The Royal Dutch/Shell Group is not known for its dramatic or even interesting architecture. Many of its buildings around the world appear identical, and identically boring. This one is a step in the right direction, and hopefully a new beginning for such a large corporation that could do amazing things with its properties. Appropriately enough, this is the home to one of the company's twelve research and technology groups around the world. Essentially, these people work on new and better ways of making energy and coming up with new things to do with it. The building is on the north side of the IJ river, commonly referred to as the "other" side by locals. From its position on the edge of Amsterdam's harbor it has a commanding view of the city. Its most striking feature is on the roof -- a concrete mass of geometric squares and circles turned at a 45-degree angle to the rest of the building. This gives it at least some measure of distinction in Shell's collection of dull concrete towers.