Scanning The Skyline: 10 Bizarre Barcode Buildings

Barcode Halls, Nanhui New City, China

Barcode Halls Nanhui New City China(images via: GMP)

Nanhui New City (formerly known as Lingang New City) is a planned city located in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China that has been under construction since 2003 with a projected completion date of 2020. The city was designed by German architectural firm Gerkan, Marg and Partners, and if the stunning Barcode Halls building is any indication, Nanhui New City will be the IN place to be seven years hence.

Cuatro Caminos Square, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain

Cuatro Caminos Square A Coruña Spain barcode building(image via: Panoramio/Cebreiro)

Cuatro Caminos Square in the historic center of A Coruña is looking mighty spiffy these days, the multistory Optica Lopsy building in particular.

Cuatro Caminos Square A Coruña barcode building(images via: Amigosdelamili and Oscar Aneiros)

A portion of the front facade three stories high and four wide has been visually augmented with a set of barcode stripes. Successfully and appealingly incorporating a modern barcode onto a wall & window design obviously not built to anticipate such things is quite the accomplishment.

Barcode Building by Jan Timm

Jan Timm barcode building(image via: order, rhythm and pattern)

The so-called Barcode Building by Jan Timm is a lot smaller than most architectural barcode-based building designs – more of a Barcode House than a Barcode Building but let’s not split hairs here. Architect Graham Shawcross discovered this charming digital design but didn’t provide any info besides the image above. You’re still free to scan it to your heart’s content.