40 One-Of-A-Kind Buildings That Are As Bizarre As They Are Unique (New Pics)

To find out more about unique architecture, Bored Panda reached out to Sean Waldron, partner and architect at Waldron Designs.

He explains that to architects, unique architecture mostly means capturing a moment or context in a way that hasn't been (commonly) seen before.

"Whether providing a surface on which the reflection of water ripples can fall or designing with a material that allows the transmission of the sound of the rain when it falls. Moments like these are unique because they're fairly uncommon, but they also pull people more deeply into the architecture they're inhabiting."

However, to stand out, professionals often feel a lot of pressure. "But not necessarily in the sense that they want to be the 'next big thing,'" notes Waldron. "I'm sure many want that, but our focus should be on bettering people's lives and using our creativity to do that, which is why we feel the pressure to be unique in our office. It shifts the power of creativity from a place of ego to a place of duty to our clients."

He further explains, "The idea that standing out as a goal in itself can be extremely dangerous to architects. There's a lot of bad design (environmentally damaging, non-functional, unattractive) out in the world because an architect wanted to "stand out."

However, standing out can also be a great thing. Being honored for work that benefits a family or community and also works in concert with the environment is another way architects can stand out. Yes, it's difficult to do that, but it's also not a bad goal to have."

Luckily, Waldron doesn't feel intimidated by the idea that everything seems to be already done and, on the contrary, sees it as a benefit to architects. "We have the opportunity to build upon the past, but the best architects learn a lot from it. It's the same for other professions too. We all have constraints to operate within, but, again, the best geneticist, politician, or sculptor will closely study those who practiced before them and will learn from that and build on it. There are surely other ways to distinguish oneself, but I think this path is the best."

If we’re talking about unique architecture, it would be a crime not to mention the life-size Polly Pocket house that is now available to rent in Massachusetts.

To celebrate Polly’s 35th birthday as a part of their iconic series, Airbnb has created a 42-foot-tall replica of her compact house. And while she’s away celebrating, guests are welcome to visit her humble abode and try on her accessories and clothes made out of the iconic rubber material. 

It’s located in Littleton, Massachusetts. “Why?” you may ask. “Polly Pocket is actually from a town called Littleton, a fictional town called Littleton," reveals Ali Killam, a communications lead at Airbnb.

"Polly Pocket is known as the adventure doll, so we wanted to pick a place that had a lot of adventure for guests to explore, and this Littleton, Massachusetts town, you'll just experience it for yourself when you're here, but there's so much adventure to be had, it's so charming and quaint and cute."

"We just felt like this is such an iconic brand that people have memories of that they might want to share with their children now," Killam explains the motivation behind this idea. "Whether you're really young, a Gen Z or a millennial, there's different parts of Polly that have really resonated over the years. That's why we thought it'd be a really fun experience for a lot of different people."

To secure a stay, guests can request to book one of three one-night stays happening from September 12 to 14. The price goes at $89 per person, a nostalgic nod to Polly’s debut in 1989. Those who are unable to book a stay have the option to embark on a daytime adventure instead. Polly is opening this experience from September 16 to October 6.

There you’ll find the complete scene for a ‘90s sleepover with a fridge full of Ring Pops, Push Pops Baby, and Bottle Pops. Polly has prepared plenty of fun throwback activities for the guests, like jewelry making, makeovers, and, of course, movie marathons.

Visitors can enter the compact by going up a few steps into the living room, which contains life-size toy furniture in teal, magenta, and lavender purple, gathered around a yellow rug. The staircase at the back leads to the second floor, where a kitchen is stocked with monochrome dishes and a small table.

At night, the sleepover crew is encouraged to embrace the outdoors and camp out under the stars or take the path to Polly’s tent just 10 feet away from the compact. The cozy sleeping nook is equipped with 4 single beds and bags. In late hours, the house lights up in lavender but doesn’t close up—so be aware of rain. 

Airbnb plans on creating more experiences like this. In fact, their Airbnb Icons category has offered similar experiences in the past, allowing guests to experience Malibu Barbie’s dream house, drift off in a house from the movie ‘Up,' or crash in Shrek’s swamp. For more unique buildings and experiences, be sure to check out Airbnb Icons or our previous articles about cool architecture and things worth seeing at least once in your lifetime.