Our Favourites: Three impressive vault constructions

The vault structures of the winery in Mont-Ras, Spain, the Battersea Arts Centre in London and the Charles Library in Philadelphia create an extraordinary spatial effect.

Hyperbolic vaults: Winery in Mont-Ras

The flat winery building is built into a sloping site, thus providing climatic advantages for the wine stored inside and enabling rainwater to be captured in the soil between the building's vaults for later treatment.

Architecture: Víctor Rahola und Jorge Vidal
Location: Mont-Ras, Baix Empardà, Girona (ES)

Spectacular reinterpretation: Battersea Arts Centre in London

The former town hall in south-west London was once a political centre for suffragette and labour movements. In 1974 it became the home of the Battersea Arts Centre, complete with performances and drama productions. Haworth Tompkins was already working on rehabilitation of the building when in 2015 a shocking fire ravaged large parts of the complex.

Client: Battersea Arts Centre
Architecture: Haworth Tompkins
Location: Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TN (GB)

Hovering Arches: Charles Library at Temple University by Snøhetta

Just in time for the start of the academic year, Snøhetta’s Charles Library at Temple University in Philadelphia has opened its doors.

Client: Temple University
Architecture: Snøhetta
Location: 1330 Polett Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19122 (US)