A city is often defined by its cultural landmarks — from grand concert halls to sweeping art museums and storied libraries. As the repositories of the collected cultural knowledge of a city and country, and as platforms showcasing the latest and greatest its people have to offer, governments often pull out all the stops in building these new cultural institutions for maximum impact. Designed to raise the international profile of their respective cities, these works of architecture are masterclasses in combining regional heritage with a forward-looking global aesthetic. We’ve compiled five of the best new examples of these cultural landmarks that inspire awe and reverence in equal parts.
Beyazit Public Library, Istanbul
As one of the oldest capitals in the Old World, preserving its wealth of heritage buildings is one of Istanbul’s fortes. The Beyazit Public Library is a fine example of this — Tabanlıoğlu Architects redesigned a 16th-century complex in the old town that contained everything from a mosque to a caravanserai and a bazaar, revitalizing the state library within through a process of minimal interference. Additions include a transparent inflatable membrane structure over the courtyard that merges both the indoors and outdoors, while a monolithic black glass box within the building houses the library’s rare books collection.
The Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
World-renowned Herzog & de Meuron (responsible for Beijing’s “Bird’s Nest” Olympic stadium) recently unveiled the completed exterior of Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, a new concert venue that also houses a hotel and 45 private apartments. In construction since 2007, the Elbphilharmonie is anticipated to finish in 2017 after a full decade, and one look at the hulking building explains why — mounted above an old warehouse building next to the River Elbe, the structure dwarfs all of the surrounding buildings in terms of volume, and houses a world-class 2,100-seat soundproofed arena within. Its alpine profile is visible from all across Hamburg, with its glazed facade composed of 1,100 individual panes creating a striking contrast with the largely brick-red palette of the city.
M+ Pavilion, Hong Kong
Half a world away in Hong Kong, the West Kowloon Cultural District — an ambitious urban project that will create a complex of theaters and performance spaces set amidst 23 hectares of public open space — has unveiled its latest milestone in the completed M+ Pavilion. Intended as a flexible event space, the M+ Pavilion features a sweeping mirrored construction on the exterior wall, while generous curves break tradition with Kowloon’s traditionally rigid urban fabric. The structure’s elevated stance also offers unobstructed views of Hong Kong’s famous skyline from the gallery space. The WKCD is expected to finish construction in 2019 with the opening of the Herzog & de Meuron-designed M+ Museum, which promises to be one of the largest contemporary art museums in the world.
Bündner Kunstmuseum, Switzerland
If you’ve ever wanted to worship at the altar of the Many-Faced God with Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, the Bündner Kunstmuseum in Chur, Switzerland might be the closest you’ll get to visiting the House of Black and White, thanks to its striking resemblance to the fictional temple. In striking contrast to its quaint surroundings, the monotone cuboid structure seems armor-clad, while the art museum’s interior is clinically austere (although markedly more well-lit than its Braavosian equivalent). Designed by Barcelona firm Barozzi Veiga, the cuboid is a conscious break from the original wing of the museum, housed in the neighboring 18th-century Villa Planta.
The Shed, New York
Inspired by the ideals of mid-century experimental architect Cedric Price, the Shed is an ambitious cultural center under construction in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards that is designed with the belief that buildings should adapt to people, not the other way around. The result is the titular shed — a mechanized, 120-foot-tall telescoping structure set atop a rail-bound chassis that extends over a 20,000-square-foot outdoor plaza, rapidly transforming it into a vast performance venue that can be combined with the different floors of the venue to seat 1,250 people, or create standing room for 3,000. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Rockwell Group, the futuristic cultural venue will become one of the focal points of the massive revitalization of Manhattan’s west side when it’s completed in 2019.