MAY
The Persian Peacock Throne, was a silver, gold, and jewel encrusted throne that was stolen from India in the 18th century, and sent to Iran where it became a symbol of monarchy… only for it to be plundered again by the Kurds and melted down for cash!
Yet, whilst the Peacock Chair may be less glamorous than the Peacock Throne, and unlikely to be plundered for booty, it can still amplify ones sense of self importance with just three pieces of wool felt and a base metal frame!
MAY
The new home for the Montreal Planetarium uses a combination of robust architectural form, and state of the art projection systems, to create a wonderfully animated experience that will enchant architecture and star gazers alike.
Cardin Ramirez Julien + Aedifica have designed the external form as a loosely extrapolated pair of binoculars, but inside, rather more is going on.
MAY
Saudi Arabia’s capital,Riyadh, will get a new metro station serving its financial district designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, it has been announced. The interchange will serve three lines and will provide access to the monorail via a skybridge. There will be six platforms arranged over 4 floors with two levels of underground car parking.
An interesting aspect about the scheme is that it seeks to extend the simple station typology to create an important and dynamic public space for the city. Read more
MAY
It is not often we get to see the interesting work being created in Iran because of political reasons. So it is with some satisfaction that we get a glimpse of this apartment building in Mahallat, designed by Tehranian practice, AbCT – Architecture by Collective.
It uses a beautiful local stone for the exterior, as well as some interior walls, which imparts a rich and beautiful quality to the building. More importantly perhaps, the building has had a disproportionate impact on the environment and the local economy.
MAY
Located at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers, is Mapungubwe Hill, a World Heritage site. Etched on stones uncovered from there, are ancient motifs that have provided the inspiration for the plan of this extraordinary building. It tells the story of the site in a series of gloriously, vaulted, exhibition and learning spaces. Read more
