Black Myth: Wukong arrived in 2024 to incredible success and has seemingly spawned some copycats as a result, with Nintendo Switch fans laughing as Wukong Sun: Black Legend hits the platform this week.Gamers online have called out the $7.99 Wukong Sun: Black Legend as a fairly blatant rip-off of Black Myth: Wukong, which isn't on Nintendo Switch itself. Not only is the name incredibly similar, but the promotional image could easily be mistaken for that of the actual game.The similarities practically end there, however, as Wukong Sun: Black Legend is a side-scrolling platformer as opposed to Black Myth: Wukong's third-person action. It also requires a meagre 338 megabytes of storage space according to the Nintendo eShop page.Wukong Sun: Black Myth. Image credit: Nintendo eShop.Black Myth: Wukong. Image credit: Game Science.It's description doesn't allude to this seemingly more limited experience, promising "a chaotic world teeming with powerful monsters," "supercharged abilities and crazy fighting skills," and "captivating visuals with unforgettable storytelling.""Seriously, this is not even subtle," one ResetEra user wrote of the similarities between Wukong Sun: Black Legend and Black Myth: Wukong. "Not even trying," wrote another. "Yeah, this seems like the kind of shovelware cashgrab someone would release," said a third.Wukong Sun: Black Legend gameplay. Image credit: Nintendo eShop.Black Myth: Wukong is based on classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, so Wukong Sun: Black Legend could technically also be based on this source material, but it's not the first time such an incident has occurred.A game which looked incredibly similar to PlayStation mega hit The Last of Us, for example, was also released on (and then pulled from) the Nintendo eShop last year. Fans have called out digital storefronts for seemingly have little to no quality control, with PlayStation itself facing a similar issue with a Grand Theft Auto 6 parody earlier in December.Developers have felt the burden of this too, with Unpacking creative director Wren Brier calling out Nintendo for allowing copycats of their game on the eShop. As reported by Eurogamer, Brier called games such as Unpacking: Deluxe Edition or Unpacking: Chill Music Pack "egregious scams," as they are in no way linked to their own game.Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Across Europe, skills shortages are emerging as a key challenge. The Council of the European Union says this is driven by demographic change, demand for new skillsets, and poor working conditions in some sectors.Adding to that, a recent report highlighted that around 42% of Europeans lack basic digital skills, including 37% of those in the workforce.The rapid advancement of AI is adding more pressure. While AI offers the EU a shot in the arm to strengthen the blocs innovation and competitiveness, there is still a gap between the skills required, and the skills available.5 jobs to discover this weekIn the Netherlands, new analysis from De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) has found that the growth of the labour force will decline sharply in the coming decades. It says that in the Dutch labour force, there are more vacancies than those unemployed, and that this trend is set to continue.Germany is also experiencing a similar fate, with Indeeds Jobs & Hiring Trends Report for 2025 finding that demand for labour continues to cool, particularly among professional groups with top salaries. The report also found that in the medium term, Germany is heading for a shortage of skilled workers.Read the case studyIn France, Indeed says the picture is broadly similar. In 2025, wage and purchasing power gains are expected to remain limited while the French unemployment rate will remain close to its current levels, it notes in its report.The unemployment rate in France is hovering around 7.4% thanks to a mismatch between supply and demand for workers, in part fuelled by the skills deficit.On a macro level, these sluggish European labour markets arent a great sign, and it is clear that there is much work needed to be done to fix the wider issues around skills gaps. But on a micro, or personal level, software engineers and tech professionals have a lot of scope.Top skills and programming languagesIf you have the right skills, particularly around artificial intelligence and software development, then opportunity knocks.Stack Overflows most recent developer survey found that the most popular programming roles are for full-stack, back-end, and front-end developers. These were followed by desktop or enterprise developers, and mobile and embedded applications. For its community of developers, JavaScript retained its long running spot in first place followed by SQ, HTML/CSS, Python, and TypeScript.On the other hand, GitHubs recent Octoverse report found that on its platform, JavaScript has been knocked off its previous perch by Python. This is a language with many uses, notably in the in-demand fields of data science and machine learning, thanks to its simplicity and extensive libraries.GitHub says this is, the first large-scale change weve seen in the top two languages since 2019and it speaks to the rise in Python thats accompanied the generative AI boom weve seen over the past two years.3 more roles to discoverThe rise of cloud computing, IoT, and AR/VR technologies has also created demand for languages that can efficiently handle these environments. Think Kotlin, which is gaining traction as the preferred language for Android development. Go (Golang) is popular for building scalable network servers and concurrent systems due to its performance and simplicity.Older languages are seeing a resurgence too. According to data from Developer Nation, Java, for example, gained over eight million new developers from 2021 to 2023. It may be more than 20 years old, but its recent rise in popularity is due to its use and versatility across cloud and IoT.C++ remains popular according to the TIOBE Index, where it is currently in second position. This is attributed to its performance and scalability, particularly in domains like embedded systems, game development, and financial trading software.However, not everyone is happy with C++, notably the US government, which issued a report this year urging programmers to move to memory-safe programming languages. This has led Rusts user base to triple recently. The memory safe language is particularly appealing for systems programming due to its focus on safety and performance, and as a result it can offer a strong alternative to C++.As the big programming languages battle it out for supremacy, there are always the underdogs waiting in the wings. In its 2024 report, GitHub put a spotlight on the fastest-growing languages. These ones-to-watch include Go, HCL (HashiCorp Configuration Language), Kotlin, Dart, Trust, Luna, TSQL, and Blade.Ready to find your next software job? Check out The Next Web Job Board Story by Kirstie McDermott Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Content created by Amply and TNWAlso tagged with

Ive used an iPad Pro as my primary computer for years, despite occasionally testing the waters with the Mac. For various reasons, Ive always stuck with the iPad, but one new feature Apple just shipped might finally be the thing that gets me back to the Mac in 2025.The new device thats changing my computing habitsThis piece requires a little background in two areas:the new device I just boughtthe reason I went all-in on iPad Pro in the first placeFirst, the new device.After a long holdout, I recently gave in and bought an Apple Vision Pro.Id used the device several times before, but only in the past month have I actually owned one for myself.Ill write some other time about the reasons why I finally bought one. But the key thing to know is that Mac Virtual Display was a big factor.So yes, that new feature that may bring me back to the Mac is only kind of a Mac feature.More accurately, its a Vision Pro feature: Mac Virtual Display, which just got huge upgrades.In the recent visionOS 2.2 update, Apple made Mac Virtual Display far more compelling thanks to three changes:Wide and Ultrawide display modesHigh quality display resolutionImproved audio routingI never tried the old Mac Virtual Display feature, but its new and improved version has proven especially compelling for me.While I would love to do more of my computing with native visionOS apps, right now the options there are pretty limited. For example, my go-to writing appUlyssesisnt available, nor my preferred apps for image editing and more.As a result, Mac Virtual Display is currently my best option for getting things done inside the headset.And that leads to the reason I went all-in on iPad in the first place.Why I left the Mac, and might be coming back in 2025There are a lot of reasons I love working from my iPad Pro, which Ill spare you for now.But one of the things that first set me down this path was the desire to streamline my devices.For years I used a Mac, iPad, and iPhone all in very complementary ways, like Steve Jobs intended.But when the first iPad Pro came out, the thought of going minimalist with just an iPad Pro and iPhone was very appealing.If the iPad could still serve its purposes as a tablet, but also now function like a laptop, it seemed like there wasnt much need for my MacBook Air anymore. Sure there would be sacrifices moving to the iPad full-time, but I was eager to give it a try, and just never went back.Today, I find myself in a similar predicament.I want to use my Vision Pro for getting things done, and Mac Virtual Display is the best way to do that.Which means, either I start splitting more of my computing time between the Mac and iPad Pro, and get used to moving back and forth between platforms againor I streamline down to one main device.The same minimalist desire that led me to abandon the Mac in 2015 might bring me back to it in 2025.One Mac experience, Vision Pro or notI dont expect to wear my Vision Pro for eight hours a day, nor do I intend to use it when working remotely (at least not yet).But if Im using macOS when working inside the Vision Pro, it would make things a lot simpler if I stuck with the Mac for my non-Vision Pro work too.The same Mac, running the same apps, just with a lot less screen real estate than my virtual environment.Im not fully decided, and there are still some Mac drawbacks Id have to find a way to live with if I leave the iPad Pro behind. But the Vision Pro has made me more open to full-time Mac computing than I have been in a long time.Well see where 2025 takes things.Do you work inside Mac Virtual Display on Vision Pro? Whats that been like for you? Let us know in the comments.Best Vision Pro accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Ray-Ban Meta have been the most successful smart glasses to date, offering an appealing mix of features in a form factor which is visually indistinguishable from normal sunglasses.So far, all of the AI functionality, notifications, and messaging features have relied on the glasses reading things to you through integrated speakers, but a new report says a future model will get a display, and that it could launch as early as next year Were fans of the existing glasses here at 9to5Mac. My colleagueFilipe Espsitosaid that his experience of Ray-Ban Meta glassesconvinced him to believe in smart glasses, and my own experience mirrored that.I found it was a great way to shoot POV photos and videos in a very unobtrusive way, and to have incoming messages read to me while Im walking or cycling.Their AI capabilities are rapidly developing, and really excite me about the future.A future model will get a displayHaving the glasses read to me is often convenient, but there are times when a visual display is more efficient. We can read something faster than it can be read to us, so it would be good to have the choice. And a Financial Times report suggests thats coming sooner rather than later.Meta plans to add displays to its Ray-Ban smart glasses as soon as next year, as the US tech giant accelerates its plans to build lightweight headsets that can usurp the smartphone as consumers main computing device.The $1.5tn social media group is planning to add a screen inside the $300 sunglasses it makes and sells in partnership with eyewear group EssilorLuxottica, according to people familiar with the plans.The updated Ray-Bans could be released as early as the second half of 2025, the people said. The small display would be likely to be used to show notifications or responses from Metas virtual assistant.Another step toward Apple GlassesMeta showed off an early prototype of itsOrion AR glasses back in the summer. While they are undeniably clunky, and reputedly have a manufacturing cost of $10,000, they did provide a persuasive look at what we can one day expect in something that looks and feels more like the companys existing smart glasses.A glasses form factor is also believed to be Apples long-term goal, with Vision Pro just an early step along the way toward Apple Glasses. While speech will doubtless be included, Apple is expected to major on built-in displays.Back in 2019, it was reported that Apple believes that AR glasses willeventually replace the iPhone. Whether that will happen is a matter for debate, but Im already convinced that smart glasses will play a very large role in our tech future.Meta adding a display to its own glasses helps drive the technology forward, and is something I very much look forward to trying.Photo: Ben Lovejoy/9to5MacAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

One of the key elements of Apples A-series and M-series chips is the System-on-a-Chip (SoC) design which tightly integrates all the components within a single package. This includes both CPU and GPU.But a new report suggests that the M5 Pro chip may take a different approach of having more separated CPU and GPU in order to improve performance and boost production yields System-on-a-chip approachTraditional computers and computer-like devices had completely separate CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphical processing unit), often on completely separate circuit boards.With the iPhone, Apple integrated the two in an approach known as a System-on-a-Chip (SoC). Essentially what would have been completely separate chips are integrated into a single, tightly-integrated unit containing circuitry for both. It has replicated that approach in other devices, including M-series chips for Apple Silicon Macs.Whether we consider this a single chip or a compact package of different chips is to large degree a matter of semantics, but Apple refers to singular chips as in the A18 Pro chip, and the M4 chip.M5 Pro chip with separate CPU and GPUApple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that for the M5 Pro chip, Apple will be taking advantage of TSMCs very latest chip packaging process known as SoIC-mH (System-on-Integrated-Chips-Molding-Horizontal).SoIC-mH refers to a method of integrating different chips into a package in a way which improves thermal performance, and therefore allows a chip to run at full power for longer before it needs to be throttled back to reduce heat. It also reportedly boosts production yields, with fewer chips failing to pass quality control.Kuos report says this approach will be used for the M5 Pro, Max, and Ultra variants of the upcoming M5 chip.The M5 series chips will adopt TSMCs advanced N3P node, which entered the prototype phase a few months ago. M5, M5 Pro/Max, and M5 Ultra mass production is expected in 1H25, 2H25, and 2026, respectively.The M5 Pro, Max, and Ultra will utilize server-grade SoIC packaging. Apple will use 2.5D packaging called SoIC-mH (molding horizontal) to improve production yields and thermal performance, featuring separate CPU and GPU designs.Interestingly, it was earlier reported that the iPhone 18 will also start separating out different elements of the A-series chip, though that report pointed to RAM which is also currently integrated into the chip. Will also be used to power Apple Intelligence serversKuo also indicated that M5 Pro chips would be used in Apple Intelligence servers, known as Private Cloud Compute (PCC).Apples PCC infrastructure build-out will accelerate after the mass production of the high-end M5 chips, better suited for AI inferencing.Image: Michael Bower/9to5MacAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

With great power comes great responsibility ... and sometimes great movies.(Other times, not so much.)As hard as it may be to believe, the Spider-Man film franchise is now more than 20 years old. Or maybe Spider-Man franchises is more accurate. What started as one trilogy of films by Sam Raimi has now been rebooted and re-rebooted, and then spun off into unexpected directions featuring characters tangentially related to Spider-Man as part of Sonys efforts to turn their deal with Marvelfor the Friendly Neighborhood Web-Slinger into a cinematic universe all their own.Most of those spinoff movies have not been great. (AhemMorbius, ahem ahemMadame Web, ahem Kraven the Hunterahem ahem why oh why does my throat get so dry when writing about Spider-Man adjacent movies,verystrange.) Otherwise, the Spider-Man franchise has given us some of the best superhero movies of the century. Live-action or animation, Peter Parker or Miles Morales, Sam Raimi or Jon Watts or Lord and Miller; Spideys cinematic track record speaks for itself.But which is the best of the best? Below, Ive ranked every single one of Sonys Spider-Man movies, from 2002s very first film all the way through the bizarre web of Spider-Man spinoffs of today. Which reigns supreme? Youll have to read on to find out but, uh, yeah it aintMorbius.Ill tell you that much right now.Every Spider-Man and Spinoff Movie RankedAll of Sonys Spider-Man movies (plus their spinoffs), ranked from the worst to the best.Gallery Credit: Matt SingerREAD MORE: The Story of the Best Spider-Man Movie That Was Never MadeGet our free mobile appSpider-Man Co-Creator Steve Ditkos Run on Indiana JonesDuring the 1980s, Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko contributed artwork to Marvels Indiana Jones comic book.Filed Under: Kraven the Hunter, Madame Web, Marvel, Morbius, Spider-Man, Venom

Squid GameSeason 2 is finallyhere. Netflixs biggest show ever has a whole new season and a whole new set of games.If you heard the hype about the first season the most-watched TV series in the history of Netflix streaming and you want to check out Season 2, butyou dont have time to watch the whole first season, ScreenCrush is here to help. Or maybe you watchedSquid Game Season 1, but its been a while and youre little hazy about what happened, who survived, and who was behind it all. (Look, we get it. Theres a lot of TV shows these days. No one could remember all this stuff.)Either way, well run down all the events of Season 1 (all nine hours!) in 10 short minutes. Youll learn aboutGi-hun, the various deadly games, the Front Man, the hierarchy of the pink jumpsuit guards, the history of this underground competition. When were through, youll be totally ready for Season 2.Watch our fullSquid GameSeason 1 recap below:READ MORE: 10 Squid Game Details You Might Have MissedIf you liked that video aboutSquid GameSeason 1 ahead of Season 2,check out more of our videos below, including our review of NetflixsAvatar: The Last Airbender show, our breakdown of what the ending ofLost really meant, and some surprising facts you never knew aboutThe Sopranos.Plus, theres tons more over atScreenCrushs YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch all our future episodes.Squid Game Season 2 premieres on Netflix on December 26.Get our free mobile appThe 10 Biggest Unanswered 'Squid Game' Questions

Jared Leto will play Skeletor in the upcoming Masters of the Universe.The House of Gucci actor was first linked to the role in September and now his casting as the sinister sorcerer, He-Man's arch-nemesis, has been confirmed.And that's not all as Deadline reports the Travis Knight-directed live action film for Amazon MGM and Mattel Films has also added three other actors to the cast, with House of the Dragons Sam C. Wilson, Game of Thrones star Hafthor Bjornsson and In the Grey actor Kojo Attah all on board to play other villains.Sam plays Trap Jaw, one of Skeletors key henchmen, who is known for his weaponry and cybernetic enhancements, while Hafthor is the goat-like Goat Man, and Kojo is on board as Tri-Klops, a skilled swordsman who is also a master of technology.NetflixNetflixloading...READ MORE: What Happened to All the Movies in Theaters For Kids?Nicholas Galtzine leads the cast as He-Man, while Alison Brie will play Evil-Lyn, Idris Elba is on board as Duncan, Man-At-Arms, and Camila Mendes will star asTeela.Bumblebee helmerKnight is directing from a script by Chris Butler, although exact plot details are yet to be revealed.Masters of the Universe was introduced to the world via action figures in 1982 and focused on the battle between the heroic He-Man and the evil Skeletor.The animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe premiered the following year and several other film and TV adaptations have followed since as the franchise is still going strong. The movie is slated for release in June 2026 after enduring a two-decade journey to the big screen.It was axed by Netflix last year due to budget concerns while directors John Stevenson, Jon M. Chu and McG have all been attached to the project since 2007.Julie Rapaport, head of film production and development at Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement following Galitzine's casting: "We're thrilled to bring the beloved 'Masters of the Universe' to life and couldn't be more excited to announce the immensely talented Nicholas Galitzine as our He-Man.Joining forces with director Travis Knight, Mattel, and Escape Artists, this reintroduction of the character and his universe will be an epic film that will delight audiences from here to Eternia.Get our free mobile appThe Dad Movie Canon: 25 Films All Dads LoveNo dad can resist these 25 movie classics.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Zaha Hadid Architects has unveiled design for a new culture and art centre featuring large, wavy, and sloping roofs in Shaoxing, China.Called Zhejiang Shaoxing Shangyu District Caoe River Culture and Art Centre, the project serves as the foundation for the new cultural district in Shaoxing, China's Zhejiang province's Shangyu District.The Art and Culture Center, which has a 1,400-seat Grand Theatre, a 500-seat Black-Box Multifunctional Hall, a 2,900-square-meter Arts and Education Center, a 3,000-square-meter Conference Center, a 7,500-square-meter Heritage Museum, and a 10,000-square-meter Digital Art Gallery, will be built to accommodate regional and international opera, dance, and drama productions in addition to large-scale symphonies and musical theater.Bridge approach. Image courtesy of ZHAThe Culture and Art Center's covered courtyards, which are situated on the banks of the historic Caoe River, are an extension of the building's interior.Residents and visitors to Shaoxing can enjoy a range of natural parklands and gardens for leisure and recreation along the river thanks to these outdoor meeting areas that flow into terraced landscapes that encircle the center and connect directly to the city.Render ProloogWithin the region's vernacular architecture, the design honors the rich history and craftsmanship of glazed tiles upon pitched roofs by integrating various levels of public spaces and technical equipment to stage dance and theater acts within the center's courtyards and foyers.Informed by the region's ancient architecture, the Cultural and Art Centre creates a fresh yet recognized shape with its interconnected roof composition that flows above the eternal river sceneries.Render ProloogThe center's facades are a modern interpretation of the famous jade-green Celadon ceramics, which were made in the area about 1,200 years ago at the start of the Northern Song Dynasty.Thus, a 21st-century cultural structure with a clear link to the area's ancient past is defined by the cogent integration of traditional materials and avant-garde architecture.Courtyard view. Image AtchainThe core of ZHA's creative thinking, architectural expression, and design language is sustainability. The design's huge sloping roofs, which contain vast overhangs around the periphery of each venue in response to Shaoxing's subtropical monsoon environment, effectively shade the glass faades that open onto covered outdoor courtyards that stretch into the landscape.In order to generate self-shading zones that efficiently reduce solar heat gain within the structure and shade the outdoor courtyards during the summer, the roofs' geometries were specified by a solar study of the site during each season.Riverside. Render TegmarkPhotovoltaic panels integrated into the roof will allow the Cultural and Art Center to drastically cut down on its energy consumption from the municipal electricity grid, while the roofs' distinctive forms extend lower and farther on the center's southern faades to provide optimal protection from the stronger solar radiation.Heritage Museum. Render ZHATheatre. Render TegmarkRoofs. Render ProloogDropOff. Render ProloogRoad Approach. Render AtchainAerial masterplan. Render AtchainZaha Hadid Architects revealed design for its first project in Malaysia, the plans are developed in collaboration with JLand Group Sdn Bhd (JLG). In addition, the firm began construction on lemiste Passenger Terminal in Tallinn, Estonia. In addition, ZHA shared an update about the construction of West Kowloon Terminus in Hong Kong. Finally, ZHA won a competition to design Riga Ropax Terminal in Latvia.Project factsClient:Shaoxing Shangyu Urban and Rural Ecological Environmental Protection Development Co., LTDThe Consortium: Zaha Hadid Limited (trading as Zaha Hadid Architects) and Central-South Architectural Design Institute Co., LtdDesign Lead:Zaha Hadid Limited (trading as Zaha Hadid Architects)Principal Architect: Patrik SchumacherChief Architect: Paulo FloresCommercial Director: Charles WalkerProject Leaders: Yazhu Liang, Saman DadgostarCompetition Project leaders: Yazhu Liang, Jakub Klaska, Saman Dadgostar, Sven TorresFaade Lead: Edgar PayanZHA Design Team: Barbara Schickermueller, Berkin Islam, Charles Liang, Chen-Ru Sung, Fangxingchi Du, Gerhild Orthacker, Gizem Dogan, Hao Wen, Jinhee Koh, Karina Linnsen, Paul Joseph, Rishil Parikh, Stefan Manousof, Yuxuan ZhaoZHA Support Team: Tyson Hosmer, Ziming He, Baris Erdincer, Bahaa AlnassrallahLocal Design Institute, Structure, Engineering, MEP, Quantity Surveyor:Central-South Architectural Design Institute Co., Ltd (CSADI)Theatre Planning and Acoustic Consultant:ARUPTop image in the article: Elevation River Proloog.> via ZHA News

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Zaha Hadid Architects has unveiled design for a new culture and art centre featuring large, wavy, and sloping roofs in Shaoxing, China.Called Zhejiang Shaoxing Shangyu District Caoe River Culture and Art Centre, the project serves as the foundation for the new cultural district in Shaoxing, China's Zhejiang province's Shangyu District.The Art and Culture Center, which has a 1,400-seat Grand Theatre, a 500-seat Black-Box Multifunctional Hall, a 2,900-square-meter Arts and Education Center, a 3,000-square-meter Conference Center, a 7,500-square-meter Heritage Museum, and a 10,000-square-meter Digital Art Gallery, will be built to accommodate regional and international opera, dance, and drama productions in addition to large-scale symphonies and musical theater.Bridge approach. Image courtesy of ZHAThe Culture and Art Center's covered courtyards, which are situated on the banks of the historic Caoe River, are an extension of the building's interior.Residents and visitors to Shaoxing can enjoy a range of natural parklands and gardens for leisure and recreation along the river thanks to these outdoor meeting areas that flow into terraced landscapes that encircle the center and connect directly to the city.Render ProloogWithin the region's vernacular architecture, the design honors the rich history and craftsmanship of glazed tiles upon pitched roofs by integrating various levels of public spaces and technical equipment to stage dance and theater acts within the center's courtyards and foyers.Informed by the region's ancient architecture, the Cultural and Art Centre creates a fresh yet recognized shape with its interconnected roof composition that flows above the eternal river sceneries.Render ProloogThe center's facades are a modern interpretation of the famous jade-green Celadon ceramics, which were made in the area about 1,200 years ago at the start of the Northern Song Dynasty.Thus, a 21st-century cultural structure with a clear link to the area's ancient past is defined by the cogent integration of traditional materials and avant-garde architecture.Courtyard view. Image AtchainThe core of ZHA's creative thinking, architectural expression, and design language is sustainability. The design's huge sloping roofs, which contain vast overhangs around the periphery of each venue in response to Shaoxing's subtropical monsoon environment, effectively shade the glass faades that open onto covered outdoor courtyards that stretch into the landscape.In order to generate self-shading zones that efficiently reduce solar heat gain within the structure and shade the outdoor courtyards during the summer, the roofs' geometries were specified by a solar study of the site during each season.Riverside. Render TegmarkPhotovoltaic panels integrated into the roof will allow the Cultural and Art Center to drastically cut down on its energy consumption from the municipal electricity grid, while the roofs' distinctive forms extend lower and farther on the center's southern faades to provide optimal protection from the stronger solar radiation.Heritage Museum. Render ZHATheatre. Render TegmarkRoofs. Render ProloogDropOff. Render ProloogRoad Approach. Render AtchainAerial masterplan. Render AtchainZaha Hadid Architects revealed design for its first project in Malaysia, the plans are developed in collaboration with JLand Group Sdn Bhd (JLG). In addition, the firm began construction on lemiste Passenger Terminal in Tallinn, Estonia. In addition, ZHA shared an update about the construction of West Kowloon Terminus in Hong Kong. Finally, ZHA won a competition to design Riga Ropax Terminal in Latvia.Project factsClient:Shaoxing Shangyu Urban and Rural Ecological Environmental Protection Development Co., LTDThe Consortium: Zaha Hadid Limited (trading as Zaha Hadid Architects) and Central-South Architectural Design Institute Co., LtdDesign Lead:Zaha Hadid Limited (trading as Zaha Hadid Architects)Principal Architect: Patrik SchumacherChief Architect: Paulo FloresCommercial Director: Charles WalkerProject Leaders: Yazhu Liang, Saman DadgostarCompetition Project leaders: Yazhu Liang, Jakub Klaska, Saman Dadgostar, Sven TorresFaade Lead: Edgar PayanZHA Design Team: Barbara Schickermueller, Berkin Islam, Charles Liang, Chen-Ru Sung, Fangxingchi Du, Gerhild Orthacker, Gizem Dogan, Hao Wen, Jinhee Koh, Karina Linnsen, Paul Joseph, Rishil Parikh, Stefan Manousof, Yuxuan ZhaoZHA Support Team: Tyson Hosmer, Ziming He, Baris Erdincer, Bahaa AlnassrallahLocal Design Institute, Structure, Engineering, MEP, Quantity Surveyor:Central-South Architectural Design Institute Co., Ltd (CSADI)Theatre Planning and Acoustic Consultant:ARUPTop image in the article: Elevation River Proloog.> via ZHA News