Archello Awards 2026 · Enter your projects before 30 September 2026
Archello Awards 2026 · Enter your projects before 30 September 2026

Cultural architecture

An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about cultural architecture

Project • By Fausto Ferrara • Museums

Museo della Luce

The Museum of Light is a Spatial Work by Fausto Ferrara conceived in Pucón, Chile. The project does not treat light as a subject to be represented or as a scenographic effect. Light becomes a constructive material of architecture: it participates in the generation of form and makes perceptible the relationship between body, space, matter and time. Water, sky and landscape are not a background to the building. They enter into the construction of the Work through reflections, openings, thresholds and variations of light, continuously transforming the perception of space. Architecture does not simply separate interior and exterior; it establishes a condition in which the boundary itself becomes a place of relation. Matter acquires pr... More

Project • By Tuncer Cakmakli Architects • Cities

Spreeinsel Urban Design

Some cities never settle.They remain in motion—between histories, between meanings.Not quite whole, not entirely broken. We work in these in-betweens.In the quiet tension of thresholds.Where one street forgets what the last one remembered. tuncer cakmakli architects There is no single narrative to rebuild.No truth to restore.Only fragments—echoes, textures, absences. Our architecture does not attempt to reconcile.Instead, it listens.It gathers what remains.It makes space for contradiction. Behind our work is a longing:not for clarity,but for presence. tuncer cakmakli architects More

Project • By Tuncer Cakmakli Architects • Cultural Centres

GAP Culture Center

In the heart of Gaziantep, the GAP Culture Center emerges as a cultural beacon, seamlessly woven into the historical tapestry of the city. Situated in the proximity of the castle, this architectural gem, strategically placed at the edge of the expansive city park, transcends the conventional boundaries of cultural spaces. It presents a harmonious union of nature, sculpture, and artistic expression, inviting visitors on an enchanting architectural journey. As the GAP Culture Center stands proudly in the historical center of Gaziantep, its proximity to the castle and integration with the vast city park is no mere coincidence. TCA’s design philosophy is rooted in creating a cultural nucleus that not only enriches the historical context... More

Project • By Lea Architecture • Sports Centres

Heights Casino

Heights Casino is an historic social and recreational club located in Brooklyn Heights. Our transformative proposed renovations of the 1904 building have required navigating the creative limitations of its landmark, while fully respecting and deferring to its existing community and architectural integrity. In the process, we struck a delicate balance of preservation and innovation, protecting the building’s historic exterior while maximizing efficiency and enjoyment for all users, from front- to back-of-house.  Heights Casino owes its complexity of operations to its various fitness facilities, tennis and squash courts, banquet halls and fine dining amenities, and private meeting rooms. We engaged stakeholders and users in a thor... More

Project • By Lea Architecture • Train stations

Colebrookdale Train Station

Colebrookdale Train Station is a ground-up cultural project in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. This new building will act as the “welcome center” and gathering hall for the township, as well as the main base for the region’s scenic railroad excursions. Courtesy Lea Architecture The design takes inspiration from the Edwardian St. Pancras station in London, and engages local manufacturers and salvage materials from the surrounding, historic area. The station includes a large event space, prep kitchen, and waiting hall. Planned as a cultural keystone for not only the town but also the region, the station will host the local farmers market and other community activities throughout the year.  Courtesy Lea Architecture More

Project • By INJ Architects • Consulates

Indonesian Consulate Jeddah

In Jeddah, a building has been completed that speaks two architectural languages simultaneously and makes them sound like one. INJ Architects The new Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah sits within one of the most historically layered cities in the Arabian Peninsula, a city where the UNESCO-listed Al-Balad district preserves centuries of Hijazi urban culture through its distinctive coral-stone facades and ornate wooden Rawshan screens. The client, the Republic of Indonesia, brought a brief that was as much cultural as it was functional: to build a sovereign diplomatic compound on Saudi soil that would carry the identity of the Indonesian nation without erasing the architectural memory of its host city. The project was further shape... More

Project • By LIMIT architecture studio • Pavilions

Sementeira Ambulante

Between the back of a shopping centre and a residential building, the garden at Quinta da Armada is a discreet but vibrant refuge. - an oasis. Adriano Ferreira Borges The "Mobile Seedbed", designed as part of the Festival Forma da Vizinhança – Braga 25, Portuguese Capital of Culture, is a modular structure on wheels, built with polycarbonate panels and curved sheet metal, that promotes self-production, biodiversity, and the sharing of knowledge. Adriano Ferreira Borges When stationary, it functions as a small greenhouse for seed germination. On the move, it travels through the city, raising the visibility of urban gardens and distributing seeds to other neighbourhoods. Adriano Ferreira Borges Adriano Ferreir... More

Project • By StudioMAAC • Cultural Centres

Cultural Arena Marina Ouidah

Located within the La Marina de Ouidah tourist complex, near the historic Gate of No Return, the Ouidah Arena is a cultural venue designed to host public events, performances, and traditional celebrations. With a capacity for 3,500 people and 2,600 m² of built area, it stands as a symbol of remembrance and cultural expression along Benin’s Slave Route. ADAC ADAC ADAC The arena is also the main venue for the International Voodoo Festival (Vodoun Days), a major cultural event that celebrates the spiritual and cultural roots of the country and attracts visitors from around the world. Inspired by traditional agoras, its open architecture encourages collective gathering and intercultural dialogue. Presidence du B&ea... More

Project • By Anna Prats Joan Valls • Cultural Centres

Cercle Calongí Cultural Center

The building of Cercle Calongí society, inaugurated in 1924, is located in the main square of Calonge old town. The organization has recently ceded part of the building to the City Council to be renewed as a cultural public facility. The assignment includes the concert hall and a patio, with access from the back street. Pol Viladoms Pol Viladoms Pol Viladoms Pol Viladoms Pol Viladoms The main challenge is to provide a new access through the courtyard and change its character to represent a public facility, offering a new facade towards a new square. Where the backdrop was, a large door is opened to connects directly to the patio, favoring versatility and being able to hold events that mix the interior with t... More
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Project • By Atelier ARBO • Exhibition Centres

Reimagining Easdale – Design Competition

A rustic charm envelops visitors as they alight from a ferry and enter Easdale, an island in Scotland that exudes a rugged grace amidst the pleasing sight of nature’s vivid beauty. Being home to seven slate quarries, a tragic night in 1881 brought along with it a massive flood that ruined the quarries. Gradually reviving its glory, the island’s survival story is evident in the crystal blue water pools and the plethora of flora, fauna, and birdlife known to frequent the region.  Caption Caption Ferries being the only ultimate journey that takes visitors from Ellenabeich to Easdale, Terraviva, a platform organizing international Architectural Design Competitions, offered a brief inviting architectural firms all aro... More

Project • By jalal Mashhadi Fard Studio • Restaurants

Feel Boutique plaza

Feel was conceived as a “third space” for the Omani community, bridging the gap between work and home. It is a place where the focus transcends the senses, fostering meaningful connections and experiences. Diman studio Diman studio Diman studio Diman studio Diman studio Diman studio Diman studio Diman studio In Feel Boutique Plaza, every design element stems from the project’s core concept, with each component influencing the others to form a cohesive and unified aesthetic. While the elements are designed independently, their harmony creates a singular, immersive atmosphere. Diman studio Diman studio Diman studio Diman studio Diman studio Jalal Mashhadi Far... More

News • News • 3 Dec 2024

Bennetts Associates and Citizens Design Bureau transform former Hertford Theater into new cultural hub

UK architectural studio Bennetts Associates has designed BEAM, a creative arts and culture venue nestled in the center of Hertford, a historic town in south-eastern England. The original venue, the former Hertford Theater (built in 1977), was extensively renovated and transformed into the new cultural hub. The building’s distinctive form is shaped by five undulating volumes that wrap around the existing “malthouse” fly tower — this angular zinc-clad structure references a nearby medieval castle (the fly tower allows for the storage and movement of stage equipment).  London-based Citizens Design Bureau won an invited competition to design the interiors of BEAM. Bennetts Associates Hufton+Crow... More

News • News • 13 Nov 2024

Powerhouse Company transforms historic church in Rotterdam into new music venue

Powerhouse Company has completed the transformation of a historic and disused Mennonite church in Rotterdam into a contemporary venue for aspiring young musicians. The studio embraced a circular approach to the renovation, emphasizing sustainability and responsible preservation. Sebastian van Damme Powerhouse Company Powerhouse Company is an international architectural studio rooted in Rotterdam. The studio was appointed by the philanthropic Droom en Daad Foundation — an institution dedicated to preserving Rotterdam's cultural heritage — to revitalize the city’s last Mennonite church and create Muziekwerf, a permanent rehearsal and concert venue for young musical talents. Sitting amidst tall buildings an... More

News • News • 11 Nov 2024

Open Architecture designs conical Sun Tower as a “cultural lighthouse”

Beijing-based Open Architecture has completed the Sun Tower, a waterside cultural facility in the Chinese port city of Yantai. The asymmetrical and conical concrete tower appears to have been sliced open, revealing its inner contents and structure. Recalling the age-old practice of sun worship, the Sun Tower is described by Open Architecture as a “cultural lighthouse”, where ancient wisdom and respect for nature integrate with contemporary urban living. Iwan Baan Open Architecture Archeological endeavors show Yantai to be one of the earliest places in China where people worshipped the sun. Open Architecture designed the Sun Tower as a way of celebrating the sun as a natural and life-sustaining entity. The towe... More

Project • By YI JIAN ARCHITECTS • Offices

Meishan Multi-media Centre

The project is located in Meishan city, Sichuan province which is the hometown of the famous poet Su Dongpo of Song dynasty(A.D 960—1127) . Therefore Meishan has been known as a poetry city in the last thousand years. The project includes three main facilities: cultural centre, a library and Meishan TV station. The building is located on a mountain slope which has a 19m vertical height , therefore the design divides the building into several parts to suit the slope. The building volumes are like stacking books which echoes the city’s name : a poetry city.  Arch-Exist Arch-Exist The dialogue between building and the city is carefully considered, the scattered volume forms decks that can view the city from differen... More