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7 Vibrant Examples of Pink Architecture Around the World 

August 24, 2023

These rosy buildings would fit in perfectly in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie  

by Noelann Bourgade
With the release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, it’s safe to say that pink is 2023’s color of the year. But there are plenty of buildings that embraced the vibrant hue long before the Hollywood blockbuster. From an Indian palace to a small artist-favored bistro in France, pink architecture is all over the world. In celebration of the release of the highly anticipated movie, AD takes a journey to some of most impressive pink architecture around the globe—after all, the Dream House isn’t the only property that rocks the rosy hue. 

Hawa Mahal (Jaipur, India)

Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of the Winds, sits on the edge of the City Palace complex.  Photo: TravelCouples / Getty Images.
Built in 1799, this red and pink sandstone palace is on the edge of the City Palace complex in Jaipur, India. Conceived as a honeycomb, the five-story eastern façade designed by architect Lal Chand Ustad rises to a height of some 50 feet. Its finely sculpted façade features inlaid panels, gilding, fluted pillars, and floral motifs that make it one of the grandest works of Rajput architecture. The 953 screened windows of the palace—also known as the Palace of the Winds—allowed the women of the Jaipur court to observe the vibrant life unfolding on the surrounding streets while remaining unseen.

La Muralla Roja (Calp, Spain)

La Muralla Roja is a pop of pink in sunny southern Spain.  Photo: Erichology/Creative Commons
Conceived as a contemporary fortress, the Muralla Roja is one of Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill’s masterpieces. Built in 1973, the building has 50 apartments. Perched atop the coastal cliffs of Calp in the Spanish province of Alicante, the building overlooks el Peñon de Ifach, a steep, 1,073-foot-high rock. The contemporary pastel-colored labyrinth was inspired by Arab and Mediterranean architecture. Graphic and geometric, this constructivist work in bold pink contrasts with the blues of the Mediterranean and the often-cloudless skies of southern Spain.  

La Maison Rose (Paris, France)

From Impressionist painters to Emily of Emily in Paris, this pink building has delighted many visitors to Montmartre.  Photo: Alexander Spatari/Getty Images
 Maison Rose, on the corner of rue des Saules and rue de l’Abreuvoir in Paris, was purchased in 1850 by Spanish painter Ramon Pichot, a friend of Picasso and a mentor to Dalí. Later, restaurateur Beatrice Miolano bought the property in 1948, and hew grandson still own the establishment today. A haven for artists in the 1950s, the little house was a typically French restaurant in the heart of Montmartre. Picturesque in appearance, Maurice Utrillo used it as a subject for a number of his paintings, and it has attracted visitors from all over the world ever since including Emily, of Emily in Paris, who dines here with her friend Mindy.

Five Cats Recreation Mall (Beijing, China)

The playground at the Five Cats Recreation Mall is a popular location for photoshoots.  Photo: Hou Yu/China News Service/Getty Images
The inner courtyard of the eight-floor-high Five Cats Recreation Mall, in Beijing’s Chaoyang district, has been painted in an eye-popping, flashy pink. Its playground has frequently been used as a location for photoshoots and the shopping mall it is part of spans more than 12 acres. Immersive and interactive, the mall feels like an outpost from the world of Barbie.

Cooperative Business Bank (Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Slovenian colors and Viennese ornamentation meet at Ljubliana’s Cooperative Business Bank.  Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images.
One of the finest examples of Art Nouveau architecture in Slovenia’s capital, the palette of the Cooperative Business Bank building is drawn from traditional architecture in the country while its decorative details reflect Viennese influences. Designed in 1921 by architect Ivan Vurnik and painted by his wife, artist Helena Vurnik, all five floors of the bank’s façade are richly decorated.

Ro Koi Parish Church, Kontum Province, Vietnam

Vietnam’s Ro Koi Parish Church is an eye-catching building in a sherbet colors.  Photo: Andy Soloman/UCG /Universal Images Group/Getty Images
The Ro Koi Parish Church is the newest addition to this list, having been officially inaugurated in 2022. Located in the country’s Sa Thay district, it blends traditional and contemporary elements. Freshly painted in pink and yellow, this unusual Catholic church echoes elements of another wonderfully pink building in Vietnam, the Sacred Heart Church from 1876 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Matisse Museum, Nice, France

A 17th-century villa houses the collection of a visionary 20th-century artist.  Photo: Eye Ubiquitous/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
Inaugurated in 1963—in a building from the late 17th century—this museum with its striking terra-cotta-colored façade is dedicated to the French artist Henri Matisse. Located in the Jardin des Arènes de Cimiez, it brings together his works, from his artistic beginnings to his final pieces, making it one of the most important collections focused on the celebrated French artist in the world. Sculptures, drawings, prints, personal documents, and paintings are all housed in the villa. Between 1987 and 1993, architect Jean-François Bodin oversaw the addition of a new wing which brought the total area of the museum to over 30,000 square feet.
This article is originally available at www.architecturaldigest.com