Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority (GEA) has pledged to provide SAR500m (US$133m, €112m, £96m) worth of loans to companies, in order to create new attractions and entertainment projects in the country. GEA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the country's Social Development Bank (SDB), which will see soft financing opportunities being made available to investments that contribute towards the growth and sustainability of the Saudi attractions and entertainment sector

Six Senses Ibiza, conceived by architect and developer Jonathan Leitersdorf, has opened today (10 July 2021). “Six Senses Ibiza is a reflection of the natural vibrations and vitality of the Balearics,” said Leitersdorf. “By channeling the destination’s unique sense of community and celebration, we've created a truly transformative environment where guests are invited to meaningfully connect with nature, each other and themselves, while discovering the elements that make Ibiza unlike

Designs have been revealed for a flexible, multi-purpose events centre which will have the appearance of a "cloud floating by the sea". Designed by MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong, the “Cloud Center” in Qinhuangdao, China, will offer a new multi-purpose public space for Aranya – one of China’s most vibrant seaside arts and culture communities. Situated close to the scenic Beidaihe coastline in the north east of the country,

Health club operator Life Time has opened a luxury fitness and athletic resort experience at Northshore Mall, a former shopping centre in Peabody, Massachusetts, US. The 210,000sq ft Life Time Northshore – situated within the Greater Boston area – is marketed as a first-of-its-kind destination and is spread across three floors, as the operator has taken over the entirety of the former shopping mall. The company has its own real

The new H.C. Andersen House, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, has opened its doors to visitors in the Danish city of Odense. Dedicated to the life of the celebrated author – famous for his fairytales, such as the Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes and The Ugly Duckling – the US$62m visitor attraction consists of both indoor and outdoor spaces. The attraction is located on the site of Hans

The "respectful renovation" of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium is among the four winners of this year's European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention (AHI). Now in its fifth edition, AHI is a biennial award organised by the Association of Architects for the Defence and Intervention in Architectural Heritage (AADIPA) and the Association of Architects of Catalonia (COAC). The renovation of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts

Plans have been revealed to build the world's deepest pool in Cornwall, UK, which would house facilities serving the spaceflight, sports science and healthcare communities. The £150m Blue Abyss project would see an aquatic centre, housing a 164ft (50m) deep pool built at the Aerohub Enterprise Zone at Cornwall Airport. The project is led by a privately-funded company that is now in the process of applying for planning permission. Blue

Kew Gardens has established a "living laboratory" at its wild botanic garden at Wakehurst, UK. The move is part of a research project to explore the benefits of biodiversity in the UK. The Wakehurst site is open to visitors and includes a number of botanical attractions to explore – such as the 150-acre Loder Valley Nature Reserve, an area called The Wetlands and a six-acre American Prairie. As well as

Buro Happold, has acquired acoustics and audio-visual consultancy Vanguardia Limited and its subsidiary Crowd Dynamics International. The move will strengthen Buro Happold’s depth of expertise in acoustics and AV technology. Specifically, the acquisition will enhance standalone and combined services of acoustics and sound engineering, environmental advisory services, plus a broad range of electro-acoustic and technology offerings. It also provides Buro Happold with a fully integrated mobility consulting capability, encompassing inclusive

Work has been completed on the redevelopment of Montreal's Biodome – a science museum which occupies the site of the former velodrome built for the 1976 Olympic Games. The Biodome allows visitors to walk through replicas of five ecosystems found in the Americas – a tropical rainforest, a maple forest, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, a sub-Antarctic island environment, and the Labrador Coast. Biodome is one of four attractions located

Little Island, an urban park built on stilts on the Hudson River in New York City, has opened to the public. Designed by Heatherwick Studio, in partnership with Arup and Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects (MNLA), the 1.1-hectare (11,000sq m) park and performance venue features 540 metres of pathways and a range of performance spaces. Little Island’s distinct exterior is supported by 132 "tulip-like" concrete piles. Each tulip’s shape is unique

A swimming pool suspended 35m (115ft) above the ground and forming a bridge between two buildings has opened as part of a residential project in Nine Elms, south-west London, UK. Designed by HAL Architects, the 25m Sky Pool spans two buildings at the Embassy Gardens development, located opposite the new US Embassy. The pool has transparent walls and floor, which allows passersby to observe the swimmers – and those in

New images have been released of what will become the first new public park in Manchester, UK, in more than 100 years. Called Mayfield Park, the new urban green space has been designed by landscape architects Studio Egret West. It will be part of the £1.4bn Mayfield regeneration scheme – one of the largest in the UK – led by the Mayfield Partnership, a public-private venture comprising regeneration specialist U+I,

The Jumeirah Group has reopened the 186-room The Carlton Tower hotel, in the heart of London’s Knightsbridge following an 18-month closure for refurbishment. The 17-story building has been redesigned, with an extensive makeover costing £100m (€116.3m, US$141.1m). The five-star Carlton Tower originally opened in 1961 as London’s first tower hotel and was celebrated for being the tallest in the city at that time. Originally designed by Henry End – who

The Eden Project has signed a memorandum of understanding with the owners of its preferred site for a planned Eden Project Dundee attraction. The proposed site – the former Dundee Gasworks – is located close to the Dundee waterfront on the bank of the River Tay and is less than a mile away from V&A Dundee and the city's main train station. The agreement between Eden Project and the site's owners,

SH Hotels & Resorts has revealed it will take its Treehouse boutique hotel brand outside London in 2023, when it opens its second and third sites in Manchester and Miami respectively. Speaking to CLAD the company revealed plans to create a new-concept gym for the Manchester property – the first of its kind – with custom-designed space hoppers and other novel workout concepts as part of a playful new approach to exercise.

Los Angeles is to get a new leisure and mixed-use district called Fourth & Central, with masterplanning by LA-based Studio One Eleven. Denver-based developer, Continuum Partners and site owner, LA Cold Storage, have lodged a planning application with the City of Los Angeles for the redevelopment of the land which has been owned by LA Cold Storage for over 50 years.   The downtown gateway site will be reimagined with the

CLAD understands the launch of Hasbro's Live Monopoly attraction in London is back on the cards, with 14 August 2021 slated as the official opening date. The attraction will be created by a design team drawn from across the worlds of immersive theatre, tech and escape rooms: creative producers are Tom Beynon and Paul Mansfield, with set design by Tim McQuillen-Wright – designer for Secret Cinema experiences Stranger Things, Blade

Global spa, hotel and wellness consultancy The E77 Company is realising a new thermal spa resort and hotel among a historic pine forest in Lithuania’s coastal region of Klaipėda, Lithuania. E77 is working alongside project owner and developer Releven to create the destination, as well as Lithuanian architecture studio Arches and professor of architecture Dr Edgaras Neniskis to sensitively integrate the resort within the forest habitat. In his work, Neniskis

Glasgow’s iconic Kimpton Blythswood Square has launched La Chambre Verte, an immersive hotel suite experiment measuring the psychological and physical benefits of biophilic design. The hotel partnered with Scottish CBD skincare brand La Rue Verte, leading horticulturalists Benholm and award-winning DJ Brian D’Souza to create a multi-sensory experience combining biophilia with CBD rituals, meditation and sound therapy. Echoing the practice of forest bathing, La Chambre Verte is designed for the

Icelandic attractions and hospitality brand, Pursuit, has launched Sky Lagoon, a restorative geothermal retreat just outside Reykjavik, situated against the striking backdrop of the North Atlantic Ocean. The new retreat is a competitor to the world-famous Blue Lagoon, which is located a 10-minute drive away. Features of the geothermal Sky Lagoon include an ocean-side 75-metre, (246 ft), infinity-edge pool showcasing expansive ocean and sky views, a sauna with Iceland’s largest

Actress, entrepreneur and founder of lifestyle brand goop Gwyneth Paltrow has been appointed wellbeing advisor for cruise operator Celebrity Cruises. Paltrow has designed a wellness concept called goop at Sea for the company’s new luxury liner Celebrity Beyond, complete with a spa designed by Kelly Hoppen. Celebrity Beyond will also showcase the design talents of designer Nate Berkus; Paris-based design firm Jouin Manku; architect Tom Wright; and the culinary gifts

BrewDog has signed a lease for a visitor centre, restaurant and rooftop brewery on the iconic Las Vegas strip. To be located above the Showcase Mall, plans announced by the Scottish brewer for the space include a brewery, an "urban forest", an event and entertainment space and a retro game zone. BrewDog co-founder James Watt had hinted at a Las Vegas launch earlier this year, when he teased that plans

Luxury eco-resort Kisawa Sanctuary has launched with a soft opening on Mozambique's subtropical island of Benguerra, complete with a Natural Wellness Centre inspired by Mozambican dwellings. Kisawa has been brought to life using patented 3D sand-printing technology and is the brainchild of entrepreneur Nina Flohr – the daughter of Thomas Flohr, Swiss billionaire and founder of private aviation company VistaJet. The method was used wherever possible to replace less sustainable

The Skydeck attraction at the Willis Tower in Chicago – which held the title of the world's tallest building for 25 years – has reopened following an extensive redevelopment. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Thinc Design, and Chicago Scenic Studios, the Skydeck forms the centrepiece of a visitor experience which also includes a new interactive exhibition showcasing how architecture has shaped Chicago’s history and identity. On entering the

Work has been completed on the Khor Kalba Turtle and Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Commissioned by Sharjah’s Environmental Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) and situated on Kalba Creek, one of the most sensitive and biodiverse nature reserves in the Gulf, the complex comprises a cluster of rounded building forms, creating a sanctuary for rehabilitating turtles and nurturing endangered birds. Designed by Hopkins Architects, the sanctuary will also

A 300m-long superyacht is set to launch in 2025, carrying a scientific "strike force" tasked with studying the earth's climate and coming up with plans to tackle global warming. Called Earth 300, the research vessel will feature a 13-storey Science Sphere, housing 22 laboratories and acting as a floating scientific hub. Designed by Iddes Yachts – led by naval architect Iván Salas Jefferson – and Polish naval architecture firm NED,