Architecture and design news:
museums & heritage
MVRDV complete futuristic Tianjin library with cascading bookshelves and enormous mirrored 'eye'
by Kim Megson | 02 Nov 2017
Dutch architects MVRDV have completed the Tianjin Binhai Library in China, a 33,700sq m (362,700sq ft) cultural centre featuring a luminous spherical auditorium which doubles as an enormous mirrored ‘eye’. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases cascade organically around the auditorium, forming the building's main spatial device, while also creating stairs, seating, the layered ceiling and louvres on the façade. The five-storey building holds 1.2 million books, which can be taken to a multitude
Culture boost for Margate as Turner Contemporary plans £5.3m expansion
by Tom Anstey | 02 Nov 2017
The David Chipperfield-designed Turner Contemporary is set to undergo a £5.3m (US$7m, €6m) expansion, new plans have revealed. A spokesperson confirmed to CLADglobal that discussions with partners and funders had begun, with the gallery now developing ideas for the attraction. Arts Council England (ACE) has already committed £3m (US$4m, €3.4m) to the plan and Kent County Council will also play a major part in financing the extension, with the authority
Hastings Pier by dRMM Architects wins 2017 RIBA Stirling Prize
by Kim Megson | 31 Oct 2017
Hastings Pier by dRMM Architects has been announced as the winner of the 2017 RIBA Stirling Prize for the UK’s best new building. In a landmark moment for leisure architecture, the public attraction – which was built to restore a seaside pier ravaged by fire – was hailed by the prize’s jury chair, RIBA president Ben Derbyshire, as a “masterpiece of regeneration and inspiration”. “The architects and local community have
Miami's Bass opens following US$12m transformation
by Tom Anstey | 31 Oct 2017
Contemporary art museum The Bass has reopened following a US$12m (€10.3m, £9.1m) renovation headed by project architects David Gauld and Arata Isozaki. The privately run, city-owned museum in Miami Beach, Florida, managed to avoid major damage from the recent Hurricane Irma, but the project had been delayed for more than a year.
David Chipperfield to design masterplan for Minneapolis Institute of Art expansion
by Kim Megson | 31 Oct 2017
The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) has announced it has hired David Chipperfield Architects to create a master plan for its expansion ambitions, following “a thorough and inspiring search.” The design practice will develop prospective design solutions to enhance the museum’s visitor experience and to expand public access to the museum as a community resource. They will consider how to improve visitor circulation, create new public gathering spaces, add more
LA's Natural History Museum unveils 10-year masterplan
by Tom Anstey | 30 Oct 2017
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles (NHM) has revealed its masterplan to transform the 104-year-old institution over the next decade. Designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners (FF&P), the NHM West/South Project will reimagine the physical space and programmes of the museum, which sits on the same site as George Lucas’ upcoming Museum of Narrative Art. The FF&P masterplan focuses on areas that were not worked on during the original
David Adjaye and Ron Arad chosen to design UK Holocaust memorial and learning centre
by Kim Megson | 24 Oct 2017
Adjaye Associates, Ron Arad Architects and landscape designers Gustafson Porter + Bowman have been selected to design the UK’s new Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, it was revealed today (24 October). The new national landmark will stand in the shadow of the Houses of Parliament in Victoria Tower Gardens, London. It will honour the six million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered in the Holocaust, and all other
Museum of the Bible set to open as US$500m project nears completion
by Alice Davis | 20 Oct 2017
Work is almost complete on a major new museum in Washington that will teach visitors about the Holy Bible. The US$500m (£380.52, €423.53) Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, has been funded by the billionaire president of arts and crafts superstore chain Hobby Lobby, Steve Green. Opening in November, exhibitions will be spread across eight floors, boasting high-tech interactives and topped with a roof garden. Many of the biblical
Yves Saint Laurent museum opens in Marrakech, with architecture inspired by designer's creations
by Kim Megson | 19 Oct 2017
A striking new museum dedicated to the life and work of French fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent has opened today (19 October) in Marrakech, Morocco. French architecture firm Studio KO designed the 4,000sq m (43,000sq ft) terracotta brick home of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent on a site next to the city’s Jardin Majorelle, a garden the designer acquired himself to save it from being destroyed by developers. Saint Laurent
Adjaye Associates collaborate with former spy chiefs to design New York museum dedicated to espionage
by Kim Megson | 18 Oct 2017
Adjaye Associates have revealed their design for a new spy museum and interactive experience in the heart of New York, which is set to open this December. The studio’s design for the 60,000sq ft (5,500sq m) building, called SPYSCAPE, is inspired by the architectural language of the world’s largest spy organisations and has been developed in collaboration with former directors of intelligence agencies and station chiefs. Conceived as an “iconic
Abandoned Jerusalem planetarium to become home for Einstein museum
by Tom Anstey | 17 Oct 2017
An abandoned planetarium in Jerusalem will be converted into a museum dedicated to Albert Einstein as part of a US$5m (€4.2m, £3.8m) project to showcase his personal archives. Architects Arad Simon are behind the plans, which will see a museum and visitor centre built on Hebrew University's Givat Ram campus in Jerusalem, Israel. Arad Simon were selected from four local firms, with the university saying the winning proposal was “modest,
Elizabeth de Portzamparc completes futuristic Roman museum next to ancient amphitheatre
by Kim Megson | 17 Oct 2017
A futuristic home has been built for a Roman museum in the French city of Nîmes – in stark contrast to the real-life Roman amphitheatre next door. Construction has been completed ahead of the opening of the Musée de la Romanité de Nîmes in June 2018, with 5,000 exhibits from a collection of 25,000 set to move in over the coming months. Architect Elizabeth de Portzamparc is behind the striking,
Designs unveiled for new aquarium in Oslo
by Alice Davis | 16 Oct 2017
Plans for a brand new waterside aquarium near the Norwegian capital have been unveiled, showing a pair of smooth, undulating domes jutting out into the fjord. Designed by London and Oslo-based practice Haptic Architects, the 10,000sq m (108,000sq ft) aquarium is encircled by walkways, providing a glimpse through the windows to the attraction’s interior. The building features a curved roof that will double as accessible public space. The aquarium will
A slice of the surreal: Coop Himmelb(l)au complete shimmering 'House of Bread' museum
by Kim Megson | 16 Oct 2017
Austrian architects Coop Himmelb(l)au have completed The Haus des Brotes (The House of Bread) – a shimmering museum and events centre for bread company Backaldrin. Conceived as “a cabinet of curiosities”, the sculptural building is located at the company’s headquarters in Asten, northern Austria. It is formed of a concrete rectangular base supporting a wooden and steel-clad structure, which contains a customer information centre, events rooms and a two-storey, free-form
Cornwall’s Tate St Ives re-opens as £20m renewal project comes to fruition
by Alice Davis | 13 Oct 2017
Tate St Ives, the art gallery credited with helping to regenerate the southwest, will unveil its new look tomorrow (14 October) when it re-opens following a £20m redevelopment. Jamie Fobert Architects’ cliffside extension has doubled the exhibition space, with the aim of better accommodating the 250,000 annual visitors to the Cornish attraction. With an additional 600sqm floor space, the gallery will be able to host more exhibits, display more works
Rem Koolhaas and OMA to expand New York's New Museum
by Kim Megson | 13 Oct 2017
International architecture firm OMA are set to design their first public building in New York City, an expansion of the city’s New Museum. Studio partners Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu will lead the project, which is being built on a site at 231 Bowery, purchased by the contemporary art museum in 2008. The expansion, first announced in May 2016, will double the museum’s footprint by providing an additional 50,000sq ft
Landmark Sutton Hoo viewing tower plans get heritage funding
by Tom Anstey | 11 Oct 2017
Plans to build a 17m (56ft) viewing tower at one of Britain’s most archaeologically-significant sites can go ahead following a £1.8m (US$2.4m, €2m) donation from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). In 1939 a hoard of treasures were discovered at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, believed to be the final resting place of the 7th Century King Raedwald of East Anglia. The project, which will cost £4m (US$5.3m, €4.5m) in total, means
Geffrye Museum closing January for two-year redevelopment by Wright & Wright
by Tom Anstey | 10 Oct 2017
London’s Geffrye Museum will close in January ahead of a £18.1m (US$23.8m, €20.2m) transformation to create new spaces for its collections and library. Founded in 1914, the Geffrye Museum specialises in the history of English domestic home interiors, showing the changing styles through 11 displayed period rooms, from 1600 to the present day. Called 'Unlocking the Geffrye', the plans by London architecture firm Wright & Wright will allow visitors to
Derby's Silk Mill secures final funding for £16.4m Museum of Making
by Tom Anstey | 07 Oct 2017
Derby Museums has secured final funding for its planned £16.4m (US$21.4m, €18.2m) Museum of Making following a £9.4m (US$12.3m, €10.5m) donation from the UK's Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The donation to the charitable trust, which represents Derby's Museum and Art Gallery, Pickford’s House and The Silk Mill, makes it the largest National Lottery-funded project in Derby’s history. The Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill project will see a community-led
David Geffen donates US$150m to LACMA building campaign
by Tom Anstey | 05 Oct 2017
Dreamworks founder David Geffen has donated US$150m (€128m, £114.1m) towards the US$600m (€511.9m, £456.6m) campaign creating a new home for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Geffen’s donation is the largest single cash gift from an individual in the museum’s history, with his philanthropic support also making him the largest individual donor to the Building LACMA campaign. “This innovative addition to the LACMA campus will ensure ongoing and
Celtic football club's £18m museum and hotel plan given green light
by Tom Anstey | 29 Sep 2017
Scottish football club Celtic has been granted planning permission in principle for a hotel and museum complex to be built adjacent to the 47-time Scottish Premier League (SPL) champions’ home ground in Glasgow. First revealed in February, the £18m (US$24m, €20m) plans, which were submitted to Glasgow City Council for approval, also include a new ticket office and retail store, with the development to come up outside the main stand
Haim Saban donates US$50m as Renzo Piano's Academy Museum of Motion Pictures unveils new plans
by Tom Anstey | 28 Sep 2017
Los Angeles’ long-awaited Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has taken a big step forward this week, after media mogul Haim Saban donated US$50m (€42.4m, £37.2m) towards the US$388m (€329.2m, £288.7m) project. The donation from Haim and his wife Cheryl brings the museum’s fundraising total to US$288m (€244.3m, £214.3m) leaving it US$100m (€84.9m, £74.4m) short of its total. In recognition of the gift, the five-storey structure which will house the museum’s
San Francisco's Asian Art Museum to undergo US$90m transformation by wHY
by Tom Anstey | 27 Sep 2017
San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum has unveiled a US$90m (€76.6m, £67.2m) plan to transform the institution, a project supported by the largest financial gift in the museum’s history – a US$25m (€21.3m, £18.7m) donation from Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang. Los Angeles-based architecture firm wHY are behind the plans, which the museum says will create new interpretive approaches in its galleries, affirming the local relevance and global impact of Asian art.
New Berlin gallery lauds graffiti and urban art
by Alice Davis | 25 Sep 2017
A new museum celebrating the art of graffiti has opened its doors in Berlin, Germany. The Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art (UN Museum), which opened on Bülowstrasse, was developed to document and promote street art and graffiti for the first time. A portrait of a man sculpted out of the wall of the museum by the Portuguese artist Vhils, colourful figures by Berlin-based artist Mimi S, and paintings
Plan underway to transform Chicago's Pedway into tourist attraction
by Tom Anstey | 23 Sep 2017
Officials in the city of Chicago are exploring a proposed plan to transform a network of underground tunnels into a tourist attraction, granting a non-profit permission to create more detailed plans for the project. Running beneath the city’s central business district, the Pedway connects more than 50 buildings and offers a convenient way to navigate downtown Chicago, but has been criticised for being difficult to navigate. The non-profit Environmental Law
Architecture competition announced for landmark South Australian art gallery
by Kim Megson | 21 Sep 2017
The government of South Australia is commissioning an international search for a design team to create a second site for the state’s acclaimed art gallery. The project, called the Adelaide Contemporary, will form a new public and cultural space in the city, with the brief calling for an “architectural landmark on the celebrated North Terrace boulevard adjacent to the historic Botanic Garden.” It will house a community meeting place "integrating
Culture at heart of Dubai Expo legacy plans as government unveils District 2020
by Tom Anstey | 19 Sep 2017
Dubai has revealed its legacy plans following the 2020 World Expo, announcing plans to turn the site into a multi-use urban leisure district following the six-month event’s conclusion. More than 80 per cent of the HOK-Arup masterplanned expo site will be reused after the international event closes, with a new community-led development called District 2020 repurposing the site under the government’s legacy scheme. Anchored by 65,000sq m (700,000sq ft) of
Heatherwick Studio transforms Cape Town grain silo into art museum
by Kim Megson | 15 Sep 2017
Heatherwick Studio’s latest completed building, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) has been unveiled today (15 September) ahead of its public opening next week on Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. The museum – the largest in the world dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora – is housed in 9,500sq m (102,000sq ft) of custom-designed space, carved out of the city’s monumental historic Grain Silo Complex
Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi finally gets opening date
by Tom Anstey | 06 Sep 2017
The long-delayed and even longer-awaited Louvre Abu Dhabi has finally been given its launch date, with the Jean Nouvel-designed cultural institution opening to the public on 11 November. A string of setbacks dating back by more than decade have delayed the AED4.3bn (US$1.2bn, €1bn, £914m) project, which anchors the under-development Saadiyat Cultural District – where one day the Zayed National Museum designed by Foster and Partners and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi finally gets opening date
by Tom Anstey | 06 Sep 2017
The long-delayed and even longer-awaited Louvre Abu Dhabi has finally been given its launch date, with the Jean Nouvel-designed cultural institution opening to the public on 11 November. A string of setbacks dating back by more than decade have delayed the AED4.3bn (US$1.2bn, €1bn, £914m) project, which anchors the under-development Saadiyat Cultural District – where one day the Zayed National Museum designed by Foster and Partners and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
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"Culture is the beating heart of this project"
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres
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