Creative, expressive, visual, a little bit edgy – tattoos convey many of the same qualities we as architects strive to achieve both in designing buildings and crafting our own personal identities. Whether it’s a small geometric motif or a full-back masterpiece, a tattoo is an immediate statement of who you are and what interests you.
Luckily for architects, the subjects of our affections just so happen to also make great source material for tattoos, from your favorite Miesian plan to a simple city skyline to the elaborate facade of a gothic cathedral.
Here, we’ve rounded up 118 of the most impressive architectural tattoos from across the internet and from submissions by our own ArchDaily readers. Each tattoo has its own story to tell (one reader even shared that his tattoos were inspired by scars obtained through model making mishaps).
Feeling inspired for some ink? Check out the list below!