Mikou Design Studio has unveiled plans for the Africanews headquarters in Congo. Designed to “present a powerful visual impact” on Brazzaville’s skyline, the wood-clad tower will be hoisted on four “totem-like” pillars above a two-story glass base and topped with a panoramic restaurant sheltered by a vegetated rooftop terrace.
Repurposing antiquated buildings is on the rise in China, and this proposal by Tianhua Architecture Design Companyserves as a prime example. Planned for a site in the Hexi district of Tianjin, the Shanghai-based practice will soon transform a 1917 textile mill into a contemporary art gallery and private museum.
The architects, who have adapted their design to emphasize the gridded layout and high ceilings of the existing structure, plan to insert a garden courtyard deep into the building’s core. This will not only counterpoint the structure’s industrialized aesthetic, but will provide natural light deep into the interior while preserving the exiting cruciform layout.