Project:  Concrete Slit House

Architect:  Atelier Zhanglei

Location:  Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

Western architects are routinely invited to build in China, bringing international flair to one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Alelier Zhaglei’s Concrete Slit House is a refreshing work of contemporary architecture that bucks the Chinese appetite for flashy buildings with Western pedigrees. Instead, the Nanjing-based firm painstakingly introduces a board-formed concrete house into the traditional building fabric of the city. By paying careful attention to scale, form, and color, the simple volume fits right in with its more traditional neighbors. Who said modern architecture couldn’t be contextual?

Read more about this project in the Architizer database!

Photos: Iwan Baan

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Architecture has been called a plastic art, but don’t let the term fool you. Rather than images of soft, malleable polyurethane, today we bring you architecture on point—sharp buildings that span the gamut from impossible knife-edges to bristling spikes. These unusual forms capture the imagination and catch the eye. But beware, in this case, looks can kill.

These buildings will having you thinking twice before you mess with architecture. Click through for the slideshow!

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