Barcelona Hosts World Architecture Festival

The Someru Community Center houses the local government and a library. | Courtesy of Salto AB

While the economic crunch has frozen cranes at project lots around the world, it hasn't stalled creativity. Witness the 704 entries submitted to the World Architecture Festival's fourth annual competition. The festival, hosted in Barcelona, "allows architects to showcase their talent and responses to the ever-changing economic climate," says Paul Finch, program director. "There is an increasing need for innovative approaches to architecture." For proof, look no further than Estonia's Someru Community Center, one of the spaces vying for an award: Indoor and outdoor spaces intermingle, creating a welcoming, multifunction structure.

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A version of this article appears in the November 2011 issue of Fast Company.