What's New This Month

Luke Hayes has submitted photographs from Zaha Hadid's much anticipated MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts, in Rome. It's Italy's first national public museum dedicated to contemporary art, and features two museums - MAXXI Art and MAXXI Architecture. Zaha's signature freeform concrete curves are in full flow - the two museums rotate around a large, double storey atrium with interweaving levels connected by floating stairs. Outside, a pedestrian path follows the shape of the building, slipping under cantilevered volumes and connecting the building with its immediate environment. It's a huge site - 27000 square metres in all. In addition to the museums there's an auditorium, a library, and open spaces for live events and workshops.

To Ireland, and the city of Dublin, where James Brittain has photographed a beautiful new bridge designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The bridge carries road traffic and pedestrians, and elegantly spans the River Liffey at the city docks - connecting a cultural and residential quarter to a new convention centre on the north bank. The deck is supported by 31 cable stays suspended from a tubular arc, taking the shape of an Irish harp. It's been designed to swing open to allow ships to pass through, and was officially opened just before Christmas.

Here, Edmund Sumner has sent us a set of photographs of The Centre For Sight - a newly built eye hospital in rural Sussex by Toh Shimazaki Architecture. Yuli Toh and Takero Shimazaki both cut their teeth with Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners, and although still small, the London-based practice is growing in reputation. The Centre for Sight has a subtlety about it - the interior spaces are designed simply to fit their purpose, while the use of local materials integrates the building to the adjacent village, and places it gently within the wider landscape.

And finally, Edmund again, this time in India - with a wonderful private house in Alibaug, not far from Mumbai. Designed by Studio Mumbai, it's a weekend retreat from the hurly burly of the city, sensitively positioned in the surrounding countryside. It's been built using prefabricated concrete and local stone and timber - and fitted out with bespoke furniture designed for the house by the practice. Studio Mumbai is one of several with directors who trained abroad before returning home to set up practice. Edmund has been working extensively in India lately, and you can read more about the projects we hold later in the newsletter.