1 Hotels, the eco-luxury brand and brainchild of Starwood Capital founder Barry Sternlicht, has opened its debut European property in the heart of the UK capital with design by GA Group. 1 Hotel Mayfair has been designed to set a new benchmark for lower-impact luxury in London and adhere to 1 Hotels’ sustainability-minded philosophy that “those that travel the world should also care about it”. The London location is gearing

Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind regenerative tourism destinations Amaala and The Red Sea, has partnered with fitness-focused hospitality brand and management company Equinox Hotels. The organisation is an offshoot of premium fitness group Equinox which operates more than 100 upscale health clubs in urban markets in the US, Canada and the UK. Equinox Hotels is looking to develop a global network of hotels, with plans for 33 properties

Following a public consultation, Therme Manchester, the UK’s first city-based wellbeing resort, has submitted a refined new design for approval to Trafford Council. The concept for the project has transitioned, from primarily a single building with zones and an undulating roofline, to a flowing pavilion-style concept and will contain wellness, health and fitness, a waterpark and attractions as well as arts installations and a hydroponic farm. This new design features

International themed attraction and experience designer Katapult and animation studio Aardman have launched a new themed attraction concept featuring Aardman’s much-loved characters. The World of Aardman is a hands-on visitor attraction concept, featuring an interactive studio experience, a themed cafe, experiential retail, and photo opportunities with guests’ favourite characters. Designed to suit pre-existing retail mall units and indoor destinations, the attraction can also be used to showcase exclusive seasonal events

Austria’s five-star alpine wellness retreat Hotel Krallerhof has been updated with a new nature-centric glass-fronted spa, Atmosphere by Krallerhof. Embedded in the slopes of the Asitz mountain, the five-star Salzburger hotel’s new adults-only wellness facility opened following a two-year project helmed by Iranian-German architect Hadi Teherani. Hotel owners the Altenberger family tasked Teherani and his team with creating a spa facility – in addition to its existing Refugium spa –

Luxury jewellery and design house Tiffany & Co. has reopened its flagship store on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City, following a redesign led by architect Peter Marino and OMA New York. The project marks the first renovation of the store since it first opened its doors in 1940 and has been named The Landmark. For the redevelopment, Marino reimagined the interior architecture while OMA New York,

Five prominent architectural practices have revealed their designs for the planned new National Museum of the United States Navy. The five teams – Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Gehry Partners, DLR Group, Perkins&Will, and Quinn Evans – were finalists in an “artistic ideas competition” held by the US Navy and its historical and curatorial arm, the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC). The quintet was chosen from 37 teams that submitted

English Premier league club, Manchester City, has submitted a planning application seeking to expand the capacity at its Etihad Stadium from 53,400 to 60,000. Designed by architects Populous, the project would expand the existing North Stand with one larger, single upper tier above the existing lower tier. Above the upper tier, a sky bar with views overlooking the pitch will be introduced, together with a stadium roof walk experience. As

A new landmark maritime centre has opened to the public in Esbjerg, Denmark. Created by WERK Arkitekter and Snøhetta, the centre has been designed as a shared space for watersport clubs and visitors along the port, providing the town with a social maritime hub and architectural landmark. Dubbed "The Lantern", WERK Arkitekter and Snøhetta were chosen for the project following a design competition in 2019. Designed as a "community first"

Treasured hot springs destinations from around the globe are serving as the inspiration for an ambitious new hot springs venue and spa project in Georgia, US. Debuting in Q3 of 2023, Passport Springs & Spa is being designed to transport guests to exotic hot springs locations including Costa Rica, Rome, Israel and Japan. The 10-acre Forsyth County venue will be divided into four pavilions inspired by each of the above

New York’s bustling borough of Brooklyn has become home to a brand new 50,000sq ft (44,645sq m) day spa offering an array of global bathing practices. The newly-launched facility features one of the largest co-ed hydrothermal bathing areas in New York and offers bathing practices from across Europe, Russia, Turkey, Finland and Japan. BK Developers and RYBAK Development co-created the destination, working with Feng Shui consultants and Design for Leisure

A new floating visitor center and art installation is showcasing aquaculture, informing the world on how to better feed the planet with sustainable seafood. Called Salmon Eye, the aquaculture centre is located in Norway’s Hardangerfjord, just outside the town of Rosendal. Created by Kvorning Design, the project was conceived and financed by Sondre Eide, the CEO of third-generation salmon farming business Eide Fjordbruk. A world-class visitor and learning center, Salmon

The iconic Battersea Power Station on the south bank of the River Thames, London, UK, has finally reopened, following a £9bn redevelopment project. The Grade II* listed former coal-fired power station has been transformed into an entirely new district featuring a blend of residential and leisure, with health clubs, a visitor attraction, spa and wellness offerings, retail, bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, parks and historic spaces. Developments within the 42-acre site

A conference held in London this month will discuss the "next frontier" in health- and wellness-based urban design and civic architecture. The Healthy City Design 2022 International Congress & Exhibition – held from 10 to 11 October 2022 – will take place at the Royal College of Physicians, London, UK and will also be streamed virtually online. Organised by Salus Global Knowledge Exchange, in collaboration with The Helen Hamlyn Centre

The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the AMAALA tourism project on the shores of the Red Sea, has revealed detailed plans for a marine life institute. Designed by Foster and Partners, the institute will function as both a scientific research centre and a tourist destination, with 10 zones providing a range of experiences, from augmented reality to submarine dives. The 10,340sqm institute will be built three levels

Hospitality and entertainment design firm HBG Design is helming the design of Michigan's new Gun Lake Casino Resort Aquadome – a glass-roofed, climate-controlled, indoor landscaped pool and event centre atrium environment. The six-storey, 32,000sq ft Aquadome is part of a US$300m (£259.1m, €298.4m) site-wide overhaul of the casino. The investment is also funding the construction of a 252-room hotel and further entertainment amenities. “The Aquadome is sure to become a

The new Serena Williams Building at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, US, has been declared open. The 1m sq ft building, designed by architects Skylab, is the largest structure on the Nike campus and establishes new links to the existing campus through restored wetlands, public plazas, and view corridors. The building consists of four parts a 12-story tower with shared amenities for all of the Nike Campus – including

Detailed plans have been revealed for the National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, US. Designed by architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the 50,000sq ft visitor attraction will anchor a larger mixed-use development on the Historic Southside of Fort Worth. It will explore the events of June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger issued Order No. 3, in essence declaring that “all slaves are free” in the state of

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) have been selected as the architect for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall in Prague, Czech Republic. The first national concert hall to be built in the country in 100 years, the venue will be the home of the famous Prague Symphony Orchestra and will have an audience capacity of more than 1,800. BIG – which won an international competition between 19 other architectural practices to secure the

A visitor attraction celebrating the history of the Scottish parish of Gretna Green – and its heritage as a destination for 'runaway marriages – has opened to the public. Gretna Green, located just inside Scotland on the border with England, first became famous for its weddings nearly 260 years ago, following the Clandestine Marriages Act 1753. The act prevented couples under the age of 21 from marrying in England or

Global design practice Perkins & Will has unveiled plans for a net-zero operational carbon community sports centre, health club and cultural hub in Toronto, Canada. A first-of-its-kind for Ontario, the multi-purpose centre is set to achieve net-zero status through energy-efficient design and renewable energy systems, while adding much-needed facilities for the local community. Called North East Scarborough Community and Child Care Centre, the building has three levels. The lower level

Heatherwick Studio has revealed its designs for an opera house and performing arts centre for the island province of Hainan in China. The architects were chosen for the project by Haikou Tourism & Culture Investment Holding Group, which wants to develop the building as the anchor for a new cultural quarter in the island’s capital, Haikou. The as-yet-unnamed cultural complex will house three performance spaces – an opera house, a

German architect Ole Scheeren has won a design competition for his vision for a tropical resort complex in the beachfront city of Sanya, on the Chinese island of Hainan. Scheduled to open in 2026, Sanya Horizons has been designed for developer CDF Investment & Development and will be sited on 83,500sq m of lush beachfront property. The property will consist of two hotels under IHG luxury brands – The Regent

Music psychology specialist, Brian d’Souza, has launched a sound wellness business to offer transformative sound experiences to the hospitality, wellness and spa industries. Called Swell, the company delivers bespoke solutions combining field recording, music composition, nature and sound therapy to improve relaxation while promoting positive listening habits for deep relaxation. d'Souza says the traditional linear listening experience can result in 'listener fatigue' if guests and staff hear the same music

Brewing giant Diageo has revealed plans to create a Guinness-themed cultural hub and microbrewery in London, UK, with design by London-based agency, Hot Pickle. Called Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard, the visitor attraction is set to open in London’s Covent Garden in Autumn 2023. Located on a historic brewing site – ​​the Old Brewer's Yard was the site of beer brewing as far back as 1722 – the £73m development

Hotel group Dorchester Collection and real estate development group Omniyat have joined forces to create a new luxury hotel named The Lana. The 225-room destination will open in Q4 2022 in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa district inside a 30-storey tower designed by architecture firm Foster + Partners. Situated next to the Dubai Creek and Marasi Marina, The Lana will mark the Dorchester Collection’s debut location in the Middle East. Parisian interior

The iconic Orient Express luxury train is set to return to Italy following a hiatus of 46 years. The new Orient Express La Dolce Vita service will welcome passengers from 2023, with six trains embarking through itineraries across 14 regions – including three international journeys from Rome to Paris, Istanbul and Split (Croatia). Orient Express – which is owned by French hotel giant Accor Group – will work in partnership