Populous reveals images of its Winter Olympics stadium, Calatrava's rail station finally opens in Belgium and 'The Uterus Project' homes children in Israel.
RUSSIA
Populous has been selected to design the main stadium (pictured above) for the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The firm is also designing London's main 2012 Olympic Stadium. The 40,000 seat stadium has a pebble-shaped design and John Barrow, Populous senior principal said "Its sweeping form responds to both its coastal location and mountainous backdrop, whilst its crystalline skin engages with its surroundings by day, and provides an iconic representation of the colour and spectacle of the games when illuminated at night."
UNITED KINGDOM
Robert Adams is extending the Witanhurst mansion in north London, the city's largest private residence. A new wing and a basement complex comprising underground parking, a swimming pool, wine cellars and a gym will be added onto the 90-room property in Highgate. The tennis pavilion, pergola, fountain, pond and two gatehouses will also be renovated. The work is expected to cost approximately $36.5 million.
BELGIUM
The new high speed rail station at Liege-Guillemins, designed by Santiago Calatrava, has opened in Belgium after a 13 year wait. The station is part of a planned architectural vision for a corporate centre in Belgium, and the revival of the town of Liege, which has less than 200,000 occupants. Calatrava was commissioned to design the station in 1996 and was set the task of replacing the existing station without disturbing the train services and daily passage of 36,000 people.
DENMARK
Copenhagen hosted the first even Danish Design Week from 26 August to 6 September. It included more than 30 exhibitions, events and seminars celebrating Danish design, architecture and fashion were on display, and centred around the theme of sustainability. Bamboo bicycles, solar collecting curtains and intelligent building facades were some of the environmentally-aware projects on display. The Danish Design Week comes as Copenhagen prepares to host the COP15 Climate Change Conference in December.
ISRAEL
"The Uterus Project" by Lior Vaknin will provide a home for children with special needs in Hadera, Israel. The name was inspired by the development of the embryo in the uterus and communicates the message that children who visit the centre will thrive and develop before moving on. The centre provides living space, a kitchen and bedrooms for the families of children and volunteers. It is furnished with soft-edged furniture and no hard edges to create a sense of 'optimism and positive thinking throughout the house.'
