2012 in architecture

The year 2012 in architecture involved some significant architectural events and new buildings.

Events

April 30 – 1 WTC surpasses the height of the Empire State Building to become the tallest building in New York City.^[1]
July – Mausoleums and a mosque in Timbuktu (Mali) are deliberately attacked by rebels, a war crime for which Ahmad al-Mahdi in 2016 pleads guilty before the International Criminal Court.
July 20 – A fire at the newly-opened Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan, leads to its closure for more than a year.^[2]
October
- The fifth World Architecture Festival is held in Singapore.
- Second hurricane survival of 1 WTC.
- It is announced that the Opera House, Wellington, is below 34% of the earthquake code and may have to close for strengthening work to be carried out.^[3]
November – The Japanese government announces plans for a new National Olympic Stadium (Tokyo) for the 2020 Summer Olympics based on a design by Zaha Hadid;^[4] these will be abandoned in 2015.^[5]
December 11 – 1 WTC's spire comes to New York City.
Assemble (collective) begins working in Granby Four Streets, Liverpool.

Buildings and structures

Buildings opened

January
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum extension in Boston, Massachusetts, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop.^[6]
- JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, the tallest hotel in the world, in Dubai.
January 1 – Ada Bridge, one of the tallest bridges in Europe, in Belgrade, Serbia.
January 5 – Baluarte Bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in Latin America.
February – Extension to Städel art gallery in Frankfurt, Germany, designed by schneider+schumacher.^[6]^[7]
January 6 – Porta Macedonia, Skopje, designed by sculptor Valentina Stefanovska.
February 28 – Halley VI Research Station, designed by Faber Maunsell and Hugh Broughton Architects, becomes operational in the Antarctic.
March – Jerwood Gallery on The Stade in Hastings, England, designed by Hana Loftus and Tom Grieve of HAT Projects.^[8]^[9]
March 18 – Bharati (research station) in Antarctica.
March 19 – Western concourse, London King's Cross railway station, designed by John McAslan + Partners.^[10]
March 24 – Maria Skłodowska-Curie Bridge, Warsaw, the eighth road bridge in the capital of Poland.
March 29 – Refurbished Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney with new Mordant Wing, designed by Sam Marshall.^[6]^[11]
March 31 – Sandworm by Marco Casagrande, in the Beaufort04 Triennial of Contemporary art in Wenduine, Belgium. The work is both architecture and environmental art.^[12]
April 4 – Twin Sails Bridge, Poole, England, by Wilkinson Eyre Architects.
April 10 – SeaCity Museum, Southampton, England, with extension by Wilkinson Eyre Architects.^[6]^[13]
April 20
- Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, Tokyo, designed by Kengo Kuma.^[14]
- Belfast MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) in Northern Ireland, by Hackett Hall McKnight.^[15]
May 10 – Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan, designed by Zaha Hadid.
May 11 – ArcelorMittal Orbit observation tower and sculpture in Olympic Park, London, designed by Anish Kapoor with Cecil Balmond and Ushida Findlay Architects.^[16]
May 22 – Tokyo Skytree in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan.^[17]
June 29 – Cloud Forest and Flower Dome Bay South Conservatories at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects (landscape design by Grant Associates).^[18]
July 3 – Giant's Causeway Visitors' Centre in Northern Ireland designed by Heneghan Peng for the National Trust.^[19]
July 5 – The Shard, designed by Renzo Piano, the tallest building in the European Union at the time.^[20]
July 18 – Tate Modern, London, opens The Tanks performance art/installation space, refurbished by Herzog & de Meuron.^[21]
July 27 – Opening of 2012 Summer Olympics based at Olympic Park, London, England, with site design by the EDAW Consortium (including EDAW and Buro Happold), working with Arup and WS Atkins; taken over by LDA Design in conjunction with Hargreaves Associates. Individual buildings include
- Olympic Stadium, designed by Populous^[22]
- London Aquatics Centre, designed by Zaha Hadid^[22]
- London Velopark, designed by Hopkins Architects, Expedition Engineering, BDSP, and Grant Associates
- ArcelorMittal Orbit tower, designed by Anish Kapoor (see above)
August 3 – Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law, Brisbane, Australia.
September 21 – Islamic art gallery at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, designed by Mario Bellini and Rudy Ricciotti.^[6]^[23]
September 23 – Renovation and new wing for Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, designed by Benthem Crouwel Architekten.^[6]^[24]
October 11 – Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belgaum, India, built by B.G. Shirke Construction Technology Pvt. Ltd.
October 17 – Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York City, designed by Louis Kahn.
October 24 – Boekenberg ("Book mountain") public library in Spijkenisse, Netherlands, designed by MVRDV.
December 3 – United States Courthouse, Austin, Texas, designed by Mack Scogin Merrill Elam.
December 11 – Le Louvre-Lens art gallery in Lens, Pas-de-Calais, France, designed by SANAA.^[25]
date unknown
- Flame Towers, Baku, Azerbaijan, designed by HOK.
- ME Hotel, London, designed by Foster and Partners.
- Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art new buildings are opened in Oslo, Norway.
- Statoil (now Equinor) Regional and International Offices, Oslo, Norway, by A-Lab Architects, winner of 2012 WAN Award for best office building^[26]^[27]

Buildings completed

January 6 – Porta Macedonia, Skopje, Macedonia.^[28]
February 29 – Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the world, is completed in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan.
June – Airport Link, a 6.7 km road tunnel in Brisbane, the longest in Australia.
September – NEO Bankside apartments in London, designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.^[29]
November 1 – Mercury City Tower, in Moscow, topped-out to become the tallest building in Europe (2012–2014).
date unknown
- Abraj Al Bait in Mecca, the tallest buildings in Saudi Arabia.
- Absolute World in Mississauga, Ontario, designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Studio.
- Church of Pentecost, Vinkovci, Serbia, a replica of the 18th century church that was destroyed during the Croatian War of Independence.^[30]
- Princess Tower, the world's tallest residential building, is completed in Dubai.
- The Bow (skyscraper) in Calgary, Alberta
- Soleil, the tallest building in Brisbane, Australia (until 2014) designed by DBI Design.
- Community in a Cube, RiversideOne, Middlesbrough, England, designed by FAT.^[31]
- Astley Castle in North Warwickshire, England, refurbished for the Landmark Trust by Witherford Watson Mann Architects (winner, Stirling Prize, 2013).^[32]
- University of Limerick Medical School in Ireland designed by Grafton Architects.
- Sarajevo City Center.
- The Wilson art gallery and museum extension and refurbishment in Cheltenham, England, designed by BGS Architects.

Awards

AIA Architecture Firm Award – Vincent James Associates Architects
AIA Gold Medal – Steven Holl
Carbuncle Cup – Cutty Sark Renovation
Alvar Aalto Medal – Paulo David
Driehaus Architecture Prize for New Classical Architecture – Michael Graves
Emporis Skyscraper Award – Absolute World in Mississauga designed by Burka Architects and MAD Studio
Lawrence Israel Prize – Diller Scofidio + Renfro
LEAF Award, Overall Winner – Sou Fujimoto Architects
Praemium Imperiale Architecture Laureate – Henning Larsen
Pritzker Architecture Prize – Wang Shu
RAIA Gold Medal – Lawrence Nield
RIBA Royal Gold Medal – Herman Hertzberger
Stirling Prize – Stanton Williams, for Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University^[33]
Thomas Jefferson Medal in Architecture – Rafael Moneo
Twenty-five Year Award – Frank Gehry for Gehry Residence, Santa Monica
Vincent Scully Prize – Paul Goldberger

Deaths

January 4 – Rod Robbie, Canadian architect (born 1928)
January 8 – John Madin, English architect (born 1924)
February 6 – Norma Merrick Sklarek, African American architect (born 1926)
March 21 – Bruno Giacometti, Swiss architect (born 1907)
June 4 – Peter Beaven, New Zealand architect (born 1925)
June 15
- Francis Bonaert, Belgian architect (born 1914) was a Belgian architect.^[34]
- Günther Domenig, Austrian architect (born 1934)
June 19 – Gerhard M. Kallmann, German-born American architect (born 1915)
July 2 – Angelo Mangiarotti, Italian architect and industrial designer (born 1929)^[35]
August 20 – Dom Mintoff, Maltese architect and Prime Minister (born 1916)^[36]
August 26 – Peter L. Shelton, American architect and interior designer (born 1945)
October 6 – Ulrich Franzen (born 1921), German-born American architect^[37]
October 26 – John M. Johansen, American architect (born 1916)
October 30
- Wayland Tunley, British architect associated with Milton Keynes (born 1937)^[38]
- Lebbeus Woods, American architect and artist (born 1940)
November 1 – Gae Aulenti), Italian architect, interior and lighting designer (born 1927
November 4 – David Resnick, Brazilian-born Israeli architect and town planner (born 1924)
December 5 – Oscar Niemeyer, Brazilian architect (born 1907)
December 14 – Alan Colquhoun, British architect (born 1921)^[39]

References

^ "It's official: 1 WTC is New York's new tallest building". Daily News. New York. April 30, 2012. Archived from the original on May 3, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
^ "Opening of the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan". Baku Magazine. Condé Nast International. November 21, 2013. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
^ Jackman, Amy. "Opera House may close". The Wellingtonian.
^ "New National Stadium – Tokyo, Japan". Zaha Hadid Architects. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
^ Himmer, Alastair (July 17, 2015). "Japan rips up 2020 Olympic stadium plans to start anew". news.yahoo.com. AFP. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Kneen, Dale (Summer 2012). "Starchitects In Our Eyes". High Life. British Airways: 16–17.
^ "Die Erweiterung des Städel Museums". Städel Museum. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
^ "The Gallery". Jerwood Gallery. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
^ Moore, Rowan (March 11, 2012). "A happy end to the battle of Hastings". The Observer. London. p. 28 (The New Review).
^ Frearson, Amy (March 14, 2012). "Western Concourse at King's Cross by John McAslan + Partners". Dezeen. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
^ Brownell, Ginanne (March 20, 2012). "A Makeover for Contemporary Art in Sydney". The New York Times. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
^ "Marco Casagrande Sandworm". Beaufort04. January 25, 2013. Archived from the original on December 27, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
^ "SeaCity Museum by Wilkinson Eyre Architects". de zeen. April 21, 2012.
^ "Cultural complex". Good Design Award (in Japanese). Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^ "Belfast's new arts venue the MAC prepares to open". BBC News. April 19, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
^ Adams, Tim (May 5, 2012). "Anish Kapoor's Orbit tower: the mother of all helter-skelters". The Guardian. London. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
^ Arata Yamamoto (May 22, 2012). "Tokyo Sky Tree takes root as world's second-tallest structure". NBC News. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
^ "Wilkinson Eyre Architects on winning World Building of the Year", De Zeen, October 5, 2012, retrieved May 1, 2013
^ Waite, Richard (July 4, 2012), "Heneghan Peng's Giant's Causeway scheme finally opens doors", Architects' Journal, retrieved July 19, 2013
^ "Shard owners shatter abseiling ambition of Hague Snr". The Independent. May 24, 2012. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
^ "Tate Modern's giant tanks swap oil for performance art". BBC News. July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
^ ^a ^b Moore, Rowan (December 11, 2011). "Architecture". The Observer. London. p. 21 (The New Review).
^ Harris, Gareth (September 13, 2012). "Islamic art, covered". Financial Times. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
^ "Stedelijk Museum Opens September 23rd". Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. September 23, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
^ Chrisafis, Angelique (December 4, 2012). "Louvre opens 'glass river' on Lens slagheap". The Guardian. London. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
^ "Statoil regional and international offices". Archello. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
^ "Equinor regional and international office building (previously Statoil)". Visit Oslo. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
^ Macedonia, Kazakhstan: Triumphal Arches to Celebrate 20 Years of Independence, Global Voices Online
^ "NEO Bankside". New London Architecture. Archived from the original on January 15, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
^ "Zlo u ratu, dobrota u miru". Novosti (in Serbian). No. 585. March 5, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
^ Parnell, Steve (April 26, 2012). "Alone in Riverside One". Architects' Journal. London.
^ "2013 RIBA Stirling Prize winner – Astley Castle, Warwickshire". RIBA. September 2013. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
^ Youngs, Ian (October 14, 2012). "Sainsbury Laboratory wins Stirling architecture prize". BBC News. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
^ "In memoriam Baron Francis Bonaert" (in French). Patrimoine-mobilier.be. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
^ "Angelo Mangiarotti". Casati Gallery. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
^ "Dom Mintoff, Malta's political giant, passes away". Times of Malta. August 20, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
^ Vitello, Paul (14 October 2012). Ulrich Franzen, Designer of Brutalist Buildings, Dies at 91, The New York Times
^ "OBITUARY: MARCH 2013". RIBA Journal. March 2013. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
^ Fulcher, Merlin (December 14, 2012). "'Great educator' Alan Colquhoun dies aged 91". architectsjournal. EMAP Publishing Limited. Retrieved January 10, 2013.

[1] "It's official: 1 WTC is New York's new tallest building". Daily News. New York. April 30, 2012. Archived from the original on May 3, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2012.

[2] "Opening of the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan". Baku Magazine. Condé Nast International. November 21, 2013. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.

[3] Jackman, Amy. "Opera House may close". The Wellingtonian.

[4] "New National Stadium – Tokyo, Japan". Zaha Hadid Architects. Retrieved July 18, 2015.

[5] Himmer, Alastair (July 17, 2015). "Japan rips up 2020 Olympic stadium plans to start anew". news.yahoo.com. AFP. Retrieved July 17, 2015.

[Kneen-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Kneen, Dale (Summer 2012). "Starchitects In Our Eyes". High Life. British Airways: 16–17.

[7] "Die Erweiterung des Städel Museums". Städel Museum. Retrieved October 14, 2012.

[8] "The Gallery". Jerwood Gallery. Retrieved March 12, 2012.

[9] Moore, Rowan (March 11, 2012). "A happy end to the battle of Hastings". The Observer. London. p. 28 (The New Review).

[10] Frearson, Amy (March 14, 2012). "Western Concourse at King's Cross by John McAslan + Partners". Dezeen. Retrieved April 13, 2012.

[11] Brownell, Ginanne (March 20, 2012). "A Makeover for Contemporary Art in Sydney". The New York Times. Retrieved October 14, 2012.

[12] "Marco Casagrande Sandworm". Beaufort04. January 25, 2013. Archived from the original on December 27, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2013.

[13] "SeaCity Museum by Wilkinson Eyre Architects". de zeen. April 21, 2012.

[14] "Cultural complex". Good Design Award (in Japanese). Retrieved January 2, 2024.

[15] "Belfast's new arts venue the MAC prepares to open". BBC News. April 19, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2014.

[16] Adams, Tim (May 5, 2012). "Anish Kapoor's Orbit tower: the mother of all helter-skelters". The Guardian. London. Retrieved December 3, 2013.

[17] Arata Yamamoto (May 22, 2012). "Tokyo Sky Tree takes root as world's second-tallest structure". NBC News. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.

[18] "Wilkinson Eyre Architects on winning World Building of the Year", De Zeen, October 5, 2012, retrieved May 1, 2013

[19] Waite, Richard (July 4, 2012), "Heneghan Peng's Giant's Causeway scheme finally opens doors", Architects' Journal, retrieved July 19, 2013

[20] "Shard owners shatter abseiling ambition of Hague Snr". The Independent. May 24, 2012. Archived from the original on May 1, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2012.

[21] "Tate Modern's giant tanks swap oil for performance art". BBC News. July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.

[Moore_Arch-22] Moore, Rowan (December 11, 2011). "Architecture". The Observer. London. p. 21 (The New Review).

[23] Harris, Gareth (September 13, 2012). "Islamic art, covered". Financial Times. Retrieved October 11, 2012.

[24] "Stedelijk Museum Opens September 23rd". Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. September 23, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2012.

[25] Chrisafis, Angelique (December 4, 2012). "Louvre opens 'glass river' on Lens slagheap". The Guardian. London. Retrieved December 4, 2012.

[26] "Statoil regional and international offices". Archello. Retrieved December 13, 2019.

[27] "Equinor regional and international office building (previously Statoil)". Visit Oslo. Retrieved December 13, 2019.

[28] Macedonia, Kazakhstan: Triumphal Arches to Celebrate 20 Years of Independence, Global Voices Online

[29] "NEO Bankside". New London Architecture. Archived from the original on January 15, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2015.

[novosti-30] "Zlo u ratu, dobrota u miru". Novosti (in Serbian). No. 585. March 5, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.

[31] Parnell, Steve (April 26, 2012). "Alone in Riverside One". Architects' Journal. London.

[32] "2013 RIBA Stirling Prize winner – Astley Castle, Warwickshire". RIBA. September 2013. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2013.

[33] Youngs, Ian (October 14, 2012). "Sainsbury Laboratory wins Stirling architecture prize". BBC News. Retrieved October 15, 2012.

[34] "In memoriam Baron Francis Bonaert" (in French). Patrimoine-mobilier.be. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2012.

[35] "Angelo Mangiarotti". Casati Gallery. Retrieved February 2, 2021.

[36] "Dom Mintoff, Malta's political giant, passes away". Times of Malta. August 20, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

[37] Vitello, Paul (14 October 2012). Ulrich Franzen, Designer of Brutalist Buildings, Dies at 91, The New York Times

[38] "OBITUARY: MARCH 2013". RIBA Journal. March 2013. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2013.

[39] Fulcher, Merlin (December 14, 2012). "'Great educator' Alan Colquhoun dies aged 91". architectsjournal. EMAP Publishing Limited. Retrieved January 10, 2013.

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2012 in architecture

2012 in architecture

2012 in architecture

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Root Wikipedia Article

2012 in architecture

Events

Buildings and structures

Buildings opened

Buildings completed

Awards

Deaths

See also

References