Tag: river | ArchDaily

ZHA's Songshan Lake Exhibition and Performance Center Opens in Dongguanm, China

Antonia Piñeiro — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 05:30:00 +0000

The Songshan Lake Exhibition and Performance Center, designed by ZHA in collaboration with the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, is a new cultural and sports facility in Dongguan City, China. It's located in the city's High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, a technological innovation and science city established in 2001 as a hub for research, development, and high-tech manufacturing. Covering a total floor area of 45,000 square metres, the new cultural centre was designed to be a civic and cultural anchor for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The construction of the riverside building started in 2021, and the complex was officially opened on March 30, 2026.

Local Knowledge and Ecological Context: City Making Lessons from Chicago’s Wild Mile

Olivia Poston — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 04:00:00 +0000

For more than a century, residents of growing American cities reshaped their rivers to serve industrial and manufacturing needs. Waterways were straightened, deepened, paved, or buried to support shipping routes and to move materials efficiently across regions. These transformations created an urban landscape in which rivers were treated as productive infrastructure rather than as living ecological systems.

Snøhetta Selected to Design the New Qiantang Bay Art Museum in Hangzhou, China

Antonia Piñeiro — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 05:30:00 +0000

Snøhetta has been selected to design the Qiantang Bay Art Museum, a new cultural landmark within the Qiantang Bay Future Headquarters development in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, China. Conceived in collaboration with the Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co., Ltd. and Buro Happold, the project encompasses architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design over 18,000 square meters. The museum will form part of Hangzhou's expanding downtown area along the Qiantang River, serving as an important destination for art, culture, and public life.

Zaha Hadid Architects’ Danjiang Bridge Nears Completion Ahead of 2026 Opening in Taipei, Taiwan

Antonia Piñeiro — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 05:30:00 +0000

Zaha Hadid Architects was announced as the winner of the Danjiang Bridge International Competition in 2015. At the time, the design proposal sought to minimize the bridge's visual impact by employing a single concrete structural mast to support a 920-meter-long cable-stayed span. Construction began in 2019 on what would become the world's longest single-mast, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge. In October 2025, the final segment of the bridge's steel decking was installed, connecting the east and west banks of the Tamsui River estuary in Taiwan for the first time and confirming its opening date for May 12, 2026.

Shifting Sediments: Rivers as an Architectural and Cultural Catalyst

Olivia Poston — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Rivers generate a distinct typology of architecture bound by design threads of material practice, environmental adaptation, cultural symbolism, and imagination. Each river system produces a unique ecosystem where water, soil, vegetation, and settlement converge to form a living network. Designing within this environment requires a capacity to read movement rather than resist it, to build on uncertain ground, and to understand permanence as a balance in motion. Unlike the fixed horizon of the sea, the river is never still. It teaches architects to think in gradients rather than boundaries, and to design as part of an evolving landscape.

Designing at the Edge: 8 Conceptual Projects Where Architecture Meets Nature from the ArchDaily Community

Nour Fakharany — Fri, 23 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

At a time when architectural practice is increasingly tied to climate and context, the boundary between the built and the natural has become a critical site of experimentation. This month's unbuilt selection gathers eight conceptual projects that work with the edges of landscape. In Ramia by João Teles Atelier, the architecture draws directly from the metaphor of a seed breaking through soil, using wood, concrete, and water to create a sensorial route through Tulum's ecology. Meanwhile, Mobius Pier by X Atelier loops gently over the river edge, becoming both infrastructure and observation point. Similarly, Il mare degli Umbri approaches the threshold differently, restoring the historic shoreline of Lake Trasimeno and reintroducing local wetland ecologies. Each project in this collection reflects a unique position: some treat the edge as a spatial experience, others as a regulatory line, and others still as a point of cultural or ecological return.

From Concrete to Green Canopies: Revitalizing Cities Through Natural Design

Moises Carrasco — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 04:00:00 +0000

The journey toward renaturalizing urban spaces is an ongoing effort that began as early as the 1970s and continues to shape cities worldwide today. From transforming highways into vibrant parks to restoring waterways and integrating nature into urban planning, these projects reflect a shared commitment to sustainability, livability, and resilience. In Portland, the 1978 creation of Tom McCall Waterfront Park set a pioneering example by replacing a highway with green spaces. Decades later, Boston followed with the Rose Kennedy Greenway, reclaiming land from the elevated Central Artery.

Zaha Hadid Architects Designs River Culture and Art Center in China

Nour Fakharany — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:30:00 +0000

Zaha Hadid Architects has been selected to design the Zhejiang Shaoxing Shangyu District Cao'e River Culture and Art Center, located within a newly planned cultural district in Shaoxing's Shangyu area in Zhejiang province, China. The project is situated along the Cao'e River, a location with historical significance, and is envisioned to serve as a key cultural and artistic space for both the local community and visitors. Its design seeks to integrate contemporary functionality with the architectural and cultural traditions of the region.

Foster + Partners Begins Construction on Mixed-Use Development in Shanghai's Sanlin Riverside

Nour Fakharany — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 05:30:00 +0000

Construction has just begun on a new mixed-use project within the Sanlin Riverside development in Shanghai, designed by Foster + Partners. A recent groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of work on the site, which is envisioned to serve as a significant addition to the larger area. The development is designed to include modern office spaces in the northern section, with retail facilities and additional workspaces situated in the south. These components are connected by landscaped plazas, gardens, courtyards, and a park designed to host community markets, festivals, and waterfront activities. The site will also feature a colonnade along the river, aiming to appeal as a community gathering space.

Protecting Cultural Heritage: Sustainable Solutions for India's Rivers

Ankitha Gattupalli — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Ancient Indian civilizations once thrived along the banks of the country's many rivers, solidifying a connection between water and culture that endures to the present. Rivers have been integral to India's diverse communities, serving as essential resources for daily life and spiritual practice. Historically, these water bodies experienced an entrenched sense of custodianship; being cared for collectively by the communities that depended on them. Today, responsibility for the rivers shifts between the hands of multiple stakeholders, calling for a joint endeavor that acknowledges their cultural significance.

Urban Waterways Reborn: European Cities Leading the Change in River Restoration and Revitalization

Nour Fakharany — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000

In 1988, Jacques Chirac made a never-fulfilled promise to make swimming accessible in the Seine River within 5 years. With swimming in the Seine officially banned by the French government in 1923, the river has been neglected for decades, flooded with high levels of bacteria and pollution resulting from industrialization and urbanization. With the XXXIII Olympic Games happening in Paris, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has drafted a “Swimming Plan,” aiming to finally transform the Seine River into a swimmable urban waterway. The billion-dollar effort outlines the river as a venue for this summer’s aquatic Olympic events.

With 200 Days Left, Paris Prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games

Nour Fakharany — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 06:30:00 +0000

As the countdown to the XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris ticks away, the city is making preparations that will completely shift its urban landscape and infrastructure. Set to be the largest event ever organized in France, the games will start on 26 July and continue till 11 August 2024. With only 200 days left, the Paris City Council has approved around 43 new initiatives acting as a catalyst for the city's transformation – aiming for a greener, healthier, and mobile Paris. From cleaning the Seine River to building a cycling lane, activating a transit line, and banning non-essential city traffic, the heart of the French capital is on a mission against time to revitalize its historic urban core.

Snøhetta's Airside Mixed-Use Project Opens in Hong Kong

Nour Fakharany — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 05:30:00 +0000

Built on a former airport site in Hong Kong, Snøhetta Asia has unveiled its latest project in Hong Kong, Airside. This mixed-use landmark was actually Snøhetta’s first project in the country and serves as a central hub in a redeveloped business district. The project boasts ample public areas and gardens, including outdoor plazas and rooftop gardens that may be used for events, dining, urban farming, and leisure. As the first project in Hong Kong to obtain five of the highest green building certifications, this development integrates several sustainable practices.

MAD Architects Reimagines a Former Cement Factory Warehouse in Shanghai with a Floating Ark

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

MAD Architects has unveiled the project for the renovation of the "Wanmicang" warehouse on the southside of the Shanghai Zhangjiang Cement Factory. The building is set to be transformed into a multifunctional public waterfront space for culture, creativity, and commerce. The project maintains the character of the former industrial site but introduces a new addition in the form of an ark-like metal 'floating' volume, creating a stark contrast between the old and new structures. The project is scheduled for completion by 2026.

Fortyseven Thermal Wellness Spa: A Contemporary Sanctuary Designed by Mario Botta and Captured by Paul Clemence

Nour Fakharany — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 05:30:00 +0000

Fortyseven is a novel thermal wellness spa designed by the architect Mario Botta, nestled alongside the Limmat River in Baden, Switzerland. Baden, renowned for its rich cultural and wellness offerings, boasts a spa heritage that extends over thousands of years. The Fortyseven Thermal Wellness Spa has revitalized this historical legacy by presenting wellness culture through a modern lens. Designed by Mario Botta, this project offers an immersive encounter for the body, mind, and soul. The essence of the site and its design is captured by the lens of architectural photographer Paul Clemence, in his latest series.

OÜ Kolm Pluss Üks Wins Competition for Tartu Downtown Cultural Center in Estonia

Nour Fakharany — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 05:30:00 +0000

Estonian studio OÜ Kolm Pluss Üks won the international architecture competition for the Tartu Cultural Center. Selected out of a total of 107 proposals, the winning project titled “Paabel” is set to become the cultural heart of the city center, capturing the competition's main goal and developing an outdoor space solution. Kadarik Tüür Arhitektid OÜ took the second position for their design of “Tarte Tatin”, while the third place went to Denmark-based architectural studio Atelier Lorentzen Langkilde Aps.

Public Waterfront Pools: 10 Aquatics Facilities Bordering Rivers and Oceans

Belén Maiztegui — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 07:30:00 +0000

At first glance, building a pool right beside another body of water seems a little redundant. After all, why would someone choose to swim in a pool when they have a river or ocean to enjoy? However, for people with limited mobility and younger more inexperienced swimmers, natural bodies of water can prove both daunting and dangerous. Pools not only provide a controlled, secure space for them to enjoy aquatic activities, they also provide a connection with the surrounding landscape.

Diller Scofidio + Renfro Wins International Competition to Design the New Pina Bausch Center in Wuppertal, Germany

Nour Fakharany — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 05:30:00 +0000

Diller Scofidio + Renfro has won an international competition to design the new Pina Bausch Zentrum in Wuppertal, Germany. Pina Bausch’s legacy as a dancer and choreographer will be celebrated in the design and revitalization of the Tanztheater Wuppertal, as well as in the creation of a new production center. The building will emerge out of the ethos of Pina Bausch, setting an example for a new generation of leadership in the world of choreography.