Zaha Hadid Architects Unveils Design of Oystra Mixed-Use Development in the United Arab EmiratesSave this picture!Oystra, Al Marjan, Render by MIR. Image Courtesy of ZHAOystra, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is a 128,000-square-metre seafront development located on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, that comprises 950 residential units, a comprehensive range of shopping, dining, and leisure amenities. Ras Al Khaimah, one of the UAE's fastest-growing emirates, is projected to see a 55% increase in its population by 2030, driving the need for an additional 45,000 homes. The emirate's tourism sector is also experiencing significant growth, with the number of visitors expected to rise to 3.5 million annually by 2030, up from 100,000 in 2013.Situated 25 minutes from Ras Al Khaimah Airport and 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport, Al Marjan Island extends 4.5 kilometres into the Arabian Sea and boasts 23 kilometres of coastline, including 7.8 kilometres of white sand beaches. As part of the development strategy, the island is being transformed into a prominent destination, incorporating parks, marinas, wellness centres, and entertainment hubs. Oystra's sculptural 20-storey waterfront towers are set within a 42,000-square-metre landscape of gardens, courtyards, swimming pools, and a beach club overlooking the bay. A rooftop restaurant and an infinity pool offer panoramic views of Al Marjan Island and the Arabian Sea, further connecting the development to its surrounding landscape. Save this picture! Oystra's sculptural design is inspired by the natural energies of the sea and the sky, responding to its environment with a sense of dynamism and openness. - Christos Passas, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects Related Article Zaha Hadid Architects Completes the Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum The design of Oystra responds to the island's natural environment, with over 75% of its apartments offering unobstructed views of the sea. The development's signature fluid geometries are expressed through expansive balconies and terraces, which mirror the undulating patterns left by waves on sand. These outdoor spaces extend the living areas of the apartments while also providing shading from the intense desert sun, enhancing the comfort of the interiors. The development is directly connected to Al Marjan Island's tree-lined coastal promenade, providing residents with pedestrian access to the island via a sheltered shoreline walkway that benefits from the cooling effects of prevailing north-westerly winds.Save this picture!Environmental strategies have been incorporated into the design, including environmental simulations to optimise site conditions, structure, and orientation. Digital mapping analysis has informed the development's external solar shading, and natural ventilation has been maximised. The project will also feature seawater-based cooling and an insulating cavity between the building envelope and façades exposed to direct sunlight. These measures aim to reduce the energy demand for cooling and improve interior comfort in Ras Al Khaimah's climate.Save this picture!In other developments across the UAE, the Sharjah Architecture Triennial has named Vyjayanthi Rao as the curator for its third edition, set to take place in 2026. In Dubai, Bjarke Ingels Group has been commissioned by A.R.M. Holding to lead the transformation of the Jebel Ali Racecourse into a new 5-square-kilometre urban district. Meanwhile, Diller Scofidio + Renfro has revealed the design for Therme Dubai, Islands in the Sky, a new urban wellness destination planned for Zabeel Park. Image gallerySee allShow less About this authorReyyan DoganAuthor••• Cite: Reyyan Dogan. "Zaha Hadid Architects Unveils Design of Oystra Mixed-Use Development in the United Arab Emirates" 14 May 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030137/zaha-hadid-architects-unveils-design-of-oystra-mixed-use-development-in-the-united-arab-emirates&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Hover Space – Extension to the KLE Society Head Office / Thirdspace Architecture StudioSave this picture!© Andre J FanthomeOffice Buildings•Belagavi, India Architects: Thirdspace Architecture Studio Area Area of this architecture project Area:  12916 ft² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2020 Photographs Photographs:Andre J Fanthome, Suryan and DangMore SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. A new addition to a 50-year-old corporate office within a century-old educational campus in Belagavi posed a unique design challenge: to expand the existing structure without compromising its integrity, disrupting its daily operations, or overshadowing its historical significance.Save this picture!Though architecturally unremarkable, the original two-storey building held deep institutional value. It had already been retrofitted and was in constant use, making any intrusive structural intervention unfeasible. The expansion needed to respond sensitively to three distinct contexts — its location on a major city road, its position as a frontage to the historic campus, and its edge along the sports ground.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The solution was a minimalist yet strategic intervention: a new structure that floats above the old, supported by just eight cylindrical RCC columns that avoid existing activities below. This hovering volume, framed by two full-floor-height red trusses, forms an open-plan office of 1,000 sqm, visually light and spatially efficient. A vertical circulation core connects the addition to the ground, forming an L-shaped profile that creates a striking triple-height entry portal aligned with a central tree-lined avenue. This not only marks a threshold into the campus but also frames heritage structures within.Save this picture!Wrapped in a continuous verandah inspired by colonial architecture, the new office engages with its surroundings while mitigating the climate. The verandah serves as a social space and climatic buffer, shielding the interiors from sun and rain. Operable aluminium fins and expanded mesh control light and views, while sliding glass doors allow seamless access to the outdoors. Inside, a neutral palette, vibrant accents, and indoor plants create a tranquil, daylit workspace.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The plan is zoned into three sections: an entrance lobby with the chairman's chambers, a central block of private offices and meeting rooms, and a rear section of open workstations overlooking the city and sports field. Exposed roof trusses and a clerestory skylight define a central circulation spine.Save this picture!Connecting old and new is a glass elevator overlooking the sports field, offering a moment of pause as one transitions between buildings. The terrace of the old office has been reimagined as an interstitial space — partially open, partially sheltered by the new structure — accessible via a sculptural circular staircase.Save this picture!What appears at first as a simple linear volume is, in fact, a layered response to multiple contextual, functional, and climatic demands. The new addition presents a calm, screened façade to the city, serves as a welcoming portal to the campus, and becomes a subtle yet visible edge to the sports field. Through thoughtful spatial negotiation and quiet clarity, the intervention offers the institution a renewed presence while honouring its legacy.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:Belagavi, IndiaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this office Published on May 13, 2025Cite: "Hover Space – Extension to the KLE Society Head Office / Thirdspace Architecture Studio" 13 May 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030110/hover-space-extension-to-the-kle-society-head-office-thirdspace-architecture-studio&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Looking back, there are a few mistakes I made while traveling internationally with my grandma. Emily Schlorf 2025-05-13T14:12:01Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? In summer 2024, I traveled with my grandma, mom, and sister to Montreal. I wish I'd thought more about my grandma's physical needs when planning the itinerary. It would've been nice to have more downtime in our schedule, too. Despite living 1,800 miles apart, my 81-year-old grandma and I have always been close. We share a love for "Downton Abbey," cross-stitch, and strong coffee, and I couldn't imagine spending weeks in the summer anywhere but her sunny kitchen table in central Minnesota.Of course, I'd be naive to assume my time with her is unlimited. That's one reason my grandma, mom, sister, and I decided to embark on a trip to Montreal together last summer.Although I'm grateful we were able to take this trip, it could have gone a lot smoother had I known these three things about traveling with an older relative. The itinerary should have reflected everyone's physical needs, not just my own I should've considered how long it would take my grandma to get to excursions like our afternoon tea. Emily Schlorf I'm the most frequent traveler in my family, so I took on all the planning myself and approached the task the same way I do for solo travel: leaving no stone unturned.I thought my grandma would be well-prepared for the long days, given that she walks 3 miles a day and eats a far more balanced diet than I do.What I failed to consider, though, was how difficult it would be for her to walk on the uneven cobblestone streets. On our first day in the city, we nearly missed an afternoon tea reservation since I didn't factor in the slower pace we'd have to take to accommodate my grandma's careful steps.I also didn't realize just how exhausting a full-day Three Pines tour would be. Although fantastic — with stops at a monastery, local museum, and five-star resort for lunch — our visit to the villages that inspired the fictional location of my grandma's favorite mystery series was nine hours long. My family and I went on a nine-hour tour of Three Pines. Emily Schlorf As the day progressed, we took turns snoozing in the back seat of our tour guide's van. Upon arriving back at the bed and breakfast, my grandma exclaimed how long of a day it was; and I didn't disagree.Similarly, I didn't consider my grandma's physical limitations when choosing restaurants. Although they weren't lacking in ambiance — picture patios swallowed in bougainvillea and cool, brutalist interiors overlooking Lake Saint Louis — the dim lighting and small font sizes made it challenging for her to read the menu.My mom, sister, and I mitigated my grandma's vision issues by taking turns reading the menu aloud, line by line, but that got old fast.In retrospect, I wish I'd shown up equipped with solutions, such as finding the menu online so she could zoom in on my phone or reminding her to bring her readers, to improve everyone's dining experience. A long trip means extended time away from routinesEveryone gets to a point on vacation when they're ready to return home, but I would argue that the feeling is stronger for older adults like my grandma, who travel once or twice a year and may be used to a strict daily routine.Although my grandma never expressed this feeling to me outright, I noticed as the days went on, she became less game for her granddaughters' plans.For example, on our last evening, my sister and I wanted to check out the shops lining Saint-Laurent Boulevard, but my grandma preferred to have takeout in the hotel.We compromised, and my sister and I walked to the boulevard to pick up dinner, but we ditched our shopping plan since we felt bad keeping my mom and grandma waiting.I wish we'd had more downtime together One of my favorite memories from the trip was when we spontaneously visited a speakeasy. Emily Schlorf Instead of jam-packing every day with new experiences, I wish I'd taken my foot off the gas as the trip progressed — for my grandma's sake as well as my own.As we reached days five and six of the trip, my excitement for the activities I planned dwindled, and I found myself wishing I hadn't planned them at all.Besides, the memories I cherish most from the trip weren't the museums or guided tours, they were the unplanned ones: a shared bottle of wine with our bed and breakfast hosts, a visit to an outdoor antique market, and a nightcap at a speakeasy.Despite the challenges, I'd love to travel with my grandma again I would love to go on another trip with my grandma. Emily Schlorf To anyone contemplating a multigenerational trip, I say do it, but be more considerate than I was. Take time to plan the trip together, think of everyone's needs, and be content with slowing down.Strolling through the city hand-in-hand with my grandma, I learned that it's OK to leave some stones unturned, because the real joy comes from who you're turning them with. Recommended video