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50 Times Architects Really Outdid Themselves And People Celebrated Their Works Online
Architecture is meant to fulfill both practical and expressive requirements, and thus it serves both utilitarian and aesthetic purposes. When you look at a structure, you can distinguish these two ends but they cannot be separated, and the relative weight each of them carry can vary widely. Plus, every society has its own, unique relationship to the natural world and its architecture usually reflects that as well, allowing people from other places to learn about their environment, as well as history, ceremonies, artistic sensibility, and many aspects of daily life.
However, architecture is better seen, not described. So, let me introduce you to "the beautiful impossibilities that we want to live in", a subreddit dedicated to high-quality images of some of the most impressive (concept) buildings out there. This online community already has over 617K members, and the pictures they share are absolutely gorgeous. Continue scrolling and take a look!
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#1
Semi-Destroyed In 1979 By The Earthquake In Albania. Rebuilt Two Years Ago
RELATED:
#2
The Russian Ministry Of Agriculture, In Kazan
Mihai Mara 5 years ago
Awesome building, Always liked it. Whoever decided to put mirrored glass behind the tree made the right choice ;)
#3
The Art Nouveau ‘Gran Hotel Ciudad De México’, 1899, By French Architect, Jacques Grüber
#4
This Spiral Staircase Carved From A Single Tree In 1851 - Located In Lednice Castle, Czech Republic
#5
Pavillion Of The Enlightened, Bangkok
#6
Wisteria Blossoms Surrounding The Entrance Of A Victorian Townhouse In San Francisco
#7
Zhongshuge Bookstore In Chengdu, China
#8
A Spiral Staircase Designed By Leonardo Da Vinci In The Year 1516
#9
The Kansas City Public Library
#10
Natural History Museum, London
#11
Vietnam's Golden Bridge
#13
Early 1900's Craftsman Home In Seattle
#14
This Apartment Building In Tel Aviv, Israel
Mihai Mara 5 years ago
There's one extra solution if you accidentally lock yourself out: Parkour!
#15
House In Art Nouveau Style, Brussels, Belgium
#16
The Ceiling Of The Shah Mosque In Isfahan, Iran
#17
This Stone Cottage In England
#18
Winter Has Come In Iceland. Hallgrímskirkja In Reykjavík. Photo By Gunnar Freyr
Anna Banana 5 years ago
Cool! I've never been to Iceland but somehow this is exactly what I would've expected to see there.
#19
"Azure Blue Pool" At Hearst Castel, San Simeon, California. It Was Built By Architect Julia Morgan Between 1919 And 1947
kristy sickles 5 years ago
Fun fact-- It will cost you over $1,000 to swim here! But it is beautiful!
Kenny Kulbiski 5 years ago
I asked one of the staff if they ever swam in it. Got a smile and a shrug for an answer.
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Your_local_introvert 5 years ago
Probably a very enhanced and edited photo then.
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Damon Tripodi 5 years ago
Why do you all downvote someone's opinion? If they don't like it they don't like it. So what?
sonofabass 5 years ago
if you don't like it scroll on, or downvote the post.
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Young-lan Yook 4 years ago
I was there in 1984. What a beautiful place l painted one of the golden swimming pools in watercolors. It reminds me of my 20s.
Frank DeTurse 5 years ago
This is like visiting a fairy tale each time you visit we have been three times and the tour is the best thing we ever did in that area of California - talk about the era - and decor - etc... truly another world.
Colin Swan 5 years ago
Looks like it's supposed to be a cross between a Roman and Turkish bath house
Kaveman Karl 1 year ago (edited)
Humidity appears to be taking its toll on the plasterwork (ceiling), odd choice of material for the purpose.
Barney Biggs 3 years ago
Been there and the whole complex is beautiful and I fell in love with the library.
Barney Biggs 3 years ago
you are allowed. Not everybody loves it but I did.
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Mary Hurst 5 years ago
Wish I could have gotten a similar shot. Visited back in the 90s with a crappy camera.
M Kate McCulloch 5 years ago
This is absolutely stunning up close and personal. The pool is enormous indoor/outdoor and most of the tiles are 1/2" x1/2" or 1x1 - it's been too long I can't remember. But it was amazing.
Jenifer Riggs 5 years ago
It's gorgeous but I think I'll pass on swimming there because of the price!
Amy Jo Buchanan 5 years ago
I love this. It would probably feel so relaxing and sheltered to be able to swim there... A privilege.
#20
Restaurant On The River Ill Flowing Through The Historic Petite France Quarter Of Strasbourg, France
#21
Thorncrown Chapel, Arkansas, By E. Fay Jones
#22
Duomo Di Milano, Italy
kristy sickles 5 years ago
That had to have taken a looong time to build. So intricate. Absolutely superb!
#23
Shades Of Blue Highlight This San Francisco Victorian Home
#24
Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral In France - Built Entirely Of Black Lava Stone
#25
Grundtvig’s Church In Copenhagen, Denmark. Was Completed In 1940 And Its Design Is A Combination Between A Cathedral And The Style Of Old Danish Country Houses
#26
Park Royal Hotel Singapore
#27
Hohenzollern Castle, Germany
#28
Windows Inside Dos Bosco Chapel- Brasilia, Brazil
#29
The Tomb Of Ramesses Vi, The Valley Of Kings, Egypt
#30
Very Narrow Corner House, Amsterdam, Netherlands
#31
Fallingwater Under Snow, Designed By Frank Lloyd Wright In 1935
Full of Giggles 5 years ago
If you ever find yourself in Phoenix, Arizona, I highly recommend taking a Frank Lloyd Wright tour or catch a performance at Gammage Auditorium at Arizona State University. The man was a genius.
#32
19th Century Italianate Orangery Of The Castle Ashby House, Northamptonshire, East Midlands, England
Grumble O'Pug 5 years ago
At prep school we took classes in an orangery. Basically a converted greenhouse
#33
The Stunning Shah-I-Zinda Necropolis In Samarkand, Uzbekistan
#34
The Entrance To A Nightclub In Seoul, South Korea Designed By Mdrdv
#35
Neo-Gothic House In Budapest Circa 1894
#36
Mr Thomas’s Chop House. Manchester. Mills And Murgatroyd. 1901
#37
Bucktown, Chicago / USA
#38
Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany
#39
Setenil De Las Bodegas In Cadiz, Spain
#40
Trinity College, Dublin. Geology Building Designed By Thomas Deane And Benjamin Woodward
Samantha PandaNotBored 5 years ago
I love the blue brick, that almost looks silver in different lights . Very nice
#41
The National Shrine Basilica Of Our Lady Of Las Lajas In Nariño, Colombia
kristy sickles 5 years ago
I am amazed at how truly pristine most of these are to this day. Gorgeous!
#42
Hotel In The City Of Quebec, Canada
#43
19th Century Double-Gallery House In New Orleans, Louisiana
kristy sickles 5 years ago
Would love to hear some of the stories that have been told on that porch!
#44
Les Espaces D'abraxas, Noisy-Le-Grand, France
#45
Art Nouveau Doorway
#46
Museum Of Coastal Geomorphology In Vancouver
#47
This Apartment Building In Singapore
Gandalf the Pink 5 years ago
Amazing. What if buildings could replace as much plantlife as they remove. Oxygen making skyscrapers!
#48
Wedekindhaus, A Half-Timbered Renaissance Style House With Carved Oak Facade Originally Built In 1598 By The Merchant Hans Storre, Then Later Completely Destroyed During A Wwii Air Raid Before Being Rebuilt In The 1980s. Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany
Bettie-Jean Neal 5 years ago
I'd love to see a painting or sketch of the original to compare with how it was rebuilt.
#49
Well Court, Designed As Model Housing For Local Workers And Finished In 1886 In Dean Village, Edinburgh, Scotland
kristy sickles 5 years ago
Whomever looks after this place is very good at their job! Very well maintained!
#50
Warsaw University Of Technology Main Building (1899)
#51
Some More Of Metro Station In Stockholm Sweden
#52
Eclectic Reception Area Under A Glass Dome In Párisi Udvar(Paris Court), A Former Bank Building Built In The 1910s Which Was Recently Restored And Renovated Into A Luxury Hotel In Downtown Budapest, Hungary
#53
The Neo-Gothic Architecture Of New College, University Of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
#54
This Kitchen In The Burrage Mansion Built Was Built Directly Into A Conservatory Designed By The House’s Namesake, Albert C. Burrage - Boston, Massachusetts
#55
Ye Olde Cock Tavern, A Historic Pub Originally Built Before The 17th Century And Then Rebuilt, Stuck Between Other Architectural Styles Of Fleet Street, The City Of London, UK
Raven Sheridan 5 years ago
Ye Olde C**k Tavern: Erect since the 17th century and still going strong!
#56
Temple Of The Sacred Heart Of Jesus In Barcelona, Spain
Victor Botha 5 years ago
Glad they didn't choose La Segrada, it's been done to death. Glad to see some other beautiful architecture other than the same old ones every time.
#57
The Beautiful Pub In London Kensington
#58
The Original Neue Elbbrücke Bridge From 1887-1959 In Hamburg
#59
Row Of Victorian Townhouses Lining A Street In Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts
#60
The Medieval Skyline Of San Gimignano, A Walled Hill Town With Towers Dating Back To The 13th Century In Siena, Tuscany, Italy
#61
Unusual Architecture
#62
The Hill Of The Buddha By Tadao Ando
#63
Château De Chenonceau, France
ADHORTATOR 5 years ago
ThE river was the border between the german occupation zone and the rest of France in WWII. so french resistance used the Castle to cross the border unseen
#64
Yipianwachan Copper Temple, Taimu Mountain, Fujian, China
#65
An Art Nouveau Building Facade In Paris [4032x3024]
![An Art Nouveau Building Facade In Paris [4032x3024]](https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/605afbbb8615c_pbzzjbdg8ca41__700.jpg "An Art Nouveau Building Facade In Paris [4032x3024]")
#66
The American Radiator Building In New York City
#67
Grand Staircase With Intricate Woodwork And Wall Panelling In A Restored 1893 Queen Anne Victorian Mansion, Plainfield, Union County, New Jersey
kristy sickles 5 years ago
As the saying goes...They don't make 'em like they used to. Hard work truly pays off
#68
Mid-Century Modern Catton House Designed By Arthur Erickson And Geoffrey Massey In 1967, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
#69
The Eclectic Villa Monastero On The Shores Of Lake Como, Varenna, Lombardy, Italy
#70
Guinsa Temple, A Buddhist Temple Complex In The Snow Covered Mountains Of Danyang County, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea
#71
The Gros Horloge, A 14th Century Astronomical Clock Installed In A Renaissance Arch Crossing A Street In Rouen, Normandy, France
#72
Norwegian House
#73
The Treehouse, Reimagined. (Germany, 2017, Matthias Arndt)
#74
L'opéra Garnier, Paris
#75
Tao Zhu Yin Yuan Tower, Located In Taipei, Is An Eco-Designed, Energy-Conserving And Carbon-Absorbing Green Building
#76
Low-Income Housing In Mexico
#77
These Victorian Townhouses In Boston, Massachusetts
Samantha PandaNotBored 5 years ago
I’m a sucker for these homes. They are so lovely. Just like our Victorian houses here in the UK
#78
The National Museum In Wroclaw, Poland
#79
Colorful Architecture In Istanbul, Turkey
#80
The Bublik Apartments In Moscow, Russia
#81
A Bench Built Into A Wall
#82
Pinon Ranch By Field Architecture Portola Valley, California
#83
Jaganatha Hindu Temple In Puri, India
#84
Nanyang Primary School & Kindergarten In Singapore [1969x1312]
![Nanyang Primary School & Kindergarten In Singapore [1969x1312]](https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/605afbfe78cbf_z90lewns3yv41__700.jpg "Nanyang Primary School & Kindergarten In Singapore [1969x1312]")
#85
Hotel Inntel In Zaandam, Netherlands
#86
Beirut Terraces, Beirut, Lebanon (Herzog & De Meuron, 2017)
#87
Converted Church Into Modern Open Plan Home England
#88
Tianjin Binhai Library In Tianjin, China
#89
La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
#90
Casa Do Penedo, Northern Portugal
Final score:
34points
MissDemeanour 5 years ago
This is from a kids story book. (The old woman who lives in a shoe is next door)
#91
This House Covered With Wisteria Vines In London, England
#92
The Ohaka House In New Zealand
#94
The Songjiang Hotel, Shanghai
#95
City Of Arts And Sciences | Valencia, Spain
#97
Kadokawa Culture Museum, Japan.
Random Anon 5 years ago
Places like this would be the ideal place to spend time after retirement. If my eyesight isn't gone by then that is.
#98
Solo House -Makoto Takei, Rural Spain [1079 X 1373]
![Solo House -Makoto Takei, Rural Spain [1079 X 1373]](https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/605afc0822bfa_aevv1uxgk2t41__700.jpg "Solo House -Makoto Takei, Rural Spain [1079 X 1373]")
#99
Drugstore In Riga, Latvia
#100
Glass Brick Facade Hermes Store In Amsterdam By Mvdr
#101
An Ebony Stained Modern House In Carlifornia
#102
Restaurant In Strasbourg France
Laugh or not 5 years ago
I moved out of Strasbourg eight years ago. Now I need to go back to eat there.
#103
Tokyo Skytree In Tokyo, Japan
#104
Zaha Hadid's Beijing Tower (World's Largest Atrium)
#105
The Hallway Of The Justice Building In Brussels
Jos Poisquet 5 years ago
Don't look at the outside of this building. It is almost 40 years in risers. At this moment, they are restauring the risers.
#106
The Aqua Tower In Chicago, Il
#107
Marienplatz Station In Munich, Germany
#108
The Giants Of Pudong District Seen From The Streets Of Shanghai, China
#109
Winning Design For Shenzhen's Natural History Museum
#110
Sarcostyle Tower Proposal By Hayri Atak, New York City
#111
Hotel Morpheus In Macau, China
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Thenatural 5 years ago
The title says beautiful architecture and rightly so but it's easy to forget the skill level and practical knowledge from the stone masons,carpenters etc that turn these visions into a reality,are they any less worthy of praise?
Pervinca 5 years ago
Thanks for this post!! They were all stunning. They make me dream about visiting or living in UK, or Hungary, or Singapore.. I can't choose. Please continue to do these type of contents.
Mr. Derpy Dino 5 years ago
yes! also, please tell me that #10 looks like the mage castle from Skyrim
Load More Replies...
Mimi777 5 years ago
Wow!! I would love to see a lot of these in person I bet they’re breathtaking. So much beauty.
Ralph Koepke 5 years ago
Mini, save up and put them on your bucket list. I've seen several of them.
Load More Replies...
Sofiia Melnikova 5 years ago
The architecture is stunning but those are also some fine photography skills
Martin Kaine 5 years ago
It was nice to see, for the most part, that this was not a rehash of the same buildings: Notre Dame, the Pantheon, Big Ben, the Taj Mahal, etc. Those are lovely buildings, but there is so much more in the world.
RoseTheMad 5 years ago
I feel like this list is missing Peleș Castle in Romania, it's insanely beautiful imo and gives major fairytale vibes <3 2962543381...1e5017.jpg 
Ashley Fernandes 5 years ago
Staircase inside the Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto) AGO-605d27...1223c9.jpg 
ARE Bee 5 years ago
AreBee Whilst many of these buildings have extraordinary detail workings, it is intriguing to me that some of the simpler and cleaner designs are every bit as beautiful. You have nothing from Gaudi who is my all time designer of breathtaking buildings but I don't have any cause to complain of those that have been included.
Deane Brownman 5 years ago
Oddly, one of the most unsustainable and wasteful Architectural detail and feature is the swing door. I originally wrote that for my Architectural Thesis on Designing the Sustainable City nearly 50 years ago before anyone know there was such a thing. My how things change but explains why pocket doors, barn doors and sliding doors of all types are so popular today. Maybe fixed walls and so many other things should also slide?
Aleksandra Kuls 5 years ago
I would add an Art nouveau masterpiece - L'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona
Dee Stern 5 years ago
Believe it or not, this is inside the Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville, NJ. All hand carved...and there's lots more. The building is massive. DSC00745-6...57866f.jpg 
Anna Salerno 5 years ago
This is absolutely amazing architecture. Some of these structures boggle the mind. I think my favorite is the white Victorian three story house in San Francisco with the beautiful Wisteria around the entranceway. ❤️
Ann Dominici 5 years ago
Not to diminish the artistry of the more modern buildings, but I am always in awe of those constructed before the age of machinery. How skilled those craftsmen had to be, how long it would take to build, how many men dedicated their lives to erect such elaborate buildings - it is beyond comprehension. And, that they have lasted so long!
Chriscella 5 years ago
Oh my goodness! I'm just gonna sit and squat this thread for a couple of hours. Truly breathtaking. Yeh I forgot to breathe!
Timmy Pillinger 5 years ago
You missed Ely Cathedral. It has a medieval lantern tower which is amazing.
Thenatural 5 years ago
The title says beautiful architecture and rightly so but it's easy to forget the skill level and practical knowledge from the stone masons,carpenters etc that turn these visions into a reality,are they any less worthy of praise?
Pervinca 5 years ago
Thanks for this post!! They were all stunning. They make me dream about visiting or living in UK, or Hungary, or Singapore.. I can't choose. Please continue to do these type of contents.
Mr. Derpy Dino 5 years ago
yes! also, please tell me that #10 looks like the mage castle from Skyrim
Load More Replies... Mimi777 5 years ago
Wow!! I would love to see a lot of these in person I bet they’re breathtaking. So much beauty.
Ralph Koepke 5 years ago
Mini, save up and put them on your bucket list. I've seen several of them.
Load More Replies... Sofiia Melnikova 5 years ago
The architecture is stunning but those are also some fine photography skills
Martin Kaine 5 years ago
It was nice to see, for the most part, that this was not a rehash of the same buildings: Notre Dame, the Pantheon, Big Ben, the Taj Mahal, etc. Those are lovely buildings, but there is so much more in the world.
RoseTheMad 5 years ago
I feel like this list is missing Peleș Castle in Romania, it's insanely beautiful imo and gives major fairytale vibes <3 2962543381...1e5017.jpg
Ashley Fernandes 5 years ago
Staircase inside the Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto) AGO-605d27...1223c9.jpg
ARE Bee 5 years ago
AreBee Whilst many of these buildings have extraordinary detail workings, it is intriguing to me that some of the simpler and cleaner designs are every bit as beautiful. You have nothing from Gaudi who is my all time designer of breathtaking buildings but I don't have any cause to complain of those that have been included.
Deane Brownman 5 years ago
Oddly, one of the most unsustainable and wasteful Architectural detail and feature is the swing door. I originally wrote that for my Architectural Thesis on Designing the Sustainable City nearly 50 years ago before anyone know there was such a thing. My how things change but explains why pocket doors, barn doors and sliding doors of all types are so popular today. Maybe fixed walls and so many other things should also slide?
Aleksandra Kuls 5 years ago
I would add an Art nouveau masterpiece - L'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona
Dee Stern 5 years ago
Believe it or not, this is inside the Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville, NJ. All hand carved...and there's lots more. The building is massive. DSC00745-6...57866f.jpg
Anna Salerno 5 years ago
This is absolutely amazing architecture. Some of these structures boggle the mind. I think my favorite is the white Victorian three story house in San Francisco with the beautiful Wisteria around the entranceway. ❤️
Ann Dominici 5 years ago
Not to diminish the artistry of the more modern buildings, but I am always in awe of those constructed before the age of machinery. How skilled those craftsmen had to be, how long it would take to build, how many men dedicated their lives to erect such elaborate buildings - it is beyond comprehension. And, that they have lasted so long!
Chriscella 5 years ago
Oh my goodness! I'm just gonna sit and squat this thread for a couple of hours. Truly breathtaking. Yeh I forgot to breathe!
Timmy Pillinger 5 years ago
You missed Ely Cathedral. It has a medieval lantern tower which is amazing.
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