Tag: multi-use | ArchDaily

The Productive Clash: Heritage Interiors, Contemporary Projects, and the Value of Imperfection

Jonathan Yeung — Thu, 14 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Heritage, in interiors, is increasingly rarer to be only a matter of preservation alone. More often it arrives as friction: the encounter between what a building already is—its plan logic, its scars, its structural inconsistencies—and what contemporary life demands of it.

Beyond Circulation: Stair Solutions for Small-Footprint Living in Asia

Jonathan Yeung — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:30:00 +0000

In many high-density cities across Asia, the staircase is often treated as a necessary evil. Whether in apartment buildings, private homes, or retail interiors, it is frequently hidden, tucked away, or pushed to the margins—an element to be minimized so more area can be given to "usable" space. Yet as density intensifies and square footage becomes increasingly scarce, architects and designers are forced to rethink this vertical puzzle.

Allies and Morrison and SLA’s Plot C at Manchester’s Sister District Receives Planning Approval

Reyyan Dogan — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 06:30:00 +0000

Plot C, Sister, Manchester, a pair of linked commercial buildings located on the north-east corner of the Sister campus, has received planning approval from Manchester City Council. Designed by Allies and Morrison and SLA for client Sister, a joint venture between the University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech, the scheme represents the first major new-build phase of the master plan for Manchester's emerging innovation district. With a total gross external area of approximately 81,000 square metres, the development is positioned as one of the city's largest new workplace-led projects, marking a key moment in the phased transformation of the site.

From Yakushima to Toronto: Architecture Now Highlights New Projects Shaping Hospitality, Public Life, and Infrastructure

Nour Fakharany — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

As cities and infrastructures evolve to meet shifting cultural, environmental, and social demands, new architectural projects are redefining how public spaces and civic institutions operate. This edition of Architecture Now brings together proposals spanning different contexts and scales: on Yakushima Island, Jean Nouvel embeds a boutique retreat for NOT A HOTEL into a UNESCO-listed forest landscape; in New York City, Rossetti and WSP are preparing a major renovation of Arthur Ashe Stadium to expand capacity and enhance the visitor experience; in Toronto, Diamond Schmitt and gh3* have broken ground on a mass-timber, net-zero paramedic station; and across the English Channel, Hollaway Studio is leading a transformation of LeShuttle's UK and French terminals into more seamless and sustainable gateways. Together, these projects reflect how design is being used to adapt existing systems and landscapes to new forms of public life.

Renzo Piano Building Workshop Wins Competition to Design the New Midtstadt Mixed-Use Complex in Frankfurt

Antonia Piñeiro — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 06:30:00 +0000

Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), in collaboration with Holger Meyer Architekten, has won the competition for the new Midstad project in Frankfurt. Led by Joost Moolhuijzen and Erik Volz, the design reimagines the future of European city centers as resourceful and multifunctional. The project involves a 35,000 m² rehabilitation of an existing department store on the Zeil in Frankfurt's city center, integrating a six-story mass timber extension and a mixed-use, community-driven program. The project involves reconstruction during ongoing operation, partial demolition, and the expansion of the existing department store.

Architecture Beyond Humanity: Designing for Non-Human Species

Olivia Poston — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Are humans the only stewards of the built environment? For many architects and planners, spaces are designed with a focus on the needs, comfort, and health of humans. A spatial ordering, in constructed spaces and the urban fabric, designates humans as the default, singular user in this scenario. However, as much as humans have influenced the trajectory of the world, other species play a crucial role in designing, forming, and maintaining the urban landscapes of the twenty-first century.

Building Stronger Communities: The Role of Regional Identity in 7 Multi-Purpose Projects

Hadir Al Koshta — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 05:00:00 +0000

A region's identity is deeply tied to its community spaces. These spaces—whether parks, public squares, or community centers—reflect their users' culture, history, and values. They don't just preserve regional identity; they actively shape how communities engage with their environment, fostering a dynamic relationship between place and people. Community spaces are more than just physical locations; they are vital social hubs that foster engagement, cultural expression, and a sense of belonging. These spaces symbolize a shared identity and purpose.

Designing the School of the Future: Multifunctional Spaces for Dynamic Learning

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 07:30:00 +0000

The 21st century has dramatically transformed school architecture, driven by new educational philosophies, technological progress, and social values emphasizing sustainability and inclusion. This change goes beyond mere aesthetics, deeply reshaping how physical spaces contribute to education. Traditional narrow hallways and rows of desks have been replaced by dynamic, flexible spaces that are well-integrated with their surroundings and the community. These modern designs prioritize versatility and multifunctionality.

Asif Khan and Theaster Gates Release New Vision for Liverpool’s Waterfront Transformation Project

Maria-Cristina Florian — Mon, 01 May 2023 06:30:00 +0000

National Museums Liverpool (NML) has revealed a revised version of the redevelopment of the city’s waterfront, led by architect Asif Khan and artist Theaster Gates. The plans include the redesign of the public spaces at Canning Dock, a historical area central to the Liverpool docks. As part of the Waterfront Transformation Project, the interventions aim to create accessible public spaces to better serve the community and to create a link between the surrounding museums. The preliminary proposal is now open for public consultation.

Kengo Kuma Transforms Shanghai Shipyard Into Multi-Use Complex

Lindsey Leardi — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 04:00:00 +0000

In the Lujiazui financial district in Pudong, Shanghai, Kengo Kuma has reimagined a 1972 shipyard into a new 9,000-square-meter multi-use complex, named Shipyard 1862. Behind original, rugged brick walls, the old shipyard was once defined by a 12 by 30-meter grid, which allowed for massive interior spaces to hold ships. In this industrial-style adaptive reuse project, Kuma was careful to preserve the building’s structural and material integrity. These photographs provided by Julien Lanoo show how the industrial shell has been transformed by the refurbishment project.

Orange Architects Wins Competition to Build Mixed-Use Development on Amsterdam Harbor

Annalise Zorn — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Orange Architects have been selected as winners of a competition to create a new mixed-use residential building situated at the port of IJburg in Amsterdam. The neighborhood of IJburg is comprised of a series of artificial islands developed to address the growing need for housing and lack of available land near Amsterdam's city center. Commissioned by Amvest, the 29,000 square meter development aims to provide a sustainable, inviting heart for the area.

FaulknerBrowns Unveils Plan to Re-develop Bangor Waterfront

Annalise Zorn — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 14:00:00 +0000

FaulknerBrowns Architects have released plans for a revitalization of Queens Parade, a waterfront site in Bangor, Northern Ireland that has long been left underutilized. Situated next to the Bangor Marina, the mixed-used development will include residential, entertainment, and retail buildings in an effort to secure the site as a destination for both locals and tourists to connect with the water.