The redesigned Young Vic Theatre by London architects Haworth Tompkins is more than just the extension and renovation of a local theater in Lambeth, South London. It is a radical, minimally designed new facility that celebrates the history of the place and highlights the ambitions of the local arts community. Published 2008.0709
One of the largest construction projects in Europe — and one of the most political and controversial building projects in the UK — the new Terminal 5 at London's Heathrow Airport opened in March 2008, nearly 20 years after the Richard Rogers Partnership (now Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) won the commission. Published 2008.0604
It seems both fitting and fashionable to design a high-end lingerie store with minimalism in mind. Just as less is more in the world of underwear, luxury retail design has long subscribed to a similar philosophy.
For Lorenzo Apicella and John Rushworth at Pentagram, the fabled London-based multidisciplinary design firm, this was the natural starting point for the creation of Essenziale, a signature, unisex lingerie and beachwear boutique in London's gentrified Mayfair district. Published 2007.1017
Visitors ascend from street level by elevator and enter the new Red Bull headquarters via a rooftop reception lobby. This dramatic entry sequence, from a small ground-floor lobby to a grand, rooftop terrace overlooking London's West End, is heightened by views from the terrace down into and through the building. Published 2007.0228
The new home of the Bridge Academy, a secondary school in a low-income area of Hackney, London, will be a complex seven-story, terraced building, fitted into a relatively small site. With a focus on mathematics and music, the school is one of many specialist academies being built by the British government. It is sponsored by UBS, a global financial services firm. Published 2007.0124
Continuing a tradition of innovative structures at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in West London is the new Davies Alpine House by Wilkinson Eyre Architects. It is the first glasshouse to be constructed at the World Heritage Site for over 20 years and is a showcase of design and engineering, specially conditioned to support an alpine ecology. Published 2006.1025
Having provided the United Kingdom's educational system with new school building design concepts throughout the 1950s and 60s, Southwest London has once again become a proving ground for a new type of educational construction. Published 2006.0906
On a former industrial site in East London, overlooking the Limehouse Cut canal, renowned housing designers Jestico + Whiles have completed work on Abbotts Wharf, a landmark housing development. It is situated in the ethnically diverse regeneration area known as Limehouse, an up-and-coming neighborhood with commuter links and views to the center of London. Published 2006.0517
During construction, London's newest highrise conjured up many emotions from visitors and locals alike: here was a building that would bring a major change to the skyline. It became affectionately known as the "Gherkin," but was it worth it? Was it a white elephant? Published 2005.0504