Different factors make buildings stand out, including their unusual designs, raw materials used and even where the buildings are constructed. Architects have designed many unusual buildings in different parts of the world, which show their ingenuity. The uses of advanced technology makes it possible to construct buildings with such special features as the ability to sway with the wind.
The Dancing House
This house is found in Prague in the Czech Republic. Vlado Minulic and Frank Gehry are the designers of this modern treasure, which was constructed from 1992 to 1996 upon the approval of President Vaclav Havel, who owned a neighboring house. The building is also known as "Fred and Ginger" or "the drunk house" but its official name is Nationale-Nederlanden. It has the shape of a woman and man dancing together, which is why it was named Fred and Ginger after Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers. Each of the 99 concrete panels used has a different dimension and shape.
The Crooked House
Located in Rezydent shopping center in Sopot, Poland, this building has a strangely crooked shape like a building that has been damaged. Its design was inspired by the houses that appeared in the fairytale demonstrations by Jan Marcin Szancer and according to the designs of the famous Spanish architect, Antoni Gaudi. The bluish green shingles used to coat the roof give the appearance of dragon scales. The building houses cafes, bars and shops covering its three stories.
The Basket Building
The building is an apt symbol of the Longaberger Company that is headquartered here. The company is involved in the manufacture of baskets and the building itself is made in the shape and appearance of a basket. The world's largest basket is 160 times larger than the medium market basket the company makes. The seven-story building is located in Newark, Ohio. The Longaberger Company, named after its founder who came up with the idea, moved to the Basket on December 17, 1997.
The Stone House
This is a private house located in Portugal, which is constructed by placing a roof between two giant stones joined with a concrete mix. Although the stone house has a pre-historic appearance it has some modern features like windows, front door and shingled roof. Some people believe that the design of the house may have been inspired by the stone house in the the Flinstone movie, where the Flinstone family live in a stone house.
Turning the Place Over
Created by sculpture Richard Wilson, the building looks ordinary -- until you see what a section of its wall can do. Once you notice what is taking place, you are bound to stand in awe, for this is one of the major attractions in Liverpool. Part of the wall, which is oval-shaped, has been designed around a pivot so it can spin. The wall thus spins and reveals the inward parts of the house. What an art induction.
