The damaged areas could be where meteors or comets have struck it. The building-like objects could be maintenance shacks or living quarters for the crew that probably has to perform routine repairs on a regular basis.
[Enter extra-WSU mode]
If my theory holds true, how does this compare to a Dyson Sphere? Is that a valid analogy? After all, the lattice does not fully encompass the area of the planet as a Dyson Sphere would the area of a solar system. On the other hand, the planet is not a star and hence not the source of energy in the center that is the hallmark of a Dyson Sphere. Perhaps this is a valid variation where the solar energy is not prevented from reaching the planet but is also received and used in a location where it may be processed most efficiently.
Or, one step farther, perhaps the planet is of the "brown dwarf" variety like our own Jupiter. It could be a gas giant that, like Jupiter, emits more energy than it receives from its primary star. In that case, the lattice could be collecting energy from both directions.
[Exit eWSU mode]
Koala, Captain, Team Andrew