Tag: plaza | ArchDaily

The Metrics We Use Decide the Cities We Build: Urban Indicators and Lived Experience

Ankitha Gattupalli — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Modern cities are running on performance indicators. They move millions of people each day, concentrate capital, separate land uses, and sustain complex systems of logistics and consumption. In that sense, the city functions as a system to be continually adjusted and optimized.

Urban Transformation of San Salvador: Contemporary Placemaking in Central America

Moises Carrasco — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Historic center renewal has become a recurring strategy in Central American cities seeking to reassert the symbolic, economic, and functional relevance of their traditional cores. These processes often combine physical rehabilitation, institutional investment, and stricter control over public space. San Salvador offers a recent and instructive case, which allows for understanding of how interventions in inherited civic spaces balance infrastructure improvement with heritage conservation and social regulation. It also enables the assessment of how these choices resonate within broader debates on urban transformation in the region.

Foster + Partners Reveals Design for Retail Plaza on Istanbul’s Golden Horn

Reyyan Dogan — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 06:30:00 +0000

Foster + Partners has revealed designs for a retail plaza located on the northern bank of the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Türkiye. The project forms part of the larger Tersane master plan, which proposes to redevelop 1.6 kilometers of previously underutilized waterfront. The master plan integrates a mix of retail, residential, hospitality, cultural buildings, and landscaped public spaces, aiming to enhance access along the shoreline. The plaza sits within close proximity to several of Istanbul's historic landmarks, drawing on the area's maritime and industrial heritage. The design's scale and material choices reflect this context, seeking to align with the site's historic layers while introducing a contemporary retail environment.

BIG Wins Competition to Transform Three Urban Plazas into an Interconnected 'City Stage' in Copenhagen, Denmark

Antonia Piñeiro — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 05:30:00 +0000

BIG, artist Doug Aitken Workshop, NIRAS, Volcano, and RWDI have won a competition to redesign three public spaces surrounding major music venues in Ørestad, Copenhagen. The initiative, titled Byens Scene ("The City's Stage"), aims to revitalize the areas around DR Koncerthuset, Bella Arena, and Royal Arena, transforming them into an interconnected landscape for everyday use and public performances.

Gensler Unveils Plans for Al-Ahly Football Club’s First Home in Egypt

Nour Fakharany — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 05:30:00 +0000

Gensler, in collaboration with El Qalaa El Hamraa and Buro Happold, has revealed plans for a new stadium dedicated to Al-Ahly Football Club, a team widely recognized for its prominence in African and Middle Eastern football. The project, more than three decades in the making, envisions a state-of-the-art venue designed not only for football matches but also as a national landmark capable of hosting large-scale events, setting a new standard for sports architecture in the region.

Innovations in Public Spaces: Gardens, Plazas, and Landscape Parks of 2024

Agustina Iñiguez — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 04:00:00 +0000

In a quest to enhance and attract new natural experiences to city centers, the design, planning, and revitalization of certain urban spaces align with strategies aimed at improving the quality of life for residents while maintaining a connection with nature rooted in the local landscape. Through technical solutions for wastewater treatment and stormwater drainage, improved accessibility, incorporation of recreational activities, introduction of native vegetation, and more, numerous parks, plazas, and gardens are integrated into urban and rural fabrics. These efforts seek to filter pollution, purify the air, address social issues, and promote experiences that foster connections between nature, biodiversity, and society.

The 36x36 Project Series in Mexico by Colectivo C733 Receives the 2024 Obel Award

Maria-Cristina Florian — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 03:00:00 +0000

The 2024 Obel Award has been granted to Colectivo C733 for their unique achievement in completing 36 public projects across Mexico over a span of just 36 months. These projects have begun as part of a nationwide initiative led by Mexico's Secretariat for Agrarian, Land, and Urban Development (SEDATU). Collectively named the 36x36 projects, the varied interventions have successfully revitalized a wide range of vulnerable urban and rural areas through a collaborative and community-focused approach. This aligns with the Obel Award's 6th cycle overarching theme, "Architectures with," highlighting initiatives that positively impact both people and the planet.

Foster + Partners Designs All-Electric Office Tower in New York

Nour Fakharany — Mon, 06 May 2024 05:30:00 +0000

Foster + Partners, led by Norman Foster, has just released the designs for a new office tower in New York, United States. Spanning 139,354 square meters, “350 Park Avenue” will be the office space for Citadel Securities, committing to at least 78,967 square meters of the overall space. Seeking to rejuvenate the iconic street, the all-electric tower will integrate into the urban fabric of New York, standing alongside architectural landmarks in Midtown Manhattan.

OMA / Chris van Duijn Wins Bid to Design Hongik University's New Campus in Seoul

Maria-Cristina Florian — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 06:30:00 +0000

OMA / Chris van Duijn won the competition to design a new campus for Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea. The proposal introduces a cluster of low-rise buildings interconnected by a network of public spaces molded on the existing topography of the site. The design aims to reemphasize the university’s connection to the city and its neighboring areas and to introduce greenery and various open spaces creating a seamless connection between roof terraces, outdoor courtyards, and sunken plazas. The winning proposal was chosen from the entries from established international practices, including SANAA, Herzog & de Meuron, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, and David Chipperfield Architects.

OMA / Reinier de Graaf Presents Elevated Plaza and Trapezoidal Headquarters Concept for UniCredit in Munich, Germany

Maria-Cristina Florian — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 06:30:00 +0000

OMA’s competition design for UniCredit’s new Headquarters in Munich, Germany, proposes a plaza lifted off the ground to increase public spaces and urban connectivity and to activate an otherwise overlooked area. The scheme aims to “retroactively attribute character to an area which may never have had one.” The site is located by one of the city’s main arteries, the S-Bahn, a strictly functional area lacking in public spaces or amenities. The building proposed by OMA is lifted off the ground, with its limited footprint allowing for more public space to be integrated while preserving the site’s natural features.

A Central Square in Greece and a Giant Clock in Germany: 8 Unbuilt Public Spaces Submitted by the ArchDaily Community

Nour Fakharany — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Public spaces are the beating heart of our cities. They act as the hubs of social and cultural activity where people congregate, interact, and escape the clamor of the city. These areas are crucial in determining a city's identity, character, and citizens' well-being and standard of living. Public spaces can define our communities and significantly impact how we live, work, and interact with one another through their architectural designs, facilities, and activities. Furthermore, they provide leisure, exercise, and recreation opportunities, allowing individuals to escape the confines of their daily routines and connect with nature.

Steven Holl Architects Unveils New Masterplan in Abruzzo, Italy

Nour Fakharany — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 05:30:00 +0000

Steven Holl Architects has revealed a plan for the Gran Sasso area in Abruzzo, Italy, specifically in Prati di Tivo. The project aims to develop an area dedicated to tourists and mountaineers, complete with accommodation spaces, pools, spas, a restaurant, and a public plaza with views toward the mountain range. The designs and models of the project, along with the initial watercolor sketches, are presented at the Antonia Jannone Disegni di Architettura exhibition titled "Steven Holl: Half Earth," which will be available for viewing from May 26 to July 14.

Contemporary Public Spaces: 11 Projects That Inspire New Ideas

ArchDaily Team — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 06:30:00 +0000

Besides reflecting the aspirations of a society, public spaces also configure the scenarios in which new ideas of coexistence and the collective can emerge from their qualities. Thinking about the streets, squares, parks, and even nature is a way of dealing with common ideals and ensuring the social dynamics in the relationship between bodies and the environment.

Perkins&Will Transform Sacramento Valley Train Station into Regenerative Master Plan

Dima Stouhi — Mon, 03 May 2021 06:30:00 +0000

Global architecture firm Perkins&Will, in collaboration with ARUP, Grimshaw Architects, EPS , AIM Consulting, and the City of Sacramento, have transformed the city's historic train station into a self-reliant and regenerative transportation hub, making it one of the most sustainable public areas in California. The design team worked alongside the local community to create a people-centric 31-acre master plan that reflects what the community envisions for a public train station and gateway to the city of Sacramento.

Lincoln Center’s Josie Robertson Plaza Goes Green for the Summer

Dima Stouhi — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 06:30:00 +0000

After several event cancellations due to the pandemic, Manhattan’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex have transformed their outdoor plaza into a green park and outdoor performance venue called The Green. As of May 10, the Restart Stages initiative will add fake grass across the 14,000-square-foot (1,300 sqm) Josie Robertson Plaza. The plaza, which was originally designed by Philip Johnson, Wallace K. Harrison, and Max Abramovitz, and renovated by award-winning architecture firm DS+R in 2010, will transform into a public urban space of gathering, leisure, and entertainment.

A 3D-Printed Majlis and Suspended Cliff Platforms: 10 Unbuilt Projects Submitted to ArchDaily

Dima Stouhi — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 04:00:00 +0000

This week’s curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights cultural structures submitted by the ArchDaily Community. From pavilions to installations, this article explores the topic of cultural urban interventions and presents approaches submitted to us from all over the world.

A Social Distancing Plaza in the Netherlands and a City without Cars in Italy: 10 Unbuilt Projects Submitted to ArchDaily

Christele Harrouk — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 07:30:00 +0000

Looking at the urban environment, this week’s curated selection of the Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights interventions in public spaces, submitted by the ArchDaily Community. Suitable for this monthly topic, the article underlines worldwide approaches that tackle the challenges of these areas through the introduction of innovative solutions.

Sou Fujimoto Reveals Design for Torch Tower in Tokyo, Japan

Christele Harrouk — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 06:30:00 +0000

Sou Fujimoto Architects has unveiled its design for the top part of the tallest skyscraper in Japan “Torch Tower” in Tokyo, collaborating mainly with Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei, Inc. Standing tall at 390m, the highrise building planned to be ready by 2028, takes on a large plaza at around 300m, generating a space for people.