Henning Larsen, in collaboration with KHL Architects & Planners, Arup, and Flaviano Capriotti Architetti, has proposed the design for a 14-story residential building in Taipei for Continental Development Corporation. The project, titled Northern Lights, has a gross floor area of 3,464 square meters and is scheduled for completion in 2029. Situated adjacent to Daan Park, the development includes 46 residences and is positioned within a dense urban environment while maintaining proximity to one of the city's primary green spaces, which is described as a key contextual reference in the design.
European City Context. Image Courtesy of ReGreeneration
The ReGreeneration project, a Horizon Europe project led by Inetum and supported by C40 Cities, ARUP, Placemaking Europe, and several others, operates as an active collaboration with local governments, private companies, academia, and civil society organizations at the intersection of urban regeneration, green public spaces, and neighborhood-scale design. Its premise addresses how European cities are built and maintained and how they experience a changing climate, arguing that cities must fundamentally change to remain livable under accelerating climate pressures.
The California Science Center is a dynamic destination where visitors of all ages can explore the wonders of science through hands-on exhibits, live demonstrations, innovative programs, and large-format films. The Center and IMAX Theater are located in the historic Los Angeles Exposition Park, where an expansion has been under construction since June 2022. The new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, designed by ZGF Architects, is a 200,000-square-foot addition that will nearly double the Science Center's educational exhibit space. The building was completed on April 13, 2026. Its centerpiece is the retired NASA spacecraft Space Shuttle Endeavour, used for missions from 1992 until its 25th and final mission in 2011.
Montparnasse Commercial Centre and CIT Tower redevelopment project, 2026. Image Courtesy of RPBW
This week's news compilation opens with two international commemorations, the International Day for Clean Energy and the International Day of Education, alongside a major archaeological discovery in Fano, Italy, where excavations have revealed a basilica described by Vitruvius, linking contemporary architectural discourse with deep historical continuity. Across this week's broader architecture news landscape, a central theme emerges around the advancement of civic architecture conceived as open, publicly engaged infrastructure, with cultural and institutional projects increasingly designed to strengthen their relationship with the city and everyday urban life. At the same time, renewed global attention turns toward Africa, where large-scale transport infrastructure and the conservation of modernist landmarks reflect interests in the region and the reassessment of the continent's architectural heritage. Complementing these narratives, this week's highlights also include a new model for car-free urban districts, co-designed public landscapes grounded in indigenous knowledge, and a residential development responding to regional context, reflecting how architecture is negotiating public space, civic responsibility, and territorial identity across diverse geographies.
What happens when a city’s industrial past becomes the raw material for its future? In Copenhagen, Nordhavn transforms the old harbor into a living laboratory of sustainable urbanism, where warehouses and docks give way to independent districts, small islands, and canals that redefine what it means to inhabit the city.
The European Cultural Centre Italy has organized the ECC Awards since 2010 to recognize artists, architects, designers, and academics in their respective fields. The Awards highlight projects featured in the Time Space Existence exhibition, which runs in parallel with the Venice Architecture Biennale and showcases tangible approaches to building more sustainably, aiming to position architecture as a force for environmental and social repair. The seventh edition of Time Space Existence is a group exhibition spanning three Venetian venues: Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Mora, and the Marinaressa Gardens. This year, the exhibition focuses on the themes of Repair, Regenerate, and Reuse, emphasizing the essential role of architects and designers as agents of positive change in shaping sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative ways of living.
VUILD has presented the design for a wooden soccer stadium planned for Fukushima, Japan, as the future home of Fukushima United FC. Commissioned by SportX, the proposal combines community participation, an innovative timber structure, and sustainable strategies, positioning the stadium as both a functional sports venue and a potential symbol of renewal. Inspired by the Japanese tradition of Shikinen Sengu, the periodic rebuilding of shrines, the concept introduces three cycles: resources, community, and craftsmanship.
As cities and communities adapt to new cultural, environmental, and social realities, architecture is taking on an expanded role in shaping spaces of resilience, gathering, and imagination. This edition of Architecture Now highlights six recent projects that span continents and typologies, from the redevelopment of post-industrial landscapes to sacred architecture, cultural pavilions, and civic hubs. Whether through mass timber innovation in Vancouver and Jülich, adaptive reuse in Ostrava, a children's pavilion in London, a spiritual centre in India, or a parametric church in Kyiv, each project demonstrates how design can bridge heritage and innovation while fostering connection, care, and community.
The City of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) have broken ground on Concourse D at O'Hare International Airport, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in collaboration with Ross Barney Architects, Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects (JGMA), and Arup. The project marks the first building in ORDNext, O'Hare's most ambitious expansion to date, and introduces a new chapter in the airport's modernization. Construction management is led by AECOM Hunt Clayco Bowa, with completion expected in late 2028. Planning is also progressing on Concourse E, the second satellite concourse designed by the same team.
Tampa International Airport. Image Courtesy of Hensel Phelps and HNTB, in association with Gensler
From Bangkok to Billund, a new wave of architectural project announcements is reshaping how spaces for work, culture, mobility, and public life are conceived. Across Norway, Thailand, the United States,Denmark, Australia, and Thailand, these projects reflect an increasing emphasis on technological integration, sustainable construction, and flexible, future-ready environments. Whether designing production hubs for digital creators, adaptable media campuses, or civic landscapes layered with history and ecological intent, each scheme offers insight into how architecture is evolving to support emerging industries, cultural programming, and new forms of public engagement. This edition of Architecture Now brings together a selection of recently announced projects that highlight the intersection of design, technology, and innovation in a global context.
Clockwise from top left: Foster + Partners with Yinka Shonibare and Michel Desvigne Paysagiste; WilkinsonEyre with Lisa Vandy and Fiona Clark, Andy Sturgeon Design, Atelier One and Hilson Moran; J&L Gibbons with Michael Levine RDI, William Matthews Associa tes, Structure Workshop and Arup; Heatherwick Studio with Halima Cassell, MRG Studio, Webb Yates and Arup; Tom Stuart - Smith with Jamie Fobert Architects, Adam Lowe (Factum Arte) and Structure Workshop. Image Courtesy of the teams and Malcolm Reading Consultants
The UK Government has revealed five shortlisted design concepts for the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial, set to be located in the historically significant landscape of St James's Park in London. The proposals, now accessible through a newly launched online gallery, mark a key stage in the development of a national tribute to the late monarch. Public feedback on the exhibited proposals will be gathered until 19 May 2025 and will inform the Committee's decision on the winning design team, expected to be announced in early summer 2025. The final design is anticipated to be unveiled in 2026, coinciding with the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II's birth.
The Biennale promises to be a dynamic platform uniting over 750 participants from diverse backgrounds, including architects, engineers, mathematicians, climate scientists, and artists. Such a broad coalition of over 280 projects underlines the Exhibition's focus on inclusivity and interdisciplinary collaboration, an essential aspect for adaptation. The selection process proposed a bottom-up, open call approach through the Space for Ideas initiative, which ran between May and June 2024. It encouraged participation from global teams, from Pritzker Prize winners and Nobel laureates to emerging architects and scientists.
The 2025 edition of Milan Design Week took place from April 8 to April 13, 2025. During these five days, the city of Milan hosted special events, exhibitions, installations, and discussions centered on the creative disciplines, including the 63rd edition of the Salone del Mobile at Fiera Milano fairgrounds. Among the numerous activities, the event serves as an ideal opportunity to introduce the latest trends and showcase upcoming pieces from brands and designers worldwide. Among the new releases and product launches, the ArchDaily team identified a selection of products designed by architects, ranging from lighting and furniture systems to materials and small objects.
The United Kingdom Government has announced the shortlisted design teams for the national memorial dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II, following the first stage of a two-stage open competition that attracted creative talent from the UK and beyond. The five teams moving forward in the competition are Foster + Partners with Yinka Shonibare and Michel Desvigne Paysagiste; Heatherwick Studio with Halima Cassell, MRG Studio,Webb Yates, and Arup; J&L Gibbons with Michael Levine RDI, William Matthews Associates, Structure Workshop, and Arup; Tom Stuart-Smith with Jamie Fobert Architects, Adam Lowe (Factum Arte), and Structure Workshop; and WilkinsonEyre with Lisa Vandy, Fiona Clark, Andy Sturgeon Design, Atelier One, and Hilson Moran.
Aramco Stadium / Populous (Al Khobar). Image Courtesy of FIFA / Saudi Arabia 2024 Bid
Saudi Arabia was officially announced as the 2034 FIFA World Cup host. The country plans to build 11 new stadiums and refurbish four of its existing venues. The proposed host cities include Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and the yet-unbuilt Neom, a 170-kilometer-long linear city proposed to be built on the Red Sea coast. Additionally, the plan involves 134 training sites across the country, with 73 newly built facilities.
Released on December 11, 2024, the announcement came as no surprise, given that only one bid was submitted for each of the 2030 and 2034 World Cup tournaments. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco have been confirmed as joint hosts for the 2030 event, while Saudi Arabia has been chosen to host the 2034 edition.
