Heathrow Airport, London's Terminal 2 has closed to allow the construction of a £1bn replacement. Work is expected to start in the new year and the new terminal - to be the base for the 25 airlines making up the Star Alliance network - is scheduled to open in 2014. Construction will be by HETco consortium, led by Laing O'Rourke and Ferrovial Aggroman, while the project architect is Foster and

Work has begun on the new US$185m Perot Museum of Science & Nature in Dallas, Texas. The museum’s new home, designed by Thom Mayne of LA-based architects Morphosis, is being built at Victory Park in downtown Dallas. Chair of the museum’s board, Frank-Paul King, said: “The groundbreaking of the Perot Museum of Nature & Science is the next major milestone toward opening the doors to a world-class facility, one designed

The University of California Berkeley in the US has scrapped its US$143m plans for a new museum. The plans to build a new home for its Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive were designed by Tokyo-based architect Toyo Ito, but the university has not been able to raise the funds. The school only managed to raise about US$81m of the US$200m target and blamed the economic downturn. However, the

Ritz-Carlton is opening the world's tallest hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong, in 2010. The 1,574-foot (480-metre) high building will comprise around 300 bedrooms and suites, three restaurants, an ESPA spa and fitness centre, a rooftop swimming pool and meeting areas. Built on the top floors of the International Commerce Centre (ICC), the hotel will also feature 360-degree panoramic views of Victoria Harbor.

One of four disused gasholders in King's Cross, London, is set to undergo a major £2.5m makeover after designs drawn up by architects Bell Phillips + Kimble were selected for the scheme. The London-based practice was selected from a shortlist of five firms following the King's Cross Central Gasholder No. 8 design competition, which aims to transform the Grade II-listed structure situated to the south of the Regent's Canal. Bell

Interiors and theming company Mivan has secured two major museum fit-out projects - the new £4.4m Glasgow Riverside Museum contract and a £1.6m project at the Museum of the Order of St John in Clerkenwell, London. The Glasgow project will be Mivan's largest assignment since it worked on the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar and the company will be supplying and installing a range of exhibition systems, street

BRC Imagination Arts, the US design firm, has won contracts for several global visitor attractions, including two pavilions at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China. BRC will be designing the USA Pavilion and the Information & Communications Pavilions for the Expo. Two US projects comprise master planning work and exhibition updates at Kennedy Space Centre - including the Exploration Space exhibit that is due to open early next year

Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth, Minnesota, US, is developing a master plan for the future. The Zoological Society - with funding from the State Legislature's Legacy Amendment Arts and Culture Heritage Fund - has commissioned Studio Hanson/Roberts, the zoological planning and design consultants to develop the plan. One of the priorities of the plan will be a strategy to regain accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and to

Plans have been unveiled for a major £400m redevelopment of Lord's cricket ground in St John's Wood, London, which are designed to reaffirm the venue's reputation as the home of cricket. The development proposals have been drawn up by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron - the firm behind the Beijing National Stadium, China, which was used for the 2008 Olympic Games. According to The Times newspaper, the Vision for

Raffles Hotels and Resorts is set to manage a new luxury hotel in the holy Islamic city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Located in the Abraj Al Bait Complex, the 198-bedroom Raffles Makkah Palace will include a cafe, an ice-creamery, a chocolate parlour and the Levantine Restaurant. An outdoor dining terrace will overlook the holiest site in Islam - the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque). Health and fitness facilities will include

Aberdeen City Council (ACC) has appointed Glasgow-based Gareth Hoskins Architects (GHA) to draw up plans for a major revamp of Aberdeen Art Gallery ahead of the venue's 125th anniversary in 2010. GHA will now create a design study for the scheme, which will be financed by the Marguerite McBey Trust - set up in 2001 to distribute a bequest left to help fund a range of projects promoting contemporary art.

London-based restauranteurs, the Galvin Brothers, are set to launch their latest venture - Galvin La Chapelle and Café de Luxe - at the capital's Spital Square on 18 November. The new venture includes the Galvin La Chapelle restaurant, which is housed within the converted 19th century, Grade II-listed St Botolph's Hall dating back to the 19th century and boasting 30m (98.4ft)-high ceilings. Meanwhile, Café de Luxe will act as an

Restaurant operator D&D London has unveiled plans to develop its first hotel after securing a deal with property company Frogmore for a new 80-bedroom property in Moorgate, London. The 72,000sq ft (6,689sq m) boutique property will be designed by architects Allies and Morrison, while Conran and Partners - owned by D&D London's majority shareholder Sir Terence Conran - will design the hotel's interior. A ground floor bar and grill, a

Aldar Properties has announced the completion of the external structure of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Located on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, the new retail, leisure and entertainment destination and host venue for the inaugural Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will reportedly be the world's largest indoor theme park and the first ever Ferrari theme park when it opens in 2010. The red roof of the

A new campaign has been launched to safeguard the historic Aveling and Porter building in Strood, Kent, which is set to make way for a new riverside development. Medway Council is seeking to demolish the Edwardian building in order to allow for the construction of a new retail and residential scheme on the site, which is located on the banks of the River Medway. However, campaign group SAVE Britain's Heritage

The Lighthouse in Glasgow is set to remain as Scotland's national centre for architecture after the Scottish Government stepped in to safeguard three of the venue's programmes. In August, increasing financial losses forced The Lighthouse Trust to call in the administrators, despite receiving a funding package from Glasgow City Council (GCC) and the Scottish Government. Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS) will now be responsible for staff working on three government-funded

Rockwell Group Europe has teamed up with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide to design the W Paris-Opéra, W Hotels' first property in France. Diego Gronda, managing and creative director of RGe - the Madrid office of New York's Rockwell Group - is leading the design team, with the project scheduled to open on 1 February, 2011. Owned by Barcelona-based Meridia Capital, the hotel occupies an 1870s Haussman-era building situated across

Lancashire County Cricket Club (LCCC) has submitted plans for a major £200m redevelopment of the Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester to the local authority. Trafford Council is now set to consider the development proposals, which form part of a wider sports-led regeneration project aimed at transforming a 50-acre (20-hectare) surrounding the venue. Construction company Morgan Ashurst has already commenced work on the first stage of the stadium redevelopment, which

A new landmark tower structure - comprising a "cloud" of transparent spheres to display images and information - could be built in London to celebrate the hosting of the 2012 Olympics. Initially earmarked for the Olympic Park, a number of other sites across the city are now being explored for The Cloud, which has been designed by a team of engineers, architects and artists. The Cloud would boast an observation

A 160m (525ft) wave-shaped roof structure has been lowered into place as part of the Zaha Hadid-designed London 2012 Aquatics Centre at the Olympic Park. The venue, which will act as the gateway to the Olympic Park in Stratford, will boast two 50m swimming pools, a 25m diving pool and a dry diving area for community and elite use after the 2012 Games. Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chief executive David

A campaign group has submitted a formal complaint to Cornwall Council over claims the authority had "misled" local residents over the proposed redevelopment of Penzance Harbour. According to the Friends of Penzance Harbour (FPH), parts of the multi-million pound plans to develop a ferry and freight terminal would not be subject to the full planning process as a result of the Penzance Harbour Revision Order. In a statement, a spokesperson

A former swimming pool and a hotel in Edinburgh, as well as a centre for the arts and creative industries in Glasgow, have been shortlisted for one of the UK's most prestigious architecture prizes. The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has shortlisted 11 schemes for the Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award 2009, which is due to be announced on 20 November. Among the shortlisted projects is

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct near Wrexham, North Wales, is set to undergo a makeover in a bid to mark its designation as a World Heritage Site earlier this year. The structure's 1,007ft (307m) iron trough lining is to be drained and cleaned in preparation for the 2010 visitor season, allowing for a four-day inspection to be carried out. Work on the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal Project will be carried out as the

Work has started on the £48m redevelopment of the Rose Bowl stadium near Southampton, which aims to transform the venue into a leading international cricket venue. Two new stands - designed by EPR Architects in conjunction with The Miller Partnership - will be constructed either side of the existing pavilion as part of the project in order to increase the venue's permanent capacity to 15,000. Due for completion in April

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide has announced the opening of the first of its Aloft brand hotels in the Middle East, the Aloft Abu Dhabi. The new hotel is linked directly to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), a development consisting of premium office towers, luxury hotels and residences, restaurants, shopping and a marina. Featuring 408 loft-like rooms, the hotel's facilities include the re:mix communal lobby area and w

Bristol City Football Club's (BCFC) plans for the development of a new multi-million pound stadium at Ashton Vale have been handed a boost by the local authority. Planning officials at Bristol City Council (BCC) have been minded to approve the scheme, which includes the 30,000-seat venue, a hotel and part of a housing scheme on the Alderman Moores allotments site. However, the development proposals could face a £5.5m shortfall after

Sheffield United Football Club (SUFC) has been given planning permission for the redevelopment of the South Stand at its Bramall Lane stadium by Sheffield City Council (SCC). The scheme will include an additional tier of seating in the South Stand, which will complement the club's proposed redevelopment of the Kop stand in a bid to increase the venue's capacity to around 44,000 spectators. New purpose-built exhibition and conference facilities, additional