The beauty of nature captured in architectural form has been achieved by several distinguished architects. The trend for designing more organically shaped buildings is on the rise and the flower experts here at Zeidler’s Flowers have put together a list of some of the most striking flower-shaped buildings that have been built. These structures are filled with curves, arcs, and natural-looking shapes that pay homage to a particular flower in its design and symbolism. The architecture is so amazing we just had to share it!
Wuhan. Wuhan New Energy Centre. Photo: Soeters Van Eldonk
Calla Lily
Wuhan, China
Home of the Wuhan Energy Centre is the Wuhan Energy Flower building, which is believed to the most sustainable building in the world and designed after the beautiful and elegant calla lily. The lily-shaped office tower opens up into a large circular roof that tilts at an angle. The reason for this is for the roof to provide shade to the offices underneath in the summer. Also, as the roof faces the sun, there are solar panels on the surface which soak up the sun’s energy to be used throughout the building. This building has zero carbon emissions and does not use fossil fuels. Also, within the pistil section are vertical wind turbines to harness and utilize the power of the wind. Functioning as a large basin, the rooftop can also catch rainwater to be redistributed throughout the building. Around the base of the flower are lotus blossom leaf-shaped buildings that contain research labs.
Lotus Blossom
Lotus Temple, Dehli
Lotus Temple view from above
Delhi, India
The Lotus Temple is a remarkable building created in the form of a Lotus Blossom, which is a flower sacred to India. This structure has three rows of 9 petals encircling the interior dome. The top two rows curve in and the bottom one curves out with each petal forming a canopy over 9 individual entrances. The exterior is clad with white marble panels giving the building a shimmery and pristine-white look. Nine reflection ponds greet visitors before each entrance. These pools of water not only provide cooled-down air to the temple, but they also give the illusion the Lotus Blossom is floating on water. The Lotus Temple can hold 2,500 people and visitors from all different faiths and religions are welcome. There exist no idols or carvings within the temple since that would favor a particular religion. The Baha’i faith believes in the Oneness of all religions and Oneness of humankind, and they have built an awesome structure so you can contemplate the wonders of existence.
ArtScience Museum in Singapore
ArtScience Museum from above
Singapore
This amazing structure also is designed after lotus flower but is asymmetrical in its design. With 10 petals of varying heights creating a dynamic radiating design and the base of the structure located underground, the upper flower part appears as if it’s floating. Art galleries are housed in each of the 10 pedals that have skylights at the top to let in natural light to illuminate the galleries. The concave roof also collects rainwater which is channeled through a central oculus to form a waterfall that runs through the center of the entire building. The water is recycled to create an endless waterfall loop as well as provide water to the restrooms and landscaped areas.
Lotus-inspired Motisons Tower
Nightly Light Show at Motisons Tower
Jaipur, India
A famous jewelry shop in India, this is another design inspired by the lotus flower. Only instead of white, this structure has bright, multicolored leaves in deep jewel tones. Giant lotus blossom leaves spring from the building with leaves of 3 on each of the 4 sides. During the day this building is definitely a showstopper, especially as each leaf is rimmed in gold fiberglass. During the night, however, the flower really comes to life as bright LED lights illuminate the lotus petals that pulse and dance with different colors while white veins crawl across their surface in a dynamic and organic manner. It’s an amazing sight to see.
