Nairobi’s The Beacon set to be Alsop’s only African foray
Planning permission has been granted to architects All Design for one of the late Will Alsop’s final creations before his death in May 2018, which will be a gregarious shopping centre and office development in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Beacon will be the only African project produced by the legendary British architect and will carry all of the outlandish hallmarks typical of his work.
The new open-air development will feature 24,300sq m (261,000sq ft) of retail and food and beverage space, as well as a 4,200sq m (45,200sq ft), seven-storey office tower overlooking the shopping centre’s roof garden and bar.
The retail space itself will represent a ‘sweet factory’ theme with some details commissioned by “local craftspeople and artisans as well as those using the latest manufactured materials and technology”, according to a release from All Design.
“The Beacon is intended to bring delight to locals and tourists; the vivid colours and striking patterns of the façade will hint at the amusements and leisure facilities inside,” said the architects.
Some of the other leftfield features of the complex will be a light monorail with ‘jellybean’ style carriages and a ‘helter-skelter’ piano staircase and merry-go-round.
The main façade will be clad in monochromatic porcelain panels that will be broken by a red ‘leisure box’, while a thatched rooftop restaurant and solid surface clad bar will sit on top of its biodiverse brown roof. Inside, meanwhile, the walkways will be sheltered from seasonal rain and sun by solar fabric canopies.
The complex will be located between Nairobi’s central business district, its industrial area and the Upper Hill financial district and the project will be developed by Kiloran. Completion is expected for Q2/Q3 2020.
Marcos Rosello, co-founder of All Design, said: “We were intrigued by Kiloran’s ideas for this mall in Nairobi and were pleased to be able create an open-air mall with a focus on sustainability, fun and family which we believe to be key drivers on future international mall design.”
All Design Will Alsop Nairobi Kenya The Beacon AfricaEurope's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Aman sister brand Janu launching in Tokyo in 2024 with design by Denniston's Jean-Michel Gathy
Bionic leaves, breathable metals and selfgrowing bricks... Biomimicry in architecture has come a long way. Christopher DeWolf takes a look at the latest advances