These 14 houses, pavilions, commercial buildings and other forms of architecture take inspiration from the shape and symbolism of trees.

A beautifully designed nature observation tower in Latvia ascends 120 feet into the sky and features caged balconies from which to enjoy the view along the way.

This gorgeous building mixes work and play to create a singularly fantastic addition to a Japanese kindergarten site.

Romantic fairytale treehouses with spiraling staircases and streamlined, modern stainless steel versions climb high into the sky.

A specific type of soil bacteria could be used in conjunction with 3D printers to create inexpensive, low-waste materials with which to build electric towers.

Growing rapidly in diverse climates, bamboo proves to be an ideal sustainable low-cost building material for these 13 structures, from restaurants to schools.

Spiraling into the sky, this green residential tower designed for Denver is built atop a volume of retail, restaurants, parks, recreation space and gardens.

These 18 sightseeing towers and overlooks, from urban London to the fjords of Norway, provide incomparable views from dizzying heights.

The town of Fudai escaped the March 11th tsunami nearly untouched despite widespread destruction - all thanks to an ugly, unwanted 51-foot-tall floodgate.

Street vendors have a greener future to look forward to. The EcoKiosk was designed to make their stalls cleaner, greener and more appealing all-around.

A competition to redesign electric pylons in Iceland produced these 3 standout entries including 'Land of Giants', humanoid sculptures that tower into the sky.

The massive Metropol Parasol opened in Seville, Spain recently: the product of four years of research, design and construction.

The St. Petersburg Zoo in Russia will move from a crowded urban area to a watery complex outside the city, representing all of the world's continents as a whole.

Traditional brick manufacturing is wasteful and releases loads of carbon dioxide into the air. This new, greener method could revolutionize construction.

Could this concept help NYC clean up its air? Plant-filled bubbles would form an air-purifying wall enclosing a dynamic public space.