Since starting the Saturday Surprise feature back in 2017, I have done a few posts about unique architecture, the kind that makes you stop and say, “Wow!!!” … or maybe, “Why???” But, I haven’t done one for a couple of years now, and an article in Bored Panda caught my eye, made me think … hmmmmmm … perhaps it’s time for another! And so, on this cold, snowy Saturday morn, I hope you will enjoy seeing some of these unique and … well, weird … buildings!
I’ve got more, but I’ll save them for maybe next week or the week after! Meanwhile, here’s a link to my post from 2020 with some other unique and interesting buildings! Have a great weekend, my friends!
A great homage to the inventiveness and artistry of folk (no doubt a few head scratching moments for those doing the physical building).
The Norwegian ‘Modern Cabin’ bought a smile to my face.
Sheila being very British feels there is time and place for drawing shut and opening curtains (drapes to you guys) and it is a common little joke of hers when watching an American film with an indoors night time scene to say ‘Will you draw shut your damn drapes!’
It was the first thing which came to mind when my fell on the window.
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Ha ha … Sheila and I have that in common! We have blinds rather than curtains or drapes, and just before dark I want the blinds closed and opened when the first of us gets up in the morning to capture every second of daylight we can! Oh, and by the way … we have both curtains and drapes here and there’s a difference. Curtains are usually lightweight and only about as long as the window … mostly used in kitchens and bathrooms, sometimes bedrooms. Drapes are floor to ceiling, thicker than curtains, meant to keep out light and cold/hot air.
Glad you enjoyed the weird architecture!!! I couldn’t live in that Norwegian Modern Cabin for I’d never make it up all those steps!
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Thanks for the update on the definitions Jill!
I’ll advise Sheila on that.
It’ll give us something extra to check on in a film😀
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🤣 If you say so … 🙃
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😆
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Where are the U.S. unique buildings??? We seem to be lacking in imagination. Maybe next time?
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Indeed … I’m sure there are some, but none in this round … I hadn’t noticed that. Yes, we are definitely lacking in imagination and creativity, aren’t we? Most buildings here are ugly concrete or brick, the taller the better. Ah well … maybe in the next batch!
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Namaste, Miss Jill! Guess what? We’re having a surprise Gem sleepover tonight. It was a really big surprise for both of us from Mommy and Auntie H. These buildings or the big word architectures are awesome. My favorite is the 18th century building in Norway but I love that swimming pool with the inverted pyramid house in Spain. The treehouse restaurant in Okinawa was so cool and its too bad that it got knocked down. Gem told me that you are getting lots of snow in Ohio from this Winter Storm Quinlan. We got lots of rain cause it was too warm for it to snow here. But guess what? It is below freezing here now and it is snowing at Gem’s too but not as much as at your house. I’m sending neck-buster hugs and kisses. I love you! Thank you and Bye!
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Namaste, Benjamin!!! Oh what a fun thing … a surprise Gem sleepover!!! I know you will have a wonderful time, and so will Gem and Auntie Heidi! We didn’t get too much snow — just about an inch, but it is so very cold today! Don’t let Gem shovel the snow, okay? I’m so glad you enjoyed the buildings … they are fun, aren’t they? I thought the same as you about the treehouse restaurant in Okinawa, because it would have been fun to go there someday! Maybe some day you’ll be an architect and design wonderful buildings that make people smile! Thank you for the neck-buster hugs and kisses and I’m sending you a gentle hug with lots ‘n lots of kisses and love! Have fun tonight!
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Namaste again, Miss Jill! Sorry and it must be so disappointing that you only got 1 inch of snow all day long. There is almost an inch at Gem’s. We have been measuring it on the deck with my ruler and it is still snowing and I hope it doesn’t stop. Don’t worry cause Gem says it won’t be enough for shoveling and I can help if maybe it is more. I forgot to tell you that I liked those apartments in Amsterdam. I would love to live in the one that sticks way way out with all the windows. It would be so cool to look up at the sky and down at the ground. Love and Bye again.
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Namaste again!!! No, I really wasn’t disappointed because I’m eager for warmer weather and would have been happy with no snow, but I hope you get enough to have some fun in tomorrow morning! I’m glad to know Gem won’t be doing the heavy shoveling! Yes, I thought those apartments in Amsterdam looked really cool, too! Have a great time with Gem and the snow! I love you … hugs ‘n kisses!!!
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I love this!!!
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I’m so glad! Which was your favourite?
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The cat shaped kindergarten and the books.
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I was guessing the cat-shaped kindergarten would have been among you favourites … it’s the teacher in you!
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😀
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An excellent diversion, from the calamitous current events in our country and the world, that is much needed! As America’s first successful female architect, Julia Morgan (1872-1957), said : “Architecture is a visual art, and the buildings speak for themselves.” These buildings are not speaking softly but shouting! WHAK!! Thank-YOU! P.S. The worn old 1988 book by Sara H. Boutelle “Julia Morgan, Architect” was a great find during a monthly book swap back in 2013…in a rather large box of architecture books of which several were taken but most were not!
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Now why am I not surprised to find you have that book and know of America’s first successful female architect? 😊 I’m glad you enjoyed the diversion … yep, we all need it right about now! How much snow did you get from this one? NO SHOVELING!!! WHAK!!!
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the illusory ones are quite amazing.
I would think that an architect would love the chance to work on buildings like these.
So creative, and I am sure, so many challenges…
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Heck yes … if I were an architect, I would far rather create whimsical buildings like these than more concrete towers!
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sometimes I wish I had studied architecture, but I can’t draw, I don’t have spatial reasoning, and I have no mechanical ability. So it was a solid no…
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I’m the same … I envy those with artistic talent, but my greatest masterpiece thus far has been drawing a cracked egg!
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that sounds like quite an accomplishment!
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🤣🤣
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I want to stay in the tree apartment.. and the caves, then I saw that swimming pool and the Netherlands housing. What fun, all architecture should be like this.
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I agree!!!! We don’t need anymore plain ol’ drab brick buildings … give us creativity! Glad you enjoyed the architecture … more to come soon!
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I do love all of these! The capacity to be creative in humans is boundless – we could do so much more in the world if we would channel that creativity to fun, beautiful, and useful things instead of all the other things we end up creating… On that less than happy note, thanks for the fab photos, and have a great weekend!
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And that, my friend, is the truth! I’m glad you enjoyed the buildings … they make my plain ol’ brick townhouse look so boring! Yep, if people would direct their energies into creating beauty rather than destroying it, the world would be a much better place! You have a great weekend, too!!!
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Terrific, Jill. Thank you
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Glad you enjoyed them, John!
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Some amazing creativity and engineering on display here. My personal favorite is the “unzipped” building.
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Indeed so … much more fun than the traditional mortar & brick or vinyl-siding houses! Yeah, I loved the ‘unzipped’ one, too! And that first one … I still can’t figure out how that one was done!
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Pingback: Saturday Surprise — More Strange and Fun Architecture! | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News
Thanks, Ned!!!
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Pingback: Saturday Surprise — More Strange and Fun Architecture! |jilldennison.com | Ramblings of an Occupy Liberal
Nice shots
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Thank you … glad you enjoyed them!
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Hi Jill, these are supercool! Hard to decide which I like best …. they all have something! The old house in Norway looks like straight out of Lord of the Rings! 🙂 To share something with you: if you google “cubus houses Rotterdam” you should see some cute litte (cubic) flats. And here is a link to pictures from houses designed by the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser: https://www.touropia.com/hundertwasser-architecture/
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I’m glad you enjoyed them, Jeannie! Yes, I loved that old house and thought it looked like it had feet and might just run away at any moment! I did Google the cubus houses in Rotterdam … fascinating! I would love to go inside one … I’ve never seen housing quite like that before! And thank you for the link … just proves that architecture can combine beauty/art and functionality — it doesn’t have to be boring like most of it is! Thanks so much!
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Wow, these are amazing
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Indeed … much imagination and hard work in them all!
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Absolutely
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Very interesting buildings.
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Indeed they are, but I’m glad I don’t live in that “Modern Cabin in Norway”, for can you imagine climbing all those stairs multiple times a day?
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Yup! I’d also feel insecure living suspended in air.
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Creative works of architecture.
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Very much so … some more practical than others!
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These are all wonderful buildings. I really cant decide, which one is more funny. 😉 Thanks for sharing, Jill! Enjoy a nice Saturday! xx Michael
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I agree … they are all pretty much jaw-dropping. I only know that I’m glad I don’t live in that “Modern Cabin in Norway”, for I would never make it up all those steps! I have enough trouble with the 15 steps in my house! I hope your Saturday has been fun, my friend! xx
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks, Michael!!!
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