Identifying the 8 strangest architectures ever built is no easy task.
Creating architecture means freeing the imagination. Some have the gift of not being able to limit their imagination, playing with the limits of reality to create truly unique, never before seen structures.
It would be impossible to list all the impressive architecture creations in this article; however, we have selected some of our favorites that we believe have especially noteworthy designs and construction features.
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Let’s find out what are the 8 strangest architectures ever built
First up, we want to recognize the Canadian architect Frank Gehry. He has two creations in particular that deserve special attention.
1. The Marqués de Riscal Hotel in Elciego
This structure is an impressive hotel building located in Elciego, Spain. Built by the construction company Ferrovial, the hotel is built both aesthetically and structurally in the same style and methodology as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
2. The Dancing House in Prague
Another work of Frank Gehry, designed in collaboration with Croatian architect Vlado Milunić. Dancing House is the nickname given to the Dutch National Offices building located in the center of Prague.
3. Chapel of Notre-Dame du Haut in Ronchamp
This design is a chapel located in Ronchamp, near Belfort in France and built by the architect Le Corbusier. The building, located on atop a mountain, is built out of reinforced concrete and consists of a single irregularly shaped nave. The roof of the church is also made of a concrete mold modeled as if it were a large inverted sail.
4. Rhike Park/Musical Theater and Exhibition Hall in Tbilisi
Designed by Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas, this project site is located within the green area called Rhike Park in Tbilisi, Georgia. The building consists of two different elements of soft shapes that are connected as a single body to the retaining wall.
Each form has its own function: the music theater and the exhibition hall.
5. The Rotterdam cube house
Among the strangest builds, we find the so-called “pilotis” or “tree houses”. It is a unique architectural project characterized by several buildings in the shape of an inverted cube, which was conceived in the seventies by the Dutch architect Piet Blom.
6. Huainan Piano House
Located in the Shannan district of Huainan City, China, this violin-shaped glass building leaning against a piano was completed in 2007.
Designed by architecture students from Hefei University of Technology, the building is constructed on a scale of 50:1 and serves as an exhibition hall.
The transparent violin is made of transparent glass panels and contains escalators and a staircase to the main piano building that houses two concert halls.
7. The transparent church in Bargloon
A clear example of strange architecture, the church is located in Borgloon, Belgium, “Reading Between The Lines” is an almost transparent steel church designed by Belgian architectural firm Gijs Van Vaerenbergh.
The 10-meter-high structure is made up of 100 equidistant and overlapping layers of steel that form the church with bell tower, and seems to dissolve into the landscape when viewed from certain angles.
8. Kamppi Chapel in Helsinki
Kamppi Chapel is a chapel with an unusual shape, built precisely in the Kamppi district of Helsinki. The architects are K2S Architects, founded in 2001 by Kimmo Lintula, Niko Sirola and Mikko Summanen, who propose an ecumenical chapel.
This structure is not a parish church, but rather a place of silence and peace in the middle of Narinkka Square. It is one of the most popular places in the Finnish capital.
We believe that these 8 structures are among some of the strangest architectures ever built. However, check back in a few years and who knows how this ranking will look. Architects from all over the world are constantly seeking to push the limit and create projects that have never been seen before. A few years down the line, there will likely be new additions to this list that leave us feeling even more impressed.
Which of this strangest architectures has left you feeling most impressed?
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