A building's effect on the urban environment and the lives of those who live near it can be very subtle and difficult to tease out.



Porto's Rotunda da Boavista is an ample square inside the city's business center and the Rem Koolhaas-designed Casa da Musica is right across the street. Koolhaas wanted to make it as reflective of its context as he could, but as for integrating in the context this building looks like Elton John at a Nazi Rally making an effort by dressing in black.