5 of the World's Wackiest Architectural Designs

Posted on December 10, 2013

Circle of Life, ChinaTwo things are infinite—the universe and human imagination; and I'm not sure about the universe. Speaking of architecture, modern technology has made it possible to turn the weirdest of imaginations into reality. What's wacky to some because of its outlandishness might be appealing to others because of its originality. The following architectural designs are the world's wackiest, in the sense that they are unlike any structure you might have seen in your life.

Manmade Mountain, Netherland

Over 2,000 meters in height, this jaw-dropping architectural wonder will add the much needed vertical dimension to the super-flat Dutch landscape. It will be a huge tourist attraction, featuring skiing, hiking, rock-climbing, and cycling in an artificially created natural environment. The manmade mountain will have ski slopes, ice rinks, hotels, waterfalls, and scenic roads with hairpin turns. Apart from entertaining the tourists, the mountain will also provide opportunities for Dutch athletes to train for high-altitude sports. Although still on paper, the manmade mountain is closer to reality. Flevoland province is already studying the feasibility and the project is attracting a lot of interest from investors and construction firms. We might expect to see it turning to reality by 2018.

Floating Sea Tree, Anywhere

Another wacky idea coming from Netherland, this towering structure will only house plants and animals. It will be fabricated offsite using technology similar to that used for constructing offshore oil storage tanks, but will have multiple layers of animal and plant habitats both above and below water. It will be secured to the seabed with cable, but will be floating in water and swaying with wind just like a mammoth tree. The floating sea tree will be inaccessible to humans. Waterstudio, an ecological architectural firm has conceived the idea for providing the much needed high-density green spots near busy harbour cities, such as New York. The tree will house flora and fauna and a large variety of small land and sea animals in order to create a better urban environment. Waterstudio suggests oil companies should donate such trees to cities in order to neutralize the negative effects of oil spills and off-shore drilling.

Circle of Life, China

China is home to some of the world's wackiest building designs, and Circle of Life is surely near the top of the list. The gigantic 50-storey high circle was conceived as an emblematic structure welcoming people to the new city of Fushen. It spans out vertically from the oceanfront and gives the much-needed curvature to a bland cityscape. The structure incorporates lifts and observation deck near the top. More than 10,000 lights turn the Circle of Life into a spectacle at night.

Asian Cairns, China

The breathtaking feat of architecture is designed by architect Vincent Callebaut. The project comprises six towers shaped like stacked pebbles, which look like they are precariously balanced on top of each other. Each pebble-shaped floor will house residential communities, gardens, farms, and many other facilities. The idea is to produce food and other resources within the complex with zero carbon emission and a positive environmental impact.

Rotating Tower, Dubai

Is it possible to wake up to sunrise in your window and enjoy dinner watching sunset from the same window? Architect David Fisher certainly thinks it is. The floors of this 80-storey Rotating Tower will be able to rotate independently through 360 degrees. Each floor will complete one full rotation in 90 minutes. 90% of the tower will be prefabricated in a factory and assembled on site using advanced joining technology. The tower will be powered totally by wind turbines and solar panels, and will continuously change shapes as different floors will assume different angles while rotating.


Posted in Amusing