Architecture and design news:
museums & heritage
RAF museum relaunches following major £26m redevelopment
by Tom Anstey | 29 Jun 2018
The centenary of Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) is being celebrated in London, with the transformation of the capital's RAF Museum, which reopens to the public tomorrow (30 June). Nex-Architecture were commissioned for the £26m, 20-month redevelopment, which transforms the site's Hangar 1 building with new immersive galleries focusing on the people of the RAF. With the reconfiguration, visitors are given a clearer route through the exhibition spaces and past
U2 plans new attraction in place of iconic Dublin recording studios
by Tom Anstey | 28 Jun 2018
A U2 attraction in the heart of Dublin could become one of Ireland's most visited tourist sites, with plans unveiled for an exhibition centre dedicated to the band on the capital's waterfront. To be developed on Hannover Quay – the current site of the band's existing recording studio – the new three storey complex will display a selection of never-before-seen U2 memorabilia collected over the four decades of the group's
OMA reveal design for bold extension to Buffalo's Albright-Knox Art Gallery
by Kim Megson | 28 Jun 2018
The Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York State has announced the next stage of its expansion ambitions by unveiling the design for a bold, freestanding new building. International architects OMA have created the plans for the 29,000sq ft (2,700sq m) North Building extension, which will house parts of the museum’s world-renowned art collection and important visitor amenities. The building is envisioned to have a wraparound promenade that visually and
History of Jerusalem revealed with Terra Sancta Museum's new archaeology wing
by Megan Whitby | 26 Jun 2018
Jerusalem's Terra Sancta Museum will open the doors of its brand new archaeology wing to the public tomorrow (27 June), hosting a new exhibition showcasing more than 300 artefacts from the time of Herod the Great to the sixth century. The museum, which tells the story of the Christian presence in the Holy Land, has launched the new wing, which debuts with The House of Herods: Life and Power in
James Corner and Kohn Pedersen Fox working on flagship museum and retail destination at Hong Kong's Victoria Dockside
by Kim Megson | 26 Jun 2018
Asian real estate corporation New World Development has officially launched its “most ambitious” project to date: a museum-retail complex in the heart of Hong Kong's US$2.6bn (€2.2bn, £1.9bn) Victoria Dockside. The K11 Musea will form a high-end experiential retail, art, cultural and dining destination, and anchor the Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront’s 3 million sq ft (278,700sq m) art and design district. Ground has now broken on the project and it
Artist Mark Wallinger and Studio Octopi create Magna Carta monument
by Kim Megson | 20 Jun 2018
A major artwork by Mark Wallinger and architects Studio Octopi has been launched in the English district of Runnymede, celebrating the legacy of Magna Carta. Called Writ in Water, the architectural piece is a historic monument, remembering the time and place, over 800 years ago, that feudal barons forced King John to seal the charter – a founding moment in shaping the basis of common law across the world. The
Construction begins on Michael Maltzan Architecture's vast Inuit Art Centre
by Kim Megson | 19 Jun 2018
Ground has broken on a new museum in Winnipeg that will be the largest single gallery space in the world devoted to Inuit art, culture, and history. Designed by Michael Maltzan Architecture, the 400,000sq ft (37,000sq m) Inuit Art Centre (IAC) is an addition to the existing Winnipeg Art Gallery, created by Canadian architect Gustavo Da Roza and opened in 1971. The new additions will be connected to the main
World's first 'digital-only art museum' set to wow in Tokyo
by Kim Megson | 18 Jun 2018
Japanese multimedia art collective teamLab will open a unique Digital Art Museum on Thursday (21 June), permanently showcasing all of their dynamic interactive installations for the first time. The studio have partnered with the Mori Building Company to build the 10,000sq m (107,600sq ft) attraction, called ‘Borderless’, which will exhibit more than 50 interactive artworks across five zones. There are no divisions between the pieces, which extend beyond their rooms,
Kvorning masterminds Neolithic rock art exhibition in Norway
by Tom Anstey | 15 Jun 2018
Copenhagen-based design studio Kvorning Design and Communication have created a new installation for Norway's Alta Museum, with the permanent exhibition examining a collection of rock art dating back to the Neolithic era. Located in Alta, Finnmark, the World Heritage Rock Art Centre – also known as the Alta Museum – sits within one of five areas of rock art, which was inscribed on Unesco's World Heritage List in 1985. The
Pelli Clarke Pelli win Chengdu Natural History Museum project with design inspired by tectonic movement
by Kim Megson | 13 Jun 2018
Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects have won the international design competition for the Chengdu Natural History Museum in Chengdu, China. The studio’s design, created in collaboration with the China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute (CSWADI), swayed the jury panel. It was selected ahead of submissions from Zaha Hadid Architects, Sutherland Hussey Harris, Nihon Sekkei, Valode & Pistre and FUKSAS. Located in the eastern part of the city, the 62,700sq m
License to thrill? Mountaintop James Bond attraction sets hearts racing
by Alice Davis | 12 Jun 2018
Anticipation is rising ahead of a 12 July launch date for a brand new James Bond visitor attraction nestled snugly inside a mountain peak in Sölden, Austria. The state-of-the-art facility, called 007 ELEMENTS, promises to immerse visitors in an environment that will make them feel like secret agents themselves. Described as a cinematic installation, the new attraction will be housed in a purpose built structure designed by local architect Johann
Kengo Kuma and OODA to transform Porto slaughterhouse into cultural centre topped by vast, sweeping roof
by Kim Megson | 08 Jun 2018
Kengo Kuma and Associates, in collaboration with OODA, have won a competition to redevelop an abandoned industrial slaughterhouse in Porto into a public complex featuring a museum, library and performance spaces. The Matadouro building was once an important urban landmark. However, it was closed and abandoned almost 20 years ago and has gradually become disconnected from the city as new buildings – including a speedway and a stadium for FC
Sadiq Khan unveils new-look designs for London's £1bn East Bank
by Kim Megson | 08 Jun 2018
London mayor Sadiq Khan has set out a £1.1bn vision for East Bank at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – a brand new masterplan for the former ‘Olympicopolis’ cultural scheme. The waterfront site has been redesigned by architects Allies and Morrison, O’Donnell + Tuomey, and Camps Felip Arquitecturia, following detailed public consultation. Envisioned as “a new powerhouse of culture, education, innovation and growth,” the project was first planned to secure the
Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Woods Bagot win design competition for Adelaide Contemporary art museum
by Kim Megson | 05 Jun 2018
A design team led by US studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Australian architects Woods Bagot has won the international design competition for the Adelaide Contemporary art museum. Intended to revitalise the site of the former Royal Adelaide Hospital (oRAH), the attraction will be a sister museum to the Art Gallery of South Australia, combining exhibition, research and education spaces with a public sculpture park and community meeting place. It
Arts district and Australia's tallest tower planned for Melbourne
by Tom Anstey | 05 Jun 2018
The city of Melbourne is aiming to secure itself as Australia's culture capital, with the development of the country's largest contemporary art gallery and its tallest building. To be built next door to the National Gallery of Victoria as part of a new arts precinct, the NGV Contemporary site would be developed at a cost of AU$151m (US$115mm, €98.5m, £86m), replacing the former Carlton & United Brewery. Victoria State will
Historic Santander headquarters to become new gallery and public space
by Tom Anstey | 05 Jun 2018
The headquarters of Santander are to be transformed into a public space and art gallery following the move of the Spanish banking giant to new offices. Coming as part of an initiative to bring much of the bank’s vast art collection – currently held in Madrid – to Santander itself, Santander will move its operation to the nearby Banesto building, freeing up its former home for public use. British architect
Herzog and de Meuron transform historic Hong Kong police station and prison compound into arts venue
by Kim Megson | 04 Jun 2018
Herzog and de Meuron have completed their latest cultural project: a museum and arts complex spread inside a walled compound of heritage justice buildings on Hong Kong Island. A dramatic light show marked the opening of the Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts on 25 May, with 150 guests in attendance, including the administrative region’s chief executive Carrie Lam. Over twelve years, the Swiss architects have carefully restored 16
Woods Bagot convert abandoned sugar factory into chocolate-themed hotel, leisure and cultural district
by Kim Megson | 04 Jun 2018
Architects Woods Bagot are transforming an abandoned sugar factory in Zhuhai, China, into a cultural, tourism and leisure park that celebrates the city’s industrial heritage and welcomes visitors with a sweet tooth. The Hongqi Zhen Sugar Factory was opened in the 1960s and became a key pillar of Southern China’s sugar plantation and processing industry. However, the industry eventually fell into a decline and the complex closed its doors in
'I wanted to glorify 21 centuries of architectural history': Elizabeth de Portzamparc reveals inspiration for futuristic Roman museum in Nîmes
by Kim Megson | 02 Jun 2018
French architect Elizabeth de Portzamparc has revealed to CLADglobal how she wanted to “glorify 21 centuries of architectural history” with her Roman museum in the French city of Nîmes, which opens today (2 June) in the shadow of a real-life Roman amphitheatre next door. The Musée de la Romanité de Nîmes has been designed as a striking, fluid building that forms a contemporary counterpoint to the neighbouring Arena of Nîmes.
FIFA World Football Museum comes to Moscow with major exhibition to celebrate World Cup
by Tom Anstey | 01 Jun 2018
Fifa's World Football Museum is opening a temporary exhibition in Moscow, Russia, through the course of this year's World Cup. To be hosted at the Hyundai Motorstudio in the Russian capital, the major exhibition – called The History Makers – will open on 9 June, five days ahead of the football tournament's kick off. The exhibition runs until 20 July, five days after the tournament's conclusion. As part of The
Westminster Abbey reveals 'hidden museum' ahead of official opening
by Kim Megson | 29 May 2018
Westminster Abbey today (29 May) officially unveiled The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries for the first time, ahead of the museum’s public opening on 11 June. The new gallery spaces, which will display 300 treasures from the Abbey’s collection, are hidden inside the building’s triforium, a loft-like space some 52ft (16m) above the Abbey's floor. The Triforium, unused for centuries and never before open to the public, has been transformed by
Architects appointed for Paisley Museum's ambitious £42m transformation project
by Tom Walker | 29 May 2018
Architects AL_A have been named as the lead designers for the £42m (US$55.7m, €48m) redevelopment of the Paisley Museum in Scotland. The transformation of the museum is the flagship project of Renfrewshire Council’s planned £100m (US$132.6m, €114.5m) investment in cultural venues in Paisley and forms the cornerstone of plans to utilise the city's cultural assets to transform its future. The museum will close in late 2018 and re-open in 2022
Royal Academy of Arts celebrates 250th anniversary with opening of Chipperfield-designed extension
by Kim Megson | 16 May 2018
The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) will open its new campus, designed by David Chipperfield, to the public on Saturday (19 May). To celebrate its 250th anniversary year, the RA – one of the world’s oldest and foremost artist and architect-led institutions – commissioned the renovation of its historic central London home, adding 70 per cent more public space and revealing many of its hidden secrets for the first time.
Steven Holl completes Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston
by Kim Megson | 16 May 2018
Work has been completed on the new Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston (MFAH), designed by Steven Holl Architects. The School – the only museum-run institute in the US with programmes that serve students of all ages, from 3-year-olds to adults – is a major component of the museum’s 14-acre redevelopment, masterminded by Holl, which is currently the largest cultural project under construction in
Winners announced in young architects competition to transform abandoned island fortress into 'Art Prison' museum and hotel
by Kim Megson | 15 May 2018
Design initiative Young Architects Competitions (YAC) has announced the winners of an ideas contest for the transformation of a remote Italian fortress into "one of the most atmospheric centres of contemporary art in the Mediterranean". Italian studio Simposio have secured first prize for their proposal to carefully integrate new cultural and hospitality buildings into the rocky landscape of Favignana, an isle in the Southern Sicily that is home to Santa
London's Design Museum crowned European Museum of the Year
by Tom Anstey | 15 May 2018
London's Design Museum has been named the winner of the European Museum of the Year Award. Moving to its new £85m (US$115m, €96.4m) home in Kensington's former Commonwealth Institute Building in 2016, the museum was reimagined by architecture firm OMA, along with Allies and Morrison and interior designer John Pawson. Since moving, the museum has become an "inspiring, socially-aware museum", according to the awarding judges, who also acknowledged the museum’s
Revealed: Star-studded shortlist designs for Adelaide art museum
by Kim Megson | 14 May 2018
The shortlisted designs for a new art museum in Adelaide have been officially released, offering a first glimpse at what the likes of Adjaye Associates, BIG, Diller Scofidio + Renfro have in mind for the planned South Australian Landmark. Intended to revitalise the site of the former Royal Adelaide Hospital (oRAH), Adelaide Contemporary will be a sister museum to the Art Gallery of South Australia, combining exhibition, research and education
Museum of Modern Art names Rob Giampietro director of design
by Tom Anstey | 11 May 2018
New York's Museum of Modern Art has named Rob Giampietro as its new director of design, with the former Google man taking charge of the institution's design output. A member of MoMA's newly-formed creative team, Giampietro will help to "extend MoMA’s identity as a dynamic and progressive cultural institution physically rooted in New York City, with a global reach and impact on modern and contemporary art and design." Working closely
Purcell win approval for Manchester Museum expansion
by Kim Megson | 08 May 2018
Architecture firm Purcell will create an extension to the historic home of the University of Manchester - Manchester Museum, after winning planning and listed building consent last week. The design team have imagined a contemporary new entrance and two new galleries, which will double the capacity of the museum – part of a wider development plan as it seeks “to become the UK’s most imaginative, inclusive and caring museum.” Purcell
Saudi Arabia plans US$13.3bn investment into lifestyle destinations
by Tom Anstey | 04 May 2018
Saudi Arabia's government has revealed plans to invest SAR50bn (US$13.3bn, €11.2bn, £9.9bn) into entertainment, health, sports and education initiatives, as the country attempts to modernise and improve its citizens' quality of life. Announced yesterday (3 May) by the Kingdom's General Entertainment Authority (GEA), it is understood that the investment will generate upward of 300,000 jobs by 2020. “Government spending on the initiatives will total around 60 per cent of the
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