This is a guest post from Antonina of OpenBuildings - a community-driven and openly editable encyclopaedia of buildings from around the world. 

Luc Besson’s 1997 futuristic movie The Fifth Element opens with a breathtaking scene of a multi-level city. The elevated lifestyle pictured there is still more than a few corners around and in everyday architecture rooftops are downgraded to a functionally-obsolete protective part of buildings. However, this line-up of rooftop refuges is a reminder of the fascination of dwelling in the alternative layers of the city. Look around and you will actually discover, apart from the proverbial underground world, every big city also has a rooftop world of its own and it is a most inspiring place to be.

Park Associati: The Electrolux Cube Pavilion 

image: Park Associati

Benthem Crouwel Architects: Penthouse Las Palmas

image: Jannes Linders

Brian Meyerson Architects: Bondi Penthouse

image: Brian Meyerson Architects

JDS Architects: Penthouses and Rooftop Terrace 

image: JDS Architects

Pascal Grasso: Nomiya Temporary Restaurant

image: Kleinefenn

L/B: Everland Hotel

image:  L/B

Teck Siong Desmond Tan: Penthouse Office Suite

image: Teck Siong Desmond Tan

Balmori Associates: 684 Broadway Penthouse

image: Mark Dye

Coop Himmelb(l)au: Falkestrasse Rooftop

image: Gerald Zugmann

Werner Aisslinger: Loftcube

image: Werner Aisslinger; loftcube.net

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antonina

Antonina is an architect who has recently joined the OpenBuildings team to take over Community Outreach. Believes in interdisciplinary approach to architecture and everything else, fascinated by Japanese and Dutch design, typography and all things inspired.
OpenBuildings is a community-driven and openly editable encyclopaedia of contemporary and conceptual architecture from around the world that exists as a website and application for iPhone, and recently – Android, which enable users to find, learn about and share nearby buildings of architectural merit.

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