Okay, a couple of these are very clever; but some of these are downright scary. I can barely look at them let alone step foot in them. What architectural wizards came up with the blueprints for these masterpieces? Let me know what you think.....(Click on pictures to enlarge.)
1. The Crooked House (Sopot, Poland)
2. Forest Spiral - Hundertwasser Building (Darmstadt, Germany)
3. The Torre Galatea Figueres (Spain)
4. Ferdinand Cheval Palace a.k.a Ideal Palace (France)
5. The Basket Building (Ohio, United States)
6. Kansas City Public Library (Missouri, United States)
7. Wonderworks (Orlando, Florida, United States)
8. Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada)
9. Cubic Houses (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
10. Hang Nga Guesthouse a.k.a Crazy House (Vietnam)
11. The Ufo House (Sanjhih, Taiwan)
12. Nakagin Capsule Tower (Tokyo, Japan)
13. Erwin Wurm: House Attack (Vienna, Austria)
14. Wooden Gagster House (Archangelsk, Russia)
15. Ripley's Building (Ontario, Canada)
They really are pretty strange. The only one I had seen before was the Longerberger building.
Thanks - I'll have to show these to Don.
Posted by: cassie-b | June 06, 2009 at 03:49 PM
The Longaberger building is pretty cool. The rest are sort scary.
Posted by: Kay Dennison | June 06, 2009 at 05:55 PM
I have seen some of those photos before and I'd love to see them in person.
Posted by: kenju | June 06, 2009 at 06:28 PM
I love that library. What a conversation piece.
Posted by: Betty | June 06, 2009 at 11:37 PM
These are wonderful. I love the Longaberger building (I think I actually have that basket - HA!) I've seen the Ripley's building in Orlando. I would love to see them all in person too.
Posted by: Tara R. | June 07, 2009 at 08:40 AM
I love this unique and wonderful stuff. What imagination!
Posted by: Virginia | June 07, 2009 at 09:29 AM
Well, that's it,Joy.
As a former Realtor all I can think when I look at Number 8
(Habitat 67) is: TALK ABOUT AN UNDESIRABLE LISTING.
Can you imagine trying to sell one of those condos? Especially is the buyers ask you if there is an elevator and you have to say,"No".
Laundry? "Yes, in the basement."
Pool? "Yes, on the roof."
Parking? "No". One hour parking meter only on street.
I could go on and on but I'm sure you get the idea by now. It would be a tough sell...
Posted by: Nancy | June 08, 2009 at 05:37 PM
All cool constructions.
It's hard to choose, and I don't even are sure these are on my top 10 list.
However, thanks for sharing.
btw. Sorry I haven't commented very much in the past.
Simply to much work. (8 am until midnight)
Posted by: TorAa | June 08, 2009 at 10:24 PM
I think some architects had terrible nightmares or were on drugs, or both.
The library is the one that does make sense to me. You know what the building is used for without going in.
Posted by: Darlene | June 09, 2009 at 01:51 PM
Weird! I do have that Longaberger basket, and I've often wanted to go there, even though my days of collecting those baskets has passed!
I've seen the building in Orlando.
Posted by: Beverly | June 09, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Joy, these are my fears realized. Thinking outside the box. Thinking without restraint or containment. But I do like the architecture that displays thought and creativity like the library, but the upsidedown, damaged, unlikely connections of the rest of it are pretty unsettling. Still even the rather perverse are worth contemplating...I enjoyed browsing through the gallery.
Posted by: Roberta | June 10, 2009 at 02:26 AM
Dear Joy ~~ Some of those buildings
are really strange, but interesting
to see them. Thank you for John's birthday wishes. We went out for
Dinner the next night and enjoyed that. His girlfriend and her 17 year old son and the two of us.
All is well with me, but it has got much colder.. There was snow where the fires were 4 months ago. It sure did look strange on the News, with black trees with a bit of green appearing, on a white blanket of snow.
Take great care, dear friend.
Much love, Merle.
Posted by: Merle | June 10, 2009 at 08:18 AM
I agree with Darlene, some of these buildings are the stuff of nightmares!
Of course, I recognized the Longaberger basket, and we drove past the Wonderworks Building in Orlando last February.
I've been in the Habitat! I traveled with a group of college musicians to play at the Expo that featured the Habitat....it must have been in 1969 or so. It was fascinating to walk through. I had forgotten that there weren't elevators, and that the only laundry was in the basement.
You need to surf for pictures of some of the housing being created from stacked metal shipping containers. It's part of the ecology effort to re-use things rather than throwing them into landfills. There are some fascinating designs, for more affordable housing.
How are you faring with all this off again-on again rain? I hope everything is high and dry.
Posted by: buffy | June 10, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Dear Joy ~~ Thank you so much for your nice e mail my friend. It has been too cold here to even think of exercising. How wonderful that Julie and her family are coming soon for a week. I am glad you enjoy the pictures. Take great care of yourself. Much Love, Merle
Posted by: Merle | June 12, 2009 at 07:27 AM
I've seen a Hundertwasser apartment building in Vienna. I like his work. But like most people when it comes to architecture I'm a conservative.
Posted by: Hattie | June 14, 2009 at 05:25 PM
I wanna visit anyone of these places someday... Do you see the luster of these metal buildings?
Posted by: metal buildings | August 10, 2009 at 04:18 PM