Architecture and design news
REVEALED: Hong Kong's ambitious plans for huge US$32bn sports park
by Kim Megson | 21 Feb 2017
The developers of a 28 hectare sports complex in Hong Kong have released new renderings and a promotional video showcasing the project, which is being considered for approval by the territory’s Town Planning Board (TPB). Located on the former site of the Kai Tak airport in South East Kowloon, the Kai Tak Sports Park has previously been described by the government as “the most important investment in sports infrastructure in
Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten revealed as designers of Melbourne's next MPavilion
by Kim Megson | 21 Feb 2017
Architects Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of international studio OMA have been announced as the high-profile designers of the 2017 MPavilion in Melbourne, Australia. The duo will work together to create the temporary landmark and events hub, located in Queen Victoria Gardens, which will host a free, four-month programme of talks, workshops, performances and installations. The MPavilion project began in 2014, and is inspired in part by the annual Serpentine
Diébédo Francis Kéré wins 2017 Serpentine Pavilion commission with responsive tree-inspired design
by Kim Megson | 21 Feb 2017
Diébédo Francis Kéré, the award-winning architect from Burkino Faso, has been commissioned to design the Serpentine Pavilion 2017. The Serpentine Pavilion programme, which began in 2000, sees an architect who has never built in the UK create a temporary summer pavilion in Kensington Gardens. Herzog & de Meuron, Jean Nouvel, Sou Fujimoto, SANAA and Bjarke Ingels Group – whose ‘unzipped wall’ structure was visited by more than 250,000 people in
Delos forms alliance with engineers Glumac to boost integration of wellness and design
by Kim Megson | 21 Feb 2017
Wellness real estate and technology firm Delos has announced the latest in a long line of strategic alliances as it continues its bid to expand the global reach of the WELL Building Standard in the architecture and design sector. The latest partnership is with full-service consulting and engineering firm Glumac. The deal will leverage the latter’s extensive network of sustainably-minded clients, encouraging them to pursue the healthy building standard for
Giant cliff-top spa to open at Switzerland's historic Burgenstock Resort
by Rebecca Barnes | 21 Feb 2017
Scheduled to open this summer, the reimagined Burgenstock Resort Hotel Lake Lucerne will feature a gargantuan spa covering 10,000sq m (107,639 sq ft). Situated on the shoulders of the Burgenburg cliff and offering views of Lake Lucerne, the Rigi and Pilatus, the new spa is among the largest and most modern in Europe. Aiming to introduce leading wellbeing facilities to provide ‘wellness without limits’ to guests, the concept has been
US$100m retail and nature attraction planned for Kentucky
by Tom Anstey | 21 Feb 2017
Ambitious US$100m (€94.1m, £80.2m) plans have been submitted to Kentucky’s Department of Tourism to develop a 1 million sq ft (93,000sq m) retail and entertainment centre – part of a larger plan to develop 300 acres (1.2 million sq m) of tourist attractions. Del Spina Enterprises, a locally-based corporation which submitted the plans, want to develop 100 acres for retail and accommodation, while the remaining 200 acres will be used
Inside story: Maximiliano Arrocet on AL_A’s sparkling new Lisbon landmark
by Kim Megson | 20 Feb 2017
In an exclusive interview with CLAD, the architect who oversaw the creation of Lisbon’s sparkling new Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology explains the inspiration behind the acclaimed design. Maximiliano Arrocet, a director at architecture practice AL_A, discusses the choices that informed the building’s unique façade, it’s rooftop gathering space and the importance of integrating public realm in high-profile leisure projects. The full feature can be read below. The new
New film sheds light on engineering innovation behind Kengo Kuma's Dundee design museum
by Kim Megson | 20 Feb 2017
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has released a new video exploring the architectural inspiration and complex engineering challenges facing its forthcoming branch in Dundee, Scotland. The new film features interviews with the building's architect Kengo Kuma, the executive director of Dundee City Council Mike Galloway and some of the engineers and builders charged with realising the ambitious vision for a cultural landmark capable of reigniting the city’s waterfront. They
3XN complete 'radical' Royal Arena in Copenhagen
by Kim Megson | 20 Feb 2017
The Crown Prince of Denmark has inaugurated the new Royal Arena in Copenhagen, designed by architects 3XN to host national and international music, culture and sports events. The €134m (US$142.4m, £114.2m) building, which follows a strong Scandinavian design tradition, is formed of an organic podium supporting an elliptical structure with a wave-like semi-transparent facade. According to the architects, the podium acts as a link to the adjoining neighbourhood – with
Indonesian-inspired spa debuts in Lithuania
by Rebecca Barnes | 20 Feb 2017
A four-star hotel in the traditional spa town of Druskininkai, southern Lithuania, is now open and features a design inspired by Indonesian style. With panoramic views of the old town and the Nemunas River, the Flores Hotel features 42 light-filled rooms featuring wafer-thin metal chandeliers, natural carpets, beds decorated with wood mosaic, and sinks carved from marble or sturdy wood in the marble bathrooms. Lithuanian architects Ponama created a modern
Jenny Sabin Studio triumph in MoMA young architect competition with socially and environmentally responsive installation
by Kim Megson | 20 Feb 2017
New York practice Jenny Sabin Studio have won the Museum of Modern Art’s (MoMA) annual Young Architects Program, with their design of a socially and environmentally responsive installation that adapts to the densities of bodies, heat and sunlight. Opening at MoMA’s sister institution, MoMA PS1, in Long Island City on 27 June, the structure – called Lumen – will bathe visitors in a responsive photo-luminescent glow at night, and emit
HKS and Russell Sage Studios design exclusive Hollywood club for stars wanting 'to see and be seen'
by Kim Megson | 20 Feb 2017
Architecture studio HKS have been brought on board to design h.Club LA; the first international extension of London’s famous Hospital Club for film stars, musicians and members of high society. The owner of that establishment, Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen, wants to build a new private "club for creatives" by renovating a five-storey hotel building in the shadow of the Hollywood Hills, next to the headquarters of Capitol Records. He
Week's top news: Richard Meier reflects, Snøhetta reveal latest landmark and Jan Gehl hits out at soulless cities
by Kim Megson | 18 Feb 2017
Here are some of the stories that appeared on CLAD this week, from Nike’s sci-fi gym pop-up in Shanghai to an announcement about the 2017 Pritzker Prize. Monday • The rise of modernism and motorism has created “technocratic, soulless cities which make cars and developers happy, but have no concern for people living in and using them,” according to Danish architect and urban designer Jan Gehl. Read here. • David
D.C. United win approval for Populous' Buzzard Point stadium
by Kim Megson | 17 Feb 2017
After a long and protracted design and planning process, US Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise D.C. United has finally been given the green light to build a new stadium at Buzzard Point in Washington. Team officials have swayed the D.C. Zoning Commission, which voted to approve the plans following design revisions to made by the club to address environmental concerns and offer clarity on its plans for parking, transportation and
Health hotel Lanserhof Lans undergoes luxury renovations and expansion
by Rebecca Barnes | 17 Feb 2017
The new and improved medical spa and hotel, Lanserhof Lans in the Austrian province of Lans is now open. Having undergone considerable renovations and an extension to its existing building, the reinvented spa has been created by Christoph Ingenhoven, the architect behind Lanserhof Tegernsee. As well as the building design, Dusseldorf-based Ingenhoven Architects were also responsible for the overall interior design. The redesign, which comes just two years after the
Polar Ocean World, ski park and planetarium feature in Shanghai Pudong masterplan
by Tom Anstey | 17 Feb 2017
A Polar Ocean World for Shanghai along with a ski park and planetarium have been identified as part of a larger masterplan to redevelop the city’s Pudong area, drawing up to 10 million visitors annually. The development, which also includes two universities and college campuses will feature the 300,000sq m (3.2 million sq ft) Shanghai Polar Ocean World, housing four interactive animal exhibits, three theatres and 15 further entertainment facilities.
'Extraterrestrial design' and passion for running collide at Nike's futuristic pop-up gyms
by Kim Megson | 17 Feb 2017
Chinese architecture and design studio Coordination Asia have completed a series of sci-fi tinged pop-up running hubs for sports giant Nike at Shanghai’s Times Square. Created for the Nike+ Run Club – a community which brings people together to explore their cities through running – the hexagonal structures house treadmills in pod-like sections, intended to create a kaleidoscopic interior. LED strips of light on the floor and ceiling build up
Sustainable design specialist Victoria Lockhart joins International WELL Building Institute
by Kim Megson | 17 Feb 2017
Health and wellbeing specialist Victoria Lockhart has announced she is leaving her role at global design, engineering and consultancy firm Arup to take up a position at the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Lockhart is a leading researcher in the field of wellness design, specialising in the role technology plays in accurately establishing how the new generation of sustainable buildings will affect the people who use them. IWBI administers the
Paddington's 'streamlined, artisanal' Pilgrm Hotel to open this summer
by Kim Megson | 16 Feb 2017
The concepts of “old world design and the glory of British craftsmanship” have inspired the designers of a 73-bedroom hotel that will open in London this summer. The Pilgrm has been conceived as reinterpretation of the traditional hotel. Despite being located in a historic Victorian building in Norfolk Square, Paddington – with many of the original exterior and interior features retained by design studio 93ft – any items or services
India's largest design showcase kicks off today
by Kim Megson | 16 Feb 2017
Architects and designers from across the world are arriving in New Delhi today (16 February) for India Design ID – the country’s largest design event. The annual four-day showcase described by organisers “as a collective quest of making design more accessible to the masses,” provides a platform for brands and product designers to display their latest creations and for architects and designers to discuss the issues facing the industry, including
Carlo Ratti reveals digital shading canopy for climate control and beautiful shadowing
by Kim Megson | 16 Feb 2017
International design and innovation office Carlo Ratti Associati, in collaboration with Dubai’s Museum of the Future, have developed a digitally-operated reflecting canopy to provide shading, climate adaptation and green energy generation in cities. The first working prototype, called ‘Sun&Shade,’ was unveiled this week in Dubai as part of the museum’s ‘Reimagining Climate Change’ exhibit. The canopy is based on an array of mirrors that automatically track the sun. According to
Snøhetta create 'extroverted and introverted' cultural landmark for Saudi Arabia
by Kim Megson | 16 Feb 2017
International architects Snøhetta have “blended extroversion and introversion” in their design for the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Saudi Arabia; the very first project of its kind in the kingdom. Project manager Tae-Young Yoon told CLAD that the studio’s biggest challenge was creating both a landmark and a building that “speaks to each individual person” who visits it. “The extrovert part derives from what people want and expect
BIG to design San Pellegrino bottling plant and visitor 'Experience Lab' after competition triumph
by Kim Megson | 15 Feb 2017
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) will design a new factory and visitor experience for mineral water company San Pellegrino, after finishing top of an international competition for the project. The studio revealed their sinuous design for the 17,500sq m (188,000sq ft) complex, which will “guide visitors through the 30-year journey of the natural mineral water,” is inspired by “the serpentine run of the Brembo river and the sloping Alpine mountainsides.” San
V&A's hidden facades 'revealed' for first time as AL_A revamp historic Aston Webb Screen
by Kim Megson | 15 Feb 2017
The reinstallation of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s (V&A) Aston Webb Screen – previously a solid stone wall hiding the building’s Victorian boilers – has been completed, breaking down the separation between the street and the museum. The last stone has now been placed in the modified, newly-open structure; signalling a major milestone in the V&A’s Exhibition Road renovations designed by architects AL_A. According to the design team, “the screen
RICHARD MEIER: exclusive interview on the Getty Center, Miami's new Surf Club and 'the biggest mistake made by architects today'
by Magali Robathan | 15 Feb 2017
Failing to consider the context in which they're working is "the biggest mistake" made by architects today, argues Richard Meier in an exclusive interview with CLAD. The renowned Pritzker Prize winner states that “just because you can build 100 stories high, doesn’t mean you should,” and bemoans the number of new city buildings that are out of place in their environment. The full feature interview – in which Meier also
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
Hotel, waterpark and science centre all touted for major US$500m Nashville leisure development
by Tom Anstey | 15 Feb 2017
Plans have been unveiled in Nashville, Tennessee, for a US$500m (€471m £401m) development set to feature an 829-bedroom hotel and a host of new attractions. To be located in downtown Nashville, the World One Hotel would become the city’s largest, with architects Earl Swensson Associates (ESa) drawing up plans on behalf of the Big T Building Company (BTB). According to BTB, a four-storey video wall would be wrapped around three
Countdown begins to 2017 Pritzker Prize announcement
by Kim Megson | 14 Feb 2017
The winner of the 2017 Pritzker Prize for architecture will be revealed on Wednesday 1 March, it has been announced. The much-anticipated news will be revealed at 10am Eastern Standard Time. The Pritzker is the architecture industry's highest honour, and is awarded annually to “a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity
3XN win architecture competition to design wave-inspired lakeside aquatics centre
by Kim Megson | 14 Feb 2017
Danish architectural practice 3XN have won the competition to design a new, largely wooden, aquatic centre in the Swedish city of Linkoping, which is designed to “become a hybrid between the city and the lake.” Named Vågen, meaning ‘The Wave’ in English, the 24,000sq m (2,200sq ft) facility will be located between Linkoping and Tinnerbäck Lake. The architecture is inspired by the vision of waves washing ashore, with the building
‘Landmark’ US$1.4bn MGM National Harbor Resort overlooks Washington D.C
by Jessica Adams | 14 Feb 2017
Hotel giant MGM Resorts International has opened its latest luxury resort in America; the US$1.4bn (€1.7bn, £1.4bn) MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Located on a site overlooking the Potomac River, the 1.7 million sq ft (158,000sq m) mixed-use development took three years to build and is conceived by MGM as “an entertainment destination offering an unrivalled collection of attractions.” Architectural firm HKS Hospitality Group oversaw the project,
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