Lake Palace

Udaipur, India

Background: This relic of architectural days past dates back to 1746, when Maharana Jagat Singh II commissioned it. Nowadays, it is a high-end hotel, outfitted with modern amenities and luxury suites. Why Its Unique: The ornate palace sits on a 4-acre slab of land in the middle of Lake Pichola. Its exterior is made from white marble, which Koliopoulos says isnt exactly compatible with the natural surroundings. You always want to develop design concepts that leverage, reinforce and highlight the natural features of the area. The scale and form of this building, though, are pretty obtuse, Koliopoulos says. Incorporating the marble just extends the oddity of the design approach.