The architecture of the buildings is beautiful and incredibly delicious. The most unusual architectural structures in the world. Shanghai Tower - China
Some of the most beautiful buildings in the world fascinate and captivate with their intricate shapes and configurations. Undoubtedly, these architectural structures deserve the highest praise and special attention. Let's look at the 25 most outstanding ones, built in different parts of the globe.
Burj Al Arab Hotel - Dubai
Burj Al Arab is considered the tallest hotel in the world. This 7-star, 60-storey building is built on a private artificial island on Jumeirah Beach. The hotel is built in the shape of a sailboat and is located at an altitude of 321 m above sea level.
The design inside the building is stunning: many dancing fountains, huge aquariums, luxurious apartments with gilded decoration.
Catherine Palace - St. Petersburg
In the city of Pushkin, near St. Petersburg, there is another beautiful building with a bright blue facade: the Baroque Palace of Catherine the Great. Crowds of tourists visit this magnificent structure to admire it, as well as the famous Amber Room, one of the wonders of the world. Particularly impressive is the elegant wing of the palace in the classical style, which was designed by Catherine II’s architect, Charles Cameron.
Guggenheim Museum - Bilbao, Spain
American architect Frank Gehry designed the Guggenheim Museum, which is located in Spain. The most innovative ideas of 20th century architecture are intertwined in the bold contours of the building. The building, with an area of 24 thousand m2, is a landmark with an innovative design. The museum radically changed the view of modern architecture. During the construction of the building, titanium was used with lines that change color in the sun.
Great Mosque - Djenné, Mali
In the south of the Sahara there is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world - a mosque, which was built by African tribes from clay bricks. The architectural complex was built in 1906 and is the largest structure in the world built entirely of mud. In 1988, the mosque was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
Sagrada Familia - Barcelona, Spain
One of the main attractions of Spain, the symbol of Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia or the Church of the Holy Family, which was built according to the design of Antoni Gaudi. The architect spent 40 years building this Gothic cathedral. After Gaudi's death, his associates continued to build the temple; it is worth noting that work continues to this day. According to the project, completion of the church is expected in 2026.
Taj Mahal, India
This majestic building is located in India, on the southern bank of the Yamuna River. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum complex that took 20 years to build. White marble was used in its construction, which changes color depending on sunlight or moonlight. The building was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983. The Taj Mahal is rightfully considered one of the majestic buildings in the world.
Wat Rong Khun - Thailand
Wat Rong Khun or "White Temple" is one of the most famous temples in Thailand. The uniqueness of the structure is that it stands out for its crystal whiteness and sparkles in the sun. The temple was designed by a famous Thai artist. There are still plans to improve the building. It is expected that there will be nine structures with halls for relics, meditation and living quarters for monks.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - UAE
One of the largest mosques in the world, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, is built of marble and seats 40 thousand people. The building was built in 2007. White marble brought from 28 countries of the world was used in its construction. In the main hall there is a huge lamp weighing 9 tons, decorated with Swarovski crystals.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood - Russia
The Church of the Savior on Blood is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and it is located in St. Petersburg. The impressive size of the church began to be built in 1883. The majestic building is decorated with colorful towers, mosaic interiors and unique exterior decoration.
Golden Temple - Amritsar, India
The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) is a stunning building of India, erected in the center of a lake. The structure was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The style of the temple features Hindu and Muslim architecture, which is enhanced when reflected in the water. It is believed that the building is a holy place and one should pray while being here.
Shanghai Tower - China
Shanghai Tower is one of the tallest and most beautiful buildings in the country. It is taller than even such buildings as the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center. The height of the building is about 650 meters, and the total area is 380 thousand m.
1 World Trade Center or Freedom Tower - New York, USA
The Freedom Tower in New York is central to the World Trade Center in Manhattan. It was built on the site of the twin towers destroyed in the terrorist attack. The tower is the tallest building in the United States.
Lotus Temple - Delhi, India
The Lotus Temple in New Delhi is one of the most beautiful temples in India. Built according to the design of the Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba. Previously, on the site of the building there was a mystical settlement of Baha Pur - “Bach’s Dwelling”. The second name of the Bahai Lotus Temple is the Mother of all temples on the Hindustan Peninsula. Its magnificence has earned it many architectural awards.
Grand Lisboa Casino Hotel - China
The Grand Lisboa was designed by renowned Hong Kong architects Dennis Lau and Ng Chun Meng. This impressive skyscraper is 260 meters high and has 58 floors! Gaming establishments in the building began operating in February 2007. The entire surface of the casino hotel is a screen of complex configuration. This solution is considered innovative.
Mosque of Cordoba - Spain
The Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba in Spain is decorated with intricate patterns, mosaic patterns and openwork columns. Several centuries ago, an ancient Roman temple stood on this site, then a Visigothic church, and in 785 the Mezquita appeared. The pilgrimage to Cordoba was even equated to the obligatory hajj to Mecca for every Muslim.
St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican City, Italy
St. Peter's Basilica - one of the main attractions of the Vatican - is rightfully considered the heart of the Vatican and the entire Catholic world. From a bird's eye view, stunning views of ancient Rome open up, and from the top of the dome you can admire the interior of the cathedral.
Bayon Temple Complex - Siem Reap, Cambodia
Bayon is one of the most amazing temples located on the territory of Angkor Thom and was its religious center. The “highlight” of Bayon are the towers with many faces carved from stone, silently looking from above over the vast territory of Angkor Thom, and during the heyday of the state, over the entire Khmer Empire. Initially, there were 54 towers, which symbolized the 54 provinces under the rule of the king. Today, only about 37 towers remain.
Shwedagon Pagoda - Yangon, Myanmar
One of the most majestic and spiritual buildings in Myanmar is the Shwedagon Pagoda. The entire complex is located on an area of more than five hectares. In addition to the main building, there are many sculptures of mythical and real animals around it: golden griffins, elephants, dragons and lions.
Australian War Memorial - Canberra
The Australian War Memorial is the main memorial dedicated to the memory of soldiers killed during the First and Second World Wars. Today it is considered one of the most significant monuments of its kind in the world. The memorial is located near the Parliament building, from the balcony of which a 360-degree panorama of the monument opens.
Shopping Center - Las Vegas, USA
Fashion Show Mall is the only large shopping center of its kind in Las Vegas. On the territory of the building there are 250 boutiques, shops and six department stores of famous brands. The center opened in 1981, and over the years it has grown to 175 thousand square meters. There is also a huge hall for fashion shows.
Music Building - China
This creative building, called Piano House, was built in China and designed by architecture students. The building consists of two parts depicting two instruments - a transparent violin resting on a translucent piano.
The original building was built for music lovers, but has nothing to do with music. The violin contains an escalator, and the piano contains an exhibition complex.
Siena Cathedral - Italy
According to chroniclers, at the beginning of the 13th century, residents of the city-state of Siena, which acted as the main competitor and adversary of Florence, “called on their leaders to build a temple more magnificent than their neighbors.” Thus, in the period from 1215 to 1263, the Duomo of Siena was founded on the site of the old temple according to the plan of the Gothic master Niccolò Pisano. Today this majestic temple is the main attraction of the city.
Milan Cathedral (Duomo) - Milan, Italy
One of the significant places in Milan is the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria Nascente (Duomo), which was built from 1386 to the beginning of the 19th century. The attraction is the third largest Catholic church, which is even considered one of the wonders of the world. Its hundred-meter spiers tower over the center of Milan, and the golden statue of the Madonna on the longest spire (four meters high) is visible from many parts of the city.
Sydney Opera House - Australia
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Its architect was the Dane Jorn Utzon. Having designed the original roofs, somewhat reminiscent of shells, he gave Sydney a magnificent gift - a symbol of the city. Today, every tourist planning to visit Australia must include an excursion to the majestic opera house in his travel itinerary.
Angkor Wat - Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Cambodian temple Angkor Wat is one of the largest religious buildings ever created. It was built almost 9 centuries ago. It is located on an area of 200 hectares and is surrounded by a moat 190 meters wide. A temple was built in honor of the god Vishnu, who is revered in this area.
The buildings are considered to be some of the most impressive works of art. After spending untold sums on construction, you can walk through the completed projects and even live inside. Insider has collected 30 buildings that will blow your mind.
The oldest surviving building on Earth is Göbekli Tepe in Turkey. Its age is estimated at at least the ninth millennium BC. Archaeologists are unsure of the purpose of Göbekli Tepe. Most likely, the building had religious significance.
Since then, humanity has managed to build many cool structures. For example, just last year the futuristic Fulton Center opened in New York...
...and Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School in Melbourne, Australia.
The amazing Golden Temple in Amritsar, India appears to have risen directly from the waters of the Amritsar River.
At night, the Sikh religious center looks absolutely stunning.
The Las Lajas Church in Nariño, Colombia is puzzling at first because the structure seems to defy gravity.
Modernist architect Antonio Gaudi did not live to see the completion of the Sagrada Familia - in fact, its construction continues to this day. From the outside, the temple resembles houses from The Chronicles of Narnia...
...and its interior decoration is even more surreal.
The Flatiron Building was one of New York's first skyscrapers...
...like the Woolworth Building, the tallest building in the world from 1913 to 1930.
In Onomichi, Japan, young couples often have their wedding ceremonies at the Ribbon Chapel.
In Seoul, surrounded by greenery, stands the Light of Life Church.
It looks completely different inside.
The design of the Marina City skyscrapers in Chicago is unique, to say the least. Built in 1964, they were one of the first mixed-use buildings. For the first time in the USA, a high-rise crane was used in construction.
But not all buildings aim for the sky. Temppeliaukio Church, Helsinki, Finland, is carved into the rock underground and receives plenty of sunlight.
The Church of St. George in Lalibela, Ethiopia, was carved from a single boulder in the 12th century.
Some of the most beautiful buildings are part of the landscape. Turninn in Reykjavik reflects the wild beauty of Iceland.
Modernist Ludwig Mies van der Rohe used edges and open space to create masterpieces that appear to float in the air - like the New National Gallery in Berlin, built in the 1960s.
Berlin is also home to the mecca of electronic music, the brutal nightclub Berghain.
Unity with the environment is one of the oldest concepts in architecture. The ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto is home to the spectacular Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji)...
...and no less stunning Silver.
The Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali is the largest mud structure in the world. It can accommodate 3 thousand believers.
The whimsical Pompidou Center in Paris is a masterpiece of postmodernism.
Built around 1200, Chartres Cathedral in northern France is an excellent example of Gothic architecture. Pay attention to the richly decorated “portals” leading into the building...
...and an amazing organ inside.
Perhaps the only religious building that can compare with it in grandeur is the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. Its construction was completed at the beginning of the 17th century and coincided with the heyday of the Ottoman Empire.
More than 20 thousand handmade tiles are used in interior decoration.
Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria is believed to have inspired Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Trinity College is the crown jewel of the University of Dublin.
It is famous for its library, the most stunning room of which has the characteristic name “The Long Room”.
The Imperial Palace - also known as the Forbidden City - is the highest form of Chinese architecture.
Between 1420 and 1912 the palace served as the seat of government.
Its interior is truly impressive...
...as well as attention to detail.
Today, the most exotic examples of modern architecture can be seen in Beijing. For example, the CCTV Tower, also known as "Pants".
With the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the late Zaha Hadid did what only she could do - she turned the hard, clean lines of modernism into something organic.
High in the Peruvian Andes, Machu Picchu is the finest example of Inca architecture.
Archaeologists believe that the city was built around 1450.
A more detailed photograph of the residential area.
In 2007, Parque Biblioteca España opened in Medellin, Colombia. Its design was designed by Colombian architect Giancarlo Mazzanti. The three buildings should look like stones.
The library, located in Santo Domingo's Savio district, overlooks Medellin itself, lying in a valley surrounded by the Andes.
The Sydney Opera House is rightfully considered an iconic representative of Australian architecture.
Designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon and opened in 1973, the theater became a literal canvas of public expression.
Its interior is also amazing.
Judging by these photographs, give the architect free rein and he will be able to design a building of any shape and size. We have collected 33 extraordinary houses to show you and for each you can see the position on the world map so that you can visit them live 😉. Join us!
1 Surreal House/Mind House (Barcelona, Spain) map
Mind House is a building located at the entrance to Park Güell, designed by the architect Antoni Gaudi, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
2 Crooked House/Krzywy Domek (Sopot, Poland) map
Located in the Polish city of Sopot, this building is a popular landmark for tourists and photographers. The inspiration for the unusual shape of the building came from the Polish fairytale illustrations of Jan Marcin Szanser and Per Dahlberg.
3 Stone House/Casa do Penedo (Portugal) map
The house got its name because it was built on the basis of four large boulders, which serve as its foundation, walls and ceiling. Construction began in 1972 and lasted about two years until 1974.
4 Lotus Temple (New Delhi, India) map
The main temple of the Bahai religion in India and neighboring countries, built in 1986. A huge building made of snow-white marble in the shape of a blooming lotus flower.
5 Cathedral/Catedral Metropolitana de Brasília (Brasilia, Brazil) map
Catholic Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Brasilia. Built in the modernist style according to the design of the famous architect Oscar Niemeyer. When designing, Oscar Niemeyer was inspired by Liverpool Cathedral. The building itself consists of 16 hyperboloid columns, symbolizing hands raised to the sky.
6 Casa Mila/La Pedrera (Barcelona, Spain) map
The residential building, built in 1906-1910 in Barcelona by the architect Antoni Gaudi for the Mila family, is one of the attractions of the Catalan capital. The design of this Gaudi building was innovative for its time: a well-thought-out natural ventilation system makes it possible to avoid air conditioning, interior partitions in each of the apartments of the house can be moved at your discretion, and there is an underground garage.
7 Atomium (Brussels, Belgium) map
One of the main attractions and symbol of Brussels. The Atomium was designed for the opening of the 1958 World's Fair by architect Andre Waterkein as a symbol of the atomic age and the peaceful uses of atomic energy.
8 Museum of Contemporary Art (Niteroi, Brazil) map
The famous architectural creation of Oscar Niemeyer in the modernist style. The building took five years to construct and was completed in 1996. The sixteen-meter-tall concrete smooth cylindrical structure on a thin leg with a glass belt simultaneously looks like both a UFO and an exotic plant growing on the edge of a cliff.
9 Kansas City Central Library (Missouri, USA) map
For a time, the façade of the Kansas City Central Library was designed as a bookshelf composed of various books. It looked impressive)
10 “The Hobbit House” (Wales, UK) map
The house was built with maximum consideration for the environment and provided a unique opportunity to live closer to nature.
11 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York, USA) map
The choice of site for the construction of the Guggenheim Museum was on a site adjacent to the huge green area of Central Park between 88th and 89th streets on Fifth Avenue. When designing the building, architect Frank Lloyd Wright moved away from existing models and invited viewers to take the elevator to the top floor and go down in an internal continuous spiral, examining the exhibition along the way, both on the ramp itself and in the adjacent halls.
12 Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Spain) map
The museum building was designed by American-Canadian architect Frank Gehry and was opened to the public in 1997. The building is immediately recognized as one of the most spectacular deconstructivist buildings in the world. Architect Philip Johnson called it "the greatest building of our time"
Located on the embankment, the building embodies the abstract idea of a futuristic ship, perhaps for interplanetary travel. He has also been compared to a bird, an airplane, Superman, an artichoke and a blooming rose.
13 Habitat 67/Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada) map
Residential complex in Montreal, which was designed by architect Moshe Safdie in 1966-1967. The complex was built for the start of Expo 67, one of the largest world exhibitions of that time, the theme of which was houses and residential construction.
The cube is the basis of this structure. 354 cubes stacked on top of each other made it possible to create this gray building with 146 apartments. Most apartments have a private rooftop garden for the neighbor below. The style of construction is brutalism.
14 House of Music/Casa da musica (Porto, Portugal) map
Designed by Rem Koolhaas, the concert hall in the historic center of Porto is home to the city's three orchestras. The construction of a building of an unusual shape required the implementation of new engineering solutions. It was carried out in 2001-2005. in connection with Porto's functions as the European Capital of Culture. The project proposed by Koolhaas received wide recognition in the architectural community. Thus, the architectural critic of The New York Times Nikolai Urusov called the House of Music “the most attractive” project of Koolhaas, comparing it with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
15 Olympic Stadium (Montreal, Canada) map
It was built as the main sports arena for the 1976 Summer Olympics. It hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. Canada's largest stadium by capacity.
16 Nautilus House (Mexico City, Mexico) map
The design of the house is very innovative, unusual and daring. Architect Javier Senosiein decided to bring marine forms into architecture and created a house in the shape of a shell.
17 National Library of Belarus/National Library of Belarus (Minsk, Belarus) map
The building is a rhombicuboctahedron, 73.6 m high (23 floors) and weighing 115,000 tons (not including books). Unusual is the lighting of the building, which is a giant multi-color screen based on LED clusters, which turns on every day at sunset and runs until midnight. The design and patterns on it are constantly changing.
18 National Center for the Performing Arts/国家大剧院 (Beijing, China) map
It is an ellipsoidal dome made of glass and titanium, rising in the middle of an artificial reservoir, across the road from Lake Zhongnanhai. The three main halls of the theater can accommodate at least 6,500 spectators.
The architect was the Frenchman Paul Andreux; construction lasted from December 2001 to December 2007. The construction of such a huge futuristic building in the historical center of the Chinese capital caused great controversy, both from the point of view of its incompatibility with the urban environment, and because of the exorbitant and constantly increasing costs during construction.
19 Conch Shell House (Isla Mujeres, Mexico) map
The house was designed by Octavio Ocampo, one of Mexico's most famous artists, and his brother. The house is a perfect manifestation of his surreal blend of summer house and unique underwater aesthetic.
20 House Attack (Vienna, Austria) map
Erwin Wurm is known for his unusual, sometimes humorous and sometimes mysterious works. He created such an intriguing installation that surprised passersby.
21 Library Alexandrina/ مكتبة الإسكندرية الجديدة (Alexandria, Egypt) map
The idea of building a library on the site of the ancient Library of Alexandria arose in the early 1970s and belonged to a group of professors at the University of Alexandria. The complex has a very expressive architecture. The concept of the library building is based on the symbolism of the south. The building is like a solar disk, raised to the south and inclined to the north. The glass surfaces of the north-sloping roof allow northern light to flow down into the library.
22 Cube Houses/Kubuswoning (Rotterdam, Netherlands) map
A series of houses built in Rotterdam and Helmond to an innovative design by architect Piet Blom in 1984. Blom's radical solution was that he installed the parallelepiped of the house not on the edge, as usual, but on the top, and with this top it rests (visually) on the hexagonal pylon. In Rotterdam there are 38 such houses and 2 more super-cubes, and all the houses are articulated into a single structure. From a bird's eye view, the complex has an intricate appearance, reminiscent of an impossible triangle.
23 The ideal palace of the postman Cheval/Le Palais idéal (France) map
The creator of this most impressive monument of naive architecture is Joseph Ferdinand Cheval. From the age of 13 he worked as a baker's assistant, and in 1867 he received the position of rural postman. Delivering mail, he traveled 25 km every day, putting stones of unusual natural shapes into a wheelbarrow. Of these, for 33 years, alone, in his free time, day and night, in any weather, with the help of the most simple tools, he realized his dream - a palace beyond all imagination.
24 Hallgrímskirkja Church (Reykjavik, Iceland) map
The design of the church was developed in 1937 by the architect Gudjoun Samuelson. It took 38 years to build the church. The church is located in the center of Reykjavik, and is visible from any part of the city. It has become one of the main attractions of the city.
25 Eden project (Cornwall, UK) map
Botanical garden in Cornwall, UK. Includes a greenhouse consisting of several geodesic domes, under which plants from all over the world are collected. The area of the greenhouses is 22,000 square meters. m. The domes are made of hundreds of hexagons and several pentagons connecting the entire structure. Each of the hexagons and pentagons is made of durable, translucent plastic. The first greenhouse features tropical vegetation, the second - Mediterranean vegetation.
26 The Museum of Play (Rochester, USA) map
Interesting architectural design of the National Museum of Play in Rochester. The museum provides a huge interactive collection of exhibits dedicated to the history and exploration of gaming. A resort complex on the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. The complex consists of two buildings and a bridge connecting them, which housed 1,539 rooms. Initially, the dome cells had acrylic inserts, but after the fire of 1976, only the metal frame remained. Now the Biosphere has become a recognizable symbol of the city. The house is in the neoclassical style, standing upside down. At WonderWorks you can have great food, laugh a lot, lie on a yoga bed, ride a virtual roller coaster, control a ball with your mind, find yourself in the desert or inside a soap bubble, and much more. In total, WonderWorks has about one hundred and fifty interactive activities. Longaberger's main office was built in the shape of one of the company's products - a wicker basket. The building has seven floors, huge handles weigh almost 150 tons. The museum is a gallery of contemporary art, opened as part of the European Capital of Culture program in 2003. The building concept was developed by London architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier. The unofficial name is Friendly Alien. The building was built in a blob style, sharply contrasting with the surrounding buildings. The base of the building is made of reinforced concrete, the outer shell is made of bluish plastic panels. The Kunsthaus looks decent despite the very low budget for similar cultural buildings in large cities. The interior decoration, according to Colin Fournier, should resemble a magician's black box. The facade is implemented as a programmable media installation. A residential complex in Darmstadt in the shape of a spiral, designed by the Austrian architect and artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser and characterized by the complete absence of rectangular shapes. Other names are “Wooden Skyscraper”, “Solombala Skyscraper”. A wooden 13-story house built in Solombala (north of Arkhangelsk) by businessman Nikolai Sutyagin. The house was partially dismantled in December 2008 by court decision as an unauthorized construction. On May 5, 2012, the remaining part of the wooden skyscraper was destroyed by fire. It was one of the tallest private wooden buildings in Russia, although inferior in height to some tiered wooden churches.
World architecture is not only about majestic temples, museums and palaces built in the traditions of a certain style. Let's take a look at the other side of the art of architecture: this rating contains buildings from all over the world, when you look at them you can't help but be amazed and amazed at the imagination of the authors. The most unusual, creative and out-of-the-ordinary architectural ideas are for your attention!
1. National Library of Belarus
Located in the capital of the republic, it is one of the main local attractions. It is made in the form of a huge glass diamond, looking fantastic both at night and in daylight. The gorgeous project was nurtured in the minds of the authors since the distant 1989, but was brought into reality only in 2006. Now “Shurik’s Ball,” as the library is lovingly called by the people, is one of the unspoken symbols of Minsk.
2. Upside down house in Poland
In fact, such an idea is not new for world architecture, and there are many such “changers” that can be counted. We chose the attraction of the small Polish village of Szymbark for several reasons. Firstly, this design even has a foundation. Secondly, this house is a changeover not only on the outside, but also on the inside. Thirdly, the Upside Down House in this case is not just an attraction, it was conceived as a symbol of the era of communism, which turned upside down the lives and consciousness of many compatriots of Daniel Czapiewski, the author of this masterpiece.
3. Teapot building in Jiangsu Province, China
This is actually a luxury exhibition center. This shape was chosen in honor of the traditional products produced in this place since the 15th century - clay teapots. It is noteworthy that the building had not yet opened before it entered the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest teapot on the planet. The center has only three floors, but each of them can rotate around its own axis - also a rather unusual solution.
4. Solar oven in France
This original building is located in the southwestern part of the country, near the town of Odelio. Moreover, its main purpose is exactly what is reflected in the name: the mirrored concave side of the structure, facing the sun, reflects its rays, focusing them and converting them into powerful solar energy. The industrial building is also an interesting attraction for tourists in these places.
5. Kunsthaus Gallery of Contemporary Art
Residents of Graz, Austria, refer to the building as a “friendly alien.” Indeed, the design of this architectural structure is somewhat unearthly, biomorphic, which especially clearly characterizes the direction of the building. The computerized lighting system, which makes the museum glow brightly at night, adds life and “alien” to the building.
6. Wat Rong Khun
Another architectural landmark that captivates at first sight is located in Thailand. The White Temple is not a temple in the traditional sense, but rather an art object that provides an understanding of the Buddhist religion for an outsider. All installations here are symbolic. Particular emotions are evoked by the “Hell Pit”, from which hundreds of human hands reach out - these are our vices and passions, having defeated which, a person will gain enlightenment and happiness. After passing through objects depicting worldly vices, the visitor finds himself at the “temple” itself - snow-white, shining with a mirror shine, it symbolizes the purity of the spiritual world and a reflection of the kindness of the one who follows religion. It is interesting that the luxurious cultural monument was erected with the efforts and resources of one Thai rich man, without any help from the state.
7. Giant basket
In the American state of Ohio, there is also an interesting architectural structure - a local factory for the production of wicker baskets and an office erected a corresponding one in the form of their own products. The giant basket is made on a scale of 1:160, it has a characteristic shape that expands upward and even handles - just like a real basket. Largely thanks to this creative solution, today Longaberger is a leader in its field of production.
8. Piano House
One of the most famous buildings in the world. The exhibition complex in Huainan (China) bears the name of the “Music House”, but has nothing to do with this area of art. The building's unusual design draws attention to a new, developing area of the city, where the structure quickly became a striking landmark. It consists of two parts: a white violin and a black piano. The facade consists entirely of transparent and frosted glass panels, arranged in such a way that in the darkness the building itself is not visible - only the outlines of giant musical instruments glow with blue neon.
9. Stone house
In Portugal, near the town of Fafe, there is also an interesting structure - a stone house. It is built between two giant boulders. The roof is covered with old tiles, moss on the stones - it seems as if the house has literally “grown” into the stones. It was built almost 35 years ago, but today it is empty, only attracting the attention of tourists, because of which the owners of the unusual house were forced to leave it.
10. Cube houses
Our next stop is Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Here the architect Piet Blom became famous thanks to his famous design of cubic houses. This residential complex consists of 38 houses - cubes standing at an angle of 45 degrees on hexagonal “legs”. The interior of such houses is also very unusual and creative. The complex also has a hostel for those who want to spend the night in a “cube” house.
11. Crooked House
The next representative of creative architecture, “Crooked House,” is also very famous worldwide. It is located in the Polish city of Sopot, the center of a prestigious music festival among socialist countries. The Crooked House is a striking example of surrealism; it seems to have stepped out of the pages of a fairy tale book. By the way, it was the artist Szantzer’s illustrations for children’s fairy tales that inspired the authors of this masterpiece to create it. The building, as if reflected in a distorting mirror, includes shops, gaming rooms, restaurants, cafes and office space.
12. Robert Ripley House Museum
And our list ends with the most unusual building located in Canada. This Robert Ripley House Museum is located in Orlando. Its unusual design, associated with a science fiction film, actually has a very deep connotation: it is dedicated to a strong earthquake that once destroyed the homes of Canadians and took the lives of some. The building is literally falling apart before our eyes, its façade is riddled with giant cracks (imitations). A large number of museums are dedicated to the famous traveler and caricaturist, differing, to put it mildly, in an unusual design, but the Canadian Believe it or not House Museum is the most striking, memorable and famous precisely for its reference to a natural disaster with a tragic ending. The exhibits of this museum are also quite unusual and may frighten many visitors, but this is precisely the mysterious charm of the Ripley Museum.