Floating Roofs 4

Source: Studio J. P.

M.H. de Young Museum, San Franciso, California, USA, 2005 designed by Herzog & de Meuron

It gradually became clear that it would be more meaningful to house all the components under one roof, in one interrelated, but varied architectural context. We thought of a kind of organism with several limbs or extensions, like the fingers of a hand. We arranged the building in three parallel bands (or fingers) so that the park fills the spaces in between and reaches all the way into the heart of the new building where it forms inner courtyards. -- architect's web site

Most interesting of all was the choice for the exterior of the museum. Herzog & de Meuron intentionally chose a copper facade which would slowly become green due to oxidation and therefore fade into its natural surroundings. The facade is also textured to represent light filtering through a tree. -- ArchDaily

Source: Nicolas Saieh archdaily.com

Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center, Santiago, Chile, 2010 designed by Cristian Fernandez Arquitectos, Lateral Arquitectura & Diseño

The architects decided to focus on four main concepts: openness to the city and its urban relationships across a large deck with loose volumes under it, the creation of new public space, the opening of the building to the community by incorporating community programs, and the legitimacy of the project through the incorporation of as many social agents in shaping a new benchmark for the city.  -- ArchDaily

Source: Jaime Sicilia archdaily.com

Polideportivo in Sa Indiotería, Palma de Mallorca, Spain designed by Jordi Herrero + Sebastián Escanellas

Here is intended to continue the indoor and outdoor space. The building is resolved burying the court and locker rooms. The scheme allows pass without visual barriers from the park to a covered platform, to the stand, and finally descending toward the court. -- ArchDaily