Curiosities
Source:zestradar.com
We know a lot of grand buildings and fascinating structures from the past that still bewilders us nowadays, but modern architecture also has a few wonders of its own. Now we have all the resources and materials needed to build the most mind-blowing concepts – from quirky futuristic hotels to mind-boggling libraries and shopping mall designs. And you’ll never guess what’s hiding inside one of these wonders unless you enter! Here are 8 incredible buildings that look like something from a parallel Universe.
Emporia Shopping Mall (Malmo, Sweden)
This futuristic shopping mall is the biggest in all Scandinavian countries. Its glass design makes the building look like it’s melting, with a spectacular slit in the very middle of the structure. Inside the mall is also far from usual – there are swings instead of benches, colorful escalators will take you from one floor to another, and hanging gardens will make you feel like you’re inside a forest, not in a shopping mall.
ArtScience Museum (Singapore)
Singapore definitely knows how to create mind-boggling structures – their ArtScience Museum is one of the biggest tourist attractions along with equally spectacular Marina Bay Sands, a posh hotel built in the form of three skyscrapers with a ship on top. The ArtScience Museum reminds us of a white lotus or two palms cupped together.
The Kunsthaus Graz in Graz, Austria
If you’ve never heard about blob architecture – this is exactly what it looks like. Something reminiscent of organic matter with amoeba-ish forms. It’s a gallery of modern art, but it looks like many things from afar – a huge heart in the middle of the city, a whale, a dirigible…The building’s name is ‘Friendly Alien’, so that explains a lot.
Capital Gate (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
Also known as the Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi, Capital Gate holds the Guinness World Record for being the furthest leaning man-made tower ever created. It stands leaning 18 degrees, which will sound and look even more spectacular once you realise that the world famous Pisa Tower in Italy leans modest 4 degrees only.
The Atomium (Brussels, Belgium)
Looking at The Atomium it’s almost impossible to tell whether it’s a building or an art project standing in the middle of the city. Yet when you come inside you’ll realize it’s a totally functional structure and you can travel between the spheres, each containing its very own establishment like a restaurant or a science museum.
The Lotus Building (Wujin, China)
The Lotus Building looks both futuristic and fantastic, like something created in the parallel Universe. The beautiful building is ‘blooming’ in the midst of a man-made lake in the center of the city to create a dreamy feeling that will not be influenced by weather or other factors. Inside you’ll find the offices for Wujin’s city planning bureau.
The Cubic Houses (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Behold the creations of Piet Blom, who imagined a block of private houses with walls and windows angled at 45 degrees. And so the idea came to life! It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to live inside, but the houses look incredibly futuristic.
Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Spain)
If you ever wondered what Deconstructivism looked like – you need to think no more because Guggenheim Museum is exactly that. Considered by many as the greatest and most striking building of modern times, the museum is breathtaking inside out. Just look at that giant spider guarding the entrance!
