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

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas is set to unveil its first resort in Europe on 15 July in 10 hectares (22 acres) of the Portuguese UNESCO World Heritage Site of Douro Valley. Designed by New York-based Clodagh, the 57-bedroom 19th century property features an interior palette of light greys and sandy tones. Using eco-friendly materials, Clodagh – owner and founder of Clodagh Design – has blended nature, Portuguese tradition, water,

A competition has been launched by M-Arch for the creation of a concept for a new leisure building at London’s Shoreditch Overground train station. M-Arch says the design can be for any type of commercial and flexible leisure space, from a small set of units for single merchants to a big, open space. The aim is to provide a collective space for the growth of the local community. Entrants can

Italian football club AC Milan has unveiled further details of its new stadium, which the club has described as “the most innovative in the world”. Located in the Portello area of the city, the stadium has been designed by sports architects at Arup and will have a capacity of 48,000 – half the size of its current San Siro stadium. The club says the design team lead by Arup studied

Architect Miguel Saraiva of Saraiva+Associados and interior designer Nini Andrade Silva have completed a renovation of The Furnas Boutique Hotel & Thermal Spa on Sao Miguel Island in the Azores archipelago off the coast of Portugal. Operated by Discovery Hotel Management and a member of the international Design Hotels chain, the 55-key property now features a spa that comprises a thermal pool, fitness centre, 10 treatment rooms, whirlpools, flotation beds,

A fire has more or less completely destroyed a popular science centre in Hellerup near Copenhagen, Denmark. The town’s Experimentarium – which was undergoing a DKR339m (US$49.5m, €45.4m, £32.4m) redevelopment – was gutted by fire on 27 April, the exact cause has yet to be determined. The expansion would have added a roof exhibition area, new classrooms, a training and education centre, conference centre, café and solar panels. Ejendomsselskabet was

India is “not ready” to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee. Bach – speaking after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi – dismissed chances of an Indian bid being successful in the near future, ending rumours that the country would seek to host the 2024 Games. A number of Indian media had been speculating that either New Delhi

An international team of architecture students led by the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is to build a 50m (164ft) ice bridge as the centrepiece for a winter exhibition of architecture in Finland in 2016. Expected to attract thousands of visitors, the bridge is based on a design by Leonardo da Vinci and will be the longest open span bridge ever built from ice. The universities of Leuven, Aalto (Helsinki),

Singaporean investor GJS Group has opened new facilities at the 105-key Loama Resort Maldives at Maamigili. Spa consultant Barry Warrington of IS Wellness and designer Mikael Tay of Singapore-based The Monocot Studio created four beach spa villas and four over-water villas that face southwest, so guests can enjoy the sunset. There is also a new 496sq m (5,339sq ft) spa with treatment rooms extending on a jetty over the sea.

Investor Zaozhuang Thai Cultural City Development has announced it will open the Dusit Thani Thai Cultural City Resort Zaozhuang in China’s Shandong province in early 2018. The hotel and resort development will contain 257 bedrooms and will be Thai-focused in design. It will include a substantial destination wellness centre. Part of a mixed-use commercial complex, the resort will offer Thai retail brands, cultural performances and tours at the Buddhist cultural

The Renzo Piano-designed Whitney Museum of American Art in New York’s Meatpacking District will open to the public this Friday (1 May), offering indoor and outdoor galleries, a conservation laboratory and the largest column-free exhibition space in the entire city. In the works for more than three decades, the nine-storey steel and concrete building was conceived as a ‘laboratory for artists’. Sitting between the High Line and Hudson River, the