Modern, but not drab. Tinted glass, but not your everyday office building. The Ayasha Building (Ayasha meaning small in the local dialect), commissioned by a property developer in Bogotá, Colombia, the Peruvian architect José Orrego of Metrópolis, created a building which contrasts against those surrounding it, not necessarily for its form as for ‘what’ makes the form. It is a simple form, created by four well-definied, iconic surfaces.
Ayasha Building – Bogotá, Colombia.
© Metrópolis
The surfaces are what make the building special. They are composed of both black tinted glass and frosted glass. The frosted glass is backed by LEDs and traces lines across the four facades which are at once contemporary and dynamic. The differing panes are just barely detached from one-another by a luminous burnish, making the panes appear to ‘float’ independent of one another.
Ayasha Building – Bogotá, Colombia.
© Metrópolis
At night, the black glass dematerializes when windows from behind show through. The white, frosted lines appear to be floating several feet off of the main form. Lines in space. At the point where these lines and the building meet the ground, there is a water reflecting pool. This mirrors the building’s effects and creates a nice vertical symmetry.
Ayasha Building – Bogotá, Colombia.
© Metrópolis
Matt Davis is a Virginia Tech graduate and one of the founding editors behind Arch2O. Launching the platform in mid‑2012 alongside fellow Hokies, he helped shape its identity as an international hub for design innovation and critical dialogue . With a foundation in architectural education and a passion for uncovering unconventional design approaches, Matt has contributed significantly—both editorially and strategically—to Arch2O’s growth, ensuring that emerging architects, academics, and creatives have a space to question, explore, and elevate the built environment.