St. Regis San Francisco Penthouse

The property at the St. Regis Residences on Third Street has been built out just to the point where a new owner can select finishes and decor. There are no fixtures, furniture or appliances, mostly just Sheetrock, exposed steel and concrete. The floor-to-ceiling glass curtain walls and four terraces, including one that is more than 2,000 sq. ft., offer a 360-degree panorama of San Francisco. The brushed aluminium frame windows are 22 ft. high in the corner living room. The foyer includes a winding staircase and two-story waterfall.

There are 6 bedrooms, 7 baths, 4 powder rooms, 4 fireplaces, 2 offices, wine storage, gym with a sauna and steam room and a 13-seat cinema. The infrastructure is in place - including miles of wiring and piping - for top-of-the-line audio, video, lighting, security, shading and climate control systems. Outside of New York it is the most extraordinary apartment, and one of the two or three biggest homes in San Francisco, at 20,000 plus sq. ft.

Hohenzollern Castle

Hohenzollern is a castle south of Stuttgart, located on top of Mount Hohenzollern at an elevation of 2,805 ft. (855 m.), originally constructed in the first part of the 11th century, but completely destroyed after a 10-month siege in 1423 by the imperial cities of Swabia. A second, larger and sturdier castle was constructed from 1454 to 1461, and by the end of the 18th century, was thought to have lost its strategic importance and gradually fell into disrepair, leading to the demolition of several dilapidated buildings. Only the chapel remains from the medieval castle.

The third and present version of the castle, was constructed by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV between 1846 and 1867, under the direction of Berlin architect Friedrich August Stühler, who based his design on English Neo-Gothic style as well as the castles in Loire. The castle was built to be merely a family memorial. The impressive entryway is the work of the Engineer-Officer Moritz Karl Ernst von Prittwitz who was considered the leading fortifications engineer in Prussia.

Faulx Les Tombes Castle

The castle's history goes back to the 10th century when a stronghold was raised on this spot. The first castle at this site was built in the 13th century and was dependent on the county of Namur. Around 1340 the castle passed into the hands of the Marbaix family, with many changes of ownership till the castle became property of the Corswaren family in 1665.

The present structure was built in 1872 by the architect Hendrik Beyaert in a Gothic style. In 1961 it was heavily damaged by fire and partly destroyed but was rebuilt. In the 1970's the castle became property of the town of Etterbeek. Hendrik Beyaert was a Belgian architect born in 1823. His first public commission was the head-office of his former employer, the "Banque Nationale de Belgique." This cooperation with the architect Wynand Janssens resulted in a lavish neo-baroque building heavily influenced by the new style propagated in Paris, known as Second Empire. Another notable structure in Namur from Beyaert is the Kegeljan-Godin house (1878-1880).

Banca dell 'Occhio

This 54,000 sq. ft. (5,000 sq. m.) eye transplant facility sits next to the Ambasz-designed Ospedale dell'Angelo (Nuovo Ospedale di Mestre), and includes an eye transplant and research laboratory, surgical facilities, stem cell research laboratories, an eye treatment center, administrative offices, and an EIDON Foundation educational facility, which features a 450-seat auditorium. A parking garage below grade connects to the facility via an underground corridor.

The facility is designed to fit within a triangular-shaped site, with two 40 ft. (12 m.) high walls clad in pre-stained copper set at right angles that frame the sides of a terraced trapezoidal building. Each floor features a landscaped terrace, which rise as a series of steps to a rooftop garden. A ground level courtyard with a two-story glass wall cuts through the lobby and directs light to educational spaces located below ground.

Midrand Water Tower

Designed as "urban sculpture," the future extension of the Midrand CBD center demanded more than just a utility tower, so GAPP Architects/Urban Designers were appointed to create a functional yet aesthetic structure. At 6.5 megalitres it is the largest water tower in the southern hemisphere. Created of post-tensioned concrete, the cone on a 23 ft. (4 m.) diameter stem with a 33 ft. (10 m.) cube mass concrete base. The cone meets the stem at the surface of a pond, giving a floating effect to the massive concrete form. A spiral staircase runs up the centre like a straw in a glass. Provisions were made for a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower.

GAPP is a South African architecture and urban design firm with an extensive history of design in the region and has become one of South Africa's foremost professional firms that include the Apartheid Museum, ArabellaSheraton Grand Hotel, Western Cape Hotel and Spa, Park Hyatt, Maropeng at The Cradle of Humankind, Freedom Park, The V&A Waterfront and Nelson Mandela Square.

Snake House

From a request from the clients to "stretch" the house, the structure was stretched across the entire gently sloping, nearly barren one-acre site, about 100 yards from the cavernous clerestory-lit garage to the suspended master suite escape pod. The client wanted a house that laid comfortably across the land and to optimize the views. For those reasons, the house is raised one story up on 11 steel towers as it winds its way in slow curves over the land.

The large drive-through garage (there are doors on opposite sides to avoid the inconvenience of backing up) is the only part of the house at grade. From there a curved, top-lit stair leads to the end of the continuous, serpentine gallery, framed in arching steel pipes. This hall, forming the spine and ribs of the snake, connects the small number of rooms: a guest suite, with its own bath and two terraces hanging from a tower, a large living area with an open kitchen adjoining, and the master suite at the end.

South African Reserve Bank

The fortified Johannesburg Branch of the South African Reserve Bank blends into the context of Newtown, set on the border of Johannesburg's business district and the Newtown cultural precinct. The branch is not a public building, but rather a high-security depot for the money-supply to the greater Johannesburg area.

The building takes the form of a raised podium with battered brickwork edges, surrounded by a security wall on top, and reinforced with buttress-like bricked airconditioning ducts along the perimeter. Perimeter planters at pavement and mid-wall level soften the fortified edge. The top of the podium is extensively landscaped on two levels, and into this enclosure a collage of smaller structures has been placed along two ordering axes borrowed from the surrounding urban layout. The overall effect is that of the motte and bailey of a medieval fortress, inside which a cluster of smaller buidings is huddled around the keep.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

The Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola is responsible for the interiors of the hotel. Located in what was once the headquarters office of a bank, the building lends itself to the new interiors merging the character of Barcelona with the Mandarin Oriental brand. An impressive atrium ramp draws pedestrians from the busy central Passeig de Gràcia to the entrance hall, where guests can view the light filled Blanc restaurant and lounge below.

The hotel's 98 rooms are created in shades of white and cream, with avant-garde furniture alongside oriental details, such as large wall screens and wardrobes inspired by traditional lacquered Chinese boxes, and flooring of light oak floors and large beige rugs. The bathrooms contain oversized walk-in showers and are decorated with mosaics by Mutina and Bisazza that were conceived as magical boxes of coloured glass.

Armour Stiner House

Also known as the Carmer Octagon House, the structure is an octagon-shaped, domed colonnaded Victorian style house built between 1859-1860 by Paul J. Armour based on the architectural ideas of Orson Squire Fowler. The dome was added and the house was enlarged during 1872-1876 by Joseph Stiner. In 1976, the house was briefly owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to prevent it from being demolished, but the Trust was unable to fund the amount of renovation the property required, and sold it to a preservationist architect, Joseph Pell Lombardi, who has conserved the house, interiors, grounds and outbuildings.

The exterior embellishments are floral detailing in the cast iron cresting and railings and elaborately carved wood scrollwork and capitals, all painted in shades of rose, blue, violet and red. The interiors are equally decorative with painted and stenciled ceilings, trim with gold, silver and bronze leaf and unique 8-sided motifs in the plasterwork, woodwork and etched glass.

Ca d'Zan Mansion

Cà d'Zan, a Mediterranean Revival residence in Sarasota, Florida, was the winter home of the American circus owner, John Ringling and his wife Mable. Lovers of the Venetian esthetic, the Ringlings chose the site overlooking Sarasota Bay for its vista. The name of the residence is Venetian for House of John. Described as "the last of the Gilded Age mansions" to be built in America, Cà d'Zan has 56 rooms filled with art and original furnishings.

Construction was begun in 1924 and completed just before Christmas 1925. John and Mable Ringling greatly admired the unique architectural style of the Danieli and the Bauer-Grunwald hotels in Venice, as well as the palaces that face the Venetian canals. This architectural style, called "Venetian Gothic," greatly influenced the Cà d'Zan's design, which architect Dwight James Baum and builder Owen Burns helped bring to Sarasota for the Ringlings.

Staglieno Cemetery

Opened in 1851, Staglieno is an extensive cemetery complex on a hillside in Genoa, Italy, famous for its monumental sculpture and architectural edifices. It combines the typology of the neo-classical architectural cemetery of Mediterranean tradition and eventually became a gallery of monuments in styles from neo-classicism to realism. Covering an area of more than 248 acres (sq. km.), it one of the largest cemeteries in Europe.

The grounds were designed by Genovese architect Carlo Barabino, and include a copy of the Pantheon. Significant sculptors with work here include Leonardo Bistolfi, Giulio Monteverde, and Edoardo Alfieri. Giovanni Battista Resasco was entrusted to continue the original project of his master, Carlo Barabino (1768-1835). The architecture of the cemetery reveals the same Neoclassic style of many representative Genoese buildings of that period, such as the Carlo Felice Theatre and the Palazzo dell'Accademia.

W Hotel Barcelona

Built on a peninsula where the city of Miró meets the Mediterranean, the W Barcelona is an avant-garde structure designed by Ricardo Bofill, inspired by the citys artistry and exuberance. Amenities include the Eclipse rooftop bar, W Lounge, WET® pool and terrace, Bliss® Spa and state-of-the-art SWEAT® Fitness Center with sea views. The hotel contains 473 guest rooms, including 67 suites, with sea and city views.

A sail-shaped building on a plot reclaimed from the sea is part of an ambitious urban renewal plan for Barcelona's coastline, where the hotel's closest volume to the sea is a slender, 24-story building set perpendicular to the dock. The reflecting facade of silvered glass blends with sky colours. This volume is inserted in the low-slung atrium building, the lobby of which affords views of the sea and enjoys natural light. Public activities are housed beneath a platform designed in the form of two huge terraces. The conference hall with its large glass frontage overlooking the sea breaks the horizontal lines of the podium.

Mataja Residence

Two challenges faced Hagy Belzberg of Belzberg Architects and drove the design of the project. The site is situated in an environmentally sensitive area adjacent to a National Park Service area, which meant strict zoning and numerous agency approvals hampered much of the development proposed. But once past those hurdles, the dramatic views and local history made the effort worthy and site desirable.

The second challenge was the wishes of the client, who have a passion for the technological car culture and a desire to retreat from an urban lifestyle. Belzberg Architects is a group of young designers guided by the experienec and curiosity of Hagy Belzberg. The firm states that the suppleness of contemporary forms and the character of both natural and synthetic materials have become their fascinations and influenced the working methodology of the firm.

Ely Cathedral

Though earlier structures existed, a new Benedictine monastery was built and endowed in 970, which became a cathedral in 1109, after a new Diocese of Ely was created out of land taken from the Diocese of Lincoln. The present cathedral was started by Abbot Simeon and continued under Simeon's successor, Abbot Richard. The main transepts were built early on, crossing the nave below a central tower, and are the oldest surviving part of the cathedral.

The West Tower was built between 1174 and 1197, and the Romanesque style of the west front shows it was built in the 12th century, with the later addition of the Galilee porch (1198-1215). The west tower is 215 ft. (66 m.) high. The unique Octagon 'Lantern Tower' was constructed during the 1300s and replaced the old central tower which collapsed. The Lantern is 74 ft. (23 m.) wide and 170 ft. (52 m.) high. The plan of the building is cruciform, with the altar at the east end and a total length is 537 ft. (163.7 m.), and with the nave at over 250 ft. (75 m.) long, remains the longest in Britain.

Design Museum Holon

London based Ron Arad's Design Museum in the town of Holon opened in March 2010, and is an addition to Israel's design quarter, and is Arad's first public building in his homeland. The museum is a split-level pair of white-walled geometric display spaces and a design lab, surrounded by massive curved red steel ribs.

As a part of a 16-year regeneration plan for the city of Holon, outside of Tel Aviv, layers of COR-TEN steel with varying degrees of weathering wrap around the two main gallery buildings. The two primary galleries and a number of diverse alternative exhibition and education spaces in-between include Gallery 1 - 5,382 sq. ft. (500 sq. m.) which radiates the abundance of natural light in Israel and the qualities it can bring to the display of three-dimensional objects, while allowing curatorial flexibility by modulating light levels. The second, smaller gallery, 2,153 sq. ft. (200 sq. m.) is taller inside but offers a more intimate, personal relationship between the visitor and the object on display.

Chateau de Amboise

Built on a promontory overlooking the Loire River, the château was begun in the eleventh century. Expanded and improved over time, in 1434 it was seized by Charles VII of France, after its owner, Louis d'Amboise, was convicted of plotting against Louis XI and condemned to be executed, however, the king pardoned him but took his chateau. Once in royal hands, it became a favourite of French kings.

Charles VIII rebuilt it extensively, beginning in 1492 at first in the French late Gothic Flamboyant style and then after 1495 employing two Italian mason-builders, Domenico da Cortona and Fra Giocondo, who provided at Amboise some of the first Renaissance decorative motifs seen in French architecture. The names of three French builders are preserved in the documents: Colin Biart, Guillaume Senault and Louis Armangeart.

Liege-Guillemins TGV Railway Station

Designed by Santiago Calatrava and 13 years of construction, the new high-speed rail station open in late 2009 and is the first part of a planned vision for a corporate center in Liège. First commissioned in 1996, the new station needed to replace the existing on without interruption to train services.

Built as a vast glass roof without a facade enclosing platforms of passengers and trains. Commuters can now travel to Aachen, Cologne and Brussels, as well as to Frankfurt, Paris, London and the Southern portions of Europe through this largescale cover. Calatrava said "It was my goal to create a 21st century transportation facility that would not only unite Liège with the rest of Europe, but would also serve as a symbol of the city's renewal. The project, as a whole, creates a new gateway into Liège and re-establishes a relationship with the city."

Burghley House

Built for Sir William Cecil, later 1st Baron Burghley, between 1556 and 1587 and modelled on the privy lodgings of Richmond Palace. The house is one of the principal examples of 16th century English Elizabethan architecture and also has a suite of rooms remodelled in the baroque style. The main part of the house has 35 major rooms on the ground and first floors. There are more than 80 lesser rooms and numerous halls, corridors, bathrooms and service areas.

In the 17th century, the open loggias around the ground floor were enclosed. Although the house was built with a plan in the form of the letter E, it is now missing its north-west wing. During the period of the 9th Earl's ownership, the south front was raised to alter the roof line, and the north-west wing was demolished to allow better views of the new parkland. The stone used to build Burghley was from the local quarry of Northamptonshire oolitic limestone at Kingscliffe, so hard and of such durability that even on the South front, fully a quarter of the ashlar (sawn) blocks still show the masons' identifying marks.

Leaf Chapel

The Leaf chapel, designed by Klein Dytham Architecture, sits within the grounds of the Risonare hotel resort which was designed by Mario Bellini during the 1980s. It is formed by 2 leaves, one glass, one steel. The glass leaf with its delicate lace pattern motif emulates a pergola and the structure holding it up takes the form of the veins of a leaf which slowly become thinner the further they get from the central stem.

The white steel leaf, perforated with 4,700 holes, each of which hold an acrylic lens, is similar to bride's veil made of delicate lace. Light filters through the lenses and projects a lace pattern onto the white fabric inside. And similar to the end of the ceremony when the groom lifts the bride's veil, so does the 'steel veil' magically opens, revealing the pond and natural setting beyond.

Yale University Art and Architecture Building

The A & A Building is said to be one of the earliest and best known examples of Brutalist architecture in the United States. Designed by architect Paul Rudolph and completed in 1963, the complex building contains over thirty floor levels in its seven stories. The building is made of ribbed, bush-hammered concrete. The design was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright's Larkin Administration Building, in Buffalo, NY and the later buildings of Le Corbusier.

When the building first opened, it was praised widely by critics and academics, and received several prestigious awards, but as time went by, the critical reaction to the building became more negative. A large fire in 1969 caused extensive damage and during the repairs, many changes were made to Rudolph's original design. Appreciation of the structure has increased, with Yale investing on the building's renovation.

Software and Biotechnology Plant

As the technology park turned 25 in 2010, two new buildings were needed to allow for expanded research and production as the final part of the park's expansion, and would include computing and biotechnology. Both new buildings needed to be independent, yet unify with the existing structures. What was built was a structure with cedar, ebony and lemongrass, two soft insertions, no rough edges, no circles, ellipses, or ovals, and whose perimeters should not be crossed even for access.

The façade is a double ventilated skin that allows the building to breath. It connects the interior and exterior and is capitalizing on energy, climatic, hygienic and space for such an exchange. The façade is actually a vertical space that accompanies its full height, and provides natural light to both sides of the outer skin. The space between the two membranes gives users a place of permanent relationship with the outside. Designed by Coll-Barreu Arquitectos of Madrid.

Grand Hotel Casselbergh

The conversion of an older eyesore into a hotel with conference facilities consisted of two parts; the renovation of the three historic buildings on the Hoogstraat and a new development on the Groene Rei. The new addition to the cityscape of Bruges is conceived as a bronze treasure chest set with gems. The architectural form of a box with a chamfered roof can also be found in the Bruges Belfort. The new hotel includes 118 rooms and 9 seminar rooms and provides underground parking for 38 cars.

Designed by BURO II and interiors by BURO Interiors, headquartered in Roeselare, Belgium, were founded in 1978 by Hendrik Vermoortel and Rita Huys. Since then, the architectural office has grown into a group of over 100 associates, covering several disciplines: architectural and interior design, spatial planning and landscaping, structural and mechanical engineering, site coordination, planning and budget management. As of 2010 they have three additional office locations: Brussels, Guangzhou (China) and Ghent. In 2009, BURO II merged with ARCHI+I.

Ascent at Roebling's Bridge

Completed in 2008, the curving crescent form and sloping roof line are designed to maximize views, with each unit having an unobstructed view of the Cincinnati skyline. SDL worked on this project with Cincinnati-based GBBN Architects, the architect of record, and Dugan & Meyers Construction. Sizes of the units range between 950 and 7,000 sq. ft., with most being around 2,000 sq. ft.

Through the vertical, non-repeating articulation of the facade, the building breaks from the repetitive, horizontal orientation of typical high-rise buildings. Its multiple layers blur the distinction between interior and exterior, both visually and experientially. This texture also functions to provide shade to all units from the east sun. The tower, located at 1 Roebling Way - a street renamed by city officials to better fit the building - echoes the colors of the Suspension Bridge. Built in earth tones, its windows reflect the sky and river images.

Meyer-Fletcher Residence

From the architect, the living space of this Connecticut residence is formed by a spiraling ribbon of 18 planes, defined by 36 points connected by 54 lines, all in a steel exterior finish. This pure and dynamic architectural form generates distinctive interior spaces while dramatically framing both near and distant landscape scenes. Large glass planes virtually disappear within the ribbon, allowing unimpeded picturesque views of 18th century hay meadows and giant oaks.

Circulation through kitchen, living, dining, and sleeping areas is seamless and free-flowing, as is the distinction between interior and exterior space. Challenging both traditional and modern notions of the house in the landscape, this design gives nothing of itself up to its natural setting, but selectively incorporates the elements therein for the enhancement of both house and landscape.

Yoder Doornbos Residence

Architect Michael Johnson's design for the 5,000 sq. ft. house is a flow of spaces instead of a collection of walls and roof. Anchored to the mountain on the east, the simple form soars from the site, and on the opposite side is supported only by an elevator tower and sheer wall, cantilevering the master bedroom above the Valley floor. The house frames views of the Valley through floor-to-ceiling windows and the no-edge illusion of the infinity pool.

The living area of the house is accessed via elevator from the lower-level entry court or directly from the upper-level guest parking. The interiors, in neutral grays and metallic finishes, are free-flowing. The interior walls lead the eye to adjacent spaces, but stop the line of sight short. The only hint of color comes from the fresh yellow of the kitchen area, and from primary color area carpets. The neutral selection of materials and colors ensures the key elements of the design; the views and the simplicity of form.

Aquatics Center

An indoor facility with two 50 m. swimming pools and a 25 m. diving pool, which will be one of the main venues of the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Designed by architect Zaha Hadid, the centre is located in the Olympic Park at Stratford in East London. The centre will have a capacity of 17,500, which will be reduced to 2,500 after the Games. Construction began in 2008, is 2 months ahead of schedule and is due to be completed in 2011 by construction firm Balfour Beatty.

In 2005 Zaha Hadid was instructed to revise her designs after a specification change led to a doubling of the estimated cost. The revised plans were unveiled in November 2006. The roof is stated to be 11,200 sq. ft. (1,040 sq. m.), a reduction from the previously stated 35,000 sq. ft. (3,300 sq. m.). Arup is providing structural and services engineering. When complete the 160 m. long column-free and up to 90 m. wide roof will rest on two concrete supports at the northern end and a 28 m. long and 5 m. wide, supporting wall at its southern end.

Lodz Hotel

Created during Lodz's industrial era the original structure was built in 1878 as a spinning mill, part of a cotton factory complex. It has now been transformed into an extraordinary hotel with 278 designer rooms and suites, 33,368 sq. ft. (3,100 sq. m.) of conference space, ballroom for 800 people, and restaurants and bars with seats for more than 450 people. Converted by Vienna based OP Architekten Studio, the transformation of the building was awarded with European Hotel Design Awards 2009 for Architecture of the Year, and the best conversion in 2010 Interior Design Awards.

Old and new architectural elements integrate the 4 star hotel functions in this 656 ft. (200 m.) long industrial building. The atmosphere is created between historical components and contemporary architecture. Attention was paid to preserve as much as possible of original elements, including internal bearing structures, cast-iron beams and pillars, steel-brick ceilings, structural walls and external façades. One outstanding element of the building is glass box over the swimming pool placed in a former 130 year old fire water storage tank that was used as part of the fire extinguishing system.

Luna Rossa Residence

From the architect, this residence was built on a 2.06-acre lot with unobstructed views of Boynton Canyon and Cockscomb, bordering the National forest. Nestled among ancient Junipers and tall Pinions, this residence was carefully sited to maximize the potential of the lot. Shaped as a continuous soothing curve to follow the naturalcontours of the terrain, this house is reflected in a long infinity-edge swimming pool. The design is modern yet timeless with an expansive floor plan and a balanced use of materials: copper, mahogany, arizona flagstone, stucco and water.

Designed by SANBA Design + Development, SANBA is a New York based architecture and real estate development team, comprised of a select group of international designers, planners and real estate development consultants, founded in 1992 by the vision of Italian Architect Aldo Andreoli. SANBA specializes in high-end projects, balancing form and function with a bold, yet elegant flair, which has become its trademark.

Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall

One of the largest auditoriums in the world seating up to 3,500, designed by both Manfredi Nicoletti and Luca Nicoletti, partners and founders of Studio Nicoletti Associati, this structure sits in one of the 3 piazzas of Astana. Astana's central nucleus occupies a rectangular area whose organizational axis is based on a system of 3 piazzas, in the largest of these, dominated by the Presidential Palace, the State Auditorium faces the Senate House.

A spokesman for the architect states that flying over the arid vastness of the steppes, we felt that what is really missing were flowers. We decided to build the Flower of the Steppe. Amidst this monumental void, the structures of the Auditorium rise like the petals of a flower animated through music. They create an envelope which encloses an internal piazza. Within this piazza are housed shops, balconies, restaurants, exhibition halls, two cinemas and the Auditorium entirely clad in wood inside and outside, inspired by the traditional 'Dombra' instrument.

Metropolitan Cathedral Mexico City

The Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de María is the largest and oldest cathedral in the Americas. Situated atop the former Aztec sacred precinct near the Templo Mayor, the cathedral was built in sections from 1573 to 1813 around the original church that was constructed soon after the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlán. Spanish architect Claudio de Arciniega planned the construction, drawing inspiration from Gothic cathedrals in Spain.

The cathedral has four facades which contain portals flanked with columns and statues. The two bell towers contain a total of 25 bells. The tabernacle, adjacent to the cathedral, contains the baptistery and serves to register the parishioners. There are two large, ornate altars, a sacristy, and a choir in the cathedral. Fourteen of the cathedral's sixteen chapels are open to the public. The chapels contain ornate altars, altarpieces, retablos, paintings, furniture and sculptures. The cathedral is home to two of the largest 18th century organs in the Americas.

RATP Bus Center

Located in the southern suburban area of Paris, the RATP Bus Centre in Thiais controls all the bus lines of the south and east of Paris. The center accommodates 300 buses, with 800 bus drivers passing through the building every day. The building starts with the deformation of the ground and continues it with an apparently similar material, a sheet of ultra high performance concrete, 3 cm thick displaying a non slippery texture of dots in relief like a game of LEGO (24 mm diameter x 7 mm high, distant of 12 mm).

The building appears like a monolith with rounded edges.The concrete structure appears to be cut out with a knife, with incisions revealing cavities of reflective and coloured glass. Treated with silver mirror dots, chromatics of the glass products are inspired by the tinted curtain wall frontages of the office buildings which border the main road. The building was designed by Emmanuel Combarel Dominique Marrec Architects, headquartered in Paris.