8 German architectural gems around the world

Shaping cityscapes with artistic eye-catchers and user-friendly design means combining technical know-how with an understanding of the local culture. Albert Speer & Partners have designed many municipal buildings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, including this Mecca-like court complex in 2005. It's one of 40 projects currently shown in the "Contemporary Architecture. Made in Germany" exhibition in Paris.

In urban centers, public health is a key issue. Nickl & Partners' response in St. Petersburg was this medical center, which combines hospital facilities with rooms for research and teaching and living quarters for students and staff. The Center, meant for both military and civilian use, was completed in 2013.

Landscape design and the conceptualization of public spaces go hand in hand with architecture. For the 2010 EXPO in Shanghai, the over 207-hectare botanical garden was developed by Auer Weber of Munich. With over half the world's population living in cities and over 24 million people in Shanghai, integrating nature into urban spaces will become increasingly relevant.

Practical and efficient may be German stereotypes, but they apply here. This solar kiosk in southern Ethiopia was created in 2012 by Germany's Graft architects. Via solar panels on the roof, it provides a safe and cheap energy source and a small-business opportunity for local entrepreneurs. The kiosks - produced as kits to be assembled on site - sell phones, solar lanterns and refreshments.

The King Fahd National Library was built in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, by Gerber Architects in 2013. The cuboid structure integrates the local culture is two ways. The original library building was preserved within the new one, and its dome - an icon of culture in Riyadh - was remade in steel and glass. Meanwhile, the façade incorporates rhomboid textile awnings and recalls traditional Arab Patterns.

For this six-building housing complex in the ancient Kazakh city of Almaty, it was crucial for Braun Schlockermann Dreesen to take the region's frequent earthquakes into account. The project, which was completed in 2010, consists of two 16-story and four nine-story apartment buildings, which were inspired by men's traditional hairstyles in Kazakhstan.

With room for 12 million books - many of them historical treasures - and some 2,000 readers, designing the extension to China's National Library in Beijing was no small project for Frankfurt-based architects KSP Jürgen Engel. Completed in 2008, it aims to link new and old: Its use of glass represents the present era and the passing on of China's rich cultural history.

This yet unfinished urban planning project is located south of the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, and is named for the Buddha of the future, Maitreya. Sprawling out around a 54-meter Buddha statue in the center, the urban hub is meant to be car-free and environmentally friendly. The project by Cologne architects RSAA is a response to the influx of nomads in the city and will be completed in 2016.