New year, new reasons to get excited about
architecture . Around the world, there are countless architectural projects scheduled for completion in 2021 —
from libraries and buildings to a green complex in the middle of New York . We took a look at the most interesting projects and selected 7 that you can't miss. Read below!
1- Watercolor, in Ecuador
Pritzker Prize-winning French architect
Jean Nouvel has designed, among his most recent projects, Aquarela — a 650-unit residential complex in the Cumbaya neighborhood of Ecuador's capital, Quito. The project, which covers over 136,000 m², seeks to integrate with the surrounding mountainous landscape. Composed of separate structures spread over nine floors, a series of long stone balconies evoke the texture of the mountains.
2- Sunac Guangzhou Grand Theater, China
Designed by
Steven Chilton Architects , the 2,000-seat theater in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou was inspired by the fluid texture of embroidered silk. The Sunac Guangzhou Grand Theatre pays homage to the city's history as a center of commerce, particularly in the tattoo designs of artist
Zhang Hongfei , whose golden illustrations adorn the red exterior cladding.
3- Little Island, USA
One of the most unusual projects to be completed is
Heatherwick Studio 's Little Island, an elevated park over the Hudson River in New York City.
Designed by Japanese architect
Sou Fujimoto , the building will serve as a museum, concert venue and educational center in the Hungarian capital of Budapest. One of the most notable buildings in the Budapest Liget Project, the renovation of the Hungarian capital's largest public park, the building is located next to Lake Városliget. The undulating roof features large circular perforations through which trees can penetrate.
5- Wormhole Library, China
On the coast of the Chinese island of Hainan,
MAD is building the Wormhole Library, a singular work that stands out from the landscape. More than 10,000 books will be housed in the concrete structure, where circular cutouts on the surface evoke "a wormhole that transcends space and time." The work is part of a project to renovate public spaces in the city of Haikou.
6- Bee'ah, in the United Arab Emirates
The 7,000 square meter building will occupy a site adjacent to the vast Bee'ah waste management center in the United Arab Emirates. The design for Bee'ah's headquarters was conceptualized by architect
Zaha Hadid . In the shape of a curved shell, the building was inspired by sand dunes, in order to complement the desert scenery, in addition to making the building more resistant to extreme weather conditions.
7- Valley, in the Netherlands
In Rotterdam,
MVRDV has been selected by the municipality of Amsterdam to design the Ravel Plaza Amsterdam, which will house apartments, offices and commercial spaces. Titled Valley, the skyscraper will comprise three peaks, each lined with greenery and angled windows jutting out from all angles, forming a sort of green village.
