Ecca collection

Kameha Hotel

You do not need to go in to the Kameha hotel in Bonn, Germany, to know that you have arrived somewhere special. Set in a curve of the Rhine in the suburb of Oberkassel, it looks across the river to some of the main elements of the city, or in the other direction to the Siebengebirge mountains. It is a low-lying building, rising only to a maximum of six floors, which makes the most of its position. Luxurious rooms enjoy magnificent views, and the entire hotel is centred on a gigantic transparent hall, that pays tribute to the great glasshouses of the 19^th Century, but using 21^st Century technology.

Images courtesy of Tomas Riehle, Köln (Germany)

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Soweto Theatre

When the sun is setting in Soweto, South Africa, the walls of the new Soweto Theatre glow in a warm gold colour. In fact, these walls are clad in a grey colour, but their double curvature means that they reflect their surroundings, picking up not only the warm tones of the low sun but also the green of nearby trees. This visual richness is simply one manifestation of the wealth of ideas and ambition that are invested in a building that will serve both the local community and the national and international visitors who already come to the township, bringing much needed tourist income.

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Avilés Warehouse

Steel is the obvious choice of materials for industrial buildings, even more so if it is to be housing steel elements. So when steel maker ArcelorMittal was planning a new warehouse building in the port of Aviles in Spain, in front of its works, there was little discussion about the selection of materials.

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