These structures demonstrate the boundaries of architectural design. From the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco to the Lotus Temple in New Delhi, architecture takes unconventional forms. The buildings combine technical innovation with artistic expression.
San Francisco, USA
The 853-foot tall skyscraper completed in 1972 features a distinctive pyramid shape with steel reinforced concrete frame and glass facade.
Đà Lạt, Vietnam
A hotel with curved walls, tunnels and bridges designed by architect Dang Viet Nga featuring organic architectural forms.
Barcelona, Spain
A Roman Catholic basilica with tall towers and geometric forms under construction since 1882.
Vatican City, Italy
A 13-foot bronze sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro with an outer fractured sphere revealing an inner sphere.
Brussels, Belgium
Nine spheres connected by twenty tubes representing an iron crystal cell magnified 165 billion times, built in 1958.
St. Louis, USA
192-meter stainless steel arch built in 1965 to commemorate the western expansion of the United States.
Montreal, Canada
354 identical concrete modules form 146 residences across 12 stories, designed by architect Moshe Safdie.
Barcelona, Spain
17-hectare public park with mosaics, stone columns and curved benches, designed by Antoni Gaudí.
Datong, China
The temple was built in the 5th century on a 75-meter cliff face and is supported by wooden beams.
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Residential buildings from the 1980s, designed by Piet Blom, with hexagonal base and upward pointing apex.
Alberobello, Italy
Traditional buildings from the 14th century constructed with limestone without mortar and removable roof stones.
Seville, Spain
A 150-meter long structure made of wood and polyurethane, completed in 2011 and covering a market.
Cannes, France
This private residence from 1989 features multiple circular rooms with organic shapes and an outdoor theater seating 500 people.
Bilbao, Spain
The titanium-clad museum complex from 1997 contains 19 galleries across three floors with a total area of 24,000 square meters.
Kansas City, USA
The south wall of the parking structure displays 22 book spines measuring 7.5 meters tall, selected by city residents.
Elciego, Spain
This hotel opened in 2006 uses 60 tons of titanium for exterior cladding in pink, gold and silver colors.
Sopot, Poland
A modern commercial building with curved facade, designed by Szotyńscy & Zaleski in 2004, inspired by illustrations of Jan Szancer.
Brighton, England
A university building constructed using 20,000 toothbrushes, 2,000 carpet tiles, and 4,000 DVD cases, built as research project for sustainable construction.
Huainan, China
A black glass and steel structure shaped like a concert piano with transparent violin entrance, used as a music center.
Calpe, Spain
A red residential complex from 1973, designed by Ricardo Bofill, with cubic forms and interlaced staircases in Mediterranean kasbah architecture.
Niterói, Brazil
The six-story structure on a cliff features a prominent dome and circular base, completed in 1996.
Abu Dhabi, UAE
A 110-meter office tower with complete circular shape and glass facade, constructed in 2010.
Prague, Czech Republic
The 1996 building consists of two towers with curved glass facade and asymmetrical windows.
New Delhi, India
A sacred structure made of 27 freestanding white marble petals rising to a height of 34 meters.
Christchurch, New Zealand
Temporary Anglican church constructed with 86 paper tubes weighing 600 kilograms each, built after the 2011 earthquake.
Indiana, USA
Metal art structure shaped like a house rotated 90 degrees, part of the Columbus art collection.
Colorado, USA
Stone castle with metal structures, towers and bridges, built by one man without blueprints between 1969 and 2010.
Darmstadt, Germany
Spiral residential building with 105 apartments, colored walls and trees on the roof, constructed between 1998 and 2000.
Kruševo, North Macedonia
Abstract, stylised monument dedicated to the fighters and revolutionaries of WWII.
Chandigarh, India
Architectural masterwork of Le Corbusier symbolising human progress.
Seattle, USA
Futuristic museum dedicated to the history and exploration of popular music, science fiction, and pop culture.
Barcelona, Spain
The 52-meter metal sculpture depicts a fish with shimmering scales made of stainless steel. The art piece was built for the Olympic harbor.
Tokyo, Japan
A building completed in 1972 with 140 interchangeable residential capsules. The construction follows the principles of metabolist architecture.
Eastern Cape, South Africa
A museum containing over 300 concrete sculptures created by Helen Martins between 1945 and 1976. The figures depict animals and religious motifs.
Barcelona, Spain
A building completed in 1885 with Moorish influences and colorful ceramic tiles. The architect experimented with different construction styles.
Sunshine Coast, Australia
This fiberglass and steel structure was built in 1971. At 16.7 meters tall, it represents an example of Australian advertising architecture.
Copenhagen, Denmark
The aluminum-clad building contains 53 aquariums and installations. The architecture incorporates the shape of water vortexes.
Mexico City, Mexico
A six-floor museum containing 66,000 artworks in an asymmetric metal facade. The exterior skin consists of 16,000 aluminum plates.