Volcano-Shaped Italian Mall Gives Malls A Good Name

Malls are never really all that interesting, architecturally speaking, here in America. But apparently that’s not the case in Italy, because this amazing Volcano-inspires structure makes me want to hang out at the mall all day long.

Volcano Buono is a commercial centre right near Mt. Vesuvius, the only volcano on mainland Europe to have erupted in the last century.

The roof of most of the structure is what looks like a grassy knoll, a surface that holds over 25,000 plants and helps naturally insulate the interior spaces. The crater holds an outdoor theatre, a market and a “sloping pine forest.” In addition to the normal mall shops inside, there’s also a 2000 seat cinema, a supermarket, a hotel and a bunch of restaurants. Seriously, how cool is this thing?

[Volcano Buono via Inhabitat]