Towering 50 meters above the Empire State Building, the tallest residential tower in the western hemisphere will open its doors this year. Already topped out, the 426-meter tower 432 Park Avenue will feature just 104 apartments, with residences starting at $17 million and full-floor penthouses reaching $82 million.
The man behind 432 Park Avenue is Rafael Viñoly, the Uruguayan architect who designed London’s recently opened “Walkie Talkie” skyscraper, which unintentionally focused the sun’s rays to melt objects — including a car — on the street below.Abu Dhabi paid the Louvre $500m to co-opt the prestigious French institution’s name and a reported $600 million more to build architect Jean Nouvel’s alien-looking creation.Opening in December, the gallery will host masterpieces by Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Claude Monet and Henri Matisse — the first time many will be shown in the Middle East.Tanzanian-born Ghanaian-British lead designer David Adjaye is now fulfilling the promise of an American museum 224 years in the making.The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is currently taking shape on the last plot on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.Sustainable inspiration from Vietnam’s bamboo architect Vo Trong Nghia. This lotus flower-inspired pavilion will be his most visible to date.This pavilion will provide Vietnam’s showcase at the 2015 World Expo in Milan, focusing on sustainability.The transformation of a former quarry outside Shanghai into a 19-storey resort is almost complete.Engineering and architecture firm Atkins is building a five-star hotel taking advantage of eco-friendly geothermal and solar energy supplies.More than double the height of London’s Shard, Shanghai Tower is expected to open this year, making it China’s tallest building.Russian climbers Vadim Makhorov and Vitaly Raskalov scaled the unfinished tower, gaining incredible, unauthorized views.The smallest building on our list owes its existence to a collaboration between maverick artist Grayson Perry and the recently disbanded oddball architecture collective FAT.Designed to resemble traditional pilgrimage chapels, this building will host a series of events upon opening next month.This year will see construction begin on the new Mexico City International Airport, set to be the “most sustainable airport in the world.”The design marks a collaboration between legendary British architect Norman Foster and Mexican Fernando Romero’s FR-EE.Legendary architect Frank Gehry condemned 98% of modern architecture as “pure shit”. His latest creation is a “paper bag” business school.The 85-year-old Canadian-American has applied his trademark curvy-fronted style to the Dr Chau Chak wing building, opening in February.The title “Africa’s tallest building” hasn’t changed hands in 42 years, but this year, developers hope to begin the construction of the 540 meter Al Noor Tower in Casablanca, Morocco.Architects Valode & Pistre have claimed the building resembles a fountain pen nib, but “Lord of the Rings’ ‘Eye of Sauron’ has inevitably been invoked.” Abandoned for 25 years, “Scotland’s greatest modernist building” St Peter’s is set to be reborn this year, transforming into an international venue for public art.Originally designed by Glasgow architects Isi Metzstein and Andy MacMillan, the renovations will be led by Glasgow-based public art charity NVA.A giant spike at the center of Moscow’s Federation Tower is set to top 500m. The East Tower is already Europe’s tallest building.A major fire 60-floors up in 2012 pushed the opening date back further, but it should finally open in 2015.
