Architects, interior designers and engineers in the construction industry could, and should, use more wool in their buildings rather than relying on synthetic alternatives. That is the view of Charles, Prince of Wales, who is fronting a new campaign to inspire creators from multiple disciplines to embrace the possibilities of a material that “is an excellent insulator even when wet, a natural fire retardant, odour-resistant, and absorbent of both shocks

Architects, interior designers and engineers in the construction industry could, and should, use more wool in their buildings rather than relying on synthetic alternatives. That is the view of Charles, Prince of Wales, who is fronting a new campaign to inspire creators from multiple disciplines to embrace the possibilities of a material that “is an excellent insulator even when wet, a natural fire retardant, odour-resistant, and absorbent of both shocks

Here are some of the most popular stories that appeared on CLAD this week, from a museum inspired by a kiln to a landmark opera house for Dubai. • Hotel brand Wyndham Garden has launched a new global design prototype to help hospitality operators save money, improve efficiency and forge a closer connection to nature. Read here. • The body in charge of organising Tokyo’s Olympic Games has admitted its

Culture, health and movement are the focus at MVRDV’s new community centre in Copenhagen, which encourages adults and children alike to enjoy a better quality of life through physical activity. Slides, fireman's poles, labyrinths, nets and climbing walls provide a means of navigating around the Ku.Be House of Culture and Movement, which is being opened today by Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. The project, designed in collaboration with ADEPT, is

Joyce Wang Studio have designed an atmospheric new restaurant in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, with charred walls and coppery furnishings evoking the head chef’s love of grill cooking. The design team aimed to create “a relaxed and refined space” by modelling their vision around the passions, menu and culinary stylings of chef Nathan Green. Shou Sugi Ban, a traditional charred cedar wood cladding used in Japanese vernacular architecture, has

Starwood Hotels has expanded its Latin American portfolio with the opening of the 119-bedroom W Punta de Mita in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit. Owned by Fideicomiso Los Veneros, the new hotel is part of the multi-use oceanfront development Los Veneros. Designed by ASET/AOMA in collaboration with Oakland, California-based design firm Mister Important Design and Starwood’s in-house design team, the concept is inspired by the local bohemian surf culture found on Mexico’s

A Japanese fabric manufacturer has teamed up with Kengo Kuma and Associates to demonstrate how carbon fibre curtains can protect buildings from earthquakes. Komatsu Seiren have opened a laboratory in the city of Nomi, Ishikawa Prefecture, to showcase the invention – which is formed of carbon fibre mixed with a high tensile twine-like material. These curtains, or rods, spread across the structure like a curtain and tether it to the

German architect Ole Scheeren has completed one of his highest profile projects since leaving OMA and setting up his own studio: Thailand’s tallest building. MahaNakhon is a 77-storey, 314m (1,030ft) tall ‘pixelated’ skyscraper located in Bangkok’s Central Business District. The dramatic addition to the city’s skyline opened to the public this week with a spectacular light show. The multi-coloured LED display highlighted the three-dimensional ribbon of architectural pixels that coil

A new London exhibition is set to explore communal bathing culture through the work of contemporary architects and designers. The immersive show – called Soak, Steam, Dream and organised as part of the 2016 London Design Festival – uses photography, film and archive objects to showcase international bathhouse projects by designers as varied as Peter Zumthor, Kengo Kuma and H3T architekti. Each project has been chosen for its role in

Australia’s Wave Park Group has proposed bringing one of its URBNSURF parks to Perth as a 4.5 hectare centrepiece for the city’s sports and recreation precinct. The surf park company wants to redevelop a bowls club in the 22 hectare Tompkins Park into a world-class destination that attracts surfers disappointed by the surfing opportunities along the coastline. “Perth is blessed with a number of idyllic beaches, but the surf quality

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo will tonight (31 August) officially open the nautically-themed new Dubai Opera House, with developer Emaar stating the venue will rival the Sydney Opera House for cultural impact. The singer, known as “the King of Opera”, will give the very first performance at the configurable 2,000 seat venue, which will host theatre, concerts, art exhibitions, opera, orchestra, film, sports events and seasonal programmes. Architecture studio Atkins were

Ma Yansong, Bjarke Ingels, Rem Koolhaas and Herzog and de Meuron are all in the running for the annual architecture prize awarded by London’s Design Museum. The ninth edition of the museum’s Beazley Designs of the Year will celebrate the best creations over the past 12 months across six categories: Architecture, Digital, Fashion, Graphics, Product and Transport. Yansong and his studio MAD are nominated for the Harbin Opera House; Ingels

Diller Scofidio + Renfro have been selected to create a 250 hectare eco-tourism hub for Haikou Bay in China’s Hainan province. The studio finished ahead of nine fellow firms, including Foster + Partners and UN Studio, in an international competition for the ambitious project – which is being bankrolled by Chinese developer HNA Group. Called South Sea Pearl Artificial Island, the crescent-shaped area of land is connected to the mainland

Beijing architects Studio Pei-Zhu have developed a reputation for their sculptural leisure buildings across China, and they have just started work on another: a museum for, and inspired, by pottery. The Jingdezhen Historical Museum of Imperial Kiln will be located in China’s ‘porcelain capital’ in Jiangxi province. The building – surrounded by clusters of china workshops dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties – is designed in the vault-like

Manica Architecture have revisited their stadium design for National Football League (NFL) franchise Oakland Raiders, with the proposed location shifting from California to Nevada. The studio originally designed the 65,000 capacity stadium to be a joint home for the Raiders and fellow NFL side the San Diego Chargers as part of a joint bid which would have seen them both relocate to Los Angeles. That move was rejected by the

Architecture studio Weston Williamson + Partners have triumphed in an international design competition to create a Science City for Egypt. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina – a major library and cultural centre – organised the single phase, open contest to receive conceptual designs for a 125,000sq m (1.35m sq ft) complex designed to promote scientific knowledge to the public. Malaysian studio Ngiom Partnership came second with Zaha Hadid Architects finishing third. The

China’s Wanda Group has taken the next step on its mission to become an unrivalled tourism entity; signing an agreement to build “the world's first culture, tourism, sports and commerce super complex.” The group has pledged to invest CN¥63bn (US$9.4bn, €8.4bn, £7.2bn) to construct Jinan Wanda Culture, Sports and Tourism City – it’s 13th mega-development in the country. Unlike its previous Wanda Cities, the new project in Jinan, Shandong province

The body in charge of organising Tokyo’s Olympic Games has admitted its decision to cancel Zaha Hadid Architects’ (ZHA) National Olympic Stadium design in favour of a cheaper alternative has already cost it ¥68.6bn (US$650.6m, €582.4m, £497m) in compensation payouts. According to media reports in the country, the Japan Sports Council (JSC) announced it has already earmarked the sum – ¥600m US$5.8m, €5.2m, £4.4m) higher than the amount estimated by

Hotel brand Wyndham Garden has launched a new global design prototype that it believes can help hospitality operators save money, improve efficiency and forge a closer connection to nature. Nine prototypical hotels, designed for business travellers, are already under development in Texas, Indiana and West Virginia. The design – developed with hospitality design firm Krause+Sawyer – is inspired by gardens, using natural materials, abundant daylight and flora and fauna to

Here are some of the most popular stories that appeared on CLAD this week, from the world's tallest Ferris wheel to a high-profile planning application hampered by bats. Monday • The world's tallest observation wheel is taking shape on Dubai’s Bluewaters Island. Read here. • Architects Höweler + Yoon have proposed an interactive ‘Living Lab’ for the Dubai 2020 Expo to explore human empathy. Read here. • A pop-up preview

The US$4.2bn (€3.7, £3.2bn) Wynn Palace has opened in Cotai, Macau, with a 4,497sq m (48,403sq ft) room spa – one of Macau’s largest. Designed by TAL Studio and inspired by the royal residences of China’s most fabled dynasties, the 22-treatment-room spa is designed to honour the grandeur of the imperial court. Guests arrive at the Grand Court, where a solid brass Foucault pendulum is suspended in the air, its

The giant Baha Mar resort complex slated for the Bahamas will resume construction in September, following a new agreement with the Bahamian government and the Export-Import Bank of China. Bahamas Prime Minister Perry G. Christie said the US$3.5bn mega-resort – which is to include a Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, Rosewood at Baha Mar, Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar and SLS LUX at Baha Mar – will be completed and

Chelsea Football Club’s plans to build one of the largest stadiums in England have hit a stumbling block – the local population of endangered bats. The club submitted its plans for the £500m (US$660m, €584m) project to London’s Hammersmith and Fulham council last year, but have been asked to provide more evidence of how they will protect the nearby grade I-listed Brompton cemetery and its population of the nocturnal mammals.

The Grand Velas Los Cabos is set to open in Mexico in late 2016, with a two-level, 35,000sq ft (3,252sq m) spa that will include a guided water journey. Architect Ricardo Elias, principal of Elias and Elias Architects in Guadalajara, has designed the hotel with traditional Mexican architectural details, and also worked on the interior design, along with Ernesto Vela and interior designer Melin Castro. The spa will include 16

Six months on from his death, a tribute to music legend Prince will come in the form of a museum at his Paisley Park home and recording complex in Chanhassen, Minneapolis. First announced after the death of the musician in April, the tribute museum has been given an official opening date of 6 October. First opened in 1988, the studio was designed by California-based architecture firm BOTO Design and was

The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, is one step closer to a US$49m (€43.4m, £37.2m) facility expansion after the city’s Design Review Board approved the project unanimously. Now moving on to its construction document phase, the project will enter a new round of city review and approvals ahead of a proposed groundbreaking later this year. Plans originally envisioned a US$200m (€177m, £151.6m) expansion, but were abandoned following the death

Hospitality group Taj Safaris has opened its first lodge outside of India; a traditionally designed retreat within a national park once used as a hunting ground by Nepal’s royal family. Leopards, rhinos and Bengal tigers roam the UNESCO World Heritage listed Chitwan National Park located near the city of Bharatpur. The thick grasslands, meandering water bodies and abundant wildlife – including 68 species of mammal and 550 native bird species