A unique hotel that once functioned as the main congregating place for various high society Hungarian Freemasons during the 19th century is set to open in February. Located in Budapest’s Terézváros district – a Broadway-like area renowned for its opera house and state theatre – the Mystery Hotel will feature 82 rooms, a rooftop bar, and a fitness room, as well as a courtyard spa outfitted with a sauna, Jacuzzi,

Construction has begun on a multi-use, community pavilion designed by Dutch architecture practice, Powerhouse Company. Located in the Amsterdam-Zuidoost borough near the new office of banking group ING, the 900 sq m, minimalist structure will feature a transparent facade with rounded corners and a green roof composed of wood and stonecrops. The pavilion will also be the home of the Traveller, a dining outlet created by Dutch restaurateurs Michiel Deenik,

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Union of Architects (UIA) have named Rio de Janeiro as the first World Capital of Architecture. In its capacity as the 2020 architecture capital, the seaside metropolis, which currently boasts a population of more than 6.32 million people, will hold a series of events under the theme "All the worlds, just one world". According to UNESCO, the city's

Kempinski Hotels is opening its second Indonesian resort, The Apurva Kempinski Bali, in the upmarket Nusa Dua area on 1 February. The 475-bedroom beachfront resort, whose name comes from a word meaning ‘unique and magnificent’ in Sanskrit, will include an immersive ocean-facing spa and fitness centre offering treatments inspired by traditional Balinese healing practices, designed to promote balance and wellbeing. At the front of the resort, overlooking the ocean, The

The Horniman Museum and Gardens has selected British architects Studio West Egret (SWE) to develop a master plan to expand its estate. SEW will lead the design for a number of as-yet-undescribed projects, which – when complete – will help the South London institution work towards its goal of attracting a million visitors a year by 2023. First founded in Edwardian times, the museum currently boasts a collection of more

New York-based architecture practice Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) have released the first concept designs for the long-anticipated London Centre for Music. Set to become the newest addition to London's Culture Mile – an array of institutes and landmarks situated around St. Paul's Cathedral – the Centre for Music will feature a 2000-person capacity, surround-seating concert hall designed by Nagata Acoustics; a multi-tiered foyer with extensive public galleries and event

UK-based Luxury Lodges will introduce the latest addition to their portfolio of self-catering accommodation in Laugharne, on the south coast of Carmarthenshire, Wales, in the summer of 2019. Built at a cost of more than £30m, Luxury Lodges Laugharne will feature an on-site Milkwood Spa set at the heart of the resort, which will include an infinity pool, hydrotherapy sauna and steam rooms built to high specifications following an £8m

Italian architecture studio Migliore+Servetto have revealed renderings of their proposal to transform an abandoned, oceanfront railroad into a scenographic linear park in Busan, South Korea. The redevelopment project – called the "Blue Line Park" – will cover an area of 5 km and comprise a series of multifunctional pavilions seemingly designed to evoke the feeling of moving between scenes in a play. These theatre set-like spaces will include the "Islands

Transdisciplinary designer and musician Kanye West has donated US$10m (€8.7m, £7.7m) to help fund the still unfinished Roden Crater – an atmospheric complex situated within a 400,000-year-old volcano in Arizona. Designed by American artist James Turrell in the 1970s, the subterranean space, which – some have said – can induce altered states of consciousness, features a series of passageways, chambers, and amphitheatres. Along with Turrell's iconic Skyspaces, Roden Crater has

Polish firm FAAB Architektura have revealed plans to extend the Museum of Pawiak Prison (MPP) in Warsaw. The renovated building, which will occupy the former grounds of the largest Nazi-run internment centre in Poland, will take the shape of a three-storey polyhedron and feature new exhibition spaces, a library, shop, information centre, and an observation deck. To enter the museum, patrons will mount an elevated ramp, which will run alongside

Dutch architecture practice MVRDV have unveiled renderings of an eye-catching twin tower development planned for central Taipei. Dubbed a "Times Square for Taiwan" the firm's Twin Towers, which will occupy defunct or underused areas around Taipei's main station, will feature two cinemas and hotels, as well as a series of retail outlets and offices. The 434,000 sq m mixed-use site – designed to appear as stacks of multicoloured blocks –

US-based design studio SALT + BONES have completed a wellness renovation of The Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa in Sausalito, California. The overhaul, which – the architects said – was inspired both by the sea and by "the materials of luxury yachts" – saw the creation of a lobby, courtyard, and nine wellness guest rooms, as well as a three-treatment-room spa. A fitness suite will also be added to the

British architecture firm Foster + Partners have unveiled plans to design Mullin Automotive Park in the heart of England's picturesque Cotswolds region. The proposed £150m (US$192.5, €168.2m) motoring museum, which – if greenlit – will take shape at Enstone Airfield near Great Tew, will comprise a showroom and a main concourse plus a number of pavilions, lodges, green spaces, and interlinking test-drive roads. According to the architects, the idea behind

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) have won a competition to create a new "sculptural icon" in Shenzhen, Hong Kong. Described by the architects as an "anthropomorphic" structure, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Centre (SHKIC) is designed to symbolise the agon or competitive struggle endured by high-performance athletes. Rising 700 metres high, the skyscraper will feature several leisure and hospitality facilities, including an observation deck, restaurant, nightclub, spa, swimming pool,

American architecture studio DKLEVY have announced plans to design Ancient Lore Village at Boyd's Hollow – a 40-acre resort inspired by the high fantasy fiction of businessman Tom Boyd. The attraction, which will open in South Knoxville in the foothills of Tennessee's Smoky Mountains, will feature 150 dwellings and treehouses; a 1000-person-capacity amphitheatre; a 150-seat restaurant; and several miles of walking trails. According to Boyd – who is developing the

The Moxy Chelsea – billed as Manhattan's newest "secret garden" – is on track to open in February. Partially inspired by the Floral District on West 28th Street, the hotel will comprise 349 bedrooms, a fitness centre, restaurant, cocktail bar, and multiple lounges. The project brought together three design firms: Rockwell Group, Yabu Pushelberg, and Stonehill Taylor. Rockwell Group designed the ground floor food and beverage areas, the entire 2nd

Scandinavian architecture firms Møller & Grønborg and ADEPT have been selected to design seven new pavilions at Amager Nature Park near Copenhagen. The wooden structures, set to adorn the 35 sq km reserve's coastline as well as its existing entrance and information centre, are expected to serve as focal points for sightseeing and leisure activities, such as birdwatching, kayaking, and wild swimming. Plans for the architects' proposal, which has been

The Biltmore – formerly the Millennium Hotel London Mayfair – is gearing up to open this spring. Renovated by luxury interior design studio Goddard Littlefair, the hotel – which overlooks the picturesque Grosvenor Square – features 257 guest rooms and 51 suites, plus an alfresco terrace, restaurant, cocktail bar, and fitness centre. Construction on the upscale establishment, which was originally designed in the 1960s by Swiss-British architect Richard Seifert, began

Interdisciplinary architecture firm Sasaki Associates have released images of their proposal to change the face of Hongkou stadium in Shanghai, China. The future 50,000-seat sports complex will feature a number of wellness-focused green spaces, recreational amenities, and VIP clubs, plus a "cantilevered restaurant" offering panoramic views of the Shanghai skyline. A museum memorialising Hongkou's role as China's first professional soccer arena will also be added to the venue's facilities. Sasaki's

The Celino Hotel – once an oceanfront playground for mid-century Hollywood starlets and supremos – is on track to open to the public this spring in Miami's Ocean Drive neighbourhood. Co-designed by Space4Architecture (S4A) and Navigate Group, the recently renovated resort – erstwhile the Park Central Hotel – will feature 132 rooms, a rooftop pool, fitness centre, indoor and outdoor bars, in-room spas services, and two restaurants. The building, the

The latest venue from the Buddha-Bar 'eatertainment' brand has launched at Sugar Beach resort in Mauritius. The new bohemian-inspired bar and restaurant, which was designed by Dubai-based architecture studio Bishop Design, features two dining areas, as well as an outdoor terrace and lounge. Adjoining the 258-room Sugar Beach hotel on the shore of Flic-en-Flac bay, the Buddha-Bar also draws visual inspiration from 1980s seaside hangouts in Ibiza and Goa. The

Luxury group Italian Hospitality Collection (IHC) has opened Le Massif, its first resort in the Aosta Valley. Designed by Italian architects Fabrizio Gandolfo and Inart Studio, the alpine property, which comprises a hotel and off-site chalet in Courmayeur, is located in the shadow of Mont Blanc and features 80 rooms and suites, a fitness centre, two gourmet restaurants – Cervo Rosso Steakhouse and Chetif – and two bars. According to

International architecture firm GroupGSA have been selected to design a sports-friendly city centre in Chongli, China in preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Partially inspired by the hexagonal structures of snowflakes, the revitalised urban space will feature a communal plaza, ice and snow museum, park, exhibition centre, and a number of residences. Other amenities will include a ski-in track as well as a cable car station. Architects working

American architecture practice Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) have unveiled their design for the Azrieli Tower, soon to become one of the tallest buildings in Israel. The new 340-metre, mixed-use tower – which will rise on the grounds of the existing Azrieli Centre – will comprise extensive residential, office, and retail facilities, as well as 1,393 sq m of hotel space. The key visual feature of the building's appearance is

Everton FC has revealed that it will propose a capacity of 52,000 for its new stadium – with the potential to expand to 62,000 in the future – when it files a planning application for the project later this year. According to the club, the projected capacity takes into account several factors – such as current and future ticket demand, forecast revenues and costs and the design and orientation of the stadium

Architecture firm Hotei Russia have offered to design a replacement for the Azure Window, a limestone formation which famously appeared in the Game of Thrones television series and collapsed in 2017. The Russian architects' conceptual designs for the new landmark – dubbed "The Heart of Malta" – depict a polygonal structure connected to the mainland by an overwater promenade. According to the group, the new building will also feature "mirrored

Following a 12-month renovation, Malaysia's iconic Datai Langkawi resort has unveiled images of its refurbished interiors and exteriors. Designed by Didier Lefort Architectes Associés (DL2A), the newly finished, 46-acre getaway is situated in an equatorial forest alongside Langkawi Beach, a natural attraction which has been described by National Geographic as one of the top ten beaches in the world. Datai Langkawi's US$60m (€52m, £47m) renovations include guestrooms, suites, and villas;