Rocky Ruins Reclaimed: 12 Mining Facilities Transformed
Abandoned subterranean pits once used to mine everything from gold to salt have been reclaimed as theme parks, restorative spas for asthmatics, data centers, cathedrals and even the world's ...
Category: Public & Institutional
Civic structures shape cities – the best examples of institutional architecture stand out from the crowd and declare themselves as objects rather than infill. From sensational schools, colleges and universities to magnificent museums, theaters and opera halls, here are some buildings well worth viewing (and visiting should you ever find yourself in the relevant city!).
New Frank Gehry Building So Ugly it Has to Wear a Paper Bag
Featuring over 300,000 custom-designed bricks, the latest work of one of the world's most famous architects is an impressive feat of engineering, but hard not to compare to a crumpled grocery ...
Food Futures: Arctic Seed Vault Adds 100,000 New Varieties
Adding to its existing collection of over 800,000 seeds, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault has just received a series of 4 deliveries representing species from 100 countries around the world. ...
Fictional Bridges from Euro Banknotes Now Built in Real Life
In a strange case of fact following fiction, a Dutch designer was inspired to create physical versions of faux-historical bridges first drawn on European currency in 2002. The ...
Ruins of Crumbling Church Salvaged with Geometric Addition
A faceted glass structure clings to the ruins of a stone church in Santpedor, Spain, filling in a gaping hole that was created with the demolition of an adjacent convent. Built modestly by ...
Chinese President Calls for End to “Weird Architecture” Trend
After years of both importing famous designers and copying strange structures from abroad, Xi Jinping, the leader of China's Communist Party has declared an end to offbeat construction projects ...
Rounded Market Hall: Huge Digital Mural Wraps 118,000 Sq Ft
A massive mixed use project in Rotterdam by MVRDV, this newly-opened building wraps vertically around an open central space but also features one of the largest works of art in the Netherlands: ...
Deserted for Decades: Derelict Old Building Houses New School
A remarkable example of architectural rehabilitation, this abandoned structure has been given a second life via a fresh facade wrapping a rundown shell. The before-and-after shots illustrate the ...
Inverted Zoo: Enclosure-Free Design Puts Animals in the Open
Aiming to change the nature of zoo experiences for species on both sides of the glass, Zootopia radically reverses traditional layouts and changes conventional expectations. It almost looks as ...
Floating on Dry Land: 17 Derelict Houseboats Find New Home
Located in the north of Amsterdam, the recently-opened De Ceuval (conceptualized by Space&Matter) is a radical redevelopment project featuring homes, offices, restaurants and gardens, all ...
