50 Times Architects Really Outdid Themselves And People Celebrated Their Works Online (New Pics)
More than 4 billion people live in urban areas globally. It’s now projected that by 2050, more than two-thirds of the world population will live in urban areas. So no wonder we pay more importance to the buildings and structures around us.
And among countless poorly executed, dysfunctional, and aesthetically nauseating architecture examples (just take a look at our previous post with architecture so bad it got shamed by people), there are some gems that landed in this list.
From vertical gardens to incredible brickwork, and anything that combines function, creativity, skill and complements the surrounding area in a beautiful way, there’s a real feast for your eyes. Scroll down through the examples of architects outdoing themselves, and upvote your favorite ones! Psst! Part 1 of this post awaits right here.
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This Vertical Garden Located In Madrid, Spain
It looks like when two images are spliced together, where one is a city and one is nature
Entrance Gate Of The St. Petersburg Mosque, Russia. Designed By Architect Nikolai Vasilyev
Apartment Building In Turin Holds 150 Trees
When you think of architectural wonders, you think of the beautiful Sydney Opera House, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris (partially destroyed by a huge fire accident in 2019), The Guggenheim, New York City or La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona. These architectural icons deservedly land on t-shirts and coffee mugs that tourists bring home along with their great memories.
In many cases, however, such iconic examples that shaped modern architecture and gave new meanings to how generations of the past century saw the spaces they live and spend time in are rather rare. In reality, mass urbanization is exploding around the world, meaning that around 50% of the 7 plus billion people on this planet have moved to cities. And this number will almost certainly increase to around 80% by 2050.
Matsumoto Castle, Matsumoto, Japan, Late 16th Century
Eltz Castle Is Located In Wierschem, Germany And Has Been Owned And Occupied By The Same Family For Over 850 Years...
And for some curious reason the head of the same family looks still as young as he looked 850 years ago ? ;)
Mont Saint Michel In France
And there are many threats that come with urbanization, from pollution and uncollected waste to social inequality and greater poverty, with local governments unable to provide services for all people. Since there are so many more people living in urban areas, the housing problem is another key problem in big cities where the prices of real estate are affordable for the very small fraction of society with higher than average income.
No wonder, these days, cities are packed with utilitarian apartment slabs with unrelieved gridded façades, infill condo housing that looks as if it's been trucked in from the suburbs, and a grim precast concrete retirement home that takes up a whole block. You wish nobody had built them. Dystopian architecture has been captivating people’s imagination, making them fear a scenario where modernism went wrong. What if it already has?
The 17th Century Shah Jahan Mosque In Pakistan, Notable For Its Geometric Brick Work
Sumela Monastery, A Greek Orthodox Monastery Originally Established Around Ad 386 Nestled In A Steep Cliff At An Altitude Of 1200 Meters, Trabzon Province, Turkey
Fort Bourtange, Netherlands
Bored Panda spoke with Lisa Yaszek, a Regents Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech, who said that dystopian and brutal architecture we often see in megacities captivates our imagination because it reminds us of the images of dystopian science fiction cities that we’ve seen on the big screen for a century.
“The cities featured in movies such as Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927), George Lucas’s THX-II38 (1971), Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982), and Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One (2018) all have a very distinctive look,” Lisa said.
The professor explained that such architectural dystopias have a very distinctive look. They are vertical dystopias rendered in dull, industrial-colored palettes (the colors of concrete, steel, rust, and smoke, with an occasional shot of neon); they are marked by either the total absence or total contamination of nature; and they are completely out of scale to the humans who live in them.”
Gloucester Cathedral
This Cafe In Czech Republic
Arnavutköy, A Neighborhood Away From Istanbul’s Touristic Hustle
Moreover, Lisa added that “the scale of science fiction dystopias reminds us of the gap between rich and poor, with the rich literally at the top of skyscrapers while the poor huddle underground or at street level, trying not to be crushed under the weight of the dystopian city and its crumbling infrastructure,” she explained. It makes you wonder whether we already live a science fictional dream?
From The Middle Kingdom
Writer's Museum, Edinburgh, In The Fog
This 325-Year-Old Tree Was Utilized In The Building Design When Authorities In Turkey Would Not Allow For Its Removal
Buildings By Freddy Mamani In El Alto, Bolivia
Spitzhäuschen, A Narrow Half-Timbered House Built In 1416 Located In Bernkastel-Kues, Germany
The Burnt Farm Cottage Built With Red Brick In The 1840s, Borough Of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, Southern England
The Interior Of Barcelona's Sagrada Família, Designed By Antoni Gaudí. Construction Began In 1882- And It's Still Not Finished. It's Expected To Be Completed By 2026, Just In Time For The 100th Anniversary Of Gaudí's Death
Shah-I-Zinda Necropolis In Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Ryazan, Russia
Art Nouveau Architecture Of A House Built In The 1880's In Brussels, Belgium
Front Of House, Back Of House. Dubbed "The Mullet House"
19th Century Victorian Gothic Cottage Framed By The Arch Of The Gatehouse At Holly Village, Highgate, North London, UK
The Zip Building, Milan
The Ark Of Bukhara Is A Fortress Located In Uzbekistan
Egypt
Capt James Taylor House, A 1892 Queen Anne Victorian In Marine City, St. Clair County, Michigan
Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary
Edinburgh Castle And Its Half Moon Battery Seen From The Vennel Steps In The Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland
Ribbon Chapel In Onomichi, Japan
Burg Hochosterwitz, A Castle Built On A Limestone Rock Which Was First Mentioned In A Text In 860 And Continuously Fortified Until The 16th Century. Still Owned By The Noble Khevenhüller Family After The Acquisition In 1571. Carinthia, Austria
The two towers on the bottom left seem really surprised that they have to eat the road.
Ljubljana, Slovenia
I was there a few weeks ago ^^ It's stunning. Many beautiful art deco buildings in that city. They were built after a major earthquake destroyed big parts of the city in 1895.
Sun Rays Through The Double Lancet Windows Of Westminster Abbey, City Of Westminster, London, UK
Azadi Tower, Tehran, Iran
Galtaji Hindu Temple Located In Aravalli Hills In Jaipur Of India. Temple Complex Have Many Natural Freshwater Springs
Children Standing In Front Of One Of The Main Doors Of Casablanca Mosque
Venice, Italy
Bridge of sighs, while beautiful, has a shuddering past. The prisoners were taken over the bridge to their cells and the view from the bridge was often their last sight of daylight.
Oslo Opera House Designed In 1999 By Snøhetta And Finished In 2007
15th Century Castle Of Coca In Central Spain
140 Meters High Ruyi Bridge In China
The Waves, Vejle, Denmark
Mahkama Du Pacha - Casablanca, Morocco
Cubic Windows
Cologne Cathedral. Masterpiece Of Gothic Architecture. Years Build : 1248 - 1880
The scope of that thing is unbelievable, the photo doesn't do it just...
Dating Back To The 15th Century, Plaza Mayor Is A Major Public Space In The Heart Of Madrid, The Capital Of Spain
They weren't laid out. They are old medieval streets that evolved as the city grew and were often based on old country lanes or village streets that got consumed. Most of Europe is like this. The American grid seems odd to us
The Iwan Ceiling Of Fatima Masumeh Shrine In Iran
Villa Farnese, A 16th Century Pentagonal Renaissance Mansion Built On The Fortress Foundations In The Town Of Caprarola, Viterbo, Northern Lazio, Italy
A Rooftop Restaurant/Cafe In Chongqing, China
China has some really cool stuff. Such a contradiction to most news on TV...
Habitat 67 In Montreal
Grand Staircase Of The Second Empire Style Palais Garnier Completed In 1875, 9th Arrondissement Of Paris, France
Sainte-Chapelle | Paris
This is where I understood what the word "breathtaking" actually meant. Visited on a cloudy day, just as I was going upstairs (the part in the picture), the clouds parted and afternoon sun streamed through those gorgeous windows.
This Cabin In Sussex, England
Imperial Staircase Made Of Oak Wood In Castel Savoia, A 19th Century Eclectic Style Villa Built For The Queen Consort Of The Kingdom Of Italy Margherita Of Savoy As A Holiday Home, Valle D'aosta, Northwestern Italy
A Masterpiece Of Armenian Medieval Architecture, Ani Cathedral, Built 1001
Victorian House In Matawan, New Jersey
Inner Courtyard Surrounded By Walls Of Greenery In Plaza Athénée, A Historic Haussmann-Style Hotel That First Opened In 1913, Avenue Montaigne, 8th Arrondissement Of Paris, France
Abandoned Palace In Strasbourg, France
The Central Interior Of Leadenhall Market, London
The Eclectic Villa Monastero On The Shores Of Lake Como, Varenna, Lombardy, Italy
Kashan Bazaar,iran
Schloss Clemenswerth, The 18th Century Baroque Hunting Complex With Its Central Pavilion Surrounded By Eight Smaller Lodges For Guests. Sögel, Emsland, Lower Saxony, Germany
An Architecture Example From 16th Century In France
This reminds me so much of the live action version of Beauty and the Besdt.
Tropical Treehouse, Bali
Jeroen Van Dam, Noisy Le Grand, Paris, France
Partington Point House By Richard Clements, Renovated By Mickey Muennig (1995)
Potala Palace, Tibet
Tropical Island Near Berlin In Germany Build In An Old Zeppelin Hangar
1920s Tudor Revival Building Housing A Department Store In The West End Of London, UK
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque,esfehan,iran
Hongen Temple, Chongqing
The "Winter Garden" Inside The Hôtel De La Païva, A Large 19th Century Townhouse That Has Been Used As A Gentlemen's Club For More Than A Century, Avenue Des Champs-Élysées, Paris, France
Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka
Entrance Hall Divided With Triple-Arched Columned Screen In Taitlands, A Recently Restored 19th-Century Greek Revival Country House Located In Stainforth, North Yorkshire, England
Roseland Cottage, Built In 1846 In Woodstock, Connecticut
Looks more like a Manor than a cottage...would love to own something like this..
St Vitus Cathedral, Prague Czech Republic
Absolutely stunning on the inside--every style from neo-Gothic to Art Nouveau. The window by Alphonse Mucha might be the most beautiful window in the world.
Luma Arles (Frank Gehry, France, 2021)
Home In Watch Hill, Rhode Island
Kasteel De Haar, The Largest Castle In The Netherlands Mostly Rebuilt In The 16th Century And Restored Extensively In The 19th Century. Utrecht, Netherlands
45-Story Buildings In Guiyang, China
The thing that most awes/surprises/confuses me is that every level is different
Castello Di Reschio In Lisciano Niccone, Italy
Residence In Napa California
Villa Erba, A 19th Century Villa With A Neoclassical Facade Built On The Shores Of Lake Como, Now Used As A Convention And Exhibition Space, Lombardy, Italy
Hermann Weinhardt House Built In 1888 In Chicago, Il
You take a person out of Germany, but you can never take Germany out of the person.
Hotel Le Bouton, Vietnam / D1 Architectural Studiov
Built In 1891, The Hunter House, Detroit, Michigan
Xiaoshan Science And Technology City Venture Valley, Hangzhou, China
Clean Line Cabin. The Duel Aspect Glazing Is Very Dialed
Fontana Di Trevi, Roma
Air Force Academy’s Cadet Chapel, Colorado Springs, USA
La Sagrada Familia, Spain
The Caserta Royal Palace In Italy Is The Largest Royal Residence In The World
The Great Mosque, Mosul, Iraq
Grand Arcade, Leeds, UK
Santuario Madonna Della Corona At Lake Garda In Italy Was Directly Built Into A Steep Rock Face
Talgarth Road, London
Brownstones In Park Slope, Brooklyn
Beautiful innards. The show 'Elementary' had one as the setting, and This Old House just remodelled one with the most beautiful woodwork (original) and fancy plaster ceilings. Worth watching to admire old and new craftsmanship.
Fontana Pretoria, A 16th Century Monumental Fountain In The Historic Centre Of Palermo Surrounded By A 17th Century Baroque Church And A 16th Century Palace, Sicily, Southern Italy
The Powell House, Built Originally As A Baptist Church Shortly After The Gold Rush And Now Restored And Converted Into Apartments, Nevada City, California
Hermitage Hunting Lodge, A 18th Century Baroque Hunting Lodge Built To Host Royal Banquets During The Royal Hunts In Jægersborg Dyrehave, A Forest Park North Of Copenhagen, Denmark
Marina Bay Sands Hotel - Singapore
Arango Marbrisa House By John Lautner In Mexico (1973)
Axel Towers, Copenhagen, Denmark
The Artic Cathedral
Château Du Tilleul - Tilleul, Normandy, France - Constructed 1730 And Re-Styled In Neo-Renaissance By Architect Félix Ezéchiel Vallois 1860
Broadbeach, Gold Coast
A Closest Church In South Korea
Knarvik Community Church - Norway
Does this remind anyone else of the Pyramid Head in Silent Hill? Just me?
One Of The Rare Examples When Soviet Brutalism Looks Good. Cooperative Union Building, Vilnius, 1979
Under, Norway. A Restaurant Five And A Half Meters Below The Sea
You really don't get the full picture here. You can only see the "land" end of this elongated cube that extends at an angle into the water with glass windows all around. Tis means that the diners are seated below the water level.
Pasargad Steel Complex Gateway, Iran
One Central Park – Sydney, Australia
George F. Winslow House, A Queen Anne Victorian Built In 1894 With An Oversized Corner Brick Chimney That Wraps Around A Window, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Pigalle Duperré, France
Stained Glass Windows At The Jalil Khayat Mosque In Iraq
Marienplatz Station, Munich, Germany
does anyone really good this particularly beautiful? I live in Munich and this station honestly did not strike me as pretty even a single time.
Tower Of Terror, At Tokyo Disneysea
The Interior Of The Hyatt Regency, Atlanta
Bonaventure Hotel (1976) By John Portman
Stayed here on my honeymoon, 20+ years ago. Only because Arnie once rode a horse into one of the elevators!
Always Been A Big Fan Of The Late Architect Aldo Rossi. Il Palazzo Hotel In Fukuoka Japan. Completed In 1987
Mcdonalds In The Art Deco Former 'United Kingdom Hotel', Clifton Hill Melbourne Australia
It's actually not THAT impressive when you drive past it every day (and I do).
Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo, Japan By Peter Stewart
I love the mix of classic and modern buildings. Usually you only get one or the other.
Load More Replies...One of the few articles where it's totally worth clicking to see all the images, not just the top ones.
Stunning and inspiring. I love my place in Australia but these castles ... omg - the art, the space - the builders have created heaven on Earth.
I love the mix of classic and modern buildings. Usually you only get one or the other.
Load More Replies...One of the few articles where it's totally worth clicking to see all the images, not just the top ones.
Stunning and inspiring. I love my place in Australia but these castles ... omg - the art, the space - the builders have created heaven on Earth.