The winners have been announced in an ideas competition to propose a new life for Philip Johnson’s famous New York State Pavilion in Queens. The iconic structure – which includes two observation towers and a large elliptical Tent of Tomorrow – was built at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park for the 1964-65 World Fair. However, in the last few decades it has fallen into disrepair. Despite this, the pavilion remains a significant

This year’s Pritzker Prize winner, Alejandro Aravena, has told CLAD that architects and developers must do more to improve people’s quality of life when developing built environments. In an interview featured in the new issue of CLADmag, the Chilean architect said that even when people’s basic needs are provided for – such as shelter and warmth – a project has not succeeded unless it creates an environment where people can

The architectural studio of Vo Trong Nghia are creating a floating bamboo spa on the Vietnamese island Phu Quoc. Named the Signature Spa, the facility will be attached to a five star hotel on the island, which is famous in the region for its dense expanses of nature and areas of jungle. The spa will consist of a building containing treatment rooms, alongside a series of arched bamboo podiums that

Visitors to a forthcoming food theme park in Italy will be able to grow their own food on-site in a futuristic pavilion designed by architecture and innovation firm Carlo Ratti Associati. The attraction, called the Area of the Future, will be one of the centrepieces of FICO Eataly World, an 80,000sq m (861,000sq ft) edutainment park focused on food-production and nutrition currently under construction in Bologna. Visitors to the circular

New renderings have been released of Peter Zumthor’s proposed redevelopment of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) ahead of a public consultation meeting on 24 August. The images visualise eight semi-transparent pavilions supporting an elevated, organically-shaped main exhibition level. The Pritzker Prize winning architect’s design will replace four of the museum’s deteriorating structures to house LACMA’s permanent collection of historic and contemporary art. Demolition of older buildings means

Since opening its US$57m (€51.5m, £43.7m) African Adventure, California’s Fresno Chaffee Zoo has experienced a 40 per cent upturn in attendance. Funded mainly by a levy a tax to help support new zoo projects and programmes, the 13-acre (57,000sq m) project offers a modern home for a number of species, including African elephants, lions, cheetahs, wildebeest, giraffes, ostrich, springbok and more. “It’s by far the largest project we’ve done both

Leinster Rugby has submitted proposals for the €26m (£22m, US$29m) redevelopment of its home RDS Arena. The three-time European champion has applied for planning permission from Dublin City Council to increase the capacity of the stadium from 18,500 to 21,000, while improving the visitor facilities within the Anglesea stand. Dublin studio Newenham Mulligan and London-based architects Grimshaw have been selected to create the design concept. Redevelopment work will not only

The British Airways i360 – the world’s first vertical cable car, tallest moving observation tower and most slender tower – has opened to the public in Brighton, UK. Opened today (4 August), the so-called “vertical pier” by Marks Barfield Architects sits on the foundation of Brighton’s former Victorian-era West Pier, which was destroyed by an arson attack in March 2003. “When the West Pier was built and when the Palace

The monastic-themed Sanctum Inle in Myanmar is set to open 1 October, and will include a Sanctum Spa with six treatment rooms designed by France’s Brigitte Du Mont Chassart, who is responsible for all of the resort’s interiors. Sanctum Inle will also include an Olympic-sized swimming pool overlooking Inle Lake, and takes full advantage of its position in an off-the-beaten-path location. “In a region long closed off to the wider

International studio Arquitectonica has partnered with “placemaking specialist” developers Samuels & Associates and Landsea Group to bring leisure to the skies of Boston. The architects – who have just completed EAST, Miami, the first Swire Hotels property in the US – have unveiled their design for a mixed-use residential tower with private sky cabanas and a rooftop swimming pool and hot tub. The building, called Pierce Boston, will feature 360

A new Indian restaurant and cocktail bar has opened in London with a design that pays tribute to the scientists and botanists of the Victorian era and their explorations in the jungles of India. Flora Indica, which opened at the weekend, is the latest dining and entertainment concept from designer Henry Chebaane and Blue Sky Hospitality, who recently opened London’s sci-fi tinged Asian restaurant Kojawan. Walls and shelves of the

Architect David Adjaye has told CLAD that the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington is “one of the defining projects” of his career to date. The landmark museum – which has been developed over a decade – is due to be opened by US President Barack Obama on the 24 September 2016. Adjaye’s practice Adjaye Associates worked with architecture studios Freelon Group and David Brody Bond

Planning approval for a “game-changing” £37m (US$49m, €43.7m) water park has been granted by Coventry City Council. The FaulknerBrowns-designed facility – which is located in the city’s town centre, and was funded by both private and public investment – is expected to open its doors in 2018. As well as flume rides the water park contains toddler areas, leisure water and lane swimming. Most of the water features and high

Architecture studio Alison Brooks have created a banana-like structure for this September’s London Design Festival, due to sit in the grounds of the Chelsea College of Arts during the event. Aptly named ‘The Smile’, the curving urban structure is being built from cross-laminated tulipwood and has been created as a means to demonstrate the structural and spatial potential of that material, in addition to its artistic purpose. The American Hardwood

The developers of a luxury island resort opening this year the Maldives have claimed it will be one of the most eco-conscious ever created in South Asia – with thousands of solar panels used as a design feature. Developer Crown & Champa Resorts claims that the Hurawalhi Island Resort will “put as much back into its surroundings as it takes out.” New York architect Yuji Yamazaki has created a futuristic,

Architects Hassell + OMA have unveiled their design for Perth’s AUS$428m (US$325m, €290.8m, £245.7m) Western Australian Museum building, with global contractor Brookfield Multiplex chosen to lead the landmark development. The design by the two international design practices combines a mix of heritage and contemporary architecture, with a modern roof and new buildings intersected by refurbished heritage buildings on the museum campus. The building, which will house the state’s scientific and

AECOM has taken on the project of renovating Los Angeles’ Memorial Coliseum as part of the city’s bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games. The US$270m (£205.1m, €241.7m) revamp will be funded by the University of Southern California, which used the stadium as the home ground for its Trojans American football team. Sports, training and media facilities will be upgraded, while the track surface which will be used for the

New renderings have been revealed for the upcoming 10,000sq ft (929sq m) spa at the Auberge Beach Residences & Spa Fort Lauderdale. The Florida spa, which will open in 2018 to residents and guests alike, is designed by spa consultant Tracy Lee of TLee Spas, and inspired by the sea, sound, salt and sand, said Lee. “This inspiration came from numerous sources,” Lee told CLAD. “The experience of one of

The four summer houses created to surround Bjarke Ingels’ “unzipped” Serpentine Pavilion have been put up for sale. Specialist architectural estate agency Modern House has listed the quartet on its website. Berlin studio Barkow Leibinger’s looping wooden structure is priced at £125,000 (US$164,700, €145,500), while the mini pavilions designed by Kunlé Adeyemi, Asif Khan and Yona Friedman each cost £95,000 (US$125,200, €113,000.) The sales will be completed when the Serpentine

Luxury fitness chain Equinox will theme its first hotel/health club hybrids around movement, nutrition and regeneration in an appeal to regular travellers who want to keep fit. In an exclusive interview, the company’s vice-president Aaron Richter told CLAD that Equinox Hotels – which will open its first branch in New York’s Hudson Yards in 2018 – will implement the core philosophies of its well established fitness clubs to “the art

Here are some of the most popular stories that appeared on CLAD this week, from a hip hop museum to rainforest built on a tower in Dubai. • Studio MMK will design Seoul’s music-led ‘Dream Island’ complex after winning an international architecture competition. Read here. • Dubai’s planned safari park will feature misting machines, cool-water pools and air conditioned rocks to keep the animals cool. Read here. • Designs have

US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have reportedly chosen Chicago's historic Jackson Park as the site for their Obama Presidential Center. Media reports in the city claim the historic park has been chosen ahead of fellow South Side location Washington Park. Official confirmation is expected next week. Once the announcement is made, preparation work will begin ahead of the start of construction next year. Earlier this month,

A 200-bed five star hotel and 30,000sq ft (2,800sq m) of leisure space will dominate the latest architectural project being developed by former Manchester United stars Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. Restaurants, bars, shops and three anchoring public squares will feature at the St. Michael’s scheme in Manchester, which Neville has vowed will be “the biggest statement in architecture and development that the city has seen in modern times”. Architecture

The Welsh Government is funding a masterplan for a multi-million pound wellness village in South Wales. The Llanelli Wellness and Life Science Village is just one of a number of projects being delivered through ARCH (A Regional Collaboration for Health), a partnership between three local university health boards. Located on the Carmarthenshire coast, the Llanelli Wellness Village will include a wellness hotel, sports and wellbeing centre, wellness spa, primary care

Stanton Williams and Asif Khan have triumphed over a number of architectural heavyweights, winning a competition to design the Museum of London’s new home at Smithfield. The architectural duo overcame competition from firms including Bjarke Ingels, Caruso St John Architects and Studio Milou with their winning proposal, which will lift the dome on the market area to create a landmark light-filled entrance to the museum. Malcolm Reading Consultants handled the

England’s Boringdon Hall in the Devon countryside is set to open its 1,800sq m (19,375sq ft) wellness spa on Monday, 1 August. Gaia Spa – named for and inspired by Mother Nature – includes 12 treatment rooms, an infinity pool, hydrotherapy pool, Finnish sauna, crystal salt steam room, aromatherapy steam room, herbal sauna, shower experiences, relaxation room, gym, beauty salon with champagne service, and outdoor area for relaxation and meditation.

England’s Boringdon Hall in the Devon countryside is set to open its 1,800sq m (19,375sq ft) wellness spa on Monday, 1 August. Gaia Spa – named for and inspired by Mother Nature – includes 12 treatment rooms, an infinity pool, hydrotherapy pool, Finnish sauna, crystal salt steam room, aromatherapy steam room, herbal sauna, shower experiences, relaxation room, gym, beauty salon with champagne service, and outdoor area for relaxation and meditation.