Wilkinson Eyre design giant biome attraction for Reykjavik, Iceland
by Liz Terry | 23 Jul 2019
Architects Wilkinson Eyre are to create a new visitor attraction in the form of a massive biome complex, near Reykjavik.
The Aldin Biomes have just received planning permission and when complete, will showcase a tropical environment and local food production methods, as well as a range of wellness offerings, including barfus walks and yoga.
The 48,000sq ft structures, designed for client Spor í sandinn, have been conceived as a major landmark. They will be built on an elevated site, so they can be seen from the city.
Situated on the edge of the outdoor recreational area Elliðaárdalur, the project will provide a new gateway to the largest green area close to the Icelandic capital
The development, which has been proposed as the ‘world’s first geo-climate biome’ has been designed to be carbon neutral and will be powered by local geothermal energy.
There will be two main structures, the Nature Dome and the Tropical Dome – both will be orientated towards the north-west to optimise views of sunsets and the Northern Lights.
The domes will offer an escape from Iceland’s harsh winters when visitors will be able to enjoy a showcase of exotic plants, as well as the Farm Lab, an educational interpretive display focused on local food production.
Wilkinson Eyre say the attraction will help to boost people's wellbeing during the region’s dark winter months.
The Nature Dome will also house a multifunctional space with a reception area, restaurant, retailing and a marketplace that promotes fresh Icelandic produce.
Wilkinson Eyre Aldin Biomes Reykjavik carbon-neutral
The new visitor attraction will be open all year round, offering a tropical retreat from the Icelandic winter / Wilkinson Eyre
The biomes will house a range of wellness experiences / Wilkinson Eyre
28 Oct 2016
WilkinsonEyre will design new UK National Railway Museum in Leicester
14 Jul 2016
Stirling Prize shortlist: Caruso St John and WilkinsonEyre nominated for leisure buildings
24 Mar 2015
Wilkinson Eyre’s revamped Oxford Weston Library opens to the public
FEATURE: Architect focus – Paul Baker
Architects Wilkinson Eyre are to create a new visitor attraction in the form of a massive biome complex, near Reykjavik. The Aldin Biomes have just received planning permission and when complete, will showcase a tropical environment and local food production methods, as well as a range of wellness offerings, including barfus walks and yoga. The 48,000sq ft structures, designed for client Spor í sandinn, have been conceived as a major
CAS,VAT,ARC,DES,ECO,CLD
More news
Work begins on Heatherwick Studio's first Japanese project – a giant pergola in Tokyo
by Tom Walker | 23 Aug 2019
Work has begun on Heatherwick Studio’s latest project in Asia – a landscaped, giant "pergola" in central Tokyo. The mixed-use project will form the heart of Tokyo’s Toranomon-Azabudai district and will sit next to Japan's tallest skyscraper. Heatherwick has been tasked with creating a public realm and a number of low-rise blocks for a development which also includes a 6,000sq m central landscaped square, offices, residential space, retail units, a
FaulknerBrowns' £42m waterpark and aquatic centre will have Wowball and Waverider
by Tom Walker | 22 Aug 2019
Enhanced designs have been submitted for a £42m waterpark and aquatic complex in Derby, UK. Original plans for the Moorways complex – designed by architects FaulknerBrowns – were approved in early 2018, but the current administration which took control of Derby City Council (DCC) in May 2018 ordered a review of the project. The original plans have now been extended to include more waterleisure space, including a waterpark featuring two
MVRDV-designed Pixel looks to introduce community-spirit concept to Abu Dhabi
by Tom Walker | 21 Aug 2019
Construction work has begun on Pixel, a new residential-led, mixed-use project in Abu Dhabi's new Maker's District. Designed by MVRDV, the development aims to provide residents with a lifestyle based around outdoor living and community spirit – an innovative approach in the Emirates, as it deviates from the prevalent typology of disconnected towers. The 85,000sq m (915,000sq ft) development features 525 apartments, shops, offices, and amenities situated around a lively
Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos by Guerin Glass Architects will have organic farm and offer indoor-outdoor living
by Jane Kitchen | 19 Aug 2019
Four Seasons will open a resort in Los Cabos, Mexico this November, designed by Guerin Glass Architects. The Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas will have 141 bedrooms, including 23 suites, designed to integrate indoor-outdoor living. In the hotel, native landscaping and layers of texture – metal, wood, glass, plaster and stone – will contrast with vibrant local art to create an elemental luxury designed to feel warm
Cox Architects and Neeson Murcutt expand Australian Museum in AUS$57.5m renovation
by Andy Knaggs | 16 Aug 2019
A major renovation by Cox Architects and Neeson Murcutt will expand touring exhibition halls and create new facilities at the Australian Museum in Sydney. The attraction closed to the public from 19 August for the improvements, that will see storage space being repurposed to give the museum 1,500sq m (4,900sq ft) of additional touring exhibition halls across two levels. This capacity means it could host either one major exhibition or
More photos released of Ingenhoven Architects' design for Lanserhof at the iconic Arts Club
by Tom Walker | 16 Aug 2019
German wellness operator Lanserhof has opened its first UK location at the historic Arts Club in London. The six-storey luxury health and wellness club – situated on Dover Market Street in Mayfair – has a focus on personalised services and houses a wide range of gym spaces equipped by Technogym, exercise and studio rooms and a full-service spa featuring treatment rooms and a cryotherapy chamber. Designed by Ingenhoven Architects, the
Ney & Partners and William Matthew Associates create double cantilever bridge with symbolic sliver gap for Tintagel Castle
by Andy Knaggs | 16 Aug 2019
A £5m (US$6m, €5.4m) programme of improvements at world-famous Tintagel Castle, Cornwall, UK, has reached a milestone, with the opening of a footbridge that joins the two halves of the castle for the first time in more than 500 years. Designed by Ney & Partners engineers and William Matthew Associates Architectural Practice, the bridge spans a 190-foot gorge between the 13th-century gatehouse on the mainland and the courtyard on a
JRA create branded experience centre for Toyota in Texas
by Andy Knaggs | 14 Aug 2019
Car manufacturer Toyota has opened its first visitor attraction in North America – the 44,000sq ft (13,400sq m) Toyota Experience Center (TEC) at its headquarters in Plano, Texas. The company says the centre, which was planned, designed and project managed by experience designers JRA, is intended to educate visitors about Toyota's past, present and future as a mobility company. The centre features a variety of interactive exhibits and displays, all
Waterway above Notre Dame among 'People's Design Competition' for new cathedral roof
by Tom Walker | 14 Aug 2019
A competition to find alternative designs to replace the destroyed Notre Dame Cathedral roof has attracted a number of innovative "solutions" – including a rooftop waterway over the medieval cathedral. The People’s Notre Dame Cathedral Design Competition was launched in defiance of the French senate’s plans to restore the roof exactly as it was before the devastating fire earlier this year. Set up by book publisher GoArchitect, the campaign invited
Las Vegas to host world's first 'smart mini-city'
by Tom Walker | 13 Aug 2019
Plans have been unveiled to build the world's first 'smart mini-city' in Las Vegas, US. Real estate trust Bleutech Park Properties said the US$7.5bn (€6.7bn, £6.2bn) project will "redefine the infrastructure sector". The insular mini-city will look to utilise the latest technology available, such as automated multi-functional designs, renewable energies from solar/wind/water/kinetic, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, "supertrees", and self-healing concrete structures. Called Bleutech
New York's US$1.3bn Belmont Park indoor arena approved – design team includes JRDV Architects, Populous and Stantec
by Tom Walker | 13 Aug 2019
Plans have been approved for a 19,000-seat, multi-use indoor arena in Belmont Park on Long Island, New York. The US£1.3bn venue is set to become the new home of National Hockey League (NHL) franchise New York Islanders. As well as the indoor arena, the project includes a 350,000sq ft entertainment complex and a 250-bedroom hotel. The plans were approved by the Empire State Development Board – the New York state
We need a revolution in the design of entertainment venues says Euromonitor
by Andy Knaggs | 12 Aug 2019
Entertainment venues need to undergo technological and design upgrades to prepare them for the experience-seeking consumer of 2040, according to research by Euromonitor International. Commerce 2040 - Revolutionary Tech Will Boost Consumer Engagement outlines a vision for how consumers might live, work, shop and play in 20 years' time, exploring how technology could change the different consumer worlds of entertainment venues, home and retail. Consumers are already moving towards demanding
Calgary entertainment district, masterplanned by Rossetti, gets go-ahead
by Tom Walker | 09 Aug 2019
Ambitious plans to create a large sports and entertainment district in Calgary, Canada have been given the green light after a public funding package was agreed for the development. The City of Calgary has agreed to provide half of the funding for the CA$550m (US$416m, €371m, £344m), project, which is driven by Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) and the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Limited (Stampede). The masterplan for the
Canada's first natural swimming pool by gh3 architecture wins plaudits for innovation
by Andy Knaggs | 08 Aug 2019
Honoured this year among the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada's Awards of Excellence in the Innovation in Architecture category, Borden Park Natural Swimming Pool in Edmonton, Alberta, is the first chemical–free public outdoor pool to be built in Canada. The 64,000sq ft (19,500sq m) complex, which includes two pools, a sandy beach and changing rooms, was designed by Toronto-based gh3 architecture. Instead of chlorine or other chemicals for disinfection, Borden
Willmott Dixon to build £70m Wimbledon tennis complex – designers include Hopkins Architects and Rolfe Judd
by Tom Walker | 08 Aug 2019
The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has appointed Willmott Dixon to construct a new members’ centre adjacent to the iconic Wimbledon Championship complex. The £70m facility, located on Somerset Road, will include 12 new tennis courts (six indoor and six outdoor), new club house facilities, an enhanced arrivals experience for competitors at The Championships and upgraded Centre Court chiller plant. There will also be a single-storey underground car park
Architects Rael and San Fratello create seesaws that reach across the divide at US-Mexico border
by Tom Walker | 07 Aug 2019
Two design academics have built fluorescent pink seesaws that reach across the border on the outskirts of El Paso in Texas, US and Ciudad Juárez in Mexico. Aiming to bring a "playful concept of unity" to the two sides of the divide, the seesaws are the brainchild of Ronald Rael, professor of architecture at the University of California, Berkeley and Virginia San Fratello, associate professor of design at Mexico's San
'World's greenest stadium', designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, would be made from wood
by Tom Walker | 06 Aug 2019
Dale Vince, chair of UK soccer team, Forest Green Rovers, has resubmitted a planning application for a new 5,000-capacity stadium development dubbed the "greenest football venue in the world". Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the main stadium would be built almost entirely out of wood, making it the first of its kind in the world. The stadium would be the centrepiece of the £100m Eco Park development – a 100-acre
ERP Architects will create first Great Wolf resort outside the US with 500-bed hotel and waterpark
by Tom Anstey | 05 Aug 2019
US waterpark and resort operator Great Wolf Resorts has announced plans to open its first venture overseas, with the Great Wolf Lodge opening in Oxfordshire, UK, in 2022. Great Wolf, which currently has 18 locations across North America, will submit a planning application later this month, with construction on the £200m (US$242.8m, €217.8m) venture scheduled to start in 2020. The London office of EPR Architects is leading the design work
Sydney Modern expansion status uncertain after contractor withdraws bid
by Andy Knaggs | 02 Aug 2019
Lendlease has reportedly withdrawn its bid to build the long-planned Sydney Modern expansion at the Art Gallery of NSW in Australia. The AUS$344m (US$233m, €210m, £193m) project was first announced six years ago and has been funded mostly by the New South Wales (NSW) Government, with AUS$100m (US$68m, €61m, £56m) coming from private philanthropy. When announced in 2013 the project cost was estimated at AU$400m. This was revised up to
Equinox opens New York luxury hotel, with interiors by Rockwell and a health club designed by Joyce Wang
by Tom Walker | 02 Aug 2019
High-end fitness giant Equinox has ventured into the hotel market with the opening of its first property in New York City, US. Located at the 72-storey skyscraper 35 Hudson Yards, the 212-bedroom hotel will focus on wellness. Facilities include a 60,000sq ft (5,574 sq m) Equinox-branded health club, a 27,000sq ft (2,500sq m) luxury spa and indoor and outdoor pools. There will also be a healthy-eating restaurant called Electric Lemon,
WATG and Buro Happold's Red Sea Project will be 28,000sq km destination with 14 hotels
by Andy Knaggs | 01 Aug 2019
Marine works crucial to the development of a major resort in Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea have moved a step closer with the awarding of a construction contract to Archirodon. The marine infrastructure specialists have been appointed by The Red Sea Development Company to build a 3.3km (2.05 miles) crossing between the island of Shurayrah and the mainland, to enable the development of The Red Sea Project: a proposed
Perfect Circle consortium begins work on 'reality lab' for UK's National Space Centre
by Andy Knaggs | 01 Aug 2019
The UK's National Space Centre (NSC) in Leicester is building a new laboratory for the creation of virtual, augmented and mixed reality media, which it says will extend its capacity to deliver community engagement and attract new audiences. Perfect Circle – a consortium comprising Pick Everard, Gleeds and AECOM – is responsible for design, surveying and project management, while Woodhead has the construction contract. The Extended Reality Laboratory (or XR Lab)
AECOM design US$1bn arena for the LA Clippers to resemble basketball net
by Tom Walker | 01 Aug 2019
The owners of NBA team LA Clippers have revealed detailed plans for a US$1bn indoor arena, to be built in the Inglewood district in Los Angeles, California. Designed by a team including AECOM, Anderson Barker Architects, the City Design Studio of Los Angeles and Hood Studios, the development will include a "fan-focused" NBA arena for the Clippers, team basketball and business operations headquarters and a first-of-its-kind training centre tailored specifically
Miguel Cardoso Architecto leads transformation of historic Portuguese manor house into boutique hotel
by Jane Kitchen | 31 Jul 2019
Porto-based architectural firm Miguel Cardoso Architecto, together with Madeirian designer Nini Andrade Silva, have created a boutique hotel in a 19th century manor house in the Portuguese city of Porto. The 68-bedroom Vila Foz Hotel & Spa is set in Porto’s Foz neighbourhood, and includes a spa dedicated to serenity and wellbeing. Within the manor house hotel, Miguel Cardoso Architecto was responsible for the painstaking restoration, as well as building
Clark Enersen Partners are part of the transformation team working on the Truman Presidential Library and Museum
by Andy Knaggs | 30 Jul 2019
The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, has closed to allow a year-long renovation, which will see the facility reopen to coincide with the 75th anniversary of Truman becoming US president in 1945. Museum planning and design firm Gallagher & Associates has created the new designs, and is working in collaboration with Monadnock Media, architectural firm The Clark Enersen Partners, and construction company JE Dunn Construction.
Sparcstudio, Holder Mathias Architects and Sisk Group create Ireland's first forest spa at Center Parcs Longford Forest
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 30 Jul 2019
Ireland's first Forest Spa, the Aqua Sana Spa, is set to open at the upcoming Center Parcs Longford Forest resort in Ballymahon, Ireland in early August. The Aqua Sana Spa will boast a unique forest concept developed by spa consultancy Sparcstudio, in partnership with Holder Mathias Architects and Sisk Group. Neil Fairplay, director of Sparcstudio, said: "Sparcstudio have created and designed the new 'Forest Spa' concept for Centre Parcs which
Whey Aye: Europe's tallest observation wheel approved for Newcastle Quayside
by Tom Walker | 27 Jul 2019
Plans to build Europe’s tallest observation wheel in Newcastle, UK, have been given the green light by the city council. The 140m-tall Whey Aye – named after a popular phrase in the local dialect pronounced 'why eye', meaning 'yes' – is being developed by the World Wheel Company and is set to stand five metres taller than The London Eye. Designed by Concept I, the wheel will be built at
Everton FC reveals designs for new £500m Bramley Dock stadium
by Tom Walker | 26 Jul 2019
Details have been revealed for a brick and steel construction which will make the new Everton Football Club stadium appear "as though it has risen from the dock". US architect Dan Meis has unveiled his much-anticipated plans for the £500m venue in Liverpool, UK, which will be built at the semi-derelict Bramley Dock and is estimated to deliver a £1bn boost to the city’s economy. Meis' concepts show a brick,
New ultra-luxe resort featuring Raison d’Etre spa opens in Cyprus
by Jane Kitchen | 25 Jul 2019
Cyprus-based hospitality group Stademos Hotels has unveiled its latest resort, Amara, a 207-bedroom hotel in the coastal town of Limassol. With the architecture and interior design of the new build carried out by SB Architects, David Rockwell Studio and WA Interiors, the hotel’s interiors were inspired by Cyprus’ intricate heritage, with cultural influences and architectural details expressive of the island’s Mediterranean landscape. The floor-to-ceiling windows welcome an abundance of natural
Ethos Design and Architecture design £10m aquarium for Belfast
by Andy Knaggs | 25 Jul 2019
Proposals for a new £10m (US$12.48m, €11.21m) ReefLIVE aquarium in Belfast's Titanic Quarter are to be put forward for approval, with hopes that the attraction will draw more than 300,000 visitors per year. Designed by Ethos Design and Architecture, and with planning by consultants Turley, the aquarium would be situated opposite the Titanic Hotel on Queen's Road, which is a short distance from the Titanic Belfast museum. ReefLIVE, a UK
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
"It would be great if today’s men left as a legacy for the future some architectural and humanistic monuments for the next hundred, three hundred, one thousand years"
Brunello Cucinelli has made his fortune from cashmere and has used his wealth to restore and revive the Italian hamlet he calls home. We find out more
Brunello Cucinelli has made his fortune from cashmere and has used his wealth to restore and revive the Italian hamlet he calls home. We find out more
features
cladkit product news
The system is designed to enable users to create multifunctional, adaptable pieces, where they are in complete control of the design and function of their furniture
British designer Paul Kelley has created a modular magnetic cube furniture system that enables users to create multifunctional, adaptable pieces,
...
Crown Sports Lockers installed rain of Nebraska Oak clothes lockers with RFID Digilocks in the changing rooms
Saunton Sands Hotel in Devon, UK, has completed a £2m expansion of its spa and wellness facilities. The upgrade included
...
cladkit product news
Baux has worked with scientists from the Royal Institute of Technology to create Baux Acoustic Pulp, a plant-derived acoustic solution
Baux, an acoustic products brand based in Sweden, has developed a line of biodegradable acoustic panels, using a plant-based material
...
Cristallo was the last design from acclaimed designer and architect Alessandro Mendini
Design Studio BD Barcelona Design has released Cristallo, a limited-edition cabinet designed by the late architect and designer Alessandro Mendini,
...
cladkit product news
The tiles are made from marine-grade concrete and recycled plastic fibres
Car manufacturer Volvo has partnered with the Sydney Institute of Marine Science and Reef Design Lab to create an environmentally-friendly
...
Pylon was first designed more than 20 years ago
Originally conceived in his metal workshop in the early 90's, the Pylon chair was Dixon's attempt to create the world's
...
