Architects often have a tough enough job designing a simple house or block of flats, but sometimes they are asked to go the extra mile and design a building with a bit of a difference. Most of us walk past hundreds of buildings every day and fail to even look up, but there are the occasional exceptions to the rule, those that have the power to stop us in our tracks. The following 10 buildings from around the world really do have to be seen to be believed.
The Crooked House. Sopot, Poland
When you first see a photo of the incredible ‘Crooked House’ in Sopot, Poland, you would be forgiven for thinking that it had been digitally altered on a computer. It really does look like something out of a children’s fairytale but the building is 100% real and was designed by architect Szotynscy Zaleski. It was built in 2004 and is part of the Rezydent Shopping Centre in Sopot. It is believed to be the most photographed building in Poland and it’s easy to see why. It makes you wonder how many people have walked passed it after a few drinks and needed to have a sit down!
The Basket Building. Ohio, USA
As far as unique looking buildings go, the ‘Basket Building’ in Ohio, USA, has to be near the top of the list. It is home to the corporate headquarters of the Longaberger Company, who are manufactures and distributors of, you guessed it, handcrafted maple wood baskets. The building is actually officially the world’s largest basket and is seven stories high. The handles at the top of the building weigh an incredible 150 tons and can even be heated during cold weather to prevent ice and frost damage.
The Dancing Building. Prague, Czech Republic
The Dancing House in Prague, Czech Republic, is such an iconic structure due to it’s location as much as it’s incredible design. The beautiful and modern glass structure is surrounded on both sides by historic Czech architecture, making it stand out even more. The building was designed by architects Vlado Milunc and Frank O’Gehry. The curvy and modern outline was inspired by the dance duo Fred and Ginger. There is also one of the City’s finest restaurants located on the top floor.
Shoe House. Pennsylvania, USA
The Haines Shoe House may not be the biggest building on this list but it is certainly one of the most charming. The house was built back in 1948 by shoe salesman, Mahlon Haines, who wanted to use the building as a form of advertising. He is said to have approached an architect with a work boot in hand and said “build me a house like this.” The house has a living room located in the toe, a kitchen in the heel, while two bedrooms are located in the ankle. It even has an ice cream shop located in the instep ; what a cool idea (sorry).
Burj Khalifa. Dubai, UAE
Just one look at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai makes it immediately obvious why it is such an incredible building. It consists of 163 floors and stands at an incredible 829.8 m (2,722 ft) high, making it the tallest man made structure in the world. The Burj Tower dwarfs every other building in the world (it’s nearly 3 times the height of the Eiffel Tower) and houses an amazing 3.331 million square foot of floor space, including 30,000 homes and 9 hotels. The building is so tall that the sun sets a full 3 minutes later at the top of the tower compared to the bottom.
Wonderworks. Orlando, Florida
The Wonderworks building is designed by architect Terry Nicholson and is his image of what it would look like if a building was picked up in a storm and dropped, upside down, on another building. The storm may have been make believe but the Wonderworks building is certainly real and an incredible structure to look at. Inside the building there are space, physics and maths entertainment exhibits. The company’s slogan is ‘Let your imagination run wild’ and Terry Nicholson certainly did that when designing the building!
Piano House. Huainan, China
Although the Piano House in Huainan, China, may look like the home of a multi-millionaire rockstar, it is actually a showroom, used for exhibiting the plans for a newly created district in the area. The building was designed by the Hefei University of Technology and was built in 2007. The beautiful glass violin is more than just a decorative touch and actually houses an escalator and stairway that allow access to the main house. The building has proved very popular with both tourists and newly weds, looking for a unique photo opportunity.
Stone House. Guimaraes, Portugal
Many people like a rustic and simple feel to their homes but the Stone House in Guimaraes, Portugal, takes things to a whole new level. The house is located in the Fafe mountains and has been constructed between two huge natural boulders. It may feature windows, a roof and a door like most homes but that’s where the similarity ends. The unique home has been compared to a house out of The Flintstones and attracts thousands of tourists each year.
Kansas City Public LIbrary. Missouri, USA
Libraries are often seen as quiet and boring buildings but the public library in Kansas City, Missouri, is anything but it. As part of a project to help cover up the car parking area and improve the image of the downtown district, huge book spines were erected along the south wall of the library. The choice of which books to use was suggested by Kansas City residents and then selected by the trustees of the library. There are 22 book spines in total, each measuring approximately 25 by 9 feet.
Capital Gate. Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Capital Gate building in Abu Dhabi not only looks incredible but is also a record holder. The 160 m (520 ft) high skyscraper contains 35 floors and has an incredible 18-degree incline to the west (4 times that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa). This officially makes it ‘the world’s furthest leaning man-made tower.’ The building was completed in 2011 and is home to a 5-star hotel and additional office space.
