Architecture and design news
Rome's €250m Cinecittà World theme park opens later this month
by Tom Anstey | 15 Jul 2014
Rome’s long-awaited €250m, (US$340m, £198m) Cinecittà World theme park – designed by multiple-Oscar-winning production designer designer Dante Ferretti – will finally open its doors to the public on 24 July after a decade of delays. Conceived as Italy’s take on Universal Studios, Cinecittà World comprises 20 attractions, including roller coasters, dark rides and a flight simulator. Incorporating elements of science fiction, Bollywood, spaghetti westerns and many other themes from more
Dublin’s RDS Arena to receive €20m expansion
by Tom Walker | 15 Jul 2014
Leinster Rugby and The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) will undertake a €20m redevelopment of the RDS Arena in Dublin, increasing the venue’s capacity from 18,500 to 25,000. Following the work the stadium – which hosts all Leinster’s Pro12 and Heineken Cup home games – is expected to be included in Ireland’s bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The venue is also home to the RDS’ annual Dublin Horse
Football 'mecca' offers second wave of world cup fever for Brazil
by Katie Buckley | 14 Jul 2014
Despite Germany’s attempt at crushing Brazil’s spirits in the 2014 Fifa World Cup, the nation's love of football has not been completely kicked to the wayside as plans have been unveiled for the world’s first Football Entertainment Centre to be built in Rio De Janeiro, allowing Brazil’s football legacy and love affair with the beautiful game, to continue. To be constructed in the form of a giant football which will
£135m British Museum Expansion completed after five years
by Katie Buckley | 11 Jul 2014
Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners’ have completed their £135m (US$231m, €170m) extension to the British Museum, London. As one of the most popular visitor attractions in the world, the British Museum is a defining institution and its new World Conservation and Exhibition Centre has been a long time coming. Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) won the contract for the extension in 2009 from a shortlist of top architectural practices,
Bespoke Cinema-Planetarium opens in the Netherlands ahead of Europe-wide expansion
by Katie Buckley | 11 Jul 2014
Archiview, a Dutch architectural practice, has created a planetarium-come-cinema in Groningen, the Netherlands, with plans to open a further 20 across Europe in the near future. Called “Infoversum” and now open to the public, the structure is effectively a 3D theatre aimed at promoting science and knowledge. Films are projected on to the ceiling of the planetarium showing educational footage and visitors can experience a multi-dimensional view of the universe
Mall of the World aims to transform Dubai into cultural, tourist and economic hub
by Tom Anstey | 11 Jul 2014
The Mall of the World – a giant indoor ‘city’ under construction in Dubai – will have its own version of Oxford Street and Broadway, as well as galleons, waterfalls, a theme park, wellness district and a host of other leisure activities and attractions. The ‘city’, which has a giant retractable dome, is Dubai’s vision for a climate-controlled leisure district, including luxury hotels with more than 20,000 bedrooms, shops, entertainment
Lost and Found; BIG unveils maze at The National Building Museum, US
by Katie Buckley | 11 Jul 2014
Washington's National Building Museum in the US has revealed its latest exhibition – a complex wooden maze designed by Danish architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) which fills the large West Court of the museum’s Great Hall Taking inspiration from ancient labyrinths to european 17th-18th century hedge mazes, BIG has created a modern day riddle with the all important “great reveal” in the centre. At approximately 18ft (5.5m) high and
Yorkshire Sculpture Park named UK Museum of the Year
by Katie Buckley | 10 Jul 2014
Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP), Wakefield, UK, has taken home a £100,000 prize from The Art Fund after being announced the UK Museum of the Year by Art Fund – the national fundraising charity for art. YSP beat several other top museums to the prize, with the shortlist including; Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft in East Sussex, Hayward Gallery in London, The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth, Sainsbury Centre for
China's theme park boom continues with announcement of US$1.6bn Poseidon Ocean Kingdom
by Tom Anstey | 10 Jul 2014
The trend for new theme parks in China has continued with the announcement of the US$1.6bn (€1.2bn, £934m) Poseidon Ocean Kingdom in Harbin, Heilongjiang. Scheduled to open in July 2016, the park – backed and funded by the Malaysia-based KWZone Group – will be themed around stories of the Greek sea god Poseidon and will cover 1sq km (0.4sq m). Taylor Jeffs of US-based GGE, which is designing the visual
Historic building in Durham, UK, to be transformed into luxury boutique spa hotel
by Tom Anstey | 09 Jul 2014
The historic former headquarters of the University of Durham in the UK could be converted into a luxury spa hotel under multi-million pound plans recently revealed by businessman Shaun Crawley. Crawley has purchased Old Shire Hall in the north of England with a view to create a 70-bedroom boutique hotel and spa, which he says will “rival the best in the area.” Plans are to transform the Grade II-listed Victorian
Peter Zumthor reveals new designs for Los Angeles County Museum of Art
by Katie Buckley | 09 Jul 2014
Pritzker Prize winning architect Peter Zumthor and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) have unveiled new plans for the US museum’s proposed US$650m (€477m, £380m) transformation. Following controversy over the original designs, Zumthor has altered his original plans to avoid the La Brea Tar Pits – an important site for palaeontology research and a major tourist hotspot in the LA area. Before changes to the plans, the proposed
Chinese government's tourism plans means futuristic 'floating city' could well become a reality
by Katie Buckley | 09 Jul 2014
London’s AT Design Office has released designs for a floating city in the China Sea, and the plans look set to become reality as China's government looks to maximise its tourist footprint. Space is a premium on any continent, especially so in China and the proposed floating city would be built to appeal to tourists and residents alike, offering an array of attractions and plenty of green space. Commissioned by
Plans revealed for AU$428m museum in Perth, Australia
by Tom Anstey | 08 Jul 2014
Concept images have been released for the planned AU$428m (US$402m, €295.7m £235m) WA Museum in Perth, Australia. Planned to be built by 2019 and opened in 2020, the facility’s first conceptual image of the interior shows a blue whale skeleton hanging overhead. Backers have also produced the results of a year-long project looking at the scope, cost and delivery details before a tender phase of development. The new facility will
South Korea's US$275bn 'super city' to include theme parks, luxury hotels, a healing town and more
by Tom Anstey | 08 Jul 2014
A planned super city in South Korea that will cost an estimated US$275bn (€202bn, £160bn) will include a host of leisure features including a theme park, casinos, luxury hotels, a 50,000 seat concert hall and a medical-themed ‘healing town’. Dubbed ‘City8’, the giant metropolis will create an estimated 930,000 new jobs and aims to attract 134 million tourists annually. Other features for the proposed city – to be built on
Glasgow Science Centre tower reopens after four-year hiatus
by Tom Anstey | 08 Jul 2014
Glasgow Science Centre’s ill-fated tower is set to reopen in the Scottish city more than four years after visitors were last allowed to use it. The 127m (416ft) rotating tower – which offers a 20-mile view of the Glasgow area on a clear day – has spent more than 80 per cent of its existence closed since opening in 2001, having been plagued by a number of structural problems making
Thomas Heatherwick to create new Art Museum in Cape Town, South Africa
by Katie Buckley | 08 Jul 2014
The new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in South Africa's Cape Town will be designed by Thomas Heatherwick – marking the architect's biggest museum project to date. Zeitz MOCAA is to be a new non-profit cultural space alongside the V&A Waterfront, one of the most visited attractions in South Africa. As part of a masterplan - Heatherwick will transform an historic grain silo into 9,500sq m (102,000sq
Heatherwick's Olympic Cauldron to rise again at Museum of London
by Katie Buckley | 07 Jul 2014
The opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London showcased some of Britain’s greatest creative talent, with one of its defining moments being the Olympic Cauldron by Thomas Heatherwick. The Museum of London (MOL) is set to open a new gallery to house the monumental piece of sculpture that captured the minds of millions of people all over the world when it folded into a flaming tower that burned throughout
Maiden voyage for the Titanic Hotel, Liverpool, UK
by Katie Buckley | 07 Jul 2014
The Titanic Hotel, in Liverpool, UK, opened to the public on 5 July, in a Grade II listed warehouse. Situated in the heart of Liverpool’s docklands, the North Warehouse at Stanley Dock has been completed transformed into a 153-bedroom luxury hotel, featuring a restaurant, bar, spa and a large events space. The spa, which will open later this summer, will feature five treatment rooms encased in exposed brickwork arches, a
Gehry transforms ‘Rocky Steps’ with new design for Philadelphia Museum of Art
by Katie Buckley | 04 Jul 2014
Frank Gehry and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMoA) have unveiled a new masterplan for the 90-year-old museum site in America. Known for his famous cultural projects such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, Gehry’s latest designs for PMoA have been revealed in a new exhibition – Making a Classic Modern: Frank Gehry’s Master Plan for the Philadelphia Museum of Art – which is now open to the public.
Union Hanover plans 220-bedroom boutique hotel for London's Stratford City
by Chris Dodd | 04 Jul 2014
Hotel developer Union Hanover has revealed plans to create a 220-room hotel in Stratford City London's International Quarter, based around the design principles of New York’s meatpacking district. Union had originally intended to create a hotel development at the east London site in partnership with Starboard Hotels, but has now bought its partner out to hasten progress of the new development. The developer plans to operate the new £70m (US$120m,
Carillion secures Liverpool FC’s Anfield expansion project
by Tom Walker | 04 Jul 2014
Facilities management and construction services provider Carillion has been named preferred bidder for the expansion works at Liverpool Football Club’s (LFC) Anfield stadium. The work will include increasing capacity at Anfield’s Main Stand by 8,000, taking overall capacity to more than 54,000. Carillion will also be responsible for the associated public realm improvements. Work on the project is expected to start later in 2014, subject to planning consent. It is
Viceroy Hotel Group to redevelop 17th Century convent at UNESCO World Heritage site
by Helen Andrews | 02 Jul 2014
Viceroy Hotel Group and investment firm KIT Capital will redevelop the UNESCO World Heritage site of Obra Pía, a site which dates back to 1640 as the original capital of the Spanish Empire in the New World, Cartagena de Indias in Colombia. This site originally functioned as a Franciscan convent and was later home to a hospital, army barracks, orphanage and most recently – a school. Scheduled for completion in
Zaha Hadid wins Design of the Year award 2014 for Azerbaijan's Heydar Aliyev Centre
by Katie Buckley | 01 Jul 2014
The Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan, has been crowned Design of the Year 2014 by London’s Design Museum, making architect Zaha Hadid the first woman ever to win the prestigious award. The 57,519sq m (188,710sq ft) centre is based in the heart of Baku and was designed to become Azerbaijan's primary building for cultural programmes. The centre operates its own museum and acts as a hub, hosting exhibitions, events,
Hungary's Debrecen welcomes eco-friendly football stadium
by Chris Dodd | 01 Jul 2014
A progressive 20,000-capacity stadium has opened as the centrepiece of an environmentally focused regeneration project in the Hungarian city of Debrecen. Created by Bord Architectural Studio, the redesigned Nagyerdo Stadium has seen the introduction of a leading sporting venue into an area usually characterised by green space and forests. The project has been designed to bring the green-space area in-line with the city, giving people access to a multi-purpose events
Eco-friendly mushroom tower installation opens at MoMA, New York
by Katie Buckley | 30 Jun 2014
New York City based architectural firm The Living has completed its winning design for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Young Architects Program, Hi-Fi – a tubular tower made of mushroom and corn bricks. Constructed to provide shelter and seating for PS1’s Warm Up concert series at the MoMA, the structure is almost 100 per cent biodegradable and is intended to be composted down after its use. The circular tower
UK creative industries sector remains an economic powerhouse: report
by Jak Phillips | 30 Jun 2014
Employment within the UK creative industries sector – which includes museums, galleries and architecture – has increased five times faster than the national average since 2011, according to the latest figures published by the Department for Culture Media and Sport. The Creative Industries: Focus on Employment report builds on the findings of the Creative Industries Economic Estimates published in January this year which revealed the creative industries contribute more than
Star names in running to design UK Science Museum transformation
by Jak Phillips | 27 Jun 2014
A number of famous names are among the 13 firms in the running to design new galleries at London’s Science Museum as the site looks to evolve. Zaha Hadid, Amanda Levete and Haworth Tompkins are all vying for a shot at shaping the two new galleries – a maths area due to open in 2016 and a medicine offering to follow two years later. Hadid has been shortlisted for the
London redevelopment of iconic Crystal Palace stalled
by Katie Buckley | 26 Jun 2014
Redevelopment plans for London’s Crystal Palace have hit a wall as negotiations with the site's investors – Chinese ZhongRong Group and Bromley Council – have taken significantly longer than expected. Speaking to the Architects’ Journal, Green Party spokesman in Crystal Palace Tom Chance said: ‘We understand that the negotiations are stuck in a catch 22 situation – that the council wants more detail on the plans before they sign off
Chelsea names LDS to look at possible stadium expansion
by Tom Anstey | 26 Jun 2014
Chelsea Football Club has named Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands (LDS) as lead architects to explore how the club can increase stadium capacity at Stamford Bridge. The London-based architectural firm will carry out a feasibility study to review different improvement options for the home of Chelsea, such as installing decking over the railway line to the east and north of the stadium. Chelsea previously looked at moving away from the area, with
Saudi Arabia to build 11 'world class' stadia
by Tom Walker | 25 Jun 2014
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia has ordered the construction of 11 new 'world-class' sports stadia in the country. According to local reports, the stadiums will be built in the provinces of Madinah, Al-Qassim, Asir, Tabuk, Hail, Jazan, Najran, Baha and Al-Jouf while there will also be venues for the Northern Border Region and Eastern Province. The regions have been chosen as they currently have limited facilities to host
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"Culture is the beating heart of this project"
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres
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