Torre Velasca, the renowned 1950s skyscraper by BBPR in Milan, Italy, is currently undergoing an extensive renovation process led by Asti Architetti and developed by Hines. After completing the work on the facades and with the extensive restoration of the interiors under way, the office has made public the project for the redesign of the Piazza Velasca, the square surrounding the tower. By turning it into a meeting and social gathering place, the architects hope to restore the status of the complex as a symbol of Milan’s architectural heritage. Pedestrian access to the building, and the renovation of previously disused adjacent spaces will open up the area for public access and will restore the original meaning of “piazza,” or square. The project is scheduled for completion by early 2024.
Mario Cucinella Architects has started constructing two multifunctional towers to shape Vienna’s skyline. Situated in the 2nd district in Vienna, where a dynamic urban development “Viertel Zwei”, has been in the works for some time, the project consists of two highrises, both of different architectural languages and made for different purposes, together providing a complex urban image inserted into context.
On January 31st, construction scaffolding and barriers were disassembled from the site at 56 Leonard Street, revealing Anish Kapoor’s first permanent artwork in New York City. The 48-foot-long, 19-foot-tall, 40-ton sculpture is nestled partially beneath the Herzog & de Meuron-designed residential building in the Tribeca neighborhood in Lower Manhattan. The mirrored sculpture is reminiscent of Kapoor;’s work called Cloud Gate, also known as “The Bean,” in Chicago, US.
The Saudi Arabian government has revealed the design for the Mukaab, a cube-shaped supertall skyscraper that will become the center of the New Murabba district in downtownRiyadh. The Mukaab aims to become the largest built structure in the world, measuring 400 meters in height, width, and length. The building will be situated in the North West of Riyadh, in a 19 square kilometers area that will become one of the largest downtown developments in the world. The Mukaab skyscraper and the Murabba district were announced by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the New Murabba Development Company (NMDC).
Aedas Global, in collaboration with GDAD, revealed the design of a 230 meters tall mixed-use complex comprising of two twin towers and a plaza. The development, located at the base of the Baiyun Mountain range in Guangzhou, China, contains industrial, commercial, and publicly available areas while also including large urban green spaces and panoramic views of the mountains. The massing of the project is inspired and informed by the local topography, with sight-seeing corridors opening up toward the surrounding scenery.
Architecture office RSHP has unveiled the design for the Shenzhen - Hong Kong Innovation Integrated Service Centre, a 45-storey tower in the Futian Free Trade Zone in south Shenzhen. The building features an integrated floating podium which provides spaces for retail, cultural events, and green roof gardens. It also connects to the existing metro station and articulates the street-level plaza. The design results from a negotiation between two distinct briefs asking for a tower and a mixed-use podium on neighboring plots. RSHP’s proposal was to merge the briefs by integrating the podium into the south side of the tower, thus creating a distinct identity and creating a better relationship with the surrounding public space.
Quito-based developer Uribe Schwartzkopf unveiled two residential projects in the capital of Ecuador: IQON designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, and QORNER, by Safdie Architects. IQON represents BIG’s first project in South America and the tallest building in Quito. QORNER proposes a mix of residences of varying dimensions, complete with amenities such as private terraces, gyms, spas, and pools. To create an engaging interface with the city fabric, a mix of shops, restaurants, and commercial spaces are proposed at the street level.
Austin-based office HKS announced the design of the Wilson Tower, a high-rise of 315 meters in Texas' capital featuring 80 floors, 450 units, outdoor terraces, and gardens. The tower will be delivered in collaboration with Britt Design Group and Wilson Capital, and is expected to break ground in the summer of 2023. After completion will become the tallest residential tower in the USA outside of New York.
The Danish architectural practice 3XN won the 10th International High-Rise Award for the office tower Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney, Australia, the world's most innovative high-rise in 2022/23. From over 1000 high-rises completed in the last two years, the Quay Quarter Tower was selected because it implemented innovative solutions in a time of increased ecological challenges by integrating a large proportion of the existing 1970s high-rise structure into the new building.
Brink Tower by Mecanoo was just granted planning permission and construction works are planned for mid-October 2022. Located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the 90-meter-high building, developed by Xior Student Housing and DubbeLL – winners of the competition for this tower together with Mecanoo Architecten in 2020- will offer a mixed program, including spaces to live, work, and relax in a healthy environment. The residential tower is set to create an" energy-positive, green, and inclusive neighborhood" and contribute to the development of Overhoeks in North Amsterdam.
Handel Architects designed the third tallest in Los Angeles, a 63-story high-rise 265 meters high in the Historical Downtown L.A. Featuring a 150 meters second tower, affordable residential housing, and community spaces, the "Angels Landing" will be the largest and tallest development to be built by Black developers in the United States, marking a milestone in the real estate industry, as in L.A.'s skyline. In partnership with The Peebles Corporation and MacFarlane Partners, the complex is scheduled to open in 2027 and will create more than 8,300 new jobs during construction.
Snøhetta+Hassell were selected by competition to redesign Harbourside in Darling Harbour, Sydney. Expected to kick off in 2023, the 42-story residential tower and the 13500 square meters of public spaces will extend along the over 240 meters of water frontage within Sydney's iconic Darling Harbor area. Property developer Mirvac target to achieve 5 and 6 Star Green Star and WELL ratings, making the project one of Australia's most sustainable districts.
Jean Nouvel'srecently completed towers, Tours Duo, redefined the Parisian skyline. Captured by Paul Clemence in his latest photo series, the project by Ateliers Jean Nouvel creates a singularity in relation to the rails that lead into the city's heart and define the Avenue de France. Established as a landmark on the East side of Paris and considered to be the city's future, Tours Duo is a mixed-use project that completes and modifies the unfinished context of this part of the city.
Bird-eye view of Dragon Tower. Image Courtesy of Dewan Architects + Engineers
The Dragon Tower in Hanoi by Dewan Architects + Engineers in collaboration with TTA, is the winner of the Global Design & Architecture Design Awards 2022 in the Mix-Used category; the tower is projected to transform Vietnam's landmark. Designed to be the longest building in the world, the 700.000 square meters complex will provide ministerial lobbies, meeting rooms, and public spaces, including a nursery, library, supermarket, restaurants, and a learning center. A water reservoir and green terraces are incorporated into the design to increase the building's efficiency and accessibility.
Architecture firm Goettsch Partners have recently won the design competition for a new eight-building complex in the Pudong area of Shanghai. The 244,500 square meter site is one of the last underdeveloped parcels in the area. The Shanghai Lujiazui Roncheng Changyi Project features two office towers, five residential towers, and a cultural/office building. The development also includes retail spaces and various amenities. Construction is scheduled to start in December 2022 and completion is anticipated in December 2025.
Japan-based architectural office Kengo Kuma and Associates has unveiled the design for what will become the studio’s first residential tower in the United States. Located on the oceanfront of Miami Beach, the 18-story structure will accommodate private condominiums for hospitality brand Aman. The project is adjacent to the Versailles building, a 1940s Art Deco hotel currently under restoration by architect Jean-Michel Gathy. The Art Deco architecture of Miami’s Faena district has a unique rhythm, which, according to the architect, was translated into the geometry of the new building through its vertical and horizontal lines.
MVRDV has revealed the design for its first project in South America. The Hills is a residential project located on the Guayas riverfront in Guayaquil, Ecuador, comprised of six residential towers displayed atop a mixed-use plinth, creating the image of a valley. The towers range in height from 92 to 143 meters, raising taller the further away they are from the riverfront. The whole composition is inspired by the local landscape that merges the natural and the urban environment.
New York-based architecture studio ODA has revealed the design of Ombelle, a duo of residential towers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The two 43-story buildings will accommodate 1,100 rental units, completed with amenities and retail spaces. At the base of the building, an urban plaza connects the development to its neighboring area and Flanger Village. The Ombelle complex is ODA's second large-scale residential project in Fort Lauderdale. The first one, the Kushner tower, is located in the same district.
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