Under – an underwater restaurant and research facility that evokes the romance and wonder of Captain Nemo's Nautilus – has opened in Lindesnes, Norway. Conceptualised by Scandinavian design firm Snøhetta, the grey-coloured building, which was shaped to appear like a sunken periscope, can accommodate up to 40 guests and is protected from sea waves by fortress-like concrete walls. Under's interiors, illuminated by greenish LEDs, also add realism to the space,

A new interactive exhibition space, courtesy of US design studio Snarkitecture, has opened in the thriving Hudson Yards development in Manhattan, New York. Called Snark Park, the new 6,000sq ft (557sq m) space will put on three major experiences per year, starting with its first installation, Lost and Found – a grid-like ‘forest’ made up of columns of various heights that emerge from the ground which aims to encourage visitors

The tentatively named "Vessel" sculpture – arguably the most recognisable landmark in the entire Hudson Yards Development – has opened its doors in Manhattan, New York. Conceived by London-based architecture practice Heatherwick Studio, Vessel, which was inspired by the "ancient stepwells of India" stands 46 metres tall and features almost 2,500 steps and 80 landings. These are supported by a latticework of copper-coloured steel beams, all of which were fabricated

International design practice Ennead Architects have won a competition to build a futuristic laboratory and nature reserve on the Yangtze River near Shanghai, China. The new 427,000 sq ft (39,669 sq m) facility, which will resemble rippling waves and feature indoor and outdoor habitats, will primarily function as a breeding and research centre, housing endangered populations of finless porpoises – the Yangtze's only extant aquatic mammal – and sturgeon, one

The Green Ark, Belgium's winning concept for the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, will function as both an exhibit of biophilic architecture and an illustration of the country's green future. Designed by Belgian bureaux Vincent Callebaut Architectures and Assar Architects, the future building will feature merchandise shops, a brasserie, terrace, and a naturally ventilated agora. Set to be constructed from sustainable materials, the Ark will also have an oasis-like garden

Dutch design firm MVRDV have revealed renderings of their plan to create an open-air marketplace and urban escape in Tainan, Taiwan. The new attraction, which recently broke ground, will be divided into two areas: a ground-floor trading area – set to host vending stalls and kiosks – and a rooftop park. Landscaped to resemble terraced paddy fields, the green expanse will function as a recreational retreat and feature benches, picnic

Jewel Changi Airport – long-praised as representing a new paradigm in passenger experience design – is scheduled to open its doors this spring in Singapore. Planned by Safdie Architects and delivered by BuroHappold Engineering, the first-of-its-kind transit hub will double as an attraction and boast several publicly accessible and "community-centric" leisure facilities and hospitality outlets, including boutique hotels and restaurants, a 40-metre-high indoor waterfall, and a five-storey "paradise garden". Shaped

The Transport Museum of Hungary is building a new home in Budapest and has chosen New York architecture practice Diller Scofidio + Renfro to design it, following a competition. The firm beat out rivals including AL_A, Caruso St John, David Chipperfield, and Foster and Partners among others for the museum's new home, which will be based on a former rail maintenance depot site in the Kobanya region in east Budapest.

The government of Flevoland has approved a master plan devised by Dutch architects Mecanoo to transform Nationaal park Nieuw Land into the largest man-made natural park in the world. Mecanoo's intervention will see the 29,000-hectare polder – which comprises four loosely connected areas of wetlands near greater Amsterdam – combined into one contiguous attraction with bike and walking trails, a parkway, sightseeing towers, and bird reserves. The architects will also

A new visitor centre is in the offing for London's famous replica of the Golden Hinde warship, which was captained by British naval officer Sir Francis Drake – the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. The centre has been designed by London-based architectural practice SPPARC and will feature an accessible education facility exploring the vessel's history, as well as an exhibition space and viewing galleries. SPPARC's dual-level, 1,125 sq m

Scandinavian architecture practice Snøhetta have revealed the first renderings of their proposed design for the Bolzano Museum Quarter in South Tyrol, Italy. The cultural attraction, which – if greenlit – will be picturesquely situated atop Virgolo mountain, will also serve as a satellite facility, housing artefacts from the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology and the Municipal Museum of Bolzano as well as exhibition spaces for Otzi the Iceman – a

Construction on the Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) – the first institution of its kind in the US – is expected to begin by the end of 2019 in the Bronx, the birthplace of hip hop music. Supported by a team of acclaimed rap stars and disc jockeys, among whom are LL Cool J, Ice-T, and Kurtis Blow, UHHM will celebrate the genre's enduring resonance and cultural significance with various

Turkish design bureau Melike Altinisik Architects (MAA) have been selected to build a museum of robotics with components that "construct themselves". Located in Seoul, the future Robot Science Museum (RSM), which will have a globular as opposed to orthogonal form to provide a "wide range of possibilities for connection with urban orientation and public spaces", will rise four storeys and comprise three exhibition areas, a museum shop, offices, and a

Chinese architecture practice OPEN have unveiled renderings of the Chapel of Sound – a cavernous amphitheatre currently under construction north of Beijing, outside the city of Chengde. The 790 sq m, roofless structure – shaped to resemble the curvilinear appearance of mollusc shells and human ears – will function as a concert venue and community space. The Chapel will also feature as a kind of temple to nature, providing panoramic

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York has announced that it will close this summer and reopen with expanded exhibition spaces on 21 October 2019. Designed by New York architecture practice Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) in collaboration with Gensler, the MoMA's extensions will feature more than 40,000 sq ft (3,716 sq m ) of galleries – allowing for the inclusion of both new and re-choreographed exhibits. The

American architecture firm Studio Gang have revealed the first set of renderings of their vision to regenerate the historic Tom Lee Park in Memphis, Tennessee. Part of what has been described as a "holistic redevelopment" of the Memphis riverfront, the revitalised public space, which Studio Gang is redesigning in collaboration with SCAPE Landscape Architecture, will take design cues from various riverside structures, machines, and transport vessels – such as docks,

Project teams have announced the completion of the Tianjin Binhai Exploratorium, a science and industry museum designed by Bernard Tschumi Architects (BTA). Featuring chimney-like spires and a bronze-coloured facade of perforated aluminium that resembles the iconic mudbrick fortresses and mosques of Timbuktu, the Exploratorium will mainly house galleries of exhibits on Tianjin's industrial past. The 33,000 sq m structure, BTA's first large-scale project in China, will also comprise offices, retail

The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in London has released details of its redevelopment plans, which entail a new entrance, new public galleries in the building’s East Wing and a new learning space. Jamie Fobert Architects (JFA) have designed the plans with help from architectural conservation specialists Purcell. Three windows in the current facade turned into doorways, taking pressure off the existing main entrance and allowing for disabled and non-disabled access

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

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

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

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

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

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