Architecture and design news:
arts & culture
Musée d'Orsay announces major expansion plans following €20m donation
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 12 Mar 2020
The Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France, has announced plans for a major expansion project following an anonymous €20m (£17.6m, US$22.4m) donation. The project, called Orsay Grand Ouvert – or Orsay Wide Open – is thought to have been in development for a period of several months and has now been made public following the donation. A new wing and a 7,000sq ft (650sq m) Education Center, as well as an
MEAN*'s algorithmically-designed, 3D-printed desert pavilion is an oasis for rest and gathering
by Stu Robarts | 12 Mar 2020
The Middle East Architecture Network (MEAN*) have designed a pavilion for rest and gatherings in the Wadi Rum desert valley in the south of Jordan that responds to the ancient landscape using current design and building technologies. The pavilion was conceived to provide shade and a space to rest during the day, to be a place for celebration, storytelling and gatherings at night and to offer a model for building
Thinkwell Group's US pavilion for Expo 2020 will explore the future
by Stu Robarts | 11 Mar 2020
The US pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai is to be designed by the experiential design and production agency Thinkwell Group and will explore "the exciting future made possible by American innovation, vision, and enterprise". The building will be designed in such a way as to appear to be moving at times and will house exhibits about journeying to Mars, the city of the future and 3D-printed prosthetics and organs. It
Former cheese factory becomes contemporary art centre
by Stu Robarts | 10 Mar 2020
Wheeler Kearns Architects have transformed a decommissioned cheese factory in the US city of Bentonville, Arkansas, into a multidisciplinary space for visual, performing and culinary artists. The Momentary was opened at the end of February as a satellite location of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which is also in Bentonville. The 63,000sq ft (5,900sq m) facility was conceived with the aim of providing a unique cultural hub
Derelict 1930s theatre and music hall in Brussels to be converted for social programming
by Stu Robarts | 06 Mar 2020
Flores & Prats and Ouest Architecture have won a competition to convert a derelict old theatre and music hall into an open, inclusive public space. The Ancien Théâtre des Variétés was originally designed by modernist architect Victor Bourgeois and built in the 1930s. Having been converted into a Cinerama venue in the 1960s, it was eventually abandoned in the 1980s. Now, the 5,000sq m (54,000sq ft) building will be reactivated
Perkins and Will break ground on outdoor celebration of Black LA
by Stu Robarts | 04 Mar 2020
Perkins and Will have broken ground on Destination Crenshaw, a 1.3mi (2.1km)-long outdoor art, culture and museum area celebrating Black Los Angeles (LA). Running along Crenshaw Boulevard, Destination Crenshaw was conceived to celebrate the energy and accomplishments of Black LA, to document and preserve its 200 years plus of history, to seed a "community-driven, counterbalancing force against gentrification" and to drive economic security and opportunities for local residents. The project,
Vertigo's "urban forest" of LED bars animates public square
by Stu Robarts | 02 Mar 2020
Digital art group Vertigo have created a new audio-visual installation that reacts to the movement of viewers and passersby, animating a public square with flashing LEDs. The artwork. called Echelon, is located at the foot of London’s Centre Point building and was curated by cultural placemaking agency Futurecity for Almacantar, a development company that is rejuvenating the brutalist building. It takes the form of a 12m (39ft) equilateral triangle of
Margot Krasojević combines gallery and hydropower typologies
by Stu Robarts | 28 Feb 2020
Margot Krasojević has created a conceptual design for a hydroelectric power plant that uses the electricity it generates to power nearby homes as well as an art gallery housed within. Much of Krasojević's work focuses on combining architectural typologies as potential solutions for new challenges in our "perpetually changing environment", like her Harmonic Turbine Tidal Hotel. The Hydroelectric Sculpture Gallery concept redefines what a power plant and a gallery can
City of Dreams Pavilion Competition winners constructed from air and pyramids
by Stu Robarts | 25 Feb 2020
Two winners have been chosen in this year's City of Dreams Pavilion Competition, with one constructed from air-filled materials and the other with an inverted pyramid that is a comment on environmental instability. The City of Dreams Pavilion Competition is run by FIGMENT, the Emerging New York Architects Committee of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and the Structural Engineers Association of New York. It is based on
Coronavirus delays opening of teamLab SuperNature Macao
by Stu Robarts | 21 Feb 2020
The opening of teamLab 's SuperNature Macao museum of immersive digital artworks in Macau, China, has been delayed until further notice as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Originally due to open this month, the 5,000sq m (54,000sq ft), the attraction is located in an expo hall at Sands Resorts Macao 's Venetian Macao hotel. It comprises a "labyrinthine" layout of gallery spaces that visitors will make their way through
V&A Museum of Childhood to close for two-year AOC redevelopment
by Andy Knaggs | 21 Feb 2020
Creating an "unforgettable first museum experience for children" is the aim of the V&A Museum of Childhood in London, which has announced it will close in May 2020 for a two-year, £13m (US$16.9m, €15.7m) transformation by AOC. The museum said the "reimagination" of its collections, galleries, building and public programme will turn it into a "world-leading centre of creativity for children". Creativity is a major theme for the planned renovation,
Edwardian swimming baths restored for use as arts venue
by Stu Robarts | 18 Feb 2020
Donald Insall Associates have completed restoration work of Edwardian architecture at Grade II listed heritage swimming baths that are being converted for use as an arts and culture venue. Moseley Road Baths are said to be the only baths in the UK built before 1914 to have continuously hosted swimming since they opened, which was in 1907. They are architecturally significant due to the quality and completeness of their interior,
Rothko Chapel to reopen after Architecture Research Office renovation
by Stu Robarts | 14 Feb 2020
The Rothko Chapel will reopen in Houston this June after a 14-month restoration project by Architecture Research Office that is part of a wider $30m (€28m, £23m) masterplan project the studio is carrying out. Opened in 1971, the chapel was created as a place for interfaith worship and contemplation by its founders – artist Mark Rothko and John and Dominique de Menil – and has 14 huge Rothko canvases on
Counterspace's Serpentine Pavilion will be both one and many places for gathering
by Stu Robarts | 13 Feb 2020
Counterspace have been chosen to design the Serpentine Pavilion for 2020 with a design based on gathering spaces and community places around London that will be accompanied by a public programme across the city. Now in its 20th year, the annual pavilion commission is described by the Serpentine as "a global platform for experimental projects by some of the world's greatest architects." This year's architects from the Johannesburg-based practice –
£67m Eden Project attraction to open in Northern Ireland
by Andy Knaggs | 13 Feb 2020
A new £67m (US$86.9m, €79.8m) cultural and environmental Eden Project tourist attraction, designed by Grimshaw Architects, is to be built in Northern Ireland and is expected to open in 2023. Eden Project Foyle will cover a 100-hectare (250-acre) site along the banks of the River Foyle near Derry-Londonderry, brining previously inaccessible land, three historic walled gardens and an 18th-century icehouse back into use. The destination will feature a range of
Glazed wooden Tchaikovsky Academic Opera and Ballet Theater will be a monument to the arts
by Stu Robarts | 12 Feb 2020
wHY Architecture are to build a monolithic but welcoming glazed, wooden theatre in a new park on the Kama River as a beacon for the emerging arts district in Perm, Russia. The firm began working on the Tchaikovsky Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in September 2019 and their design was given the go-ahead in January 2020 by a vote of approval from the City Council of Perm, the planning commission
Steven Holl Architects create "social condenser" community centre in Shanghai
by Stu Robarts | 12 Feb 2020
Steven Holl Architects have topped out the Shanghai Cofco Cultural and Health Center, which is aimed at being "a social condenser" for residents of the dense surrounding housing. Designed in 2016 and expected to be completed mid-to-late 2020, the 7,520sq m (81,000sq ft) development comprises a mix of public realm, a canalside park, space for recreational and cultural programs, amenities and health facilities. An open, spacious design contrasts that of
Asif Khan unveils huge woven gateways for Expo 2020 Dubai
by Stu Robarts | 10 Feb 2020
Three huge entry gateways for Expo 2020 Dubai, designed by Asif Khan, will welcome visitors onto the site from 20 October, with a futuristic exploration of the traditional mashrabiya. Mashrabiyas are a type of decorative, projecting window often used to control light and airflow that typically found on Arabic residences. Khan's Expo Entry Portals, which are part of his wider work on the expo's public realm, are said to be
Niall McLaughlin Architects to design Somerset House auditorium and public space
by Stu Robarts | 07 Feb 2020
Niall McLaughlin Architects have been chosen to design a new, multi-purpose auditorium and public space for London's Somerset House arts centre. Designed and built by Sir William Chambers during the mid-to-late 1770s, the current neoclassical building has a rich history and courtyards that are described as being among the most beautiful in Europe. With the building already home to a creative community and a variety of different exhibition and events
Huge V-shaped "light cone" intersects Wuhan bookstore
by Stu Robarts | 06 Feb 2020
A bookstore in Wuhan, China, has reopened after a two-year design and renovation project by Wutopia Lab that has seen a huge "light cone" inserted into the building, drawing natural light from the roof down to all floors. The 10,000sq m (107,600sq ft) Hubei Foreign Language Bookstore was established 40 years ago and has undergone a number of alterations and renovations over the years. Wutopia Lab were keen to re-establish
ARM Architecture begin AU$150m upgrade of Sydney Opera House
by Stu Robarts | 04 Feb 2020
ARM Architecture have begun work on a AU$150m (US$101m, €91m, £77m), two-year renovation of the Sydney Opera House that will better equip it for performances, enhance its acoustics, improve accessibility and create a safer working environment. The project is part of the 10-year Decade of Renewal capital works programme, via which AU$275m (US$185m, €167m, £142m) of investment will transform the Opera House ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2023. The
Tadao Ando-designed HE Art Museum delays opening due to coronavirus
by Andy Knaggs | 03 Feb 2020
China's HE Art Museum has postponed its planned opening in March due to ongoing concerns regarding the coronavirus outbreak in the country. The museum, in Shunde, Guangdong Province, is a private, non-profit art institution, devoted to collecting and exhibiting Chinese and global contemporary art. The 16,000sq m (52,500sq ft) facility was designed by Tadao Ando, and was due to hold a ceremony to mark its opening on 21 March 2020.
Seattle Asian Art Museum to reopen after LMN Architects revamp
by Stu Robarts | 03 Feb 2020
The Seattle Asian Art Museum will reopen this weekend after a $56m (€51m, £43m) renovation and expansion of its historic 1933 Art Deco building by LMN Architects. The project, which has taken 12 years from planning through design and construction, was the first major renovation of the 64,250sq ft (6,000sq m) facility since it was constructed. Most notably, preservation work has been carried out on the building and its Art
Diamond Schmitt design joint library and archives building for Ottawa
by Stu Robarts | 31 Jan 2020
Diamond Schmitt Architects, working with KWC Architects, have designed a joint facility for Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada (OPL-LAC) aimed at creating an inspiring place for gathering, learning and discovery. The CAD$193m (US$146m, €132m, £111m) building is scheduled to open in 2024, will cover 216,000sq ft (20,000sq m) and be split across five floors. It will house shared resources for the organisations including exhibitions and collections space,
Contemporary Calgary opens doors following CA$25m transformation
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 30 Jan 2020
Calgary's Centennial Planetarium has reopened as a contemporary art gallery following a major CA$25m (US$18.9m, €17.2m) renovation carried out by the City of Calgary and Lemay + Toker. Called Contemporary Calgary, the planetarium – which is known for its brutalist architecture and imposing concrete dome – had been vacant since 2011, following the opening of Calgary's TELUS Spark Science Centre. It was put out for expression of interest by the
OF Studio design undulating desert landscape to explore at Dubai Creek Harbour
by Stu Robarts | 29 Jan 2020
OF Studio have won a competition run by Emaar to create a new "landmark structure" on a 6,300sq m (67,800sq ft) plot within the 5.6 million sq m (60.3 million sq ft) Dubai Creek Harbour waterfront development. Participants were briefed to submit proposals that would respect the culture and climate of Dubai, but also expose children and families to new worldviews. OF Studio's LAND-MARK proposal was conceived to be a
Geometric, inclusive temple chosen for Burning Man 2020
by Stu Robarts | 29 Jan 2020
Burning Man Arts have chosen a design by Laurence "Renzo" Verbeck and Sylvia Adrienne Lisse that is rooted in geometry and inclusivity for this year's Temple installation. The design is named after Empyrean, which is said to be the region just beyond the physical realm that is the highest point of wisdom, where humanity can interact with the divine and the birthplace of fire. The Empyrean Temple takes the form
Denver Art Museum to unveil new OMA-designed galleries
by Stu Robarts | 28 Jan 2020
Around 10,000sq ft (930sq m) of new galleries, designed by OMA, will be unveiled on 6th June as part of a phased reopening of the Denver Art Museum 's newly renovated, Gio Ponti -designed Martin Building. The work is part of a project led by Machado Silvetti and Fentress Architects to update elements of the museum and to reunify its campus. By horizontally bisecting the museum’s original Stanton Gallery, OMA
Geelong Arts Centre dons new skin and old church after Hassell redevelopment
by Stu Robarts | 24 Jan 2020
Geelong Arts Centre has reopened after a AU$38.5m (US$26,3m, €23.9m, £20.1m) redevelopment by Hassell, with a new translucent skin and a newly revealed heritage church building. The centre is located in the Australian state of Victoria, where it is the only state-owned arts centre outside of Melbourne. Following Geelong's designation as a UNESCO Creative City in 2017, it was felt that the centre needed upgrading to serve the city's "growing
Schmidt Hammer Lassen design hybrid library-theatre for Skien
by Stu Robarts | 23 Jan 2020
A team led by Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL) is one of two left in the running to create a new library in Skien, Norway, with a hybrid design that will allow visitors to experience the work and influence of Henrik Ibsen. The Ibsen Library is being established to drive increased social involvement and democratic participation in the region, to become a visitor attraction and to honour the legacy of the
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