1. ArchDaily
  2. Cultural Architecture

Cultural Architecture: The Latest Architecture and News

The New Life of Industrial Architecture in Cities: 20 Renovations and Conversions of Old Factories and Warehouses

In the same way that societies transform, times change, and cities evolve, industrial architecture modernizes and technifies, sometimes reaching a state of abandonment or ruin. Understanding its value as a built legacy and being vestiges of technological, social, and cultural changes, the renovation and/or conversion of numerous factories and industrial warehouses can lead to the revitalization, recovery, or growth of various areas in large cities, incorporating new uses and spaces for the enjoyment of their citizens.

Snøhetta Unveils Design of New Opera House in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia

Snøhetta has revealed the design of a new opera house to be added to the historic area of Diriyah in Saudi Arabia. The proposal strives to blend the local cultural heritage and Najdi building traditions with the contemporary requirements of an international music and performing arts venue. Scheduled to open in 2028, the Royal Diriyah Opera House anchors a wider master plan to redevelop the Diriyah area on the outskirts of Riyadh, aiming to transform it into a cultural destination.

Snøhetta Unveils Design of New Opera House in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia - Image 1 of 4Snøhetta Unveils Design of New Opera House in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia - Image 2 of 4Snøhetta Unveils Design of New Opera House in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia - Image 3 of 4Snøhetta Unveils Design of New Opera House in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia - Image 4 of 4Snøhetta Unveils Design of New Opera House in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia - More Images+ 1

Unveiling New Images of Snøhetta's Spiraling Shanghai Opera House

Snøhetta has just released construction images showing the progress on the studio’s long-awaited Shanghai Grand Opera House in China. With its iconic fan-shaped roof, the firm has been commissioned the scheme in 2019 following an international design competition. The project is set to be completed in 2025, seeking to attract a broad audience for traditional, classical, and experimental performances.

Unveiling New Images of Snøhetta's Spiraling Shanghai Opera House  - Image 1 of 4Unveiling New Images of Snøhetta's Spiraling Shanghai Opera House  - Image 2 of 4Unveiling New Images of Snøhetta's Spiraling Shanghai Opera House  - Image 3 of 4Unveiling New Images of Snøhetta's Spiraling Shanghai Opera House  - Image 4 of 4Unveiling New Images of Snøhetta's Spiraling Shanghai Opera House  - More Images+ 3

5 Ways to Create More Liveable Cities: Insights from TV Show "Tale of Two Cities" with Dikshu Kukreja

Cities are the bedrock of civilization. For millennia, they have attracted people with the promise of superior standards of living — from better economic and educational opportunities to easier access to quality public infrastructure such as housing, healthcare, and public transport. Today, however, many cities around the world are finding it challenging to live up to this promise. With urban migration accelerating at a dizzying rate – the United Nations projects that over two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities or urban centers by 2050 – existing resources and services in cities are coming under increasing pressure, rendering them dysfunctional and leading to glaring inequities.

There is no singular way to define or assess liveability; every city has a unique set of characteristics, from its history, culture, geography, and demographics, to how it is governed and what urban issues plague it. Therefore, improving liveability requires concerted efforts from multiple stakeholders including people, governments, and experts, to identify critical problem areas and opportunities, and devise contextual solutions. The TV show Tale of Two Cities, where Indian architect and urbanist Dikshu C. Kukreja sits down with global leaders, brings out great insights into what some major cities in the world are doing to create more liveable environments for their inhabitants. Here we present five examples: from Bogotá, Kolkata, Hannover, Tirana, and Washington, D.C.

5 Ways to Create More Liveable Cities: Insights from TV Show "Tale of Two Cities" with Dikshu Kukreja - Image 1 of 45 Ways to Create More Liveable Cities: Insights from TV Show "Tale of Two Cities" with Dikshu Kukreja - Image 2 of 45 Ways to Create More Liveable Cities: Insights from TV Show "Tale of Two Cities" with Dikshu Kukreja - Image 3 of 45 Ways to Create More Liveable Cities: Insights from TV Show "Tale of Two Cities" with Dikshu Kukreja - Image 4 of 45 Ways to Create More Liveable Cities: Insights from TV Show Tale of Two Cities with Dikshu Kukreja - More Images+ 5

Zaha Hadid Architects Shortlisted in Cultural Center Competition in Sejong, Seoul

Zaha Hadid Architects has been shortlisted for their proposal for the 2nd Sejong Cultural Center. The proposal draws inspiration from the surrounding city’s lengthy history as well as future vision. Connecting Yeouido Park to the Han River, the 2nd Sejong Cultural Center is embedded within the park's natural landscapes, aiming to become an integral part of the public function in the city within a natural setting, seamlessly connecting indoor and outdoor spaces.

Zaha Hadid Architects Shortlisted in Cultural Center Competition in Sejong, Seoul - Image 1 of 4Zaha Hadid Architects Shortlisted in Cultural Center Competition in Sejong, Seoul - Image 2 of 4Zaha Hadid Architects Shortlisted in Cultural Center Competition in Sejong, Seoul - Image 3 of 4Zaha Hadid Architects Shortlisted in Cultural Center Competition in Sejong, Seoul - Image 4 of 4Zaha Hadid Architects Shortlisted in Cultural Center Competition in Sejong, Seoul - More Images+ 3

International Architecture Awards 2023 Announces Winners in Chicago, Illinois

For the 18th year, the International Architecture Awards has returned to celebrate outstanding architectural achievements globally. Based in Chicago, these awards feature exceptional new buildings, urban planning projects, and landscape architecture of 2023. Additionally, this month, the Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB 5) is currently taking place in the city. Both the awards and the Biennial attempt to shed light on each country’s architectural, design, cultural, and social trends.

Since the inception of the International Architecture Awards in 2005, this annual program has served as a platform for celebrating contemporary architecture. Moreover, the awards institution believes in architecture’s potential to enhance the quality of life for individuals globally. This year, the selected winners span 48 countries, from Ethiopia to Tokyo and New York to Nova Scotia.

International Architecture Awards 2023 Announces Winners in Chicago, Illinois  - Image 1 of 4International Architecture Awards 2023 Announces Winners in Chicago, Illinois  - Image 2 of 4International Architecture Awards 2023 Announces Winners in Chicago, Illinois  - Image 3 of 4International Architecture Awards 2023 Announces Winners in Chicago, Illinois  - Image 4 of 4International Architecture Awards 2023 Announces Winners in Chicago, Illinois  - More Images+ 14

OPEN Unveils Two Seafront Cultural Buildings in Yantai, China

OPEN Architects has just revealed the architectural designs for two separate cultural projects situated along the coastline of Yantai, China. One of them is “The Space Crystals,” a futuristic digital museum and experiential hub resembling an otherworldly entity that has mysteriously descended upon a seaside mark. Meanwhile, “Sea Square” is square-shaped, providing a library and community service facility, levitating above a restored sea dock. The two structures engage in a spatial and temporal conversation, one reaching towards the sky and the other facing the sea, bridging the present, the past, and the future.

OPEN Unveils Two Seafront Cultural Buildings in Yantai, China - Image 1 of 4OPEN Unveils Two Seafront Cultural Buildings in Yantai, China - Image 2 of 4OPEN Unveils Two Seafront Cultural Buildings in Yantai, China - Image 3 of 4OPEN Unveils Two Seafront Cultural Buildings in Yantai, China - Image 4 of 4OPEN Unveils Two Seafront Cultural Buildings in Yantai, China - More Images+ 10

Zaha Hadid Architects Wins Competition for the Design of a New Cultural District in Sanya, China

The city of Sanya in Hainan, China, has selected Zaha Hadid Architects as the winner of the competition for the design of the city’s new harborside cultural district. The new development, measuring a total of 409,000 square meters of built area, aims to become a central location for Sanya’s cultural life, providing diverse programming for performing arts, theater, exhibition galleries, conferences, and commercial trade fairs. The fluid shape of the buildings creates a transition from the tropical waters of Sanya Bay to the urban fabric of the city, with a central axis dividing the layered roofs that feather outwards and dematerialize the architectural volume.

Zaha Hadid Architects Wins Competition for the Design of a New Cultural District in Sanya, China - Image 1 of 4Zaha Hadid Architects Wins Competition for the Design of a New Cultural District in Sanya, China - Image 2 of 4Zaha Hadid Architects Wins Competition for the Design of a New Cultural District in Sanya, China - Image 3 of 4Zaha Hadid Architects Wins Competition for the Design of a New Cultural District in Sanya, China - Image 4 of 4Zaha Hadid Architects Wins Competition for the Design of a New Cultural District in Sanya, China - More Images+ 4

In Conversation with Studio Muoto's Gilles Delalex on Their Architecture of Endless Possibilities

The architecture of Studio Muoto is one that encompasses endless definitions of what architecture should be, but most importantly, of what architecture can become. The scope of work of the Paris-based practice founded in 2003 by Gilles Delalex and Yves Moreau includes projects in the fields of architecture, exhibition design, urban planning, teaching, and research. All of this has led to an architecture of minimal structures that age gracefully, an architecture that evolves and adapts with time, and that is sustainable economically and environmentally.

In Conversation with Studio Muoto's Gilles Delalex on Their Architecture of Endless Possibilities - Image 1 of 4In Conversation with Studio Muoto's Gilles Delalex on Their Architecture of Endless Possibilities - Image 2 of 4In Conversation with Studio Muoto's Gilles Delalex on Their Architecture of Endless Possibilities - Image 3 of 4In Conversation with Studio Muoto's Gilles Delalex on Their Architecture of Endless Possibilities - Image 4 of 4In Conversation with Studio Muoto's Gilles Delalex on Their Architecture of Endless Possibilities - More Images+ 11

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

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.

Apart from the production stage centers, the design includes an archive of Pina Bausch's enormous artistic legacy, comprising a library, study, and research areas, and a public platform to promote community involvement with many creative and academic disciplines. Various contrasting and flexible spaces that encourage and foster conversation across the project's numerous program components are found throughout the proposed design.

Diller Scofidio + Renfro Wins International Competition to Design the New Pina Bausch Center in Wuppertal, Germany - Image 1 of 4Diller Scofidio + Renfro Wins International Competition to Design the New Pina Bausch Center in Wuppertal, Germany - Image 2 of 4Diller Scofidio + Renfro Wins International Competition to Design the New Pina Bausch Center in Wuppertal, Germany - Image 3 of 4Diller Scofidio + Renfro Wins International Competition to Design the New Pina Bausch Center in Wuppertal, Germany - Image 4 of 4Diller Scofidio + Renfro Wins International Competition to Design the New Pina Bausch Center in Wuppertal, Germany - More Images+ 4