They are extraordinary, unique and extravagant. You might almost think that sculptural buildings are all about standing out. But our top 5 have more to offer. And they have shaped modern architecture.
5. Royal Ontario Museumby Daniel Libeskind
The architect Daniel Libeskind is world-renowned for his buildings. The Royal Ontario Museum, or ROM for short, in Toronto, Canada, is a prime example of his work. It blends the old and the new with an extension that features clean, sharp lines. The historic building was completed in 1914 and has ever since exuded a sense of permanence in its monumental style. With the modern façade of the extension, Libeskind creates a new perspective on the existing building. In professional circles, Libeskind is associated with deconstructivism; however, according to media reports, he himself does not wish to be pigeonholed. Since 2007, the ROM, with The Crystal has been open to the public.
4. Opernhaus Guangzhouby Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, too, has had a significant influence on the history of modern architecture through her buildings. Her structures are renowned for their sculptural character – characterised by soft edges and organic forms. These include, for example, the Guangzhou Opera House and the WU Vienna Library, which forms the centrepiece of the campus. The opera house was completed in 2010. This makes it one of the later projects by Zaha Hadid, who passed away in 2016. Other famous sculptural buildings by Hadid include the Zaha Hadid House on the banks of the Danube Canal in Vienna, the Innovation Tower at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the major Beijing New International Airport in collaboration with ADP Ingénierie.
3. Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Healthby Frank Gehry
The Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas is one of many projects that have made the architect Frank Gehry famous. His Dancing House in Prague and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, are among his extensive body of work. Opened in 2010, the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health is one of Gehry’s more recent buildings – in the classic Gehry style with sloping façades and curving lines. The architect was born in Toronto in 1929 and died in 2025 in his adopted home of Santa Monica, USA. With his projects, Gehry has been a pioneer of modern architecture since the 1970s – moving away from straight edges and shapes.
2. Paneumby Coop Himmelb(l)au
The Paneum, designed by the architectural firm Coop Himmelb(l)au, serves as a visitor centre and museum dedicated to bread. Shaped like a loaf of dough, the gleaming façade immediately catches the eye. The centre of the Wunderkammer des Brotes in Asten near Linz, Austria, consists of a circular atrium and exhibition spaces totalling just under 1,000 m². Here, visitors can view the exhibits from various perspectives via a large spiral staircase. The building’s self-supporting structure consists of curved, layered segments made of cross-laminated timber. According to the architectural team, the high degree of prefabrication using 3D CNC technology – short for Computerised Numerical Control – enabled rapid construction within a year. Since 2017, the world of bread has been on display in this extraordinary museum.
1. Metropol Parasolby Jürgen Mayer H.
German architect Jürgen Mayer H. received the Red Dot Design Award in the Best of the Best category for his Metropol Parasol in Seville in 2012. On the site of a former market hall, Mayer has constructed a durable hybrid structure made of wood, concrete and steel. It not only provides shade for passers-by, but also offers space for restaurants and shops. The construction was not without its complications and lasted from 2004 to 2011. Measuring 150 m in length, 70 m in width and 26 m in height, the structure in Seville’s old town is now a well-known hotspot for locals and tourists alike. Referred to by locals as mushrooms, the organic-looking project is also celebrated as a ‘signature building of contemporary sculptural architecture’.
