Yokohama International Passenger Terminal

The Yokohama International Passenger Terminal (1995-2002) is a cruise ship terminal and public space in Yokohama, Japan, designed by Foreign Office Architects (Alejandro Zaera-Polo and Farshid Moussavi). The project won an international design competition in 1995 and was completed in 2002. Its innovative design treats the building as an extension of the urban landscape, creating a continuous topographic surface that flows from the city to the waterfront. The terminal eschews traditional columns and walls in favor of folded steel plates that create a fluid, cave-like interior. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential buildings of the early 21st century.