Buildings whose red facades represent 'phoenix bloodstones' could feature at the athletes' village for the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, as part of a scheme by Benthem Crouwel Architects and Powerhouse Company. Phoenix bloodstones are a type of precious gemstone local to the region. The village would be built on land recently reclaimed from the sea and has been dubbed ‘Sponge City’, because of a vast rainwater collection and

Ed Ng and Terence Ngan, the long-time collaborators at the helm of the international design studio AB Concept, have unveiled their first project in London: a luxurious Asian restaurant called Mei Ume. Located within the Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square – formerly the headquarters of the Port of London Authority – the design fuses Eastern and Western heritage. Upon entering Mei Ume – which takes its name

San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum has unveiled a US$90m (€76.6m, £67.2m) plan to transform the institution, a project supported by the largest financial gift in the museum’s history – a US$25m (€21.3m, £18.7m) donation from Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang. Los Angeles-based architecture firm wHY are behind the plans, which the museum says will create new interpretive approaches in its galleries, affirming the local relevance and global impact of Asian art.

Japan-based Okura Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to open its third spa hotel on the island of Taiwan. The company has signed a deal to operate the Okura Prestige Taichung, set to open in 2021, through its subsidiary Okura Nikko Hotel Management. Situated in the heart of Taichung, the 250-bedroom hotel will include a luxury spa, indoor swimming pool and health club – as well as a range of

Four Seasons has opened a hotel in Jakarta’s Central Business District at the all-new Capital Place, an award-winning architectural landmark by Cesar Pelli. The hotel features a spa that takes its inspiration from Southeast Asian cultures woven together with global influences. Facilities include eight treatment rooms, two couple’s suites, a hammam, relaxation lounge, spa shop, a 24-hour fitness centre and an outdoor pool on the fifth-floor rooftop. A beauty salon,

The founder of design studio Blue Sky Hospitality Henry Chebaane has told CLAD that interior designers should not be afraid of “outside the box” thinking if they are to create livelier and more authentic hotels, bars, restaurants and leisure spaces. Chebaane and his design firm, Blue Sky Hospitality, are known for their creative and unorthodox designs, and have just launched a typically quirky Asian restaurant called Kojawan on the top

This week was a busy one for Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, who broke ground on an art gallery and clubhouse on a lake in southern China and unveiled their plans for a new green-topped mixed-use complex in Stockholm. The latter project is one of a host of big green space projects which were announced this week. Others included a High Line-inspired park in Vancouver and a floating sky park in

The 50-storey Shangri-La Hotel, Doha has opened in the Qatari capital, with 272 bedrooms as well as the brand’s signature CHI The Spa. The hotel includes an aquamarine lagoon-shaped pool set on a 2,000sq m (21,528sq ft) deck surrounded by 70 leafy trees, as well as a health club with 24-hour fitness centre, sauna and steamrooms. Designed by H.O.K. Architects, the Shangri-La Hotel, Doha also includes 42 serviced apartments and

The new branch of Taiwan’s National Palace Museum – one of the most-visited museums in the world – is nearing completion and set to open at the end of December. The National Palace Museum (NPM) Southern Branch, which has been designed by Taiwanese architect Kris Yao of Artech, will focus on Asian art and culture. The new museum is located in the southern county of Chiayi, reflecting wider ongoing efforts

PGAV Destinations have been appointed by Oklahoma’s Tulsa Zoo to develop a new US$16m (€14.3m, £10.4m) Asian animal exhibit slated for launch in 2017. Known as Lost Kingdom, the new exhibit will be realised through the renovation of existing buildings, repurposing of structures and development of brand new facilities. Covering 20,000sq m (215,000sq ft), the PGAV-designed exhibit is inspired by Asian cultures, featuring animal habitats, guest attractions and a dining

The first Rosewood hotel in Asia has opened its doors in Beijing, China, in the central Chaoyang district opposite the iconic CCTV Tower. The 22-storey hotel, designed by Melbourne-based design firm BARstudio – in collaboration with Bangkok-based landscape architects PLandscape – has been inspired by traditional Chinese paintings. The 283-guestroom hotel is owned by New World Group and its business affiliates, while New World Development Company is the majority shareholder