Habitat 67

20th and 21st-century architecture has transformed city centers with structures that push engineering boundaries. Observation towers like the Seattle Space Needle and experimental residential complexes like Habitat 67 in Montreal demonstrate the evolution of construction techniques. Architects have explored new forms using materials such as steel, glass, and concrete, creating structures that meet the growing demands of metropolitan areas. This collection includes buildings that marked their time with innovative design. In Barcelona, Antoni Gaudí's Casa Milà features a wavy facade that breaks traditional norms, while in London, 30 St Mary Axe incorporates energy-saving technologies into its 180-meter structure. From Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum clad in titanium to artificial islands shaped in the Persian Gulf in Dubai, these projects illustrate the diversity of architectural approaches worldwide. Each building reflects its urban context while offering solutions to technical and functional challenges of its era.

This collection gathers examples of architectural rehabilitation where former industrial sites have been transformed into new spaces for living, culture, and gatherings. These projects illustrate how contemporary architecture can give a second life to structures that marked European and North American industrial history, while maintaining their original identity. Included are the Oberhausen Gasometer, a 117-meter gas holder converted into exhibition space, the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam, an old coffee and tobacco factory turned cultural venue, and the High Line in New York, a 1930s elevated railway converted into a 2.3-kilometer urban park. The Zeche Zollverein complex in Essen showcases Bauhaus-style industrial architecture from the 1930s, while Strijp-S in Eindhoven, a former Philips production site, now hosts creative and technological studios. These sites demonstrate the possibilities offered by repurposing industrial heritage into accessible public spaces.

Brutalist architecture emerged in the decades following World War II, producing buildings that challenged conventional design through their honest expression of materials and function. From Le Corbusier's Unité d'Habitation in Marseille to Louis Kahn's National Assembly in Dhaka, these structures define a global movement that prioritized raw concrete, bold geometric forms and exposed construction elements. The style reached across continents, shaping university libraries in Chicago, government buildings in Boston and Chandigarh, residential towers in London, and cultural centers in São Paulo. Each building reflects the architectural philosophy of its time, when architects sought to create functional spaces through direct expression of structure and material. This collection documents examples from Europe, Asia, North and South America, representing the full range of building types that defined the movement. You'll find administrative complexes that house parliaments and municipal offices, educational facilities serving major universities, residential towers providing urban housing, and cultural institutions including museums and theaters. The structures share common characteristics—concrete left exposed to show its texture and formwork patterns, geometric compositions that emphasize mass and volume, and architectural elements that reveal rather than conceal how buildings stand and function. These sites offer insight into a period when architects reimagined how modern cities could be built and how public spaces could serve their communities.

Expo 67 left a lasting mark on Montreal, with several architectural structures still standing decades after the World Fair closed. The exhibition, held on islands in the Saint Lawrence River, attracted more than 50 million visitors and marked a turning point in the city's development. Many of the original pavilions were demolished or repurposed after the event ended, but several structures remain and continue to serve the city in different capacities. This collection includes individual buildings and entire areas that emerged from the World Fair. Among the preserved structures are the geodesic dome of the Biosphere, the experimental Habitat 67 housing complex designed by Moshe Safdie, the former French Pavilion now housing the Montreal Casino, and Alexander Calder's "Three Disks" sculpture. The La Ronde amusement park opened as part of Expo 67 and continues to operate today. The grounds within what is now Parc Jean-Drapeau also include Place des Nations, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve racing track, and various gardens and bridges built for the World Fair. These sites offer insight into the architectural visions of the 1960s and demonstrate how a World Fair can permanently reshape a city.

Architecture does not have to follow straight lines and right angles. This collection presents buildings that stand out through their form: domes, spirals, tilted facades or organic structures that recall animals or plants. From Gaudí's mosaic covered works in Barcelona to the stacked concrete cubes of Habitat 67 in Montreal or the conical trulli of Alberobello, these structures demonstrate alternative approaches to construction. Some emerged from technical necessity, such as the temporary cardboard cathedral in Christchurch after the 2011 earthquake. Others are artistic statements: the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao with its titanium plates, the Dancing House in Prague or the cubist houses in Rotterdam. In Đà Lạt, the Crazy House transforms tree trunks and caves into habitable spaces, while the Atomium in Brussels represents a magnified iron crystal. These structures attract visitors but also raise questions about function and livability. The Longaberger Basket Building in Ohio takes the form of a seven story basket. The Lotus Temple in New Delhi uses concrete shells to form 27 petals. The Aldar headquarters in Abu Dhabi resembles a circular coin. These buildings expand the definition of what architecture can be.

This collection brings together major works by architect Moshe Safdie, whose practice is distinguished by particular attention to natural light, outdoor spaces, and the integration of buildings into their surroundings. From Montreal to Singapore, through Jerusalem and several American cities, his projects demonstrate an approach that seeks to reconcile contemporary needs with respect for local contexts. Among the featured works are Habitat 67 in Montreal, an experimental residential complex composed of stacked concrete modules offering each unit its own terrace, and the Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore with its three towers connected by a 340-meter terrace. The collection also includes several museums such as the Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, and the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Other projects like the Salt Lake City Public Library, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, or the Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex in India illustrate the diversity of architectural programs entrusted to Safdie throughout his career.

Montreal combines historic sites and cultural institutions along the Saint Lawrence River. The city displays its religious past in structures like Notre-Dame Basilica, whose neo-gothic facade dates to the 1820s, and Saint Joseph's Oratory, a Catholic pilgrimage site on Westmount. Mount Royal rises 764 ft (233 m) above the city center, offering views across downtown and the river. Parc Jean-Drapeau spans two former Expo islands and now houses the Biosphere and the Formula 1 track Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Cultural facilities include the Museum of Fine Arts, which presents Canadian and European collections, and Pointe-à-Callière, built on archaeological sites from the 17th century. Old Montreal preserves buildings from the French colonial period along cobblestone streets. The Olympic Stadium and Botanical Garden date from different 20th-century construction phases. Markets such as Jean-Talon and Atwater have sold regional produce for decades. The Quartier des Spectacles concentrates performance venues around Place des Arts, while the Underground City connects pedestrian passages beneath downtown.