Incredible buildings. Amazing architectural structures. Torre Galatea, Figueres, Spain

This publication will be of interest to those who love to travel around the world and discover amazing places. Unusual buildings and structures of the world, we decided to talk about this in this article! Amazing buildings, which defy the laws of physics, which evoke positive emotions, buildings that are created to surprise. The best architects designed these structures, but what was going on in their heads? What kind of boundless imagination do you need to have to place residential buildings, museums, hotels, libraries, offices within such building boundaries? The goal of these creators was one, to make millions of people look at their creation with their mouths open! and a description of these buildings.

The most unusual buildings from around the world!

This building was built in 2010. A highly intelligent business center located in Mumbai. This egg-shaped building surprises not only with its appearance, but also with its internal solutions. The project is cyber architecture; it is truly a “smart home”, which is literally crammed with a variety of devices and sensors. For example, any visitor to the building can measure their body temperature and blood pressure at any time.

The house was built as a landmark to attract tourists to the city. The structure is made of black and transparent glass. The entrance to the building passes through the violin, after which you can go up the escalator to the piano room. This “musical house” is informational in nature. In it you can learn about local attractions of the city and see a map of the streets of the area.

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The wickerwork and basketry company Longaberger once decided to create an unusual-looking administrative building for itself. Their own basket came to their aid, based on the layout of which the architects created the company’s office. Thanks to this decision, the company became famous throughout the world!

How to attract readers to your library? Very simple! It is necessary to build a library in the form of books lying on a shelf, as the authorities of Kansas did.

This “dancing house” houses a shopping center, which is located in the city of Sopot on Monte Cassino Street. It was built in 2004, the architect was inspired by fairy tales.

This wonderful building is located in the very center of Prague. Before this “drunk house”, there was an ordinary house in this place, but in 1945 it was destroyed by American aircraft. After which they decided to build a structure in honor of the dance duet “Ginger and Fred”.

This lotus-shaped temple is a Baha'i House of Worship where anyone can come, regardless of religion. Visitors to the temple are greeted only by white walls and the inscription on the ceiling - “God is above all.” The creators wanted to emphasize that a person with any faith can visit the temple and pray to his god.

White temple Wat Rong Khun in Thailand

The Buddhist temple Wat Rong Khun is one of the most recognizable and amazing buildings in Thailand. The complex, which includes 9 snow-white buildings, looks like an ice castle, the glass surface of which sparkles in the sunlight.

The building is made of white material, symbolizing the purity of Buddha. Mirror inserts in the plaster of the facade represent the wisdom of God. To get to the temple, which represents Paradise, you need to cross the bridge that separates it from worldly life. The walk is not a pleasant one, since thousands of hands of sinners are reaching out to you from Hell, wanting to be saved.

An unusual design can also be seen in the area adjacent to the temple: monsters crawling out of the bowels of the earth, laughing masks in the trees, dragons spewing water.

Project "Eden" in England

Glass faceted hemispheres, from a distance reminiscent of the compound eye of an insect or a honeycomb - the Garden of Eden of Cornwall. The high-tech structure is impressive in its scope and content. Under 8 spherical geodesic domes there are “biomes” with a constant artificial climate, close to the conditions for the development of handicap in various climatic zones. Under their arches, the author of the amazing construction of the world, Tim Smith, managed to create a real paradise on earth, which is incredibly popular among tourists all over the world.

Each dome consists of hexagonal frames made of steel tubes and covered with foil glass. The creators claim that the structure is lighter than the air contained inside. To prevent artificial “bubbles” from flying away at the first gust of wind, the structures are fixed with reliable fasteners.

Upside down - this is the concept that can be applied when examining another amazing structure in the world. The Upside Down House is located in the village of Shimbak. The wooden structure rests on its own roof, set into a huge boulder, and its flat foundation faces the sky.

According to the idea of the author Daniel Czapiewski, the building is the embodiment of the era of communism, which turned the lives of many people upside down. You can get into this house not through the door, but through the window opening. To enjoy the interior of the two-story building you will have to literally walk on the ceiling.

Being in such a house, people experience a strange feeling. They experience dizziness, stumble out of the blue and become disorientated. To alleviate the condition and coordinate the body, the organizers suggest placing a filled glass of water on the floor, also known as the ceiling.

The living room is decorated with a table made from the world's longest solid board at 36.83 meters. She is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Chinese teapot building

The building, reminiscent of a huge clay teapot, is nothing more than the exhibition center of the famous Wanda complex. The author of the architectural solution for the amazing construction of the world in this way interpreted long-standing craft traditions and, in particular, the production of pottery, which since the 15th century has been considered a symbol of the Celestial Empire.

A three-story building with a diameter of 50 m and a height of 40 m is registered in the Guinness Book of Records under the heading “the largest teapot on our planet.” Each floor of the building can rotate around its axis, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy an excellent outlook. The outside of the “teapot” is decorated with polished aluminum plates and sparkling stained glass windows, making it look light and airy.

The Endless Dance of Ginger and Fred is the name of a popular building in Prague. Two houses adjacent to each other resemble a couple of a man and a woman merging in a single dance impulse. The prototypes for the creation of the complex were the famous Hollywood duo Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire in the 40s of the 20th century.

As conceived by architect Vlado Milunić, the deconstructivist complex rises on bored piles that act as the couple’s feet. The figure of the “woman” is dressed in a glass dress with a narrowed waist and a “skirt” flaring downwards.

The house, built in 1996, is today rented out as office space. At the very top of the building there is the “Pearl of Prague” restaurant, from whose panoramic windows a spectacular view opens.

The spiral-shaped residential complex was built in 2000 in Darmstadt. It includes 105 apartments, each of which is unique down to the door handles. But the main “highlight” of the most amazing structure in the world is not even this.

The ecological house, created by the architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, is based on the concept that people should live in harmony with the surrounding nature. The idea was realized by planting gardens on the roof of the building and creating apartments for trees, the crowns of which look out the windows.

Externally, the house resembles a fairy-tale castle in the form of a huge horseshoe with fancy windows, figured bridges and unusual columns. The facade of the building is painted with all the colors of the rainbow.

The headquarters of the financial conglomerate ING is one of the most amazing and expensive buildings in the Netherlands. Due to the characteristic shape of the structure, it is often called the “Boot”.

This grandiose and amazingly beautiful structure made of steel and glass rises on 10-meter stilts. The transparency of flowing water is the starting point in the design of a building and in arranging its interior. Inside the headquarters there is an abundance of greenery and futuristic furniture.

The structure, erected in 2001 according to the design of the architectural studio “Meyer en Van Schooten”, is designed in such a way that none of its walls forms a common right angle with the adjacent room.

Designed by local architect Dang Viet Nga, Hang Nga Guesthouse can rightfully be considered a work of art that surpasses the imagination of ordinary people. An amazing world building in the form of a huge hollow tree of a bizarre twisted shape with many paths, branches and cave stairs leading into the depths was erected in 1990.

Today it is one of the calling cards of the city of Dalat. The main “highlight” of the building is that its exterior and interior decoration are created from intertwined roots and unusually shaped branches. The “giant tree” itself expands to the sides and rises upward towards the sky.

The thematic design of the Madhouse rooms, according to the creator’s idea, makes sense: the ant’s room represents the Vietnamese, the tiger’s apartment the Chinese, and the eagle’s the Americans. If you decide to visit such a house, be prepared for the fact that you can not only enjoy its amazing beauty, but also easily get lost in your childhood memories.

What does the house look like? Several floors, a roof, windows, a standard rectangular silhouette... Not everyone thinks the same way, and houses of the most unusual shapes are springing up all over the world.

Shell House, Mexico City

The Nautilus house was built in 2006 and has become a family nest. It is completely earthquake resistant and environmentally friendly. True, you can never understand whether you are still inside or have already come out.

Dancing House, Prague

The building, symbolizing a dancing couple, is an office building and one of the landmarks of the Czech capital. It is often called "Ginger and Fred" after the most famous choreographic duo.

Dancing House, photo Pedro Szekely

Hang Nga Hotel, Da Lat

The hotel, which does not have a single straight wall or a single window of the correct shape, is often called a “madhouse”, and it looks like a set for a movie. Despite this, there are always people who want to stay here, willing to pay a lot for the strange appearance of the building.

Hang Nga Hotel

The architect who erected this 12-story residential building in Germany considered straight lines to be a tool of the devil. Perhaps that is why his creation is twisted in a spiral around the courtyard, and a real forest grows on its roof.

Forest spiral, photo by Scott Maurer

The residential building, built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries by one man who was a postman and had no idea about architecture, is the pride of the French town. There are Hindu deities, biblical characters, towers, and fountains on the building, so you can look at it for hours.

It is no coincidence that the Dali Museum is considered one of the strangest buildings in the world, because it was designed by the great artist himself. Bright walls, eggs on the roof, a glass dome and incredible interiors distinguish the building from all museums in the world.

Dali Museum, photo Shezre

In Kansas City, the number of people wanting to go to the library is much greater than in all other cities. This is no coincidence, because it looks like a collection of giant books stretched along the street.

Basket House, Newark

The office of the construction company Longaberger is located in a very unusual building that looks like a seven-story basket. The construction took thirty million dollars and a huge amount of nerves, since almost the entire city tried to dissuade the company owner from this project.

The world's largest building-sculpture, listed in the Guinness Book of Records, is located in China and depicts three star elders. They symbolize the basics of Feng Shui: happiness, longevity and prosperity.

Hotel Tianzi, photo moco-choco

Cube houses, Rotterdam

A whole complex of cubic houses in Rotterdam invariably attracts tourists. Each building consists of three levels and although it looks strange from the outside, inside people live comfortably.

Cube houses, photo Luc B

Of course, people’s imagination is not limited to this, and in the world there are tree houses, a snail house, houses built underground and even under water according to unique designs. So, when going to an unfamiliar city, look around carefully, perhaps you will come across an equally unique building.

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 object of art 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 because of 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.

Old or new, with complex or simple structures, these buildings are undoubtedly the most incredible in the world. There are attractive ones, there are unusual ones, and there are just crazy buildings that are unlike anything else. Sometimes it can even be difficult to immediately understand what is in front of you - a house or something else?

Lotus Temple

(Delhi, India)

The main Bahai temple of India and neighboring countries, built in 1986. Located in New Delhi, the capital of India. A huge building made of snow-white Pentelic marble in the shape of a blooming lotus flower is one of the most popular attractions among tourists in Delhi. Known as the main temple of the Indian subcontinent and the main attraction of the city.

The Lotus Temple has won several architectural awards and has been featured in numerous newspaper and magazine articles. In 1921, the young Bombay Baha'i community asked 'Abdu'l-Bahá for permission to build a Baha'i temple in Bombay, to which the answer was allegedly given: "By the will of God, in the future a magnificent temple of worship will be erected in one of the central cities of India," that is, in Delhi .

"Khan Shatyr"

(Astana, Kazakhstan)

A large shopping and entertainment center in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana (architect - Norman Foster). Opened on July 6, 2010, it is considered the largest tent in the world. The total area of “Khan Shatyr” is 127,000 m2. It houses retail, shopping and entertainment complexes, including a supermarket, a family park, cafes and restaurants, cinemas, gyms, a water park with an artificial beach and wave pools, service and office premises, parking for 700 spaces and much more.

The highlight of “Khan Shatyr” is a beach resort with a tropical climate, plants and a temperature of +35°C all year round. The resort's sandy beaches are equipped with a heating system that creates the feeling of a real beach, and the sand is imported from the Maldives. The building is a giant 150 m high tent (spire), constructed from a network of steel cables, on which a transparent ETFE polymer coating is fixed. Thanks to its special chemical composition, it protects the interior of the complex from sudden temperature changes and creates a comfortable microclimate inside the complex. “Khan Shatyr” entered the top ten world eco-buildings according to Forbes Style magazine, becoming the only building from the entire CIS that the publication decided to include in its hit parade.

The opening of the Khan Shatyr shopping and entertainment center took place as part of the celebration of Astana Day with the participation of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. During the opening ceremony, a concert was held by world performer, Italian tenor of classical music Andrea Bocelli. The most interesting thing is that any Tyumen resident can visit this amazing place: Astana is only a nine-hour drive.

Guggenheim Museum

(Bilbao, Spain)

Designed by American architect Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum is a magnificent example of the most innovative ideas in 20th century architecture. Constructed from titanium, it is decorated with wavy lines that change color under the sun's rays. The total area is 24,000 m2, 11,000 of which are dedicated to exhibitions.

The Guggenheim Museum is a true architectural landmark, a showcase of daring configurations and innovative design that provides a seductive backdrop to the artworks housed within. This building changed the world's view of modern architecture and museums and became a symbol of the renaissance of the industrial city of Bilbao.

National Library

(Minsk, Belarus)

The history of the National Library of Belarus begins on September 15, 1922. On this day, by the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR, the Belarusian State and University Library was founded. The number of readers was constantly increasing. Over the course of its history, the library has replaced several buildings, and soon the need arose to build a new large and functional library building.

Back in 1989, a competition for designs for a new library building was held at the republican level. The “glass diamond” by architects Mikhail Vinogradov and Viktor Kramarenko was recognized as the best. On May 19, 1992, by Resolution of the Council of Ministers, the Belarusian State Library received national status. On March 7, 2002, the President of the Republic signed a decree on the construction of the building of the state institution “National Library of Belarus”. But its construction began only in November 2002.

The opening ceremony of the “Belarusian diamond” took place on June 16, 2006. President of Belarus Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko (who, by the way, received library card No. 1) noted at the opening ceremony that “this unique building combines the strict beauty of modern architecture and the latest scientific and technical solutions.” Indeed, the National Library of Belarus is a unique architectural, construction, software and hardware complex, built in accordance with the latest scientific and technical developments and aimed at meeting the information and sociocultural needs of society.

The new library building houses 20 reading rooms, which can accommodate 2,000 users. All rooms are equipped with electronic departments for issuing documents, modern equipment that allows scanning and copying documents, printing from electronic copies. The halls have computerized workstations, workstations for visually impaired and blind users, equipped with special equipment.

crooked house

(Sopot, Poland)

In the Polish city of Sopot, on the Heroes of Monte Cassino Street, there is one of the most unusual houses on the planet - the Crooked House (in Polish - Krzywy Domek). It seems that it either melted in the sun, or it is an optical illusion, and this is not the house itself, but only its reflection in a huge, crooked mirror.

A crooked house is truly crooked and does not contain a single flat place or corner. It was built in 2004 according to the design of two Polish architects – Szotinski and Zalewski – who were impressed by the drawings of artists Jan Marcin Schanzer and Per Oskar Dahlberg. The authors’ main task for the customer, which was the Resident shopping center, was to create the appearance of the building that would attract as many visitors as possible. A variety of materials are used in the design of the facade: from glass to stone, and the roof made of enamel plates resembles the back of a dragon. The doors and windows are just as asymmetrical and intricately curved, giving the house the appearance of some kind of fairy-tale hut.

The Crooked House is open 24 hours a day. During the day there is a shopping center, cafes and other establishments, and in the evening there are pubs and clubs. In the dark the house becomes even more beautiful. In 2009, the building was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Tricity, which includes the cities of Gdynia, Gdansk and Sopot. According to a recent survey by The Village of Joy, Crooked House topped the list of the fifty most unusual buildings in the world.

teapot building

(Jiangsu, China)

In China, the construction of the cultural and exhibition center Wuxi Wanda Exhibition Center, made in the form of a clay teapot, is being completed. This building has already officially entered the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest teapot in the world. The choice of this form is not accidental: clay teapots have been considered symbols of the Celestial Empire since the 15th century. They are still produced in Jiangsu Province, where the Wuxi Wanda Exhibition Center is located. In addition to making clay teapots, China is also famous for its elite varieties of tea.

Developer The Wanda Group announced that 40 billion yuan ($6.4 billion) were spent on the construction of the cultural and exhibition center. The result was a structure with an area of 3.4 million m2, a height of 38.8 m and a diameter of 50 m. The outside of the building is sheathed with aluminum sheets, which provide the necessary curvature of the frame. In addition to them, stained glass windows of different sizes play an important role.

The center of Wuxi Wanda will feature exhibition halls, a water park, a roller coaster, and a Ferris wheel. In addition, each of the three floors of the building will be able to rotate on its own axis. The cultural and exhibition center is part of the Tourism City shopping and entertainment complex, the construction of which is planned to be completed by 2017.

"Habitat 67"

(Montreal, Canada)

The unusual residential complex in Montreal 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 basis of the structure is 354 cubes, built on top of each other. It was they who made it possible to create this gray building with 146 apartments, where families live who exchanged a quiet house in a residential area for such a non-standard house. Most apartments have a private garden on the roof of the neighbor below.

The building style is considered brutalism. Habitat 67 was built more than 45 years ago, but still amazes with its scale. This is, without a doubt, one of the few modern utopias that not only came to life, but also became very popular and was even considered elite.

Dancing building

(Prague, Czech Republic)

An office building in Prague in the deconstructivist style consists of two cylindrical towers: a conventional one and a destructive one. The Dancing House, jokingly called "Ginger and Fred", is an architectural metaphor for the dancing couple Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. One of the two cylindrical parts, which expands upward, symbolizes a male figure (Fred), and the second visually resembles a female figure with a thin waist and a fluttering skirt (Ginger).

Like many deconstructivist buildings, the building contrasts sharply with its neighbor - an integral architectural complex of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The office center, which houses several international companies, is located in Prague 2, on the corner of Resslova Street and the embankment. On the roof there is a French restaurant overlooking Prague, La Perle de Prague.

Forest spiral building

(Darmstadt, Germany)

The Austrian genius Friedensreich Hundertwasser donated a unique building to the German city of Darmstadt in 2000. Painted in different colors, a magic house from a children's fairy tale with floating lines of a curved facade, it looks out onto the world with 1048 windows of non-repeating shapes, sizes and decor. Real trees grow from some of the windows.

This original structure in the form of a horseshoe spiraling upward is called “an unusual house among the usual monotony.” It was built in a “biomorphic” style, although, in fact, it is a real 12-story residential complex, or rather, a kind of fairy-tale green village. It includes not only a house with 105 comfortable apartments, but also a quiet courtyard with artificial lakes, shaped bridges and paths trodden right in the grass; artistically designed children's playgrounds; closed parking lots; shops; pharmacy and other elements of developed infrastructure.

Upside Down House

(Szymbark, Poland)

The unique house, which sits on the roof, is decorated in the socialist style of the 1970s. An upside-down house evokes strange sensations: the entrance is on the roof, everyone enters through the window, and guests walk on the ceiling. The interior is decorated in the style of socialist realism: there is a lounge room with a TV and a chest of drawers. There is also a table made from the longest solid board in the world - 36.83 m. Of course, the Guinness Book of Records did not ignore it.

The building took more time and money to construct than a conventional house of the same size. The foundation required 200 m³ of concrete. The author of the project was asked many times whether his project was related to commercial goals. The answer was always a stubborn “no.” However, the upside-down house turned out to be a commercial success.

Not only Poles, but also foreign tourists come to test their strength and look at the interesting structure. Through the attic window you can enter the house and, carefully maneuvering between the chandeliers, walk around the rooms. Some sources claim that the developer intended to use the new building as his own home. Whether this is so is unknown, but the upside-down house in Szymbark never became residential.

However, there is nothing to complain about: the line of tourists wanting to walk around inside does not dry out, so there would be no question of any quiet life. A few years ago, in the vicinity of the house, there was even a kind of gathering of local Santa Clauses, who not only discussed their problems, but also practiced getting inside the house through a pipe, since, fortunately for them, it rests on the ground.

Wat Rong Khun

(Chiang Rai, Thailand)

Wat Rong Khun, better known as the "White Temple", is considered one of the most recognizable temples in Thailand and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The temple is located outside the city of Chiang Rai and attracts a large number of visitors, Thai and foreign. This is one of the most visited attractions in Chiang Rai and the most unusual Buddhist temple.

Wat Rong Khun looks like an ice house. Because of its color, the building is noticeable from afar, and it sparkles in the sun thanks to the inclusions of glass pieces in the plaster. The white color signifies the purity of the Buddha, while the glass symbolizes the wisdom of the Buddha and the Dharma, the Buddhist teachings. They say the best time to visit the White Temple is at sunrise or sunset, when it reflects beautifully in the sun's rays.

Construction of the temple began in 1997 and is still ongoing. It is being built by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat with his own funds, proceeds from the sale of paintings. The artist refused sponsors: he wants to make the temple the way only he wants.

Basket building

(Ohio, USA)

The basket building was built in 1997. The weight of the structure is approximately 8500 tons, the weight of the supporting supports is 150 tons. Almost 8,000 m3 of reinforced concrete was used during construction. The usable area of the building is 180,000 square feet. The basket is located on an area of about 20,000 square feet (approximately 2200 m2) and completely copies one of its owner's trademarks.

When the project architect Nikolina Georgievsha found out what was in store for her, she exclaimed: “Wow! I’ve never done anything like this before!” Indeed, this building cannot be called standard. Unlike other buildings, it expands upward. This made it possible to significantly increase the working space of the offices: the building is designed for a staff of 500 employees. Not bad, considering that the building also has a seven-story atrium with an area of 3,300 m2, around which the offices are located. In addition, the ground floor is occupied by a theater-like auditorium with 142 seats. The building aspires to a certain pomp: the design takes into account two plates attached to the building with the owner’s trademark, coated with 23-karat gold.

(Sanji, Taiwan)

The strange and wonderful town of Sanji in Taiwan is an abandoned resort complex. The houses in it were shaped like a flying saucer, so they were called UFO houses. The city was purchased as a resort for American military personnel serving in East Asia.

The original idea to build such houses belonged to the owner of the Sanjhih Township plastics company, Mr. Yu-Ko Chow. The first construction license was issued in 1978. The design was developed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen. But construction was stopped in 1980 when Yu-Chou declared bankruptcy. All efforts to resume work came to nothing. In addition, several serious accidents occurred during construction due to the allegedly disturbed spirit of the mythical Chinese dragon (as superstitious people claimed). Many believed that the place was haunted. As a result, the village was abandoned and soon became known as a ghost town.

Stone house

(Fafe, Portugal)

The Casa do Penedo house in the mountains of Portugal, built between four boulders, resembles a Stone Age dwelling. The isolated hut was built in 1974 by Vitor Rodriguez and was intended for relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The desire for simplicity did not make the Rodriguez family hermits, but brought them closer to a natural lifestyle without excesses. Electricity was never installed in the house; Candles are still used for lighting here. The room is heated using a fireplace carved into one of the boulders. The stone walls serve as a continuation of the interior decoration: even the steps leading to the second floor are carved directly into the stones.

The stone hut, reminiscent of the home of the characters in the American animated series “The Flintstones,” blended so organically into the surrounding landscape that it aroused great interest among architects and tourists. The curiosity of local residents and passing travelers forced the Rodriguez family to leave the house. Now no one lives in the hut, but the owners sometimes visit their unusual home. Only in this case there is a chance to see unusual interiors; at other times it is impossible to get inside Casa do Penedo.

central Library

(Kansas City, Missouri, USA)

Located in the heart of Kansas City, it is one of the first projects aimed at revitalizing the city and its historical and tourism value. Residents were asked to remember the most famous books that were somehow connected with the name of Kansas City, and over the course of two years they selected twenty fiction books. The appearance of these publications was incorporated into the innovative design of the Central City Library to encourage visitation.

The library building looks like a bookshelf on which giant books are laid out. Each of them reaches seven meters in height and about two meters in width. Now the library has at its disposal not only the most modern technologies and excellent quality of service, but also conference rooms, a cafe, an examination room and much more. The Kansas City Public Library has unique architecture that is stunning. Today it is the pride of the residents of the city of Kansas. Its construction became one of the most significant events in the transformation of a provincial town into a thriving metropolis. The library has ten branches, the main one of which is the largest and has special collections. The library's arsenal is 2.5 million books, attendance is more than 2.4 million clients per year.

The history of the library begins in 1873, when it opened its doors to readers and immediately became not only a source of resources for education, but also an excellent alternative to other entertainment establishments of the time. The public library has moved many times, and in 1999 it was moved to the former First National Bank building. The century-old building was a true masterpiece of craftsmanship: marble columns, bronze doors and walls richly decorated with stucco. But still it required reconstruction. With the help of public-private cooperation, funds collected from the state and municipal budgets, as well as sponsorship, the doors of the Kansas Public Library were opened in 2004 in the form in which it is now.

Solar oven

(Odelio, France)

A stunning structure that looks like and is, in fact, an oven, the Solar Oven in France is designed to generate and concentrate the high temperatures required for various processes. This happens by trapping the sun's rays and concentrating their energy in one place.

The structure is covered with curved mirrors, their radiance is so great that it is impossible to look at them. The structure was erected in 1970, and the Eastern Pyrenees was chosen as the most suitable location. To this day, the Furnace remains the largest in the world. The mirror array functions as a parabolic reflector, and the high temperature regime at the focus itself can reach up to 3500°C. You can regulate the temperature by changing the angles of the mirrors.

Using a natural resource such as sunlight, a solar oven is considered indispensable for producing high temperatures. And they, in turn, are used for a variety of processes. Thus, the production of hydrogen requires a temperature of 1400°C. Test modes of spacecraft and nuclear reactors require a temperature of 2500°C, and without a temperature of 3500°C it is impossible to create nanomaterials. In short, the Solar Oven is not just an amazing building, but also vital and efficient. At the same time, it is considered an environmentally friendly and relatively cheap way to obtain high temperatures.

"Robert Ripley's House"

(Niagara Falls, Canada)

"Ripley's House" in Orlando is an illustration of the theme not of technological revolution, but of natural disasters. This house was built in memory of the magnitude 8 earthquake that happened here in 1812.

Today, the allegedly cracked building is recognized as one of the most photographed buildings in the world. "Believe it or not!" (Ripley's Believe It or Not!) is a patented network of so-called Ripley Auditoriums (museums of strange and incredible things), of which there are more than 30 in the world.

The idea came from Robert Ripley (1890–1949), an American cartoonist, entrepreneur and anthropologist. The first traveling collection, Ripley's Auditorium, was presented in Chicago in 1933 during the World's Fair. On a permanent basis, the first museum “Believe it or not!” was opened after Ripley's death, in 1950 in Florida, in the city of St. Augustine. The Canadian museum of the same name was founded in 1963 in the city of Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls, Ontario) and still has a reputation as the best museum in the city. The Auditorium building is built in the shape of the falling Empire State Building (New York) with King Kong standing on the roof.

Boot House

(Pennsylvania, USA)

The shoe house in Pennsylvania (York County) was conceived by a very successful businessman, Colonel Mahlon N. Heintz. At that time, he owned a thriving shoe company, which included about 40 shoe stores. At that time, Heinz was already 73 years old, but he loved his business so much that he commissioned an architect to create an unusual structure in the shape of a boot. This was in 1948. Already in 1949, the dream of a shoe businessman was realized, and the restless Mahlon N. Heinz was able not only to admire the extraordinary building, but also to live there.

The length of this house is 12 m, height – 8. Its facade was made as follows: first, a wooden frame was created, which was then filled with cement. Surprisingly, even the mailbox of this house is made in the shape of a shoe. There is a boot in the bars on the windows and doors. Near the house there is a dog kennel, which was also made in the shape of a shoe. And even the sign located on the road has shoes. But in fact, the shoe house has such an orientation only from the outside. Inside, this is a completely comfortable home, quite cozy and spacious. An external staircase (most likely a fire staircase) is mounted on the side of the house, allowing access to all five tiers of the unusual building.

Dome house

(Florida, USA)

After a series of destructive hurricanes and tropical storms in Florida (USA), as a result of which Mark and Valeria Sigler were left without a roof over their heads each time, they decided to build a house that could withstand the pressure of the elements and at the same time be beautiful and comfortable. The result of their work was a house with an unusually strong structure and a unique design.

For people living in coastal areas, it is very important that they have somewhere to return to after a storm. Ordinary houses are very often destroyed to the ground, while the “Dome House” can stand as if nothing had happened even under a wind rushing at a speed of 450 km/h. At the same time, the Sigler house fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape: the dome perfectly suits the surroundings of dunes, ponds and vegetation. The construction of the building is made of modern environmentally friendly materials that can last for several centuries.

Cube buildings

(Rotterdam, Netherlands)

A number of unusual houses were built in Rotterdam and Helmond according to the innovative design of the architect Piet Blom in 1984. Blom's radical decision was that he rotated the parallelepiped of the house by 45 degrees and placed it at an angle on a hexagonal pylon. There are 38 of these houses in Rotterdam and two more super-cubes, all of which are articulated with each other. From a bird's eye view, the complex has an intricate appearance, resembling an impossible triangle.

The houses consist of three floors:
● Ground floor – entrance.
● The first is a living room with a kitchen.
● Second – two bedrooms with a bathroom.
● Upper – sometimes a small garden is planted here.

The walls and windows are inclined at an angle of 54.7 degrees in relation to the floor. The total area of the apartment is about 100 m2, but about a quarter of the space is unusable due to the walls, which are at an angle.

Burj Al Arab Hotel

(Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Luxury hotel in Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates. The building stands in the sea at a distance of 280 m from the shore on an artificial island connected to the land by a bridge. With a height of 321 m, the hotel was considered the tallest hotel in the world until another Dubai hotel, the 333 m tall Rose Tower, opened in April 2008.

Construction of the hotel began in 1994, and it opened to visitors on December 1, 1999. The hotel was built in the shape of the sail of a dhow, an Arabian ship. Closer to the top there is a helipad, and on the other side is the El Muntaha restaurant (from Arabic - “the highest”). Both are supported by cantilever beams.

Absolute Towers

Like every other fast-growing suburb in North America, Mississauga is looking for a new architectural identity. The Absolute Towers represent a new opportunity to respond to the needs of an ever-expanding city, to create a residential landmark that will claim to be more than just efficient housing. They can create a permanent emotional connection for residents with their hometown. Such a structure can easily be included in the list of the most beautiful skyscrapers in the world.

Instead of the simple, functional logic of modernism, the design of the towers expresses the complex, multiple needs of modern society. These buildings are much more than just multifunctional machines. It is something beautiful, human and alive. The towers play an important role as a gateway to the city, located at the intersection of two main city streets.

Despite the special status of these towers as a significant landmark, the emphasis in the design was not on their height, as is the case with most of the tallest buildings in the world. The design features continuous balconies that surround the entire building, eliminating the vertical barriers traditionally used in high-rise architecture. The Absolute Towers rotate in different projections at different levels, blending with the surrounding landscapes. The designers' goal was to provide a clear 360-degree view from anywhere in the building, as well as to bring residents into contact with natural elements, awakening in them a reverent attitude towards nature. The height of Tower A with 56 floors is 170 m, and Tower B with 50 floors is 150 m.

Pabellon de Aragon

(Zaragoza, Spain)

The building, which looks like a wicker basket, appeared in Zaragoza in 2008. The construction was timed to coincide with the full-scale exhibition Expo 2008, dedicated to the problems of water shortage on the planet. The Aragon Pavilion, literally woven from glass and steel, is crowned with strange-looking structures placed on the roof.

According to its creators, the structure reflects the deep imprint that five ancient civilizations left on the territory of Zaragoza. In addition, inside the building you can learn about the history of water and how man learned to manage the planet's water resources.

(Graz, Austria)

This museum and gallery of contemporary art was 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 facade of the museum was made by realities:united using BIX technology as a media installation with an area of 900 m2, consisting of luminous elements that can be programmed using a computer. It allows the museum to communicate with the surrounding urban space.

The installation won a number of awards. The BIX façade was conceived when the rest of the building was already being worked out. In addition to the late deadlines, it was difficult to integrate into the concepts of other authors. In addition, the facade, without a doubt, became the dominant element of the architectural image. The architect-authors accepted the design of the facade because it was based on their original ideas about a large luminous surface.

Concert hall

(Canary Islands, Spain)

One of the most famous and recognizable buildings in Spain, the symbol of the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, one of the most significant works of modern architecture and one of the main attractions of the Canary Islands. The opera was built according to a design by Santiago Calatrava in 2003.

The Auditorio de Tenerife building is located in the city center, close to the Cesar Manrique Marine Park, the city port and the Twin Towers of Torres de Santa Cruz. There is a tram station nearby. You can enter the opera hall from both sides of the building. The Auditorio de Tenerife has two terraces overlooking the sea.

Coin building

(Guangzhou, China)

In the Chinese city of Guangzhou there is a unique building in the shape of a huge disk with a hole inside. It will house the Guangdong Plastics Exchange. The final cosmetic work is currently underway here.

The coin building, 33 floors and 138 meters high, has an opening with a diameter of almost 50 meters, which has a functional, as well as design, significance. The main shopping area will be located around it. It is obvious that the building has already become one of the main attractions of Guangdong province. However, opinions are divided regarding its symbolic meaning.

The Italian company that developed the project claims that the shape is based on jade discs that were owned by ancient Chinese rulers and nobility. They symbolized the high moral qualities of a person. In addition, together with its reflection in the Pearl River, on which the building stands, it forms the number 8. According to the Chinese, it brings good luck. However, many citizens of Guangzhou saw in this building a Chinese coin, symbolizing the desire for material wealth, and the people already nicknamed this building “the disk of the wasteful rich.” It has not yet been announced when the building will be open to visitors.

"Stone Cave"

(Barcelona, Spain)

Construction began in 1906, and by 1910 the five-story building had already become one of the most famous buildings in Barcelona. Locals dubbed it “La Pedrera” - the stone cave. And indeed, the house resembled a real cave. When creating it, Gaudi basically abandoned straight lines. The five-story residential building was erected without a single corner. The architect made the load-bearing structures not walls, but columns and vaults, which gave him unlimited scope in the layout of rooms, the heights of which were different.

In order for a sufficient amount of light to penetrate into each room with such a complex layout, Gaudi had to make several courtyards with light ovals. Thanks to these numerous ovals, windows and undulating balconies, the house looks like a block of solidified lava. Or on a cliff with caves.

Music building

(Huainan, China)

Piano House consists of two parts depicting two instruments: a transparent violin rests on a translucent piano. The unique building was built for music lovers, but has nothing to do with music. In the violin there is an escalator, and in the piano there is an exhibition complex in which plans of streets and districts of the city are presented to visitors. The facility was created at the suggestion of local authorities.

The unusual building seeks to attract the attention of Chinese residents and numerous tourists to the new developing area, in which it has become the most iconic object. Thanks to the continuous glazing of the facades with transparent and tinted glass, the premises of the complex receive the maximum possible natural light. And at night, the body of the object disappears in the darkness, leaving only the neon contours of the silhouettes of giant “tools” visible. Despite its popularity, the building is often criticized as a kind of postmodern kitsch and a typical student project, in which there is much more outrageousness than art and functionality.

CCTV Headquarters

(Beijing, China)

CCTV headquarters is a skyscraper in Beijing. The building will house the headquarters of China Central Television. Construction work began on September 22, 2004, and was completed in 2009. The architects of the building are Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren (OMA company).

The skyscraper is 234 m high and consists of 44 floors. The main building is built in an unusual style and is a ring-shaped structure of five horizontal and vertical sections forming an irregular lattice on the building's façade with an empty center. The total floor area is 473,000 m².

The construction of the building was considered a difficult task, especially considering its location in an earthquake-prone zone. Because of its unusual shape, it has already acquired the nickname “pants.” The second building, the Television Cultural Centre, will house the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, a visitor centre, a large public theater and exhibition space.

Ferrari World Amusement Park

(Yas Island, Abu Dhabi)

Ferrari Theme Park is housed under a 200,000 m² roof and is the world's largest indoor theme park. Ferrari World officially opened on November 4, 2010. It is also home to the world's fastest pneumatic roller coaster, Formula Rossa.

The symbolic roof of Ferrari World was designed by Benoy architects. It was designed based on the profile of the Ferrari GT. Ramboll provided structural engineering, integrated planning and urban design, geotechnical engineering and building façade design. The total roof area is 200,000 m² with a perimeter of 2,200 m, the park area is 86,000 m², making it the largest theme park in the world.

The roof of the building is decorated with the Ferrari logo measuring 65 by 48.5 m. This is the largest company logo ever created. 12,370 tons of steel were used to support the roof. In its center there is a hundred-meter glass funnel.

Innovative residential complex Reversible-Destiny Lofts

(Tokyo, Japan)

According to the architect's plan, the apartments in the complex he created are designed in such a way that their inhabitants are always on alert. Uneven multi-level floors, concave and convex walls, doors that you can only enter by bending over, rosettes on the ceiling - in a word, not life, but a complete adventure. It is impossible to relax in such conditions.

A person is constantly fighting with the environment, so there is simply no time left to mope or think about illnesses. Whether this is shock therapy or a joyful game is still unclear. But the Japanese, reserved and subservient to traditions and taste, are willing to pay twice as much for uncomfortable apartments as for comfortable and familiar ones located in the same area. It’s interesting that all the “apartments” are rented and are not sold as property. Moreover, the 83-year-old Buddhist nun and popular writer Jakute Setouchi, who was the first to settle in the new house, claims that since the move she began to feel younger and much better.

"Thin House"

(London, Great Britain)

The unusual residential building, also known as the Thin House, is located near the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London. This house became famous throughout the world thanks to its wedge-shaped shape, or rather, the width of one of the sides of the building - a little more than a meter.

At first glance, the incredibly narrow structure of the building is just an optical illusion. Despite this, The Thin House has become very popular among Londoners and tourists. The reason for this architectural idea is not accidental. The South Kensington underground train line runs directly behind the house.

Due to the unusual design of the house, the apartments do not have a standard rectangular shape, but a trapezoid shape. For narrow rooms it is necessary to select non-standard furniture. In any case, despite a number of disadvantages, apartments in “thin” buildings are very popular among those wishing to acquire new housing.

Air Force Academy Chapel

(Colorado, USA)

The striking appearance of the Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel in Colorado Springs caused some controversy when it was completed in 1963, but it is now considered one of the finest examples of modern American architecture.

Made from steel, aluminum and glass, the Cadet Chapel has 17 pointed spiers reminiscent of fighter jets taking to the skies. Inside there are two main levels and one basement. There is a Protestant chapel with 1,200 seats, a 500-seat Catholic chapel and a 100-seat Jewish chapel. Each chapel has a separate entrance so sermons can be held simultaneously without interfering with each other.

The Protestant chapel, which occupies the upper level, has stained glass windows between the tetrahedral walls. The colors of the windows range from dark to light, representing God coming from darkness into light. The altar is made of a smooth marble slab 15 feet long, shaped like a ship, symbolizing the church. Church pews are designed in such a way that the end of each pew resembles the propeller of a World War I aircraft. Their backs are topped with a strip of aluminum, like the leading edge of a fighter plane's wing. The walls of the chapel are decorated with paintings, which are divided into three groups: brotherhood, flight (in honor of the Air Force) and justice.

On the lower level there are multi-faith rooms, defined as places of worship for cadets of other religious groups. They are left without religious symbolism so that they can be used by many people.