Architecture and design news
Studio Saxe create Costa Rican fitness and rec centre in the trees
by Stu Robarts | 20 Mar 2020
Studio Saxe have created a fitness centre in Costa Rica designed to be a "small village amongst the trees" that brings guests and locals together, as well as close to nature. The Athletic Center was built as an extension of the Gilded Iguana hotel in the town of Nosara. Rather than simply create a single large volume, the architects and the client wanted to work around the trees and the
OMA's social shopping centre will be a community asset
by Stu Robarts | 19 Mar 2020
OMA have unveiled plans for a new shopping centre in Australia that will integrate public spaces, community amenities and facilities for childcare and education to create a more communal experience. Commissioned for Sandhurst Retail, the Wollert Neighbourhood Centre will be located in the Wollert suburb of Whittlesea, just north of Melbourne. Due to break ground in 2023, the 9,000sq m (97,000sq ft) facility is intended to be a neighbourhood asset
HBA's Great Scotland Yard hotel references its police HQ heritage
by Stu Robarts | 19 Mar 2020
A 152-room luxury hotel, designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), recently opened in an 1820s listed building that used to house London's Metropolitan Police headquarters. Great Scotland Yard is now the first Unbound Collection by Hyatt hotel in the UK, but is described by Hyatt as one of the UK capital's most historic buildings. David T’Kint, partner at HBA, explained: "This building is an icon hiding a century and more
Work restarts on Nickelodeon's giant indoor theme park in China
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 19 Mar 2020
Developers have been given the green light to start work again on the US$750m (£647m, €688m) Nickelodeon theme park development at the Mall of China. Work was suspended as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, however, plans for the construction of the third and fourth phases to resume were approved following an inspection ensuring health requirements were met. Located in the Yubei District of Chongqing City, the Mall of China
COX's parametrically-designed maritime museum opens in China
by Stu Robarts | 18 Mar 2020
The National Maritime Museum of China, designed by COX Architecture, has opened in Tianjin after a six-year design and construction process. Covering an area of 80,000sq m (860,000sq ft) on the waterfront, the three-storey museum comprises four long main volumes that are joined together by interconnected spaces. This design was inspired by ideas of jumping carp, corals, starfish, moored ships and an open palm. The volumes cantilever and fan out
FAAB's eco-tower would change the surrounding environment
by Stu Robarts | 18 Mar 2020
FAAB Architektura have designed a conceptual eco-building for Saudi Arabia aimed at changing the environment around it. The Vertical Oasis Building would feature 59 above- and below-ground levels spread across a height of 220m (722ft). A mixed-use programme would include retail, office, hotel and residential spaces, as well as a 712sq m (7,700sq ft) rooftop park. The main feature of the tower's design, though, is a permeable façade broken up
LUO Studio add timber frame to abandoned foundations for new community centre
by Stu Robarts | 18 Mar 2020
LUO Studio recently completed a new community centre in Hubei province, China, by adding a timber frame to a set of existing foundations for a residential project that had been abandoned. It was necessary to find a new home for the Party and Public Service Center of Yuanheguan Village because its existing location had been earmarked to be part of a new hotel development. What's more, there were only two
Hart Howerton create new resort for Jamaica's luxury Half Moon property
by Stu Robarts | 18 Mar 2020
Hart Howerton have designed a new resort for Jamaica's 400ac (162ha) luxury Half Moon property called Eclipse at Half Moon, which is described as "a celebration of authentic Jamaican culture reflecting its surrounding natural beauty." The Eclipse resort joins the existing Founders Cove at Half Moon and Rose Hall Villas at Half Moon resorts at the Salamander Hotels & Resorts -managed location between Montego Bay and the Caribbean Sea. The
MCA and WASP create sustainable 3D-printed homes
by Stu Robarts | 17 Mar 2020
Mario Cucinella Architects (MCA) and Italian 3D printing specialists World’s Advanced Saving Project (WASP) are close to completing a "prototype 3D-printed global habitat for sustainable living". The TECLA was conceived as a way to provide housing for large numbers of people at a time when the population is increasing rapidly but many people cannot afford a home, although it could be easily adapted for other purposes like eco-living. It is
Six Senses Bhutan opens “Forest Within A Forest” lodge
by Stu Robarts | 17 Mar 2020
Six Senses has opened the fifth and final lodge in its multi-location Bhutan project, with the Six Senses Bumthang "Forest Within A Forest” lodge, designed by Habita Architects. The five-lodge, five-valley Six Senses khamsa or "journey" will take guests on a circuit of locations in the western and central valleys of Bhutan. The idea for the concept was first unveiled in 2016, with details of the first three lodges revealed
HOK redesign of Manchester Arena could make it largest in Europe
by Tom Walker | 17 Mar 2020
ASM Global has revealed HOK -designed plans to increase the capacity at its Manchester Arena venue to 24,000, which would make it the largest arena in Europe. As well as the proposed increase to capacity, the plans include the creation of an additional concourse level to house VIP boxes and lounges, as well as food and drink outlets. A new "worker bee façade" – in honour of Manchester's symbol, the
MVRDV create urban lagoon and park in remains of old shopping mall
by Stu Robarts | 17 Mar 2020
A new urban lagoon and park, designed by MVRDV, has opened in the preserved ruin of a shopping mall in central Tainan, Taiwan. The China-Town Mall was built next to the Tainan Canal in 1983, the rise of online shopping means it no longer serves its purpose. Instead, the Urban Development Bureau of the Tainan City Government commissioned MVRDV to create Tainan Spring as a new public space and as
Glenn Howells Architects create "dance factory" for English National Ballet
by Stu Robarts | 16 Mar 2020
The English National Ballet (ENB) has moved into a new £27m ($33m, €30m) home in London designed by Glenn Howells Architects (GHA). The 93,000sq ft (8,600sq m) building combines a number of previously separate ENB campuses into what it calls "a multi-faceted 'dance factory'". The ground floor is conceived to be a gathering and circulation space, with a public café and an exhibition area. Seven full-sized rehearsal studios include a
Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti dies of coronavirus
by Stu Robarts | 16 Mar 2020
The Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti has died at the age of 92 after contracting the coronavirus disease COVID-19, it has been reported. Gregotti was the architect behind the renovation of the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys when it was the centrepiece for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He was also behind the renovation of the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, or Marassi Stadium, in Genoa, Italy, when it was used for
Amazon's first Go Grocery store lets shoppers just walk out
by Stu Robarts | 16 Mar 2020
Amazon has opened its first bricks-and-mortar grocery store, featuring the retailer's Just Walk Out Technology that does away with the need for checkouts and queues. The Amazon Go Grocery shop opened in Seattle at the end of February and brings what was previously an online-only retail service into the real world. Covering 10,400sq ft (966sq m), it is much like any other supermarket, offering fresh produce, meat, seafood, bakery items
Central Coast Aquarium could reopen with new US$12m glazed facility
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 13 Mar 2020
The Central Coast Aquarium (CCA) in Morro Bay, California, could reopen with a contemporary and light-filled glazed building designed by RRM Design Group. The aquarium closed to the public in 2018, but proposals as part of a feasibility study suggest transforming the existing facility into a new 16,000sq ft (1,500sq m) aquarium. Concept drawings outline a multi-level building with full-height glazing in places, balconies and outdoor spaces. The new facility
PLP and ZHA projects are reshaping the South Bank's residential offerings
by Stu Robarts | 12 Mar 2020
The residential offering of the South Bank of London's River Thames is set to be reshaped with projects by PLP Architecture and Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA). PLP, working with Native Land, recently received planning approval for new proposals for its Eastern Yards site, part of the £1bn ($1.25bn, €1.13bn) Bankside Yards mixed-use development for which planning consent was given in 2014 and construction began in 2019. PLP created the full
Highest outdoor observation deck in western hemisphere opens in New York
by Stu Robarts | 12 Mar 2020
The highest outdoor observation deck in the western hemisphere, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), has opened at Hudson Yards in New York after nearly two years of construction. Edge takes the form of a triangular platform that extends 80ft (24m) out from the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards at a height of 1,131ft (345m). William Pedersen, founding and design principal at KPF, explained that it has been designed
Musée d'Orsay announces major expansion plans following €20m donation
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 12 Mar 2020
The Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France, has announced plans for a major expansion project following an anonymous €20m (£17.6m, US$22.4m) donation. The project, called Orsay Grand Ouvert – or Orsay Wide Open – is thought to have been in development for a period of several months and has now been made public following the donation. A new wing and a 7,000sq ft (650sq m) Education Center, as well as an
MEAN*'s algorithmically-designed, 3D-printed desert pavilion is an oasis for rest and gathering
by Stu Robarts | 12 Mar 2020
The Middle East Architecture Network (MEAN*) have designed a pavilion for rest and gatherings in the Wadi Rum desert valley in the south of Jordan that responds to the ancient landscape using current design and building technologies. The pavilion was conceived to provide shade and a space to rest during the day, to be a place for celebration, storytelling and gatherings at night and to offer a model for building
O'Donnell O'Neill combine high-end design, tech and studios for boutique Dublin gym
by Stu Robarts | 12 Mar 2020
Interior architecture and design firm O’Donnell O’Neill have created a boutique gym and health club at The Mayson hotel in Dublin with high-end design and facilities to match those of the hotel. The Mayson itself was only opened at the end of 2019 by Irish leisure and hospitality company Press Up Entertainment Group. The 94-key hotel is located in a renovated brick building in Dublin's docklands and its design mixes
Thinkwell Group's US pavilion for Expo 2020 will explore the future
by Stu Robarts | 11 Mar 2020
The US pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai is to be designed by the experiential design and production agency Thinkwell Group and will explore "the exciting future made possible by American innovation, vision, and enterprise". The building will be designed in such a way as to appear to be moving at times and will house exhibits about journeying to Mars, the city of the future and 3D-printed prosthetics and organs. It
Four Seasons to reveal Balinese design revamp at Jimbaran Healing Village Spa
by Megan Whitby | 11 Mar 2020
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay will reveal a new-look spa showcasing contemporary a Balinese design by The Fulcrum Agency and appearing to be suspended over water when it reopens at the start of May. The spa's revamp will align with the original Balinese design concept by Kerry Hill Architects and will feature interiors by Design Studio SPIN. The Healing Village Spa will 70 per cent bigger than before,
One Manhattan Square will be 'a vertical village with every convenience'
by Stu Robarts | 11 Mar 2020
Following its completion, New York's One Manhattan Square has been being kitted out with 100,000sq ft (9,300sq m) of indoor and outdoor amenities aimed at creating "a vertical village with every convenience". Designed by Adamson Associates for Extell Development Company, the 800ft (244m)-tall residential tower is located on the East River across the water from Brooklyn. Its glass curtain façade, broken up with sections of warm Muntz metal cladding, will
Former cheese factory becomes contemporary art centre
by Stu Robarts | 10 Mar 2020
Wheeler Kearns Architects have transformed a decommissioned cheese factory in the US city of Bentonville, Arkansas, into a multidisciplinary space for visual, performing and culinary artists. The Momentary was opened at the end of February as a satellite location of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which is also in Bentonville. The 63,000sq ft (5,900sq m) facility was conceived with the aim of providing a unique cultural hub
Oak View Group's planned £350m arena will be one of Europe's biggest
by Stu Robarts | 10 Mar 2020
International sports and live entertainment company Oak View Group (OVG) has announced plans to build a £350m ($456m, €402m) arena in Manchester, UK, that will be the biggest in the country and one of the biggest in Europe. The arena is to be located in the Eastlands area of the city on the Etihad Campus, most of which belongs to City Football Group, who own Manchester City and "with the
Descending “theatre machine” transforms clothes store into mixology bar
by Stu Robarts | 10 Mar 2020
Visual Display have created a clothing store in Milan, Italy, that transforms into a bar at night with a lighting feature that descends from the ceiling to become a display case and counter. The space, which opened in January, is described as a "concept store with a fluid and unexpected identity" that combines a mixology bar, café and a clothing store. During the day, the store sells men's and women's
Oppenheim Architecture's Bahamas eco-resort will bring guests closer to nature
by Stu Robarts | 09 Mar 2020
Oppenheim Architecture are creating an environmentally sustainable eco-resort in the Bahamas that is aimed at providing a secluded retreat for guests while helping them to develop a deeper connection with nature. illa Bimini will cover 40ac (16ha) along a 9,000ft (2,750m) stretch of coastline on Rockwell Island and is described as "a holistic community where every element is designed to blur the boundary between architecture and the landscape". The design
Studio RHE to create subterranean mixed-use destination in "former MI5 bunker"
by Stu Robarts | 09 Mar 2020
Studio RHE is converting a 1.5ac (0.6ha) underground bunker that developer General Projects suggests may once have been occupied by MI5 into a subterranean mixed-use destination. Located in Vauxhall, London, Storybox will provide 58,000sq ft (5,400sq m) of flexible space for creative industries workspaces, as well as occupiers like pod hotels, urban farms, R&D labs and fitness clubs. It has been designed with cultural, educational and research bodies in mind
Construction begins on longest cycling bridge in Europe
by Stu Robarts | 09 Mar 2020
Construction has begun on a bicycle and pedestrian bridge connecting the areas of Blauwestad and Winschoten in the Netherlands that, at 800m (2,600ft), will be the longest cycling bridge in Europe. Designed by Nol Molenaar, the Blauwe Loper (literally, 'the Blue Carpet') will span part of the Oldambtmeer artificial lake, the Winschoterdiep canal, the A7 road and a nature reserve, providing users with a variety of views. It was conceived
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features
"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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