Custom made designs truly add something spectacular to a space. Whether it’s in the form of decorative art structures or intricate architectural work, a customized flair makes a space memorable, and often leaves visitors in awe. Perforated metal panels effortlessly take the spotlight, as an option for enhancing both exterior and interior decor. These panels are available in countless designs and patterns, adding unique, eye-catching touches to commercial and residential spaces — and in most cases they’re functional, too. While they’re well-suited to office and home design, perforated panels have also found a place in spectacular building designs.

Check out these exceptional examples of perforated facade design, combining art and architecture in breathtaking ways.

San Telmo Museum
Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos were behind this magnificent creation. Artists Leopoldo Ferran and Agustina Otero added a beautiful touch to this building, by creating a semi-plant wall that covers the building with perforated steel sheets, making it truly unique and ever changing. What makes it brilliant is the architect’s’ ability to connect the historical with the aesthetically pleasing. The ‘tough’ perforated exterior panels are reflective of a building with a strong history, displaying the stories of the past in its surface.

The architects are recognized internationally for recovering the original building, and revamping it into a contemporary artwork. Thanks to their initiative and immaculate design, the museum was able to reopen, continuing to spread knowledge and inspire thought.

Danial Apartment Tehran, Iran
This residential space is an architectural masterpiece. Architects Reza Sayadian and Sara Kalantary were inspired by tree branches and leaves, in designing this abstract exterior. The variety of shapes in this facade — along with its transparent, translucent, and solid layers — creates wonderful light and shadow play. Their work won the Chicago International Architecture Award, and was shortlisted for the World Architectural Festival in the Housing category in 2012.

One of the benefits of perforated design is that the facade can be changed to adapt to new surroundings or new decor, without having to redesign an entire space. Letting go of the idea of an ‘inside’ and ‘outside,’ these unique panels instead merge the two, to create a full experience from every angle.

Espace Culturel de La Hague
This 2,500-square-metre centre for the arts in Beaumont-Hague features partially transparent panels of various angular forms — almost creating the illusion of being inside a speaker. The vibrant use of color and perforated panels lend just enough visibility to create curiosity.

Directors Emmanuelle Marin and David Trottin wanted to reinterpret the forms in the surrounding landscapes, to create a building that was truly representative of its location. The exterior is made of mirrored panels and windows, which reflect the surrounding sky and greenery. Other materials include concrete and timber, featured both inside and outside the structure.

The Doha Tower
The Doha Tower may be one of the most well-known designs featuring a perforated facade. The tower is described as the cousin of the Burj Khalifa, and overlooks the gleaming waters of the gulf. Designed by the talented French architect, Jean Novel, the Doha Tower is the first skyscraper with internal reinforced concrete diagrid columns. The style and feel of the building are reminiscent of ancient Islamic design, incorporated brilliantly with its futuristic setting.

Wuxi Vanka, Shanghai
A highly impressive perforated masterpiece, the Wuxi Vanke art center lies near the Taihu Lake in Shanghai. Designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates, the center consists of intricate aluminium mould perforated panels. The building used to be a cotton mill, and was since converted into an office complex and retail shop. The design of the space, with its wavy lines, gives a free-flowing feel to an age-old brick building.

Which one of the above examples is your favorite? Tell us in the comments below!