Where architect Santiago Calatrava transformed sculpture into architecture, the principals of Beijing architecture firm MAD, Yansong Ma, Hayano Yosuke and Qun Dang, push the boundaries even further. In a previous life, founder Yansong Ma might have been a glassblower. Today, advances in engineering allow such designs as the Absolute World Towers (above) in Mississauga, Canada and the Guangzhou Twin-Tower (appended) to become reality.
Nicknamed the Marilyn Monroe building, the curvaceous turning torso of the Absolute World Towers are marked by continuous balconies and are already under construction. It’s an apt nickname, the building’s form even bears resemblance to a posed slatted dress I modeled for an ULTRAHD Network ID piece several years ago. The Guangzhou Twin-Tower/800M Towers is even more avant-garde. Not only does the building conjoin in the center; despite differing heights they join at the top, connected by a cable car system.
