Slated to open in 2015, the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is on its way to become the world's most innovative and sustainable science museum with the structural foundation now complete and the vertical construction currently in progress. Designed by Grimshaw Architects, the 250,000 square-foot complex will harness energy from water, sun, wind and even museum visitors to power exhibits and conserve resources. More images and architects' description after the break.
The Marin County Civic Center was Frank Lloyd Wright's last commission and largest public project, including several civic functions that would serve Marin County and San Francisco, which after the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge became closer than ever. Wright was selected for the project in 1957, winning a vote out of hope he would be able to best represent a democratic government open to the people through the Civic Center.
Atelier CMJN shared with us their proposal for the Great Fen Visiting Center which aims at reconnecting humans with nature. In terms of sustainable development, or in the broader term ecology, is the reconnection of humans with their environment by restoring links between the users and the fen. By maximizing one’s chances to connect to this raw and simply beautiful environment, the project intends to not just restore a piece of anthropogenic nature, but reconnect mankind with its deepest self, nature. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Coop Himmelb(l)au has come up with an incredibly unique design for the new Grand Theatre and International Culture & Art Center for Changsha, China. The site is located on the northeastern side of the newly created Changsha Meixi Lake in the Daheexi District, with the design engaging both land and water with a flowing and undulating white form of enormous scale. The architects hope to create a new cultural center that interacts with the existing natural landscape, not only visually, but scientifically by running on alternative energy sources and efficient passive energy systems to reduce environmental impact.
The architects' description after the break...
Designed by the collaboration of Juras Lasovsky, Zuzana Masna, and Koen Hezemans, their project "Prague Activators" suggests the idea of pontoons floating on the river. The pontoons "activate" the Vltava riverbank as well as various parts of the city of Prague. The proposal was originally awarded at the Skanska Bridging Prague Competition and was later elaborated into the current project Prague Activators. The project aims to motivate people not only to pursue activities on the riverside, but also to inspire them to care for the public space and alter it. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) have unveiled an ambitious cultural mega center, which began to take shape in October after the project broke ground in the heart of Changsha, China. In true Hadid-fashion, the Changsha Meixi Lake International Culture & Arts Center defines itself by extreme sinuous curves that radiate from each of the three independent structures and links them by a pedestrianized landscape that offers a “strong urban experience”, forming what they hope to be a global destination for performance art.
More on the cultural and arts center after the break...
London-based architectural practice Office for Architectural Culture (OAC) recently completed the master plan and architectural concepts for a prestigious International Oceanic Fishing Cultural Center and Museums in China. The 650,000 m2 project in Tanmen, located on the southern island of Hainan, aims to create a realm where new architecture and spaces are profoundly rooted in the village’s culture and heritage is our principal design approach. More images and architects’ description after the break.
White Architects has just been selected as the winner of the competition to relocate the City Center of Kiruna, located in the north of Sweden. Their proposal, titled “Kiruna 4-ever”, creates a sustainable vision for the long-term expansion of the city eastwards. It allows for the further development and broadening of Kiruna’s mix of cultures and diverse population by creating a welcoming and global city, unique in its placement within the arctic landscape. The proposal strives to create a destination of great dignity, attractive venues and fantastic living environments. More images and architects' description after the break.
Originally constructed for the 1939 World’s Fair, the resilient structure of New York’s Queens Museum of Art has been undergoing its fourth and most ambitious renovation since April 2011. This $68 million renovation, designed by Grimshaw Architects, will double the institution’s size, expanding the museum to a total of 105,000 square feet upon its completion in October 2013.
