Adjaye Associates designed the Ruby City art centre in Texas, a contemporary museum clad in red-toned concrete panels that give the building a vibrant hue.

The ruby-red exterior was conceived as a form that rises from the earth, possessing an ethereal magic. The form is topped by crowning lanterns, bringing light into the galleries.

The concrete panels are an aggregate of glass and mica that are intended to shimmer in the light, resembling a rough-cut gemstone.

The building follows an ambulatory loop where visitors embark on a journey ascending upward, culminating at a window that frames views of San Antonio.

This project has been longlisted in the cultural building category of Dezeen Awards 2020.

Architect: Adjaye Associates
Project: Ruby City
Read more: Adjaye Associates