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Geometric, inclusive temple chosen for Burning Man 2020
by Stu Robarts | 29 Jan 2020
Burning Man Arts have chosen a design by Laurence "Renzo" Verbeck and Sylvia Adrienne Lisse that is rooted in geometry and inclusivity for this year's Temple installation. The design is named after Empyrean, which is said to be the region just beyond the physical realm that is the highest point of wisdom, where humanity can interact with the divine and the birthplace of fire. The Empyrean Temple takes the form
Denver Art Museum to unveil new OMA-designed galleries
by Stu Robarts | 28 Jan 2020
Around 10,000sq ft (930sq m) of new galleries, designed by OMA, will be unveiled on 6th June as part of a phased reopening of the Denver Art Museum 's newly renovated, Gio Ponti -designed Martin Building. The work is part of a project led by Machado Silvetti and Fentress Architects to update elements of the museum and to reunify its campus. By horizontally bisecting the museum’s original Stanton Gallery, OMA
Geelong Arts Centre dons new skin and old church after Hassell redevelopment
by Stu Robarts | 24 Jan 2020
Geelong Arts Centre has reopened after a AU$38.5m (US$26,3m, €23.9m, £20.1m) redevelopment by Hassell, with a new translucent skin and a newly revealed heritage church building. The centre is located in the Australian state of Victoria, where it is the only state-owned arts centre outside of Melbourne. Following Geelong's designation as a UNESCO Creative City in 2017, it was felt that the centre needed upgrading to serve the city's "growing
Schmidt Hammer Lassen design hybrid library-theatre for Skien
by Stu Robarts | 23 Jan 2020
A team led by Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL) is one of two left in the running to create a new library in Skien, Norway, with a hybrid design that will allow visitors to experience the work and influence of Henrik Ibsen. The Ibsen Library is being established to drive increased social involvement and democratic participation in the region, to become a visitor attraction and to honour the legacy of the
NL Architects create "cultural department store" in Groningen
by Stu Robarts | 21 Jan 2020
NL Architects and ABT have created what they describe as a "new type of public space" in Groningen, Netherlands, filled with books, images, exhibition spaces, movie halls, assembly rooms and restaurants. The design for Forum Groningen was first developed for a competition run by the local municipality in 2006, running out the winner. It has now finally been brought to fruition, with a form that is at once monolithic, carefully
Reiulf Ramstad Architects create steel installations along former railway
by Stu Robarts | 20 Jan 2020
Reiulf Ramstad Architects have created a series of steel installations along a trail that follows the former Rosheim-St Nabor railway in Alsace, France. The Chemin des Carrières – literally the Quarries Path – stretches for 11km (7mi), joining a number of formerly industrial quarry sites. The installations have been created at five sites along the route, with each conceived to tell its own story. At Rosheim, intertwined sculptural circles of
RMJM Shanghai's Xiangjiang Gate elegantly mixes heritage with a modern aesthetic
by Stu Robarts | 17 Jan 2020
RMJM Shanghai has won a competition to design a monument for the Hengyang in Hunan Province, China, with a design aimed at reflecting the city's status as a fast-evolving tech hub as well as its cultural heritage. The Xiangjiang Gate will comprise two bipedal towers that curve up from their feet and rise gracefully together to 177m (581ft), joining and torquing at their midriffs, before separating again at the top.
Aurelien Chen pavilion reimagines the mountains, forest, clouds and water of Chinese landscape
by Stu Robarts | 16 Jan 2020
Aurelien Chen has created a pavilion in China that reimagines the traditional Chinese landscape of mountains, forest, clouds and water. The 350sq m (3,770sq ft) Dragon Mountain Landmark Pavilion, so-called because of its location in Zhulongshan – literally Dragon Mountain, was created to draw the attention to the entrance of the Dragon Mountain Natural site. Described by Chen as "an ethereal and abstract version of a traditional Chinese landscape", the
Jora Vision to design Alexander Pushkin literary theme park in Russia
by Andy Knaggs | 14 Jan 2020
Jora Vision have created a masterplan and concept designs for a new Russian theme park inspired by the literary poems and fairy tales of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. Pushkin is considered by many to be the greatest Russian poet and the founder of modern Russian literature. His fairy tales, which centre around an imaginary land called "Lukomorye", have entertained children for hundreds of years. Now, Svetoch LLC, a company based in
Gad Line+ Studio create "floating cloud" reading room in the mountains
by Stu Robarts | 13 Jan 2020
Gad Line+ Studio have created a reading space in China that resembles a cloud floating in its rocky mountain surroundings. Jiunvfeng Study is situated on Mount Tai in Daiyue District, Tai’an City, and has a footprint of 287sq m (3,100sq ft). The building is constructed on a stone plinth, curving with the shape of the mountain to create two bulbous ends joined by a more sinuous midriff. Flowing floor-to-ceiling windows
Heneghan Peng Architects-designed Grand Egyptian Museum to open at end of 2020
by Andy Knaggs | 13 Jan 2020
The Grand Egyptian Museum, designed by Heneghan Peng Architects, has finally been given an opening date, with one of the year's biggest cultural openings now scheduled to open in the final quarter of 2020. Construction of the museum began in 2006 but was delayed by the 2011 revolution in Egypt. Around 90 per cent of construction work is now complete, though, and all of the planned artefact transfers to the
SHoP Architects urban farm doubles as a cultural hub
by Stu Robarts | 10 Jan 2020
SHoP Architects has designed an urban farm and cultural hub for Washington, DC, that is aimed at providing an economic driver, a community resource and a space for events. The Well at Oxon Run is being created for local food justice organisation DC Greens, which sourced a new location following the closure of another urban farm it was running in 2018. It will see the transformation of an underutilised 50,000sq
Sun, kaleidoscope and noodle installations win Winter Stations 2020
by Stu Robarts | 08 Jan 2020
Installations inspired by the sun, a kaleidoscope and noodles have won Toronto's sixth annual Winter Stations design competition, via which the city's lifeguard stations are transformed into thought-provoking pieces of pop-up art. Winter Stations was conceived by RAW Design, Ferris + Associates and Curio as a way to encourage Toronto residents and visitors to visit the city's beaches during the winter, to experience artworks and to make new connections with
Atelier Tao+C create stunning capsule hotel and library in old Chinese building
by Stu Robarts | 07 Jan 2020
Atelier Tao+C have renovated an old building in the Chinese town of Tonglu to create a capsule hotel and library with floating floors, bamboo bookshelves and a fully glazed gable end that provides views of the surrounding forest. The original floors and partition walls were removed from the 232sq m (2,500sq ft) structure and three staggered floating levels installed and linked with zigzagging metal staircases. On two of the levels
teamLab bring a world of immersive artworks to Macau
by Stu Robarts | 02 Jan 2020
Art collective teamLab, working with Sands Resorts Macao, are set to open a museum of immersive digital artworks in Macau, China, this February. teamLab SuperNature Macao is based on the collective's SuperNature concept, through which they create a world of interactive artworks aimed at blurring the boundaries between people’s bodies and art. The new attraction will be located at the Venetian Macao hotel in an expo hall covering an area
Winter Glow lights up historic Bruges via PWL's luminous walk-through experience
by Andy Knaggs | 01 Jan 2020
The historic Belgian city of Bruges has been illuminated with a 2km (1.2mi) walk-through lighting and visual experience for the festive "Wintergloed" (Winter Glow) season, using atmospheric light installations from Painting with Light (PWL). The company was commissioned by Bruges Plus, the organisation responsible for the city's cultural events, and has designed a series of ephemeral lighting and projection-mapped installations in six different areas, each inspired, according to PWL, by
Studio Studio Studio create mesh and cork fortress installation in Riyadh
by Stu Robarts | 26 Dec 2019
Studio Studio Studio, a new interdisciplinary collaboration lab founded by Edoardo Tresoldi, have created a 26m (85ft)-high pavilion from cork and mesh with intimate spaces and narrow paths that visitors can explore. Gharfa is part of the Diriyah Oasis temporary creative district in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh. Tresoldi aimed to create "a theatrical world where technique, reality, and illusion are all intertwined." Mesh has been used to sculpt
Steven Chilton Architects' bamboo forest theatre opens in China
by Stu Robarts | 24 Dec 2019
The Wuxi Taihu Show Theatre, designed by Steven Chilton Architects with a forest of bamboo-inspired columns around its perimeter, has opened in Jiangsu Province, China. Built to house a permanent water show by Franco Dragone, with its designs released last year, the 2,000-seat theatre was inspired by China's largest bamboo forest – the Sea of Bamboo Park in Yixing. The circular building is wrapped in a full-height glazed façade and
Moreau Kusunoki Architects to create cultural hyper-platform in Sydney
by Stu Robarts | 17 Dec 2019
Moreau Kusunoki Architects, working with local firm Genton, have won a competition to transform Sydney's Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences with a design aimed at challenging the perception of a conventional museum. The new Powerhouse Parramatta venue is envisaged as a multi-functional "hyper-platform" comprising seven flexible spaces that will allow the museum to host a variety of exhibitions and immersive experiences, as well as showcase its collection. Beyond its
Snøhetta's Xingtai Grand Theater provides a cultural cornerstone in Hebei Province
by Stu Robarts | 13 Dec 2019
Snøhetta have won a competition to create the Xingtai Grand Theater in China with a design that provides indoors and outdoors performance spaces, unites nearby cultural programmes and anchors a new masterplan for the region. The fast-growing city of Xingtai is one of a number in Hebei Province that is struggling to meet the demands of its development. The Grand Theater has been conceived as the cultural cornerstone of a
JKMM Architects to design new annexe for National Museum of Finland
by Stu Robarts | 12 Dec 2019
JKMM Architects have won a competition to create a new annexe for the National Museum of Finland with a disc-shaped, pavilion-like design that connects its interior with the museum's previously underused garden through floor-to-ceiling windows. The competition brief sought additional exhibition space and workshops, a new restaurant in the enclosed garden, improved accessibility and a new museum entrance. Called Atlas, JKMM's proposal was inspired by similar pavilion structures used in
OPEN Architecture's Chapel of Sound valley amphitheatre tops out
by Stu Robarts | 11 Dec 2019
OPEN Architecture's Chapel of Sound amphitheatre – designed for concerts and the appreciation of nature – has topped out at its site in a rocky valley at the foot of the Jinshanling Great Wall in Beijing municipality. The 790sq m (8,500sq ft) structure, the designs for which were revealed in February, houses an indoor-outdoor amphitheatre, an outdoor stage, viewing platforms and supporting spaces. It takes the appearance of a layered,
Hou de Sousa create "kaleidoscopic beacon" for New York plaza
by Stu Robarts | 11 Dec 2019
Hou de Sousa have created a playful, colourful installation for New York's Flatiron Public Plaza that filters its surroundings with shifting patterns, colour and light as people move around it. Ziggy was created for the annual Flatiron Public Plaza Holiday Design Competition, which has been running since 2014. The call for proposals sought a "highly visible temporary landmark" for what is a relatively small triangular site. The lightweight installation, described
Exhibitions begin at Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Arts Centre
by Stu Robarts | 06 Dec 2019
The first exhibition has opened at MICA, the contemporary art museum at the Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Arts Centre, which which was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA). ZHA says the 115,000sq m (1,240,000sq ft) centre is the largest and most versatile cultural centre in China's Hunan province, comprising three separate but complementary venues that each cater for a different use. The 1,800-seat Grand Theatre, which was completed in
State Library Victoria reopens after Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Architectus revamp
by Stu Robarts | 06 Dec 2019
State Library Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia, has reopened after being revamped by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Australian studio Architectus to expand its community outreach and enhance the visitor experience. The work is part of a five-year redevelopment plan and focused on a number of spaces within the library, which comprises 23 individual buildings and occupies an entire city block. The aim was to better weave together the spaces within the
Diamond Schmitt and TWBTA reveal new Geffen Hall revamp plans
by Stu Robarts | 05 Dec 2019
The New York Philharmonic has unveiled plans for the revamp of David Geffen Hall with Diamond Schmitt and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (TWBTA) designs aimed at fostering a sense of community and connecting it to the world outside. The $550m (€496m, £418m) project was initially to be led by Heatherwick Studio before those plans were dropped. The new plans will see Diamond Schmitt reconfigure the concert hall, which is
Hong Kong Museum of Art reopens after four-year facelift
by Andy Knaggs | 03 Dec 2019
The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) reopened on 30 November after a renovation lasting more than four years, however, it was forced to close again temporarily due to its proximity to the ongoing protests in the city. The renovation work was carried out by Hong Kong's Architectural Services Department, which is responsible for the design and construction of many of the territory's public facilities. Exhibition space has been increased
teamLab create borderless and immersive digital worlds in new Shanghai Museum
by Stu Robarts | 27 Nov 2019
Art collective teamLab have launched their second digital-only Borderless museum, described as "a world made of artworks without boundaries." Located in Huangpu District, Shanghai, teamLab Borderless Shanghai follows the launch of MORI Building Digital Art Museum: teamLab Borderless in Tokyo last year. Designed by teamLab Architects, the 6,600sq m (71,000sq ft) destination is said to be an intricately-structured three-dimensional space housing around 50 artworks. Visitors walk through the galleries
CROX's organically shaped museum floats on a grassy hill
by Stu Robarts | 26 Nov 2019
CROX have created an organically shaped museum in Liyang, China, inspired by a musical instrument that is one of the city's cultural symbols and designed to give the appearance of floating on a grassy hill. The Liyang Museum is located next to a lake within a public park in a new urban district of the city and is aimed at acting as a connection between the new urban area and
RDH Architects convert old post office to bookless library with new wraparound glazing
by Stu Robarts | 25 Nov 2019
RDH Architects have converted an old derelict post office in the Candian city of Cambridge, Ontario, into a bookless library with new glass volumes that are cantilevered over the adjacent Grand River. The Idea Exchange provides a free community hub with spaces for learning, creativity, meeting and socialising. The $11.1m (US$8.4m, €7.6m, £6.5m) project combined contemporary additions and design with restored elements of the original building, which was built in
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