Collection by Diana Budds

Jose Dávila's Compilation of Architecture That's 'There But Not'

In a new book, artist Jose Dávila ponders, "How many buildings around the world have such distinctive designs that simply their outline, and nothing else, is enough to identify them?" Focusing on silhouettes, Dávila excises structures from photographs leaving nothing but a void. It's easy to fill in the blanks for some—like the Great Pyramid at Giza—but others—like the Burj al Arab—are a bit more obscure. In the following slideshow, spy 10 of the projects in There But Not by Jose Dávila, published by powerHouse Books. Get your thinking caps on and see how many you can identify.

Ananda Temple, King Kyanzittha, 1105.
Ananda Temple, King Kyanzittha, 1105.
Casa Barragan, Luis Barragan, 1948.
Casa Barragan, Luis Barragan, 1948.
Chateau de Chambord, Domenico de Cortona, 1566.
Chateau de Chambord, Domenico de Cortona, 1566.
Chrysler Building, William van Alen, 1930.
Chrysler Building, William van Alen, 1930.
Great Pyramid of Khufu, Hemon vizier to Pharaoh Khufu, 2560 BCE.
Great Pyramid of Khufu, Hemon vizier to Pharaoh Khufu, 2560 BCE.
Dominus Winery, Herzog And de Meuron, 1998.
Dominus Winery, Herzog And de Meuron, 1998.
Palazzo Vecchio, Arnolfo di Cambio and Michelozzo di Bartolomeo, 1540.
Palazzo Vecchio, Arnolfo di Cambio and Michelozzo di Bartolomeo, 1540.
Sydney Opera House, Jorn Utzon Peter Hall Lionel Todd and David Littlemore, 1973.
Sydney Opera House, Jorn Utzon Peter Hall Lionel Todd and David Littlemore, 1973.
Burj al Arab, Tom Wills Wright, 1999.
Burj al Arab, Tom Wills Wright, 1999.