The beauty of nature is often used as inspiration for artists, and it’s no different for architects, either. Some structural designers more in tune with nature have turned to the flower as their muse and built amazing buildings that resemble a flower. Here at Ah Sam Florist we’ve rounded up some of the best of them.
Wuhan. Wuhan New Energy Centre. Photo: Soeters Van Eldonk
Calla Lily
Wuhan, China
Designed in the shape of a Calla Lily, the Wuhan Energy Flower’s tower rises 140 meters into the sky with a pistil in the center reaching further into the sky and a base of buildings in the shape of leaves which surround the flower. One of the world’s most sustainable buildings, it houses the Wuhan energy center which is renowned for its research and development of new energy technologies. The lily-shaped roof is designed in such a way so that it provides shade to the main office buildings during China’s hot summers. The “pistil” is comprised of vertical wind turbines that generate energy, and the roof has solar panels to capture solar energy. Water is supplied throughout the building by a bowl on the roof which captures rainwater. This building also employs natural air ventilation and a rooftop garden on the 17th floor. Talk about a green building!
Lotus Blossom
Lotus Temple, Dehli
Lotus Temple view from above
Delhi, India
The Baha’i House of Worship, aka the Lotus Temple, was designed in the shape of the lotus flower, which is deemed sacred by most Indians. Like a large blossoming flower floating on water, the lotus-shaped design is meant to reflect the clarity, simplicity, and freshness of the Baha’i Faith which promotes the Oneness of Mankind and all religions. The building is composed of three ranks of nine petals with the first two curving inward hugging the inner dome and the third one curving outward at the bottom to create canopies of the nine separate entrances. The interior of the dome is also based on the innermost part of the lotus flower and has 54 decorative ribs which rise above a ring of nine arches. There are a series of skylights at the apex of the dome allowing light to enter in the same way it would enter within a lotus flower. External pools of water outside each entrance not only provides cooling air within the structure but also gives the illusion of the lotus flower floating on water. The Lotus Temple is one of the most visited structures in the world and has a capacity for 2,500 worshippers. People of all faith, religion, and race are welcome.
Lotus Inspired Conference Center in Wujin, China
Wujin Lotus Conference Center
Wujin, China
This brightly-lit building shows the lotus flower in three stages of young bud, ripe flower, to fully opened blossom.
Qizhong Tennis Center
Qizhong Tennis Center
Shanghai
The eight leaves on this retractable roof resemble the magnolia flower as it blossoms.
