Foster + Partners unveils its first city masterplan in Vietnam

British architecture practice Foster + Partners has revealed its masterplan design for a new 117.4-hectare city in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, that will include residential neighbourhoods, education, medical and leisure facilities.

Titled The Global City, the masterplan was designed by Foster + Partners to include "innovative and sustainable" design solutions and aims to combine an urban context with a focus on biodiversity. It is its first township in the country, the practice said.

Foster + Partners was selected by developers Masterise Homes to design the masterplan for the city, which will feature high- and low-rise apartments, villas, social housing and education facilities, as well as a large shopping mall, medical and administration facilities.

Design aims to "create a holistic, sustainable masterplan for the future"

The masterplan shows the 117.4-hectare city bordered by two waterways that run from the northern to the southern areas of the development.

The Global City will comprise five different neighbourhoods, with green areas, including parks and gardens, located throughout the city to improve its biodiversity.

The Global City will be developed by Masterise Homes and designed by Foster + Partners

"The Global City Masterplan is a fantastic new residential-led development, in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City," said Foster + Partners head of studio Gerard Evenden.

"The design seeks to strike a balance between biodiversity and human wellbeing within an urban context, seamlessly integrating the buildings with a range of flexible, landscaped public spaces and community facilities to create a holistic, sustainable masterplan for the future."

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According to Foster + Partners, each neighbourhood will have distinct characteristics that were developed to cater to the needs of the residing communities.

Residential buildings will be informed by the existing vernacular of Ho Chi Minh City, with brick and timber the main materials used in order to ensure that the new development complements the local streetscape.

Greenspaces will promote physical wellbeing

Its high-rise residential buildings will be located on a central boulevard which doubles as a large public park for the city, providing residents and visitors with riverside views.

Pedestrian footbridges will connect the residential boulevard with adjoining neighbourhoods, providing the city with easy walking routes to "promote physical wellbeing".

"The ambition and scale of the project is striking, and we are delighted to be working with Masterise Homes on this unique residential project, which brings together their progressive vision and our extensive experience in large-scale masterplans to create a distinct global city," said Foster + Partners senior partner Toby Blunt.

"This will be our first township in Vietnam, and we are excited to extend our footprint in the country."

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Foster + Partners is an international architecture practice that was founded by Norman Foster in London in 1967. It has recently unveiled designs for a multi-generational residential neighbourhood on the edge of Bangkok, Thailand.

Other masterplan projects that are being developed by the firm include the new state capital of Andhra Pradesh in India, which will centre a government building with a needle-shaped roof.

Visualisation is by Foster + Partners.

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"We deplore the Russian invasion of Ukraine" says Norman Foster

UK studio Foster + Partners and Swiss studio Herzog & de Meuron are the latest major practices to withdraw from projects in Russia, following the country's invasion of Ukraine.

"We deplore the Russian invasion of Ukraine and as a result, we have stopped work on all our projects in Russia," said Foster + Partners' founder Norman Foster.

The studio, which is the largest in the UK, was engaged in two projects in the country. Its withdrawal follows fellow UK studios David Chipperfield Architects and Zaha Hadid Architects' suspension of work in Russia last week.

Invasion "against every value we hold"

Swiss studio Herzog & de Meuron also announced that it would stop working in Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February.

"The invasion of Ukraine and the violent actions of Putin and the Russian government are against every value we hold as an international, collaborative practice," said the studio.

"Therefore, Herzog & de Meuron has decided to suspend our work on Russian projects."

Herzog & de Meuron has halted its Badaevskiy Brewery project in Moscow

Herzog & de Meuron is working on a number of projects in Russia including two apartment blocks on stilts, designed as part of the redevelopment of an abandoned brewery in Moscow.

The Swiss studio has joined a growing number of architects, designers and cultural institutions in expressing solidarity with Ukraine.

"We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine as well as the citizens of Russia who reject this violent takeover," said the studio.

"As a company and community of over 40 different nationalities, our concern lies with both our Ukrainian and Russian colleagues whom we support through this unprecedented crisis," it continued. "We remain hopeful that peace can be restored to this region as soon as possible."

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In response to the invasion, the National Union of Architects of Ukraine called upon the International Union of Architects to expel the Union of Architects of Russia from the organisation.

Last week, over 6,500 Russian architects signed an open letter saying the country's invasion was "unacceptable".

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Foster + Partners surrounds Abu Dhabi Apple Store with stepped waterfall

Foster + Partners has unveiled the Al Maryah Island Apple Store in Abu Dhabi, which is surrounded on all four sides by a stepped waterfall.

Built alongside the Galleria Al Maryah Island Mall, the store sits on a raised podium on the waterfront overlooking the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The Al Maryah Island Apple Store is surrounded by a stepped waterfall

"The design of Apple Al Maryah Island is all about the view of the extraordinary skyline of Abu Dhabi and creating an experiential route for visitors, as they walk through surrounded by the calming water and mirrors," said Stefan Behling, head of studio at Foster + Partners.

"It seeks to draw the vitality of the waterfront promenade through the site and into the store, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside, and generating an exhilarating and inspirational Apple store."

It was built in a plaza under the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange building

Foster + Partners enclosed the store, which is entirely sheltered by the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange building, with glazed walls on all sides.

It stands on a stepped pyramid formed of black granite stone that has water flowing down it.

A pair of bridges cross the water feature

"Elevated above the promenade, it marks a distinctive new presence as a glistening pearl atop a cascading black water feature," said Foster+ Partners.

The store also creates a direct connection between the mall and the water’s edge, activating the promenade and the public plaza.

The Apple Store has views across Abu Dhabi

The store is accessed from two bridges that extend across the stepped water feature from the waterfront promenade.

It is directly connected to the mall by a covered walkway made from milled glass that is entered through a stainless-steel doorway.

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The 22-metre-long corridor was topped with a stretched mirror foil ceiling to create "a kaleidoscopic effect" within the space.

Inside, the single-storey store has a 5.75-metre-high ceiling that is covered with stretched gold fabric.

It is connected to the Galleria Al Maryah Island Mall by a glass tunnel

The space has stone a floor made from the same black granite as the surrounding water feature. The display tables are arranged around Ficus trees.

In the United Arab Emirates, Foster + Partners previously created a store for Apple surrounded by carbon-fibre in Dubai. Other recent Apple Stores designed by Foster + Partners include a spherical glass store in Singapore and a shop in the historic Tower Theatre in Los Angeles.

The photography is by Nigel Young.

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This week latest World Trade Center skyscraper designs were revealed

This week on Dezeen, leaked images showing the latest design by Foster + Partners for the Two World Trade Center skyscraper in New York City were uncovered.

The renderings show an updated version of the long-awaited skyscraper that now contains stepped sections and tree-covered balconies.

It is the latest design revealed for the building, which has had multiple plans drawn up by Foster + Partners and Danish studio BIG. When complete it will be one of the final components of the World Trade Center complex.

Christophe Dubi spoke to Dezeen in an exclusive interview

As the Olympics continues in Beijing, we spoke to the games' executive director Christophe Dubi who set out his visions for future games, which will be hosted in a combination of existing venues and temporary structures.

"We don't have a requirement to build anymore, so virtually any city can host the games," he said.

The Mies van der Rohe Award finalists were revealed this week

In architecture news, the shortlist for the 2022 Mies van der Rohe Award was revealed.

The Stirling Prize-winning Town House by Grafton Architects and a Spanish social housing project (pictured) are among the five finalists.

Modernism week took place in Palm Springs

In the US, Modernism Week took place in Palm Springs.

To mark this year's event we rounded up 11 standout modernist buildings in the Californian desert city including the Coachella Valley Savings & Loan bank by E Stewart Williams (pictured).

BIG revealed its design for a multi-storey film studio

Also in the US, Danish studio BIG revealed its updated design for a 44-metre-high film studio in New York City.

Claimed to be the "first vertical film studio in the world", the building is designed for local developer Wildflower Ltd, which is collaborating with American actor Robert De Niro on the project.

MACH completed a high-tech house in Barcelona

Popular projects on Dezeen this week included a yellow high-tech house in Barcelona (pictured), a plywood-lined loft extension in London and a timber-framed "orangery".

Our lookbooks this week focused on white kitchens and offices with wooden bleachers.

This week on Dezeen is our regular roundup of the week's top news stories. Subscribe to our newsletters to be sure you don't miss anything.

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Leaked images reveal updated Foster + Partners design for Two World Trade Center

Images have emerged of Foster + Partners' revamped design for Two World Trade Center in New York City, which reveal a building with stepped sections and tree-covered terraces and balconies.

The leaked renderings showcase the latest version of the tower, which will be one of the final components of the World Trade Center complex in New York's Financial District.

They show significant alterations to the studio's previous designs for Two World Trade Center, with its glass exterior now broken up by green terraces and balconies.

However, these renderings are "premature," according to Dara McQuillan, chief marketing officer at Two World Trade Center developer Silverstein Properties.

"We haven't finished designing the building," he told Dezeen.

Foster + Partners' Two World Trade Center has green terraced sections

Foster + Partners' original design for the tower was first revealed in 2006 and then featured a slanted diamond-shaped top.

This was abandoned in 2015 and replaced by a design by Danish architecture studio BIG before developer Silverstein Properties handed the project back to Foster + Partners to be reworked.

New images show stepped tower

The new images, as seen in The Architect's Newspaper, show how the tower will be divided into a series of different vertical elements that step down from the tallest, which is projected to stand 1,350 feet tall.

The vertical sections are divided by metal fins that run the height of the building, sticking out from the exterior.

The tallest faces of the tower have cut-outs that form terraces, while shorter vertical elements cascade in setbacks on the east side to create open-air balconies.

The building has a glass facade

These connect spaces inside the building, including a covered concert hall, with the exterior. Green roofs cover the top three elevations.

The structure will be developed by Silverstein Projects using a pre-existing foundation. Currently, the site of Two World Trade Center serves as an additional entrance to the PATH subway station.

Developer wanted tower modified to be "more reflective of contemporary needs"

The 2006 project was originally dropped because of the changing needs of the prospective tenants, which included Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corporations.

The BIG design, also featuring a stepped exterior, was thought to be more suitable at the time for production studios. However, after those deals fell through, the responsibility for the design shifted back to Foster + Partners in 2020.

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At the time, Silverstein Properties founder Larry Silverstein told the New York Post that the tower was "being significantly modified to be more reflective of contemporary needs and taste".

Two World Trade Center will join buildings designed by Maki and Associates, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, and SOM in the complex, which was planned by Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind.

The area has undergone extensive reconstruction since the Twin Towers and buildings close by were destroyed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In 2021, Dezeen reflected on 20 years of rebuilding the World Trade Center site.

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Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects yet to endorse RIBA climate report presented at COP26

More than 200 built environment organisations have endorsed a report by RIBA and Architects Declare setting out ways to decarbonise the industry, although leading UK architecture studios including Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects are yet to join the signatories.

Industry body the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and pressure group Architects Declare presented the report, titled Built for the Environment, to policymakers at the COP26 climate conference on Tuesday.

The 80-page paper calls on governments to overhaul building codes to better regulate buildings' energy performance and to include targets relating to the built environment in their climate pledges, known as Nationally Determined Contributions.

RIBA presented its climate report (above) at COP26 (top)

It also compiles evidence about the building industry's impact on the environment and calls on the sector to take a more proactive approach to sustainability.

Some 220 built environment organisations have endorsed the report, but only five of the 20 largest practices operating in the UK are on the list of signatories published on the RIBA website.

Leading studios "not aware" of report

However, numerous studios claimed they were never asked to endorse the report. Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects, the UK's largest and third-largest UK studios respectively, both told Dezeen they were not contacted about the report.

Zaha Hadid Architects said its low carbon group and sustainability team will now "be reviewing the report". Dezeen contacted Foster + Partners but had not received a reply at the time of publication.

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Stride Treglown, which last week installed a sculpture of a sinking house on the River Avon to draw attention to climate change ahead of COP26, also said it was not aware of the report.

"It's not that we don't endorse the report, we do and would be keen to have our name added to the list of endorsers if there was an opportunity to do so," a spokesperson for the studio said.

"We've just been focused on our mission to action change, highlighted by our Sinking House project which we hope sends a clear message about the need for action."

Endorsements re-opened following "positive interest"

Other top architecture studios BDP, Allies and Morrison and Sheppard Robson all told Dezeen that they support the Built for the Environment report and will be seeking to get their names added to the list of endorsers.

"The Built for Environment report is an excellent resource – a compelling primer outlining the contribution of the built environment to the climate crisis, and the potential it holds to address it," said James Woodall, head of sustainability at Allies and Morrison.

RIBA insisted that all its members were informed about the report and invited to endorse it before publication.

However, the organisation confirmed to Dezeen that it has re-opened endorsements until 30 November 2021 "following further positive interest".

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"Hundreds of built environment companies are collectively urging governments to increase their ambition and commitment to tackling the climate and biodiversity emergencies," said report editor Maria Smith, who is also a RIBA councillor and director at engineering firm Buro Happold.

"From monitoring and regulating embodied carbon, to reporting and targeting emissions reductions on a consumption-basis, this report aims to give confidence to all inside and outside the built environment that a better world is possible."

Among the report's other recommendations are calls for building regulations to set minimum standards on embodied carbon and the reuse of materials.

Foster and ZHA failed to sign climate challenge

In July, Dezeen reported that less than six per cent of UK architecture firms had signed up to the RIBA's 2030 Climate Challenge, which urges studios to achieving net-zero carbon emissions from buildings they design by the end of the decade.

At the time, Foster + Partners said signing up would be "confusing" as it already had its own sustainability manifesto launched in 2019, while Zaha Hadid Architects said: "We would not make any public commitment without being certain it's not only something we believe in but also something we are able to deliver."

Architects Declare was founded in 2019 by an initial group of 17 architecture studios, including Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects, and now has more than 1,000 signatories in the UK.

COP26 takes place at SEC Centre in Glasgow from 1 to 12 November 2021. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest information you need to know to attend the event, as well as a list of other architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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