Highlight

It’s officially 2020, and the architect and design sector is becoming livelier, since there are many global events going to be held in this year including the Olympic Games, the World Expo and art exhibitions around the world. Today we will update you on the stunning architectures in 2020, in which many projects are going to officially open to public in the near future.

1. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium 

Architects : Kengo Kuma and Associates

It goes without saying that one of architectural highlights in 2020 is the Tokyo National Olympic Stadium, which will host the opening ceremony for 2020 Olympics Games and welcome athletes from around the world in July 24, 2020. Designed by famous Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the stadium, costing 149 billion yen, was planned as a large oval-shaped bowl that resembles a large pine seed with layers, in which each level of the stadium reflecting a floor divided by supporting steel structure underneath the seating stands. And areas around the edge of each level feature plants and trees, to connect the stadium to its surrounding environments. However, regarding construction materials and construction’s impact on the environment, there was a great deal of controversy that put a lot of challenges into the design and construction of this project for Japan.

2. EXPO 2020 

Architects: Zaha Hadid

Expo 2020 is a world-class exhibition that will be hosted by Dubai, United Arab Emirates, under the theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’. The Expo 2020 Dubai will be held from October 20, 2020, to on April 10, 2021, in a 276-hectare site located in Inciralti region lagoon. It aims to bring together more than 180 Participant countries. Designed by Zaha Hadid, the project presented by herself prior to her death, was inspired by the idea of the landscape where sand, water, and sky meet. And after the event ends, the architect will become a part that improves beauty and cleanliness of the surrounding landscape.

3. Egyptian Pavilion Proposal For 2020 Venice Biennale

Architects: Cosmos Architecture

The 17th International Architecture Exhibition, or the 2020 Venice Architecture Biennale, is another major art event that will be held from 29 May – 29 November 2020. The concept of the 2020 Architecture Biennale is ‘The World is Putting New Challenges in Front of Architecture’, which kindly invites architects to work together to design projects that response to rapidly changing social norms and future challenges. Therefore, it is the reason that Cosmos Architecture initiated a climate change-focused design proposal for Egyptian Pavilion with the title of ‘Watermarks – Surviving the Anthropocene’. As Egypt is witnessing a huge loss of its biodiversity due to the rapid urbanization, the project aims to convey the impact that mankind has made to the earth, and create a balance Egypt’s biodiversity. Cosmos Architecture hopes that the Egyptian Pavilion proposal will remind people of the importance of nature and encourage more people to love and protect the earth.

4. IKEA VIENNA

Architects: querkraft architekten

IKEA’s new building, a seven-story IKEA store located at Vienna‘s Westbahnhof station, which was designed by querkraft architekten, shows that IKEA has been putting more attention on sustainability. It has a distinctive green facade that composed of more than 60 trees. And there is no car park in the building, because IKEA wants to encourage people to walk or cycle, or commute by public transport.

5. Burning Man 2020

Architects: FR-EE Fernando Romero Enterprise

Once again, the Burning Man festival, an annual event that gathers people who are passionate about art, will be held at Black Rock City which located in Black Rock Desert of northwest Nevada. This year, 2020 Burning Man event is expected to take place from August 30 to September 7, 2020. On this major event, there is an intriguing pavilion that you cannot miss; it was designed by FR-EE (Fernando Romero Enterprise), one of the top design firms when it comes to pavilion design. Inspired by human history and religious beliefs, the pavilion serves as a religious architecture that contains spiritual wisdom which has been passed down over thousands of years.

6. Chapel of Sound

Architects: OPEN Architecture

The Chapel of Sound is a project located in a rural area, in the northern area of Beijing municipality, which has lost large number of population due to lack of natural resources. This project was established by Chinese authorities, it aims to create a new tourist spot that will create jobs for locals as well as bring back investors. The Chapel of Sound comprises a semi-outdoor amphitheater, an outdoor stage and viewing platforms that are surrounded by stunning panoramic view of valleys and Jinshanling Great Wall.

7. Pier55 

Architects: Heatherwick Studio

Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the Pier 55 is a landscape revitalization project that aims to create new green spaces and public spaces to the city. The Pier 55 consists of an outdoor exhibition area along with a marine sanctuary with an 800-seat amphitheater. Located 186 feet away from the shore of the Hudson River, the entire project will be constructed on 300 mushroom-shaped concrete columns that are raised above the water level, and can be reached by walking via a connecting bridge.

8. Sinfonia Varsovia

Architects: Atelier Thomas Pucher

It has been ten years since the concert hall, specially designed for the world renowned Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra by Atelier Thomas Pucher, won the international design competition in 2010. The project is slated to open in 2020 under the name of Sinfonia Varsovia European Music Center. As a part of a campaign to revive Warsaw’s historic character and to promote cultural exchanges, the Sinfonia Varsovia European Music Center is considered as a focal point of the historic revival of eastern Warsaw. And with the location in the city center, the music center, which is surrounded a public park, becomes another green space of the urban area.

9. Wasl Tower

Architects: UNStudio, Werner Sobek

Wasl Tower is located in the heart of the main road that connects to the Emirates, right across the Burj Khalifa. After completion, Wasl Tower will be the world’s tallest ceramic building, featuring a 300-metre-high ceramic-tile facade. The building is designed to accommodate multiple functions, including offices, restaurants, hotels and luxury apartments.

10. Nike’s LeBron James Building

Architects: Olson Kundig

Nike’s new building designed by Olson Kundig will be a new home to the advanced innovation team of Nike. The building was named ‘Nike’s LeBron James Building’ after Lebron James – NBA’s all-time leading playoff scorer and the highest-paid NBA player. The project comprises an advanced sports and sports science research lab, a new Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL), a full NBA-size basketball court, a 200-meter training track, a 100-meter training track and an artificial turf football field. All of the above-mentioned facilities are to be built to develop athletes to their full potential.