MVRDV and Orange Architects collaborate on the NUVO project, a new mixed-use complex to be built in Ukraine’s capital., the team of architects has revealed their design for three of the buildings that will become part of NOVO. Commissioned by Kovalska, the project is now restarting after work was put on hold due to the active conflict in Ukraine. The two firms are collaborating to refine the master plan initiated by APA Wojcehowski Architects.
In the dynamic landscape of contemporary urban development, public architecture is an essential force in reshaping cities. In fact, this element of urban regeneration can revitalize economies and reactivate surrounding commercial schemes. In this transformative era, cities across China have evolved into financial hubs, attracting world-renowned firms and architects who are redefining these skylines. In turn, these metropolises become embodiments of future innovation and lifestyle.
China's cities have become centers of modernity as a result of its explosive prominence in the world economy. These cities have become magnets for architectural marvels that go beyond simple functionality, from Shanghai's ceaseless reinvention to Beijing's cultural renaissance and Shenzhen's undeniable emergence as a global center in technology, research, manufacturing, business, economics, finance, tourism, and transportation, complete with the Port of Shenzhen, the world's fourth busiest container port. Overall, these cities are a crucial gateway in understanding the developing dynamics in metropolitan environments.
MVRDV has revealed the design of a new residential complex located in the Enterprise Research Campus in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, a site adjacent to the Harvard Business School. The development, already under construction, features 343 apartments with a quarter of them dedicated to affordable units. It also includes amenities for the residents and retail spaces for small local businesses, aiming to create an inclusive and enjoyable space within the new urban district.
Foster + Partners has been selected as the winner of an international competition to design a new center for Hangzhou, the capital of China's Zhejiang province. The master plan envisions a green and interconnected mixed-use quarter situated in the heart of the Yuhang District. In its essence, the project aims to foster a strong connection between nature and people’s daily lives, creating a sustainable urban quarter.
The Türkiye Design Council (TDC) has gathered 13 design practices, including Foster + Partners and Bjarke Ingels Group, to contribute to the revitalization of the historic province of Hatay, an area severely damaged by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in February this year. Foster + Partners has been selected to lead the design and planning of the new master plan for the city of Antakya, known to antiquity as Antioch, while several other offices including Turkish practices DB Architects and KEYM (Urban Renewal Center) will work together to create a vision for the rebuilding of the city. The master plan is expected to be revealed in its entirety in 2024.
Henning Larsen has revealed the design proposal for Bolzano’s Industrial Zone. The concept revitalizes and reconnects part of the city through prioritizing adaptive reuse, urban mining, and timber construction. The proposed design will transform the post-industrial area into “Pone Roma Quartier,” an inviting, multigenerational, mixed-use neighborhood with a solution to the city’s pressing housing crisis.
Zaha Hadid Architects has unveiled plans for a striking 330-meter-tall skyscraper within the Trojena ski resort, situated in the Neom development in Saudi Arabia. The design was first presented at the Cityscape Conference in Riyadh as part of an exhibition focused on the Neom project. The new crystal-like skyscraper will be located on a mountain overlooking a central artificial lake, as it is planned to become an integral element of the Trojena, a region allegedly master-planned by LAVA architects. Zaha Hadid Architects have also revealed the design of a second structure within Trojena, a lookout pavilion located next to the skyscraper.
Ennead Architects has been enlisted to redefine the campus of The American School in Japan (ASIJ) to align the international school’s academic mission with its environment. Currently defined by its aging and fragmented infrastructure, the campus is set to become a dynamic and innovative space, encouraging integrated learning, cohesion, and collaboration across age groups. Sustainability principles, along with the experience of Japanese heritage, also play an important role in the design of the master plan, which proposes a toolkit of solutions intended to help create a unified, sustainable and resilient campus.
UNStudio has been commissioned to create a human-centric mixed-use destination on the waterfront of Nanjing, China. Developed by K.Wah Group, the new complex aims to enhance the working-living environment for the local community while contributing as a hub for culture and finance. The project, set along the central axis of the Hexi New District, introduces high-rise office towers, commercial and cultural functions, two serviced apartment buildings, a headquarters tower, a hotel, and various public amenities.
Designed by Mecanoo, Amstel Design District is a mixed-use development that includes social housing, mid-rent residential spaces, private sector homes, and collective facilities. The 80,000 square meters master plan also provides spaces for creative offices and retail, along with cultural institutions such as the 800 square meters design museum. Located between the highway and the metro line, the project responds to site constraints and concerns about noise pollution by creating a composition of stacked volumes with setbacks. This allows for the creation of comfortable public spaces in between the buildings as pocket parks and plazas.
Foster + Partners, working in collaboration with Petrolina Group, has revealed the design of a new master plan to transform the seafront of Larnaca, Cyprus, into a sustainable and enjoyable area for the city residents, future generations, and new visitors. The resort town of Larnaca aims to redesign one of its main arteries, the Larnaca-Dhekelia Road, to become more pedestrian-friendly, along with its seafront. Foster’s proposal aims to enhance the land’s ecological value and to double the length of the waterfront accessible to the public.
Snøhetta unveiled the design of a new building and landscape design for the Vesterheim campus in Decorah, Iowa. The campus, which also contains the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, explores the diversity of American immigration through the lens of the Norwegian-American experience. The new 8,000-square-foot building, known as “the Commons,” is set to become the entry point and main gathering space for the cultural campus. Aside from anchoring the site, the intervention also aims to strengthen the site’s connection to the city. The building is scheduled to be completed in the Summer of 2023.
Master plans, or large-scale urban planning projects, are one of the main tools for shaping and structuring land use and development to ensure that the built environment is coherent and functional. The interventions vary in scope and approach. While some projects are extending the buildable area by creating floating neighborhoods off the coast of Florida, others are reusing the existing spaces and heritage to reimagine the future of their communities.
This week's curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights large-scale urban design projects submitted by the ArchDaily community Offices such as Aedas, LDA Design, Proctor & Matthews Architects, WTA Architecture + Design Studio are showcasing designs that create or reimagine entire neighborhoods, whether on land or on water, in cities all over the world, from Ukraine to Malawi, India or the Philippines.
International office MVRDV has been selected by the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs to design the Hoowave Water Factory, a large-scale redevelopment of Huwei’s Beigang and Anqingzhen waterways. The project combines a strategic master plan with the landscape design in an effort to move beyond the mono-functional approach for controlling and distributing water. Besides storing and capturing water, the proposal also opens up access to the river and the natural ecosystem by integrating cycling paths, cultural amenities, and ecological systems. The master plan also includes a comprehensive strategy for flood resilience while improving the quantity and quality of available water. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
International architecture office KPF has unveiled the design for Parkside Seoul, a new mixed-use neighborhood planned for the South Korean capital designed to complement the surrounding natural elements and pay homage to Yongsan Park. The 482,600 square meter development is composed of a layered exterior envelope that encompasses various programs and public amenities with the purpose of enhancing the residents’ experience of space. Besides the residential units, the complex includes office and retail spaces, and hospitality facilities along with public and green spaces.
CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, together with architect Italo Rota and urbanist Richard Burdett, unveiled the master plan for Rome’s bid to host the World Expo in 2030. The project proposes a joint effort from every participating country to contribute to a solar farm that could power the exhibition site and help decarbonize the surrounding neighborhoods. The Expo is proposed to take place in Tor Vergata, a vast area in Rome and home to the eponymous university and a densely inhabited residential district. All the pavilions are designed to be fully reusable, as the area is proposed to be transformed into an innovation district after the event in the hope of revitalizing the somewhat neglected neighborhood. The master plan was developed with several partners, including ARUP for sustainability, infrastructure, and costing, LAND for landscape design, and Systematica for mobility strategy.
Norman Foster Foundation and Arup office in Berlin schemed a master plan for Kharkiv, Ukraine, to guide future urban regulations and prepare professionals for the city's reconstruction. In collaboration with a local advisory board, the outline is defined by a series of pilot projects to develop aspects such as heritage, infrastructure, and rivers. The initiative follows a request from the Kharkiv Mayor to the Foster Foundation through the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, weeks after the Ukraine War started in February 2022.
New York City Council has approved Innovation QNS, a neighborhood-focused initiative in Western Queens, designed by ODA. The five-block master plan generates two acres of open space, community health & wellness facilities, hundreds of affordable apartments, and thousands of jobs. The project was initiated in 2020 as part of New York's effort to recover from the impact of the COvid-19 pandemic, and it aimed to revitalize a largely dormant block area in Astoria, Queens, and transform it into a vibrant, walkable, and diverse creative district.
