Designed by Rotterdam-based Ooze Architects, a naturally filtered swimming pool is under construction in the heart of London’s King’s Cross redevelopment. Ooze Architects, working in collaboration with Slovenia-based artist Marjetica Potrc, have come together to create the freshwater pond. The structure will be 10m (32ft) wide and 40m (131ft) long. Completely chemical free, the pool, which will be used for swimming and outdoor activities, will be surrounded by a green

HKS Architects have unveiled plans for a US$1.86bn (€1.69m, £1.2bn) dual-team NFL stadium to house the St Louis Rams and one other team as the NFL sees Los Angeles as a two-team market. According to the Los Angeles Times, Rams owner Stan Kroenke and representatives of HKS met with NFL officials to discuss the plans, with latest renderings showing a light metallic, wave-shaped structure with a roof surrounding the stadium

FaulknerBrowns have announced they will design the ‘Beacon of Light’, a sport, wellness and education facility in Sunderland UK. The building will be the permanent home for football club Sunderland AFC (SAFC). The Beacon of Light project is backed by the club's Foundation of Light charity and will be the first of its kind, incorporating sport, health and education in one facility. The site, next to the Stadium of Light

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) looks to be reconsidering plans by David Morley Architects for the £200m redevelopment of the Nursery End at Lord’s cricket ground in London, with members seemingly more focused on a £200m redevelopment of the ground’s south-west corner and Warner Stand. Members will vote on the £21m regeneration of the 60-year-old Warner Stand in September, with the development featuring a semi-translucent roof on a new 2,922-capacity stand,

Following an epic week at MIPIM, the 25th MIPIM Award winners were announced last night- 12 March. Leisure architecture once again proved to be a frontrunner, with five leisure buildings being recognised. •Center Parcs Woburn Forest, designed by Holder Mathias Architects, in Bedfordshire UK, won the Best Hotel & Tourism Resort Award. Since it’s opening back summer of 2014, Centre Parcs has been causing a stir in the spa world,

MIPIM 2015 has nearly reached its climax and the annual Architectural Review Future Project Awards have been announced. Once again, leisure projects are showcasing some of the best new architecture globally. The overall winner of the Architectural Review Future Project Award was given to the ‘Hanging Courtyards’ The Urban Design of Qing Xiang Historical Cultural Block in Changzhou (China) - Southeast University. The scheme used sustainable techniques as well as

Under the umbrella of Kenya Vision 2030, The DLR Group have released designs for a 30,000 seat stadium for Kenyatta University, near Nairobi, Kenya. Currently at the concept phase, DLR Group have carried out masterplanning, sustainable consulting and architecture services for the scheme so far. Kenya's Ministry of Sports, Culture and Arts intends for 20 new stadia to be built by 2030, and DLR’s proposed scheme fits the bill. Situated

Bjarke Ingels, in conjunction with Rebuild by Design, has laid out plans for ‘The Dryline’ – a leisure-oriented storm barrier for New York City. Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, where more than US$19bn (€17.9bn, £12.6bn) of damage was inflicted on New York, Rebuild by Design – a federally-funded initiative, which is part of the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force and the US Department of Housing and

Following a lengthy competition process, Foster + Partners has been chosen to be the lead architect for the Lusail Stadium, the centrepiece of the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar. Working in conjunction with stadium specialists Populous and ARUP on the project, the Foster + Partners-designed stadium will be located in Lusail City, north of Doha, and will have a capacity of around 85,000. It's expected that the stadium will

Milwaukee Bucks basketball team has appointed a group of architects including sports specialist Populous, and Wisconsin-based HNTB and Eppstein Uhen, to begin developing designs for a new sports and entertainment complex in downtown Milwaukee. “Wisconsin deserves a world-class sports and entertainment destination that embraces Milwaukee’s architecture and incorporates innovative elements from across the globe,” said Bucks co-owner Wes Edens. “We are confident that this team has the expertise to create

A quintet of Manchester United legends led by Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs have unveiled their latest trophy this week – the world’s first ever Hotel Football in Manchester, UK. The 8,000sq m (86,111sq ft) building – designed by AEW Architects – incorporates a 133-bedroom hotel with public space for fans and spectators, plus a new Café Football – boasting a menu designed by two Michelin star chef, Michael Wignall.

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, London, UK, has been given the green light to build a new 56,250-capacity stadium after winning its High Court battle against the sole business standing in the way of its redevelopment. Plans for the £400m (US$644m, €498m) stadium, being built next to Tottenham’s current home of White Hart Lane, were challenged by landowner Archway Sheet Metal Works at the High Court because of a compulsory purchase

Belatchew Architects have revealed designs for a bike garage in the centre of Stockholm, Sweden, to cater for the city's growing ranks of cyclists: it will have parking facilities for up to 700 bikes. The project – still in the early stages – will be built on a site next to a major train station. The garage will also act as a community space, with cafés, repair shops and social

Sport, museum, culture, recreation and mixed use schemes all feature on the shortlist for this year’s Designs of the Year award. Of 76 nominated projects, representing the work of the best global design talent, an overwhelming number are leisure-related. Organised by the Design Museum, London, the Designs of the Year awards have been running for the past eight years. Awards are presented in six categories; architecture, digital, fashion, product, graphic

London-based architecture practice Brisac Gonzalez has received planning permission for a multi-million dollar mixed-use project in Paris, France. Developer Paris Habitat – France’s biggest public housing agency – is building the residential and leisure complex in the 17th arrondissement of Paris in Clichy-Batignolles. It’s part of the first phase of a wider urban development project where a new 54-hectare (133-acre) eco-district is being constructed on the former railway site of

Qatar will host the inaugural International Stadium Construction Expo (QISC) this June. The event will act as a meeting point for companies and organisations looking to bid for projects in the region – such as those relating to the FIFA 2022 World Cup and the Qatari government’s wider Vision 2030 programme of investment. Organised by Pavilion Exhibitions & Conferences (PEC), QISC will take place from 7 to 10 June 2015.

A consortium of architecture and design firms has been chosen to design a £15m (€20m, US$22m) redevelopment of the RDS Arena in Dublin, Ireland. International architecture firm Grimshaw has been paired with local practice Newenham Mulligan to carry out the overhaul of the arena, following an international design competition run by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI). Situated south of Dublin city centre, the RDS arena it a

North American Soccer League (NASL) franchise Indy Eleven has revealed detailed plans for a US$82m stadium in its home city of Indianapolis, Indiana, US. Designed by Populous, the 18,500-capacity venue will be designed as a multi-use facility and is expected to host at least 50 events annually. Indy Eleven will serve as the venue’s primary tenant, anchoring the stadium with at least 20 games per year. In addition, a professional

Work has started on a £25m (US$37m, €33m) community and leisure centre in Harrow, North London. Planning was granted back in 2010 for the project, which seeks to create a 5,000sq m (53,820sq ft) centre, acting as a ‘cultural embassy’ for Harrow’s community. London and Barcelona-based Mangera Yvars Architects is the firm behind the project. The practice originally set out to provide a space where people of any faith could

Italian club AC Milan is considering proposals to leave its current San Siro stadium and build a new 48,000-capacity stadium in the city. The club has teamed up sports architects Arup – designers of Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena and the National (Bird's Nest) Stadium in Beijing – and revealed plans for a large-scale development in the Portello area of the city. As well as a new stadium, plans include a

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has announced finalised plans for a new cycle superhighway in the UK capital. After what Johnson called “one of the the biggest consultation exercises in Transport for London’s (TfL’s) history”, plans have been given the green light by the mayor, who has pledged £913m (€1,222m, US$1,386m) towards getting Londoners back on their bikes. The scheme will create Europe’s longest segregated urban cycle way through central

Launching in April, an online crowdfunding campaign is looking for £250,000 (US$383,425, €336,544) to make outdoor swimming in London’s Thames a reality. Plans for an outdoor swimming pool, known as the Thames Baths, have been in the works for a while. Originally designed for a competition “London As It Could Be Now” in early 2014, architecture practice Studio Octopi came up with the initial outline for the project. The practice,

Bill Hellmuth, president of global architecture practice HOK is “excited” by the firm’s recent re-entry into the sports sector. Speaking to Sports Management, Hellmuth said the acquisition of sports specialist 360 Architecture, which will form part of a new global practice called HOK Sports + Recreation + Entertainment, has “filled a void” in HOK’s operations. “It’s great to be back in sports,” he said. “It’s a piece of our practice

American football team the Atlanta Falcons has released details its new US$1.4bn (E1.2bn, £922m) 83,000-seat stadium, which will open in downtown Atlanta in 2017. The unique multi-use stadium features an eight-petal retractable roof – a first for any venue of this type – as well as the world’s largest 360 degree HD video screen, which will be viewable from every seat. Also included is an exterior 61,000sq ft (5,600sq m)

Global engineering and design company HOK is returning to sports facility design for the first time since 2008, after completing a deal to acquire Kansas City, US-based sports architects 360 Architecture. The deal is part of HOK’s strategy to expand its footprint in the sports sector and forms a central part of HOK’s new Sports + Recreation + Entertainment practice. Patrick MacLeamy, HOK’s chair and CEO, said: “We acquired 360

Castleford Tigers CEO Steve Gill has said the weather damage caused to Wheldon Road stadium last weekend highlights the club’s “great need” to find a new home. The Super League club was forced to close its Princess Street stand for Sunday's match against Bradford after a retaining wall collapsed. The 4,000-capacity stand will remain closed for Tigers’ next two pre-season games against Widnes and York. Gill said the ageing Wheldon

Scunthorpe United Football Club (SUFC) has submitted a planning application to the North Lincolnshire Council for a new £18m stadium located west of Scunthorpe. The 12,000-seater stadium is set to be developed as part of the mixed-use Lincolnshire Lakes project – which is spearheaded by Lucent Group and will include 3,500 new houses, a commercial park, a school and a transport hub. The designs and masterplan for the stadium have