Renovation

Originally opening back in 1927, the Tower Theatre was Los Angeles' first movie theater to show "talkies" and even served as a filming location itself. Now, it's been given a new lease of life as an absolutely stunning Apple Store.

Foster + Partners' latest project sees the high-profile British firm reprise its winning partnership with Apple to design a new store in Rome. It modernizes a 19th century building while taking great care to restore original artwork found inside.

Rotterdam's MVRDV has revealed plans to tempt visitors back to an aging shopping center and music venue in the Netherlands with an ambitious renovation project centered around a large greenery filled "glass mountain."

Hired to breathe new life into a drab 1970s hotel, Sou Fujimoto Architects decided on an out-of-the-box approach that involved renovating the aging space, while also adding an eye-catching new building that takes the form of a grass-covered hill.

Moshe Safdie's latest project sees his firm return to a museum it completed a decade ago. The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art expansion will involve increasing available floorspace for the facility by bridging a body of water.

Coop Himmelb(l)au is no stranger to unusual buildings and its latest project is sure to be another head turner. It consists of an ambitious redesign of an existing sports arena with a striking exterior that's meant to evoke a person skating.

Back in 2012, cousins Sven and Lennart de Jong bought a disused water tower for €200,000. They then hired RV Architectuur and after spending roughly the same amount of money on renovations they now live in it with their families.

MVRDV has been commissioned to transform a tired old factory in China into a mixed-use office building. Once complete, the If Factory will allow members of the public both a look inside and access to a new greenery-filled garden area on its roof.

Commissioned to turn an old dilapidated building into a residence, ORA considered a typical restoration. However, the firm says it was "a ruin to the bone," and decided to tear down the interior and insert a new modern home within instead.

One effect of China's construction boom is the emptying of its villages as people rush to the cities to find new opportunities. A recently-completed project aims to address this by giving an old abandoned village a new lease of life as an art center.

Austin Maynard Architects has performed "architectural keyhole surgery" to turn the cramped and dark center of a terraced house into the light-filled heart of the home. Home efficiency was also improved with additions that include a Tesla Powerwall.

Work was recently completed on a US$165 million renovation of New York City's Empire State Building. The iconic skyscraper now offers a revamped Observatory Experience, including a glass-walled observation point on its uppermost floor.