Cultural Centers: 50 Examples in Plan and Section

Cortesía de Fabián Dejtiar

How many times have you been faced with the challenge of designing a cultural center? While this may seem like quite a feat, many architects have had to design a program that blends a community center with culture.

Among the projects published on our site, we have found numerous examples that highlight different responses, from flexible configurations to sites that prioritize central gathering areas for citizens and activities. See our series of 50 community centers and their plans and sections below.

Centro Cultural y Ecológico Imagina / TIBÁrquitectos

© Adam Wiseman

via TIBÁrquitectos

via TIBÁrquitectos

Centro Cultural Arauco / elton_léniz

© Felipe Díaz Contardo

via elton_léniz

via elton_léniz

Ku.Be House of Culture in Movement / MVRDV + ADEPT

© Adam Mørk

via MVRDV + ADEPT

via MVRDV + ADEPT

Concrete at Alserkal Avenue / OMA

© Mohamed Somji, cortesía Alserkal Avenue

via OMA

via OMA

KRONA Knowledge and Cultural Centre / Mecanoo + CODE: arkitektur

© Mecanoo

via Mecanoo + CODE arkitektur

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre / Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Cortesía de SNFCC.

via Renzo Piano Building Workshop

via Renzo Piano Building Workshop

House of Culture / KÜHNLEIN Architektur

© Erich Spahn

via KÜHNLEIN Architektur

via KÜHNLEIN Architektur

Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture / LMS Architects

© Bruce Damonte

via LMS Architects

via LMS Architects

Centre Culturel de Notre-Dame-de-Grâce / AFO – Atelier Big City, FSA Architecture Inc and L’OEUF Architects in consortium

© Steve Monpetit

via Atelier Big City

via Atelier Big City

Cultural Center and Library ‘De Factorij’ / ebtca architecten & Archiles architecten

© Dennis De Smet

via ebtca architecten & Archiles architecten

via ebtca architecten & Archiles architecten

Maison De La Culture / Atelier 56S

© Jeremias Gonzalez

via Atelier 56S

via Atelier 56S

CorpArtes Theater and Cultural Center / Renzo Zecchetto Architects

© Guy Wenborne

via Renzo Zecchetto Architects

via Renzo Zecchetto Architects

Estación Cultural Tecpatán / Oficina de Diseño y Taller Brigada de Arquitectura

© Adrián Llaguno

via Oficina de Diseño y Taller Brigada de Arquitectura

via Oficina de Diseño y Taller Brigada de Arquitectura

Plaza Cultural Norte / Oscar Gonzalez Moix

© Ramiro del Carpio

via Oscar Gonzalez Moix

via Oscar Gonzalez Moix

El Tranque Cultural Center / BiS Arquitectos

© Juan Francisco Vargas

via BiS Arquitectos

via BiS Arquitectos

Centro de Arte y Cultura / FURMAN-HUIDOBRO arquitectos asociados

© Nico Saieh

via FURMAN-HUIDOBRO arquitectos asociados

Cultural Centre and Music School / Alberich-Rodríguez Arquitectos

© Ángel Baltanás

via Alberich-Rodríguez Arquitectos

via Alberich-Rodríguez Arquitectos

CaixaForum Sevilla / Vázquez Consuegra

© Duccio Malagamba

via Vázquez Consuegra

via Vázquez Consuegra

Centro Cultural Cobquecura / Alberto Campo Baeza

via Alberto Campo Baeza

via Alberto Campo Baeza

Passy Cultural Center / Beckmann N’Thepe

© Stephan Lucas

via Beckmann N’Thepe

via Beckmann N’Thepe

Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center / Cristián Fernández Arquitectos + Lateral Arquitectura & Diseño

© Nico Saieh

via Cristián Fernández Arquitectos + Lateral arquitectura & diseño

via Cristián Fernández Arquitectos + Lateral arquitectura & diseño

Praça das Artes / Brasil Arquitetura

© Nelson Kon

via Brasil Arquitetura

via Brasil Arquitetura

Nave 16 Matadero Madrid / ICA Arquitectura

Cortesía de Iñaqui Carnicero

via ICA Arquitectura

via ICA Arquitectura

Rehabilitation of Former Prison of Palencia as Cultural Civic​ Center / Exit Architects

© FG+SG

via EXIT Architects

via EXIT Architects

Centro Cultural Casal Balaguer / Flores & Prats + Duch-Pizá

Cortesía de Flores & Prats Arquitectos

via Duch-Piza Arquitectos + Flores & Prats

via Duch-Piza Arquitectos + Flores & Prats

La Jota Cultural Center / G///bang

© Enric Duch

via G///bang

via G///bang

Cultural Center of Viana do Castelo / Eduardo Souto de Moura

© Joao Morgado – Architecture Photography

via Eduardo Souto de Moura

via Eduardo Souto de Moura

Sedan Cultural Center / Richard + Schoeller Architectes

© Sergio Grazia

via Richard + Schoeller Architectes

via Richard + Schoeller Architectes

Japanese Cultural Center of D.R. Congo / Keio University SFC Hironori Matsubara Laboratory

via Tokyo Matsubara and Architects

via Keio University SFC Hironori Matsubara LaboratoryCen

via Keio University SFC Hironori Matsubara LaboratoryCen

Heydar Aliyev Center / Zaha Hadid Architects

© Hufton+Crow

Cortesía de Zaha Hadid Architects

Cortesía de Zaha Hadid Architects

Cultural Center in Katowice / Rafal Mazur

© Joanna Nowicka

via Rafal Mazur

Daoíz y Velarde Cultural Center / Rafael De La-Hoz

© Alfonso Quiroga

via Rafael De La-Hoz

via Rafael De La-Hoz

Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center / Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

© Taisuke Ogawa

via Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

via Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

Les Quinconces Cultural Center / Babin+Renaud

© Cécile Septet

© Babin+Renaud

© Babin+Renaud

Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda y Plaza de la Ciudadanía / Undurraga Devés Arquitectos

© Guy Wenborne

via Undurraga Devés Arquitectos

via Undurraga Devés Arquitectos

Akiha Ward Cultural Center / Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

© Taisuke Ogawa

via Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

via Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre / DIALOG

© Nic Lehoux Photography

via DIALOG

Eyüp Cultural Center and Marrıage Hall / Emre Arolat Architects

© Cemal Emden

via Emre Arolat Architects

via Emre Arolat Architects

Centro Cultural Caixa Forum Barcelona / Arata Isozaki

© Felipe Ugalde

via Arata Isozaki

via Arata Isozaki

El Musical Cultural Center / Eduardo de Miguel Arbonés

© Duccio Malagamba

© Eduardo de Miguel Arbonés

© Eduardo de Miguel Arbonés

Cultural Center at Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon / Ateliers O-S architectes

via Ateliers O-S architectes

via Ateliers O-S architectes

via Ateliers O-S architectes

Sluzewski Culture Centre / WWAA + 307kilo

© Rafał Kłos

via WWAA + 307 Kilo Design

via WWAA + 307 Kilo Design

Córdoba Cultural Center / Castañeda, Cohen, Nanzer, Saal, Salassa, Tissot

© Gonzalo Viramonte

via Castañeda, Cohen, Nanzer, Saal, Salassa, Tissot

via Castañeda, Cohen, Nanzer, Saal, Salassa, Tissot

Cultural Centre Bad Radkersburg / Gangoly & Kristiner Architects

© Paul Ott

via Gangoly & Kristiner Architects

via Gangoly & Kristiner Architects

Cultural Center La Gota – Tobacco Museum / Losada García

© Miguel de Guzman

via Losada García

via Losada García

Rafaela New Cultural Center / Airaudo + Caballero + Giménez Rita + Llonch

© Federico Cairoli

via Airaudo + Caballero + Giménez Rita + Llonch

via Airaudo + Caballero + Giménez Rita + Llonch

Heat Exchanger Važecká / Atrium Architekti

© Lubo Stacho

via Architektonické štúdio Atrium

via Architektonické štúdio Atrium

“Le Creste” Cultural Centre / AREA PROGETTI + UNA2 + Andrea Michelini + Laura Ceccarelli

© Andrea Bosio

via AREA PROGETTI + UNA2 + Andrea Michelini + Laura Ceccarelli

via AREA PROGETTI + UNA2 + Andrea Michelini + Laura Ceccarelli

Auneau Cultural Center / Architecture Patrick Mauger

© Michel Denance

via Architecture Patrick Mauger

via Architecture Patrick Mauger