2016 has seen the unveiling, and ongoing construction, of many expressive and forward-thinking cultural centers. each distinctive in its own right, the vast buildings juggle between accommodating multiple programs, that include leisure, commercial and performance, in order to provide an all-inclusive hub and welcoming destination for the public.


Many big names in the field of architecture make up this year’s list, some more than once, all displaying technological excellence and bold design to provide a plethora of new landmarks. from tbilisi to miami beach, see our round up of the most eye-catching cultural buildings revealed in the past 12 months.




glimmering at the edge of hamburg’s hafencity quarter is herzog & de meuron’s elbphilharmonie concert hall. the bold addition sits atop a previously existing warehouse building, with the glazed façade comprising 1,100 individual mirrored planes. as well as producing a shimmering effect on the exterior, the glass panes have been separately shaped with millimeter precision and marked with small basalt grey reflective dots to prevent overheating. the scheme is scheduled to fully open at the beginning of next year, housing three concert halls, a hotel, and 45 private apartments.




the ambitious king abdulaziz center for world culture in dhahran, saudi arabia, is a 100,000 square meter development accommodating an auditorium, cinema, library, exhibition hall, museum, and archive. designed by snøhetta, the cultural facility’s form draw from saudi arabian geology and its distinctive rock formations that preserve petroleum energy.


The library will contain 200,000 books and the 930-seat auditorium will host opera and symphony performances. at the center of the design is a monolithic tower that soars above the complex. this landmark edifice flanks a series of smaller, pebble-like forms, which are similarly clad in an arrangement of stainless steel tubes. the ‘king abdulaziz center for world culture’ is expected to complete in spring 2017.


Originally writen by designboom and most pictures collected from pinterest