africa news
Bensley creating luxury ‘human zoo’ hotel concept for multinational project in Asia, Australia and Africa
by Megan Whitby | 01 May 2020
Architect Bill Bensley has announced plans for a luxury sustainable 'human zoo' hotel and spa project. Bensley’s concept will involve guests staying like caged animals within a luxury hotel and looking out onto an expansive wildlife sanctuary park full of rescued endangered animals. Bensley design studio’s vast 2084-key project named World Wild is comprised of seven hotels spread throughout Asia, Africa and Australia covering a total 654,867sq m. The concept's
Construction of the International African American Museum is underway at Gadsden’s Wharf
by Stu Robarts | 20 Jan 2020
Construction has begun on the International African American Museum, which has been designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners to honour the site at which enslaved Africans were brought into the US. Initially proposed in 2000 and now scheduled for completion in late 2021, the 41,800sq ft (3,900sq m) facility is being constructed on Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston, South Carolina. It is estimated that up to 80 per cent of
Anantara's Sahara Desert resort celebrates Moorish architecture and North African design
by Megan Whitby | 16 Dec 2019
Anantara has launched a resort in the in southwest Tunisian Sahara Desert with Moorish-inspired architecture and interiors that celebrate the region's design culture. The 93-room Anantara Tozeur Resort features a variety of accommodation types, including Deluxe Sahara View Rooms, One and Two-Bedroom Villas and clusters of Pool Villas in landscaped courtyards. Two private three-bedroom Royal Villas each provide 800sq m (8,600sq ft) of indoor living space with an open-plan lounge,
Monarto Zoo to expand and become "world's largest safari outside Africa"
by Andy Knaggs | 26 Sep 2019
South Australia's Monarto Zoo says it will become the world's largest safari experience outside of Africa, through a A$40m (US$27.1m, €24.66m, £21.8m) development that has been approved by the regional government. The project, led by architects Intro, includes the provision of a luxury resort and eco-glamping facilities, a new visitor centre, restaurant, conference facilities and a range of new wild safari experiences in an area to be called Wild Africa,
Rabat Morocco to be the home of Africa’s tallest building
by Andrew Manns | 16 Oct 2018
The Bank of Africa skyscraper in Rabat, Morocco, will be the tallest building on the African continent, at 250-metres, when it opens in 2022. The mixed-use, 55-floor highrise, which will be designed by Belgium-based architectural studio Besix, will include a luxury hotel, office space, and apartments. The project, which is being hailed as an "emblematic" addition to Rabat – considered by some to be Morocco’s cultural capital – is part
AECOM appoint Adriaan Vorster as director for architecture in Africa
by Luke Cloherty | 19 Jul 2018
Adriaan Vorster, formerly a partner at international design practice SSH, has been appointed as director for architecture, Africa at global architecture company AECOM. A professional architect of 18 years, Vorster has 10 years’ experience at a strategic, managerial and business leadership level. Beyond this, Vorster has spent 15 years in the delivery of healthcare campuses in the UK, North America, the Far East and the Middle East. His work in
Nairobi’s The Beacon set to be Alsop’s only African foray
by Luke Cloherty | 13 Jul 2018
Planning permission has been granted to architects All Design for one of the late Will Alsop’s final creations before his death in May 2018, which will be a gregarious shopping centre and office development in Nairobi, Kenya. The Beacon will be the only African project produced by the legendary British architect and will carry all of the outlandish hallmarks typical of his work. The new open-air development will feature 24,300sq
Japoma Sports Complex weaving in Cameroonian craft traditions ahead of Nations Cup
by Luke Cloherty | 13 Jul 2018
Ahead of 2019’s Africa Cup of Nations football tournament, the architect behind Douala, Cameroon’s new 50,000 seater stadium and sports park, Japoma Sports Complex, has told CLAD about the stadium's ergonomic structure that will bring in the very fabric of the culture of the city around it. Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon – the host nation for the 2019 tournament – is famed for its street craftspeople and, as
Adjaye's National Museum of African American History and Culture named design of the year
by Kim Megson | 26 Jan 2018
The National Museum of African American History and Culture has been named the design of 2017 by London’s Design Museum, making it only the second building to receive the accolade. The project, shortlisted after winning the architecture of the year category, was chosen ahead of a stair-climbing wheelchair, an ink manufactured from air pollution and a high-performance hijab by Nike. Designed by Adjaye Associates, The Freelon Group, Davis Brody Bond
Luxury Kempinski spa opens on the horn of Africa
by Rebecca Barnes | 23 Feb 2017
Located in Djibouti on the horn of Africa at the crossroads between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, the 740sq m (7,965sq ft) Kempinski The Spa at Djibouti Palace Kempinski, is now open. Managed by spa brand Resense and designed South African studio K/M2K, facilities include six treatment rooms (including one double suite), a fitness centre, two infinity pools, gym, tennis court, relaxation room, and steam and sauna facilities
Week's top news: MVRD unveil revolutionary design concept, Garden Bridge faces review and Adjaye's African American museum opens in Washington
by Kim Megson | 24 Sep 2016
Here are some of the stories that appeared on CLAD this week, from Francis Ford Coppola’s private island retreat to a new energy-producing paving slab. Monday • Renowned street artist Phlegm has created an eight-storey mural in Toronto, bringing art to the city’s busiest intersections. Read here. • Legendary Hollywood director Francis Ford Coppola has opened a private Caribbean island to create a “Robinson Crusoe experience”. Read here. Tuesday •
Long-awaited National Museum of African American History and Culture opens in Washington
by Kim Megson | 21 Sep 2016
The long-awaited opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. will take place this Saturday (24 September), with US president Barack Obama in attendance. A three-day festival of music, literature, dance and film will accompany the opening of the museum, which is dedicated to exploring the story of America through the lens of the African American experience. Obama will lead the museum’s dedication ceremony
CEO of California zoo outlines ambitious masterplan after African expansion doubles visitor numbers
by Tom Anstey | 07 Aug 2016
Since opening its US$57m (€51.5m, £43.7m) African Adventure, California’s Fresno Chaffee Zoo has experienced a 40 per cent upturn in attendance. Funded mainly by a levy a tax to help support new zoo projects and programmes, the 13-acre (57,000sq m) project offers a modern home for a number of species, including African elephants, lions, cheetahs, wildebeest, giraffes, ostrich, springbok and more. “It’s by far the largest project we’ve done both
Exclusive: David Adjaye tells CLAD about his design for the 'monumental' National Museum of African American History and Culture
by Kim Megson | 03 Aug 2016
Architect David Adjaye has told CLAD that the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington is “one of the defining projects” of his career to date. The landmark museum – which has been developed over a decade – is due to be opened by US President Barack Obama on the 24 September 2016. Adjaye’s practice Adjaye Associates worked with architecture studios Freelon Group and David Brody Bond
Wellness and leisure will be focus of South Africa's Blue Rock eco-village
by Kim Megson | 14 Jul 2016
Architecture and property development practice Swisatec have announced new additions to their planned 40-hectare leisure village in Cape Town. A seven-storey mixed-use lifestyle centre and a five-star hotel are among the facilities the studio has revealed will feature prominently at Blue Rock Village – billed as Africa’s “most environmentally friendly estate”. The former, called the Santa Luzia Lifestyle Centre, will be designed to host interactive events such as local produce
Eco-friendly hotel specialist agrees to develop 'East Africa's greenest hotel' in Zanzibar
by Kim Megson | 06 Jul 2016
South Africa’s Verde Hotels group has won a contract to develop the transformation of an old building in Zanzibar, Tanzania into the archipelago’s “greenest” hotel. Real estate firm Bakhresa Group is developing the property, formerly known as Mtoni Marine Hotel, and wants it to become pioneering as both a luxury five-star destination and a flagship for sustainable development. Verde Hotels is best known for opening an airport hotel in Cape
Norman Foster is building droneports in Africa
by Magali Robathan | 31 May 2016
Norman Foster has unveiled a full scale prototype for a new droneport to be used to deliver medical supplies and other essential equipment across Africa, and said that the vaulted brick structure could have multiple uses, including for leisure developers. Launching the project at the Venice Architecture Biennale, Foster described the structure as a "high tech mud building". The Droneport, which is the first project to be presented by the
Video shows interiors of David Adjaye's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C.
by Kim Megson | 19 May 2016
New video footage has been released providing the first extensive look inside David Adjaye’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. Builders are putting the final touches to the museum, which will be opened by US President Barack Obama on 24 September 2016. The video, released by The Washington Post, shows construction workers installing the display cases in readiness for the first exhibits – which will focus
South African architects announce US$900m 'car-free' eco village
by Kim Megson | 13 Apr 2016
Architecture and development practice Swisatec have outlined plans for Africa’s “most environmentally friendly estate” – a car-free leisure village in Cape Town. Blue Rock Village will be a 40-hectare extension to an existing water ski resort, and has been envisioned as “a pioneer for an exciting new standard of living.” The project is worth an estimated R14bn (US$900m, €790.5m, £631m) and construction will begin in August this year. In addition
Inge Moore completes magical, nature-inspired safari lodge in Botswana
by Kim Megson | 07 Mar 2016
Interior designer Inge Moore and her studio, The Gallery HBA, have redesigned an island safari lodge in Botswana, creating a luxury getaway inspired by the diverse wildlife of the Okavango Delta. The old Belmond Eagle Island Lodge was completely dismantled and many of the materials reused to create a contemporary space sensitive to both the ecology and aesthetics of the delta. Twelve 62sq m (667sq ft) tented guestrooms – their
Opening date announced for National Museum of African American History and Culture
by Kim Megson | 04 Feb 2016
The Smithsonian has announced the National Museum of African American History and Culture will be opened by US President Barack Obama on 24 September 2016. The opening ceremony will be the focus of a week-long celebration, which will include a three-day festival showcasing popular music, literature, dance and film.
It's official! We open on 9/24/2016. Learn more about us here: https://t.co/kSSQR82sfO #SaveTheDate #BuildNMAAHC pic.twitter.com/seTkzsXqC1 — Smithsonian NMAAHC
Cornette-Violetta's US$7.3m hippo exhibit completes Cincinnati Zoo’s US$34m Africa masterplan
by Tom Anstey | 16 Oct 2015
After a near two-decade delay, Cincinnati Zoo’s US$34m (€30m, £22m) Africa exhibit will enter its final phase of development after meeting a US$7.3m (€6.4m, £4.7m) target to build a new state-of-the-art hippo exhibit. Set to house two Nile hippos, the paddock – designed by architects Cornette-Violetta – will include an underwater viewing area for visitors, employing a multi-million dollar bespoke filtration system designed to manage the large amount of waste
Miller Hull Partnership designs San Diego Zoo's new US$68m Africa Rocks expansion
by Tom Anstey | 03 Aug 2015
San Diego Zoo is about to embark on what will be the California attraction’s largest expansion to date, the US$68m (€62m, £43.5m) Africa Rocks exhibit. Designed by the San Diego-based Miller Hull Partnership, the 8-acre (32,400sq m) exhibit will transform what is currently a canyon area once home to 1930s-era grottos and enclosures, into an easily traversable path leading visitors through an African-themed environment. To be populated with a wide
First African Hyatt Place opens in Morocco as part of US$1bn Taghazout Bay development
by Jane Kitchen | 02 Jul 2015
The Hyatt Place hotel brand has made its long-awaited entrance into the African market with the launch of the 152-bedroom Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay in Morocco. Designed by Moroccan firm Karim Chakor Architecte, the 152-bed hotel is located 10 miles (17 kilometers) north of the Moroccan coastal town of Agadir. Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay is part of Morocco’s Taghazout Bay Resort, a sustainable development in the foothills of the Atlas
Africa's tallest skyscraper planned for 2015
by Katie Buckley | 24 Dec 2014
French architecture firm Valode & Pistre is set to break ground on what would become Africa’s tallest skyscraper in June 2015. Planned for a yet to be confirmed site in Morocco, the building will be more than 500m (1,640ft) tall and have 114 floors representative of the number of chapters found in the Quran. More than just an incredibly tall tower, the building will also have a luxury shopping area,
Thomas Heatherwick to create new Art Museum in Cape Town, South Africa
by Katie Buckley | 08 Jul 2014
The new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in South Africa's Cape Town will be designed by Thomas Heatherwick – marking the architect's biggest museum project to date. Zeitz MOCAA is to be a new non-profit cultural space alongside the V&A Waterfront, one of the most visited attractions in South Africa. As part of a masterplan - Heatherwick will transform an historic grain silo into 9,500sq m (102,000sq
First Four Seasons Hotel in South Africa to open mid 2014
by Helen Andrews | 23 Apr 2014
The Four Seasons Hotel Westcliff Johannesburg, the global operator's first in South Africa, is set to open in the second quarter of 2014. The original luxury Westcliff Hotel was built in 1997, but closed in June last year to undergo renovations and new constructions after the owners signed a long-term management agreement with Four Seasons. The brand new Spa at Four Seasons will feature nine treatment rooms – one of
South African eco-retreat reopens under new regime
by Jak Phillips | 07 Feb 2014
South African eco-spa and yoga retreat Woodlands has made a fresh start to 2014, reopening with a new operator and design following renovation work. Spa operator Legacy Balance has taken the reins of the 770sq m (8,288sq ft) city escape, 30 minutes northwest of Johannesburg, on a five-year operating contract after being approached founder and ongoing owner Marisa Lloyd steps aside to pursue corporate ventures. Sitting on the banks of
Museum of African Design opens in Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg
by Chris Dodd | 30 Oct 2013
The Museum of African Design (MOAD), Johannesburg, South Africa has opened its doors to the public, with the museum looking to create a pan-African cultural hub and connect the city’s existing art and design archives. The museum was created with the aim of challenging some of the problems facing African design and society at large and exhibit design pieces from across the continent. Located in the country’s innovative Maboneng Precinct
Four Seasons to reveal sub-Saharan African retreat
by Aoife Dowling | 05 Aug 2013
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is accelerating its presence in Africa with the signing of a new management agreement for a luxury retreat in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company signed the long-term agreement with the owners of what was previously The Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg. The retreat, set on a cliffside garden estate in the northern suburbs, was closed on 30 June this year to undergo renovations and new construction.
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