This year is set to welcome exciting new buildings. Even with the halt of construction around the world due to Covid 19, these new projects commissioned and designed way before the pandemic are keeping with the sustainable ethos of the world’s best architecture.
From venues to museums, CNN listed the most anticipated buildings opening or completing in 2021.
House of Hungarian Music, Budapest by Sou Fujimoto
Located near the picturesque Varosliget Lake, the building’s undulating roof will feature trees reaching through some of the larger perforations.
This museum, music venue and education center is one of the standout designs from the Light Budapest Project, a radical overhaul of the Hungarian capital’s largest public park.
The building is intended to celebrate the country’s rich musical traditions, but also serves to lure park visitors into the public facilities at ground level, where a largely translucent design helps erode the distinction between inside and out.
It will eventually be joined by a number of other new cultural destinations on the sprawling site, including the Museum of Ethnography and a 538,000 square foot New National Gallery.
Hotel Green Solution House (GSH), Ronne by 3XN and GXN
Designed by 3XN and GXN, the hotel, described as Denmark’s first climate-positive hotel, is designed to save more carbon than it emits over its lifespan.
The new building serves as a new wing to the existing Hotel GSH on the eastern island of Bornholm and is made almost entirely of wood — much of which has been up-cycled using offcuts from the construction and furniture-making industries. Debris from local granite quarries has also been used for decoration and insulation.
Taking in consideration the building’s future, the structure’s individual components are connected using reversible joints and thus can be put to new use after the hotel reached the end of its lifespan.
Taipei Performing Arts Center by OMA
This $190 million eye-catching building - and eight years after construction began - will serve by the middle of 2021 as a contemporary landmark for the Taiwanese Capital.
The scheme features three theaters that operate independently but “plug” into a central cube, where a flexible backstage area can be configured to serve them all.
Far Rockaway Library, New York by Snohetta
This public library in Queens, New York, will replace a small but popular library on the same site. With 20,000 square feet, this new building doubles the size of the space provided to the community.
According to Snohetta, the building’s golden hue reflects the color of the Long Island sky.
Aquarela, Quito by Jean Nouvel
Aquarelam is a 650-unit residential complex in the Cumbaya neighborhood of Ecuador’s capital, Quito. Phase 1 is set to complete in early 2021, though the second phase might not be done before 2022.
Floating Music Hub, Sao Vincente by NLÉ
NLE’ self-styled Makoko Floating System - which allows local builders to assemble prefabricated timber modules into floating A-frames - has already been used to construct schools in Nigeria and Belgium.
The system’s latest iteration is a performance and arts hub in Cape Verde. Sticking out into the Atlantic Ocean, three lightweight structures will house a live performance hall, recording studio and bar, demonstrating that easy-to-assemble floating architecture can offer an affordable alternative to traditional cultural venues.
Sunac Guangzhou Grand Theatre by Steven Chilton Architects
This 2,000-seat theatre in Guangzhou was inspired by the flowing texture of embroidered silk.
Comprising thousands of aluminum panels, the exterior shell appears to gently fold, revealing ground-level entrances and lending the building a soft, sculptural quality- despite its bulking size. Inside, a circular arena has been configured to host immersive 360-degree performances when the now-complete building opens in 2021.
OurDomain Student Housing, Amsterdam by OZ Architect
This 969,000 square foot residential complex in the Netherlands, is divided into three distinct buildings. OZ Architect hoped the introduction of student residences can eleven a commercial area that has, until now, been dominated by office buildings.
