built new cities from scratch? This is the topic of a webinar conference in The Big Rethink series from NewCities, happening today (26 May 2020), at 12.00noon EDT. Speakers include Greg Clark, global head of future cities and new industries at HSBC; Satish Kamat, president of Sri City near Chennai, India; and Carlo
Andrew Frontini and Paul Kulig – of Perkins and Will Toronto – tell CLAD the pandemic opens up opportunities to reinvent cities to create a better future
by Stu Robarts | 27 Apr 2020
Andrew Frontini, principal and design director of Perkins and Will in Toronto, and his colleague Paul Kulig, principal for urban design and transit, told CLAD how the Covid-19 pandemic will change how we live and move around cities. There has been a significant trend towards designing health and wellness into the built environment over the last decade, perhaps best illustrated by the launch of the International WELL Building Institute and
Carlo Ratti Associati win Re-inventing Cities competition with biophilic 'urban vineyard' which weaves around the building like a DNA Helix
by Andrew Manns | 31 May 2019
Carlo Ratti Associati have unveiled the first images of VITAE – their winning concept in the Re-Inventing Cities competition. The mixed-use building will have show-stopping biophilic elements, including a 200-metre 'urban vineyard' which weaves up through the building from the ground floor to the roof. The green pathway will be designed to reflect the double-helix structure of DNA to symbolise the "embrace between research and biophilia". The €40m (US$44.6m, £35.4m)
OOPEAA to create floating swimming pools and spas for coastal cities
by Luke Cloherty | 18 Jul 2018
Finnish architects OOPEAA have won a competition to design and create floating sea pools for public use in coastal cities and towns around the world, with the first to be rolled out in Oulu in the north of Finland. Following a pilot project in Helsinki in 2016, city development and investment group Töölö Urban ran the competition in April 2018 to commission a firm to design the Allas Sea Pools.
World's tallest timber skyscraper planned for Tokyo, as design team pledged to 'transform cities into forests'
by Kim Megson | 16 Feb 2018
Japanese architecture giants Nikken Sekkei have partnered with construction firm Sumitomo Forest to create the world’s tallest wooden skyscraper, which they hope will inspire the transformation of “cities into forests” around the globe. Located in central Tokyo, the timber tower, tentatively called the W350, is set to be completed by 2041 to celebrate Sumitomo Forest’s 350th anniversary – a milestone that has informed its anticipated height of 350m (1,148ft). The
Arup report warns urban planners must do more to create child-friendly cities
by Kim Megson | 15 Dec 2017
A child-friendly approach to urban planning is a vital part of creating inclusive cities that work better for everyone. That is the conclusion of global architecture and engineering firm Arup, which has published a new report warning that cities risk economic and cultural damage if they fail to address the needs of children aged 17 and under. The authors of ‘Cities Alive: Designing for Urban Childhoods’ argue that children’s ability
Public creativity crucial for cities, argues Urban Art Projects founder after Ai Weiwei collaboration in New York
by Kim Megson | 08 Dec 2017
One of the design team responsible for realising Ai Weiwei’s huge ‘security fence’ installations across New York has told CLADglobal the popularity of the project demonstrates why cities and developers would be “mad” not to commission creativity. Dan Tobin, the founder of international creative design and delivery studio Urban Art Projects (UAP), said that boundary-pushing art “sparks conversations, activates communities, creates memories, celebrates different cultures, drives tourism and enables micro
Week's top news: A mushroom-inspired spa, Paris' parasitic architecture and how 'driverless' cars will transform cities
by Kim Megson | 04 Mar 2017
Here are some of the stories that appeared on CLAD this week, from Apple’s leisure-filled new HQ to the winners of the 2017 Pritzker Prize. Monday • Bill Bensley has taken inspiration from an unlikely combination of themes for a new JW Marriott resort in Vietnam. Read here. • Too many visual renderings of future architectural projects “do not correspond at all to the real world” because of a lack
Can New York take advantage of driverless cars? Design competition launched to find answer
by Kim Megson | 27 Feb 2017
Design competition organiser Blank Space has partnered with government authorities in New York to seek a feasible long-term strategy for the city’s response to driverless cars. “Entrepreneurs, innovators, designers, engineers, architects and futurists” are invited to enter The Driverless Future Challenge and pitch concrete design solutions for the cities of the future, which “will be populated with robotic cars chauffeuring their dozing or web-surfing occupants around town.” “The challenge seeks
Week's top news: Richard Meier reflects, Snøhetta reveal latest landmark and Jan Gehl hits out at soulless cities
by Kim Megson | 18 Feb 2017
Here are some of the stories that appeared on CLAD this week, from Nike’s sci-fi gym pop-up in Shanghai to an announcement about the 2017 Pritzker Prize. Monday • The rise of modernism and motorism has created “technocratic, soulless cities which make cars and developers happy, but have no concern for people living in and using them,” according to Danish architect and urban designer Jan Gehl. Read here. • David
'Building walls is not a good idea': Jan Gehl and Helle Søholt on the need for people-friendly cities
by Kim Megson | 13 Feb 2017
The rise of modernism and motorism has created “technocratic, soulless cities which make cars and developers happy, but have no concern for people living in and using them,” according to Danish architect and urban designer Jan Gehl. In an exclusive interview with CLAD, Gehl and Helle Søholt, a founding partner at Gehl Architects, explained how city planners must be more “pro-people” when making important decisions on urban infrastructure and public
Thirty stadiums in 27 cities: Inside Turkey's plan to host major football tournaments
by Kim Megson | 31 Jan 2017
The football association of Turkey has lifted the lid the country’s huge stadium-building drive, and how it can help the nation win the right to host the world’s biggest tournaments. Eighteen modern grounds have been constructed in the country since 2007, with a further 12 to open in the next few years and several set for completion in 2017. This is the result of a concerted push by the government
Studio Bednarski's sliding bridge projects 'breathing new life' into historic cities
by Kim Megson | 19 Sep 2016
London architects Studio Bednarski have completed one high-profile European bridge and won a competition to build another, with their founder telling CLAD that both will be agents of urban reinvigoration. The £10m (US13$m, €11.6m) sliding Inderhavnen Bridge in Copenhagen has finally opened to the public after a five-year construction period beset by delays and the bankruptcy of the first contractor. The architects said “quiet sophistication and grace of motion” were
Architects invited to propose how timber buildings can save our cities for international competition
by Kim Megson | 12 Jul 2016
Architects around the world have been challenged to push the boundaries of modern wood building design in cities. Wood manufactured Metsä Wood has launched a competition seeking suggestions as to how wooden extensions could add density to existing city buildings. The company said that the world’s growing urban population and the rising demand of housing and interior spaces mean cities must start developing strategically and environmentally. In a statement, it
European Prize for Urban Public Space awarded to two leisure projects
by Kim Megson | 05 Jul 2016
Projects to build a museum in a historic Polish city square and to recover an orchard in Spain have been named the joint winners of the European Prize for Urban Public Space 2016. The annual award celebrates the creation, recovery and improvement of public spaces “as clear indicators of the democratic health of our cities”. This year, 276 candidatures from 33 countries were submitted to the prize, and the winners
Adaptable architecture is the future of our cities, says RAW Design princpal
by Kim Megson | 04 Jul 2016
Design studios should embrace temporary architecture projects as a means of experimenting with how buildings can shape our environments. That is the view of Roland Rom Colthoff, principal of Canadian firm RAW Design. The practice have organised several temporary events celebrating adaptive reuse of structures, including Winter Stations – an exhibition of art installations built around lifeguard points on Toronto’s wintry beaches – and a series of one-night “architectural stunts”
UN tool will map 'science of cities' to analyse impact of urbanisation on sustainable development
by Kim Megson | 14 Jun 2016
High profile figures ranging from Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio to former US presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter have urged for further research and investment into making our cities more sustainable in recent weeks. Now the UN has increased its own commitment to this drive by introducing a new scientific tool that measures the rate of global urbanisation, its characteristics and the potential effect of urban sprawl on the quality
US presidents Clinton and Carter promote need for sustainable cities
by Kim Megson | 13 Jun 2016
Former US presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter will participate in a one-on-one conversation about creating sustainable cities, green energy and economic growth on 14 June. The presidential pair will speak at the end of the Clinton Global Initiative’s (CGI) 2016 American meeting, which is currently taking place in Atlanta, Georgia. The meeting is gathering leaders in business, investment, innovation and city management to discuss solutions to nine of the
Space Syntax launching training academy for urban planners, developers and architects
by Alice Davis | 09 Jun 2016
Urban planning expert Space Syntax is launching a range of specialised training courses to teach architecture industry professionals how to use and apply its longstanding approach in their own work. The Space Syntax Academy is being set up to share the same theories and methodologies that Space Syntax provides to its clients, who include Arup, Aedas, Wilkinson Eyre, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Foster + Partners, Rogers Stirk Harbour, Richard Rogers
Leonardo DiCaprio urges cities to become models for global sustainability
by Kim Megson | 22 Apr 2016
Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has championed the importance of sustainable cities in the global battle against climate change. Today (22 April) 130 countries will sign the landmark agreement reached in Paris last December to tackle global warming. Reflecting on this breakthrough in the Guardian newspaper, DiCaprio cautioned that it is “just the beginning” in the drive to avoid “the catastrophic impacts” of rising temperatures. The Oscar winning actor outlined five
Stefano Boeri: Vertical forests are the future of our cities
by Kim Megson | 16 Mar 2016
Italian architect Stefano Boeri has told CLAD how the ‘vertical forest’ model of architecture promotes wellness and creates sustainable urbanisation in our towns and cities. Boeri is a specialist in the field of green design, having created tree-topped towers in Switzerland and Italy, and in an exclusive interview he explained how his “continuous experiment of cohabitation” – in which he covers structures in flora and fauna – can change the
Cycling and light combine for interactive installation promoting activity and healthy cities
by Kim Megson | 16 Mar 2016
Innovative design can raise awareness of important social and environmental issues in an accessible, fun and persuasive way, according to the designers of VelO2 – an installation that illustrates air pollution through cycling and light. In an exclusive interview with CLAD, Matthias Gmachl, creative director of London based ‘spatial laboratory’ Loop.Ph, said: “If you have a fun, humorous and lighthearted way to introduce ideas, people are generally more open to
Could our future cities use technology to bring fun and surprise into our lives?
by Kim Megson | 09 Mar 2016
A leading architect in the conscious cities movement – which is exploring how architecture and urban design can better consider and respond to our needs – has told CLAD how emotionally-aware urban environments could add a necessary element of fun and surprise into our day-to-day lives. Architect Itai Palti, founder of research group Conscious Cities, called for academics, scientists, developers, policy makers, architects and designers to collaborate on making our
CLAD roundup: Santiago Calatrava, FC Barcelona and Conscious Cities
by Kim Megson | 04 Mar 2016
It’s been another busy week in the world of leisure architecture, design, investment and development, and CLAD has reported on some exciting trends and discoveries which will have big implications for the industry. We covered an important new study into graphene, which found that by using biomimicry this nanometre thin material could be applied in buildings as ‘smart wallpaper’ to generate electricity from waste light or heat, potentially revolutionising how
Arup predict a future of smart, interactive, conscious cities
by Kim Megson | 01 Mar 2016
Josef Hargrave, an associate with Arup’s global Foresight + Research + Innovation team, has predicted that the cities of the future will “identify, understand, manage and solve social, environmental and economic shifts and shocks”. Hargrave outlined his vision at Conscious Cities, a conference organised today (1 March) in London to explore the relationship between neuroscience and architecture. He imagined a future where sensors embedded throughout cities will be able to
In Japan, children are designing the cities of the future
by Kim Megson | 26 Feb 2016
Japan is leading the way in the establishment of child-friendly cities with young people being given a say in the design of their urban environments. UNICEF launched its Child Friendly City (CFC) initiative in 1996 as a way of implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at local levels. Cities in which children are able to live happily and safely, express their opinions, influence decision making and
Architecture and neuroscience – Conscious Cities conference will explore the connection
by Kim Megson | 23 Feb 2016
A conference exploring the relationship between neuroscience and architecture will take place at the London headquarters of engineering firm Arup next week. Taking place on 1 March, the one-day Conscious Cities event has been organised by London’s Museum of Architecture and THECUBE – a collective of scientists, engineers, designers, technologists, artists, futurists and anthropologists. Among the topics under discussion will be how our built environments affect behaviour and cognition, how
Will 'Parasitic Architecture' transform placemaking in cities?
by Kim Megson | 17 Feb 2016
A simple yet radical scheme to introduce low-cost housing to dense cities could have major implications for placemaking in our urban environments. French studio Stéphane Malka Architecture have been creating prefabricated living spaces which lean on and extend from existing buildings in Paris, cantilevering over streets at unusual angles. The concept – nicknamed ‘parasitic architecture’ – is an environmentally-friendly and economical solution to creating living space in urban areas short
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