Beyond The West inspires a fresh understanding of global contemporary architecture beyond the Western Countries.
Architects throughout the world work against a backdrop of rapidly growing cities, changing societies and climate, and emerging economies. But while Western architecture has largely dominated the discourse, architecture firms from non-Western countries have been establishing local and global -recognition for themselves, often finding strikingly different solutions to local requirements, including sustainability, transportation and migration, construction materials, and traditions. Beyond The West journeys across Asia, Africa, and the Americas to under-stand how local architects respond to a changing world, and focuses its wide lens on inspiring and truly global architecture.
Facing the South China Sea, the Wormhole Library is located in Century Park along the Haikou Bay coastline. The intimately scaled structure is cast of white concrete as a unit. The curved concrete walls not only serve as organic architectural structure, but also connect the ceiling, the ground and the walls together. Holes of varying sizes allow the architecture to breathe and meanwhile let natural light flood the interior. The grey spaces of the exterior corridors provide shady spots for passers-by to stop and rest.
When Ferdinand Alexander Porsche entered the family business in 1958, he filled an unknown vacuum. An experimental visionary who wanted to challenge tradition, he elevated the design legacy of this famous German brand. From working in the engineering office to craftily creating an icon amongst sportscars, writer Ulf Porschardt reveals how Ferdinand Alexander’s sketches evolved to become a cultural symbol.
The first residential units on Roatán Próspera are a case study in local sustainability and global integration. Combining the most advanced modular construction techniques with sustainably-sourced local materials, the design and planning for the first dwellings in Próspera is a tangible example of the dramatic shift in development methodologies taking place around the world. 
