Vortex: The Architecture of a Circle

Edited and authored by the renowned architecture expert Philip Jodidio, this book is dedicated to a new, eye-catching building by the Swiss architecture firm Durig AG located in Lausanne, also known as the Olympic Capital. As the structure s name suggests, Vortex is an 88-foot-high tower in the shape of a circular crown, rising around a 1.7-mile-long single ramp. Its spiralling movement creates an emblematic shape reminiscent of Olympic rings a fitting tribute for a building that housed the 1,700 talented young athletes who competed in January 2020 s Winter Youth Olympic Games. Over 130 photographs, sketches, plans, and models illuminate this enormous undertaking, while Jodidio s informative text offers detailed insight into the phases of design and construction. Imagery of circular references from art, architecture, and nature also highlight the inspiration behind the building s extraordinary shape. Printed in Italy using the finest European papers, this new volume is a beautiful ode to Vortex and Lausanne s forward-looking spirit.