1. ArchDaily
  2. Nature Reserve

Nature Reserve: The Latest Architecture and News

Kengo Kuma & Associates and Paul Raff Studio Selected to Design New Banff National Park Visitor Centre in Canada

On May 13, 2026, Parks Canada, the federal agency responsible for protecting and managing Canada's natural and cultural heritage, announced the winning design for a reimagined visitor centre and community space in Banff National Park. The competition was organized in partnership with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) as part of the 200-Block Banff Avenue Redevelopment Project. The proposal by Paul Raff Studio and Kengo Kuma & Associates was selected from a shortlist of five pre-qualified teams that also included EVOQ + Ryder, KPMB Architects, Revery Architecture, and Stantec Architecture. An independent jury assembled by the RAIC selected the design for its approach to landscape, sustainability principles, and its balance between conservation, heritage, Indigenous perspectives, and visitor experience, among other considerations.

Kengo Kuma & Associates and Paul Raff Studio Selected to Design New Banff National Park Visitor Centre in Canada - Image 1 of 4Kengo Kuma & Associates and Paul Raff Studio Selected to Design New Banff National Park Visitor Centre in Canada - Image 2 of 4Kengo Kuma & Associates and Paul Raff Studio Selected to Design New Banff National Park Visitor Centre in Canada - Image 3 of 4Kengo Kuma & Associates and Paul Raff Studio Selected to Design New Banff National Park Visitor Centre in Canada - Image 4 of 4Kengo Kuma & Associates and Paul Raff Studio Selected to Design New Banff National Park Visitor Centre in Canada - More Images+ 7

Snøhetta Reveals Design for a Mountain Refuge in France’s Pyrenees National Park

Snøhetta has announced a project to rebuild the Refuge de Barroude, a mountain refuge located in a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Pyrenees Mountain range of France. The old building, destroyed in an accidental fire ten years ago, is set to be revived as a stop-off point for hikers on the Haute Route des Pyrénées and as a support center for the staff of the National Park. The next phase of the project is due to begin in 2025.

Snøhetta Reveals Design for a Mountain Refuge in France’s Pyrenees National Park - Image 1 of 4Snøhetta Reveals Design for a Mountain Refuge in France’s Pyrenees National Park - Image 2 of 4Snøhetta Reveals Design for a Mountain Refuge in France’s Pyrenees National Park - Image 3 of 4Snøhetta Reveals Design for a Mountain Refuge in France’s Pyrenees National Park - Image 4 of 4Snøhetta Reveals Design for a Mountain Refuge in France’s Pyrenees National Park - More Images+ 6

Ennead Designs New Nature Reserve and Public Aquarium in China

Ennead Architects has won the international design competition to design the new Shanghai Yangtze River Estuary Nature Preserve in China. Located on an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the design was made to raise public awareness around the impact of pollution and construction. The nature reserve aims to rescue critically endangered species and restore biodiversity while allowing visitors to immerse themselves in a natural setting outside the dense urban core of Shanghai.

Ennead Designs New Nature Reserve and Public Aquarium in China - Image 1 of 4Ennead Designs New Nature Reserve and Public Aquarium in China - Image 2 of 4Ennead Designs New Nature Reserve and Public Aquarium in China - Image 3 of 4Ennead Designs New Nature Reserve and Public Aquarium in China - Image 4 of 4Ennead Designs New Nature Reserve and Public Aquarium in China - More Images+ 10