Our built environment is regularly influenced by nature: we learn from the structure of our plants, trees and landscape, and our designers adapt and innovate to produce stronger more resilient cities - reflecting our own evolution. But sometimes inspiration is realised in a much more literal sense. These buildings create an urban garden on a giant scale and seem to be bursting into flower.

Lotus Temple, India

Tibilisi Public Service Hall, Georgia is an office building that consists of 11 different sized and shaped petals that are supported by steel tree branches. Architects: Massimillano Fuksass, Image: Copyright © Moreno Maggi

The Lotus Building, China is public building that features exhibition space, meeting and conference rooms as well as accommodating the planning bureau. Architects: Studio 505
Image: John Gollings

Wuhan Energy Institute, China was inspired by the Calla lily, reflecting the sustainable nature of the building. Architects: Soeters Van Eldonk architecten

Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi, India has a flower-like structure of white petals surrounded by leaves. Architect: Fariborz Sahba
Image: Adib Roy

The ArtScience Museum in Singapore was derived initially from geometric analysis. The museum was not directly inspired by floral concepts but is in fact attached to symbolic interpretations of the such. Architects: Safdie Architects, Image: Chia Ming Chien

Massar Children's Discovery Centre, Syria is inspired by the Damask rose, the building will house exhibition, library, education and administration space. Architects: Henning Larsen Architects

Bolton Eco House was a proposal by Make Architects who designed this house to be embedded into a hillside, surrounded by flora and meadow grasses.

Sign In

Inspiration

Ceilings worth thousands

Related Inspirations

Making a statement with paper

Buildings that burst into flower

Vertical Gardens

Surprising Installations

A new meaning to switching seats