Chinese architects were getting so carried away with bizarre buildings that the president of China, Xi Jinping called for an end to the “weird architecture.” As you will see, it’s not only China. Still, some unusual architecture is also beautiful. I’ve put these images at the end of the post. The ice hotel is my favorite. Brrr.
Teapot museum in China’s Meitan County, “hometown of Chinese green tea.
The Tianzi Hotel, China. The building takes the form of 10-storey high effigies of Fu, Lu and Shou, the Chinese gods of good fortune, prosperity and longevity. Shou, the beaming chap with the white beard, welcomes guests through a door in his right foot, while his left hand holds the Peach of Immortality – which houses the hotel’s best suite.
Guangzhou Circle, China, the doughnut-shaped skyscraper by Joseph di Pasquale
The most expensive house in the world.
According to Time Magazine, the owner of the billion dollar house is Mukesh Ambani, the fourth richest man in the world. Mr. Ambani is Chairman of Reliance Industries which controls a large portion of oil and gas products in Asia. His new residence, Antilia, named after the mythical island in the Atlantic is a twenty-seven floor building with approximately 400,000 square feet. The building includes amenities such as swimming pools, spa, ballrooms, theatre, garage for 150 cars, and 3 helipads among other luxuries. There will be 600 full-time staff members to maintain the building. The residence will only be occupied by Mr. Ambani, his wife and three children.
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA by Verenigde Staten
Japan
Erwin Wurm, House Attack, Viena, Austria
Mammy’s Cupboard, Natchez, Mississippi, United States
France
Ripley’s Building, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Shoe house Abel- Erasmus Pass Branddraai mpumalanga, South-Africa
Longaberger Basket Building in Newark, Ohio by Hassle Glad on Flickr
The Torre Galatea Figueras (Spain) by manuel floresv
Fish building in India
Germany
The “House in the Clouds” in Thorpeness, Suffolk, is a famous landmark in the area. Built by Braithwaite Engineering Company of London in 1923, it was constructed with the purpose of supplying water to the village of Thorpeness. Its water tank had a capacity of 50,000 gallons. The water tower was deemed an eyesore and was disguised as a house by Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie and architect F. Forbes Glennie.
Tasty Lighthouse. I couldn’t find a way to confirm this was real.
St. Augustine, Florida, USA lighthouse
Unique trailer park
The Sheep Building & Sheepdog Building, Waikato, New Zealand
Kunsthaus in Austria. According to wikipedia, an example of “blob architechture.”
Designed by Rudolf Steiner in Dornach, Switzerland, the building contains the boiler for the hot water heating system including the chimney.
Architect Arakawa (no first name) and Madeline Gins believed that your house should keep you young by challenging you every step of the way. So they designed the Livespan Extending Villa, that “makes people use their bodies in unexpected ways to maintain equilibrium, and that will stimulate their immune systems.”
Fred Bernstein writes in the New York Times:
“In addition to the floor, which threatens to send the un-sure-footed hurtling into the sunken kitchen at the center of the house, the design features walls painted, somewhat disorientingly, in about 40 colors; multiple levels meant to induce the sensation of being in two spaces at once; windows at varying heights; oddly angled light switches and outlets; and an open flow of traffic, unhindered by interior doors or their adjunct, privacy.”
The couple also built nine “reversible destiny” loft-style apartments in Mitaka, Japan.
From the fantasy wing of the FantaSuite Hotel in Burnsville, Minnesota, USA.
More from the FantaSuite Hotel.
The Moon Room, same hotel.
Namaste Tower – Mumbai, India
In 2011, Brian Began of New Zealand began work on the Tree Church, which took him 4 years to complete. He used a wide variety of trees and plants to create different textures and forms. He was careful to make sure the canopy never got too dense, so that sunlight would always illuminate the church.
Brian’s nephew was recently married in the church.
The Ice Hotel
The Icehotel is built each year with snow and ice in the village of Jukkasjarvi, in northern Sweden. After its first opening in 1990, the hotel has been built each year from December to April. The hotel, including the chairs and beds, is constructed from snow and ice blocks taken from the nearby Torne river. Artists are invited to create different rooms and decorations made by ice.
Design by Chilean artists Javier Opazo and José Vázquez Toro.
Ho-Shi To Tsu-Ki Suite
The beds are covered with reindeer furs and guests sleep in polar-tested sleeping bags.
Besides bedrooms, there is a bar
with glasses made of ice.
An ice chapel that is popular with marrying couples.
The structure remains below freezing, around −5 °C (23 °F). There’s a sauna on the premises with hot tub outdoors. No two rooms are the same; the rooms are unique works of art.
By Jörgen Westin
Brrr.
Thanks to: John and Village of Joy.
amazing and delightful architecture pix – thanks, Dusky
Amazing, As always ~~ Thanks
BEYOND AMAZEMENT , AND CHEERS TO ‘HUMAN’ CREATIVITY!
In CA check out the Madonna Inn – each room has its own over-the-top decor: http://www.madonnainn.com
Thanks for this fun array!!
I also take the time to watch your fantastic wonders. I also look forward to seeing them.
Thank You.
Thanks Dusky..you once again enthrall us and make life worth smiling.
Simply amazing!!!!
I was missing all the wonderful collections—and I’m happy to see them return with a huge bang! I love these incredible contributions to creativity—and there were several I’d love to inhabit, for a visit anyway.
The imaginations of the designers are just amazing—we have a special love for New Zealand, and that may have contributed to my love of the live church created from all living plants, trees, flowers.
Welcome back Dusky! Lorie
Was just introduced to your amazing website, Dusky! Please keep me on your list! Ended up staying up half the night when I received them from my brother, many miles away!
Thank you once again for the wonderful views of creativity!
i would not want to live in any one of them. would be interesting to hear from people who live in them
I agree. Maybe someone will find their way to my site. 🙂 I’d especially like to know what it’s like to live in one of those huge human-shaped buildings.
WOW! I am totally amazed by the creative genius of humans. Thank you for sharing with me, it brightens my days.I am 80 and live alone with 2 tabby cats.
Amazing, so glad to see creativity has not died. I have been wondering lately about architects who build churches that look like boxes and the only way you can tell it is a church is the cross on top or the sign as you walk up to it. I thought all architects had an inbuilt desire to be remembered for a beautiful church with spires etc. but now I guess they are getting into quirky buildings instead.
Just got your wonderful post. While we are on the subject of architecture, try searching for the buildings designed by Zaha Hadid. The vision to dream of such buildings is a remarkable gift. Bringing them into existance is a gift for the rest of us.
http://www.zaha-hadid
Just when I need a little pick me up, I open the inbox and there is Dusky. Thank you so very much for continuing to expand my world through your collection of art. Always makes my day.
The imaginations of the designers are just amazing. Quite a collection of imangitive architecture.
BLESS YOU FOR MAKING SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE A HAPPIER DAY JUST BY SEEING THESE AMAZING PLACES AND ENJOYING THE SHEER WONDER OF CREATIVITY!