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!).
What happens to the world around us when designers and architects treat even the most humble structures with the same care they’d give to more prestigious buildings? Rest areas are certainly ...
These visually stunning German transformer stations display artistic paint jobs that beautify their surroundings while discouraging graffiti artists. “Transformatorenstation” is ...
There are mysterious and maybe slightly creepy black buildings, and then there are the blackest of black buildings made from the light-absorbing pigment known as Vantablack. Architect Asif Khan ...
We all want to be smiling when we go but if you're “going” at one of Okinawa, Japan's cute and creative public restrooms, grinning comes with the territory. Flickr member Okinawa ...
A series of stacked tree-like supports seem to abstract the nature in this Japanese chapel, bringing a small geometric forest inside this otherwise minimalist space to serve a contemporary ...
When it's cold and dreary outside, the relaxing ritual of steaming oneself in a cozy sauna is more tempting than ever. In some places, like Finland, there are almost as many saunas as there are ...
Towers gonna tower, at least for a while. Just like rust, however, gravity never sleeps and these ten tipsy towers will sooner or later have a rude awakening. We see your Leaning Tower of ...
Looking like something out of a Kubrick film, the new Tianjin Binhai Library by MVRDV and local firm TUPDI features cascading floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that double as benches centered around a ...
Kinetic architecture, verdant cascading balconies, timber-frame skyscrapers and double-helix bridges: Beijing- and Salzburg-based multidisciplinary firm Penda brings all sorts of refreshing ideas ...
Stormwater flooding, too few places to park and a lack of green space are three of the main issues plaguing every major city, and this strange but kind of brilliant building concept attempts to ...
