Kengo Kuma and Associates: The Latest Architecture and News

In a surprising development, internationally renowned architect Kengo Kuma has been named the new lead designer for the highly anticipated Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The announcement follows the departure of previous designer Marlon Blackwell, who was originally selected in July 2023.

Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) has announced the International High-Rise Award 2024/25. Selected from more than 1,000 new high-rises worldwide dating from the past two years, the nominated projects are located in 13 counties from 5 continents. In autumn, the five finalists will be announced, followed by the winner announcement scheduled for November 12, 2024. The main objective of the award is to highlight good practices in the ongoing trend of mixed-use high-rises.

With the increase in the construction of high-rises, special features such as the introduction of greenery in the design, unusual shapes, or the construction of clusters of towers, have become the new normal. DAM’s research this year also shows a growing eco-awareness, as the focus in high-rise construction is increasingly on the use of existing buildings. While the majority of tall buildings continue to be erected in China, followed by the USA, Australia, and Singapore have emerged as new hubs of high-rise architecture.

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The State of Qatar has unveiled the design of its national pavilion to take shape at Expo Osaka 2025. Designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates in collaboration with Qatar Museums, the pavilion blends traditional craftsmanship from Qatar and Japan while highlighting the two countries’ connection to the sea, which is understood as a hub of resources and a medium for trade and knowledge exchange. The prepared exhibition, on view between April 13 and October 13, 2025, aims to showcase Qatar’s innovations across diverse fields.

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The Danish Landscape Award 2023 has been awarded to the H.C. Andersen Garden, designed by MASU Planning. The award focuses on honoring landscape architectural works with character, serving as “inspiration” for the industry. Situated in Odense in Denmark, this year’s winner was praised for reviving urban renewal in the city center by creating an escape that blends with the existing context.

Kengo Kuma and Associates has just unveiled the designs of a new mixed-use project in Miami, Florida. Standing as the first mixed-use initiative by the architect in the United States, the scheme is set to become a popular attraction in the city. “MIRAI Design District” is comprised of retail spaces, office spaces, and commercial units.

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In his latest photo series, Paul Clemence captures Haus Balma, a residential and commercial building designed by Kengo Kuma Architects. Situated in Vals, at the foothills of the Graubünden Mountains, the building was designed for Truffer AG, a family business founded in 1983, specializing in processed Valser quarzite stone slabs. Typically used as a flooring and roofing material, many architects have used quartzite stones in this region, including Peter Zumthor in his Therme Vals, Norman Foster, and Philippe Stark.

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Five finalists have been shortlisted in the competition to design the new Griegkvartalet Theater in Bergen, Norway. The project is set to be a cultural powerhouse in Western Norway, hosting multidisciplinary forms of art, including opera, musical theater, ballet, dance, concerts, and conferences. The competition emphasizes integration with the surroundings, urban space, energy efficiency, and feasibility.

The shortlisted teams include Henning Larsen Architects, Snøhetta, Zaha Hadid Architects, MAD arkitekter and Kengo Kuma, and the Nordic Office of Architecture includes Arkkitehtitoimisto ALA in the architecture subjects. Each studio was selected from 32 participants worldwide and will be filtered into three winners in the coming stages in the fall of 2023. Ultimately, by March 2024, one winner will be selected and receive the official service contract to begin construction.

Following an international competition, Kengo Kuma & Associates has been selected to design the new visitor center for Butrint National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Albania’s Ionian coastline. Through its placement in a nodal and strategic position, the project aims to establish a new connection between the local communities and the expected archeological site visitors, thus improving the accessibility of the site, which is recognized as one of Albania’s chef cultural attractions. The visitor center, developed with Albanian partners CHwB Albania, is scheduled to open to the public in 2025.

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Kengo Kuma and Associates have just been awarded second place in an architecture competition to design the expansion and renovation of the Egyptian Museum in Torino, Italy. It served for many decades as the primary civic space in Turin, with its public areas closed off from the rest of the city. Kengo Kuma’s proposal aims to recreate the public plaza, a city center covered by a thin glass canopy. Founded in 1824 and is the oldest museum for Ancient Egyptian culture, the Egyptian Museum in Torino held a competition earlier this year and received entries by Pininfarina Architecture, Carlo Ratti Associati, and Snøhetta. The winning project by OMA / David Gianotten and Andreas Karavanas will transform the museum into a cultural space, creating one covered courtyard and a series of connected urban rooms within the existing settlement.

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Kengo Kuma’s proposal for The National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece, aims to draw attention to the importance of science in archaeology, the value of its collections, and the fundamental role and character of the museum in the present and the future. As the memory of the museum is traced back, words in acts of burying, concealing, and revealing begin to emerge. These three words are pivotal transitional moments that help shape the museum into what it is today and pave the way for its future application.

The Butrint Management Foundation (BMF) has revealed the four teams that will design the new visitor center for Butrint National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Albania’s Ionian coastline. Kengo Kuma & Associates, Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Architects, Philippe PROST / AAPP, and William Matthews Associates were selected to create concept designs for the 1,000m² visitor hub at the country’s most iconic cultural destination, home to artifacts and structures dating from the Iron Age up until the Middle Ages. The proposals will be judged in 2023, and the new visitor center is due to completion in 2025.