Guangdong Museum of Art
Rocco Design Architects cut a bunch of random shapes into the facade of the Guangdong Museum of Art, which become terraces, atria or simply indentations for irregularly-shaped windows. The result has a sci-fi sort of feel that continues as visitors step inside.
Nestle Application Group Building by Rojkind Arquitectos
A bright pop of yellow-orange highlights the underside of concave cut-outs at the base of the Nestle Application Group structure in Mexico by Rojkind Arquitectos. The building had to have a specific look complementing its UNESCO historic site, incorporating a portico with arches. The individual volumes in the complex contain a tasting area, laboratory, auditorium and offices.
ARPT Headquarters by Mario Cucinella Architects
Here’s another one that looks sort of like a spaceship crashed into the earth, one end jutting up toward the sky. The ARPT Headquarters design by Mario Cucinella Architects features a pointed arch referencing the iconic shapes often seen in Islamic regions, as well as the dunes of the desert. The convex side directs hot winds around the structure, while the concave end draws in cool air at night.
Modern Church with a Concave Vaulted Roof
Far from the typical church design, Algård Church in Norway by Link Arkitektur features a concave roof that rises into the sky like sails on a ship. The architects describe the elevated section, located just over the pulpit, as a “modern interpretation of a traditional church vault.”
A Building That’s Actually a Solar Thermal Collector
While cut-outs and depressions in buildings are often decorative, they occasionally have a highly significant purpose. This particular one was actually built for the sole purpose of gathering solar energy. Built in 1970, the Odeillo in France concentrates the rays of the sun 10,000 times, achieving a temperature of up to 6,332 degrees Fahrenheit within just a few seconds.
