The surge in copper prices has recently lead to thefts of this red metal all over the world. Gutter, cables, coils or pipes have been ripped off buildings and they are sold on the black markets. These thieves are only interested in financial gain but architects are using copper more and more, not for just practical purposes but also for its aesthetic allure. Let’s have a look!
Happo Museum – Tshwane, South Africa
Hapo Museum (hapo = hope or dream in the Khoi language) was designed by GAPP, Mashabane Rose Architects and MMA to showcase over 3 billions years of history in South Africa. The building complex is clad with copper panels which are meant to age naturally. “With walls and roof all clad in copper sheeting, the outcrop will rust to green and merge with the natural landscape.” state the architects.
Fujitsubo Beauty Parlor – Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo’s trendy Omotesando district has an incredible parlor Fujitsubo (“barnacle” in Japenese) Beauty Parlor. Japenese Archivision Hirotani Studio built it with a great example of copper cladding continuously from rooftop to the ground. It is bright and reflective and supposed to age incrementally to degrees dependent on amounts of sunlight and rain received at different areas of the structure.

The Rock at Wellington International Airport – Wellington, New Zealand
This “Rock” was designed by Studio Pacific Architecture. They wanted to combine functionality and capacity that should become a memorable visitor experience at the airpoirt. The rock’s folded copper-clad walls are intended to invoke the character of Wellington’s South Coast area.

There are even more copper buildings like Villa ArenA Woonmall Restaurant – Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Schloss Grafenegg Concert Hall – Grafenegg Castle, Austria, Svalbard Science Centre – Longyearbyen, Norway and others.



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Silvia M.//SMC Editor
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Credits : weburbanist.com, inhabitat.com, copperinvestingnews.com, archdaily.com, googleimages