The change of the calendar year marked the culmination of several processes in the world of renowned architecture firms. Between December 2024 and February 2025, Gensler unveiled a rendering of a Manhattan redevelopment project, Foster + Partners released renderings of a new hotel and luxury residences in Brazil, and Herzog & de Meuron announced the completion date for the new Memphis Art Museum. International competitions revealed their results, highlighting the winning project of the young firm Unformed Design, as well as the collaboration between the Portuguese Fala Atelier and the Swiss Continentale on an educational architecture project. These projects showcase the broad scope of architectural design, from the detailing of a high-end project's relationship with nature to the urban renewal potential of a programmatic conversion project.
Gensler's Residential Conversion of the Former Pfizer Office Tower in New York City
Gensler is currently working on a series of conversion projects, totaling over 5,000 residential units in various stages of design or construction across New York City through office-to-residential conversions. One of these projects is the renovation of the former Pfizer Office Tower, owned by Metro Loft and David Werner Real Estate Investments, located at 219 and 229 East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan. The existing 33-story office building at 229 East 42nd Street and the adjoining 10-story tower at 219 East 42nd Street will be expanded and transformed into a mixed-use complex. Project owners have recently released a rendering for the 1.2 million square feet development, which will include approximately 1,600 housing units, 25% of which will be designated as affordable, as well as a rooftop pool and a fitness center. As the design architect, interior architect, and architect-of-record, global architecture firm Gensler will provide comprehensive architectural and design services for the project.
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Foster + Partners Unveils Two New Residential Towers in London's King's Road Park Master PlanUnformed Design's Winning Project for Not a Hotel Competition Set to Begin Construction in 2026
The 1st-prize-winning proposal of the 2024 Not a Hotel Competition, "Nature Within," is scheduled to open to the public in 2026/2027. Designed by architects Mohamed Hassan Elgendy and Nahed Zmeter of Unformed Design, a young Milan-based practice, the 400-square-meter project is located in Kitakaruizawa, Japan. The design integrates the site's natural rock formations as structural and spatial elements, minimizing the need for extensive artificial foundations. Suspended between these rock formations, the vacation house features an elliptical roof that blends into the terrain. The lower façade, composed primarily of glass, provides panoramic views of the surrounding forest and maximizes natural light in the interior, which is decorated with warm wood, dark earthy textures, and industrial metal elements. Under the "Not a Hotel" franchise, several globally recognized offices have also contributed with designs planned to be integrated into the natural landscapes of Japan, including BIG's proposal for Sagi Island, Snøhetta's design nestled within the landscape of Hokkaido Island, and Sou Fujimoto's project in the southwest of Ishigaki Island.
Foster + Partners Undulating Desing for TEMPO Hotel and Residences in Brazil
Foster + Partners has released design images for the new TEMPO hotel, which is currently being developed by MUZE real estate development group in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. The undulating complex is designed to capture views of Praia Brava, a beach popular with surfers, and the surrounding mountainous landscape. The new buildings face a landscaped garden at the center of the development, which acts as an extension of the beachfront, featuring natural trails, pavilions, water features, and pools. Each hotel suite has a private terrace and features sliding timber screens, and a rooftop infinity pool wraps around the deck to provide 360-degree views. The project also includes separate residential buildings, each featuring single, whole-floor residences with private gardens.
Herzog & de Meuron's Memphis Art Museum Construction Expected to Be Completed by 2026
Located in the heart of Memphis within Overton Park, the museum began as a modest exhibition space without a permanent collection. In 2019, following an extensive selection process, Herzog & de Meuron was appointed as the design consultant for a new museum building. The new Memphis Art Museum is situated at the intersection of Union Avenue and Front Street, at the southern edge of the historic city core. The design concept emphasizes the site's historical significance and consists of two main elements: a gallery pavilion and a reconstructed bluff that forms its sloping base. A museum courtyard extends the public realm into the building, linking the city and river through a series of cascading spaces. More than five years after the selection process, the project is expected to be completed and open to the public in 2026.
Fala Atelier and Continentale's Conceptual Proposal for a School in a Park in Lausanne, Switzerland
The Portuguese firm Fala Atelier and the Swiss office Continentale collaborated on a proposal for the architectural and engineering competition to extend the Collège de La Sallaz in Lausanne. The results, announced at the end of 2024, awarded their compact 2,050 m² wooden building fourth place. The design, entitled "Ciel. School in a Park", features a symmetrical composition centered around a pre-existing cedar tree on the site. Locally sourced wood was proposed as the primary material, exposed both inside and out, with the façade clad in colored wooden panels. The structure was designed predominantly in wood, with minimal use of reinforced concrete limited to the foundations and the semi-buried lower level. It combined wooden box slab floors, metal bracing, and cross-laminated timber cores. Despite its recognition, the project will not be realized.
This article is part of our curated News Compilation series, Architecture Now, showcasing unbuilt projects from renowned architectural firms. Through concise updates, we aim to provide a snapshot of emerging architectural ideas and concepts. At ArchDaily, we welcome contributions from readers—if you have a project or idea to share, feel free to contact us.
