Designs for Battersea scrapped again
by Caroline Wilkinson | 03 Mar 2009
The £4bn eco-dome designs for the Battersea Power Station in London are being re-considered after various consultations found the scheme to impede on world heritage views of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
Real Estate Opportunities – which has a 67 per cent stake in the site's owner Treasury Holdings – appointed New York-based architect Rafael Viñoly to design the masterplan in April 2008. The design was based on a dome with a 250m-high glass tower – reduced from its original 300m height in December – and would have been carbon-neutral. Prior to objections from Wandsworth Borough Council, the mayor of London and English Heritage, plans for the 38-acre development also includes 8 million sq ft (743,200sq m) of residential (including hotels), office and retail space, as well as 500,000sq ft (46,400sq m) of leisure and cultural space. There was also to be a six-acre public park and an urban square.
It is understood that the new proposals, which are part of the ongoing masterplanning, will significantly reduce the amount of residential and commercial space. The existing Battersea building was also set to undergo a £150m facelift, with key historic spaces retained and opened to the public.
The disused, Grade II-listed building has been the subject of redevelopment schemes since 1984, but none of the plans have come to fruition. REO still intends to start construction in 2012 with the view of completing the scheme by 2020.
The £4bn eco-dome designs for the Battersea Power Station in London are being re-considered after various consultations found the scheme to impede on world heritage views of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Real Estate Opportunities – which has a 67 per cent stake in the site's owner Treasury Holdings – appointed New York-based architect Rafael Viñoly to design the masterplan in April 2008. The design was based on
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by Helen Andrews | 02 May 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 20 Apr 2026
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by Magali Robathan | 16 Apr 2026
World of Frozen has opened at Disney Adventure World in Disneyland Paris with new offerings across the entire park. The expansion almost doubles the size of Disneyland Paris, immersing guests in a life-size recreation of the Kingdom of Arendel. The World of Frozen features a Tangled -inspired attraction, 14 new dining locations and a large lake debuting a new night-time spectacular. It also features a daytime celebration, themed shopping, and
Pical Resort by Valamar reveals first Croatian spa under the ESPA brand
by Helen Andrews | 14 Apr 2026
The €200m (US$221.3 million, £169.7 million) Pical Resort, Valamar Collection has opened in Croatia with the country’s first ESPA spa. Valamar Riviera, a Croatian tourism company and hotel operator has revealed the 514-key property in Poreč, Istria. The development of the Pical Resort represents Valamar’s largest investment to date. The accommodation is split into the following options: the Pical Hotel, the luxury all-inclusive Pical Family Hotel, the exclusive Pical Suites
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by Helen Andrews | 13 Apr 2026
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has revealed plans to expand its presence in Egypt with the renovation and operation of two historic hotel properties and the brand’s first-ever luxury river cruise. In 2022, Mandarin Oriental announced it would open its first Egyptian property, Mandarin Oriental Shepheard in Cairo. The hotel is undergoing a comprehensive renovation and is due to open in 2027. Ownership and development The river cruise, Old Cataract
Designers Mendil + Meyer launch new division called Lām Concepts for strategic wellness projects
by Helen Andrews | 27 Mar 2026
Holistic design and architecture practice Mendil + Meyer, based in Arizona in the US, has introduced a new division called Lām Concepts to integrate and align wellness goals for projects before they reach the design stage. Ben Meyer, architect and co-founder of Mendil + Meyer, told Spa Business exclusively about the new division: “Lām comes from the word loam, meaning fertile ground – the place where conditions are right for
Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda reveals brand’s second Sanctuary spa
by Helen Andrews | 05 Mar 2026
Wilderness, an operator of 60 safari camps across eight African countries, has unveiled the second spa under its new concept called The Sanctuary, at Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda. The Sanctuary is a concept that pairs design and wellness with raw, restorative landscapes. The offering at the Rwandan property follows the opening of a different interpretation of The Sanctuary’s concept at Wilderness Mombo in Botswana. Read more about that property here.
4a Architekten shares details of wellness extension at Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa
by Helen Andrews | 04 Mar 2026
Design firm 4a Architekten has shared details of the recently-completed extension to the wellness facilities at destination spa park Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa in Germany. The upgrades to the leisure pool facility, which has been in operation since 1984, included the addition of a thermal spa and sauna in a new building that integrated sensitively into the landscape. Commissioned by the facility’s operator, utility company Stadtwerke Bad Dürkheim, the
BodyHoliday plans 10-15 locations in the next 15 years
by Helen Andrews | 04 Mar 2026
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Floating wellbeing destination planned for London’s Royal Docks
by Helen Andrews | 03 Mar 2026
A new floating wellbeing destination with a public park, residential and wellness facility is planned for a 12-hectare stretch of water within London’s Royal Docks, in the UK. The development is part of a wider regeneration of the Royal Docks to create a diverse waterfront, backed by £5 billion (US$6.35 billion, €5.85 billion) of investment over the next 20 years. The aim is to make the area a mixed-use development
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