10 Unique Houses Around the Globe
Unique houses. Crazy houses. Funny houses. Weird houses. I grew up next to the spiral house in Ramat Gan, Israel. For years, I tried to guess what inspired the architect when he created this crazy house.
Browsing the net, I found many special houses around the globe which inspired me to create this ideabook.
I have tried to track each one of the following houses, and see who was the designer behind it. If any of you know more about these buildings please let me know.
Would be nice to check them in person one day…
Browsing the net, I found many special houses around the globe which inspired me to create this ideabook.
I have tried to track each one of the following houses, and see who was the designer behind it. If any of you know more about these buildings please let me know.
Would be nice to check them in person one day…
The Voglreiter Auto Residence- Germany
Designed by architect Mark Voglreiter, the unique Auto Residence was built on the border of a nature preserve in Gnigl near Salzburg, Austria. The owners originally purchased a corner lot with a typical 70’s style suburban home on it, and wanted to renovate and update the house and structure. They instituted a “3 liter” energy efficient heating and insulation technique that optimizes all current building technologies, drastically reducing energy consumption.
Designed by architect Mark Voglreiter, the unique Auto Residence was built on the border of a nature preserve in Gnigl near Salzburg, Austria. The owners originally purchased a corner lot with a typical 70’s style suburban home on it, and wanted to renovate and update the house and structure. They instituted a “3 liter” energy efficient heating and insulation technique that optimizes all current building technologies, drastically reducing energy consumption.
The Spiral House-Ramat Gan, Israel
Designed by architect Zvi Hecker. The construction started in 1984 and ended in 1990. The building is designed as an extension of a spiral staircase. Sitting on a hillside, it features roof-free porches.
The building is made of concrete, with a facade of plaster, pink glass and stone fragments and corrugated tin.
Shmuel Grobstein, who played a part in the Spiral’s design, once described it thus: “It looks like a storm passed through Ramat Gan, picking up all the wrecks from the roofs and yards, and created the spiral in one swoop.”
Designed by architect Zvi Hecker. The construction started in 1984 and ended in 1990. The building is designed as an extension of a spiral staircase. Sitting on a hillside, it features roof-free porches.
The building is made of concrete, with a facade of plaster, pink glass and stone fragments and corrugated tin.
Shmuel Grobstein, who played a part in the Spiral’s design, once described it thus: “It looks like a storm passed through Ramat Gan, picking up all the wrecks from the roofs and yards, and created the spiral in one swoop.”
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The Basket House- Newark, Ohio
The Longaberger Company’s Home Office is a basket! Actually, the building is a replica of the Longaberger Medium Market Basket, only 160 times larger. The offices are situated around a seven-story, 30,000 sq. ft atrium where employees and guests can enjoy the natural daylight from the skylight. Two basket handles are attached to the building with replica copper and wooden rivets. The Longaberger Company designed the exterior and interior of the building. NBBJ and Korda Nemeth Engineering administered the construction process.Groundbreaking began on October 23, 1995 and employees moved in December 9, 1997. |
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Stone house- Guimarães, Portugal
This amazing stone house, that looks like Wilma and Fred’s Flintstones house, is located in Nas Montanhas de Fafe in Portugal. The house photos were taken by Jsome1 who posted them and a video about the house on Flickr. |
The Bubble House- Cannes, France
Designed by architect Antti Lovag the “Bubble House” was built in 1975 for the French industrialist Pierre Bernard, and sold in 1989 by Sotheby’s to fashion designer Pierre Cardin.
This unique house stretches over 1200 square meters, on the red rocks of Estérel, very close to Cannes. It includes 10 suites decorated by different artists for each suite.
Designed by architect Antti Lovag the “Bubble House” was built in 1975 for the French industrialist Pierre Bernard, and sold in 1989 by Sotheby’s to fashion designer Pierre Cardin.
This unique house stretches over 1200 square meters, on the red rocks of Estérel, very close to Cannes. It includes 10 suites decorated by different artists for each suite.
Narrow house- Madre de Deus, Brazil
Helenita Queiroz Grave Minho was unemployed when she decided to design and build this house. The house is 3 feet wide by 33 feet high and the family had to take apart their appliances and furniture in order to get them in the house.
The house became a major tourist attraction in the small Brazilian town. Helenita is still living in the house with her husband, three kids, mother and sister.
Helenita Queiroz Grave Minho was unemployed when she decided to design and build this house. The house is 3 feet wide by 33 feet high and the family had to take apart their appliances and furniture in order to get them in the house.
The house became a major tourist attraction in the small Brazilian town. Helenita is still living in the house with her husband, three kids, mother and sister.
The Upside-Down House- Syzmbark, Poland
Daniel Czapiewski, a designer and philanthropist, built this Upside-Down House as a statement about the communism and the current state of the world.
Building the Upside-Down House took 114 days – five times longer than expected because workers suffered dizziness and confusion and needed frequent breaks to recover.
Today, the house attracting many visitors who often complain about mild sickness after just a few minutes spent in the house.
Daniel Czapiewski, a designer and philanthropist, built this Upside-Down House as a statement about the communism and the current state of the world.
Building the Upside-Down House took 114 days – five times longer than expected because workers suffered dizziness and confusion and needed frequent breaks to recover.
Today, the house attracting many visitors who often complain about mild sickness after just a few minutes spent in the house.
Hang Nga House- Dalat, Vietnam
I saw this one in person when I traveled to Vietnam in 1995. Even though it’s a guest house, you can pay a small fee and take a tour of this unique place without staying there. If you are lucky, you can also talk to the architect Dang Viet Nga that designed the House (also referred to as “the Crazy House” by locals).
Concrete ladders, tunnels, hollowed-out nooks, and unique “theme” rooms like a concrete giraffe tea room, and towering fish heads are part of this giant crazy house. Fun place!
I saw this one in person when I traveled to Vietnam in 1995. Even though it’s a guest house, you can pay a small fee and take a tour of this unique place without staying there. If you are lucky, you can also talk to the architect Dang Viet Nga that designed the House (also referred to as “the Crazy House” by locals).
Concrete ladders, tunnels, hollowed-out nooks, and unique “theme” rooms like a concrete giraffe tea room, and towering fish heads are part of this giant crazy house. Fun place!