Architecture and design news
Construction begins on longest cycling bridge in Europe
by Stu Robarts | 09 Mar 2020
Construction has begun on a bicycle and pedestrian bridge connecting the areas of Blauwestad and Winschoten in the Netherlands that, at 800m (2,600ft), will be the longest cycling bridge in Europe. Designed by Nol Molenaar, the Blauwe Loper (literally, 'the Blue Carpet') will span part of the Oldambtmeer artificial lake, the Winschoterdiep canal, the A7 road and a nature reserve, providing users with a variety of views. It was conceived
Oppenheim Architecture's Bahamas eco-resort will bring guests closer to nature
by Stu Robarts | 09 Mar 2020
Oppenheim Architecture are creating an environmentally sustainable eco-resort in the Bahamas that is aimed at providing a secluded retreat for guests while helping them to develop a deeper connection with nature. illa Bimini will cover 40ac (16ha) along a 9,000ft (2,750m) stretch of coastline on Rockwell Island and is described as "a holistic community where every element is designed to blur the boundary between architecture and the landscape". The design
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Studio RHE to create subterranean mixed-use destination in "former MI5 bunker"
by Stu Robarts | 09 Mar 2020
Studio RHE is converting a 1.5ac (0.6ha) underground bunker that developer General Projects suggests may once have been occupied by MI5 into a subterranean mixed-use destination. Located in Vauxhall, London, Storybox will provide 58,000sq ft (5,400sq m) of flexible space for creative industries workspaces, as well as occupiers like pod hotels, urban farms, R&D labs and fitness clubs. It has been designed with cultural, educational and research bodies in mind
David Lloyd refurbs luxury Harbour Club Chelsea health club and gym
by Stu Robarts | 09 Mar 2020
The Harbour Club Chelsea health club and gym has undergone a recent refurbishment aimed at giving it a "stylish" and "ultra-modern" new look and feel. The luxury facility is one of three Harbour Clubs all of which are owned and operated by the David Lloyd Leisure Group and located in West London, with sites in Kensington and Notting Hill also. Five of the club's studios have been updated, including the
Newly opened Meliá Koh Samui pays homage to the island's heritage
by Megan Whitby | 06 Mar 2020
Meliá Hotels has opened Meliá Koh Samui, a beachfront resort and spa in Thailand designed by PIA Interior that pays homage to Samui's island heritage with suites constructed from old merchant vessels. Meliá opened the resort in partnership with Thai holding company Asset World Corporation as part of a plan to build three properties in the country. Located on Choeng Mon Beach, it accommodates 159 rooms and 41 suites, with
Derelict 1930s theatre and music hall in Brussels to be converted for social programming
by Stu Robarts | 06 Mar 2020
Flores & Prats and Ouest Architecture have won a competition to convert a derelict old theatre and music hall into an open, inclusive public space. The Ancien Théâtre des Variétés was originally designed by modernist architect Victor Bourgeois and built in the 1930s. Having been converted into a Cinerama venue in the 1960s, it was eventually abandoned in the 1980s. Now, the 5,000sq m (54,000sq ft) building will be reactivated
Therme Group gets go-ahead for £250m wellbeing resort
by Tom Anstey & Megan Whitby | 06 Mar 2020
Wellbeing developer Therme Group has been given to the go-ahead to build a £250m ($325m, €287m) wellbeing resort in Manchester, UK, aimed at addressing the need for physical and mental wellbeing for all. Expected to open in 2023, Therme Manchester will cover an area of 28ac (11ha), with a 65,000sq m (700,000sq ft) main building that will house wellbeing facilities, a waterpark and botanical gardens. It will be designed by
World's biggest cricket stadium, designed by Populous, inaugurated in India
by Stu Robarts | 05 Mar 2020
The world's largest cricket stadium, designed by Populous, has been inaugurated in India. The Motera Stadium, officially the Sardar Patel Stadium, located in the western state of Gujarat in the city of Ahmedabad, was constructed over the course of three years at a cost of $100m (€89m, £77m). Andrew James, lead architect and senior principal at Populous, said: “Cricket is the biggest sport in India and this stadium has been
Canada's huge new thermal spa lets you bathe around the world
by Megan Whitby | 05 Mar 2020
Spa management group Groupe SKYSPA has opened an expansive thermal spa in Quebec, Canada, that will be designed by Blouin Tardiff and will offer bathing experiences from around the world. Surrounded by forest, the 60,000sq m (646,000sq ft), CA$12m (US$9m, €8.3m, £7m) Förena Cité Thermale includes three thermotherapy circuits individually themed on Russian, Icelandic and German bathing traditions, along with three pavilions, outdoor bathing facilities and a restaurant. "The idea
First-ever residences at Waldorf Astoria New York launched for sale
by Stu Robarts | 05 Mar 2020
Residences at the Waldorf Astoria New York have been made available to buy for the first time as part of renovation work on the famous Art Deco building that is being led by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). The Waldorf Astoria was originally designed by Schultze and Weaver and was the largest and tallest hotel in the world when it opened on Park Avenue in 1931. Described as "a beacon
Six Senses Shaharut spa resort will integrate with the Negev Desert terrain
by Megan Whitby | 04 Mar 2020
Six Senses has confirmed its desert resort and spa in the Arava Valley, Israel, designed by Plesner Architects, will open in June after ten years of design and planning. Located in the Negev Desert, Six Senses Shaharut will be a modern reinterpretation of nomadic structures, reminiscent of the Nabataean community which occupied the area over 2,000 years ago. The resort’s design preserves the unique characteristics of the site, integrating with
Historic Terminal Warehouse to house retail, hospitality, open spaces and offices
by Stu Robarts | 04 Mar 2020
The historic Terminal Warehouse, in the West Chelsea area of New York, is being transformed by COOKFOX Architects into a mixed-use destination with retail units, hospitality outlets, open spaces and offices. Originally designed by architect George Mallory and built in 1891, the 1.2 million sq ft (111,000sq m) warehouse occupies an entire city block in Manhattan. With good access to the water, rail and road transportation networks, it became a
Perkins and Will break ground on outdoor celebration of Black LA
by Stu Robarts | 04 Mar 2020
Perkins and Will have broken ground on Destination Crenshaw, a 1.3mi (2.1km)-long outdoor art, culture and museum area celebrating Black Los Angeles (LA). Running along Crenshaw Boulevard, Destination Crenshaw was conceived to celebrate the energy and accomplishments of Black LA, to document and preserve its 200 years plus of history, to seed a "community-driven, counterbalancing force against gentrification" and to drive economic security and opportunities for local residents. The project,
Sweden's tallest timber building saves 550 tonnes of CO2
by Stu Robarts | 03 Mar 2020
Residents have started moving into C.F. Møller Architects ' recently completed Tall Timber Building, which at 8.5 storeys high is said to be the tallest timber building in Sweden. C.F. Møller Architects have been focusing on timber construction in recent years due to the CO2 savings that they can deliver. Not only does the production of timber produce a limited amount of emissions, but carbon is also retained within the
Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara receive 2020 Pritzker Prize
by Stu Robarts | 03 Mar 2020
Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara have been named the 47th and 48th laureates of the Pritzker Prize – the first female pair to be so and the first two recipients from Ireland. Farrell and McNamara set up their Dublin-based practice Grafton Architects in 1978 and are described as creating "modern and impactful works that never repeat or imitate, but are decidedly of their own architectural voice." "What we try to
Pendulum's modular stadium concept can grow with a community
by Stu Robarts | 03 Mar 2020
Pendulum have won an award for their conceptual design of a modular stadium complex that is intended to provide a platform for economic development in growing communities. The Future Stadia design won the 'Sports and Recreation Project (Concept)' category of the annual Rethinking the Future awards, which are aimed at identifying and promoting "outstanding work in the field of architecture and design across the world." Pendulum's design proposes an initial
Fox Browne Creative's treehouse retreat lets guests sleep under the stars
by Stu Robarts | 03 Mar 2020
Fox Browne Creative have created a treehouse-like overnight retreat for the &Beyond Ngala Private Game Reserve in South Africa that will give guests the chance to sleep under the stars in the Kruger National Park. The Ngala Tree House is to be offered in addition to two existing lodges that &Beyond has at the reserve and can accommodate up to two adults and two children aged between 10 and 16.
Wutopia Lab's steel structure creates a bookstore in a former church
by Stu Robarts | 02 Mar 2020
Wutopia Lab have transformed a former church in China into a 388sq m (4,176sq ft) poetry bookstore by installing a large freestanding steel frame that provides shelving and creates a space within a space. The St. Nicholas Church in Shanghai was built in 1932 and has variously been used as an office, a factory, a warehouse, a canteen, a residential space, a club and a restaurant. Its historic status meant
Vertigo's "urban forest" of LED bars animates public square
by Stu Robarts | 02 Mar 2020
Digital art group Vertigo have created a new audio-visual installation that reacts to the movement of viewers and passersby, animating a public square with flashing LEDs. The artwork. called Echelon, is located at the foot of London’s Centre Point building and was curated by cultural placemaking agency Futurecity for Almacantar, a development company that is rejuvenating the brutalist building. It takes the form of a 12m (39ft) equilateral triangle of
GHM to launch Maldives resort with overwater accommodation and spa rooms
by Megan Whitby | 02 Mar 2020
Hotel group General Hotel Management (GHM) has revealed details of The Chedi Kudavillingili, its first resort in the Maldives, which will open later this year. The mixed-use resort development, which is part of a global expansion plan by GHM, will be located on a coral island and will have a Maldivian aesthetic to its architecture by Group X and interiors by URBNarc. It will feature 63 island-based villas and 36
GHM to launch Maldives resort with overwater accommodation and spa rooms
by Megan Whitby | 02 Mar 2020
Hotel group General Hotel Management (GHM) has revealed details of The Chedi Kudavillingili, its first resort in the Maldives, which will open later this year. The mixed-use resort development, which is part of a global expansion plan by GHM, will be located on a coral island and will have a Maldivian aesthetic to its architecture by Group X and interiors by URBNarc. It will feature 63 island-based villas and 36
Rockwell Group unveil plush club and suite designs for Seattle Center Arena
by Stu Robarts | 28 Feb 2020
As part of the renovation of the Seattle Center Arena, Rockwell Group have unveiled new renderings showing a number of the interior spaces it is creating with a distinctly premium look. Designed in 1962 by architect Paul Thiry as the Washington State Pavilion for the World’s Fair, the 750,000sq ft (70,000sq m) venue ultimately became used for ice hockey and events. It is currently undergoing redevelopment by Populous "to re-position
Margot Krasojević combines gallery and hydropower typologies
by Stu Robarts | 28 Feb 2020
Margot Krasojević has created a conceptual design for a hydroelectric power plant that uses the electricity it generates to power nearby homes as well as an art gallery housed within. Much of Krasojević's work focuses on combining architectural typologies as potential solutions for new challenges in our "perpetually changing environment", like her Harmonic Turbine Tidal Hotel. The Hydroelectric Sculpture Gallery concept redefines what a power plant and a gallery can
Herzog & de Meuron's Swiss roadside chapel will provide a peaceful place to pause
by Stu Robarts | 28 Feb 2020
Herzog & de Meuron are creating a roadside chapel in Andeer, Switzerland, that will provide a quiet and peaceful place for people to stop, rest and marvel among the surrounding mountains, rivers, meadows and forests. In designing 515 Autobahnkirche, the studio was conscious that are a number of others chapels in the area, many of which are centuries old and are, as they describe, "architectural and art historical gems", whether
Arii Irie Architects' PVC partition is a feature and a function in tiny Tokyo gym
by Stu Robarts | 27 Feb 2020
Arii Irie Architects have created a 69sq m (743sq ft) gym in Tokyo, Japan, with a transparent PVC partition that creates two distinct areas, without giving the sense of having reduced the already limited space. Cell Tokyo is so-called for its focus on conditioning from the cellular level, with the gym offering nutritional counselling, hydrogen gas inhalation and blood sampling equipment in addition to conventional physical training. Like a cell
FUGU adds bubble accommodation village to ski resort hotel
by Stu Robarts | 27 Feb 2020
FUGU Hospitality has installed a nine-bubble village of accommodation at the Alpin D’Hôme hotel in the Alps resort of Les Orres, France, providing a cosy, low-impact and close-to-nature place for guests to stay. FUGU was established in 2011 to provide bubble structures for events and launched its FUGU Hospitality subsidiary last year to rollout bubbles designed for habitation. Among the potential uses it suggests are home or hotel living spaces,
Two-tower KPF development features nine-storey habitable bridge
by Stu Robarts | 27 Feb 2020
A new mixed-use development designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) will feature two metallic towers linked by a nine-storey habitable bridge. Located in the Acton area of London, 4 Portal Way is being developed by Aldau Development, which is replacing an existing hotel that it owns on the site. It will rise to 123m (404ft) at its highest level, with its two towers rising to 45 and 55 storeys and
Hanoi Circuit completed in advance of F1's first ever Vietnam GP
by Stu Robarts | 27 Feb 2020
Tilke Engineers and Formula 1 ’s Motorsports Division have completed the construction of the Hanoi Circuit track, which will host the first ever F1 race in Vietnam and the third round of the 2020 championship on the weekend of 3-5 April. Formula 1’s newest circuit is 5.6km (3.5mi)-long and will see drivers negotiate 23 turns on their way around it, reaching a top speed of 335km/h (208mph). It is said
Hard Rock's guitar shaped hotel launches J-Lo light show
by Stu Robarts | 26 Feb 2020
The recently opened, Klai Juba Wald -designed Guitar Hotel at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has a new string to itself following the launch of a new J-Lo-themed music and light show on its LED façade. The Hollywood hotel opened in October 2019 as part of a $1.5b (€1.4b, £1.2b) expansion of the Seminole resort and is claimed – probably not unreasonable – to be the world’s first
DesignAgency transform LA's celebrated Bradbury Building into holistic co-working space
by Stu Robarts | 26 Feb 2020
The historic Bradbury Building in Downtown Los Angeles has launched as a NeueHouse co-working destination with a focus on hospitality, socialising and wellness following a DesignAgency transformation. The 25,000sq ft (2,300sq m) building was originally designed by architect Sumner Hunt and was constructed in 1893. In adapting the space, DesignAgency retained many of its original features, like the wrought iron latticework staircases, birdcage elevators, oak-framed windows, wooden panelling, exposed ceiling
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"Funding woes and murky timelines are common problems. It can be easier to make a difference one small project at a time"
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates
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