Urban Design: The Latest Architecture and News

Rotterdam-based office for urban design and landscape architecture West 8, in collaboration with Sener & Gestec, have designed this entry for the Valencia Central Park Competition. Their proposal achieved a place on the competition shortlist. The design presented here is a concept for Parque Central inspired by the Valencian tradition of solid narrative and poetry.

More images and description of the project after the break.

STL Architects shared with us their UNO Master Plan in the Gage Park community on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. This Master Plan not only offers an opportunity to revitalize the existing neighborhood and make it more vibrant and pedestrian oriented, but it also acts as a catalyst by attracting new business and investments such as educational facilities, a civic center and open green space. More images and architects’ description after the break.

hiddenoffice has submitted their proposal, HyperAlicante, for the Spainish coastal city of Alicante to us here at ArchDaily. Wildly ambitious in scale, see more of this design after the jump as well as a explanatory narrative by the architects.

Woods Bagot Architecture and HOK Planning have worked together to generate the master plan for Langfang Eco-Smart City and shared its announcement with us here at ArchDaily. Additional renderings, watercolors and the official press release after the break.

Fargo 365 was one of three entries into the Downtown Fargo: an Urban In-fill Competition from Philadelphia-based design firm Wallace Roberts and Todd, the design team of David Witham, Douglas Meehan, Anna Ishii, and Hannah Mattheus-Kairy. Their entry was selected as one of two first prize winners. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Site A/S Architects has recently completed a project proposal, Aqua P, which looks to form a solution for the flooding and parking problems in Copenhagen. For more renderings, process diagrams and a description from Site A/S continue after the break.

Earlier in the week, we featured the winning entry for the international architectural competition for the Centre for Promotion of Science. Now, Blok39 Organization has shared with us the remaining winners for the 2010 competition for Belgrade, Serbia. More images and descriptions on the winners after the break.

When we stopped by Steven Holl’s office in New York, Senior Partner Chris McVoy spoke to us about the firm’s latest project in Hangzhou – an International Tourism Complex. The firm has a growing presence in China and, arguably, some of the team’s strongest works (such as their Linked Hybrid and Horizontal Skyscraper) are situated throughout the region. With their most recent win, the firm will redevelop the site of the oxygen and boiler plants in Hangzhou to create a master plan comprised of residential and cultural components.

More about the project, including an video with McVoy, after the break.

The team of Uros Novakovic and Nevena Radojevic have shared with us their proposal for a Urban Design Contest in Florence, Italy which focuses specifically on the development of Santa Maria Novella Square. Additional images and a project description after the break.

The International Garden Festival at Les Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens presents temporary gardens at the cutting edge of garden design, landscape, architecture, design and environmental art. This year’s theme for design was “Secret Gardens.” First launched in 2000, the International Garden Festival is host to innovative ideas and has presented over 80 gardens by more than 200 designers from fifteen countries and has attracted more than 800,000 visitors. This showcase of a wide range of projects has featured budding designers from a range of different fields. Out of a total 194 proposals submitted by over 500 architects, landscape architects, designers and artists from three countries, the jury selected the following three designs.

After the break, images from 2011′s three selections of “Secret Gardens” from The International Garden Festival.

The Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia initiated an international competition for a Centre for Promotion of Science and the urban development of Block 39 in New Belgrade in Serbia. This design aims to be an institution of service and a national bank of knowledge in the field of science for the general public. An international jury unanimously selected Austrian architect Wolfgang Tschapeller’s project as the winning entry. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Jean Nouvel was chosen as the lead urban architect and coordinator for the Seguin Island project in July of 2009. Here we are sharing with you the Ateliers Jean Nouvel team master plan for Seguin Island in Boulogne-Billancourt, France.

A diverse group of programs will make up the spaces, total surface area of 300,000 sqm, including cultural, retail, social facilites, parks, gardens, terraces serving as a destination for both residents and tourists. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2010 and final completion is expected for the end of 2023.

Follow the break for a video and renderings by Ateliers Jean Nouvel.

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Architects: Ateliers Jean Nouvel Location: Seguin Island, Boulogne-Billancourt, France Project Area: 300,000 sqm Renderings: Courtesy of Ateliers Jean Nouvel

Architects: Tangram 3DS Location: Haiti Project year: 2010 Photographs Tangram 3DS

Sandra Janser and Elisabeth Koller won first prize in the design competition: Design Month Graz 2010 project, “Ready. Steady. Go.” that called for a catalyst for the resettlement of the Jakomini district, in Graz, Austria, through the promotion of activities and attractiveness of the neighborhood through its revitalization. Their proposal was the installation of a visual frame, one that would serve as a marker for significant design areas with a visible and positive identity.

For more on this project continue after the break.

Spring 2011 marks the opening of “Metropol Parasol”, the Redevelopment of Plaza de la Encarnación in Sevilla, designed by J. MAYER H. Architects. After finishing the concrete works in 2008, the parasols are under construction now. Visiting the site at the moment gives an impressive imagination of the final dimension and appearance.

The project becomes the new icon for Sevilla, – a place of identification and to articulate Sevillas role as one of Spains most fascinating cultural destinations. “Metropol Parasol” explores the potential of the Plaza de la Encarnacion to become the new contemporary urban centre. Its role as a unique urban space within the dense fabric of the medieval inner city of Sevilla allows for a great variety of activities such as memory, leisure and commerce. A highly developed infrastructure helps to activate the square, making it an attractive destination for tourists and locals alike.

Hyunjoon Yoo Architects have shared with us their proposal for the new Seoul Yongsan Urban Park. Their design is one of the top six proposals. All six of them will be combined as one scheme for the new park. More images and architect’s description after the break.