MAD Architects has announced the completion of the Jiaxing Train Station, the first transportation infrastructure project developed by the architecture office. Located in the historic city of Jiaxing, 100 kilometers southwest of Shanghai, the project involves the replacement of a dysfunctional station that had stood at the site between 1995 and 2019. As China has developed significantly in terms of urbanization, its train stations have grown into complicated, widespread, and uninviting infrastructures. Through their project, MAD Architects strive to return to a human scale, to create a facility that responds to the newest developments in transportation technology, while creating spaces that are comfortable and easy to navigate for its users.
Zaha Hadid Architects have released images of their design for the world’s first hydrogen refueling infrastructure for recreational boating. Continuing ZHA’s experience in maritime designs, the stations are to be installed in 25 Italian marinas and ports. Launched by NatPower H, the stations will begin to be implemented in the summer of 2024, with plans to expand to over 100 locations throughout the Mediterranean Sea in the next six years.
Herzog & de Meuron has revealed the design for the Seoripul Open Art Storage, a collective archive space that will serve three museums in Seoul: the Seoul Museum of Art, the Seoul Museum of Craft Art, and the Seoul Museum of History. Going beyond the archive program, the proposal aims to open up the building to visitors, transforming the art storage into a dynamic civic space. Located on the Eastern Border of Seoripul Park, the building is characterized by a pyramidal glass structure set in a garden that functions as a secluded outdoor space for Archive/Museum visitors.
Japanese design firm Nikken Sekkei has just completed a new building in Dubai’s central financial district, encompassing the “World’s Longest Cantilever,” which floats 100m above ground. Compromising two towers connected by an enclosed horizontal bridge, “One Za’abeel” acts as a new point of entry into the city. Designed to be a symbol of Dubai’s growth and expansion, the project offers easy access to the downtown region. The scheme features restaurants, retail spaces, workspaces, and urban hotel accommodations.
Poplar Assembly / Francisco Javier García García . Image Courtesy of Concéntrico
Now in its 10th edition, Concéntrico, the international festival of architecture and design in Logroño, has announced the winners of the open calls for urban interventions. Responding to the call to ‘Celebrate the City,’ the winning proposals will be temporarily built in Plaza Escuelas Trevijano, in Viña Lanciano of Bodegas LAN, and in Paseo del Espolón in the Spanish town of Logroño. The Festival welcomes visitors between April 25 and May 1, 2024, to explore the city through installations, exhibitions meetings, and performances.
Trahan Architects has just unveiled the design of the USA Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai in Japan. During the six-month expo, the proposal aims to showcase American architecture, innovation, culture, and industry. The display will be focused on celebrating contemporary American achievements in various fields, featuring exhibitions focused on sustainability, space exploration, education, and entrepreneurship.
Venice authorities have launched a pilot program for their long-term discussed plan to introduce fees for day-trippers visiting the city. The program, which has been delayed several times citing logistical issues, was officially launched on January 16th, when the online payment platform became operational. While the scope of the program is expected to expand, for now, it will be applied only on certain days during the most crowded season, between April 25 and July 14.
Renovation work on Egypt’s infamous Menkaura Pyramid at Giza has sparked criticism on online platforms over the past two days. Dubbed by the head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities as “the project of the century,” the ongoing renovation aims to restore the pyramid’s original style by reconstructing the granite layer. Initially, the pyramid was encased in granite and lost part of its covering over time.
‘(Re)membering the See Monster' by Eldry John Infante - Overall Winner . Image Courtesy of WAF
The World Architecture Festival and Prize, together with co-curators Make Architects and Sir John Soane’s Museum, have announced Filipino Architect and Illustrator Eldry John Infante as the Overall Winner of the 2023 Architecture Drawing Prize. The awarded drawing, titled ‘(Re)membering the See Monster,’ is a mixed-media representation of a defunct oil platform. The image aims to invite conversations on the topic of reuse, going beyond the structure’s physicality.
Goettsch Partners has recently won a design competition for an expansive urban renewal initiative in Jinan, China. Spanning three parcels, encompassing a total area of 111,500 sqm, the scheme is situated alongside the infamous Honglou Plaza. Positioned at the city’s center, Honglou Plaza holds historical significance as home to one of the region’s oldest cathedrals. The competition aimed to introduce concepts that would re-energize the regional core, through a design centered on pedestrian engagement.
After winning the international competition for the design of the Vltava Philharmonic Hall in May 2022, Danish studio BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group has now developed the design into a detailed architectural study. The project continues the central concept of the competition, that of connecting the riverbank with the venue’s rooftop via a meandering path that expands the public space and invites visitors to engage with the new building. Construction is expected to start in 2027, after completing the project documentation for the building permit and selecting a contractor. The Philharmonic Hall is expected to open in 2032.
Last week, WXCA Architects unveiled the design for a new “green district of the future,” to be developed on a former FSO car factory site in Warsaw. Covering over 60 hectares, the project aims to accommodate more than 17,000 residents and provide employment for approximately 13,000 individuals by 2050. The Polish automotive FSO factory will be transformed, outlined in a master plan envisioning a multi-functional and environmentally conscious district.
The Bruges Triennial 2024 has announced its theme, “Space of Possibility,” along with a list of participating artists and architects and the locations of the 12 installations. Running from Saturday 13 April to Sunday 1 September 2024, the event will take over the streets and historic center of Bruges. Belgium, showcasing contemporary art and architectural interventions. The curators of this edition, Shendy Gardin and Sevie Tsampalla, have selected a list of 12 artists and architects who will challenge the existing locations within the city’s quarters in response to the theme which asks them to seek to reveal the hidden potential of the city.
UNStudio, in collaboration with Arup and local firm Heerim Architecture, has unveiled the proposal for the “Peace Park Wheel.” Designed as a landmark at Sangam World Cup Park in Seoul, UNStudio successfully won the preliminary competition and is set to partner with Seoul Housing & Community Corp. The ferris wheel proposal is part of the mayor’s vision: “Han River with a Thousand Sunsets,” aiming to establish numerous public spaces along the Han River for the city’s residents.
Rafael Viñoly Architects has released new renderings of their design for the new international terminal at Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci in Florence, Italy. According to the architects, upon completion, the new terminal is expected to welcome over 5.9 million passengers a year, becoming one of the largest airports in the Tuscany region of Italy. In a nod to the Tuscan traditions of winemaking, the terminal’s rooftop features a 19-acre productive vineyard. The project is divided into two construction phases, with the first one scheduled to be completed in 2026, and the second in 2035.
BIG has released sneak peek images into their “Not A Hotel Setouchi” project in Japan. The scheme draws inspiration from the surrounding beauty and Japanese landscape artworks, situated in the southwest cape of Sagi Island, overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. Consisting of three distinct holiday villas, Not A Hotel aims to blend Japanese and Danish architectural influences.
