Architecture and design news
Summit Powder Mountain 'innovation community' takes shape on Utah ski slopes
by Kim Megson | 20 Sep 2017
Construction is underway for a mountaintop retreat in Utah focused on entrepreneurship and innovation. Summit Powder Mountain, near Eden, is a ski village planned by architects and environmental designers Studio Ma to include residences and leisure communities that will host a year-round community of creative professionals and social entrepreneurs. The project is taking shape on a 10,000-acre public site surrounded by ski slopes. The centrepiece of the village will be
Rosewood chosen to operate hotel in London's reimagined US Embassy building
by Kim Megson | 20 Sep 2017
Property developer Qatari Diar has announced the appointment of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts as the operator for a new hotel opening within London’s former US Embassy building in Grosvenor Square. The selection follows a lengthy process in which a series of international hotel companies submitted proposals for how they would run an “ambitious world-class hotel, retail and event space” with 137 bedrooms, five restaurants, six flagship retail units, a spa
Alberto Apostoli-designed spa opens at Portopiccolo eco-resort
by Tom Walker | 20 Sep 2017
A new luxury spa has opened at the Portopiccolo Resort in Sistiana, Northern Italy, designed by Italian architect Alberto Apostoli. The facility is spread across three floors and covers a total floor area of 3,600sq ft (38,800sq ft). The ground floor houses the reception, hairstyling studio, a training pool and changing rooms, while on the first floor there is a relaxation area dominated by an indoor-outdoor pool, offering views of
Culture at heart of Dubai Expo legacy plans as government unveils District 2020
by Tom Anstey | 19 Sep 2017
Dubai has revealed its legacy plans following the 2020 World Expo, announcing plans to turn the site into a multi-use urban leisure district following the six-month event’s conclusion. More than 80 per cent of the HOK-Arup masterplanned expo site will be reused after the international event closes, with a new community-led development called District 2020 repurposing the site under the government’s legacy scheme. Anchored by 65,000sq m (700,000sq ft) of
UNStudio completes Hangzhou 'city in a city' with wave-like tower complex
by Kim Megson | 19 Sep 2017
Dutch design practice UNStudio has completed a vast leisure complex in Hangzhou, with a pair of sinuous towers providing a dramatic new landmark for the Chinese city. The 400,000 sq m (4.3 million sq ft) Raffles City development – nine years in the making – has been conceived as a lively vertical neighbourhood and transit hub for the Qianjiang New Town district, featuring apartments, a Conrad hotel, restaurants, shops, sports
Dubai developer Nakheel reveals ambitious billion-dollar pipeline
by Kim Megson | 19 Sep 2017
Dubai developer Nakheel has unveiled a pipeline of new leisure developments across the emirate, collectively worth AED4bn (US$1.08bn, €908m, £806.8m). The company used last week’s Cityscape Global real estate convention as a platform to announce the new projects, which are all phased additions its previous leisure schemes. These include a luxury high-rise beachfront residential complex on Palm Jumeirah; a residential, mall, hotel and health resort at Discovery Gardens; a unique
LA's Burbank TV studios transformed into Blizzard Arena for eSports
by Kim Megson | 18 Sep 2017
Games developer and broadcasting giant Blizzard Entertainment has transformed a legendary Los Angeles television studio into a major eSports arena. The popularity of eSports competitions – in which opposing players compete at video games played online, often with thousands of digital spectators following the action – has grown at a huge rate in the last decade. The Blizzard Arena has been conceived to take advantage of this growing popularity. Located
Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands complete sustainable sports centre for Birmingham's next generation of athletes
by Kim Megson | 14 Sep 2017
The University of Birmingham has officially opened an indoor sports centre, designed by British architecture studio Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, with the ambition “to provide future generations of the city’s athletes with world-class sports facilities.” The centre, which is open to students, academics and the public, includes the city’s first Olympic-standard swimming pool and a range of sports halls and gyms, laboratories, testing facilities and a large climbing wall. The building
Legendary Astir Palace to become first Four Seasons in Greece
by Jane Kitchen | 18 Sep 2017
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, together with Astir Palace Vouliagmeni SA, will spend €100m ($US119m, £88m) to transform the iconic Astir Palace into the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens. Due to open in early 2018, the resort will be the first Four Seasons in Greece. The 1960s hotel is undergoing extensive upgrades, with interiors by designer Meyer Davis, and, when complete, it will include 300 bedrooms and a wellness
Real Madrid plans interactive football experience in China
by Tom Anstey | 18 Sep 2017
Real Madrid football club has announced plans to create an interactive football experience centre as part of a major development in Zhuhai, China. Business conglomerate the Lai Sun Group is behind the development – an integrated tourism and entertainment project called Novotown – which will, in its second phase, feature the world-first Real Madrid experience. Utilising advanced technologies, entertainment elements and football, visitors will be able to experience a number
Heatherwick Studio transforms Cape Town grain silo into art museum
by Kim Megson | 15 Sep 2017
Heatherwick Studio’s latest completed building, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) has been unveiled today (15 September) ahead of its public opening next week on Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. The museum – the largest in the world dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora – is housed in 9,500sq m (102,000sq ft) of custom-designed space, carved out of the city’s monumental historic Grain Silo Complex
Beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower and more as IOC approves plans for Paris 2024 Olympics
by Kim Megson | 14 Sep 2017
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially approved plans to transform Paris into an Olympic Park for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games – a decision which will see sporting events take place against the spectacular backdrop of the city’s historic buildings, streets and landmarks. The Champs Elysees and the River Seine are among the 38 Olympic and Paralympic venues spread across the French capital, while beach volleyball will be
Foster + Partners' evolution of iconic London Zoo aviary gets green light
by Kim Megson | 13 Sep 2017
Foster + Partners’ plans to reinvigorate the famous Snowdon Aviary at ZSL London Zoo have received planning approval from Westminster Council. The Grade II listed structure, designed by Cedric Price with Frank Newby and Lord Snowdon in 1962, was the first aviary in Britain that gave visitors a ‘walk-through’ experience, bringing them closer to the birds in their natural habitat. The attraction was recently added to Historic England’s Risk Register
France and Britain's past and future relationship to be explored in new museum by Casson Mann
by Kim Megson | 13 Sep 2017
British exhibition designers Casson Mann will team up with Parisian architects Atelier Philéas to create a new Centre of Franco British Relations in Ouistreham, France. Located on Sword Beach, facing the English channel, the attraction will explore and celebrate the shared social history and culture of the two countries, and the influence each has had and continues to have on the other. The design team were chosen ahead of 132
Nobu Hotel and Restaurant to open in Barcelona as luxury brand eyes European expansion
by Kim Megson | 13 Sep 2017
Celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa and his business partners Robert De Niro and Meir Teper are continuing to expand their Nobu Hospitality lifestyle brand in Europe, with plans to open a new hotel and restaurant in Barcelona, Spain. The trio have partnered with Selenta Group, a Spanish real estate and hotel company, to transform and co-manage the city’s Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya into the Nobu Hotel Barcelona – “a powerful stage
'One of the world's top 5 stadiums': Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano ready for action
by Kim Megson | 12 Sep 2017
The striking new home for Spanish football side Atletico Madrid is ready to host its first match, with construction finally completed on the 68,000 capacity Wanda Metropolitano stadium. The club has invested a reported €300m on the new ground – which replaces the Vicente Calderon Stadium, its home of over 50 years – in order to propel them to the sport’s elite level. Spanish architecture practice Cruz y Ortiz were
OMA hired to convert Amsterdam prison into civic and cultural realm
by Kim Megson | 12 Sep 2017
International architects OMA have been selected by the Dutch government to transform a former prison into a cultural and civic space for Amsterdam. Bijlmerbajes was built in the southeast of the capital in the 1970s, and in the intervening decades the complex’s six linked towers have become a city landmark. As Amsterdam has expanded in all directions, they have gradually become the geographic centre of its newest urban districts. The
Manuelle Gautrand wins 2017 European Prize for Architecture
by Kim Megson | 12 Sep 2017
French architect Manuelle Gautrand has been awarded the 2017 European Prize for Architecture, becoming the first woman to receive the prestigious accolade. The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture – which jointly present the prize – praised Gautrand and her eponymous practice “for making special places and distinct spaces that celebrate ordinary life in our complex urban cities and our
Maori culture to feature prominently in New Zealand hot spring project
by Jane Kitchen | 11 Sep 2017
A new NZ$30m (US$22m, €18m, £16.5m) luxury spa and wellness centre in Rotorua, New Zealand, will incorporate Maori culture in its design. Due to open in late 2019, the Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa will be set on Rotorua’s lakefront and is being developed by Pukeroa Oruawhata Group. The facility will form just one element of the wider health and wellness vision for the group’s 11-hectare site, and will
MVRDV to transform Gothenburg riverside warehouse into vibrant cultural hub
by Kim Megson | 11 Sep 2017
A Gothenburg warehouse will be transformed into a 16,500sq m (177,600sq ft) mixed-use hub, with Dutch architects MVRDV on design duties. Working in collaboration with BSK Arkitekter, the practice will convert the multi-storey industrial structure into Magasin 113 – “a lively cultural development with both private and public functions.” The project is located in the heart of Frihamnen RiverCity – the largest urban development project in Sweden, and indeed Scandinavia
London's newest theatre anchors Tower Bridge leisure development
by Kim Megson | 11 Sep 2017
A new leisure development next to London’s Tower Bridge is set for completion this month, featuring an Ivy restaurant and a brand new theatre established by acclaimed director Nicholas Hytner. Designed by architects Squire and Partners, One Tower Bridge has a prominent riverside location on Potters Fields Park, adjacent to the Grade I listed Tower Bridge. The masterplan – conceived as a “lasting new piece of the city”, which articulates
New WELL Community Standard launched for wellness community projects
by Tom Walker | 11 Sep 2017
The International Well Building Institute (IWBI) has officially launched the WELL Community Standard – designed to help set up a new global benchmark for healthy communities. A rating system centered on human health and wellness, the new standard takes into consideration evidence-based research and has been developed through consultation with physicians, scientists and public health professionals, as well as architects, city planners and engineers. The programme builds on the principles
AECOM to oversee multi-million-pound Center Parcs-style activity resort in Wales
by Alice Davis | 08 Sep 2017
A major adventure resort offering a wide variety of physical, thrilling and wellness activities, a 100-bedroom hotel and 400 luxury lodges on a 480-acre (194-hectare) Welsh site will be project managed by AECOM. Afan Valley Adventure Resort will offer a mix of healthy and exhilarating pastimes, including water sports, mountain biking, survival training, trampolining, surfing and zorbing, in response to rising demand for British holidays with a stronger emphasis on
Legacy plans set to be unveiled for development following Dubai Expo
by Alice Davis | 08 Sep 2017
The future of the Expo 2020 site after the international event closes in April 2021 will be revealed next week, with a “reputational, social, physical and economic” legacy plan. The development proposals will be unveiled during the annual Middle East real estate exhibition, Cityscape Global, which takes place 11-13 September at the Dubai World Trade Centre. It will be the first time the vision for the project has been made
Detroit's Little Caesars Arena prepares for grand opening
by Kim Megson | 07 Sep 2017
Almost 2,000 people have attended a private opening event for the Little Ceasers Arena; a 20,000-capacity sports and entertainment venue located in the heart of Detroit. Politicians, athletes, media personalities and business and civic leaders attended the event on Tuesday (5 September) to take a first look at the hotly-anticipated venue – the new home of National Hockey League (NHL) franchise the Detroit Red Wings and National Basketball Association (NBA)
Dubai developer preparing to launch leisure project worth AED3.2bn
by Kim Megson | 07 Sep 2017
Dubai development giant Nakheel is preparing to unveil a range of leisure projects worth more than AED3.2bn (US$871.2m, €727.5m, £666.9m) at the forthcoming Cityscape Global 2017 conference in the emirate. The company will launch six new residential, retail and hospitality developments for four of its communities in Dubai – including one of its its best-known locations: the tree-shaped Palm Jumeirah. Nakheel chair Ali Rashid Lootah said: “The Nakheel name is
Hilton seals deal to manage Waldorf Astoria island resort in the Maldives
by Kim Megson | 07 Sep 2017
Hospitality giant Hilton has announced an agreement with real estate firm Ithaafushi Investment to manage its new-built resort in the Maldives. Spanning three islands on the South Male Atoll, the Waldorf Astoria Maldives will be the second hotel in the Maldives for Hilton and will join 10 other Waldorf Astoria properties which are already open, or currently under development in the Asia Pacific. While few design details have been released,
RIBA Competitions seeks inspiring ideas to reuse giant surplus gasholder frames
by Kim Megson | 07 Sep 2017
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has launched a competition seeking “inspiring and innovative” ideas for the reuse of surplus gasholder bases – huge containers storing natural gas – across the UK. Once prominent across Britain, in recent years the numbers of gasholders in active use have dwindled. Now the National Grid Company, which manages the land they are built on, plans to dismantle them and find a new
Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi finally gets opening date
by Tom Anstey | 06 Sep 2017
The long-delayed and even longer-awaited Louvre Abu Dhabi has finally been given its launch date, with the Jean Nouvel-designed cultural institution opening to the public on 11 November. A string of setbacks dating back by more than decade have delayed the AED4.3bn (US$1.2bn, €1bn, £914m) project, which anchors the under-development Saadiyat Cultural District – where one day the Zayed National Museum designed by Foster and Partners and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
Building or valley? Construction begins on MVRDV's green-topped Amsterdam leisure complex
by Kim Megson | 06 Sep 2017
Construction has begun on a 75,000sq m (807,300sq ft) green-terraced, mixed-use building located in Amsterdam’s Central Business District – the latest leisure project from Dutch architects MVRDV. The studio’s design for developer OVG Real Estate – which was selected by the Municipality of Amsterdam in 2015 following an international competition – includes shops, bars, restaurants, cultural facilities, apartments, offices and a sky bar spread across a sprawling forested man-made valley.
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