8 buildings that resemble Easter eggs

German poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht said: “When faced with an obstacle, the shortest line between two points can be a curve.” But for architects and engineers, a project built with a non-linear, rounded or oval shape can be a challenge.

“The biggest challenges of an oval construction are in the elaboration of the forms of the reinforced concrete structure, since they must preferably be industrialized and in the case of a metal structure, they must also be made to order. In addition, the workforce must be competent and qualified to correctly comply with the project, plumb and alignment”, explains engineer Rejane Saute Berezovsky, director of Institutional Relations at IBAPE/SP.

In addition to taking into account the materials to structure these curved projects, the calculations required in the project are complex and often confusing. “Because they are oval structures, which are less common in construction, sometimes in projects it is necessary to hire specific companies to calculate and carry out these constructions. Often they even need specific software to calculate the tensions and executive design for the work”, emphasizes Otávio Pepe, engineer and director of the company SAS Protensão.

However, oval designs are not the only challenges. Curved lines allow for greater creativity and visual possibilities for an architectural concept. And we prove this with eight buildings around the world that are oval, charming, innovative and reminiscent of Easter eggs. Check out the list below!

The Oval: With 16 floors, located in Limassol, Cyprus (Europe), the development has breathtaking sea views. The project designed by Tom Wright, architect and co-founder of WKK Arquitects and patented by the company Atkins, is a commercial building, intended for office rental. The property was built with sustainable materials, which minimize carbon emissions, energy and water consumption. Another strategy adopted was the use of glass walls that emit natural light throughout the day and minimize heat. In addition, the ventilation, heating and water systems are of the highest environmental standards. "Our architectural projects, around the world, always aim to respond to the conditions and demands of the varying climate, culture and economy", explains Hakim Khannouchi, design director at Atkins. "In this case, the distinctive oval shape was inspired by the rounded rocks found on the coast of Limassol, creating a contrast with the urban landscape. Thus, the building stands out as unique and sustainable. It is a fantastic addition to our portfolio", he emphasizes. The project will be completed and delivered for use in 2017. Watch the explanatory video of the project in this video, clicking " rel="aqui" target="_blank">here !

Agbar Tower: Barcelona impresses everyone with its mixed architecture. But what really catches visitors' attention is the 142 m tall building with 34 floors, plus four underground floors. The building is considered the third tallest in the city. It was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, who was inspired by Gaudí's works, such as the bell towers of the Sagrada Familia, as well as the characteristic pinnacles of the Montserrat mountain. Construction began in 1999, lasted six years and was inaugurated in 2005 by the King of Spain. The tower is owned by the multinational group Agbar, which has its corporate headquarters in the building. What makes the project even more exotic are the 45 thousand light devices, which are set into operation independently, using LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology. The system allows 16 million colors to be projected, thanks to a sophisticated hardware and software system. Up to the 26th floor, where the building is shaped like a cylinder, it is essentially made of concrete and glass. From the twenty-sixth floor up to the dome, steel and glass were used. The surface of the building is made of colored aluminum plates.

St. Mary Axe: Nicknamed The Gherkin because of its oval shape, the building is located in London and was the first skyscraper built in the middle of the city. The tower is 180 m tall, has 47,000 m² and 40 floors. At the top, there are restaurants that host private events and offer dinners with panoramic views of London. The variation in diameter, which measures 49 m at the base, 56.5 m at its widest point, and narrows to 26.5 m at the top floor, gives the building the oval shape that earned it the nickname "gherkin", but which favors the flow of winds around the façade, reducing pressure on the building's structure and preventing them from being directed towards ground level, where they could affect pedestrians. The project was designed by Norman Foster and built between 2001 and 2004, and is now owned by the Safra Group. It is the seventh tallest skyscraper in the city.

Davos Hotel: Considered “unbuildable” by experts, the hotel designed by architects from the Oikos office in Switzerland features an innovative oval façade. Using digital modeling and parameterization techniques, the architects developed a façade system that features a 3D steel panel and more than 62,000 individual enveloped pieces. The architects were inspired by pine cones, which resemble the elements that cover the development and the nature that surrounds it.

The Hemloft: Joel Allen was a young carpenter who decided to collect materials that people discarded to build his oval treehouse in the middle of Whistler Mountain in Canada. It took him 3 months to build it, and he now lives there with his girlfriend Heidi. Joel does not reveal the exact location of the house and firmly maintains its secret in order to live isolated from society. " rel="Veja o vídeo" target="_blank">Watch the video of Joel's home.

Ufo Room – TreeHotel: With a completely different vision than what we are used to, this hotel offers its guests rooms on top of trees. And one of them is the Ufo Room, which resembles an alien spaceship. The oval room has a circumference of 30 m², and can be accessed by a ladder. It accommodates four people, has two bedrooms, a bathroom and a space-like living room. Treehotel has a strong commitment to the environment and works to carry out its work in the most sustainable way possible. All rooms are hung in a way that does not harm the trees. All rooms have insulation, underfloor heating, LED lighting, water-efficient fixtures, and composting toilets.

The Oca: Perhaps the most well-known oval building among the people of São Paulo, the Oca, also known as the Ibirapuera cap, was inaugurated in 1954 and designed by Oscar Niemeyer, who has "v" and "w" shaped columns, 10 thousand m², arches and vaults, curved lines, undulating designs and sinuous shapes as characteristic features of his architecture. Today the site is an exhibition pavilion.

Professora Ruth Cardoso Orchid Garden: Located in Villa-Lobos Park (SP), the level of the orchid garden is 1.5 m below the ground level. This solution naturally creates a base, 1.20 m above the level of the Park, where the transparent hollow form rests. An open, arched beam structures the form and suggests the scale of the orchid garden, providing the volume of air necessary for the permanent movement of air, necessary for the delicacy of the orchids. The project is by Decio Tozzi, inaugurated in 2010, who was inspired by the “habitat” forms of African, indigenous and pre-Columbian cultures.