Image: The Rijksmuseum first opened in July 1885 Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum has announced it will open its doors to the public in April 2013 following the completion of a renovation and restoration programme lasting nearly 10 years. The new-look attraction will explore the history of the Netherlands from the Middle Ages to the present, with the EUR375m (US$471m, £297m) project led by architects Cruz y Ortiz. First opened in July 1885,

Image: The project is on time and on budget Kirkcaldy's new multi-million pound leisure centre is "on target" to open to the public in July 2013, with work on the building's steel structure now having been completed. Graham Construction is responsible for delivering the project, with B3 Architects acting as lead consultant and joint architects with Cre8 Architecture. Work started earlier this year. It is anticipated the new Kirkcaldy Leisure

Image: Rem Koolhaas The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has named Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas as the recipient of the 2012 Jencks Award. The Jencks Award is given annually to an individual (or practice) that has recently made a major contribution internationally to both the theory and practice of architecture. Koolhaas founded OMA (Office of Metropolitan Architecture) in Rotterdam in 1975 and his buildings include the Kunsthal Museum in

Image: Plans include a community space in the basement Detailed plans drawn up by London-based Andrzej Blonski Architects for the £7m redevelopment of the Theatre Royal in Plymouth have been revealed. The redevelopment will see the re-cladding of the building which will improve energy efficiency by up to 40 per cent; an extension to the front of the building allowing level access; and a new box office, shop and café

Image: FaulknerBrowns Architects designed the arena Multi-million pound plans to build a new velodrome and sports centre near Derby's Pride Park Stadium have been given the green light by the Environmental Agency. In a statement, the organisation said it was satisfied with the plans to build the centre on a former landfill site. The approval clears the final hurdle for the £28m facility, which will include a 250m cycling track.

Image: A 2,000sq m spa is among the hotel facilities The Rezidor Hotel Group has opened a new 252-bedroom Radisson Blu-branded property amid the Carpathian Mountains at the western Ukraine ski and spa resort of Bukovel. Among the facilities at the new Radisson Blu Resort, Bukovel is a 2,000sq m (21,528sq ft) spa and wellness facility offering a full range of treatments using Anne Semonin products. Led by Yana Shchebelskaya,

Image: The new hotel's 18m indoor swimming pool The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company - a fully-owned subsidiary of Marriott International - has opened its first hotel in Austria and ninth in Europe on Vienna's Schubertring Boulevard. Verny Capital owns the new 202-bedroom Ritz-Carlton, Vienna, which features a 1,000sq m (10,764sq ft) Guerlain Spa among its facilities - the first Guerlain-branded spa in Austria. The boutique spa incorporates six treatment rooms -

Image: The Granite Web concept was chosen for the CGP Members of Aberdeen City Council (ACC) have voted in favour of abandoning the planned City Garden Project (CGP) in favour of "alternative proposals" for the city's regeneration. The Granite Web concept - involving the raising of Union Terrace Gardens to street level - was rejected by 22 councillors, with 20 voting in favour and one abstaining. Earlier this year, it

A topping out ceremony is being held today (29 August) to mark the latest milestone in the £5.6m restoration of Newbridge Memorial Hall - the historic arts venue in South Wales. Seddon Construction started work on the overhaul in January, with Alwyn Jones Architects designing the restoration of the Grade II*-listed 'Memo' and the Grade II-listed Institute. Both buildings were built with contributions from local miners, with the Institute opening

Image: India's first So SPA is among the facilities Sofitel Luxury Hotels has announced the opening of its new Indian flagship property at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai's financial district - the Sofitel Mumbai BKC. The 302-bedroom hotel has been designed by US-based BBGM, with interior designs from Singapore's Miaja Design Group creating a contemporary French atmosphere. Among the facilities is India's first So SPA by Sofitel, which

Image: Meis' work includes Los Angeles' new NFL stadium Woods Bagot has announced that sports and entertainment architect Dan Meis has been appointed global director of its new design group, Woods Bagot Sport. In his new role, Meis will expand his Los Angeles, US-based team to incorporate design and technical experts located in New York, US; London, UK; and Sydney, Australia. The new group will continue with Meis' current projects,

A design team has been appointed to work on the construction of a new 60,000-seat national stadium for football and athletics on a 60-hectare (148-acre) site in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Designsport and the Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) have been appointed to design the venue in conjunction with Ethiopia-based JDAW Consulting. Construction work is due to start in 2014, with the development also to comprise an athletics track; an aquatic

Image: Work is expected to start later this year New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced new funding towards New York Aquarium's new Ocean Wonders: Sharks! development in Coney Island, US. Bloomberg - along with Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) president and CEO Cristián Samper - also unveiled designs for the project, which have been drawn up by The Portico Group. The city's Public Design Commission backed plans for the

Image: Facilities include indoor and outdoor relaxation areas The Lagoon Spa at The Laguna resort in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, has reopened following a complete redesign and upgrading of its facilities. The spa now spreads across 900sq m (9,700sq ft) and includes eight treatment rooms; extensive wet areas; two outdoor spa pools; and indoor and outdoor relaxation areas - including tropical gardens. Spa design firm A.W. LAKE Spa Concepts completed

Image: Squash courts will be among the new facilities A second stage of development work has now commenced at Aston University's Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre in a bid to further enhance the institution's sporting provision. Speller Metcalfe has been awarded the £3.2m contract to complete a final phase of structural works at the Grade II-listed building, as well as to build a new facility linked to the centre. The

Image: The roof will boast a 'sports landscape' Chinese design practice Bin Lu Architecture (BLUA) has completed work on a new urban concept masterplan for the development of a new sports complex in west Hangzhou. Plans for the 72,700sq m (782,536sq ft) Hangzhou Civic Sports Center scheme have been drawn up on behalf of Hangzhou Sports Development Group. The development - inspired by the Olympic flame - has also involved

Westin Hotels and Resorts has announced the launch of a new nature-inspired public space concept, which it believes will serve as a "modern-day oasis" for guests at its properties. The concept has been premièred at Westin Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, US, and is to be rolled out to other participating international hotels throughout 2013. Westin's in-house design team took inspiration from NASA research in developing the new concept, which

A turf-cutting ceremony has marked the start of construction work on a £2.3m waterfront park between the ferry landing and the Customs House in South Shields. South Tyneside Council is joint funding the work alongside the Homes and Communities Agency, with Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering appointed to deliver the project. Grant Associates have drawn up designs for Harton Quays Park, which will include green space, refreshment facilities and an amphitheatre.

The proposed development of a new multi-million pound sports and entertainment arena near Derby's Pride Park stadium has moved forward. Members of Derby City Council's (DCC) cabinet have approved the appointment of Bowmer and Kirkland as the preferred contractor for the scheme, with Morgan Sindall named as reserve contractor. The Derbyshire-based firm held off competition from four rival bidders for the contract, which included BAM, Galliford Try and Interserve. Designed

Plans to build a new £10.7m Dunfermline Museum and Art Gallery have been given the green light by the City of Dunfermline Area Committee. A public consultation will now begin on the plans which have been designed by architecture firm Richard Murphy Associates in partnership with Fife Council. Plans for the building include a landscaped entrance for the combined library, museum and art gallery and purpose-built museum exhibition and gallery

Image: The Trocadero will house the LDN pod hotel Plans for a Japanese-style pod hotel and rooftop bar at London's historic Trocadero complex have been approved by Westminster City Council (WCC). The council's planning committee gave the green light to Criterion Capital's plans for the hotel, which will offer accommodation in 583 bedrooms measuring between 9sq m and 17sq m (97sq ft and 183sq ft). Plans to create a 495-bedroom

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) has moved forward with efforts to offload the site of the town's existing leisure centre at Majuba Road and Lobster Road. It comes as specialist drilling machinery returns to the site of a replacement facility, which is being built as part of a new £31m leisure, business support and community complex. Members of the council's cabinet resolved to proceed with a marketing process detailed

Image: Bolliger and Mabillard designed GateKeeper Cedar Park - the amusement park and resort in Sandusky, Ohio, US - has announced plans to build one of the longest winged rollercoasters in the world ahead of its 2013 season. GateKeeper is currently scheduled to debut in May and will feature one of the longest drops of any winged coaster in the world, with the ride spanning 3.5 acres (1.4 hectares). Swiss

A new independent design panel has been established by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to shape the future of the capital's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The LLDC will be taking on planning powers for the entire site, as well as the surrounding areas, from October and will be supported by the 16-member Quality Review Panel. English Heritage adviser Peter Studdert will chair the panel, which will test the fundamental

Image: The new gym has 60 exercise stations Work has begun on a £400,000 refurbishment of Putney Leisure Centre in West London. The revamp is funded by DC Leisure, which manages the leisure centre on behalf of Wandsworth Council. The revamp includes includes new CV equipment for the kinetika gym, which will feature 60 stations from Precor's next generation Experience Series, including treadmills, crosstrainers, upright and recumbent bikes, as well

Image: the resort spa will have 40 treatment rooms IMC Octave - the real estate and hospitality arm of Singapore-based diversified company IMC Group - has started work on a 28,000sq m (301,389sq ft) wellness retreat resort at Yangcheng Lake just outside of Shanghai, China. Due to open in early 2015, the 90-bedroom property is being designed by US-based Tsao and McKown Architects and will include a 6,000sq m (64,583sq