5 Bizarre Buildings From Europe to North America

(Image by Ken Ratcliff)

Weird architecture extends far beyond Brutalism and the scary Cold War edificies of the Eastern Bloc.  Across the world, people have made their home and work spaces out of trains, planes, automobiles and the even more bizarre.  Read on for a selection of wierd and wonderful buildings in Europe and North America…

The Crooked House, Poland

Image by abhijeet.rane)

This utterly bizarre building can be found in Sopot, Poland. It almost looks like the image has been distorted somehow – as in a hall of mirrors at the fairground.  But for the benefit of all the doubters out there, this building is very real!  Based on drawings by Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg, the unusual roof is covered by a layer of sheet metal beneath green enamel roof tiles, giving the illusion of dragon scales.  How bizarre!

The Longaberger Building, Newark, Ohio

(Image by ellenm1)

This truly impressive (whatever your taste!) example of mimetic architecture in Newark, Ohio can safely be called the world’s largest basket!  Those on the inside of the seven storey structure can enjoy the natural light through the massive skylight above.  But looking at this, it could be argued that the founder of mimetic (or novelty) architecture was an utter basket case…

Cubic Houses, Rotterdam, Holland

(Image by e-s)

(Image by Evelien De Bruyne)

Every now and again a building comes along that sends the delicate balance of your stomach all over the place, bestowing on the viewer a dizzying feeling in the process.  For me, this is one of those buildings.  Its intriguing design does a clever job of muddling the eye as it tries to decide whether the building is actually sloping or standing straight – let alone what it must feel like to live in…

Habitat 67, Montreal, Canada

(Image by etiennecoutu)

Located on the St Lawrence River in Montreal, Habitat 67 emerged from the masters thesis of its architect, Hoshe Safdie.  Originally designed as “affordable” housing for the masses, huge demand for the strange postmodern building’s units made it rather expensive – not quite the ideal envisioned by its founder.  Habitat 67 was designed to illustrate the lifestyle people would live in increasingly crowded cities.  And while it may not be entirely indicative of Montreal itself, it certainly is of other cities around the world.

Container City, London

(Image by Magnus D)

You’ve heard of trailer parks, especially in the United States, but what about trendy urban living spaces made out of converted sea containers?  While it might seem a rather odd choice to some, shipping containers are immensely strong, long lasting, and if they can survive the storms and tempests of the world’s oceans, the drizzly London air shouldn’t pose too many problems.  The image above depicts Container City II, completed in 2002, at Trinity Buoy Wharf.  Located adjacent to the first plase, its bright colours and funky ziggurat shape offer modern work solutions within its 22 studios.

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