The Cerro del Obispo lookout point is a tall, concrete monolith along a pilgrimage trail in Mexico. Designed by Christ & Gantenbien, the “pilgrims column” stands like an extruded amoeba or giant Aalto vase made out of concrete. But can an amoeba-like shape serve as an organizing principle when amoebas, themselves do not have a definite shape?

As you can see in the photos of the project by Iwan Baan, the shape is distinctive even if the geometry doesn’t seem definite. But the project has plenty of naysayers. Just look at the comments for this designboom article about the project. “Ridiculous,” “useless,” “vaginal phallus,” people have a lot to say about this simple concrete volume. But the project is a pilgrimage site, and it’s purpose has less to do with utility than with spirituality, and that can entail a whole host of purposes that are less clearly defined than an amoeba.