The winner of the 2015 Mies van der Rohe Award has been announced as Barozzi / Veiga’s extraordinary, glowing concert venue, the Philharmonic Hall in Szczecin, Poland. The building scooped the €60,000 Prize for Contemporary Architecture from a shortlist of five projects, taking the award, which is given every two years in recognition of outstanding European architecture. Although Barcelona-based Fabrizio Barozzi and Alberto Veiga were inspired by the neo-Gothic spires

Three architecture students have been selected to build pavilions at this year’s Burning Man festival, having received art grants. Supported by Ramboll and Format Engineers, the trio’s installations are set to be constructed at the annual arts festival being held at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, US, between 30 August and 7 September. The designs adhere to the event’s 2015 theme, ‘Carnival of Mirrors’. The students are part of

A Star Wars-themed pop-up lounge and restaurant will make its debut at Disney World in Orlando on 15 May, with the restaurant being open at the resort’s Hollywood Studios through May and June. Announced on 4 May (In line with the internet-popular ‘May the 4th be with you’), the new restaurant, will be called Rebel Hangar: A Star Wars Lounge Experience and feature a full menu of Star Wars -themed

Foster + Partners have won a competition to mastermind a creative community and cultural epicentre aimed at attracting visitors and local artists to create a 'Middle-Eastern Shoreditch' in Dubai Design District (d3). The development plans outline a 1,000,000sq ft (92,903sq m) Creative Community to provide affordable space for emerging local designers and artists to establish themselves, and for art galleries and studios to exhibit their work to visitors. Foster +

Foster + Partners have won a competition to mastermind a creative community and cultural epicentre aimed at attracting visitors and local artists to create a 'Middle-Eastern Shoreditch' in Dubai Design District (d3). The development plans outline a 1,000,000sq ft (92,903sq m) Creative Community to provide affordable space for emerging local designers and artists to establish themselves, and for art galleries and studios to exhibit their work to visitors. Foster +

Jack Rouse Associates (JRA) are driving forward plans for a new visitor attraction for spirit maker Beam Suntory – the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse – in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, US. Located below Beam Suntory’s Louisville office, the new multi-million dollar visitor experience will include a small working distillery, a bottling line, a tasting experience and a selection of Jim Beam-branded merchandise for sale. Scheduled to open towards the end of

Global architecture firm Farrells – led by Sir Terry Farrell – are behind the masterplan for the upcoming London Paramount Resort, coming in 2020. Speaking to CLAD, a representative for London Resorts Company Holdings (LRCH), which is behind the £2bn (US$3bn, €2.8bn) theme park and resort development, confirmed that Farrells would be masterplanning the entire development. Meanwhile, Ray Hole Architects will act as core facilities architects for the project. With

New York-based architect Daniel Libeskind’s pavilion for Chinese real estate company Vanke has been unveiled at the Milan Expo 2015. Resembling a dragon and featuring 4,000 shimmering ceramic tiles that look like scales, the pavilion seeks to explore the expo’s theme of ‘Feeding the Planet’ by reimagining a traditional Chinese shitang, or dining hall. Libeskind designed the three-dimensional red metalised tiles with the Italian company Casalgrande Padana, and they appear

A team made up of Snøhetta, Cao Perrot and Schlögl & Süß Architekten have created the architectural elements and designs for the €34m (US$37.3m, £24.3m) expansion of Wattens, Austria’s Swarovski Crystal Worlds. The museum, opened in 1995 to celebrate crystal-maker Swarovski’s 100th anniversary, was originally designed by artist Andre Heller, who was commissioned to design the 14-chamber museum. Reopening on 30 April, the expansion has nearly doubled the available space,

The world-famous Blue Lagoon geothermal destination spa in Iceland has revealed exclusively to CLAD that it’s investing €40m in an expansion and redesign project. Sigridur Sigthorsdottir of Basalt Architects will lead the project, which is due for completion in 2017. She’s been the architect at Blue Lagoon for almost 20 years and her work in harmonising the man-made and natural environment has received international acclaim. A new thermal bathing pool,

The city of Munich has opened NS-Dokumentationszentrum München – The Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism – a museum and education hub focusing on the city’s role as the birthplace of fascism in Germany. The white cube design by Berlin-based architects Georg Scheel Wetzel represents a counterpoint to the still existing Nazi Party buildings in its vicinity. According to the architects, its design allows a diverse array

OMA, the architectural practice founded by Rem Koolhaas, have converted a former industrial complex in Milan, Italy, into a new home for designer Miuccia Prada’s Fondazione Prada. Fondazione Prada was established by Miuccia Prada in 1993 as a cultural organisation dedicated to the arts, cinema and philosophy. The new venue opens to the public on 9 May. The 19,000sq m (204,500sq ft) art campus, has been seven years in the

A proposal from Rogers Partners Architects + Urban Designers, ASD and KSLA has won the competition to redesign St. Petersburg Pier in Florida, US. The design, called ‘The Pier Park’, was ranked first by the Pier Selection Committee based on state mandated criteria such as the design itself, public input, relevant experience, background and qualifications of the design teams and technical review of the concepts. Selecting from three finalists, the

Plans to redevelop two existing stadiums in Sydney, Australia could be scrapped and replaced by a scheme to build two new major venues – at double the cost. The New South Wales (NSW) state government had previously earmarked AU$600m from the sale of the state's electricity assets in order to upgrade the city’s two major sporting venues – the ANZ Stadium and Allianz Stadium. But rather than redeveloping the two

Work is expected to start in October on designs from New York-based Grzywinski + Pons in conjunction with Michael Laird Architects for a £35m (US$53m, €47m) boutique hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. Hotel developer Union Hanover Securities has secured Minded to Grant planning permission from City of Edinburgh Council and will now push ahead with bringing the 180-room hotel project on Freer Street to fruition. The developer sees Edinburgh as a

Merlin Entertainments’ Orlando Eye sits at the heart of Orlando’s new US$250m (€224m, £163m) I-Drive 360 entertainment and dining destination, which opens to the public tomorrow (4 May 2015). Developed in a partnership including Flag Luxury Group; SFX Entertainment; The Torino Companies; and Unicorp National Developments, The Orlando Eye will offer unparalleled views of Orlando and central Florida, including the nearby theme parks, attractions and even the Kennedy Space Center.

Inspirational concepts from some of the world’s leading designers have gone on show today as Milan Expo 2015 opens to the public. Foster + Partners, Daniel Libeskind and Biber Architects are among the heavyweight architects and designers who have been enlisted to bring the Expo to life – with more than 10 million tickets already sold for the six-month event. The global commercial fair is the second to be held

Henning Larsen Architects is hoping to create an iconic new landmark in Gothenburg, Sweden, after winning an international design competition. The Danish company’s proposal includes an “accessible and transparent” mixed-use plaza at ground level, as well as two commercial towers. The larger tower is expected to be 30-storeys high, and so will become a prominent part of the skyline in Sweden’s second-largest city. “It is our vision to create a

Gravesham Borough Council (GBC) in Kent, UK, has approved plans for the redevelopment of Ebbsfleet United Football Club’s Stonebridge stadium in Northfleet. The club is owned by KEH Sports, a group of Kuwaiti investors. The planned £8m ($12.1m E10.8m) project – designed by architects Alexander Sedgley – will see capacity being increased from 4,000 to 6,000 spectators. The works have been designed to “match the club's future ambitions” with a

London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH) has released new images and details for the £2bn (US$3bn, €2.8bn) Paramount London theme park and resort development, unveiling a number of themed zones with rides and attractions. The new images, unveiled as part of a public consultation in Kent, show Adventure Isle – a jungle-themed zone which includes a white water rapids ride; Myth & Legends Castle – a medieval castle; Paramount Port Bay

The Avani brand by Minor Hotel Group (MHG) is set to enter the Australian market with an investment of more than AUD$110m (US$87m, €77m, £57m) with an Avani-branded hotel and residences in Perth, as part of the AUD$5bn (US$3.9bn, €3.5bn, £2.6bn) cultural Perth City Link project. MHG has been selected by the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) to develop Lots 2 and 3A within the Perth City Link project as a

The US$175m (€157m, £114m) Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida – inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of singer, songwriter and author Jimmy Buffett – has confirmed it will open in Q3 of this year. The 349-bedroom 17-storey resort has been designed by architects and interior design firm The McBride Company with a “no worries” tropical theme, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway. Among the numerous leisure facilities

Safdie Architects have unveiled plans for South Carolina’s National Medal of Honor Museum – a five-point design presenting the history of the US’s most decorated and revered soldiers. The new museum and education centre coming to the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, has been budgeted at US$98m (€87.8m, £63.9m) and is intended to recognise and remember the recipients of the country’s highest military honour, also teaching

The tender for the design of a hotel that will be linked to Amsterdam RAI exhibition and convention centre in the South Axis district of Amsterdam has been awarded to OMA – the architectural practice founded by Rem Koolhaas. A total of 11 design firms were competing for the project but OMA won the contract due to its vision for additional special features. Not only will the 91m (300ft) tower

Disney has revealed new details for the ¥500bn (US$4.5bn, €3.6bn, £2.8bn) 10-year expansion of its Tokyo resorts, confirming plans for a Frozen makeover at DisneySea and the redevelopment of Fantasyland at Disneyland. The new Scandinavia area of Tokyo DisneySea will be themed towards the world region, also featuring a Frozen area, which will include a replica of the castle seen in the hit film. The rest of Scandinavia will use

Starwood has announced it will significantly expand its portfolio in the Middle East, as part of an US$8bn (E7.1bn £5.3bn) global growth plan, with new openings already underway in the region. Speaking at the opening of the new Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai, Michael Wale, president of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and the Middle East said: “The Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai highlights our commitment both to the region and

FRHI Hotels & Resorts has signed agreements with developer Citystars Properties to brand and operate two new hotel projects in Egypt, in addition to the three hotels planned at the separate Sharm El Sheikh development. The two new projects include Fairmont Soma Bay, south of Hurghada on the eastern shores of Egypt on the Red Sea coast, and a Swissôtel in Katameya in Cairo. Both are scheduled to open before