11 of the most beautiful office buildings in the world

Chris Weller
H.K.W Architects Associate, S.Y. Construction Headquarters, Taichung, TaiwanWorld Architecture Festival

Plenty of office buildings are boxy and uninspiring, but every now and then they border on being works of art.

Ahead of the World Architecture Festival this November, the WAF has released its shortlist for the most beautiful office buildings in the world.

They hail from all over the world — from India to Sweden to Australia — and they encompass a range of styles.

These are the buildings that might make long commutes just a little bit more gratifying.

In São Paulo, Brazil, architecture firm Guilherme Torres Studio followed the designs of its other international offices by creating a brutalist-style building with a touch of modernity.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Studio Guilherme Torres

The interior features 'floating' black panels that can swing open or closed to transform conference room spaces into open-office layouts.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Studio Guilherme Torres

In Nanjing, China, just south of Beijing, the restored Lai Yard features a mixture of stone and glass exteriors.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Minggu Design

The traditional interior looks out onto the courtyard and garden.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Minggu Design

The licensing and technology nonprofit GS1 Portugal, located in Lisbon, includes a slatted, textured mural on its facade.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Promontorio

Its interior features swooping curved lines toward the ceiling and harder edges moving down the walls to the floor.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Promontorio

The central headquarters of apparel company Pull & Bear, in Narón, Spain, is a long, low-slung building set beside a well-manicured lawn.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Batlle i Roig Arquitectura

The minimalist aesthetic outside blends into the interior, with all-white stairs and walls.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Batlle i Roig Arquitectura

A similar design is at play at the S.Y. Construction Headquarters, in Taichung, Taiwan. Nestled among the trees, the concrete building is juxtaposed with bright green and earthy brown.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: H.K.W Architects Associate

However, it still manages to capture an inviting feeling thanks to its low height and wide facade.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: H.K.W Architects Associate

In Września, Poland, the headquarters of Wrzesińskie of News features a perforated style on its facade to recall newspaper columns.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Ultra Architects

Inside, a lofty open-office plan creates a familiar-looking newsroom environment.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Ultra Architects

490 Consulting Suites, in Spring Hill, Australia, uses a combination of horizontal and vertical lines to create a mesmerising exterior.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Shane Thompson Architects

The 19th-century building was restored to match modern tastes in the densely-packed precinct.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Shane Thompson Architects

The offices of the architecture firm Sanctuary, located in Bangalore, India, blend the outdoors and indoors with movable walls that facilitate air flow.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Sanctuary Architects and Designers

The bungalow-like feel allows workers to escape in a canopied-style patio, shaded from the harsh sun by surrounding trees.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Sanctuary Architects and Designers

Architecture & Design Studio, about 200 miles away in Chennai, employs a similar exterior design.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: KSM Architecture

Inside, the space has more modern conceits. Hard edges of metal and glass define the multi-level building.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: KSM Architecture

Västgötagatan 5, a commercial work space in Stockholm, Sweden, was recently refurbished to update the staircases and general floor plan.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Equator Stockholm

Today, floor-to-ceiling plant structures add a pop of colour to the spare, all-white interior.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Equator Stockholm

The head offices of Antwerp, Belgium's port authority recall a large ship taking to the seas.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Zaha Hadid

Its glass exterior shimmers in the sun and creates a more subdued presence as twilight begins to creep in.

World Architecture Festival

Architect: Zaha Hadid

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