technology news
Universal and Puy du Fou projects point to rise of Oxford–Cambridge corridor
by Liz Terry | 27 May 2026
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’ planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism investment.
For years, the corridor has been associated primarily with science, technology, housing and university-led economic growth. However, the clustering of large-scale visitor attraction projects along the
Shedd Aquarium upgrades its visitor experience with new Immersion Theater
by Liz Terry | 22 May 2026
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional revenue opportunities.
The attraction has transformed the aquarium’s Phelps Auditorium into a multi-sensory venue combining panoramic projection, environmental effects and interactive technology.
A new pre-show area allows visitors to engage with augmented reality marine animals before entering the
Therme Manchester reveals 90:90 strategy – 90 per cent of the UK population within a 90-minute drive of a Therme
by Helen Andrews | 28 May 2026
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK. The site will also have 60,000sq m of surrounding external space that will be developed as community gardens. Even compared to future sites in the Therme Group pipeline all over the world, the Manchester
Orient Express Corinthian to host Ocean Rebirth wellness retreat in collaboration with Guerlain
by Helen Andrews | 22 May 2026
Orient Express Sailing Yachts and beauty house Guerlain have announced that the newly launched luxury yacht, Orient Express Corinthian, will host a fourteen-day wellness retreat called Ocean Rebirth. Orient Express is part of Accor Group’s collection of luxury brands. In 2024, luxury goods conglomerate LVMH entered into a strategic partnership to grow the Orient Express brand. Accor and cruise liner developer Chantiers de l’Atlantique have since created sailing yachts Orient
Hainan Science Museum by Ma Yansong, opens in China
by Liz Terry | 13 May 2026
A new science museum has opened to the public in Haikou after attracting more than 350,000 visitors during a four-month soft opening period.
Designed by Ma Yansong and his practice MAD Architects, the Hainan Science Museum is located on the edge of Wuyuan River National Wetland Park and has already recorded peak attendance of more than 5,800 visitors in a single day.
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Sæl Spa readies for launch in London: “a modern British sanctuary”
by Kath Hudson | 04 May 2026
A wellness club opens on London’s River Thames in June, offering luxury facilities and personalised wellness protocols focused on recovery and longevity. Sæl Spa at Fulham Pier – London’s new lifestyle destination on the River Thames – will be set across four floors and has been conceived as a “modern British sanctuary.” Facilities include a 15-metre heated rooftop infinity pool and sun terrace and a movement studio with integrated infrared
Surfing in the desert: Bahrain Surf Park to use Wavegarden technology
by Liz Terry | 07 Oct 2024
The Bahrain Surf Park – Club Hawaii Experience, is set to be the first surf park in the MENA region powered by Wavegarden Cove Technology. Expected to position Bahrain as a leading destination for surfers, The Bahrain Surf club will be developed through a partnership between Edamah (Bahrain Real Estate Investment Company), GFH Financial Group and engineering company Wavegarden. Located within Bilaj Al Jazayer development – a 1.3 million square
Mozambique: Luxury eco-resort created with patented 3D sand-printing technology
by Megan Whitby | 29 Apr 2021
Luxury eco-resort Kisawa Sanctuary has launched with a soft opening on Mozambique's subtropical island of Benguerra, complete with a Natural Wellness Centre inspired by Mozambican dwellings. Kisawa has been brought to life using patented 3D sand-printing technology and is the brainchild of entrepreneur Nina Flohr – the daughter of Thomas Flohr, Swiss billionaire and founder of private aviation company VistaJet. The method was used wherever possible to replace less sustainable
Tridel's high-tech Innovation Suite explores the future of apartment living
by Stu Robarts | 20 Mar 2020
As part of its Ten York condo development in Toronto, developer Tridel has created an Innovation Suite that explores and showcases how technology can be used for the future of apartment living. The suite came about through the desire to gain an understanding of how smart home technologies could meet or exceed the needs of residents. The intention was to integrate technology and design seamlessly to provide connectivity, comfort and
Eight Inc.'s high-tech gym integrates tech to boost training performance
by Stu Robarts | 03 Feb 2020
Eight Inc. have created a gym in Beijing for digital fitness startup Keep that integrates technology into the space to improve the workout experience and help optimise training performance. As with many other gyms, Keepland allows users to browse and sign up for classes using a digital app, but its use of technology goes further. On arrival, visitors sign in at a screen by scanning a QR code and collect
Action PR's Speedflex studios integrate technology for small group workouts
by Stu Robarts | 22 Jan 2020
Action PR have created a new studio design for Everyone Active 's Fortis Powered by Speedflex fitness brand that is focussed on inclusivity and integrates the workout technology into the space. Speedflex is a type of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) delivered using resistance exercise machines in small-group, trainer-led classes. Individuals of different training abilities can be in the same classes because Speedflex machines automatically adjust their resistance levels to the
Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia opening marks completion of Foster + Partners' Comcast Technology Center
by Stu Robarts | 30 Oct 2019
The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia has opened after delays, marking the completion of Foster + Partners' mixed-use Comcast Technology Center. Rising 1,121ft (341m) and 60 storeys, the tower is aimed at engaging the community. Shops, bars, restaurants and a 32,000sq ft (3,000sq m) fitness centre are mixed in with workspaces for Comcast and NBC10, as well as the Four Seasons hotel in the building's top 12 levels. Nigel Dancey, head
Stefano Boeri Architetti's Smart Forest City Cancun combines greenery and technology
by Stu Robarts | 28 Oct 2019
Stefano Boeri has taken his Forest City concept to Mexico, with the new 557 ha (1,376ac) Smart Forest City Cancun to incorporate 400ha (988ac) of green space, 7,500,000 plants and 2.3 trees per inhabitant. In addition to public parks and private gardens, greenery will feature in green roofs and façades, helping the city to absorb 116,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. The city is designed for developer Grupo Karim's and
EYRC Architects and Tom Wiscombe team up to create 'community of tomorrow' in the desert
by Andrew Manns | 13 Nov 2018
American cryptocurrency company Blockchains LLC has selected Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC) and Tom Wiscombe Architecture to design a futuristic city on the outskirts of Reno in Nevada, US. The brainchild of lawyer and Blockchains CEO Jeffrey Berns, Innovation Park – the new Fintech community – will occupy 67,000 acres of land and feature a number of residential units, offices spaces, commercial facilities, and recreational squares. According to Blockchains,
Salone del Mobile and Design Week kick off in Milan with 300,000 visitors expected
by Kim Megson | 18 Apr 2018
Salone del Mobile, one of the world’s leading international design and furnishing events, has kicked off in Milan, with more than 300,000 visitors from over 165 countries expected to visit before the show closes on 22 April. More than 2,000 exhibitors from the worlds of furniture, lighting technology and bathroom and kitchen design are presenting their products and innovations to potential buyers across more than 200,000sq m. Several brands are also celebrating their new collections
Saudi Arabia green lights country's first Museum of History of Science and Technology in Islam
by Tom Anstey | 12 Mar 2018
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has issued a license for the establishment of the country’s first ever Museum of History of Science and Technology in Islam. Issued by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), the license will see the museum established at the Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. The project, said a release, will be developed in collaboration with the Institute of Arab and
GSM Project creates immersive exhibitions for Canada Science and Technology Museum
by Kim Megson | 02 Dec 2017
Designers GSM Project have delivered three exhibition spaces for the new Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, allowing visitors to “discover innovations and technology through immersive experiences”. The three galleries include 19 integrated interactive and media displays and a number of large-scale exhibits. The first gallery, ‘Into the Great Outdoors’, showcases more than 100 years of technological developments geared toward conquering and roaming vast landscape – from bicycles to
Vegetables given a voice inside Tokyo's interactive greenhouse
by Alice Davis | 24 Oct 2017
A brightly lit, rainbow-coloured greenhouse has popped up in downtown Tokyo, Japan, inviting guests to step inside and interact with the sights and sounds created by its vegetable inhabitants. Japanese creative studio Party, which is headed up by Naoko Ito, created the Digital Vegetables installation to run over a three-week period until 5 November. Inside the greenhouse, which is covered in LED lights, visitors are invited to “Touch Design. Bathe
New degree in theme park design to be launched as SATE kicks off in Los Angeles
by Tom Anstey | 05 Oct 2017
A new degree dedicated to experience design and themed entertainment is being launched today to coincide with the latest SATE (storytelling, architecture, technology and experience) conference in Los Angeles, California. Created by the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), the specialised degree will help to address demand from theme parks in the US and further afield to create new, immersive attractions that utilise the latest technologies. The bachelor of fine
Populous reveal what the future of eSports arenas looks like
by Kim Megson | 27 Mar 2017
The popularity of eSports competitions – in which opposing players compete at video games played online, often with thousands of digital spectators following the action – has grown at a huge rate in the last decade. Now sports architects Populous have revealed they are developing physical, purpose-built arenas in which the digital battles of the future can be hosted. Brian Mirakian, the director of the Populous’ Activate design agency in
Hyperloop One mulls high-speed network for India
by Kim Megson | 02 Mar 2017
Hyperloop One, the Los Angeles firm racing to realise Elon Musk’s dream for a high-speed transport system powered by magnetic levitation, is considering building a network in India. A major long-term goal for Hyperloop One is to “create a fifth mode of transport that will connect distant cities to form dynamic and efficient economic super-regions” – a vision which has major connotations for the leisure industry. It is already exploring
Australian researchers cook up graphene using soybean oil
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 15 Feb 2017
Researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have discovered a way of producing graphene using soybean oil. The team of scientists have developed a technique, known as GraphAir, that heats soybean oil in a tube furnace until the oil decomposes into carbon ‘building blocks.’ The carbon is then rapidly cooled on nickel foil, where it diffuses into a one nanometre thick rectangular film of graphene. The team
National Museum of Singapore unveils 170m-long digital interactive forest installation
by Tom Anstey | 21 Dec 2016
The National Museum of Singapore has debuted a unique digital exhibit turning 69 drawings into a single giant animated interactive illustration. Using sensors set up in the newly-refurbished Glass Rotunda, the installation by Japanese art collective teamLab allows visitors to interact with the flora and fauna. Titled Story of the Forest, the digital piece, which is 15m (49ft) in height and 170m (558ft) long, is based on the museum’s watercolour
Dutch designers propose 'vertical walking' technology to replace elevators and staircases
by Kim Megson | 03 Nov 2016
A Dutch design agency is developing a new solution to moving vertically between floors in a building: a system that relies on “vertical walking.” The Rombout Frieling Lab has created a prototype for a new technology called Vertiwalk that makes it easier for the ageing population and people with disabilities to move vertically between floors. This “smart staircase” features vertical rails and a gripping system and is operated without the
Experience consultant Hirsch & Mann wins Playable City award for interactive pedestrian crossings
by Kim Megson | 02 Nov 2016
Design and technology consultancy Hirsch & Mann are set to transform everyday pedestrian crossings into playful multi-sensory experiences after winning the 2016 Playable City Award. Artists, designers, architects, technologists and creative practitioners from all over the world were invited to propose distinctive ideas to reuse city infrastructure and utilise smart city technologies “to put people and play at the heart of the future city.” Eight projects out of 81 applications
How can new technology enhance the stadium experience?
by Kim Megson | 25 Oct 2016
Professionals involved in the development of sporting arenas should investigate the merits of technology such as augmented reality and virtual reality in terms of how they could enhance the spectator experience. That is the view of Pascal Vuilliomenet, vice president for innovation and technology transfer at the EPFL Research institute in Switzerland and co-curator of the Olympic Museum’s new exhibition on past, present and future stadium design. "We can project
Energy-generating flooring launches in the US as Pavegen’s global expansion continues
by Kim Megson | 19 Sep 2016
Pavegen, the British clean-tech company, has launched an innovative flooring system that creates energy from footsteps. The technology, called V3, was unveiled in New York today (19 September) by the company and London mayor Sadiq Khan, who is in the US on a trade mission. The multi-functional paving provides multiple options to integrate renewable energy production into urban spaces. According to Pavegen, the technology has implications across sectors, including sport,
Shanghai theme park combines architecture, technology and storytelling for spectacular light show
by Kim Megson | 11 Aug 2016
The Happy Valley theme park in Shanghai, China has opened a multimedia tower which transforms at night into the centrepiece of a dramatic 18 minute light show. The 32m (105ft) high tower – described by developer OCT Shanghai as “a symbol of modernity and an icon of contemporary culture” – is located in a tranquil central lake, where it leans skywards at an angle. When evening falls the tower is
Exclusive: Museum of Tomorrow looks to future to build lasting legacy in Rio
by Tom Anstey | 27 Apr 2016
The team behind Rio’s recently opened Museum of Tomorrow has said that they want the museum to act as a hub of culture, information and science, inspiring the local community to great things and to leave a lasting legacy in the build up to this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. Speaking exclusively to CLAD, Luiz Alberto Oliveira, chief curator at the museum, said that the Santiago Calatrava-designed structure was a
Could our future cities use technology to bring fun and surprise into our lives?
by Kim Megson | 09 Mar 2016
A leading architect in the conscious cities movement – which is exploring how architecture and urban design can better consider and respond to our needs – has told CLAD how emotionally-aware urban environments could add a necessary element of fun and surprise into our day-to-day lives. Architect Itai Palti, founder of research group Conscious Cities, called for academics, scientists, developers, policy makers, architects and designers to collaborate on making our
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"Culture is the beating heart of this project"
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres
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