New Atlas

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MAD nears completion on lush "village" in inner-city China

Adam Williams December 17, 2018

MAD Architects has developed a unique style in recent years, with many of its projects reflecting a desire to mix architecture with nature. The Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center is in the same vein and aims to bring something of the spirit of a mountainous village to inner-city China.

The Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in ...

Architecture Audio available

MAD spins up a spiraling observation tower for famous Rotterdam warehouse

Nick Lavars November 25, 2018

Much like its all-white conference center planned for the Chinese mountains, a new observation tower designed by MAD Architects for a Rotterdam is overtly futuristic, and will seek to bring new life to one of the city’s more historically significant structures.

A new observation deck at Rotterdam's Fenix warehouse will offer panoramic views of the surroundings and ...

Architecture

MAD tops traditional Chinese courtyard with rooftop kindergarten

Adam Williams November 19, 2018

MAD Architects blends old and new with its aptly-named Courtyard Kindergarten. The project transforms an 18th Century Chinese courtyard into a kindergarten topped by a play area on the roof.

The Courtyard Kindergarten is currently under construction. MAD expects it to be completed and in use ...

Architecture

MAD blends nature and architecture with hill-shaped sports campus

Adam Williams October 2, 2018

The Quzhou Sports Campus is the latest example of MAD's long-running interest in blending nature and architecture. Currently under construction and due to open in 2021, it will feature a stadium, gymnasium and other sporting attractions – some of which will take the form of undulating hills.

The Quzhou Sports Campus is a massive project and will measure 173 acres (70 hectares)

Architecture

Lookout tunnel becomes a tube of underground art installations in Japan

Nick Lavars August 7, 2018

The folks at MAD Architects sure are a busy bunch with a number of projects to grab our attention this year. Its latest efforts in Japan are no less eye-catching, transforming an abandoned tunnel into a stunning underground art gallery for the 2018 Echigo-Tsumari Triennale art festival.

The Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel was renovated by MAD Architects as part of the 2018 Echigo-Tsumari Triennale

Architecture

MAD's all-white conference center melts into the snowy mountains of China

Nick Lavars July 26, 2018

Construction is underway on the latest boundary-pushing structure from China's MAD Architects, with builders now at work piecing together a new conference center set into the snowy mountains of China.

Rendering of the Yabuli Conference Centre by Mad Architects

Architecture

Californians get a taste of the high life with MAD hilltop village

Adam Williams July 6, 2018

MAD Architects' first US project is nearing completion. Located in Beverly Hills, California, Gardenhouse is a luxury residential development that aims to offer its residents the tranquility of living in a small hilltop village, while retaining the conveniences of city life.

Gardenhouse is due to be completed later this year

Architecture

Lights, Camera, Action: George Lucas' museum breaks ground in LA

Adam Williams March 16, 2018

You could be forgiven for doubting that George Lucas' US$1.5 billion museum would ever happen, but it's official: the much-anticipated project has finally got underway. A groundbreaking ceremony took place recently and it is expected to be completed in the second half of 2021.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has undergone three redesigns since it was unveiled back in ...

Architecture

Undersea restaurants, tree towers and hanging skyscrapers: The top architecture concepts of 2017

Rich Haridy December 21, 2017

Conceptual architecture can be a lot of things. It can be a realistic skyscraper, or it can be an extreme unreal imagining seemingly straight out of a science fiction movie. We’ve seen a lot of strange, and extreme, architecture concepts in 2017 and this gallery celebrates those exciting dreamers.

Architecture

MAD moves mountains for nature-inspired Beijing development

Adam Williams December 6, 2017

MAD Architects has completed a large mixed-use development adjacent to a park in Beijing's central business district. The Chaoyang Park Plaza draws inspiration from Chinese paintings of nature and includes a pair of distinctive towers that are meant to resemble jutting mountain peaks.

Beijing's Chaoyang Park Plaza project has been granted LEED Gold certification (a green building standard) and ...