Awesome Architecture

Rodrigo Rubio and his colleagues only needed 5 weeks to create the Solar House 2.0 – and were able to customize it for its surroundings – thanks to digital design and digital fabrication technology.

Designed by WG3, the Hypercubus is a compact and portable yet very alluring shelter that could function as a temporary retreat for tourists who want to really take in surrounding landscapes.

Artist Jill Sylvia creates incredible models of structures such as the New York Stock Exchange, the U.S. Treasury and the Capital using sheets of financial ledger books with holes cut out of them.

Ofra Lapid created miniature models of dilapidated buildings using photographs. She then photographed the models on a plain background, isolating them to further preserve their state.

A clever product by Dutch architectural firm Hofman Dujardin. The Bloomframe’s large windows transform into a balcony and back at the push of a button. Just don’t wear a skirt while you’re on it.

A beautiful pedestrian bridge in Portugal’s city of Covilhã, JLCG Arquitectos’s wood-lined structure spans a distance of about 721 feet, providing a dramatic walk worth slowing down for.

Inspired by the lotus flower, City in the Sky is a concept for an oasis rising above the “developed and polluted city.” If you ask us, we’d rather have both this and clean cities.

A 21st century take on woodsy A-frame houses – these 175 to 390 sq. ft. shelters are made from recyclable materials and can be built out as a dedicated cabin or a backyard relaxation space.

Planned for construction in Dubai, Deep Ocean Technology’s Jetsons-esque structure will include both over- and underwater living areas, which can ascend above water in an emergency.

A time-lapse look back at the last 7 years of construction of the new tower at One World Trade Center as it starts from nothing and just this week became the tallest building in New York.

This bathroom doesn’t have spiders or snakes in the toilet. What it does have is a clear glass floor revealing that you’re in an elevator shaft and that there’s nothing but a 15-floor drop beneath.

James Law’s residential tower gets its inspiration from the “Ohm” symbol, but is much more, with luxurious, fluid swimming pools on balconies and a dramatic, vortex-like public space in the middle.

The El Ateneo Grand Splendid is a bookstore in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Built in 1919, the 21,000 sq.ft. theater was converted into a music and book shop in 2000.

Wander through the public spaces of the White House and explore its artworks from the comfort of your computer, thanks to Google’s collaboration with President Obama and the First Lady.

For some reason, the playful astroturf-covered exterior of this home designed by Andrew Maynard Architects reminds us of a miniature golf course. Looks like a good spot for skateboarding too.

A modular system to replace wooden docks, these floating blocks can be interlocked to make any shape you can think of, and can float over breaking waves. You can even land a helicopter on them.

Many architects have proposed towering urban buildings rich with greenery, but this one is actually under construction, and will add 10,000 square meters of plants to Milan, Italy’s skyline.

Each room at Tepoztlán, Mexico’s TuboHotel is made from concrete pipe, outfitted with a Queen bed, fan, lighting, a glass front, and of course, curtains. You’ll have to share a bath, though.

A luxurious lodge built with environmentally-friendly specs. It can house up to 4 people and has modern amenities, yet can be assembled on-site in as little as 5 days and last up to 15 years.

While you might not think of positive change when you think of Medellin, Colombia, they’ve recently installed an outdoor escalator system which cuts a 28 story uphill climb from 35 to 6 minutes.

(NSFW: Nudity) Dornbracht and Meiré and Meiré collaborated on this luxurious and indulgent shower that lets you lie down while you get massaged by six adjustable water jets.

Recently on display at the 2012 Light Festival in Ghent, Belgium, Luminarie De Cagna added this awe-inspiring structure, illuminated by 55,000 colorful LEDs to the center of town.

Ever wish you could shut out the rest of the world around you? Architect Paolo Maldotti’s NU-OVO pod provides a room-within-a-room anywhere you want. Plus, it looks like a giant egg.