Sneha Divias Atelier have designed a children’s restaurant and concept store in Dubai that uses colours and materials to create an environment that is comfortable, calming and conducive to learning. Unlike many spaces designed for children, White & the Bear doesn’t use a primary colour palette. Instead, neutral colours and warms tones accompany a minimalist design and materials were chosen for their aesthetic and maintenance requirements. Despite that, there are

Sydney Fish Market is to more than double in size and gain a variety of new leisure amenities and public spaces, following confirmation that AUS$750m (US$509m, €463m) will be invested in its redevelopment. The market, which is said to be the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, will move from its existing location in Pyrmont to the adjacent Blackwattle Bay in Sydney Harbour. The new site will occupy

McDonald’s and Ross Barney Architects have collaborated on a recent project in the United States, showcasing a one-of-a-kind modern and environmentally-friendly fast food restaurant. The 19,000sq ft (1765sq m) steel and timber restaurant was inspired by McDonald’s commitment to sustainability, according to the restaurant, and is unlike anything in their current collection of over 37,000 restaurants. The glass facade is covered by a canopy of solar panels, which stretch far

A hotel, a new atrium, outdoor play and exhibit areas and a ‘Neighborhood of Play’ – a residential project with retail units, sculptures and street fixtures are all planned for US attraction the Strong National Museum of Play’s reinvention. The museum has entered the first phase of a 100,000q ft (2,290sq m) expansion, which has a total fundraising goal of fundraising goal of US$60m (€52.5M, £47m). US$20m (€17.5m, £15.7m) from

Asian hotel interiors specialists AB Concept, co-founded by Ed Ng, have designed restaurant, bar and lounge areas for the new the new Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur. Yun House, the main restaurant, has a decadent courtyard-style reception with an elaborate pewter back panel. Its high ceilings and natural light reference Malaysia’s longstanding tradition of socialising in gardens. The design of Yun House was inspired by legends of Canton voyagers, according to

International architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) have revealed they are designing the largest ever private-sector development in Thailand: a 16-hectare mixed-use development called One Bangkok. Development firms TCC Assets and Frasers Centrepoint Limited have unveiled plans for the mammoth scheme in the heart of the Thai capital. One Bangkok, located adjacent to the city’s Lumphini Park, will be formed of hotels, shops, public spaces, offices and residences –

British architect David Adjaye has been appointed to masterplan the transformation of a disused San Francisco Navy base into a vibrant new leisure district. Development company Five Point is leading the project to redevelop the decommissioned Hunters Point site, now called the San Francisco Shipyard, as part of a wider 760-acre urban plan. When finished, the land will contain parks, sports facilities, artist studios, business incubators, shops, theatres, a performance

Some of the biggest names in architecture and construction are in the running to masterplan the UK’s largest regeneration programme at Old Oak Common in west London. Seven shortlisted teams have been issued with invitation to tender for the project, with Arup, Grimshaw, AECOM, Allies & Morrison and Hawkins Brown among the team leaders in contention. Over 70 architecture, design, engineering, communication and landscaping firms have contributed to the competing

Jiangnan Global Harbor, one of the world’s largest leisure-led retail schemes, has officially opened near Shanghai. The 500,000sq m (5.3 million sq ft), five-level project is located in the city of Changzhou, within the prosperous Jiangsu province. Designed by architects Chapman Taylor, the scheme has a vast Art Deco-inspired atrium with giant LED screens and musical fountains; 60,000sq m (645,800sq ft) of space dedicated to bars, restaurants and cafés; and

Indian architecture practice Design Forum International have designed a 380m long elevated walkway in Kolkata to regenerate one of the city’s busiest neighbourhoods and bring leisure to the skies. The Skywalk has been proposed by the city government to separate pedestrians and road traffic around Dakshineshwar Temple, one of the city’s most visited places of worship. As well as improving ease of movement and safety by creating a new link

A 200-bed five star hotel and 30,000sq ft (2,800sq m) of leisure space will dominate the latest architectural project being developed by former Manchester United stars Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. Restaurants, bars, shops and three anchoring public squares will feature at the St. Michael’s scheme in Manchester, which Neville has vowed will be “the biggest statement in architecture and development that the city has seen in modern times”. Architecture

British skincare brand Elemis has teamed up with designers Virgile and Partners to transform its central London day spa into The House of Elemis – a new flagship beauty house combining wellness with retail. Launched last week (28 May) the opulent Mayfair townhouse was conceptualised by Elemis co-founder Oriele Frank in partnership with Virgile and Partners. The design brief for The House of Elemis was to reflect the brand pillars

International architecture firm NBBJ have revealed concept designs for two light reflecting, shadowless skyscrapers. Created using the design software Rhinoceros, several blueprints for the mixed-use skyscrapers have been generated with the key aim of reflecting dispersed sunlight onto the streets below. With more skyscrapers being built in 2014 than in any other year, targeting the ‘doom and gloom’ effect and allowing sunlight to reach the ground is an important factor

Kuwait’s leading mixed use property developer, Tamdeen Group, has announced US$700m (€661m, £472m) plans for the Al Khiran project, located in Sabah Al Ahmed Sea City, Kuwait. Al Khiran will be an an eco-friendly, recreational, residential and retail waterfront development. The resort-like project will spread along 350,000sq m (3,800,000sq ft) and it’s hoped it will become a key tourism driver for Kuwait. Although situated on the waterfront, the heart of

Following an epic week at MIPIM, the 25th MIPIM Award winners were announced last night- 12 March. Leisure architecture once again proved to be a frontrunner, with five leisure buildings being recognised. •Center Parcs Woburn Forest, designed by Holder Mathias Architects, in Bedfordshire UK, won the Best Hotel & Tourism Resort Award. Since it’s opening back summer of 2014, Centre Parcs has been causing a stir in the spa world,

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held for South Korea’s US$1.8bn (€1.6bn, £1.2bn) Resorts World Jeju, which is aiming to rival its Singaporean counterpart at Resorts World Sentosa. Being jointly developed by Chinese property developer Landing International Development and Genting Singapore, the resort will cover 2.5sq km (1sq m) and will offer more than 20 different rides and attractions in seven different zones. Also included will be a waterpark and a

London-based architecture practice Brisac Gonzalez has received planning permission for a multi-million dollar mixed-use project in Paris, France. Developer Paris Habitat – France’s biggest public housing agency – is building the residential and leisure complex in the 17th arrondissement of Paris in Clichy-Batignolles. It’s part of the first phase of a wider urban development project where a new 54-hectare (133-acre) eco-district is being constructed on the former railway site of

Plans to create a third financial district in London – to rival the City and Canary Wharf – have taken a significant step forward after a Chinese investment firm announced backing to the tune of £1bn (US$1.5bn, €1.4bn). China Minsheng Investment Corp Ltd, the mainland country’s largest private investment firm, will join Chinese developer Advanced Business Park (ABP) on the Farrells-designed project, which aims to transform the historic Royal Albert

Jon Jerde, founder of The Jerde Partnership, has died aged 75. Jerde, who was viewed by many as the father of modern shopping centre design, died on 9 February 2015 at his home in Los Angeles, US. Jerde established his practice in 1977, following a commission for a retail centre in San Diego from Ernie Hahn, a shopping mall developer. For years Jerde designed shopping malls and he began to

Hot on the heels of its announcement for a US$3.5bn (€3.1bn, £2.3bn) winter wonderland theme park to be built in Fort Worth, Texas, multi-media entertainment company DreamVision has unveiled plans for a second US$3.5bn theme park for Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Scheduled to open in 2019, DreamVision Soundscape – which will built upon the musical heritage of Muscle Shoals – will cover 2.2sq m (5.7sq km) and is being developed simultaneously

Work has started on the M+ Museum West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), Hong Kong, following a ground breaking ceremony. Designed by Herzog and de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong, the museum's ground breaking was marked by the burial of a commemorative time capsule containing contemporary and local items, ready to be rediscovered in a century. The M+ Museum, with a floor space

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has given a grant of £7.8m (US$11.8m, €10.4m) to ‘The Sill’ a new visitor centre for Hadrian’s Wall and Northumberland National park. The most recent plans for ‘The Sill’ were announced in October 2014, outlining that the project needed at least £11.2m (US$17.9m, €14.3m) to get it off the ground. The HLF grant will help to secure the future of the project, while other donations

The opening of a planned visitor centre in Falkirk, Scotland, has been delayed for further expansion after visitor numbers to the Kelpies doubled original expectations. Work on the development has already started nearby artist Andy Scott’s giant horse-head sculptures, which are at the centre of the Helix parkland project. The sculptures debuted in April 2014, with more than 680,000 people visiting by September and an estimated 950,000 to visit in

Global architecture and design firm Atkins has been appointed to design a landmark development in Changsha, China. Atkins is working closely with developer Changsha Northstar Real Estate Development Company to create a the Northstar Changsha Centre, which will include a 400m (1,312ft) landmark tower. Situated in Hunan province, Changsha is one of China’s most economically advanced cities. Already acting as a commercial and industrial hub, this development will offer new

Swansea Council is working to drive forward £500m (US$760m, €663m) plans for a major mixed-use regeneration project spanning two city centre sites. The council has unveiled outline proposals for the Civic Centre and St David's sites in the Welsh city and is now asking developers to work on early ideas for the sites and come back with specific plans. It hopes to have preferred developers on board by early 2016.

Diamante Cabo San Lucas, a private resort community located on the Pacific Coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, is set to open its revamped spa at its 1,500-acre (607-hectare) property in February. The 70-bedroom residence club, owned by president and CEO Ken Jowdy, will also be expanded to include 200 more rooms within the next few years, a spokesperson told Spa Opportunities exclusively. The Spa at Diamante features four treatment

Work will begin in Sheffield this July on a new £65m mixed-use development which has received significant backing from a consortium of Chinese investors. Designed by Sheffield-based architects Hadfield Cawkwell Davidson, the New Era Square scheme was given the green light this week by city councillors, who believe the plans show that the city can offer enterprising links with the international community. The 86,100 sq ft (8,000 sq m) development,