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

Image: A new entrance is planned for the theatre Scottish Opera has announced the start of work on an £11.5m redevelopment of Glasgow's historic Theatre Royal, which will provide "much-needed" new public spaces at the venue. It is hoped the redevelopment will be completed in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, with Glasgow-based architects PagePark behind the design of the new-look Theatre Royal. Plans feature a new entrance on the

Image: S&P Architects designed the £20m stadium Rotherham United Football Club (RUFC) has returned to its home town in South Yorkshire after a four year absence, with the new £20m New York Stadium hosting its first match. Although the 12,000-seat venue was not at full capacity for a friendly against Barnsley on 21 July, the club confirmed it will be fully complete in time for the start of the 2012-13

Image: Facilities include a 60-station fitness suite Waverley Borough Council (WBC) has announced the opening of a new £6m Godalming Leisure Centre in Surrey, which has been unveiled just over a year after work first started. ISG was responsible for delivering the Pozzoni -designed facility, which is operated by DC Leisure and houses a 60-station gym - 40 of which are cardiovascular equipment. The rest of the first-floor fitness suite

Image: One of the revamped Garden Wing bedrooms A new CHI-branded spa is to open at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore in October as part of the wider SG$66m (US$53.1m, EUR43m, £34.1m) revamp of the property's Garden Wing. Further details regarding the spa are yet to be revealed, although it will become the first CHI, The Spa in Singapore when it opens. Maps Design have worked on the new Garden Wing. Located

Image: Duncan Hendry/Richard Lewis at King's Theatre City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) has unveiled the new-look King's Theatre following the completion of an initial £2.6m refurbishment of the historic cultural venue. Historic Scotland and The Nancie Massey Trust funded the project in conjunction with the local authority, with work starting in September 2011 and including "essential" repairs. Structural engineers Will Rudd; mechanical and electrical engineers Rybka; and architects Smith Scott

Image: The project is part of the new cultural district Five design teams have been shortlisted for the Xiqu Centre - the first of 17 proposed new landmark buildings forming part of the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong. Due for completion by 2016, the arts complex is to be built on a site on the eastern edge of the district and will incorporate a 1,100-seat main theatre and