Astana, Kazakhstan
Chicago firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture have won the design commission for the World Expo 2017 exhibition in Astana,Kazakhstan. Smith and Gill, who are currently working on construction of the world’s tallest skyscraper, will masterplan a 173-hectare site, including a World Fair exhibition centre, housing, schools, healthcare facilities, shopping centres and parks.
Courtesy Architects Journal
Tokyo, Japan
Zaha Hadid has been asked to redesign her winning proposal for the new Tokyo National Olympic Stadium to better suit the urban context in which it will be built. Although the Japanese government approved the 80,000-seat stadium six months ago, the country’s sports minister, Hakubum Shimomura, has asked the architect to downsize the project due to its high cost and enormous size.
Courtesy Inhabitat
Qingdao, China
Steven Holl Architects has bested contenders such as OMA and Zaha Hadid to claim the winning design for the new Qingdao City Culture and Art Centre in China. The two million-square-foot winning proposal features a conglomerate of four art museums situated amongst a landscape of reflecting pools and gardens which are all connected by a continuous “Light Loop” that moves visitors throughout the site.
Image: Steven Holl Architects
Courtesy Bustler
New York, United States
In a controversial essay published on his website, popular British graffiti artist Banksy criticised the design of One World Trade Center, referring to the building as a "shyscraper" and the city’s “biggest eyesore.” Banksy’s criticism of the tower doesn’t stand alone, with some critics condemning the drastic alterations that were made to Daniel Libeskind’s original proposal.
Courtesy NBC New York
Yushu, Tibet
Beijing studio, Atelier TeamMinus has completed the Jianamani Visitor Centre for an ancient Buddhist memorial in Tibet. The architects used traditional Tibetan architecture as a guide when generating the plan of the building. They created a square building with a central courtyard and surrounded it with 11 observation towers that offer views of various historical landmarks nearby.
Courtesy Dezeen
