Global restaurateurs D&D London have transformed London's historic German Gymnasium into one of the city's hottest new dining destinations, offering a cultural cocktail of cafes, eateries and bars. The German Gymnasium, located in King’s Cross, will open to the public tomorrow (12 November) in a grand setting. Built in 1865 for the German Gymnastics Society, the Grade II listed building was the first purpose-built gym in England and was a

A distinctive amber-coloured music venue, envisioned as a new landmark for Latvia, has opened in the medieval port city of Liepaja. The Great Amber Concert Hall features a glowing facade, which illuminates a distinctive reddish hue when night falls. The asymmetrical design by Austrian architect Volker Giencke was commissioned following an international competition in 2003. The concert hall is intended to provide a fresh cultural and social focal point for

German studio Ingenhoven Architects have designed a garden-themed Singapore tower scheme featuring the city's largest public plaza. The mixed-use Marina One project will comprise four 30-storey towers infused with lush greenery on every floor. Green sky terraces and tree-covered public spaces on the rooftops have been included to make the complex appear like a plant-covered mountain rising up into the Singapore skyline. Ingenhoven were selected by developer M+S Pte Limited

A boutique hotel spread across a maze of waterside houses in Amsterdam’s famous canal district is embarking on an expansive renovation programme. Interior designer Jacu Strauss is leading the revamp of the Pulitzer Amsterdam hotel’s twenty-five 17th Century canal buildings. Rooms are being stripped back to emphasise their historical features, with vintage furniture brought in to complement newly-introduced contemporary stylings. Four themed suites – dedicated to books, music, art and

One of the creative minds behind London’s Millennium Dome and the Pompidou Centre in Paris, has declared Renzo Piano’s forthcoming national opera house and library in Athens to be “a work of pure genius.” In an upcoming interview with CLADmag, Mike Davies – a founding partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour – is quick to praise the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Centre, which is nearing completion. “It's more than a building,” said

Experience designers Bompas & Parr have partnered with composers, perfumers and academics to transform the top of The Shard in London into “the most romantic place in the world.” The studio – best-known for its contemporary food design, culinary research and creation of flavour-based experiences – will operate the ‘Height of Winter’ experience from 23 November until the end of January 2016. According to the company, “super-scaled crystals, gem-studded snow

Pioneering architect Vo Trong Nghia, famous for his bamboo-based designs, has created a bar, restaurant and multi-purpose event space to enhance a wellness resort in the Vietnamese coastal city Da Nang. Nghia provided the original masterplan for the Naman Retreat – a 3.4ha tropical complex containing 80 guest bungalows, 26 villas, a hotel and five-star spa facilities – and was also tasked with designing the additional facilities by the Thanh

London-based architecture studio PHASE3 have developed a digital 3D masterplan for ‘The Life Above’ – a Croatian leisure development stretching along the Adriatic coast. The company’s director, Tyen Masten, revealed to CLAD that the latest 3D technology has been used to map out a 3.59sq km (1.38sq miles) complex of high-end hotels, villas, spas, restaurants, retail and entertainment facilities in Dubrovnik. In an exclusive interview, he said: “The use of

Tennis star Venus Williams has claimed her latest high-profile trophy at a tournament in China, just weeks after construction was completed on the host stadium. Builders raced against the clock to complete the Zhuhai Hengqin International Tennis Centre – designed by global sports architects Populous – and succeeded in finishing the work in time for the venue to host the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Elite Trophy in the first week

Plans are afoot to transform a swathe of industrial West London wasteland into a huge new cultural city where “people will aspire to live, work and play.” Exciting details have emerged about the 30-year development scheme for Old Oak and Park Royal Common; conceived as the UK’s largest regeneration project with around 1.35sq km (0.52sq miles) of available space. CLAD understands that museums, theatre companies, sports and leisure firms will

Work will soon begin on the creation of a public art depot in Rotterdam allowing visitors to explore behind the scenes at one of Europe’s largest art galleries. The Collectiegebouw will store 75,000 European art works belonging to the city’s Museum Boijmans van Beuningen. While art depots typically hide unexhibited collections from view, visitors here will be able to witness a hive of backstage activity. Restoration, maintenance and transportation of

British skincare brand Elemis has reunited with London-based interior design studio Virgile and Partners to open a new spa in Miami. The House of Elemis is the company's flagship wellness and retail outlet. Its first branch debuted in London in May of this year, with the design reflecting the brand's pillars – ‘the very best that science and nature can offer’. Set within a three-storey heritage townhouse, the London spa

After a multi-million dollar expansion and renovation, the Center of Puppetry Arts is opening its doors again. The museum, which is devoted to puppets of the world and boasts a large collection of items by renowned puppeteer and Muppets creator Jim Henson, first opened in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1978. The global design and production company Thinkwell Group is behind the 7,500sq ft (697sqm) expansion, which cost US$14m (£9.3m, €12.9m). Half

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to harness the “huge transportation capacity” of London’s Thames River to create a floating cycle highway running through the heart of the congested city. The team behind the Thames Deckway - a 7-mile (11km) stretch of cycle path that would float alongside the banks of London’s famed river - are aiming to raise £175,000 (€245,000, US$264,000) on IndieGogo to pay for a feasibility study

The industry’s most prestigious awards have been handed out at the World Architecture Festival, held at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, with OMA and Buro Ole Scheeren's Interlace housing development in Singapore scooping the top prize of Building of the Year. More than 2,000 architects from more than 60 countries attended the three-day event, which draws to a close today (Friday). Seminars and presentations by some of the world’s

New York’s American Museum of Natural History has revealed new plans by Studio Gang for its US$325m (€298.7m, £211.1m), six-storey addition, intended to expand the institution’s role for scientific research and education. The cave-like design by Jeanne Gang for the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation, will combine and streamline the various activities at the museum, helping with circulation problems by “conjuring spaces created by forces of nature”,

A recreation club for senior police officials in Hong Kong has been demolished to make way for a new facility designed by TFP Farrells. The scheme is part of a wider multi billion-dollar infrastructure project linking Hong Kong Island and the mainland via the Shatin to Central Link rail network. The police club will sit atop newly-installed cross-harbour tunnels. Construction work can now begin on the new Hong Kong Police

When the City of Gothenburg wanted to revitalise its battered harbour front, as part of its wider scheme to regenerate the Jubilee Park and Frihamnen areas, the architects in charge – Raumlabor – turned to the country's rich sauna bathing tradition for inspiration. They planned to create a project called Bathing Culture, with a first phase being the building of a beach and the incredible Sauna in Frihamnen. The 20-seater

A new green space in Valencia will fill the the heart of the city with more than 55 acres of plants, trees and flowers. Construction has finally begun on Valencia Parque Central – designed by international landscape architects Gustafson Porter – four years after the approved plans were originally made public. Gustafson Porter beat off competition from a host of international practices, including Zaha Hadid Architects and Rogers Stirk Harbour

Malaysian Resources Corporation (MRC) has been appointed to redevelop the existing Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex – the venue for the 1998 Commonwealth Games – and transform it into a new, iconic Kuala Lumpur Sports City. The RM1.6bn (US$375m, €344m, £243m) KL Sports City will create a vibrant sports hub capable of hosting elite sports events as well as cater to the local community and recreational users. Designed by global

Brazil’s minister for tourism has said that the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will act as a springboard for the country’s cultural attractions, cementing the Games’ legacy through improved infrastructure and tourist links in the years to come. Following its selection as Games host in 2009, Brazil has come under scrutiny in its preparations for the games, amid slashed budgets cleanliness issues and slow development. Despite

The creators of Sweden’s famous melting Icehotel have revealed plans for a new ice venture which will have one key difference: guests will be able to stay all year round. Architect and sustainable construction design expert Hans Eek, who is a partner on the hotel, bar and art gallery project, said: “We will use the physics of Isaac Newton. In the same way we normally make energy efficient housing that

Australian architects MJA Studio have proposed a novel way of saving a much-loved sports stadium facing demolition: by turning it into an enormous outdoor wave pool. The future of the 43,500 capacity Oval stadium in the Perth suburb of Subiaco is unclear, as it is due to be replaced as the region’s main Australian Football League (AFL) venue by 2018. The local council has called for suggestions from the community

On the back of successful events in Sydney, Berlin and Lyon, London is to welcome a new international light festival at the start of next year. From 14-17 January, Lumiere London will showcase renowned artists from across the world, with the event expected to draw thousands of visitors to the UK capital. Taking place across 20 iconic locations in London’s West End and King’s Cross areas, Lumiere London will be

Architecture firm Mohsin Cooper are working with a prominent Indian landowner to create an organic farm and resort in an expansive plantation near Bangalore, Southern India. The company’s design for the 9,450 sq m (101,700sq ft) Banyan Eco Resort – which is located 28km (17 miles) from the city – comprises a cluster of low rise entrance pavilion buildings surrounding an ancient Banyan tree. The buildings will contain a hotel,

Art collector and luxury retailer Tony Salamé has opened his own private museum – the Aishti Foundation – in a new mall on the Mediterranean, twenty minutes from downtown Beirut. The dramatic terracotta-red building, by British architect David Adjaye, cost an eye-watering US$100m (€90.7m, £64.8m) and contains a spa, restaurants, cafes, luxury boutiques, a curated bookshop and a rooftop bar with panoramic views of the Lebanese capital. It covers 40,000sq

One of the top architecture prizes at the 2015 Milan Expo has been awarded to the Hive; the UK pavilion created by artist Wolfgang Buttress, engineers Simmonds Studio and architects BDP. The team received the BIE Gold Award for Architecture and Landscape on the final day of the six-month international exhibition. Since opening in May, more than 3.3 million people have been to see the 14 cubic metre (459 cubic