Le Centre Culturel Nelson Mandela recently opened in Pantin, a northeastern suburb of Paris. Designed by architect Jean-Pierre Lott, the Nelson Mandela Cultural Center presents a striking facade characterized by swooping curves. The building rises from the ground like an expressionistic mountain range.

Lott created the building to work harmoniously with its urban setting of Courtillières, “a district designed in the 1960s by Emile Aillaud, famous for its buildings with curved and poetic shapes,” explains the museum website.

Constructed of reinforced concrete, the Nelson Mandela Cultural Center “reflects both economy of means and aesthetic potential, with a white earthenware facade offering an abstract and dynamic appearance.”

The building includes a large hall, auditorium, meeting rooms, book collections, and administrative offices.

Additionally, there is a bar, outdoor terrace, and open-air theater on the roof—accessible by a curved staircase that echoes the shape of the building.