Let your weird light shine bright so that the other weirdos know where to find you… That’s what comes to mind when we think of some of the buildings people have dared to design and erect. Often, it’s not even a case of thinking outside the box. But rather, destroying the box completely and creating a whole, new, never-seen-before, architectural shape.
Think India’s National Board of Fisheries headquarter building, which is shaped like… a fish. Or the St. James Quarter in Edinburgh, Scotland, nicknamed the Golden Turd… we’ll leave you to figure out why. These are just a few of the unique structures around the world that have people stopping in their tracks and doing double or triple-takes, just to make sure their eyes aren’t deceiving them.
Someone recently asked, “What’s a weird or funny building in your country?” and the replies came rolling in faster than tractors on a construction site. Some structures are mind-blowingly creative, others are plain bizarre. All are proof that the planet we live on is anything but vanilla.
Bored Panda has put together a list of our favorites for you to scroll through while you plan your next sight-seeing adventure. Let us know which ones you find the most interesting by hitting the upvote button.
#1 This Is The Headquarters Of The National Fisheries Development Board (Nfdb) In Hyderabad, India. This Building Is Just So Weird And Funny
Image source: DiMpLe_dolL003
The world would be so boring if everything and everyone was exactly alike. Thankfully, when it comes to building design, the sky is the limit… At least, in many places around the world.
China made headlines in 2016, after announcing that the government planned to ban “bizarre” and “odd-shaped” buildings. Ironically, the country was at the forefront of unique architecture, and was home to some of the wildest buildings in the world.
#2 Taiwan Has A Bread Shaped Bread Factory
Image source: federicoaa
#3 USA. It’s The Headquarters Of A Company That Makes These Types Of Baskets
Image source: Flimsy_Security_3866
#4 South Korea. The Cafe’s Name Is Literally ‘Grasshopper Cafe’, Located In Jeongseon, Gangwon Province
Image source: CommercialChart5088
#5 This Is The Last Remaining Example Of The Original Shell Gas Stations. It’s Located In Winston Salem, NC
Image source: HavBoWilTrvl
#6 Hotel In Zaanstad (Nethwrlands) Lots Of Traditional Shapes Of Dutch Houses Together
Image source: Beagle432
#7 The Kindergarten “Katze” (Cat) In Karlsruhe-Wolfartsweier, Germany. Right Over The Left Paw Two Small Windows At A Yellow House Can Be Seen. That Once Was My Bedroom
Image source: kittyf0rman
#8 Union Of Architects Of Romania (Uar). And Yes, Those Are The Top Floors, They Are The Same Building
Image source: daraskav
#9 Scotland. The St James Quarter In Edinburgh, Affectionately Nicknamed ‘The Golden Turd’ For Obvious Reasons
Image source: Chocolatpetitpois
#10 United Kingdom. This Is A Private House That Has A Shark In The Roof
Image source: Ochib
#11 Us. Saw This One In New York
Image source: Skywren7
#12 France
In the 1970s and 80s, the French government wanted to strengthen swimming instruction. This required building many swimming pools. A model was developed and almost 200 were replicated throughout France.
These pools look like flying saucers (and they can partially open). Weird but a bit cool, I think.
Image source: NutrimaticTea
#13 Indonesia. It Became Viral Few Months Ago, It’s A Mosque Built By A Military General, Located In His Hometown LOL
Image source: AdministrativePool93
#14 Appartment Building In Amsterdam
Image source: Despite55
#15 Kazakhstan. We Have Got A Lot Of These. Egg
Image source: b100d7_cr0w
#16 Italy. The Church Tower Of A Flooded Village
Image source: Marconerix
#17 Australia. He Is Beloved Tho!!
Image source: AssociationNo6008
#18 Czech Republic. The Dancing House, Prague
It resembles a dancing pair (the man on the right, the woman on the left)
Photo By Danny Alexander Lettkemann, Architekt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Image source: bb-17
#19 Canada. The Gooderham Building In Toronto Is Fun!
Image source: pineconeminecone
#20 In The Middle Of NYC. Edit: Leaked Documents Have Proven That Inside This Building Is The Nsa And Telecommunications
Image source: mikki1time
#21 At No Surprise To Anyone, New Zealand Has Sheep Lmao
Image source: Ragnar-Firebeard
#22 Church In The Shape Of Chicken, Indonesia
Image source: bayclean
#23 Elephant Building Bangkok
Image source: Ok-Active1581
#24 The Shoe House In Lancaster, PA USA!
Image source: Hildedank
#25 Legozilla? Tetris Tower? Actually, It’s The Ayer Rajah Telephone Exchange (1978) In Singapore
Image source: sjioldboy
#26 Vancouver House, A Residential Building In Downtown Vancouver, Bc, Canada
Image source: PaduWanKenobi
#27 France, The “Palais IDéal”, Built By A Single Mail Carrier On His Spare Time, With Odd Rocks That He Found In The Paths
Image source: 0x1more
#28 USA. This Dinosaur Is A Gift Shop, In California
Image source: Skywren7
#29 There Are A Few, But The One That’s Truly Whimsical And Witty In My Opinion Is Casa Orgánica, In Naucalpan. (State Of Mexico, Not Mexico City)
Image source: Silver_Phoenix9
#30 Whale On The Danube Bank In Budapest
Image source: Accurate_Cap_4920
#31 Australia
Just for those unsure this is the Luna Park entrance in Sydney, Australia. It was built in the 1930’s and was popular during WW2 particularly for servicemen. Back in the late 70’s one of the Roller Coasters “The Ghost Train” caught fire and 7 people lost their lives. It is noted the park had failed the fire safety precautions needed to run the coaster. The case has been closed and reopened several times on who is responsible and has recently been reopened with new evidence and is being investigated. Despite this, 7 people tragically lost their lives on something that could have been prevented. That ride is no longer in service and a memorial stands in its place.
Image source: AssociationNo6008
#32 Germany. Bierpinsel In Berlin
Image source: knightriderin
#33 Australia. I Would Say It’s This Hotel Shaped Like A Crocodile In Kakadu, Nt
Image source: Striking_Spite9102
#34 Taiwan
These flying saucer houses, I couldn’t find any of them new, there’s a very rural spot that has a neighborhood full of them, but I think most were torn down last year
Image source: olympic_peaks
#35 Japan. This Is Asahi Beer Museum
Image source: Serious-Discussion-2
#36 This Is A Museum In The City Of Niterói, State Of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Image source: Odysseus-p
#37 Barcelona, Spain
Image source: ElA1to
#38 Singapore. The Art Science Museum
Image source: EnvironmentalLion355
#39 Taiwan
Temple of the 18 Lords which boasts the “worlds biggest dog statue”, you walk in through its butt and go up stairs until you can look out of it from a platform inside sorta like the Statue of Liberty. But the door was sealed shut a few years back
Image source: olympic_peaks
#40 Russia. Grocery Store In Moscow
Image source: Eimaga
#41 The Atomium, An Iron Atom 165 Billion Times The Size Of A Real Iron Atom. Belgium
Image source: FissileAlarm
#42 The Warped House, Poland
Image source: OkBus3544
#43 Toad Museum, Thailand
Image source: docwannabox
#44 We Got The Kunsthaus In Graz. Always Makes Me Uncomfortable
Image source: meepweepsheet
#45 Crocodile Stadium, Bursa, Turkiye
Image source: Celecanto
#46 Los Angeles, It Has To Be The Walt Disney Concert Hall
Designed by Frank Gehry. Personally not a fan of his architectural works, and I don’t personally like it but it makes for a good statement piece. Close seconds are The Broad Museum and Petersen Automotive Museum.
Image source: OttomanEmpireBall
#47 The Markel Building, AKA The Baked Potato Building, Here In Richmond Va
It was commissioned back in the early 60’s and the architect was literally inspired by a baked potato wrapped in foil that he was served at an architects luncheon. It’s ugly as all hell, but I love it
Image source: SquirrelBurritos
#48 There’s A Guy In Colorado Who Spent Some 40 Odd Years Building A Castle
Image source: Yeti_Funk
#49 Noah’s Ark In Kentucky, USA
Image source: kaywrennn
#50 The Beer Can House
It started off with the owner (during the late ’60s) covering his yard and walk with concrete and mixing in different things (marbles, little statues, etc) and just kind of…expanded from there. Iirc, he claimed he did it because he didn’t want to mow his lawn anymore XD
Image source: rebby2000
#51 This Is East Beach Café In Littlehampton, UK. People Call It ‘The Turd’
Image source: meglington
#52 Vegas, USA
Image source: HelenaBelena
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