Archinect - News

Labor and funding disputes are impelling repair work on the Eiffel Tower

2024-04-18T18:20:00-04:00

To date, only 30% of the tower has been repainted. Adding more than 100 weekly operations to monitor the lead increased annual running costs from €50m to €92m—and may reach a staggering €130m. The unions have also denounced the state of infrastructure, which sees tourists with tickets still queuing for up to three hours.

In February, the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (or SETE), which operates the tower announced losses nearing $2 million as a result of the weeklong strike. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has sparred openly with both France’s culture and tourism ministers about the tower’s lacking historical monument status and security situation on the Champ de Mars. The presence of lead paint and the pandemic have also combined to frustrate repair work efforts. The landmark’s last official full paint job, the nineteenth since it opened, was completed in 2010.

Safdie Architects will expand Marina Bay Sands for 2029

2024-04-08T13:02:00-04:00

Safdie Architects has announced plans for a programmatic expansion of their previous Marina Bay Sands design in Singapore.

The scheme calls for the addition of a new luxury hotel tower with a sky roof, a 15,000-seat entertainment venue, and further spaces reserved for work, retail, and dining.

The project is being undertaken to provide a boost to Singapore’s tourism sector, which is considered lagging behind other destinations in the Asia-Pacific region in spite of strong post-pandemic numbers. (The resort has drawn more than 470 million visitors since its opening, according to a press release from its Las Vegas-based management group.)

Rendering of the new entertainment arena. Image courtesy Marina Bay Sands

"The all-suite hotel tower will set new standards of hospitality, the state-of-the-art arena will help attract the highest-caliber global entertainment events and artists, and the additional convention and exhibition space will extend the success of Singapore as a leading MICE d...

NEOM unveils new bridged Treyam resort development for the Gulf of Aqaba

2024-03-22T18:43:00-04:00

The next satellite development of NEOM has been announced as a new lagoon straddling resort called Treyam. News of its announcement follows last week’s update from NEOM detailing the golf course and resort concept Gidori from Aedas architects Ignacio Gomez and Lama Al-Kharboush in the Saudi Gulf of Aqaba region.

This latest destination will be developed in the same coast region and is promoted as being an “audacious design with minimal land intervention." This is the tenth project to be announced for the region since last October.

Image courtesy NEOM

Plans call for a 250-room hotel connected to either shoreline via a long skybridge whose facade embellishes a sunset-like illusion when viewed from a distance. Mark Foster Cage and Bashayer Bamohsen appear in a “Meet the Architects” video as Treyam’s lead designers along with the founder of Dubai’s JT+Partners, Joe Tabet.

Image courtesy NEOM

A 450-meter (1,476-feet) long rooftop infinity pool invites guests to a further “awe-inspiring” ex...

NEOM announces new Gidori resort and golf course satellite development — its tenth overall

2024-03-18T19:22:00-04:00

A new golf resort concept has been revealed as the latest satellite development for NEOM, Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion+ experiment in urbanization and global luxury tourism.

'Gidori,' as it will be known, is designed to include an 18-hole course with a 200-unit residential component, 80-room hotel, beach club, and other sport and leisure facilities spread throughout a rocky coastal setting on the Gulf of Aqaba.

Image courtesy NEOM

Architects Ignacio Gomez and Lama Al-Kharboush (both of Aedas) are mentioned in a promotional video as being the lead designers for the project.

Video courtesy NEOM/YouTube

It follows Leyja, Epicon, Siranna, Utamo, Norlana, and Aquellum as the latest addition to the NEOM family. Marketing for the project appears to be centered on its integration within the landscape. A "progressive architectural centerpiece" called 'The Monolith' will greet visitors at the shoreline, keying their repose into the network of spas, pools, and gyms inside and anchoring the pr...

NEOM unveils new Aquellum resort concept from LAVA and NAME

2024-01-18T19:10:00-05:00

The latest satellite development of Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project, a new mountainside resort destination called Aquellum, has been launched, along with other initiatives meant to promote sport, leisure, and tourism in the Gulf of Aqaba region.

The coastal development, which appears to feature the same concept for a self-styled "zero gravity urbanism" that defines The Line megacity’s internal layout, is slated to include luxury retail and hotel amenities along with art galleries and a sunken marina design, all tucked inside a 1,480-foot mountain and within traveling distance from its fellow Leyja, Epicon, and Siranna satellite resorts nearby.

Image courtesy NEOM

Guests will arrive via boat courtesy of a hidden canal entryway at the base of the development. A central 'experiential boulevard' serves as the main artery of the socially condensing courtyard space at the center of the 330-foot-tall above-ground component. A special innovation space called 'The Generator' is finally included a...

NEOM launches Siranna resort concept on the Gulf of Aqaba

2023-12-04T17:42:00-05:00

Another high-end luxury resort complex has been revealed in Saudi Arabia as part of the country’s NEOM megadevelopment on the Gulf of Aqaba.

The new Siranna development will include a 65-key hotel in addition to 35 “exclusive” residences geared toward tourists and complement the previous Leyja and Epicon resort concepts that were announced this year.

Image courtesy NEOM

Guests will be transited to the destination via water taxis, emerge from the Red Sea surf, and pass through a gateway of natural rock formations to find a tiered approach to the outcropping of hexagonal volumes that spring up from the surrounding landscape like shards of crystals.

Image courtesy NEOM

Paolo Testolini, the Dubai-based Principal and Global Sector Leader of Cities and Places for Woods Bagot’s UAE operation, appears in a promotional video as the architect that will lead its design. His colleague Nik Karalis appears also to be involved, stating that the concept will help “redefine our notions of what touri...

NEOM debuts new Epicon coastal resort and hotel concept

2023-11-17T16:58:00-05:00

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project has announced another new coastal resort concept located on the country’s Gulf of Aqaba.

The new Epicon destination follows last month’s announcement of Leyja, another hospitality project in the region. It will become the sixth development in NEOM’s portfolio, which includes the Trojena and Sindalah ski and yacht resorts, Oxagon industrial/residential tract, and the controversial 'zero-gravity urbanism' showcase THE LINE megacity.

Image courtesy NEOM

Two towers totaling 225 and 275 meters in height (738 and 902 feet, respectively) are included in Epicon's hotel concept, along with a distant resort and a string of luxury beach villas that are cast along the shoreline — the hotel buildings appearing as though a desert mirage.

Image courtesy NEOM

The 41-key hotel design with 14 apartment units offers twin-tower blocks connected via an elevated platform defined by exposed structural beams extending out in either direction. Its facade can be illuminated from t...

Venice to begin seeking €5 daily admission fees from tourists

2023-09-07T12:02:00-04:00

The ability for Venice to charge a nominal €5 ($5.35 USD) daily entrance fee to tourists has been granted to the city, giving officials the final go-ahead for a response they say is ultimately necessary to preserve its architectural heritage from the threats of climate change and overcrowding.

The city council’s decision comes after a protracted debate over its implementation since the idea was first introduced in 2019. CNN has reported the experiment will start first with a 30-day trial period before being formally adopted early next year, limited to only the “peak days” of the busy tourist season. The likely result is for the quality of life of residents to be improved, proponents say while encouraging other popular international destinations to potentially follow suit.

“The message we want to put across is that Venice is open, but visitors must understand that we need proper planning to manage the balance between residence and tourism,” Councilor Michele Zuin said in a statement....

China unveils ambitious plan to construct 245 new museums in Beijing by 2035

2023-02-24T16:42:00-05:00

China is pushing forward a draft development plan to construct some 245 new museums in its capital by the year 2035, according to reports coming out of Beijing last weekend.

The plan from the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau calls for there to be a total of 460 museums by the end of the building frenzy, enough, it says, for two per every 100,000 inhabitants in the city of 21.5 million.

The push comes in anticipation of Beijng’s expected tourism influx. Recent research from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) suggested that it could soon overtake Paris as the world’s most frequented tourist destination, with a projected annual value eventually topping out at $77 billion. Museums, therefore, make up the core component of this effort, with a special focus on those promoting Chinese culture and history in line with the Communist party’s nationalist agenda.

The $5 billion Moon Dubai resort could soon welcome tourists and astronauts alike

2022-09-09T19:34:00-04:00

A lunar addition to Dubai’s burgeoning Space Age aesthetic may soon grace the city’s skyline thanks to a new tourist destination and astronaut training facility proposal by a Canadian venture called Moon World Resorts Inc.

Arabian Business has picked up details of the so-called Moon Dubai project, which is said to total 735 feet (224 meters) in height and will take around 48 months to complete once the final approval is given to designs first drawn up by the company’s co-founding architects Sandra G. Matthews and Michael R. Henderson.

Vaguely resembling the presence of Buckminster Fuller’s famed Expo 67 Pavilion or one of the forthcoming (reviled) MSG Spheres, the structure is being marketed as a shot in the arm for Dubai’s hospitality and entertainment industries and will be surrounded by a “lunar colony” that is expected to receive up to 2.5 million visitors annually. The designers stated that this number could easily swell to around 10 million. According to their proposal, the ma...

Herb Greene’s Prairie House seeks landmark status

2022-04-15T11:49:00-04:00

Those involved with the house and the Prairie House Preservation Society expect it to be a big draw to the area for tourists, artists and the Norman community. Late last year, the Prairie House Trust bought the unusual two-bedroom, 2,100-square-foot home surrounded by open land and turned the management of it over to the nonprofit society.

Greene’s sculptural creation will be turned into a museum under the scheme after being in the hands of private owners for many years. Greene’s longtime colleague at OU, and another pioneer of the highly experimental American School movement, Bruce Goff, is now also being used as a bit of a draw for architecture lovers, with the inaugural Goff Fest festival taking place in Tulsa last November. Those associated with the preservation effort hope the recently renovated house will further add another tourist trap to a state with quite a bit to offer in its growing artistic community.

“I believe that with cultivation and time this can be a real reason that people are going to want to come to Norman,” Norman Arts Council executive director Erinn Gavaghan told the local paper. “It’s incredibly important to the history of architecture at OU. We knew we didn’t want to lose this place.”

The Catholic Church's plans for the reimagined Notre-Dame de Paris interior are drawing sharp criticism online

2021-12-03T14:50:00-05:00

Will the fire-ravaged interior of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris be more like Disneyland than France’s most emblematic place of worship when it reopens after a major restoration? So fear the outraged critics of a new interior design for the monument which was presented during a video conference earlier this year.

Father Gilles Drouin is the man behind the new interiors, which he says are meant to respond to the multicultural visitorship that was originally not taken into consideration by the church, which spoke to a largely Christian audience before the fire.

Critics have panned Drouin’s vision, objecting not only to the ecumenical content but also its delivery via seemingly tacky digital projections and other forms of tech-heavy interventions meant to engender a network of “emotional spaces.”

“It’s Notre-Dame de Paris turned into Disneyland,” architect Maurice Culot told TAN. “It does not make any sense, we are rebuilding the cathedral and the spire as it was, with ancient materials like stone, wood and lead, and now we’ll have a theme park for foreign tourists inside. Why wasn’t the design entrusted to the same architects to maintain unity between the inside and outsid...

Sagrada Família construction once again draws the ire of locals in Barcelona

2021-12-01T12:08:00-05:00

A gigantic 12-pointed star was installed on Monday on one of the main towers of the basilica of the Sagrada Família, Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece that has been a work in progress since 1882. [...] However, their main anxiety is that the foundation will go ahead with its plan to build an enormous stairway leading up to the basilica’s as-yet-unfinished main entrance which, if fully realised, would entail demolishing three entire city blocks, dislodging about 1,000 families and businesses.

Opponents have described the installation of the star as "aesthetically horrible" while the Archbishop of Barcelona called it "[a] historic moment after a year of darkness and tireless struggle."

The site has lost a considerable amount of money in the past year due to a tourist downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Losses of around 47,000 visitors a day have effectively shut down Barcelona's reviled tourism boom and halted construction on the 19th-century project which was expected to finally come to fruition in 2026 by at least two years, according to The Guardian.

Foster + Partners unveil designs for Shurayrah Island in Red Sea

2021-02-12T11:17:00-05:00

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Chairman of The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), has launched the Coral Bloom concept, a "regenerative tourism project" designed by Foster + Partners. The main hub island at the destination, Shurayrah, has been designed to blend in with the island’s vibrant landscape.

"Our vision for Shurayrah is inspired by the island’s natural state, with the hotels designed to give the impression that they have washed up on the beaches and nestled among the dunes almost like driftwood," said Gerard Evenden, Head of Studio at Foster + Partners. "The materials we use are low impact and ensure that the pristine environment is protected, while the additions we make to the island serve to enhance what is already there – hence the name, Coral Bloom."

The island will hold 11 hotels, designed with post-COVID implications in mind, with features such as larger spaces. The design omits high-rise buildings and the village-style resorts will be created with lightweight ...

Bjarke Ingels issues statement explaining meeting with Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro

2020-01-23T14:39:00-05:00

Danish architect Bjarke Ingels has released a statement explaining his reasoning behind the decision to meet with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro last week.

In the statement, Ingels, founder and creative partner at the multi-national architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), explains that his decision to meet with Brazilian officials was aimed at avoiding "oversimplification of a complex world" while also pushing for "active engagement, not superficial clickbait or ignorance" in terms of the work the firm undertakes. The meeting with Bolsonaro, Ingels explains, came as part of a larger research mission undertaken with the sustainable tourism developer Nomade Group aimed at investigating the possibility of bringing green tourism initiatives to the northeast coast of Brazil.

Sydney-based architect wants to create an "Instagram and selfie worthy" building

2019-11-13T20:00:00-05:00

Crown [Hotel] Sydney designer Chris Wilkinson also likened Sydney to a “21st century Venice on steroids” but warned we cannot simply rely on the harbor’s natural assets to keep tourists happy...The Crown Sydney at Barangaroo will be a landmark tower and feature Sydney’s most luxurious hotel.

"With the rise in popularity of selfies and Instagram moments these architectural landmarks are becoming more and more an important representation of the city," Wilkinson told The Daily Telegraph, in reference to the Sydney Opera house and other popular destinations.

The designer wants to "push the envelope" of the local architecture in hopes that he might be a contributor in positioning Sydney as a "leading architectural city."

Planned cable-car network over Jerusalem divides the public

2019-09-16T19:51:00-04:00

Israeli authorities have approved a plan to build a cable car to the Western Wall, one of the holiest sites in the Jewish world, by 2021. It’s the first phase of what proponents envision as a fleet of cable cars crisscrossing the locus of sacred sites known as the Holy Basin.

NYT architecture critic Michael Kimmelman explains the controversial plan for a cable-car network, envisioned to connect significant Jewish religious sites in Jerusalem while bypassing Palestinian neighborhoods, and how the concept contributes to a "Disneyfication" of the Holy City as much as Israel's "architecture of occupation."

"Trumpeted by right-wing Israeli leaders as a green solution to the challenges of increased tourism and traffic in and around the Old City," Kimmelman writes, "the plan has provoked howls of protest from horrified Israeli preservationists, environmentalists, planners, architects and others who picture an ancient global heritage site turned into a Jewish-themed Epcot, with thousands of passengers an hour crammed into huge gondolas lofting across the sky."

Israeli-born Canadian architect Moshe Safdie is among the vocal opponents of the cable car.

Overtourism: Are cities suffocating?

2019-07-19T15:01:00-04:00

The global tourism boom that’s inundated legacy destinations like Venice, Amsterdam, and Barcelona has birthed a term—overtourism—to describe the harried state of a city besieged by too many visitors. A recent report by the World Travel and Tourism Council, Destination 2030, looked at cities’ readiness for tourism growth and concluded that Vancouver, [...] had “visitor volumes and activities with potential to cause strain on the city.”

Tourism is one proven way cities can boost their economy in addition to promoting cultural awareness. However, how much strain is tourism putting on these cities? According to recent CityLab coverage by Molly McCluskey, "overtourism" is a term city development and tourism councils are using more frequently. Take Vancouver for example. McCluskey shares that the city will reach its 95% tourism capacity by the end of the summer. What does this mean exactly, and what steps can be taken to manage overcrowding?

According to Gwendal Castellan, manager of Sustainable Destination Development at Tourism Vancouver, he and his colleagues think, perhaps they should "just stop promoting the city?" Castellan continues, "We've been watching this happen all over the world. We haven't hit those edges [of oversaturation] yet, but we're not far off." Cities strained from "overtourism" must not only react to visitor demand but respond to residents and local officials. From overcrowded parking lots, busy...

Is Singapore really the greenest city in Asia?

2019-07-12T14:49:00-04:00

It's a small, dense, island nation where 100% of the population is urbanized. And yet, the city-state of Singapore is the greenest city in Asia, according to the Green City Index, and arguably has few competitors in the rest of the world. As Singapore's population and economy grew, so did its green cover: it was about 36% in the 1980s and it now stands at 47%, according to the Center for Liveable cities.

Becoming one of the "must-see" places in the world, Singapore has created a name for itself amongst travelers. Even Hollywood has already capitalized on the nation's likability and illustrious cityscape thanks to the top-grossing film, Crazy Rich Asians. However, beyond the food and Instagramable sites, what can other cities, urban planners, and architects learn from Singapore's urbanized infrastructure?

Singapore: Flower Dome and Cloud Forest in The Gardens by the Bay. Image © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas

In a CNN travel piece written by Meera Senthilingam, she explains, "while the word "green" can take on a variety of connotations, Singapore appears to encompass them all -- lush environments, renewable energy, and future sustainability." The Singapore Green Buildings Council (SGBC) does not take sustainability lightly. Although the city-state is budding with lush greenery, we must note the city's lack of natural resources. However, where it lacks in natural resources, it makes up for in env...

Newly designed Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Visitor and Education Center takes subtle cues from the master

2019-06-27T19:41:00-04:00

For decades, fans of Frank Lloyd Wright have made the journey to the small residential neighborhood of Oak Park, Illinois to where the architect built more than 25 structures during the first half of his career. Of greatest significance is the home and studio he built for himself in 1889, which has been open to the public since 1976 after it was declared a National Historic Landmark.

Children's playroom in The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. Photographer unknown.

In an effort to preserve the look and feel of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio campus, little has been added or reorganized at the site. The newest addition to the campus, however, will be a visitor and Education center designed by Chicago-based John Ronan Architects.

Rendering of The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust Visitor and Education Center, by John Ronan Architects.

At first glance, the renderings of the visitor and education center bears little resemblance to the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, and even less to any of t...

Rome aims to protect national monuments and historic landmarks with strict tourist rules

2019-06-12T13:58:00-04:00

Authorities in the Italian capital have now enforced a slew of rules, updated from legislation drafted in 1946, as they seek to clamp down on uncouth behavior that has long been a source of frustration.

With a slew of visitors and tourists filling the streets of historic cities across the globe, it is no wonder authorities in the Italian capital are enforcing measures to help preserve Rome's cityscape. From "messy eating" and foot bathing near the Trevi Fountain to preserving historic staircases, these rules are set to reduce the level of transgressions happening within the city. "Bans on wheeled suitcases and buggies being dragged down historic staircases, walking around bare-chested, and pub crawls. The authorities are also taking aim at 'nuisance drunks' or people who sing on public transport, as well as those who wrap their mouths around the nozzles of the city's drinking fountains."

One specific measure with a permanent ban are for individuals dressing up as modern-day centurions. According to the Guardian, "men who dress up in tunics and leather breastplates, wielding plastic swords – and make money by posin...

L.A's Union Station is getting upgraded in preparation for 2028 Olympics

2019-05-21T18:49:00-04:00

One effort currently underway is Link Union Station, a $2.2-billion project that hopes to make the facility a hub connecting Metro Rail’s intercity subway and light rail lines to allow for a better long-term travel experience — and hopefully stem falling ridership. The project is slated for completion before the Olympics come to Los Angeles in 2028.

As Los Angeles gears up for a slew of global tourism events, including upcoming Super Bowl, World Cup, and Olympic happenings, the city's Union Station is receiving a flood of investment.

Major upgrades include the restoration of historical elements of the complex, the reconfiguration of the main train concourse to allow regional commuter trains to operate run-through service between L.A. and Orange County, pedestrian upgrades along with areas leading to the station, and the completion of several new transit lines running through the site.

When all is said and done, transportation officials hope to double rail usage in the region to 200,000 trips per day by 2040, with many of those passengers passing through Union Station's soaring Art Deco halls.

A new book highlights Le Corbusier's secret passion for photography

2019-05-09T18:21:00-04:00

On top of being known as a man of architecture and a man of letters, Le Corbusier can now also be known as a man of photography.

View of Charles IV Bridge, toward castle, Prague, May 1911. Photo by Le Corbusier.

LC Foto, a book released by Lars Müller Publishers, is an archive of the architect's photos taken in secret, given that he publicly stated that he saw little value in photography. Between 1907 and 1917 alone, Le Corbusier took almost 6,000 photographs, bringing his cameras on trips to Istanbul, Brazil and the cargo ships which inspired much of his theories on modern architecture.

LC Foto (Le Corbusier, Secret Photographer. Published by Lars Müller.

The Jewel of Singapore, the newest addition to the Changi Airport dazzles visitors and locals alike

2019-04-12T16:27:00-04:00

Singapore is already known for its mesmerizing structures. However, the country wanted to make sure Singapore isn't only a great place to visit, but stopover! With international travel increasing over the years airports are becoming more than just lines and terminals. Many airports are becoming hubs for shopping, cuisine, and must-see attractions. Airport execs are now exploring new ways for airports to be "experienced, turning them into new "lifestyle hubs."

Jewel Changi Airport. Image courtesy of Changi Airport Group

Canopy Park Image courtesy of Changi Airport Group

One of the world's most multi-faceted airports, no pun intended, the Jewel Changi Airport has 280 new retail stores and restaurants which make up the ten-story facility. With the structure split five feet above and five feet below ground, the airport has become the most luxurious airport in the world. New attractions include the Canopy Park which is said to open...

Architecture Office's new exhibition explores the transformation of European immigrant towns in the US

2019-04-04T14:51:00-04:00

Founded by Nicole McIntosh and Jonathan Louie, Architecture Office's newest exhibition Swissness Applied focuses on the architectural transformation of European inspired immigrant towns and their presence in the United States. A nation comprised of people and cultures from around the globe, the project allows for the topic of cultural appropriation in architecture, urban design, and planning to be discussed.

Architecture Office co-founder Nicole McIntosh is a Swiss-born architect whose collaborative research explores a highly curated exhibition of various European immigrant towns whose characteristics reference from German, Danish, and Swiss design motifs. US towns such as Frankenmuth, Michigan; Solvang, California; and New Glarus, Wisconsin have been implemented into the American landscape by the individuals who immigrated to those areas. For this exhibition, New Glarus is a town the studio uses as the primary subject of focus in Swissness Applied.

Swissness Applied exhibition m...

Here's your chance to win a sleepover inside the Louvre's glass pyramid

2019-04-03T16:06:00-04:00

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the I.M. Pei-designed Musée du Louvre Pyramid, Airbnb has partnered with the museum to offer the exclusive opportunity of a night inside the iconic glass structure.

Courtesy of Airbnb

According to contest's website, the night begins with a VIP after hours tour of the museum, followed by a Renaissance-inspired apéritif with the Mona Lisa and dinner with the Venus of Milo (because, of course), before an intimate acoustic concert in Napoleon III’s lavish apartments gets the lucky winner sleepy enough for bedtime under the stars of Paris inside the glass Pyramid.

Courtesy of Airbnb

The vacation rental site has offered the chance to win a night in extraordinary spaces before, such as the JDS-designed Holmenkollen Ski Jump in Oslo, BIG's LEGO House in Denmark, artsy artsy Amsterdam "tents", a floating house on the River Thames, Australian IKEA showrooms, or the spacious Great Wall of China (which was eventually canceled due to public outcry).

Courtesy of...

Moshe Safdie's glass Jewel at Changi Airport to open on April 17

2019-03-29T20:24:00-04:00

The much-anticipated Jewel Changi Airport, with more than 280 shops and food and beverage outlets, will open its doors to the world on April 17....The highlights include a five-storey garden with 2,500 trees and 100,000 shrubs, with two walking trails. There is also a 40m-high Rain Vortex - the world's tallest indoor waterfall.

World's first underwater residence opens in the Maldives

2018-11-12T15:21:00-05:00

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has opened the world's first-ever underwater hotel residence. More than just a room or a suite (this is the Maldives, after all, so luxury is the name of the game), the two-story villa is set more than 16 feet below the Indian Ocean. Its name is "Muraka," which means "coral" in the Maldives' local language Dhivehi.

Image: Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

With the cold and gloomy season quickly approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, many wish to escape to warmer, balmier settings. If the idea of sleeping under the water sounds like your kinda thing and a sweet $50,000 a night isn't too much of an obstacle, then a trip to the Maldives should be at the top of your itinerary. Conrad Hotels & Resorts recently completed a one-of-a-kind underwater residence, Muraka, that's now taking reservations (previously on Archinect).

Before you pawn away your grandma's Buick to scrape together the 50K, be advised though that a minimum stay of four nights is required.

View this post on Instagram Hold your breath and discover the beautiful harmony above and below the ocean. THE MURAKA, unlike anywhere else in the world. Check out the full video on IGTV. . . #TheMURAKA @alessia.zecchini @thomas.midulla @martin.kreuzer @americanexpress #ConradMaldives #AmexCenturion #AmexPlatinum #AmexLife
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First phase of Zaha Hadid Architects' Aljada Central Hub will be complete in 2019

2018-10-05T14:28:00-04:00

Back in March, Zaha Hadid Architects emerged victorious in the competition to design the new Aljada Central Hub in Sharjah, UAE. Today, the firm announced that phase one of the $6.5 billion development is scheduled to be complete in the first quarter of 2019.

Rendering: Cosmoscube.

At a whopping 1.9 million square feet, the Central Hub's focal points are a large central plaza and public observation tower. The first phase of the Hub will include an outdoor cinema space for screenings and pop-ups, a food truck village, skate park, and family-friendly facilities.

The second and third phases of the project are expected to be finished by 2020 and 2022, respectively. These two phases will include the construction of: a 65,000 sq.ft. waterplay area, an “extreme” sports center, an 11-screen cinema, an adventure golf course, and a 340,000 sq.ft. community park that will have “hundreds of species of trees and plants” and numerous outdoor sports facilities — just to name...

War-damaged Palmyra prepares to welcome back tourists by summer 2019

2018-08-28T13:54:00-04:00

The ancient city of Palmyra in Homs, Syria, which was severely damaged by the extremist group Isis, is set to have its artefacts restored and be ready for tourism next summer, Syrian government says. “The authorities now have a project to repair all the damage caused to Palmyra's Old City,” say the Homs' provincial governor Talal Barazi [...]. “There are also good offers from the world powers to restore the artefacts and historical value of Palmyra. [...]"

First seized and severely damaged by ISIS militants in the spring of 2015, then briefly retaken under Syrian government control, recaptured again in December 2016 and eventually freed four months later, the ancient architectural treasures of Palmyra, a Unesco World Heritage site, have suffered great destruction in recent years—called even a "war crime" and "blow against cultural heritage" by Unesco's director general Irina Bokova in 2017.