10: Cubic Houses, Rotterdam, Netherlands
The original idea of these cubic houses came about in the 1970s. Piet Blom has developed a couple of these cubic houses that were built in Helmond.
The city of Rotterdam asked him to design housing on top of a pedestrian bridge and he decided to use the cubic houses idea. The concept behind these houses is that he tries to create a forest by each cube representing an abstract tree; therefore the whole village becomes a forest.
9: Hang Nga Guesthouse a.k.a Crazy House, Vietnam
The house is owned by the daughter of the ex-president of Vietnam, who studied architecture in Moscow.
It does not comply with any convention about house building, has unexpected twists and turns, roofs and rooms. It looks like a fairy tale castle, it has enormous “animals” like a giraffe and a spider, no window is rectangular or round, and it can be visited like a museum.
8: Habitat 67, Montreal, Canada
Expo 67, one of the world’s largest universal expositions was held in Montreal. Housing was one of the main themes of Expo 67.
The cube is the base, the mean and the finality of Habitat 67. In its material sense, the cube is a symbol of stability. As for its mystic meaning, the cube is symbol of wisdom, truth, moral perfection, at the origin itself of our civilization.
354 cubes of a magnificent grey-beige build up one on the other to form 146 residences nestled between sky and earth, between city and river, between greenery and light.
7: The Basket Building, Ohio, United States
The Longaberger Basket Company building in Newark, Ohio might just be a strangest office building in the world. The 180,000-square-foot building, a replica of the company’s famous market basket, cost $30 million and took two years to complete. Many experts tried to persuade Dave Longaberger to alter his plans, but he wanted an exact replica of the real thing.
6: The Crooked House , Sopot, Poland
Construction of the building started in in January 2003 and in December 2003 it was finished. House architecture is based on Jan Marcin Szancer (famous Polish artist and child books illustrator) and Per Dahlberg (Swedish painter living in Sopot) pictures and paintings
5: Kansas City Public Library, Missouri, United States
This project, located in the heart of Kansas City, represents one of the pioneer projects behind the revitalization of downtown.
The people of Kansas City were asked to help pick highly influential books that represent Kansas City. Those titles were included as ‘bookbindings’ in the innovative design of the parking garage exterior, to inspire people to utilize the downtown Central Library.
4: Cctv headquarters, China
Speaking of unique, the Cctv headquarters in China, personifies that word in every way. It is so amazingly shaped in the ‘Z-zig zag’ manner and looks super stunning. It may not be the tallest structure or the largest but it is very impressive in terms of design and treatment. The Main Building, with a total floor space of about 380,000 square meters, is divided into five sections: the administration section, the comprehensive business section, the news production and broadcasting section, the broadcasting section and the program production section. The planned new CCTV building can not only represent the new image of Beijing, but also express, in the language of architecture, the importance and the cultural nature of the TV industry. In one word is it ‘Symbolic’ and ‘stylish’ at no.4.
3: Chicago spire, USA
The Chicago spire stands tall at no.3 and literally so as it is touted as one of the most significant residential developments in the world and also the tallest. A simple inspiration and a great result that is there for everyone to see by the year 2010. It is inspired by nature and its complexities and beauty. This 609m structure will dominate the Chicago skyline and our hearts too.
2: Residence Antilia, India
Designed by SITE and called Residence Antilia, the scheme is being developed by Indian tycoon Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries. Rising to 245 metres the building has only 40 floors, and yet manages to reach the height it does. Residence Antilia will be mixed use serving partly as the headquarters for the Reliance Industries on the lowest floors plus parking for workers with the upper levels being the private dwelling of Ambani and his family. In-between will be levels of apartments for guests, a kitchen and laundry floor, and several leisure floors creating what is in-effect a new home for a very rich man and one of the most impressive private residences in the world with building facilities.
1: Aqua, USA
This surely deserves to be on the no.1 spot. With enthralling design and innovative concept Aqua surely manages to be the biggest show stealer ever. The fluid contour of Aqua’s exterior creates distinctive floor plans with most residences having their own unique balcony design. Aqua’s balconies not only create the stunning exterior shape of the building, they bring individuality to each home. With no two balconies alike, for the first time ever, each unique owner has a unique condo. you gotta hold your breath as floor to ceiling buildings will take your breath away with that beautiful view right outside.
It makes me wonder what the world will look like 50 years from now if the scene today is so advanced and creative. With such awesome structures being erected it wouldn’t be wrong to quote that ‘nothing is impossible’.