Dawson Design Associates is to transform a traditional hotel in Philadelphia, US, with an “art-inspired interpretation on modern luxury”. Hotel development and management company Sage Hospitality has unveiled plans to convert the former Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia into The Logan, which will be part of Hilton’s luxury Curio collection. It is named after the influential Pennsylvania statesman, philosopher, diplomat and scholar James Logan. Renovation work has already started at the

Designer Thomas Heatherwick's transformation of the historic Grain Silo Complex in Cape Town, South Africa, will include a 5-star hotel called The Silo. The hotel will be operator The Royal Portfolio's fifth property, adding to its range of exclusive hotels, lodges and villas in South Africa. The Silo, so named because it is being built in the grain elevator portion of the historic Grain Silo Complex, will be situated directly

Italian football club AS Roma has submitted plans for one of the largest urban regeneration projects in the country for decades. The club’s €1.5bn (£1.1bn, US$1.7bn) plans for the Tor di Valle area in the Italian capital include the construction of a new 52,500 capacity stadium – expandable to 60,000 for major matches – surrounded by a sports, entertainment and commercial district covering 105 hectares (260 acres). The masterplan envisions

German firm GMP Architekten and Spanish architecture firm Nieto Sobejano have been selected to design Guangzhou Museum and Guangzhou Science Museum respectively as part of the Chinese city’s new cultural hub. GMP’s Guangzhou Museum will be located near to the distinctive Canton Tower. The design includes references to the Chigang Pagoda – a famous structure built in 1619 – which lies to the north of the museum near the Pearl

Architects Atelier Alter and Hordor Design Group have collaborated to create the new Qujing Culture Center in Yunnan, China. The museum will house some of China’s oldest and most precious artefacts, including a collection that dates back to the start of life on earth. The building has been designed to create an 'anti-gravity' feel – its huge structural parts are stepped out to mirror the stairs below and balanced on

With the aim of promoting tourism on inland waters that offer untouched areas of nature, Serbia-based Salt & Water has designed a floating hotel with detachable catamaran apartments. A central floating construction provides a reception area, restaurant, event hall, offices and a café, while pathways connect to the individual catamaran apartments. These units can then be separated from the dock and navigated, so guests can choose their own holiday spot.

Architects MVRDV have been chosen to create a new Cultural Cluster in Zaanstad city in the Netherlands, following a design competition. The Zaandstad Cultural Cluster is part of Dutch architect Sjoerd Soeters' urban plan designed to add local character to the inner city with a ‘new Zaan style’, drawing inspiration from traditional Dutch architecture. The 7,500sq m (80,729sq ft) Cultural Cluster will house local cultural institutions, each represented by a

Publicly-traded Ashford Hospitality Prime has bought eco-conscious Napa Valley, California, property Bardessono Hotel and Spa for US$85m (€75.7m, £54.8m). Remington Lodging will take over property management at the WATG-designed property once the sale is completed, which is expected in approximately 30 days. "The acquisition of the award-winning Bardessono Hotel and Spa fits perfectly with Prime's strategy of finding quality, high RevPAR assets in gateway and resort markets," said Monty J.

A music library and performance venue in Seoul, South Korea – designed by Moongyu Choi of Ga.a Architects – has opened its doors, with a collection of more than 10,000 vinyls and 3,000 books available. With masterplanning by Choi and interior design by Gensler, the library is made up of large glass panels over two storeys. There is also a surrounding open-air space from which visitors can enjoy the sounds

English Premier League (EPL) champion Chelsea FC will announce detailed plans to rebuild its Stamford Bridge stadium in London later this month. It is understood that Swiss-based architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron is working on the plans in partnership with London-based practice Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands. Despite being one of the most successful English clubs of the past decade, the club’s current home capacity of 41,000 is only the eighth

The OMA-designed Garage Museum of Contemporary Art has launched in Moscow, Russia, with stars including George Lucas, Woody Allen, Miuccia Prada, Stella McCartney, Harvey Weinstein and Karlie Kloss on hand for the opening night. The building will house the gallery founded by Dasha Zhukova – wife of Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich – and becomes the capital city’s first post-Soviet and not-for-profit contemporary art space. Architect Rem Koolhaas and

Work is underway on a £12m (US$18.6m, €16.6m) extension for Tate St Ives in Cornwall, UK. Jamie Fobert Architects has designed a major expansion for the modern art museum which will double its gallery space. As well as 500sq m (5,382 sq ft) more gallery space, the new building will house a collection care suite, where larger works can be handled and looked after. The existing gallery, which opened in

The 314-bedroom Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen opens on the Riviera Maya in Mexico today (15 June), along with the property’s Cenote Spa, which is inspired by the local freshwater swimming holes of the same name. The natural cenotes in the surrounding areas are formed by geological rock formations and are considered by many to be energy centres, as their waters contain high concentrations of minerals and nutrients. The 6,000sq

The five-star Keemala resort, which will open in Phuket in October 2015, has been designed using storytelling to create its own folklore. The designers have created a fictitious tale of ancient Phuket settlers from four different clans to underpin the design. The development will include 38 cottages, tent villas, “bird's nest” villas, and seemingly suspended treehouse villas – all with private pools. Owned and operated by the Somnam family and

Marks Barfield Architects’ Brighton i360 is about to go vertical, as construction work at the observation tower in the south coast of the UK shifts into a new gear and heads skyward. Standing 162m (531.5ft) high, the i360 will be the UK’s tallest visitor attraction outside London. Visitors enter a glass pod, with views slowly unfolding as it rises to the top of the tower. The architects – husband and

An iconic resort brought back to life by SB Architects has been honoured as Best Resort at a design awards. The Auberge Resort Malliouhana was completely re-designed by SB Architects, in collaboration with TAL Studios (interior design) and SKS Studios (landscape design), to bring the 35-year-old building up to standard. Recognised at the 2015 Hospitality Design Awards ceremony in New York City, the new hotel design aims to capture the

Bjarke Ingels Group has unveiled its innovative design for 2 World Trade Center (2 WTC), providing a different sort of building depending on your viewpoint. The architectural firm’s designs also include a range of leisure amenities such as roof gardens, sports facilities and a public plaza. The 80+ storey building in New York features seven stacked boxes and rises to 1,340ft (408m). Taking inspiration from its location at the meeting

Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners founder Richard Rogers has launched a UK parliamentary inquiry into how design in planning can affect behaviour change. Rogers kicked off the eight-month-long Design Commission inquiry in the Houses of Parliament in London this week. The cross-party investigation aims to explore how the increased use of design in planning of the built environment could lead to positive behaviour change in local communities. The inquiry comes

Orlando City Soccer Club (OCSC) plans to increase capacity at its new stadium – set to open in 2016 – to 28,000 due to an “overwhelming response to the club’s home games” during its first season in the Major Soccer League (MLS). Original designs for the US$100m stadium, created by US-based sports architects Populous, were for the stadium to host up to 19,000 fans. The club, however, currently has the

A temporary installation at Vivid Sydney – an 18-day festival of light and music held in Sydney, Australia – has treated visitors to a feast of colour in the form of a three-dimensional dome-shaped kaleidoscope. Made up of more than 320 geometric shapes, the ‘Light Origami’ installation by Japanese artists Masakazu Shirane and Saya Miyazaki, constantly shifts and alters viewers’ spectrum of light projected within the luminous space. Using a

New research has reinforced the long-held view that cities which strive to promote physical activity gain a significant economic advantage. The findings, presented this week at an Active Cities Summit in Bristol, show that investing in parks and green spaces, removing the barriers to active commuting and encouraging exercise in schools and offices can pay sizeable dividends. The University of California study – which was commissioned by Nike and UK

The £1bn (€1.3bn $1.42bn) Swansea Tidal Lagoon – an innovative renewable energy scheme which could also feature an oyster hatchery, restaurant, visitor centre and watersport centre – has taken a significant step forward after the UK government granted planning permission. Proposals from developer Tidal Lagoon Power (TLP) for the world’s first tidal lagoon to generate clean electricity are being masterplanned by LDA Design – the firm which also worked on

The Long Museum in Shanghai – designed by Atelier Deshaus – has been revealed in stunning new imagery by British architectural photographers Hufton+Crow. Deshaus’ design, which was shortlisted for The Designs of the Year 2015 awards architecture category, has been brought to life in the duo’s imagery. The museum is located next to the Huangpu River, Xuhui District, on a site that was formerly used for coal transportation and its

A new public park at London’s Battersea Power Station development will include industrial furniture in a nod to the site's past, as well as event lawns, festival spaces and terraced gardens running alongside the River Thames. Details of LDA Design’s 24,281sq m (261,360sq ft) park have now been revealed, with planning consent having been granted earlier this year. The architectural practice said its designs combined “industrial references, traditional park features

Thierry W. Despont's soon-to-be completed renovation of the Ritz Paris will see the first ever Chanel-branded spa unveiled at the historic hotel, officials from Ritz Paris have confirmed. While many details of the spa remain well under wraps, in a statement, the Ritz Paris said the spa – Chanel au Ritz Paris – will be “a new beauty concept dedicated to Chanel’s skincare” and will “provide guests with a unique

A beach made from a mishmash of construction materials and an ocean comprised of 750,000 recyclable plastic balls is being created in the heart of Washington, D.C. Brooklyn-based design studio Snarkitecture has created the 10,000sq ft (929sq m) interactive architectural exhibit – the BEACH – for the National Building Museum. It follows in the footsteps of a life-sized maze designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, which was installed in the museum’s

The Mumbai skyline is undergoing major change with the development of two uber-luxe residential towers with extensive leisure offerings vying for the attention of wealthy Indians. The World One Tower was designed by architects Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and, at 117 storeys, will be the world’s tallest residential skyscraper. The £205m (US$314m, €280m) tower is located in the Worli district of South Mumbai – which will also be the