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Globe and Mail
29-05-2025
- Globe and Mail
At the Venice Biennale, techno-utopianism takes centre stage
Inside a 400-year-old Venetian arsenal, a Bhutanese carver chisels a six-metre log while a robotic arm mimics his every move. Wood chips fly from freshly sculpted dragon wings. This duet of human and machine – courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group – captures the tone of this year's Venice Biennale of Architecture. Under the theme 'Intelligens,' head curator Carlo Ratti has assembled a show about architecture, AI and 'collective intelligence,' and how they might solve the climate crisis. It's a sprawling, sometimes chaotic fair of ideas, as ever. But, you might ask: How does a robot carving replica dragons help save the world? An air of techno-utopianism spills through the main show and throughout the 65 national exhibitions, including Canada's. The exhibitions fill the Corderie, a 300-metre-long rope factory within Venice's historic Arsenale, with nearly 300 projects and 750 contributors. (A handful of Canadian practices make appearances, including Atelier Pierre Thibault and Reza Nik of SHEEEP.) Models, robots and vague promises of sustainability crowd the centuries-old hall, illuminated by brief AI-generated blurbs. Ratti, who runs the MIT Senseable City Lab, believes deeply in technological progress. Canadians may remember his contribution to Sidewalk Labs in Toronto: LED paving tiles that could reroute traffic at the tap of an iPad. (What could go wrong?) In one powerful moment, an installation led by architectural historian Daniel A. Barber, literally cranks up the heat: A battery of droning air conditioners pumps waste heat into the gallery, confronting visitors with the hidden costs of thermal comfort. Think about the future and you will begin to sweat. Over in the leafy Giardini, the heart of the exhibition, the Biennale's national pavilions offer other kinds of clarity. Belgium, led by landscape architect Bas Smets, uses an indoor garden to regulate temperature and interface with its climate-control system. The Danish team catalogues and disassembles the pieces of their 1950s modernist building in a circular design strategy. Germany reflects on the cooling potential of landscape. Meanwhile, Canada's building, in a corner of the Giardini, presents Picoplanktonics from Living Room Collective. Here, a series of structures, including swooping 3-D printed constructions, all carry a bacterium that can absorb carbon dioxide from the air. 'As an industry, we need to insist on establishing new norms,' explained the collective's leader, Andrea Shin Ling, who is a researcher at ETH Zurich. 'I hope we can prioritize a system that's less resource-intensive and prioritize ecological resilience.' (The collective also includes artist and curator Clayton Lee, and architects and academics Nicholas Hoban and Vincent Hui.) So how does this system perform its ecological work? The showpieces are three sinuous structures of 3-D-printed sand infused with Synechococcus PCC 7002, a species of picoplankton. 'It draws down carbon dioxide from the air, makes it react with calcium, magnesium and other ions in the salt water, and creates minerals that bind the sand more tightly together,' Ms. Shin Ling said. Those structures were created through parametric design software, a standard design tool that defines 3-D geometries based on specific constraints. Here the blobs are 'optimized' to expose as much surface area as possible for maximum air contact. There's art here as well as science. The blobs fall in a tradition of parametric design that goes back to the 1980s work of architects such as Zaha Hadid. As with much in Ratti's show, this reeks of tech for tech's sake. Give the blobs this much: They are elegant. Floating in a shallow pool of brown water, the forms stand at ease in the eccentric Canadian pavilion. The Italian architects BBPR designed the structure in the sixties with a tipi-like form; its semicircular shape and irregularly slanted roof have bedevilled curators ever since. 'What we're finding most interesting is how the exhibition is adapting around the architecture of the pavilion itself,' artist and team member Clayton Lee said. 'Where the light is hitting is where the bacteria are happiest.' The material's utility is another question. This goop grows very slowly; Shin Ling estimates 0.3 millimetres per year. To serve as a meaningful climate mitigation strategy, it would need to expand to a massive scale – imagine something as dull and replicable as solar panels. 'I'm not pretending this will replace concrete,' Shin Ling said. 'But it is something you can put on a building to draw down carbon dioxide continuously. Because it's photosynthetic, you don't have to feed it sugar or use energy-intensive systems.' And yet the installation is being maintained by five full-time staff and 21 student fellows. During the opening event, a staffer in a blue lab coat was spraying the mesh with a nutrient solution, tending it as one would a delicate flower. Q+A: Can architecture save the world? It's worth a try Opinion: Toronto firm LGA is one of the bright lights in Canadian architecture To be fair, architecture exhibitions always include research that veers toward art and others that flirt with technical and scientific research. Canada's theatrical science experiment fits well enough. It's not necessarily a wise choice, though. At the pavilion opening, Canada Council head Michelle Chawla said that 'architecture and design play a crucial role in introducing Canada to the world.' Indeed. But the Canada Council for the Arts has essentially abandoned architecture and landscape architecture in recent years. At the same time, Canadian architecture and the related fields are stagnant. For a generation now the country has smothered young design talent and fattened up a herd of corporate design firms. Canada needs a policy to create better places and incubate talent. Instead, its Biennale pavilion is incubating bacteria.
The Age
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
‘Landscrapers' and record breakers: 10 stunning new buildings set to open
It's rare a building creates a new word; in this case, the word is 'landscraper'. For sheer size alone, Google's new UK HQ earns a mention; at 330 metres long, the wedge-shaped Google site is longer than The Shard is tall. Located beside Kings Cross and St Pancras stations in central London, Copenhagen disruptors Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Kings Cross locals Heatherwick Studio, looked to the railway stations and urban landscape for its design. On a human level, the zero-carbon behemoth's green roofs are planted with 250 trees and shrubs, with a running track and pool. Expo 2025, Osaka, Japan Osaka is currently a global hotbed of contemporary architecture with the opening of the latest world Expo on an artificial island on April 13. As more than150 country pavilions battle for the crowds' favour, the ring that binds them is Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring. Built to the concept of Unity in Diversity, the world's largest wooden architectural structure – as declared by Guinness World Records – measures up to 20 metres high, with an outer diameter of 675 metres. Tapping into the increasing use of timber in public architecture, the cypress and cedar structure employs traditional Japanese techniques often found in temples, such as nuki timber joinery, and is crowned by a two-kilometre Skywalk. See Statement bridges The late Dame Zaha Hadid's legacy continues when her vision of the Danjiang Bridge in Taipei is completed at the end of this year. The 920-metre, cable-stayed bridge crosses the Tamsui River, and is entirely suspended on one single, concrete 211-metre mast, making it the world's longest single-mast, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge. Meanwhile, in south-west China Huajiang Canyon Bridge will be the world's tallest suspension bridge in this mountainous province already renowned for its record-breaking bridges. Taking design cues from San Francisco's Golden Gate, expect a stargazing bar reached by a glass elevator, a bungy-jump platform and an 800-metre glass walkway 400 metres above ground when it opens in June. See Maloca, Costa Rica As politicians argue whether there is a climate crisis, architecture practices such as Bali-based Ibuku continue quietly to create sustainable design from renewable materials, specifically bamboo. The designers of Bali's Green School, their latest project is a medicine temple, yoga and meditation space called Maloca at retreat centre Tierramor in Nosara, Costa Rica. 'Bamboo is a symbol of resilience and ecological harmony,' says the practice, which used local building traditions and low-impact techniques to create 'an organic extension of the landscape in perfect symbiosis with the natural world and the human body'. The dome is positioned to allow the play of sunlight and shadow, channel wind for optimal air circulation and frame panoramic views, says architect Adriel Frederick. See Vernacular airports Finally, airports' role as the gateways to a country see generic, grey temples of transport traded for unique, country-specific design. Foster + Partners' Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh takes its cues from Cambodia's distinct architecture and native flora, with 'trees' upholding its undulating roof that mimics the jungle canopy. Back in Australia, the bush flora of the Cumberland Plane and the Blue Mountains played a role in the design of Western Sydney International Airport, by Zaha Hadid Architects and Australia's Cox Architecture. The terminal's roof was inspired by the local eucalyptus tree, says the Cox team. Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention & Event Centre, Victoria Geelong's waterfront has long been a gathering place for the Wadawurrung People, and their language now names the city's newest gathering space. 'The name Nyaal Banyul encourages people to open their eyes to the hills of Wadawurrung Country, for these hills hold our stories,' says Corrina Eccles of the Wadawurrung, who engaged with the operators of the site for a shared vision for the venue. The complex includes a 200-room Crowne Plaza, a 1000-seat theatre, public plaza and event spaces when it opens in May 2026. The project is led by Australian architect firm Woods Bagot, whose most recent work in the travel sphere includes Melbourne's StandardX hotel and the interiors of The Ghan's new carriages. 'The centre will build on Geelong's legacy as a UNESCO City of Design,' says project design lead Bruno Mendes. See Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Los Angeles, US Less Death Star, more sinuous cloud, this five-storey, billion-dollar museum is founded by filmmaker George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson. Ma Yansong of Beijing-based MAD Architects threw out the right angles when designing the organically-shaped, earthquake-ready museum. Clad in a shell of 1500 polymer tiles, it hovers over newly created parklands that were, before this project, parking lots. Set to open in 2026, it will also hold the Lucasfilm archive, which includes the inspiration for the Star Wars universe. See Aramco Stadium, al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia Loading As 2034 hosts of FIFA World Cup, the most-watched sporting event on the planet, Saudi Arabia need to bring their A-game to their stadiums. It plans a slew of new stadiums, including Aramco Stadium by sports venue specialists Populous. With significant input from the firm's Australian design team, the facade's spiralling, overlapping translucent sails were inspired by whirlpools that occur in the nearby Arabian Gulf, and direct natural light throughout the 47,000-seat venue. Populous, the firm behind the Sphere in Las Vegas is also working on a 92,000-seat stadium in Riyadh, a new home for top Italian team AS Roma and a new stand at Wales' STōK Cae Ras stadium, home of Wrexham FC, owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Aramco Stadium opens in 2026, in time to host matches in the 2027 Asian Cup.
Sydney Morning Herald
25-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Landscrapers' and record breakers: 10 stunning new buildings set to open
It's rare a building creates a new word; in this case, the word is 'landscraper'. For sheer size alone, Google's new UK HQ earns a mention; at 330 metres long, the wedge-shaped Google site is longer than The Shard is tall. Located beside Kings Cross and St Pancras stations in central London, Copenhagen disruptors Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Kings Cross locals Heatherwick Studio, looked to the railway stations and urban landscape for its design. On a human level, the zero-carbon behemoth's green roofs are planted with 250 trees and shrubs, with a running track and pool. Expo 2025, Osaka, Japan Osaka is currently a global hotbed of contemporary architecture with the opening of the latest world Expo on an artificial island on April 13. As more than150 country pavilions battle for the crowds' favour, the ring that binds them is Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring. Built to the concept of Unity in Diversity, the world's largest wooden architectural structure – as declared by Guinness World Records – measures up to 20 metres high, with an outer diameter of 675 metres. Tapping into the increasing use of timber in public architecture, the cypress and cedar structure employs traditional Japanese techniques often found in temples, such as nuki timber joinery, and is crowned by a two-kilometre Skywalk. See Statement bridges The late Dame Zaha Hadid's legacy continues when her vision of the Danjiang Bridge in Taipei is completed at the end of this year. The 920-metre, cable-stayed bridge crosses the Tamsui River, and is entirely suspended on one single, concrete 211-metre mast, making it the world's longest single-mast, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge. Meanwhile, in south-west China Huajiang Canyon Bridge will be the world's tallest suspension bridge in this mountainous province already renowned for its record-breaking bridges. Taking design cues from San Francisco's Golden Gate, expect a stargazing bar reached by a glass elevator, a bungy-jump platform and an 800-metre glass walkway 400 metres above ground when it opens in June. See Maloca, Costa Rica As politicians argue whether there is a climate crisis, architecture practices such as Bali-based Ibuku continue quietly to create sustainable design from renewable materials, specifically bamboo. The designers of Bali's Green School, their latest project is a medicine temple, yoga and meditation space called Maloca at retreat centre Tierramor in Nosara, Costa Rica. 'Bamboo is a symbol of resilience and ecological harmony,' says the practice, which used local building traditions and low-impact techniques to create 'an organic extension of the landscape in perfect symbiosis with the natural world and the human body'. The dome is positioned to allow the play of sunlight and shadow, channel wind for optimal air circulation and frame panoramic views, says architect Adriel Frederick. See Vernacular airports Finally, airports' role as the gateways to a country see generic, grey temples of transport traded for unique, country-specific design. Foster + Partners' Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh takes its cues from Cambodia's distinct architecture and native flora, with 'trees' upholding its undulating roof that mimics the jungle canopy. Back in Australia, the bush flora of the Cumberland Plane and the Blue Mountains played a role in the design of Western Sydney International Airport, by Zaha Hadid Architects and Australia's Cox Architecture. The terminal's roof was inspired by the local eucalyptus tree, says the Cox team. Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention & Event Centre, Victoria Geelong's waterfront has long been a gathering place for the Wadawurrung People, and their language now names the city's newest gathering space. 'The name Nyaal Banyul encourages people to open their eyes to the hills of Wadawurrung Country, for these hills hold our stories,' says Corrina Eccles of the Wadawurrung, who engaged with the operators of the site for a shared vision for the venue. The complex includes a 200-room Crowne Plaza, a 1000-seat theatre, public plaza and event spaces when it opens in May 2026. The project is led by Australian architect firm Woods Bagot, whose most recent work in the travel sphere includes Melbourne's StandardX hotel and the interiors of The Ghan's new carriages. 'The centre will build on Geelong's legacy as a UNESCO City of Design,' says project design lead Bruno Mendes. See Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Los Angeles, US Less Death Star, more sinuous cloud, this five-storey, billion-dollar museum is founded by filmmaker George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson. Ma Yansong of Beijing-based MAD Architects threw out the right angles when designing the organically-shaped, earthquake-ready museum. Clad in a shell of 1500 polymer tiles, it hovers over newly created parklands that were, before this project, parking lots. Set to open in 2026, it will also hold the Lucasfilm archive, which includes the inspiration for the Star Wars universe. See Aramco Stadium, al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia Loading As 2034 hosts of FIFA World Cup, the most-watched sporting event on the planet, Saudi Arabia need to bring their A-game to their stadiums. It plans a slew of new stadiums, including Aramco Stadium by sports venue specialists Populous. With significant input from the firm's Australian design team, the facade's spiralling, overlapping translucent sails were inspired by whirlpools that occur in the nearby Arabian Gulf, and direct natural light throughout the 47,000-seat venue. Populous, the firm behind the Sphere in Las Vegas is also working on a 92,000-seat stadium in Riyadh, a new home for top Italian team AS Roma and a new stand at Wales' STōK Cae Ras stadium, home of Wrexham FC, owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Aramco Stadium opens in 2026, in time to host matches in the 2027 Asian Cup.
Sydney Morning Herald
24-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Ten of the best new modern design marvels to have on your radar
It's rare a building creates a new word; in this case, the word is 'landscraper'. For sheer size alone, Google's new UK HQ earns a mention; at 330 metres long, the wedge-shaped Google site is longer than The Shard is tall. Located beside Kings Cross and St Pancras stations in central London, Copenhagen disruptors Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Kings Cross locals Heatherwick Studio, looked to the railway stations and urban landscape for its design. On a human level, the zero-carbon behemoth's green roofs are planted with 250 trees and shrubs, with a running track and pool. Expo 2025, Osaka, Japan Osaka is currently a global hotbed of contemporary architecture with the opening of the latest world Expo on an artificial island on April 13. As more than150 country pavilions battle for the crowds' favour, the ring that binds them is Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring. Built to the concept of Unity in Diversity, the world's largest wooden architectural structure – as declared by Guinness World Records – measures up to 20 metres high, with an outer diameter of 675 metres. Tapping into the increasing use of timber in public architecture, the cypress and cedar structure employs traditional Japanese techniques often found in temples, such as nuki timber joinery, and is crowned by a two-kilometre Skywalk. See Statement bridges The late Dame Zaha Hadid's legacy continues when her vision of the Danjiang Bridge in Taipei is completed at the end of this year. The 920-metre, cable-stayed bridge crosses the Tamsui River, and is entirely suspended on one single, concrete 211-metre mast, making it the world's longest single-mast, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge. Meanwhile, in south-west China Huajiang Canyon Bridge will be the world's tallest suspension bridge in this mountainous province already renowned for its record-breaking bridges. Taking design cues from San Francisco's Golden Gate, expect a stargazing bar reached by a glass elevator, a bungy-jump platform and an 800-metre glass walkway 400 metres above ground when it opens in June. See Maloca, Costa Rica As politicians argue whether there is a climate crisis, architecture practices such as Bali-based Ibuku continue quietly to create sustainable design from renewable materials, specifically bamboo. The designers of Bali's Green School, their latest project is a medicine temple, yoga and meditation space called Maloca at retreat centre Tierramor in Nosara, Costa Rica. 'Bamboo is a symbol of resilience and ecological harmony,' says the practice, which used local building traditions and low-impact techniques to create 'an organic extension of the landscape in perfect symbiosis with the natural world and the human body'. The dome is positioned to allow the play of sunlight and shadow, channel wind for optimal air circulation and frame panoramic views, says architect Adriel Frederick. See Vernacular airports Finally, airports' role as the gateways to a country see generic, grey temples of transport traded for unique, country-specific design. Foster + Partners' Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh takes its cues from Cambodia's distinct architecture and native flora, with 'trees' upholding its undulating roof that mimics the jungle canopy. Back in Australia, the bush flora of the Cumberland Plane and the Blue Mountains played a role in the design of Western Sydney International Airport, by Zaha Hadid Architects and Australia's Cox Architecture. The terminal's roof was inspired by the local eucalyptus tree, says the Cox team. Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention & Event Centre, Victoria Geelong's waterfront has long been a gathering place for the Wadawurrung People, and their language now names the city's newest gathering space. 'The name Nyaal Banyul encourages people to open their eyes to the hills of Wadawurrung Country, for these hills hold our stories,' says Corrina Eccles of the Wadawurrung, who engaged with the operators of the site for a shared vision for the venue. The complex includes a 200-room Crowne Plaza, a 1000-seat theatre, public plaza and event spaces when it opens in May 2026. The project is led by Australian architect firm Woods Bagot, whose most recent work in the travel sphere includes Melbourne's StandardX hotel and the interiors of The Ghan's new carriages. 'The centre will build on Geelong's legacy as a UNESCO City of Design,' says project design lead Bruno Mendes. See Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Los Angeles, US Less Death Star, more sinuous cloud, this five-storey, billion-dollar museum is founded by filmmaker George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson. Ma Yansong of Beijing-based MAD Architects threw out the right angles when designing the organically-shaped, earthquake-ready museum. Clad in a shell of 1500 polymer tiles, it hovers over newly created parklands that were, before this project, parking lots. Set to open in 2026, it will also hold the Lucasfilm archive, which includes the inspiration for the Star Wars universe. See Aramco Stadium, al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia Loading As 2034 hosts of FIFA World Cup, the most-watched sporting event on the planet, Saudi Arabia need to bring their A-game to their stadiums. It plans a slew of new stadiums, including Aramco Stadium by sports venue specialists Populous. With significant input from the firm's Australian design team, the facade's spiralling, overlapping translucent sails were inspired by whirlpools that occur in the nearby Arabian Gulf, and direct natural light throughout the 47,000-seat venue. Populous, the firm behind the Sphere in Las Vegas is also working on a 92,000-seat stadium in Riyadh, a new home for top Italian team AS Roma and a new stand at Wales' STōK Cae Ras stadium, home of Wrexham FC, owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Aramco Stadium opens in 2026, in time to host matches in the 2027 Asian Cup.
The Age
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Ten of the best new modern design marvels to have on your radar
It's rare a building creates a new word; in this case, the word is 'landscraper'. For sheer size alone, Google's new UK HQ earns a mention; at 330 metres long, the wedge-shaped Google site is longer than The Shard is tall. Located beside Kings Cross and St Pancras stations in central London, Copenhagen disruptors Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Kings Cross locals Heatherwick Studio, looked to the railway stations and urban landscape for its design. On a human level, the zero-carbon behemoth's green roofs are planted with 250 trees and shrubs, with a running track and pool. Expo 2025, Osaka, Japan Osaka is currently a global hotbed of contemporary architecture with the opening of the latest world Expo on an artificial island on April 13. As more than150 country pavilions battle for the crowds' favour, the ring that binds them is Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring. Built to the concept of Unity in Diversity, the world's largest wooden architectural structure – as declared by Guinness World Records – measures up to 20 metres high, with an outer diameter of 675 metres. Tapping into the increasing use of timber in public architecture, the cypress and cedar structure employs traditional Japanese techniques often found in temples, such as nuki timber joinery, and is crowned by a two-kilometre Skywalk. See Statement bridges The late Dame Zaha Hadid's legacy continues when her vision of the Danjiang Bridge in Taipei is completed at the end of this year. The 920-metre, cable-stayed bridge crosses the Tamsui River, and is entirely suspended on one single, concrete 211-metre mast, making it the world's longest single-mast, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge. Meanwhile, in south-west China Huajiang Canyon Bridge will be the world's tallest suspension bridge in this mountainous province already renowned for its record-breaking bridges. Taking design cues from San Francisco's Golden Gate, expect a stargazing bar reached by a glass elevator, a bungy-jump platform and an 800-metre glass walkway 400 metres above ground when it opens in June. See Maloca, Costa Rica As politicians argue whether there is a climate crisis, architecture practices such as Bali-based Ibuku continue quietly to create sustainable design from renewable materials, specifically bamboo. The designers of Bali's Green School, their latest project is a medicine temple, yoga and meditation space called Maloca at retreat centre Tierramor in Nosara, Costa Rica. 'Bamboo is a symbol of resilience and ecological harmony,' says the practice, which used local building traditions and low-impact techniques to create 'an organic extension of the landscape in perfect symbiosis with the natural world and the human body'. The dome is positioned to allow the play of sunlight and shadow, channel wind for optimal air circulation and frame panoramic views, says architect Adriel Frederick. See Vernacular airports Finally, airports' role as the gateways to a country see generic, grey temples of transport traded for unique, country-specific design. Foster + Partners' Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh takes its cues from Cambodia's distinct architecture and native flora, with 'trees' upholding its undulating roof that mimics the jungle canopy. Back in Australia, the bush flora of the Cumberland Plane and the Blue Mountains played a role in the design of Western Sydney International Airport, by Zaha Hadid Architects and Australia's Cox Architecture. The terminal's roof was inspired by the local eucalyptus tree, says the Cox team. Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention & Event Centre, Victoria Geelong's waterfront has long been a gathering place for the Wadawurrung People, and their language now names the city's newest gathering space. 'The name Nyaal Banyul encourages people to open their eyes to the hills of Wadawurrung Country, for these hills hold our stories,' says Corrina Eccles of the Wadawurrung, who engaged with the operators of the site for a shared vision for the venue. The complex includes a 200-room Crowne Plaza, a 1000-seat theatre, public plaza and event spaces when it opens in May 2026. The project is led by Australian architect firm Woods Bagot, whose most recent work in the travel sphere includes Melbourne's StandardX hotel and the interiors of The Ghan's new carriages. 'The centre will build on Geelong's legacy as a UNESCO City of Design,' says project design lead Bruno Mendes. See Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Los Angeles, US Less Death Star, more sinuous cloud, this five-storey, billion-dollar museum is founded by filmmaker George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson. Ma Yansong of Beijing-based MAD Architects threw out the right angles when designing the organically-shaped, earthquake-ready museum. Clad in a shell of 1500 polymer tiles, it hovers over newly created parklands that were, before this project, parking lots. Set to open in 2026, it will also hold the Lucasfilm archive, which includes the inspiration for the Star Wars universe. See Aramco Stadium, al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia Loading As 2034 hosts of FIFA World Cup, the most-watched sporting event on the planet, Saudi Arabia need to bring their A-game to their stadiums. It plans a slew of new stadiums, including Aramco Stadium by sports venue specialists Populous. With significant input from the firm's Australian design team, the facade's spiralling, overlapping translucent sails were inspired by whirlpools that occur in the nearby Arabian Gulf, and direct natural light throughout the 47,000-seat venue. Populous, the firm behind the Sphere in Las Vegas is also working on a 92,000-seat stadium in Riyadh, a new home for top Italian team AS Roma and a new stand at Wales' STōK Cae Ras stadium, home of Wrexham FC, owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Aramco Stadium opens in 2026, in time to host matches in the 2027 Asian Cup.
