Alila to launch hotel in China’s “Venice of the East”
by Andrew Manns | 05 Oct 2018
The Alila Wuzhen hotel was designed to reflect the minimalist architecture of the 1,300-year old 'water town' / Courtesy of Alila
Singapore-based hospitality operator Alila is set to open doors on a new property in China’s Venice: the millennia-old “water town” of Wuzhen.
The hotel, which was designed by the architectural firm GOA to reflect the minimalist engineering of Wuzhen’s interwoven waterways and canals, comprises 125 suites and villas positioned around a series of indoor and outdoor pools and courtyards.
The resort’s other on-site amenities include a yoga studio, gym, spa, and 500-person-capacity meeting space as well as four gourmet restaurants.
Alila, which currently operates fifteen properties worldwide, will officially open the site to the public in November.
Alila Wuzhen China GOASingapore-based hospitality operator Alila is set to open doors on a new property in China’s Venice: the millennia-old “water town” of Wuzhen. The hotel, which was designed by the architectural firm GOA to reflect the minimalist engineering of Wuzhen’s interwoven waterways and canals, comprises 125 suites and villas positioned around a series of indoor and outdoor pools and courtyards. The resort’s other on-site amenities include a yoga studio, gym, spa,
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Olafur Eliasson, Gehl and Sebastian Behmann team up to turn Copenhagen road into car-free city park
by Tom Walker | 09 Jul 2020
A team of architects have revealed plans to transform a multi-lane road in central Copenhagen into a green and car-free city park. The project will turn a famously congested passage to an inviting living space, where "nature is merged into the urban space". The road will be replaced by trees, water, wildlife and illuminations, with the aim of creating a new recreation area in the middle of the Danish capital
Thermal project set to ‘redefine city wellbeing’ on track for 2023 opening
by Megan Whitby | 02 Jul 2020
Global wellbeing organisation, Therme Group, has confirmed its 28-acre wellbeing project in the UK is on track to begin construction. Set to open in 2023, the £250m (US$308.6m, €274.4m) waterpark and spa project will combine hundreds of water-based activities with wellbeing treatments, art, nature and technology to create a unique destination. Therme Manchester will feature a dedicated adults’ area with warm-water lagoons hidden among botanical gardens, therapeutic mineral pools, swim-up
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Eureka! reveals new designs for Eureka! Mersey – construction to begin in 2021
by Tom Walker | 30 Jun 2020
New concept designs and visuals have been released for the Eureka! Mersey project – a £11.75m children's visitor attraction being developed in Liverpool, UK. The science and discovery centre is being developed by Eureka! – the national children's museum – in partnership with Merseytravel, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Wirral Council. Designed by a team led by K2 Architects, the £11.75m science attraction is set to take over
'Sports city' plans revealed for Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano stadium
by Tom Walker | 17 Jun 2020
Madrid city council (Ayuntamiento de Madrid) has set out plans to develop a number of sports facilities in the surrounding areas of the existing Wanda Metropolitano stadium. The "sports city" project, in the eastern San Blas-Canillejas district, is led by the council and is set to transform a site which was originally earmarked for an Olympic park during the city's failed bids for the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. Facilities
Construction marches ahead for US$5bn mega-resort with floating underwater spa
by Megan Whitby | 08 Jun 2020
Austrian developer Josef Kleindienst’s US$5bn mega-resort project, The Heart of Europe, in Dubai is on track to complete phase one of construction, despite COVID-19. The Heart of Europe is claimed to feature the world’s first floating underwater spa as well as 15 unique hotels and resorts spread across six islands designed to showcase European culture, heritage and lifestyle experiences through architecture, events and new technology, such as the world’s first
RDHA's library and Komagata Maru Park project given RAIC medal
by Tom Walker | 04 Jun 2020
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) has named the Springdale Library and Komagata Maru Park – designed by RDH Architects (RDHA) – among the winners of its bi-annual Governor General’s Medals. The biennial awards recognise and celebrate excellence in recently built and designed projects by Canadian architects. First opened in 2019, the 26,000sq ft Springdale Library, contemplative garden, neighbourhood park and splash pad was created for the City of
Moederscheim Moonen reveal plans for mixed-use towers at Rotterdam stadium
by Tom Walker | 03 Jun 2020
Plans have been revealed to redevelop the Van Donge & De Roo Stadium in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, into a mixed-use complex dominated by four towers rising from the stands. Designed by architects Moederscheim Moonen, the proposals include expanding the capacity at the stadium from 4,300 to 6,500 to seats, while creating a number of other services – from housing and retail to offices and leisure. The Van Donge & De
Plans revealed for luxury spa resort at ‘Heart chakra of the earth’ in Hungary
by Megan Whitby | 01 Jun 2020
Architecture practice Johannes Torpe Studios has unveiled the first glimpses of the Buda Resort; a luxury spa resort located in the Visegrad Hills of Hungary and inspired by the spiritual symbolism of its setting. Situated 50km north of Budapest in a hilly landscape surrounded by forests and the Danube River; the vision for the 210-room resort is to offer a holistic retreat which fosters a greater sense of unity between
Copenhagen's 'parkipelago' project looks to redefine public parks
by Tom Walker | 28 May 2020
A project involving hand-crafted islands on the Danish capital Copenhagen's waterfront is set to create a completely new genre of public parks. Described as a "parkipelago", the Copenhagen Islands project will involve a number of islands being distributed to suitable locations around the city's inner harbour, with the aim of providing people moveable, floating, public spaces which will be free to explore and conquer. During summer, the islands will be
Milan's San Siro has 'no cultural interest' and can be demolished
by Tom Walker | 27 May 2020
The historic San Siro football stadium in Milan could be demolished to make way for a brand new stadium, following a decision by Italian heritage authorities. According to the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage of Lombardy (SCHL), San Siro has "no cultural interest" and there is no heritage-based objection for it to be razed to the ground. The venue is the home for Milan's two Serie A giants – Internazionale and
First Apple hotel planned as part of new Austin campus
by Liz Terry | 25 May 2020
Tech giant, Apple, has received approval from City of Austin planners in Texas, for a six-storey, 192-bed, 76,000sq ft hotel, as part of a new US$1bn campus being built to the north-west of the city. The original outline plans for the development, submitted in December 2018, did not include a hotel and it's thought the facility has been added to COVID-proof Apple exec's travel exposure. The development started on site
Webinar: Cities after COVID-19 – lessons for greenfield megaprojects
by Liz Terry | 25 May 2020
Having seen COVID-19 disrupt the very functioning of cities worldwide, what would we do differently if we built new cities from scratch? This is the topic of a webinar conference in The Big Rethink series from NewCities, happening today (26 May 2020), at 12.00noon EDT. Speakers include Greg Clark, global head of future cities and new industries at HSBC; Satish Kamat, president of Sri City near Chennai, India; and Carlo
Permission granted for £150m four-layer subterranean health and wellbeing hub in London
by Megan Whitby | 18 May 2020
London’s Westminster City Council has approved developer Reef Group’s plans to invest over £150m (US$185.3m, €171.4m) in Cavendish Square, transforming the space into a subterranean mixed-use destination, with a focus on healthcare and wellbeing. Claimed to be London’s first subterranean health and wellbeing destination, the 280,000sq ft (26,000sq m) destination will deliver specialist facilities for London’s private healthcare sector. Currently an underground park, the existing structure will be reused and
World’s first energy-positive hotel to open north of the Arctic Circle in 2022
by Megan Whitby | 11 May 2020
The world’s first energy-positive hotel, called Svart, is due to open early in 2022. Designed by Snøhetta, the circular 99-room hotel will be situated on the Holandsfjorden fjord at the foot of the Svartisen glacier in Norway, raised up above the fjord on a wooden support structure. Developed by Miris, the hotel is located north of the Arctic Circle and is expected to use around 85 per cent less energy
BIG creates spiral museum for Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet
by Tom Walker | 07 May 2020
Swiss luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet will open a museum celebrating the company history next month (June 2020). Located next to the company HQ in the village of Le Brassus in the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland, the museum has been designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and will immerse visitors in the manufacturer’s "cultural universe past, present and future". BIG won an architectural competition to design the Musée Atelier Audemars
Hirsch Bedner's David T'Kint reassesses the future of design
by Liz Terry | 07 May 2020
Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) are one of the foremost names in hotel and hospitality design, but as partner David T'Kint told CLAD's Stu Robarts, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced them to reassess what the future of design looks like. T'Kint moved to Dubai with his family in 2014 to develop HBA's small office there into a fully-fledged design office. With 50 designers and five of the 10 HBA brands now
Bensley creating luxury ‘human zoo’ hotel concept for multinational project in Asia, Australia and Africa
by Megan Whitby | 01 May 2020
Architect Bill Bensley has announced plans for a luxury sustainable 'human zoo' hotel and spa project. Bensley’s concept will involve guests staying like caged animals within a luxury hotel and looking out onto an expansive wildlife sanctuary park full of rescued endangered animals. Bensley design studio’s vast 2084-key project named World Wild is comprised of seven hotels spread throughout Asia, Africa and Australia covering a total 654,867sq m. The concept's
Andrew Frontini and Paul Kulig – of Perkins and Will Toronto – tell CLAD the pandemic opens up opportunities to reinvent cities to create a better future
by Stu Robarts | 27 Apr 2020
Andrew Frontini, principal and design director of Perkins and Will in Toronto, and his colleague Paul Kulig, principal for urban design and transit, told CLAD how the Covid-19 pandemic will change how we live and move around cities. There has been a significant trend towards designing health and wellness into the built environment over the last decade, perhaps best illustrated by the launch of the International WELL Building Institute and
Studio Apostoli designs Milanese wellness centre with a green onyx cave, gold features and mosaic details
by Megan Whitby | 21 Apr 2020
Italian architecture studio Studio Apostoli is designing a luxury wellness centre in a restored twentieth-century Milanese palazzo, scheduled to open in 2021. The three-layer 1,000sq m facility will part of a boutique-hotel complex at the five-star Palazzo Bernasconi hotel, a project developed and owned by Italian hotel group Cipriani, and shall be named ‘Palazzo del Sarto’. Architect Alberto Apostoli has been commissioned by the client to develop the interior design
Rachel Gutter talks about how COVID-19 will change the places we live and work
by Stu Robarts | 20 Apr 2020
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is one of the foremost bodies when it comes to recognising how effectively the places we live ensure our health and wellbeing. CLAD spoke to president Rachel Gutter about how this priority has taken centre stage. IWBI was set up in 2014 with the aim of doing for people what LEED had done for sustainability, via its WELL Building Standard – the human-centric, wellness
Ekies resort receives overhaul inspired by monastic traditions using earthy tones and natural materials
by Megan Whitby | 20 Apr 2020
Ekies All Senses Resort, Halkidiki, Greece, has undergone a redesign and expansion project inspired by an ascetic vibe and its proximity to Mount Athos – home to 20 monasteries under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Resort owner, Alexandra Efstathiadou, worked in collaboration with Athens-based Agarch + Architects and Fytron Landscape Design, to create ten brand new suites and renovate five existing rooms. The team drew on
Wellness blends with 2,300 years of history at The Museum Hotel Antakya
by Megan Whitby | 20 Apr 2020
A luxury spa which overlooks an archaeological excavation spanning 13 civilizations, has recently been unveiled at The Museum Hotel Antakya, Turkey. Turkish design firm Emre Arolat Architecture led the multi-layered project’s design which centres around rare mosaics and is stacked with contemporary steel frames supporting sheltering rooms linked by walkways and glass-panelled bridges. The hotel’s decor has been completed with copper accents, warm wooden floors and views onto the surrounding
Yuji Yamazaki-designed Maldives spa will focus on calm and balance
by Megan Whitby | 06 Apr 2020
Plans have been revealed for a five-star Maldivian spa island designed by Yuji Yamazaki – the architect behind the world’s first underwater villa. The development is scheduled to open in September 2020. Located in the Maldives’ North Male Atoll, Kagi Maldives Spa Island will feature Baani Spa Wellness Centre, a 1,500sq m purpose-built spa designed to provide personalised outcome-focused wellness experiences which help guests ‘release, restore and regain’. The spa
First glimpses of urban spa at world’s first super-boutique hotel
by Megan Whitby | 03 Apr 2020
After seven years and a £300m investment, super-boutique hotel, The Londoner, is taking shape in the heart of the UK’s capital city. Originally scheduled for June 2020, the opening has been shifted to late 2020 due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Located in Leicester Square, the 16-storey hotel will cover 32,000sq m and feature an urban spa, 350 guest rooms including 35 suites and a tower penthouse, each
Cox Architecture creates dramatic, flowing theatre for Sydney
by Stu Robarts | 02 Apr 2020
Cox Architecture 's Sydney Coliseum Theatre combines a flowing form with a restrained palette of materials to create a beautiful and dramatic new cultural hub. Located in the Rooty Hill area of Western Sydney, the design for the facility was based on the concept of transcendence, with the aim of creating a journey from the outside world into the "the magic of performance". The 8000sq m (86,000sq ft) multi-mode venue
Rick Cook on the need for sustainability, wellness and resiliency in design
by Stu Robarts | 01 Apr 2020
Since being established in 2003, COOKFOX Architects have gained a reputation for being proponents of architecture at the intersection of sustainability and wellness, which co-founder Rick Cook says is more pressing now than ever. "Our current studio is LEED Platinum, but it's also the first WELL Gold certified project in New York," he explained to CLAD in an interview by way of example. "Which has much more of a focus
HNNA unveil "bold and playful" design for new Design District
by Stu Robarts | 01 Apr 2020
HNNA have unveiled designs for the London Design District, which was conceived by developer Knight Dragon to be a purpose-built neighbourhood for the creative industries. The vision for the Design District is to provide "a permanent hub for makers and thinkers driving forward the fields of design, art, tech, food, fashion, craft and music." Covering a 1ha (2.5ac) plot on Greenwich Peninsula, the masterplan comprises a cluster of 16 new
Merlin postpones opening of Legoland New York to 2021
by Tom Anstey | 01 Apr 2020
Merlin Entertainments has announced that its upcoming Legoland resort in New York, US, will now open in 2021. The delayed opening of the theme park and hotel, which was originally set for a 4 July opening, is a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "Nothing is more important to us than the health, safety and security of our team, the partners we work with, and the communities we serve," said
Expo 2020 Dubai likely to be postponed until 2021
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 31 Mar 2020
Expo 2020 Dubai has announced that it will likely be postponed by a year as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Representatives of the event have been working in consultation with key UAE and international stakeholders, as well as the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the governing body for World Expos, to ascertain the impact of the coronavirus and determine whether or not to go ahead as planned. A proposal
WGNB's South Korean gallery-inspired store displays clothes like artworks
by Stu Robarts | 31 Mar 2020
WGNB recently completed a clothes store interior in South Korea that was modelled on an art gallery, displaying products as artworks in themselves. The renovation of Boon the Shop in Centum City's Shinsegae department store was based on the recognition that fashion is, in itself, an artform of sorts and so asked the question: "Can a clothing store be a gallery?" Baek Jonghwan, chief designer of WGNB, explained: "For some
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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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