Architecture and design news
Architecture and neuroscience – Conscious Cities conference will explore the connection
by Kim Megson | 23 Feb 2016
A conference exploring the relationship between neuroscience and architecture will take place at the London headquarters of engineering firm Arup next week. Taking place on 1 March, the one-day Conscious Cities event has been organised by London’s Museum of Architecture and THECUBE – a collective of scientists, engineers, designers, technologists, artists, futurists and anthropologists. Among the topics under discussion will be how our built environments affect behaviour and cognition, how
Translucent lakeside sauna wins Toronto design competition
by Jane Kitchen | 23 Feb 2016
London-based architecture firm Fox Fernley Landscape Office have designed a three-person, translucent sauna as part of a winning design in the Winter Stations Design competition in Toronto. The Winter Stations design competition had a theme of Freeze / Thaw this year, and asked designers and artists to respond to the changing conditions and transitions of the Toronto winter. “Most of the artists took this to be something about the natural
Mecanoo win architecture competition to design Tainan Public Library and cultural centre
by Kim Megson | 22 Feb 2016
Dutch design studio Mecanoo have won the architecture competition to design the new Tainan Public Library in Taiwan. The firm – known for their innovative library designs, including the Stirling Prize-nominated Library of Birmingham and the forthcoming New York Public Library renovation – have proposed a 35,000sq m (376,700sq ft) building featuring a transparent stepped facade and below-grade courtyards. The library will feature a 200-seat auditorium, reading rooms, study spaces,
Reinterpreting the ryokan: Japanese architects embrace tradition for modern leisure designs
by Kim Megson | 22 Feb 2016
Several high-profile Japanese architects have told CLAD how Japan’s traditional country inns are inspiring contemporary designs for lodgings as diverse as urban hostels and five-star resorts. In a special CLADmag feature on ryokans – the name for roadside accommodations where guests can take a relaxing break from travelling – architect Yukio Hashimoto revealed that a “modern Japanese interpretation” of traditional architectural practices is becoming prevalent in the country. Last year
Historic Santa Fe mountain resort one of three new US Langham properties
by Jane Kitchen | 22 Feb 2016
Hong Kong-based Langham Hotels & Resorts is expanding its US presence with three new hotels in Texas, California and New Mexico. Langham Place, Wade Park will be located in Frisco, Texas and will open in early 2018 and is part of a US$1.6bn (€1.4bn, £1.1bn), 175-acre development created by Thomas Land & Development. Designed by Dallas-based 5G Studio Collaborative, the 35-storey hotel will have a sleek, modern feel and will
Winnipeg Art Gallery adds 8,000 artefacts to collection as CA$60m Inuit Art Centre plans advance
by Tom Anstey | 22 Feb 2016
More than 8,000 artefacts of Inuit origin will soon go on display at the Winnipeg Art Gallery in Canada as part of a CA$60m (US$43.7m, €39.4m, £30.5m) project to create an Inuit Art Centre. With more than 13,000 pieces, including 7,400 sculptures, 4,000 prints, 1,800 drawings and hundreds of artefacts, The Winnipeg Art Gallery’s Inuit collection is the largest in the world and represents half of its overall collection. The
Mexico City cycling gym Síclo is a stylish new home of 'physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing'
by Kim Megson | 19 Feb 2016
Interior designers and brand developers Ignacio Cadena and Michel Rojkind have created a cycling gym in Mexico City, which has been designed vibrant space for enhancing “physical and emotional fitness.” Described as “a 100 per cent Mexican concept”, Síclo is a 420sq m (4,500sq ft) glass-fronted gym formed around a huge white concrete stairway. The steps of the monolith – which are covered with multicoloured poly-chromatic cushions and a small
James Goldstein gifting US$40m Big Lebowski house to Los Angeles County Museum of Art
by Tom Anstey | 19 Feb 2016
The owner of a US$40m (€36m, £28m) luxury house, famous for its role in 1998 comedy The Big Lebowski, is to donate the property to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) with the intention of turning it into a museum and example of creativity within architecture. James Goldstein, who owns the Sheats Goldstein residence in the Hollywood hills, has pledged the building to LACMA, along with its gardens,
Brazilian architects OSPA design rooftop football pitch
by Kim Megson | 19 Feb 2016
A team of Brazilian architects, urbanists and engineers have designed for a university sports campus with a football field and running track on its roof. OSPA settled on the striking design when faced with the challenge of building a fully-equipped sports facility for a Brazilian university in a relatively small area. “Although the lot is small, we planned a campus with constant activity and public and fluid space,” said the
Private island and a secluded forest among spa settings for three 2016 Oberoi hotels
by Jane Kitchen | 19 Feb 2016
The Oberoi Group is opening three hotels in 2016 in Morocco, India and United Arab Emirates. Located 30 minutes from Dubai’s airport, The Oberoi, Al Zorah will be a luxury eco-destination nestled within 247 acres of forest, with a long beachfront, lagoons and mangroves. The hotel – designed by Italian architects Lissoni Associati – will include an ultra-modern layout with 113 villas, suites and penthouses. The spa at Al Zorah
Britain's secret WWII gold bank to become a luxury hotel and spa
by Kim Megson | 19 Feb 2016
Hotel and leisure group Principal Hayley have vowed to create a luxury landmark hotel inside the historic Liverpool bank building used to hide most of Britain’s gold reserves during the Second World War. The developers will spend £50m (US$71.5m, €64.5m) to transform the interiors of the Grade II listed neoclassical Martins Bank building into a five-star 227-room hotel, spa, bar and fine dining destination. Full planning and listing has already
Damien Hirst has designed his own restaurant at Newport Street Gallery
by Kim Megson | 18 Feb 2016
A medical-themed restaurant designed by Damien Hirst will open at London’s Newport Street Gallery next week (23 February). Hirst has collaborated with chef and restaurateur Mark Hix to open Pharmacy 2, which will serve British and European dishes to visitors at the Vauxhall gallery – which was designed by architects Caruso St John and opened in October 2015 to house Hirst’s personal art collection. The restaurant features Hirst’s own artistic
Bleeding edge glass technology is transforming the future of our buildings
by Kim Megson | 18 Feb 2016
A trio of high-profile architects have called on the design and construction industries to embrace advancements in glass technology which are transforming the ways in which buildings can be created. Millennium Dome architect Mike Davies, Marks Barfield managing director David Marks and OMA associate Alex de Jong told CLAD that boundaries are being pushed in the development of glass, making the material cheaper, more sustainable and much higher performing. “Glass
AS$30m Brisbane netball centre will reinvigorate grassroots sport
by Matthew Campelli | 18 Feb 2016
An ambitious AS$30m (£14.9m, US$21.5m, €19.3m) netball facility is being designed in Queensland, Australia, which is expected to benefit thousands of elite, grassroots and school players in the region. Curtis Pitt, Queensland’s minister for sport, revealed that local architects BVN will design the State Netball Centre based in Brisbane, Queensland’s capital city. The eight-court facility will also come with a training centre and administration offices for Netball Queensland, the regional
Studio Gang complete illuminated Chicago theatre
by Kim Megson | 18 Feb 2016
Architecture and urbanism collective Studio Gang have completed a performing arts centre in Glencoe, Chicago, which is designed as a new cultural landmark for the city. Built for the Writers Theatre group, which produces inventive interpretations of classic plays, the theatre features an elevated glass box lobby which glows in the dark at night to beckon people in. The theatre is spread across a village-like cluster of distinct volumes around
Precipitous triangular viewpoint latest addition to Norway’s tourist routes
by Alice Davis | 18 Feb 2016
Norway’s famous network of architecture tourist routes is set to get a new viewpoint attraction in June – a concrete triangle slab balanced on a dramatic mountainside. Designed by Norwegian architects Code, the Utsikten (the View) is being built on the Gaularfjell National Tourist Route (NTR). The NTR project began in 1994, combining the 18 most spectacular roads in Norway with modern architecture attractions designed to complement the scenery, such
Will 'Parasitic Architecture' transform placemaking in cities?
by Kim Megson | 17 Feb 2016
A simple yet radical scheme to introduce low-cost housing to dense cities could have major implications for placemaking in our urban environments. French studio Stéphane Malka Architecture have been creating prefabricated living spaces which lean on and extend from existing buildings in Paris, cantilevering over streets at unusual angles. The concept – nicknamed ‘parasitic architecture’ – is an environmentally-friendly and economical solution to creating living space in urban areas short
Houston Botanic Garden: Landscape architects West 8 masterplan stunning natural attraction for Texas
by Kim Megson | 17 Feb 2016
A masterplan drawn up by Dutch landscape architects West 8 to create a 120 acre botanic garden in Houston, Texas has received approval from the city’s mayor. Plans to create a vast public green space showcasing Houston's native plants, preserving various wildlife habitats and hosting community events have been in development since 2002, but received a major boost last year after US$5m (€4.4m, £3.5m) was successfully fundraised to move the
Louisville Cardinals reveal plans for US$55m football stadium expansion
by Kim Megson | 17 Feb 2016
The University of Louisville Athletics department has launched a fundraising campaign to expand its American football stadium and training complex. The US$55m (€49.3m, £38.4m) project will add 10,000 seats to the 50,000-capacity Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, bringing the crowd much closer to the on-field action and providing a new open-air covered concourse. The UoL Athletics department, whose teams are collectively called the Louisville Cardinals, competes in several sports ranging from
Omran and Musstir enter JV to develop Anantara Dhofar, as development in Oman picks up pace
by Kim Megson | 17 Feb 2016
A new luxury Anantara hotel and spa complex will open later this year in Dhofar, Oman, with a design inspired by the region’s coastal fortresses. The Anantara Salalah Al Baleed Resort is a joint venture between Omran – the state-owned company currently investing huge sums of money into the country’s hospitality sector – and property developer Musstir. The resort will be located in the Salalah, the capital of Dhofar province,
Sparcstudio leads redesign of lavish London lifestyle club
by Jak Phillips | 17 Feb 2016
Third Space has jump-started its quest to become London’s premium health club operator with the £3.5m relaunch of its Tower Bridge gym. The 28,000sq ft (2,601sq m) club – which was formerly 37 Degrees before being taken over by Third Space owner Encore Capital in 2014 – has been given a comprehensive makeover. Specialist spa, fitness and wellness designers Sparcstudio led the redesign of the Tower Bridge site and is
MVRDV unveil Beijing leisure hub with an ever-changing façade
by Kim Megson | 16 Feb 2016
Work is nearing completion on the Chongwenmen M-Cube; MVRDV’s latest high-profile leisure building. Located in Beijing, the the 44,000sq m (473,600sq ft) M-Cube is due to be completed by Q3 this year. Once open, it will be a cultural hub for the Chinese capital – with leisure, retail, dining and nightclub facilities housed beneath a rooftop garden overlooking many of the city’s landmarks. The building's most striking feature will be
Bernard Tschumi launches international architecture competition to 'encourage new modes of living'
by Kim Megson | 16 Feb 2016
An international student architecture competition is exploring the relationship between architecture, movement and the senses. In an unorthodox brief, the fifth edition of the annual UIA-HYP Cup is challenging entrants to design a hotel, museum, library, clinic or cemetery which “can foster and encourage new modes of living unknown today.” The global contest is organised by Tianjin University and Chinese media company Urban Environmental Design, with support from the Union
Vittorio Grassi designs fluid Italian stadium for disability sports
by Kim Megson | 16 Feb 2016
Milanese architects Vittorio Grassi + Partners have designed a fluid multipurpose building for the Italian city of Lamezia Terme, which will host international sporting events for disabled athletes. The asymmetrical design for the Palazzo dello Sport is inspired by the pebbles found along the city’s Mediterranean shoreline. The distinctive shape allows for 8,000sq m (86,100sq ft) interior space to host a range of events – from sports events to concerts
Heartcore launches latest boutique fitness studio in former London church
by Jak Phillips | 16 Feb 2016
Boutique fitness chain Heartcore has launched its eighth studio, this time in the London district St John’s Wood, as the operator continues its focus on prestigious postcodes in the city. Sited in a former church, the new location has a heavy emphasis on design – with the Heartcore team creating the entire concept in-house. The property’s soaring ceilings lend an airy, ‘Californian-feel’ to the studio, which is complemented by natural
Does the future of design lie underwater, in the clouds or even on the surface of the Moon?
by Kim Megson | 15 Feb 2016
A new study into how we will live, work and relax a century from now has predicted a future where underwater bubble cities, drone-delivered mobile holiday homes and super skyscrapers are the norm. The SmartThings Future Living Report, commissioned by Samsung SmartThings and authored by a collection of British-based architects, academics and scientists, suggests the way we lead our lives will “will change beyond all recognition” over the course of
Film City Tower: Architecture competition launched for Bollywood landmark building as Mumbai takes on LA
by Kim Megson | 15 Feb 2016
Designs are being sought for a large-scale cultural landmark celebrating the Indian film industry in Mumbai. Competition organiser Archasm is embarking on a mission to “put Bollywood on the global map” by organising a design contest for a “vertical Film City tower” which will emulate Los Angeles’ film industry neighbourhood and the iconic Hollywood sign. “The film industry in Mumbai is scattered and too low profile to match the cult
Sculptural Burgh Island hotel suite will be suspended over the water
by Kim Megson | 15 Feb 2016
British architects Carmody Groarke will build a luxury hotel suite suspended over the sea on an isolated tidal island. The London studio are the winners of a RIBA competition to create the building – an extension of an existing Art Deco hotel – on Burgh Island in South Devon, UK. Four practices proposed designs for the dramatic headline site, which is cut off from the mainland twice each day when
Stunning digital installations encourage creativity, play and immersion at Silicon Valley art show
by Kim Megson | 15 Feb 2016
Japanese digital art collective teamLab have partnered with Silicon Valley gallery Pace Art + Technology to create a large-scale interactive art exhibition described as a “digital playground for all ages”. The exhibition, called Living Digital Space and Future Parks, features 20 innovative art pieces spread across several rooms and 20,000sq ft (1,850sq m) in the Californian gallery. The show encourages participants to embrace their curiosity by interacting directly with the
Greening Madrid to fight climate change
by Kim Megson | 15 Feb 2016
City planners in Madrid are responding to the challenge of climate change by covering the Spanish capital’s unused spaces in plants and greenery. According to reports in Spain, the local government has given the green light for 22 vacant areas to be transformed into urban gardens and for a million-dollar investment to plant trees along the banks of the Manzanares River. The projects – which follow a decision in 2014
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