Zaha Hadid

Oscar Niemeyer, widely considered one of the world's greatest living architects, will design this year's pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery in London's Hyde Park. The temporary pavilion will be the first structure in Britain by the 95-year-old Brazilian, who designed much of his country's capital city, Brasilia. The pavilion is a temporary structure erected for special events on the gallery's lawn from June to September. Previous designers include Zaha Hadid, Daniel Libeskind and Toyo Ito.

At a symposium in downtown L.A.'s Japan America Theatre last weekend about design and the projected $1.2-billion Grand Avenue development, Frank Gehry packed the stage with celebrated fellow architects, including Zaha Hadid, Harry Cobb and Kevin Daly -- all players on his "dream team" vying for the project. And, as if that wasn't enough star power, Gehry also brought along Brad Pitt, whom he took time to introduce as a friend to the audience of more than 500.

A design by Zaha Hadid Architects was among the projects highlighted by a jury of artists and architects who recently judged alternative visions for a property adjacent to the historic Schindler House in West Hollywood. The MAK Center for Art and Architecture, which operates the Schindler House, had invited a group of people to come up with ideas for the lot on Kings Road, just south of the Schindler House, where a developer plans to build a condominium complex.

Eli Broad's new contemporary art museum at his alma mater, Michigan State University, has set a new opening date of Nov. 9. The museum, designed by architect Zaha Hadid, had originally been expected to debut in April, but had to postpone the opening due to a delay in construction. The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at MSU will feature approximately 46,000 square feet of space. The L.A billionaire donated $28 million for the museum, with $21 million going toward construction of the facility and $7 million for acquisitions, exhibitions and other functions.

The biggest bid to make great art-viewing happen in Vegas is not staying in Vegas: The Guggenheim Hermitage Museum will close May 11, as the New York-based Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the State Hermitage Museum of St. Petersburg, Russia, refocus their partnership on a proposed venture in Vilnius, Lithuania. Located off the main lobby of the Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, the 7,600-square-foot museum opened in October 2001. Exhibitions included Impressionist paintings, ancient Egyptian artifacts, pop art and Robert Mapplethorpe photographs.

The popular image of the winery remains the picturesque European chateau, but a growing number of winemakers around the world are seeking a fresh approach. Architects are being challenged to rethink the winery as a bold contemporary expression of tradition and innovation, agriculture and technology, production and hospitality.

Italy's Maxxi museum, which opened just two years ago, has been hard hit by the country's economic problems, which have resulted in widespread cuts in cultural funding. Now the high-profile art museum, designed by architect Zaha Hadid, faces possible closure. As reported this week in Britain's the Guardian, the museum faces a 800,000 euros ($1.1 million) hole in its 2011 accounts. Projected losses could reach 11 million euros in the next three years. Italy's cultural minister has reportedly begun proceedings that could lead to the Maxxi being put under special administration, in effect shutting it down.

Eli Broad is donating 19 works of art from his collection to the new museum at Michigan State University in East Lansing that bears his name. The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum is set to be dedicated Nov. 10. The donation includes the large-scale Roxy Paine sculpture "Containment 1," which will be displayed outdoors. The other works of art include pieces in various media by Robert Longo, Ross Bleckner, Elizabeth Murray, Sue Williams, Terry Winters, Donald Baechler, Jonathan Borofsky, Peter Halley and Jonathan Lasker.  The Broads gave $26 million to MSU in 2007 for the creation of the museum.