Architecture and design news
Michelle Obama to deliver keynote speech at 2017 AIA convention
by Kim Megson | 04 Apr 2017
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced that former first lady of the United States Michelle Obama will deliver the keynote speech on the opening day of the 2017 AIA Conference on Architecture. Obama will address AIA members as part of the organisation’s annual Conference on Architecture, which will take place in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center from 27 to 29 April. Obama leads a host of
Long Island landmark arena revived by SHoP Architects with 4,700 fins
by Kim Megson | 04 Apr 2017
SHoP Architects have completed an extensive renovation of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on New York’s Long Island. The multi-purpose arena, which first opened in 1972, has hosted the likes of Elvis Presley, Led Zeppelin, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen over the years, as well as basketball and ice hockey fixtures, but gradually became outdated and was closed in 2015. SHoP were brought in to re-conceive the look and feel of the
OMA design Shanghai masterplan to revive 1920s leisure district
by Kim Megson | 03 Apr 2017
International architecture studio OMA have developed a new mixed-use masterplan for Columbia Circle – a historic site in the centre of Shanghai. Columbia Circle is the first urban renewal project in the core area of the city by the Chinese real estate developer Vanke. It plans to transform a vacated 4.7 hectare compound into a new part of the city with a publicly accessible mixed-use programme – including event spaces,
Design ideas competition imagines ‘unifying’ bathhouse for Korean Demilitarized Zone
by Kim Megson | 03 Apr 2017
Architectural research initiative Arch Out Loud has announced the winners of an international ideas competition to conceptualise an underground bathhouse within the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The purpose of the contest was to explore the ways in which new forms of non-military architecture could occupy the border zone between North and South Korea and begin to ease the existing tension between the nations, which have been in conflict for over 70
Snøhetta's International Centre for Cave Art opens in Lascaux with full-size replica of ‘Sistine Chapel of Prehistory’
by Kim Megson | 16 Dec 2016
UPDATE: A dramatic new museum celebrating some of the world’s most famous prehistoric cave art has opened at the Lascaux Cave complex in France. The €66m (US$70.3m, £56.2m) International Centre for Cave Art is located in the town of Montignac-sur-Vézère, at the foot of the hill where the Lascaux caves – adorned with the highest concentration of Paleolithic cave art in Europe – were discovered in 1940. Within the new
German football club Hertha Berlin identifies new stadium site
by Matthew Campelli | 03 Apr 2017
German top flight football team Hertha Berlin has unveiled plans to develop a new 55,000-capacity stadium in the shadow of its current Olympiastadion home. After spending time reviewing 50 sites for the mooted venue, the club has identified a spot of land in the Olympiapark close to the 80,000-seat stadium where it currently hosts home matches. Werner Gegenbauer, the president of Hertha Berlin, said the stadium would be “privately financed”
Opening day announced for Renzo Piano's first Spanish leisure project
by Kim Megson | 03 Apr 2017
An opening date of 23 June 2017 has been announced for Renzo Piano’s first completed building in Spain: the Botín Center art museum in Santander. Designed in collaboration with Luis Vidal Architects, the building was described by Botín Foundation director general Inigo Sáenz de Miera on 30 March as “a unique place for art, and an engine that generates economic, social and cultural wealth for northern Spain.” The building is
Week's top news: Kengo Kuma's latest, a spa inspired by Aristotle and a look at the eSports stadiums of the future
by Kim Megson | 01 Apr 2017
Here are some of the stories that appeared on CLAD this week, from BIG’s panda enclosure at Copenhagen Zoo to a new Vegas stadium for NFL’s Oakland Raiders. Monday • A new 900sq m (9,688sq ft) Eagles Spa by Elemis is set to open near the birthplace of Aristotle, in time to celebrate the great philosopher’s 2,400th birthday. Read here. • Denmark's first newly built theatre in over a century
Philadelphia Museum of Art kickstarts major Frank Gehry expansion and revamp
by Kim Megson | 31 Mar 2017
The Philadelphia Museum of Art has officially kickstarted “a new phase of transformation and renewal”, with construction underway on an important phase of architect Frank Gehry’s wide-reaching masterplan for the institution’s main building. Around 67,000sq ft (6,225sq m) of public space – including 11,500sq ft (1,070sq m) for new American Art galleries and 11,500sq ft for contemporary art exhibitions – is being added to the museum as part of Gehry’s
New 29,000sq ft, 25-room spa to open in Los Cabos
by Rebecca Barnes | 31 Mar 2017
All-inclusive hospitality company Palace Resorts has announced the highly anticipated launch of Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos in Q3 2017. With exteriors by architect Roberto Elias and interiors by Miami-based Francois Frossard of Francois Frossard Design (FFD), the design of the beachfront property is heavily influenced by the flora and fauna of the resort, the climate, the landscapes and surrounding mountains. The result will be four buildings that curve
Asif Khan's UK pavilion for Astana Expo is a 'timeline of energy' soundtracked by Brian Eno
by Kim Megson | 31 Mar 2017
British architect Asif Khan has revealed the first visualisations of ‘We Are Energy’ – the UK pavilion he is designing for the 2017 International Exposition in Astana, Kazakhstan. The images reveal a domed tent-like space, surrounded on the outside by a 360 degree display screen. The 2,200sq m (23,600sq ft) pavilion, which is scheduled to be pre-built to shell and core by the Expo organisers, will be illuminated by electric
Six floor Tyrolian ‘world of wellbeing’ undergoes luxury refurbishment
by Rebecca Barnes | 30 Mar 2017
Luxury health and spa resort Preidlhof in South Tyrol, Italy, will re-open on 1 April following a €6m ($6.44m, £5m) refurbishment that includes the addition of suites with 'spa loggias.' Overseen by Austrian designer Reinhard Köck, the resort will unveil 36 new luxury suites and five luxury penthouse suites, bringing the total number of rooms to 70. The suites will all feature spa loggias and some include whirlpools and private
Re-imagined Spa at Ritz-Carlton South Beach debuts new high-tech treatment concept featuring work of Louie Schwartzberg
by Rebecca Barnes | 30 Mar 2017
The 16,000sq ft (1,486sq m) Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach in Miami has been re-imagined with a fresh redesign, modern fitness facility and destination-inspired therapies. Located in Miami Beach’s historic Art Deco district, the landmark Art Moderne hotel was originally designed by famed architect Morris Lapidus in 1953. To celebrate the spa opening, a sage-smudging ceremony was performed to cleanse and purify the spa of its past and welcome
Six Senses Spa at Zil Pasyon inspired by the drama of the surrounding environment
by Rebecca Barnes | 29 Mar 2017
Following on the heels of the resort's opening late last year, the 19,000sq ft (1,765sq m) Six Senses Spa Zil Pasyon in Félicité, the fifth largest island in Seychelles, is now open. Created by Six Senses Architecture and Design team and Richard Hywel Evans of Studio RHE in London, the spa is immersed in the private island’s rocks, boulders, jungle and the Indian Ocean. It is designed to be an
Tulips and triangles star at Mecanoo's elegant gateway to 'the Garden of Europe'
by Kim Megson | 29 Mar 2017
Tulips, timber and triangles are at the heart of an elegant timber gateway created by architecture studio Mecanoo for Keukenhof – one of the world's largest flower gardens. The 79 acre park, located in the Dutch town Lisse, is popular among domestic and international tourists who travel to see Keukenhof’s impressive selection of flora and fauna. Approximately seven million flower bulbs are planted there annually and it is nicknamed ‘the
Australia's ACTIVE sports and leisure park wins approval on Sunshine Coast
by Kim Megson | 29 Mar 2017
Australia’s first “Active Lifestyle” project is coming closer to reality, with the Sunshine Coast Council granting development approval for the first phase of the $400m (US$305m, €280.7m, £243m) Queensland venture. SANAD Capital – the Australian offshoot of Dubai-based investment firm Najibi Group – is developing the project, called ACTIVE, across a 25 hectare plot on Steve Irwin Way, which it purchased in January 2016. The council has now approved 14
NFL's Oakland Raiders wins right to move to 'world class' stadium in Las Vegas
by Kim Megson | 28 Mar 2017
US National Football League (NFL) franchise the Oakland Raiders are to relocate to Las Vegas, after other NFL owners voted yesterday (27 Match) to approve the controversial move to Nevada. The Raiders received 31 of 32 votes to approve the move, far above the minimum requirement of 24. It is now in a position to proceed with its ambitions to build a 65,000 capacity stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.
Adjaye, Ingels, Ramstad and Fujimoto in the running to design Edinburgh theatre and gardens
by Kim Megson | 28 Mar 2017
Seven architecture studios have made it on to the final shortlist to design a new theatre in the heart of Edinburgh – the £25m Ross Pavilion and Gardens project. The studios in contention are: • Adjaye Associates (UK) • BIG Bjarke Ingels Group (Denmark) • Flanagan Lawrence (UK) • Page Park Architects (UK) • Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter (Norway) • wHY (USA) • William Matthews Associates (UK) and Sou Fujimoto Architects
Winners announced in design competition for Latvian blue clay spa
by Kim Megson | 28 Mar 2017
The winner has been announced in an architecture competition to design a rural spa and guest house in Kurzeme, Western Latvia. The Blue Clay Country Spa contest, organised by organising company Bee Breeders, invited architects of all experience levels to present ideas for a spa and guesthouse in a remote natural forest, famed for its blue clay. They were tasked with envisioning “the economic, cultural, and architectural implications of inhabiting
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
BIG design yin-yang enclosure for Copenhagen Zoo's giant pandas
by Alice Davis | 27 Mar 2017
Copenhagen Zoo has revealed it is working with BIG architects on a brand new panda enclosure that will be shaped like an enormous yin-yang symbol. The new exhibit will house two giant pandas that China has offered to loan to Denmark, and will be built on the footprint of the zoo’s former elephant enclosure, which is now empty and will be demolished. The pandas will be delivered from Chengdu at
Kengo Kuma reveals design for wing-like tourist centre for China’s Yangcheng Lake
by Kim Megson | 27 Mar 2017
The architecture studio of Kengo Kuma have revealed their design plans for a textured tourist centre on the banks of Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou, China. The Yangcheng Lake Travel Distribution Center, which will double as a depot for the lake’s fleet of boats, is currently under construction and will be completed by the end of 2017. The 7,760sq m (83,500sq ft) structure will include two overlapping wing-like triangular roofs formed
Schmidt Hammer Lassen complete dynamic theatre ‘that dares to be different’
by Kim Megson | 27 Mar 2017
Denmark's first newly built theatre in over a century has opened outside the capital Copenhagen as “a cultural dynamo for the entire region.” Designed by architecture studio Schmidt Hammer Lasson, the 4,200sq m (45,200sq ft) Vendsyssel Theatre in Hjørring includes a music hall, a black box auditorium, a rehearsal hall and a 430-seat ‘in-the-round’ theatre. The striking €23m (US25$m, £19.8m) complex is formed of a series of cubic blocks. They
Elemis opens 'jewel among spas' in the shadow of Mount Athos
by Jane Kitchen | 27 Mar 2017
A new 900sq m (9,688sq ft) Eagles Spa by Elemis is set to open near the birthplace of Aristotle, in time to celebrate the great philosopher’s 2,400th birthday. Located in Halkidiki, Greece, the spa is part of a larger expansion of the five-star Eagles Palace resort, which also includes the addition of Eagles Villas. The 42 villas, designed by architects 3sk Stylianidis, are nestled into a green hilltop and feature
Week's top news: A flying monk theatre, Patricia Urquiola's Lake Como hotel and Daniel Libeskind's latest tower
by Kim Megson | 25 Mar 2017
Here are some of the stories that appeared on CLAD this week, from a planned anime theme park to an ice rink frozen using solar power. Monday • The soon-to-be-built 60,000-capacity Perth Stadium could be the centre point for a Commonwealth Games bid after the Western Australian city threw its hat into the ring to host the 2022 edition. Read here. • A new scientific and cultural complex exploring the
Bending the rules: Architects propose 'world's longest skyscraper'
by Kim Megson | 24 Mar 2017
New York architecture studio Oiio have unveiled an eccentric design concept to counter the city’s strict building height restrictions: a looping skyscraper called The Big Bend. Described by the studio as both “a modest architectural solution” to zoning limitations and as “the world’s tallest building,’ the thin structure – 4,000ft long if measured end to end – resembles an enormous upside down U-shape. Renderings of the project imagine it looming
Gold, marble, brass and oak run through contemporary and cultured Cape Town spa
by Rebecca Barnes | 24 Mar 2017
A new boutique spa and beauty salon has opened in the De Waterkant district of Cape Town, South Africa, "bringing a contemporary edge to the city." Lume Beauty Atelier was created by local interior designers ARRCC and Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects (SAOTA), with a brief to offer visitors a luxury experience in upscale, high fashion surroundings. For the reception foyer, monochromatic tones were used to bring calmness to the
WATG's Four Seasons Tianjin hotel opens in two striking new towers
by Kim Megson | 24 Mar 2017
A new Four Seasons hotel designed by architects WATG has opened in China’s fourth largest metropolis. Rising above the city’s central business district, the Four Seasons Tianjin is housed in one of two new towers, both of which are supported by a podium for leisure amenities. The 52,000sq m (559,700sq ft) complex contains 90 residential units, 5,000sq m (53,800sq ft) of retail space and 259 hotel guest rooms in the
Self-sustaining wellness villages set for Europe, as work begins on Dutch pilot project
by Jane Kitchen | 24 Mar 2017
A technology-focused real estate development company that’s creating a new model for self-sustaining wellness communities has launched a pilot 'ReGen Village' in the Netherlands. Located in Almere, the development, designed by Danish architects EFFEKT, includes 300 homes that will grow their own food and generate their own power on-site. Other ReGen developments are also being considered in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany and Belgium. The idea for the communities is to
Everton agrees finance package for proposed stadium
by Matthew Campelli | 23 Mar 2017
Everton FC has moved a step closer to realising its ambition to build a new stadium after agreeing a financial package with the local authority. The Premier League football club has agreed terms with Peel Holdings to acquire the site in Liverpool’s Bramley Moore Dock – a deal brokered by the city’s mayor, Joe Anderson. A report will be presented to the council on 31 March recommending an arrangement that
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