Felicity Long
Every January, I typically recap my list of good news stories from the previous year. This time, I struggled. Let's face it, a lot of us would be fine just putting a line through 2021 and pretending it never happened.
That said, and in honor of the new year, here are just a few of things I'm excited about for 2022.
In France, the 2019 fire in Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral was a gut punch. But progress is well underway on a restoration that some speculate will make the landmark even more magnificent than before. Work isn't scheduled to be complete until 2024, but visitors to the city can already see improvements to the exterior, including the removal of the burned scaffolding that served as a depressing reminder of the fire. You can follow the progress via photos, some of which were taken by drone from inside the monument.
In Lausanne, Switzerland, a new museum complex called Plateforme 10 is scheduled for completion by June 2022. Located adjacent to the Lausanne train station in the heart of the city, the project brings together three museums that formerly inhabited disparate buildings throughout the city into one location. Built on the site of former locomotive sheds, Plateforme 10 merges fine art, photography, design and textile arts into one 237,000-square-foot exhibition space.
In Helsinki, Finland, which is marking its 10th anniversary as a World Design Capital, a new cultural center is set to open its doors in February. Tanssin Talo, designed by JKMM and ILO Architects, is dedicated to dance and will showcase different dance forms and dance cultures. Finnish and international pieces will be seen on the stages of the 700-seat Erkko Hall and the 250-seat Pannuhalli Stage, and many internationally renowned choreographers and dance companies are scheduled to perform at the venue.
Taking inspiration from New York's famous High Line, Manchester, England, is gearing up to transform a derelict train line into an urban park called Castlefield Viaduct. Spearheaded by the National Trust, the long-abandoned Grade II-listed viaduct will open in a phase one trial this summer while permanent plans are being finalized.
Fans of street art will be able to get their fill in Cork, Ireland, where seven new installations created by some of the country's top contemporary artists are now available via a self-guided audio walking tour. Under an initiative called Ardu -- Irish for "rise" -- the art symbolizes the tentative emergence of the city from Covid-inspired lockdown and graces walls across the city. Visitors will also be able to take in Nano Nagle Place, a collection of listed buildings -- formerly a school and convent -- that have been restored and now house a museum, heritage center, secluded gardens, a cafe and design and gift shops.
Of course, these represent just a smattering of hopeful signs of the Continent's rebound, and I'll be covering more of them in the months ahead. In the meantime, here's to a full recovery for Europe, in all its enduring glory, for 2022 and beyond.