Valley, Amsterdam
Imagine a mountain oasis amidst the concrete jungle of Amsterdam. Completed in 2021, Valley is a mixed-use building that houses office space, residential apartments, and commercial spaces such as retail, exhibition space, and bars and restaurants.
From the front, the building looks almost corporate, but its aesthetic changes completely as you walk around it. The facade looks almost like a rock that has exploded, revealing a jagged arrangement of lush greenery, vertical gardens, and balconies in its wake.
It is located in Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, buzzing with business and activity. The Valley offers a breath of fresh air with its unconventional design and oasis feel.
The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
Designed by Henning Larsen Architects, The Wave in Vejle is as much a modernist sculpture as it is a residential apartment block. The design takes strong influence from organic shapes and forms, creating an undulating wave-like structure that washes through the landscape. Its wavey design was influenced by the fjord water that it sits on, each of which complements the other beautifully.
During the day, the wave reflects like a natural form in the water. By night, the multi-colored lighting illuminates the building to make it look like brightly colored mountains. It’s all a big tribute to nature and the perfect imperfections of its fjord surroundings.
The Aqua Tower, Chicago
While most Chicago skyscrapers soar into the sky with rigid forms and straight lines, the Aqua Tower breaks the city norm. Designed by Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang Architects, it has received plenty of impressive awards since its completion in 2009.
Reaching 82 stories into the sky, the building is influenced by the wavy forms of water. Its undulating wave-like balconies give it a fluid structural appearance.
Situated in Chicago’s Lakeshore East neighborhood in the Loop, the unique silhouette stands out amongst the city’s high-rise forest. It’s home to condos, apartments, and a hotel and is surrounded by busy parks, restaurants, and cultural attractions.
The Interlace, Singapore
From the moment The Interlace appeared in the Singaporean skyline, it has defied the norms of residential buildings. But it’s unique design also defies gravity. Designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, this 1040-unit condo complex is made up of apartment blocks stacked on top of each other in abstract arrangements.
It’s the largest residential development in Singapore, with 31 apartment blocks, each six stories tall. They’re stacked in a way that makes some look like they are floating above others.
The star of this design is its integration with nature. Singapore is known for its manmade gardens and innovative green spaces, and this apartment block, with its sky gardens and public and private roof terraces, is no exception.
La Muralla Roja, Calpe, Spain
One look at La Muralla Roja in Calpe, and you might think you’re standing on the set of a city from The Game of Thrones. This postmodern marvel, designed by Ricardo Bofill in 1873, brings fantasy to life with its bold, intersecting geometric forms painted in vibrant reds, pinks, and oranges.
The name La Muralla Roja directly translates to ‘The Red Wall’, which makes sense considering its color and Arab, Mediterranean-inspired design elements. It was inspired by the Mediterranean tradition of the Casbah, which is a historical fortified quarter.
Other than being a fascinating place to live in, the unique structure has also attracted many photographers and filmmakers, who have used it as a background set. Source : touropia
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