Can architecture be a path into the clouds? Can you sunbathe underground? Is pretty a public amenity? These are just a few of the questions posed by HWKN architect and Architizer.com co-founder Marc Kushner in his new book, The Future of Architecture in 100 Buildings (Simon & Schuster; $17). An offshoot of Kushner’s TED talk “30 Years of Architecture History,” the volume brings together pioneering buildings that push the basic tenets of architecture into the future.
From an air-purifying pavilion in Milan to an egg-shaped pod in Belgium, the collection represents a snapshot (well, 100 snapshots) of today’s architects’ forward-thinking approach to design.
The Hemeroscopium House in Madrid, Spain
For the Hemeroscopium House in Madrid, Spain, Ensamble Studio made use of concrete beams created for highway construction.
Ark Nova, Japan
Ark Nova, an inflatable traveling concert hall developed by Arata Isozaki and Anish Kapoor for post-earthquake Japan, can be installed in just two hours and transported (in its deflated state) by truck.
The China Central Television Headquarters in Beijing, China
The OMA-designed headquarters for China Central Television (CCTV) is a modern departure from the standard skyscraper.
Favela Santa Marta in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
In 2010 Dutch artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn transformed Rio de Janeiro’s Santa Marta favela with an electrifying paint job.
Rest stop in Batumi, Georgia
This is not your typical rest stop. The striking gas station and McDonald’s by Giorgi Khmaladze Architects in Batumi, Georgia, also boasts a public park and reflecting pool.
Mapungubwe National Park in Limpopo, South Africa
Peter Rich Architects collaborated with local laborers to build the visitor center at Mapungubwe National Park in Limpopo, South Africa. Referencing a 600-year-old construction technique, they created the curvaceous façade by using 200,000 pressed soil tiles.
Metropol Parasol in Seville, Spain
Metropol Parasol, a raised, ameba-shaped public space by J. Mayer H. in Seville, Spain, protects Roman ruins that were discovered during the construction of a bus station.
Treehotel in Harads, Sweden
A mirrored treehotel in Harads, Sweden, by Tham & Videgård Arkitekter disappears amid the forest.
The Alcabideche Social Complex, Portugal
The residences in the Alcabideche Social Complex, a retirement home developed by Guedes Cruz Architects in Portugal, light up at night to allow residents to remain out and about. If an emergency arises, an alarm is triggered that turns the façade bright red.
Newtown Creek, New York City
For Newtown Creek—a wastewater treatment plant in New York City—the city tapped Ennead Architects to design a structure that wouldn’t become an instant eyesore to its residential Brooklyn neighborhood.
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