The 12 Most Influential Buildings of 2019

Hidden in a eucalyptus forest on the edge of a lotus pond, Garden Hotpot Restaurant is a destination touting Chengdu’s hotpot food culture. To pay respects to the unique environment—the area is known as "green lung"—MUDA omitted walls from the design, instead using pillars and boards to form a semitransparent structure. The wavy restaurant emulates steam rising from a hotpot as it peacefully traces the outline of the lake. With simplified, low-cost building methods, the architects achieved a durable but sensitive design that pays great respect to the natural environment.