Latest news with #PrixVersailles
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
The six most beautiful airports in the world for 2025 have been revealed — and two are in the US
They're the airports with designs born from soaring imaginations, six hubs that according to a prestigious architecture award are the most eye-catching on the planet. And two are in the US. Portland International Airport Main Terminal and San Francisco International Airport Terminal 1 both make the Unesco Prix Versailles competition's World's Most Beautiful Airports List 2025. The judges describe Portland's new Main Terminal, designed by Oregon's ZGF, as "spectacular". They explain that the terminal was "inspired by walks in the forest, resulting in a calming, immersive experience for travelers". They continue: "The star of the project is its undulating mass timber roof, extending over more than 387,500ft, which celebrates Oregon's history of forest product innovation." It's explained that the materials employed were sourced from local industry within a 310-mile radius of the airport, with a "forest to frame" system created to track as much of the wood as possible back to its forest of origin. Prix Versailles adds: "The spectacularly scaled structure promotes access to natural light and views of the forested landscape. A resplendently staged renovation that is both sustainable and functional." San Francisco Airport's new Terminal 1, meanwhile, is described as a "soothing, restorative setting for travelers", with "soft natural light filtering through to entry level" and "architecture that unfurls in a celebration of arts and crafts that reflect the unique character of the Bay Area". Prix Versailles adds: "In fact, the airport is becoming a real cultural destination with the SFO Museum, the world's only accredited museum at an airport, allowing more robust exhibits and art to be shared throughout the terminals." Also making the list is Kansai International Airport Terminal 1 in Osaka, Japan. Originally designed 30 years ago by Renzo Piano on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, its interior spaces have now been "reinvigorated" and a smart queue management system installed. The judges add: "The terminal's successful reopening, in time for the 2025 World Expo, honours the history of an extraordinary site." Marseille Provence Airport Terminal 1, designed by Foster + Partners, also makes the cut thanks to an extension comprising a window-lined hall with a grid of skylights that "conveys peace and relaxation". Prix Versailles adds: "Glass façades provide for maximum transparency, with views of Provençal hinterland on the one side and a maritime lagoon on the other, in a wonderful blend of hospitality and style." The other two airports on the list are Yantai Penglai International Airport Terminal 2 in China, where "natural light permeates the entire terminal", and Roland Garros Airport Arrivals Terminal on Reunion Island. This "tropical bioclimatic airport" has a central "canyon" that acts as a thermal chimney, louvred shutters connected to sensors that adjust their angles in response to changing weather conditions and an interior that's a "sensory journey" for travelers thanks to "extensive use of wood and native vegetation in a living expression of the island's landscape and culture". The Secretary General of the Prix Versailles, Jérôme Gouadain, emphasises the footprint of these new projects: "The mark left by airports stems chiefly from their ever-growing role in international exchanges. As a result, this infrastructure must resolve formidable difficulties in terms of flow management and the aircraft themselves. "But this new brand of facilities can also be seen as works of art, or at least as things of beauty. In fact, we should strive to make this happen, given their inescapability in our built environments and our landscapes. "Orientated towards operational, ecological and aesthetic excellence, these hubs also convey shared values, culture or even a tribute to the past, out of respect for the legacies left behind by earlier generations. In the light of the planetary challenges facing us today, it is time for these expressive images of our contemporary heritage to be asserted as symbols of humankind's internal dialogue."
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
France, Japan, China: Where are the world's most beautiful airports
Whether dashing down corridors to reach a gate or whiling away hours during a layover, travellers are rarely inspired to stop and admire airport architecture. But an attractive water feature or a quirky ceiling can make the frustrating process of waiting for a flight a little more pleasurable. The Prix Versailles, a prestigious global architecture award, has revealed its annual list of the world's most beautiful airports. Secretary general Jérôme Gouadain emphasises how even functional spaces like departure terminals or check-in desks can benefit from thoughtful design. 'The mark left by airports stems chiefly from their ever-growing role in international exchanges. As a result, this infrastructure must resolve formidable difficulties in terms of flow management and the aircraft themselves,' he says. 'But this new brand of facilities can also be seen as works of art, or at least as things of beauty. In fact, we should strive to make this happen, given their inescapability in our built environments and our landscapes.' The award also prioritises 'intelligent sustainability' in airport design. Here are the winning airports, chosen for their 'operational, ecological and aesthetic excellence'. Nature and light fill Yantai Penglai International Airport, China First place went to Yantai Penglai International Airport's Terminal 2. Spanning 167,000 square metres, the architecture of the new building pays homage to Yantai's unique coastal landscape. Aedas, in collaboration with CSWADI and the Shanghai New Era Airport Design and Research Institute, drew inspiration from the majestic Kunyu Mountain for the terminal's sweeping roofline and undulating shapes. Its E-shaped layout was developed to optimise passenger flow and minimise the impact on the existing terrain. The curves, materials and tones of the interior draw on nature and natural light permeates the entire terminal, which can help travellers find a sense of calm. Reinterpretations of wooden ships' hulls are scattered here and there in a nod to the Maritime Silk Road. A sustainable restoration of Marseille Provence Airport, France A European airport took second place. Architects Foster + Partners recently designed a bright, new structure to unify Terminal 1 at Marseille Provence Airport in France. It includes a 22,000 square metre extension that 'conveys peace and relaxation without expanding the terminal's footprint on the ground', according to the Prix Versailles judges. This window-lined hall stands 22 metres tall and was built with 70 per cent recycled steel. The roof features a grid of skylights framed with polished aluminium, allowing for natural ventilation. The project also involved restoring 28,000 square metres of space in keeping with French architect Fernand Pouillon's original 1960s terminal and integrated with British-Italian architect Richard Rogers' development in the 1990s. Now, travellers pass through security under a timber canopy, and the spaces containing shops and restaurants - likewise made of wood - are a reference to the boat houses of the Old Port of Marseille. Glass façades provide for maximum transparency, with views of the Provençal hinterland on one side and a maritime lagoon on the other. Working with Réunion Island's weather phenomena at Roland Garros Airport The new 13,000 square metre Arrivals Terminal of Roland Garros Airport on Réunion Island takes third place as the world's first tropical bioclimatic airport structure at this scale. This technical feat was achieved by working with 91 per cent local businesses, whose expertise helped come up with the idea for a central 'canyon'. This defines both the form and function of the building and acts as a thermal chimney, enabling natural ventilation. Réunion Island is subject to increasingly intense weather phenomena, so 830 sets of shutters connected to sensors on the façades adjust their angles in real time in response to changing conditions. The Prix Versailles judges say the firm AIA Life Designers 'has delivered a sensory journey for travellers through the extensive use of wood and native vegetation, in a living expression of the island's landscape and culture.' Streamlined services at Kansai International Airport, Japan Originally designed 30 years ago by Italian architect Renzo Piano on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, Kansai International Airport is an architectural icon. With its elegant structure and aerodynamic roofline, it is also the longest airport in the world. The newly restored Terminal 1, designed by architecture firm Populous, was awarded fourth place. Its capacity to accommodate international travellers has been expanded by 25 per cent. All the interior spaces have been reinvigorated with a palette of natural materials to give the terminal a distinctly Japanese feel. A smart queue management system has also been installed to help streamline the process for passengers. A forest-inspired experience at Portland International Airport Portland International Airport's new Main Terminal, designed by American architectural firm ZGF, comes in fifth place. It was inspired by walks in the forest, resulting in a calming, immersive experience for travellers. The star of the project is its undulating mass timber roof, extending over more than 36,000 square metres, which celebrates Oregon's history of forest product innovation. The materials employed were sourced from the local industry within a 500-kilometre radius of the airport, with a 'forest to frame' system to track as much of the wood as possible back to its forest of origin. The spectacular structure allows for natural light to flood in, views of the forested landscape, and the incorporation of a multitude of natural elements. A carbon-conscious terminal at San Francisco International Airport With its 25 new boarding gates, San Francisco International Airport's Terminal 1 takes the sixth spot. A collaboration between San Francisco International Airport and a team of partners led by global architecture firm Gensler, one of its main objectives was to reduce the building's carbon footprint by 79 per cent and its energy usage by 59 per cent. With soft natural light filtering through to every level, the new terminal provides a soothing, restorative setting for travellers. The architecture unfurls in a celebration of arts and crafts that reflects the unique character of the Bay Area. The airport is also home to the SFO Museum, the world's only accredited museum at an airport, which allows more robust exhibits and art to be shared throughout the terminals. Terminal 1 is also a tribute to Harvey Milk, a trailblazer for inclusion and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California.
Time Out
2 days ago
- Time Out
This Shanghai design school with a cathedral-like hall is one of the most beautiful campuses in the world
Trust a design school to have one of the most gorgeous campuses in the world. The Prix Versailles, a prestigious architectural award, has just named Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Design one of the most beautiful campuses worldwide. It joins a list of six global laureates, such as the James Cook University of Engineering and Innovation Place in Australia and the University of Copenhagen Niels Bohr Bygningen in Denmark. Like the Prix Versailles lists for the world's most beautiful hotels and the world's most beautiful museums, this selection celebrates beautiful designs that combine form, function, and sustainability. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shanghai Jiao Tong University (@sjtu_1896) The Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Design is the only Asian entry in the list, and what a worthy one. Established in 2008, the school offers a consolidated curriculum of architecture, design, and landscape architecture. To reflect the merger of these disciplines under one roof, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Design engaged Studio Ruan Xing to design a unifying central space within the new school. The result is a majestic new hall with a striking wooden structure that soars to the hall's ceiling. According to Prix Versailles, this is inspired by Song-era rainbow bridges known for their repairability and replaceability. The glass roof allows in ample sunlight, creating an overall effect reminiscent of a cathedral. Coupled with new terracotta facades, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University stands as "a judicious dialogue between two seemingly antithetical cultures". the most beautiful campuses in the world.
Time Out
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
One of the world's most beautiful restaurants is in London
Ever heard of the Prix Versailles? Well, it's a series of architecture awards given to outstandingly impressive buildings and interiors and they've just announced their 2025 list of the World's Most Beautiful Restaurants. Among this list of 16 downright gorgeous eateries is a single London entry; the very fit Julie's in Holland Park. The list is made up of new openings and re-opened restaurants, and Julie's is one of the latter. The west London bistro has been around since 1969, but relaunched last spring, with a brand new interior and fancy new menu from chef patron Owen Kenworthy. Julie's is named after its first owner, Julie Hodgess, an interior designer who kitted out stores for high-end hippy fashion house Biba in the 1960s. 'Her restaurant set the template for bohemian west London with stained glass, expensive antiques and fabrics bold enough to make your grandma blush,' we wrote when we visited the restaurant last year. 'The latest incarnation of Julie's doubles down on the fabulous interiors, with fresh chintz, chicly mismatched furnishings and staff in Laura Ashley-esque outfits complete with frilled necklines.' Other restaurants in the final Prix Versailles 16 included the art deco-styled Beefbar in New York, and the cutesy branch of macaron bakery Ladurée on Rue Royale in Paris. Want to check out some other quite beautiful London restaurants? Then have a look at our list of London's most romantic restaurants, which features some absolute stunners. The 8 best new London restaurant openings in July 2025.
Euronews
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
The most beautiful restaurants in the world have been unveiled
Prix Versailles, a prestigious global architecture award, has revealed its annual list of the world's most beautiful restaurants - and this year's picks are a feast for the eyes as much as the palate So, who made the cut? Top spot goes to Dubai's Gerbou, a sleek restaurant where traditional Emirati craftsmanship and cuisine meets modern design. With camel leather sofas, ghaf wood chairs, and fish-scale lighting echoing the coast, the space has been described as feeling both intimate and contemporary. Chef Ionel Catau's menu, featuring 70% locally sourced ingredients, reinterprets ancestral flavours with innovative flair - making Gerbou a feast for all the senses. Second place goes to Smoked Room in Dubai - a Michelin-star space with a sophisticated, moody aura. Black bricks have been used alongside mirrors and brass mesh, and its intimate semi-circular layout allows only 14 people at a time to enjoy the restaurant's Omakase experience. The top European entry is Lobster Club in Majorca, Spain - a contemporary sea club embodying the Mediterranean lifestyle. Designed by Sandra Tarruella and created by Juan Picornell of Grupo Cappuccino, the space features fluid dining zones around a central bar and a gorgeous panoramic terrace that blurs indoor and outdoor boundaries. In 6th place is Bouchon Carême in central Helsinki, a Finnish reinterpretation of the traditional Lyonnaise bouchon. Housed in a historic 1900 building, the restaurant preserves original features like exposed brick and cast-iron columns, while Studio Fyra's warm, natural décor creates a cozy atmosphere. Large rounded windows connect diners to the city, complementing Chef Hans Välimäki's menu of simple, timeless local dishes. Two Parisian gems claim the 7th and 8th spots on the list. In 7th place, Ladurée Rue Royale invites guests to step back into 1862 with its recent reopening, boasting a beautifully restored Belle Époque interior by Cordelia de Castellane. Walking through its salons - named Chantilly and Napoléon - is like entering Marie Antoinette's era, where delicate details and timeless elegance create a truly enchanting atmosphere. Right behind it at 8th place, Ducasse Baccarat transforms the former home of art muse Marie-Laure de Noailles. Interior architect Aliénor Béchu masterfully blends raw materials with shimmering crystal accents, while contemporary art and artisan furniture bathe the space in a play of light and shadow. An entry from the UK also makes the top 16 list with Julie's in London's Notting Hill, established in 1969 by interior designer Julie Hodges. The spot quickly became a favourite of actors, fashion icons, and royalty. Once a private gentlemen's club, the space is now open to all, featuring an alfresco terrace that celebrates its deep ties to West London's history and culture.
