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50 Times Architecture Lovers Were So Impressed With A Building They Saw, They Just Had To Share
Some might think that an architect’s main tasks are to create something that a) serves a purpose, b) is not a sore to the eyes, and c) is wind resistant, at least (ideally, durable enough to resist larger disturbances, too). And while that’s not far from the truth, there is so much more that goes into these three goals.
The things hidden within said tasks are often what takes certain buildings from good to great, whether they add to their timeless charm, their functionality, or how well they blend within the environment. Today we want to shed light on some examples of all three, which have caught the attention of architecture enthusiasts on the ‘Architecture’ community on Reddit. Ranging from houses of worship to old McDonald’s locations, they have the je ne sais quoi that people seem to like; scroll down to try to figure out what it is yourself.
Below you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with the designer and founder of Kurani, an architecture firm that designs life-changing spaces for education, Danish Kurani, who was kind enough to share his thoughts on what makes architecture great.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Preserved Edo Period Neighborhood In Japan
Earthquake903 1 year ago
There are ninjas...doing ninja things...we just can't see them
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Gwyneth Jones 1 year ago
I think I spy Yakisugi (焼杉) or Shou Sugi Ban which "can be literally translated as “burned cedar”. It has been used as a traditional method to protect timber siding surfaces, mostly for exterior cladding on traditional Japanese houses, when there was still no means of chemical wood protection."
keyboardtek 1 year ago
I just read on Rheddit that some of these EDO towns are actually modern buildings just built in the ancient style.
Robert Beveridge 1 year ago
This is an incredibly popular shooting location--it's shown up in many, many films (for obvious reasons).
RELATED:
#2
Under A Bridge In Egypt
S. E. in Indiana 1 year ago
When I first saw the picture, I thought this was an entry to a casino.
#3
The Neo-Gothic Architecture Of New College, University Of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
Jayjay 1 year ago
Indeed stunning but also bit depressing because of all the soot.
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Blada DeBlejd 1 year ago
In fact, Hogwarts are based on this school in EDN.
Load More Replies... Shelly Graham 1 year ago
I love all the beautiful European architecture! Living in Alaska I don't get to see any of these glorious creations! Yes I could travel to see them. Someday I hope to do just that! Until then I'll feed my passion through posts like this!
Jayjay 1 year ago
I hope you will find a way to go to Europe! Even then, I know people here dying to go to Alaska :).
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Elaine Van Zon 1 year ago
My brother was a philosophy lecturer there until he died of covid
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Tamra 1 year ago (edited)
Edinburgh is on my dream list of places to visit. I am in love with Scotland, in general.
Jayjay 1 year ago
To be honest? I loved Glasgow much more than Edinburough, because of the people. In Glasgow everyone is willing to give you directions to where you want to go. In Edinburough they turn their back even before you can ask anything. It is not just about the history and architecture, it is also about the people living there.
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It’s clear that some buildings are simply better than others, be it visually only or because of other reasons as well, such as functionality or energy efficiency, just to name a couple. That’s why architects have to think long and hard about numerous aspects of the dwelling, in addition to its appearance.
“Good architecture is designed to serve the needs of the people who will use the space. It starts with a clear understanding of who the project will serve, support, and influence,” Danish Kurani told Bored Panda, discussing the features of excellent architecture.
“It involves looking within and understanding the challenges, needs, and aspirations of the people who will use the space. It goes beyond considering personal style preferences and focuses on the underlying needs and experiences of the users.”
#4
Ukraine - Lviv, Staircase In The House Of Scientists
Sand Ers 1 year ago
The most recent report I could find is a TripAdvisor review dated July 2023.
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#5
Mont Saint-Michel In Normandy, France, Started In The 12th Cent. (1080x1233)
Soton_Sherpa 1 year ago
Horns, horns from the north! Rohan had come at last!
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Mary Reeves 1 year ago
I'd love to live there. Took a screenshot to see what's there. A whole community, what a lovely way to live a life
Soton_Sherpa 1 year ago
Not so sure about that. I read an article about living there and one resident said she had to chase some tourists out of her home! (IIRC, they were taking photos of her laundry!)
Load More Replies... Shelly Graham 1 year ago
Incredible, not just the centerpiece, but the way the entire village is enclosed! Funny, it reminds me of a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings for protection!
Annik Perrot 1 year ago
Very few "real" inhabitants left, apart from the two dozen or so monks and nuns in the Abbey. Most of the houses in the village are shops, hôtels or restaurants.
ScoobyLinny 1 year ago
Pretty sure my sister has been there once! I want to go too. Looks straight out of a fairytale.
Other things architects should focus on, according to Kurani, are solving real problems and prioritizing functionality. “Good architecture focuses on solving real problems rather than superficial issues. It prioritizes solutions that improve the lives of the users and meet their objectives.”
“While aesthetics are important, they should not come at the expense of practicality and usability. The design should be functional, sustainable, and meet the needs of the users,” he added.
#6
Weinhardt Mansion (Chicago, 1888)
flower petals 1 year ago
This looks like the residence of a quirky, spunky, wise old woman who’s loving life and lives with 15 cats. ☺️
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
Oh you mean Enya, but she lives in a castle with her cats.
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Ann Jeppesen 1 year ago
That’s the picture of my dream house and instead of 15 cats it would be dogs.
#7
This Building In Brussels, Belgium
kitten levels tokyo 1 year ago
Giving directions to your friends, “My front door is the letter P.”
viimatar 1 year ago
I'm not sure if it ought to be called Jugendstil in this context - possibly the difference is only in the language used, though the general style took different forms in the German-speaking regions and Nordic Countries, but I'm not certain about the directions it may have taken in Belgium and The Netherlands.
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ScoobyLinny 1 year ago
Even before seeing the title I already thought this would be either Belgium or The Netherlands, but I'm actually surprised I was right too
René Sauer 1 year ago
Finally the whole thing! Usually they only show the door when writing about beautiful architecture.
#8
Pretty Cool How They Managed To Preserve The City
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
Oxford was already 800 years old when painting on top was painted. I wonder what it looked like in the 11th century when it was founded.
Certainly not Dan 1 year ago
The *university* was founded in the 11th C, the settlement was founded around 300 years earlier.
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Chewie Baron 1 year ago
Actually Oxford is very anti-car, so you’ll not see may in the centre.
Load More Replies...The architecture expert continued by emphasizing that it’s important to consider the broader context: it’s necessary to take into consideration the impact of the design on the environment, ecosystems, and the community. “Good architecture aims to create buildings and spaces that are sustainable and beneficial for both humans and the environment.”
Expanding on the matter of sustainability, Kurani pointed out that architects should aim to create buildings and spaces that are energy-efficient, reduce waste, and rely on renewable resources; they should take into account the environmental impact of the design and seek to minimize negative consequences.
#9
17th Century Grafarkirkja Turf Church In North Iceland, The Oldest Turf Church In Iceland. (1347x1681)
Shelly Graham 1 year ago
When I read "Turf Church" I immediately thought "Who's having a turf war in Iceland?"
Kelly H. Wilder 1 year ago
I always wonder about the lives of the people in photos. The two here standing before the entrance...what are their stories? People are endlessly fascinating and each person's story is so unique yet so familiar.
M O'Connell 1 year ago
The church itself is constructed from blocks of sod, a relatively common historical technique where other building materials are scarce.
Load More Replies... keyboardtek 1 year ago
Wouldn't a church in a remote location have a hard time getting and keeping members?
XenoMurph 1 year ago
The photographer is standing on the balcony of the hotel next door, which is right on the edge of the city. Maybe.
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The Ceiling Of The Shah Mosque In Isfahan, Iran
LokisLilButterknife 1 year ago
Islamic architecture is stunning. I had the privilege of seeing the Blue Mosque in Turkey and the Alhambra is Spain and found the architecture so incredibly beautiful.
#11
Meteora Monasteries, Greece 🇬🇷
ƒιѕн 1 year ago
Agia Triada or Holy Trinity was founded by the monk Dometius in the 15th century and was the monastery used for the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. It is decorated with wall paintings from the 18th century by the brothers Antonios and Nikolaos. To get to the monastery you walk up 140 steps cut into the rock, past the church of Saint John the Baptis with its wall paintings from 1682. The monastery is open from 9am to 1pm every day except Thursday.
Efiya Fadila 1 year ago
I wonder how do they install electricity and plumbing? Or... they don't?
L H 1 year ago
They have little cable cars over from the road on the mountain beside. Not for people, just baskets for goods. It is a beautiful place and worth visiting.
Load More Replies... Shelly Graham 1 year ago
I would love to know how these incredible extremely remote and almost inaccessible buildings were built. Such as the 900 year old Monastery carved into the side of a mountain!
Phyzzi 1 year ago
Mostly not, probably. These pillars usually have some natural vegetation on top to start with. It's all the other stuff that didn't start up there, some of it quite heavy, that is the bigger question.
Load More Replies... Some of the last but not least things architects should focus on are having an informed design approach and a problem-solving mindset. According to the designer, the first one involves engaging with the users, observing their behaviors and needs, and involving them in the design process (which helps to create designs that truly meet the needs and aspirations of the users), while the second focuses on being able to identify the right problems to solve and prioritizing solutions over visual style.
#12
"Azure Blue Pool" At Hearst Castel, San Simeon, California
Shelly Graham 1 year ago
OMG, that is incredible! I know you can tour the mansion, but do they allow events? Pool party anyone?!
Mathew Hudnall 1 year ago
They do for thr outdoor pool, not sure about this one though
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Kalon Suszko 1 year ago
So is that all reflection, or is the water so clear you can see the bottom? Or both?
Zoe's Mom 1 year ago
It's not a very deep pool if I remember correctly. I do remember it being in a slight bit of disrepair. It's a huge estate and quite costly to maintain. Visitors can take tours of the house but it's divided up into different tours so you don't see it all with one entrance fee unless that has changed.
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Barcelona , Spain
Black Cat 1 year ago
I'd love to see what the inside looks like. In fact with all these buildings I'd love to see the insides.
LokisLilButterknife 1 year ago
I absolutely love Antoni Gaudi’s architecture. He was influenced by organic forms in nature. Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell are definitely worth a visit!
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
THE gaudi buildings in Barca are really stunning. I love the tree root one.
fan of phish 1 year ago
Gaudí!!!!! No. 1 item on my bucket list is to get to Barcelona and see every single thing he built.
#14
Shades Of Blue Highlight This San Francisco Victorian Home
Phyzzi 1 year ago
To whomever downvoted this lovely wordplay, phooey on you.
Load More Replies... Petra Schaap 1 year ago
i love the victorian houses in SF. Everyone always rushes to the painted ladies, but there are so many way more gorgeous!
The features suggested by Danish Kurani are what makes certain architecture great; it’s something those working in the field—roughly 222,000 people in the US alone, according to 2023 data—should strive for.
But some people out of the 222,000 in the US and many more elsewhere in the world have gone way past being good and presented the world with awe-inspiring examples of architectural wonders. (If you want to browse such examples, continue to the list of masterpieces that won the 2020 Architecture MasterPrize or marvel at the cool and unique architecture, as shared on this online community, and see for yourself.)
#15
Poland
Rebecca Elliott 1 year ago
This is lovely! Doesn't look real. Wish all places were this lovely!
brookeannsimmer 1 year ago
A lot of Poland was forced to rebuild after WWII, these may be new homes built following traditional outlines
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Francois 1 year ago
It is build in the Dutch renaissance style during the Golden Century. Gdansk was part of the Hanseatic League which The Netherlands was a part.
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viimatar 1 year ago (edited)
In densely built cities, cars aren't even necessary. The public transport is more than enough in Central Europe. (Arguably, Poland could be categorized as East Europe, but this being a former Hanseatic League member city, it's "Central" already by default, from the historian's point of view.)
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Jiji Kaiji 1 year ago
Ravensburger thought so too, they released puzzles with this exact picture.
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One Of My Favorite Simple And Beautiful Buildings
Bartlet for World Domination 1 year ago
It's in Tunisia and it's on AirBnB for roughly 200 dollars a night.
#17
Winter Garden, Biltmore Estate
Me Oh My (He/They) 1 year ago
It's in NC, near Asheville! It's a gorgeous estate, with huge grounds and plenty of gardens.
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Ria C. 1 year ago
We are going in September. Any must sees or tips you can give?
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Gwyneth Jones 1 year ago
If you ever go there and you're feeling splurgy, stay on property at the Inn at Biltmore. Ask for rooms with a balcony Room 734 - gorgeous view of the smokey mountains! The family friendly Hotel is also nice. Room 8259 is near the big fireplace & wine bar and facing Antler Village. Bitlmore-B...d69640.jpg 
Discussing what takes a building from good to great, Kurani first and foremost suggested that applause-worthy creations solve real problems. According to the expert, their design should prioritize solutions over style and address the specific needs and goals of the people using the space.
They should also be designed for change. “The design should recognize the power of the built environment to change people and nudge them towards desired behaviors and mindsets,” he said.
#18
Palace In Russia With A Giant Iron Tree Built Into The Façade (Kazan Ministry Of Architecture)
#19
Yemeni Architecture
Guess Undheit 1 year ago
Has this been protected from Saudi Barbaric's terrorist attacks on the country?
LadyHermit 1 year ago (edited)
Imho, everything inspired by/built with/in nature turns out to look breathtaking in the end. Nature is the best artist and teacher 💚
#20
King Alfred's Tower In England, Built In 1772 (1242x1388)
Phyzzi 1 year ago
Sure looks like you wouldn't want to folly from the toppy.
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Helen Edwards 1 year ago
It was probably deliberately intended to be a medieval revival style. Buildings like this were known as "follies" as they were not useful for anything, they were just decorative.
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Liz Siemens 1 year ago
At first glance it looks like the bottom half is a reflection and the whole tower is surrounded by water!
Shelly Graham 1 year ago
Seriously, how? Why? Who? I'm running out of descriptive words to show just how beautiful and unique these structures are! I'm gonna have to buy a Thesaurus!
Ash 1 year ago
and then you buy it and it's six inches tall and made of brittle plastic
Load More Replies...“The design should follow nature,” Kurani continued. “It should respect the influence of natural factors such as light, air, and materials on people and incorporate them in a way that aligns with our evolutionary and biological needs.”
Respecting nature often goes hand in hand with the next feature - building locally, as using certain locally-sourced materials can be more eco-friendly than sending them from a land far, far away. “The design should source materials and approaches to construction from the local area, minimizing the use of materials that harm the environment,” the designer told Bored Panda.
#21
The Oceanographic Museum Of Monaco
Donkeywheel 1 year ago
It’s completely safe for decades, maybe centuries. Erosion is not the same everywhere. This is not an oceanic coast made of chalk cliffs with frequent storms. This is the calm northern coast of the Mediterranean sea, with no tide and solid rock. The coastline is not receding at all.
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#22
Abandoned Church Purchased By Skaters And Renovated Into A Skatepark. What Are Your Thoughts?
Vinnie 1 year ago
I stayed in guesthouse in a former church, owned by a teacher and a longboard promoter. It was nicknamed the Church of Skatan.
Richard Wareham 1 year ago
Far too many churches are grossly underused and should be repurposed.
megasmacky 1 year ago
The first time in it's history the building's been used for something worthwhile.
Shelly Graham 1 year ago
I think it's fantastic that someone did what they could to preserve the beauty of the original structure! After all it was abandoned, probably in disrepair and without someone intervening would crumble into nothingness!
Rhiannon Jane 1 year ago
The "anyone riding without permission will be asked to leave" sign is pretty lame though.
#23
In England You Sometimes See These "Wavy" Brick Fences. And Curious As It May Seem, This Shape Uses Fewer Bricks Than A Straight Wall. A Straight Wall Needs At Least Two Layers Of Bricks To Make Is Sturdy, But The Wavy Wall Is Fine Thanks To The Arch Support Provided By The Waves
kitten levels tokyo 1 year ago (edited)
And a wavy wall is easier to mow around, so win/win. ETA /s 😉
Upstaged75 1 year ago
We have some of those in rural Virginia too. Mostly in "hunt country" where people have horses.
Brian Droste 1 year ago
Seen this here on BP very recently Somebody went into great detail why this wall uses less bricks than a straight wall. I sort of understood it.
Load More Replies... Two of the last features that take architecture to the next level are being contextual and able to evoke emotion. Talking about the first one, Danish Kurani suggested that, “The design should consider the total impact of a choice, not just one effect in isolation, and ensure that it aligns with the overall goals and principles.”
As for the second, “It should consider the emotional ergonomics of a space and create the optimal feeling by using elements such as color, light, materials, and sound with intentionality.”
#24
Stuyvesant St., New York - USA
ohlordylordy 1 year ago
Nothing wrong with modernism. It's the cheapskates who don't build with art of architecture in mind, just the mighty dollar.
Load More Replies... #25
Baps Akshardham Temple, Delhi, India
linda harbin 1 year ago
What blows my mind is that it took only 2 days short of 5 years to build it. And it’s not old. Construction started in 2000 and officially opened in 2005.
Brian Droste 1 year ago
When I see a building like this I wonder how much time and how many people it took to build something like this.
#26
Les Espaces D'abraxas, Noisy-Le-Grand, France
Charlotte Sandoval 1 year ago
I keep seeing this one pop up and honestly (purely my opinion) I dislike it. I find the green beautiful, but it makes the gray stand out that much more to me and makes the rest of the building look like a prison
Sand Ers 1 year ago
It’s also very much a case of a self-important architect spending a boatload of public money to provide people with the housing he deemed they should want, instead of asking people what they wanted and building that. And painfully ugly from less-optimized perspectives.
Load More Replies... Shelly Graham 1 year ago (edited)
I have no idea what this building was constructed for, or who occupies it now, but what a spectacular example of how a man made structure can compliment nature or vice versa!
Laetitia Astolfi 1 year ago
That's a housing complex, and is still used as such (and also as a backdrop for TV or movies from time to time). It was built in the late 70s as part of project to build more housing around Paris.
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Jayjay 1 year ago
More photo's on https://www.en-vols.com/en/styles-en/espaces-abraxas-brutalism-cinema/#item=6. It is a complex of buildings in art brute style.
Load More Replies... Annik Perrot 1 year ago
This is not far from where I live, and 45 years ago when it was built, I used to work very close to it. Great architecture maybe, but it's located in a business area, stuck between the A4 motorway and à mall's multilevel parking lot. Both the mall and the general area have become very shabby in the last years, not à place you'd like to wander in at night. There's talk of revamping the mall area, though.
Teresa Yeates 1 year ago
I am guessing it does not rain a lot here. Would not work in a rainy area or a place with a lot of snow. That said, this is marvalous!
If you’re looking for some more examples of awe-inspiring architecture, browse these instances of architects putting in the effort to make something extra special and succeeding next. Happy scrolling!
#27
Got The Keys To Where I’m Opening My Cafe. I Thought You Guys Might Like The Building
XenoMurph 1 year ago
Its a road. It's taken from the other side of the road. Looks like Scotland
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Szzone aka Rottyintós Batman 1 year ago
Love the building, hate the pointless gigantic plot of asphalt around it. Or is this a building off the side of a road?
Certainly not Dan 1 year ago
Agreed, maybe a touch less tarmac and maybe some trees?
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#28
Walls Of The Ark Of Bukhara, A 5th Century Ad Fortress In Bukhara, Uzbekistan. (3456x2304)
Ole Peder Amrud Hagen 1 year ago
What a marvellous city it is! I recommend everyone to visit Uzbekistan.
David 1 year ago (edited)
That wall is from a much later period, the original walls were build in the 5th century, but were built up and expanded over time as the Kingdom of the Samarkand got more powerful.. But the Emir of Bukhara in the medieval period was a powerful leader and had a large kingdom. But the original walls were mostly destroyed during the Islamic Conquest, and they again when the Mongols captured it. But there are remnants of the original wall still left, but most of this is from the post Mongol period rebuild.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
Looks like we have to assemble an army of parkour athletes to scale this wall.
René Sauer 1 year ago
Just imagine how long and how many people it took to build that back then. Just woah...
#29
Tyler House, Designed In 1950. Los Angeles, USA
Bruce Wollen 1 year ago
The whole point of mid century modern architecture is to blur the lines between indoors and out. To bring the beauty of nature closer. Drapes shut out the outdoors and would destroy this aesthetic.
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viimatar 1 year ago
You aren't familiar with the architectural style? It was both popular, and deliberately Minimalistic. Arguably, a descendant of the Functionalistic style, and it isn't always easy to differentiate between them, though the similar and contemporaneous styles in Europe aren't entirely the same thing as in America.
Load More Replies... #30
Somewhere, China
LauraDragonWench 1 year ago
According to Google Lens, this is the Three Natural Bridges, a series of natural limestone bridges located in Xiannüshan Town, Wulong District, Chongqing Municipality, China. They lie within the Wulong Karst National Geology Park, itself a part of the South China Karst-Wulong Karst UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Michael Asher 1 year ago
The food there would make uber food taste nasty. Asia food cooked in the country is always delicious. I've eaten in backwoods places like this in the many Asian countries i worked in over the last 30 years. The food and drink and service is fabulous. Most Americans will never experience eating in a place like this.
A C 1 year ago
I'd love to live there but I need to know if I can still get Uber Eats delivered? 🤔😅
viimatar 1 year ago
I doubt it. You might get the local service platforms, though.
Load More Replies... #31
Townhouse With A Double Staircase Entrance On Howe Street, Lincoln Park, Chicago
kitten levels tokyo 1 year ago (edited)
Lincoln Park Chicago has the nation’s last free zoo! Edit: One of the last free zoos.
Aspiring Canuck 1 year ago
National Zoo in DC has no admission charge, I think.
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#32
Art Deco Buildings, US
CrazyKnitter 1 year ago
As much as I am not a fan of Art Deco style (way too modern for me 😝), I wish we still built like this. I like buildings with unique style, even if it's not my style.
Shelly Graham 1 year ago
What an incredible era for architecture! I love Art Deco buildings, jewelry, clothing and some of the art.
David 1 year ago
When the Chrysler Building, the first large Art Deco structure in the world (And then HQ of the auto company), was built, it was called ugly and too modern, and hated by the art and architecture community. Today it is considered a gem and a great work of art that inspired a whole style.
#33
The Royal Palace Of Naples
kitten levels tokyo 1 year ago
Ha! I toured this. The tour guide was a very bitter young woman. I learned from her that people from Naples pretty much hate Northern Italy.
LastButNotLeast 1 year ago
No, no, it's Northern Italy that don't like Naples and South Italy... Naples doesn't like Northern Italy because they insult them.
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Guess Undheit 1 year ago
Imagine how much money was stolen from the poor by the powerful to build this.
Szzone aka Rottyintós Batman 1 year ago
This makes me wonder what's inside that staircase. Is it solid stone? It can't be, can it? I would put like, secret chambers inside it.
#34
Gothic Architecture
Bartlet for World Domination 1 year ago (edited)
This is Norman (Romanesque) architecture, not Gothic. Rounded arches are Roman, pointed arches are Gothic.
random username 1 year ago
But the lierne vaulting (i.e. the intricate pattern of the ceiling) is characteristic for the Gothic, and rather late one. So perhaps the building was being built over a large span of time?
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Ece Cenker 1 year ago
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. https://christchurchcathedral.ie/about/history/
#35
The Georgian Hotel Gives Me Wes Anderson Vibes
k1ddkanuck 1 year ago
"The incidents that followed were described to me exactly as I present them here, and in a wholly unexpected way"
#36
The Hill Of The Buddha By Tadao Ando
OneWithRatsAndKefir 1 year ago
Beautiful, especially from the outside! The inside is almost surreal, too, but very grey.
Lisa Lackey 1 year ago
love the landscaping, I don't usually like symmetrical hedge balls but it compliments this site perfectly.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
The Buddha is always depicts as sitting. Were his teachings anti exercise?
Lame Llama 1 year ago
Isn't stupa supposed to be a dome, rather than a slope?
Load More Replies... #37
Meenakshi Temple, Tamil Nadu, India
Lyone Fein 1 year ago
When yoU have a party because your parents are away and the whole highschool hears about it.
#38
Why Do Medieval Cities Look Way Better Than Modern Cities? And How Much Would The Apartments On The Left Cost In America?
Little Wonder 1 year ago
It's because we stopped worrying about beauty. All the little touches, the decorations or the ways of building that look nicer went away in favour of cheap and quick.
Sand Ers 1 year ago
When these things were built, materials were expensive and labor was cheap. Trying to reproduce them now would be exceedingly expensive.
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Michelle C 1 year ago
The apartments on the left would either be in New York or California and go for millions easily if they were here in the US. No wonder folks are leaving both states in droves! 😮💨
Fabian Bernard 1 year ago
Rue du Gros Horloge, Rouen, France. But the rest of the city is ugly, dirty
Aballi 1 year ago
Well, I live in a small 2BR apt in California for $3,500/month, so I'm guessing the rent on these would be beyond ridiculous. Side note, a few blocks from my complex, there are $10mil vacation homes currently being built. 20 blocks in the other direction is a tent city built by unhoused residents. Gotta love America (eye roll).
Szzone aka Rottyintós Batman 1 year ago
My opinion? Building like this, with adorning reliefs and sculpted embelishments, as well as building gorgeous towers of stone, is expensive. It's doable, but it's expensive. The times when these were built, the majority of people didn't live like this, they lived in simple houses in the countryside. Nowadays we have orders of magnitude more people, and we want to provide tens of millions with housing, electricity, running water, heating, internet. So we build with concrete, we build simple blocks of floor upon floor, and if we have the resources, lately we started focusing on the greenery, on green, plant-covered façades and walls, on trees with proper soil structure between the buildings, solar panels, public infrastructure, etc.
#39
Knoll House, Italy, A Private Home Built Atop The Ruins Of A Medieval Barn. Designed By Werner Tscholl In 1997
viimatar 1 year ago
This highlights the difference on how ubiquitous Medieval ruins are in Central and Southern Europe, versus how rare they are, in the North. In here, it would never have been permitted, since it would've been outrageous (like, the only preserved pre-19th century building in the entire town for instance). There, another Monday in the office.
#40
Harbin Opera House Designed By Mad Architects
Bruce Wollen 1 year ago
I'm curious about the acoustics. Seems like a lot of hard curved surfaces, so hard to predict what would happen .
David Paterson 1 year ago
That's the point. It's designed to produce an even distribution of sound everywhere, with no dead spots or loud spots. Also ensuring a maximum of one bounce between source and listener to avoid excess time delay reverb.
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#41
A Cafe In Bhutan, Neyphug House
LauraDragonWench 1 year ago
Apparently it's the Neyphug Heritage cafe. https://www.dailybhutan.com/article/neyphug-heritage-sets-up-cafe-in-paro-to-give-back-to-monastery
Hippopotamuses 1 year ago
It reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright's work. I'm guessing it's very old.
Lisa Lackey 1 year ago
461 yrs. old, still serving every day. menu on Google.
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#42
Oslo Opera House
Barbara Schubert 1 year ago
It's supposed to be reminiscent of a glacier and you can walk up the sides and onto the roof.
Load More Replies... Certainly not Dan 1 year ago
Snohetta were the architects, brilliant bit of work. Also features an amazing glazed wall in bi-chromic glass by my favourite artist Olafur Eliason. Look him up, his work is extraordinary.
#43
My First Design Built ✌️😁 Afred Nobel Bridge In Sweden
Anna Ekberg 1 year ago
Björkborn Bridge - wooden arch bridge for pedestrians and bikers crossing Timsälven in Karlskoga, Sweden. Designed in collaboration with three architecture students; Kristoffer Hamrin, Nour Fansa and Mateusz Szpotowicz. Info from Wikipedia.
DaisyGirl 1 year ago
pedestrians and bikers crossing Timsälven in Karlskoga, Sweden, linking the former residence of Alfred Nobel; Björkborn Manor, and the surrounding area, with Karlskoga.
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#44
Karlatornet, Gothenburg Sweden
viimatar 1 year ago
There's nothing to say in the defense of this, in its current location. On Manhattan or in Singapore, it would be in the right company, but as the only tall building jn the entire neighborhood? A big nope. Especially when Sweden isn't going to run out of building space any time too soon, and even with the principle of dense city development, there's a lot of empty space around it. The same thing here if Finland - lots of ugly "highrises", not even that high in truth, where there should've been none. They look ridiculous surrounded by low buildings, and the city planners practically never take into account the impact of a tall building has on its surroundings, weather-wise for instance.
Zoe's Mom 1 year ago
For me, this is a huge fat nope. I am a San Franciscan native, and our downtown has been ruined with so many tall buildings. Doesn't let the sun through so it always cold. From a distance, for picture taking, SF skyline is beautiful. But once close up, again, way too many super tall buildings. Just ugly in my humble opinion.
keyboardtek 1 year ago
Does this building have open sections for the wind to flow through to minimize sway?
#45
I Just Drove By This House In Pensacola
ILoveMySon 1 year ago
One of my absolute favorite airports. Small and clean. Also, friendly employees INCLUDING TSA.
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Urbangirlatl 1 year ago
I wonder how much of the design is meant to deal with Hurricanes and handle the wind load.
#46
Classic San Franciscan Victorian With A Very Modern Color Aesthetic
Cat Conatser 1 year ago
To each their own, but what a depressing thing to do to such a once vibrant painted lady.
#47
Surf House In California
keyboardtek 1 year ago
We lived near Palm Beach , Florida. I remember the horror of visiting a rich person on the ocean who kept her beach facing porch windows open all the time, which was the room she had her Steinway grand piano in. The instrument was an unplayable rusted mess. She had it for status and snob appearances.
Kelly H. Wilder 1 year ago
Steinway left to decay because of lack of care is an unspeakable shame!
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#48
A Modern Cabin In Norway
Lyone Fein 1 year ago
So many issues....... carrying groceries, firewood, garbage out. Not good for children or anyone with mobility problems. etc.
Weasel Wise 1 year ago (edited)
Dunno why you got downvoted, you're right. Reagrdless of how cool it looks, I can see my arthritic knees, ankles, and feet being not happy. And, yeah, it takes two seconds of not paying attention and a kiddo could so easily go flying down those stairs.
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Kalon Suszko 1 year ago
Great question! If you are going to go this far in building, why not make an enclosed bridge in the process. Maybe ventilation purposes? No thats stupid, home is way above ground, sure you can open a couple of windows in the house.
Load More Replies... Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
Is it high off the ground to keep the trolls from breaking in?
Kalon Suszko 1 year ago
So these are individual hotel rooms from what I read on Google. Built for tourists looking for that "unique" experience. I would think, if you wanted to make it an actual home, you would need an elevator shaft, (could disguise it using a simulated tree bark) up into the middle of the house. I really liked this one! :)
Kalon Suszko 1 year ago
I have no idea how much snowfall Norway gets, but if it is 12-15 feet, this place is well enough above that, maybe 20-25 feet above ground? Question is the stairway, But then again maybe a sliding glass door where you can just walk out onto the fallen snow...and sink down 6 feet. :P
viimatar 1 year ago
Like, what? 😅 15 feet of snow? That's like _5_meters_ in the unit system that the rest of the world uses. Maybe in some mountain passes due to wind conditions. Norway is, for the most part, influenced by the Gulf Stream and gets mild temperatures in the winter. In the North, it's different, but by the average, in Tromsø, the usual snow depth at its height is a little over 120 cm (under 4 ft. in Imperials), and in Kautokeino, it stays under 100 cm (one meter). To think that the building has legs that high because of the snow... no. If there's something usually built on legs in the North, it's the traditional tall-footed food storage barns that are rather small and meant to keep the scavenger animals away, and the leg(s) usually do(es)n't reach higher than maybe 150 cm.
Load More Replies... kitten levels tokyo 1 year ago
All the modern Norwegian homesteaders are building their cabins this way.
viimatar 1 year ago
And they use wind gliders to transport them to visits.
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#49
Why Can't Architects Build Like This Anymore?
CrazyKnitter 1 year ago
I love old houses and styles, but this looks slightly concerning to me.
Lyone Fein 1 year ago
It's been standing for several centuries. It was built like this because taxes were paid based on the size of the footprint of your house. So many people would build larger upper stories.
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Anna Ekberg 1 year ago
Restored - https://www.tourisme-aveyron.com/en/diffusio/sites-visit/la-maison-de-jeanne-l-une-des-plus-anciennes-maisons-de-l-aveyron-severac-d-aveyron_TFO19572979774 If anyone wants to see how it looks now.
Ash 1 year ago
that link didn't work for me. here's another one: https://www.connexionfrance.com/practical/maison-de-jeanne-the-french-house-with-a-550-year-history/109512
Load More Replies... Gwyneth Jones 1 year ago
Oldest house in France. Called Maison de Jeanne (lit. 'Jeanne's House') "is a 15th century house in Sévérac-le-Château, Aveyron, France. It was named for the last known owner of the building and is thought to be the oldest house in Aveyron. The unique appearance of the structure is due to the larger dimensions of the upper floors, which look large compared to the smaller footprint of the first floor." - Wikipedia, natch. The timber frame and cob structure was dated to the spring of 1478 by Christophe Perrault. It was vacant since the 1970s and it was purchased by the municipality of Sévérac in 1995. The building was renovated in 2019.
Two_rolling_black_eyes 1 year ago
No architect was involved with this building. Stories were added as the family got bigger.
Certainly not Dan 1 year ago
Survivors bias. There were lots of houses like this, towns full of them, over the centuries they were pulled down or fell down as they’re just not a good design. The surviving buildings are held up as aspirational, whereas they survived despite their build and design, not because of it
Awesome At Being Autistic 1 year ago
"Why can't architects build like this anymore?" Um, planning laws? Building codes?
#50
"Seating Pod" At The Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles, Designed By John Portman In 1974
Ralph Kretschmer 1 year ago
Can't say why, but I wouldn't feel comfortable neither on that balcony nor in this building.
Daniel Baca 1 year ago
I've stayed at that hotel. My friends and I ran all around doing a mock up of a fashion photo shoot. I was 13 and it was so much fun.
#51
Grand Staircase With Intricate Woodwork And Wall Panelling In A Restored 1893 Queen Anne Victorian Mansion, Plainfield, Union County, New Jersey
Ephemera Image 1 year ago
Imagine the math skills needed, not to mention woodworking, to build this.
#52
The Drake In Philadelphia
#53
Mvrdv's Brand New Housing Complex In Amsterdam, Netherlands
kitten levels tokyo 1 year ago
Three cheers to the intrepid architects who rebuilt this gem after Godzilla smashed through.
Barbara Turner 1 year ago
I'm just gonna sit here and play Tetris until I make a first architectural draft.
#54
Art Nouveau Building By Delune - Brussels, Belgium
kitten levels tokyo 1 year ago
Giving directions to your acquaintances, “My front door is literally an upside down lower case d.”
#55
Thoughts On The Koohsar Residential Building? Designed By Ashariarchitects. Located In Shiraz, Iran
#56
The Banff Springs Hotel, A 19th Century Châteauesque Hotel In The Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park, Banff, Alberta, Canada
Michaele 1 year ago
No, but it is rumored to be haunted with LOTS of ghosts!
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Ephemera Image 1 year ago
Canadian architecture is pretty boring for the most part. I'm Canadian.
#57
Renaissance Center Marriott | Detroit, Mi | John Portman | 1977
#58
Condo Building, Copenhagen
#59
What My Local Mcdonalds Looks Like
Hippopotamuses 1 year ago
My first thought was that it looks like Aussie pub. I did an image search and yes it was. Its in Melbourne.
#60
Church In France, Near Omaha Beach
Fabian Bernard 1 year ago
Not even close to Omaha Beach, it's Saint Joseph Church in Le Havre, France. It's about 100 km from the said Beach, on the other side of the Seine bay. Lived 100 m from that church for 5 years, it's trully magnificient at nught
#61
Boston Architecture Styles In One Photo
keyboardtek 1 year ago
I remember my brother taking a photo from this same spot back in the 1980's.
#62
The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel In C. 1900. The Hotel Was Demolished In 1929 And Replaced By The Empire State Building. New York City, USA
Hippopotamuses 1 year ago (edited)
That wasn't much of a lifespan for such a magnificent building.
#63
The Reflection Of The Church
nm (he/him) 1 year ago
Shamelessly copying the style of paganists temples, these ones that the fanatic christians demolished.
#64
Glass-Bricks And Windows In Amsterdam
FoxEcoLimaIndiaCharlieIndiAlfa 1 year ago
This is really awesome and I've never seen or heard of glass bricks before.
#65
80 Metre Climbing Wall Built On The Side Of A Power Plant In Copenhagen, Denmark
Bubs (he/they) 1 year ago
super cool, but TERRIFYING!! yes I see the ropes and such, but still! no thank you!!
#66
Building By My Hotel In Tokyo
XenoMurph 1 year ago
I think the dude's kid left the model too close to the heater. Next day he brings it into the boss, "Yea, Erm, It's supposed to look like that, it's erm, Post Modern, Yea post modern."
Load More Replies... #67
This Was Taken At A Subway Station In Washington Dc. Sorry For The Slight Misalignment
Me Oh My (He/They) 1 year ago
Have been to Washington DC. Can confirm their underground metro stations look like this.
#68
The American Restaurant, Kansas City | Warren Platner | 1974
kitten levels tokyo 1 year ago
You know it’s 1974 when the mustache and the sideburn are almost touching.
#69
Brutalist Monuments, Former Yugoslavia
Black Cat 1 year ago
I'm glad the brutality movement didn't really catch on in the rest of the world. Why build an eyesore if you could build something beautiful?
Zach Bigalke 1 year ago (edited)
First off, it is Brutalist architecture... NOT "brutality" as you erroneously put it. Second, brutalism IS beautiful.
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#71
Hyatt Regency , Architect John Portman 1973
Carl Roberts 1 year ago (edited)
This is in San Francisco, for those wondering. It holds the Guinness World Record for the largest hotel lobby in the world. The interior was seen in several films, including The Towering Inferno, Time after Time, High Anxiety, and Telefon. The structure at the top is a former rotating restaurant, now a private club.
#72
Faculty Of Arts And Law, Paris, France
#73
Entrance Hall Of Kyoto Station, Japan, Designed By Hiroshi Hara In 1997
#74
Design Submitted By The Architect vs. How The Contractor Ends Up Building It
𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦-𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 1 year ago
This might not be the contractors fault. It might be the owners cheaping out when they saw how much the original design would be to build.
Nadine Lynch 1 year ago
Yeah. I wonder how many times the contractor was overruled when it came to parst/labor costs...
#75
Why Can't Architects Build Things Like This Anymore?
Hippopotamuses 1 year ago (edited)
I love the repurposed ones dotted around NZ, they are so obvious. And, yes, I miss their restaurants.
Upstaged75 1 year ago (edited)
All of the buildings that look like this in my area have been taken over by random businesses. Like a Peruvian chicken place and a bank. :)
S. E. in Indiana 1 year ago
You can a building shaped just like this one in our city. They just closed the doors and put it up for sale.
#76
Jun Aoki’s New Louis Vuitton Store In Ginza, Tokyo
Bookworm 1 year ago
Or set something on fire. Wasn't there an architect who kept building things that reflected the sun and started fires?
Load More Replies... #77
The Frank Lloyd Wright Ennis House In Los Angeles, Ca
Little Wonder 1 year ago
Weird, because my first thought was "Reminds me of Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines". Must just be a very vampire-y aura.
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Richard Graham 1 year ago
This was the house used in "House on Haunted Hill" (1958) with Vincent Price.
#78
Roberto Garza Sada Center, Monterrey, Mexico, Designed By Tadao Ando In 2007
#79
Thoughts On This? I Have So Many
Hippopotamuses 1 year ago (edited)
No to forget. The conveniently placed window to fall through.
Load More Replies... keyboardtek 1 year ago
Another staircase with no handrail. I guess they do not want any clumsy or elderly people in these homes.
Anna Ekberg 1 year ago
First thing that comes to mind is cluttered. Why do you want a cluttered stairways? Deathwish?
#80
Perhaps One Of The Most Disliked Buildings In London Is The No 1 Poultry Building. Polled As The Fifth Worst Building In London, It Was Built In The Place Of A Charming, Neo-Gothic Structure. Much Like Many Other Buildings In Post-War London, It Was Demolished For A Modernist Replacement. [building]
![Perhaps One Of The Most Disliked Buildings In London Is The No 1 Poultry Building. Polled As The Fifth Worst Building In London, It Was Built In The Place Of A Charming, Neo-Gothic Structure. Much Like Many Other Buildings In Post-War London, It Was Demolished For A Modernist Replacement. [building]](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/6650793fb8752_tieric23zsr41__700.jpg "Perhaps One Of The Most Disliked Buildings In London Is The No 1 Poultry Building. Polled As The Fifth Worst Building In London, It Was Built In The Place Of A Charming, Neo-Gothic Structure. Much Like Many Other Buildings In Post-War London, It Was Demolished For A Modernist Replacement. [building]")
Bookworm 1 year ago
It would have to be, otherwise someone would start a fundraiser to buy it and demolish it.
Load More Replies... René Sauer 1 year ago
Oh Boy... I don´t necessarily dislike the new one, but compared to the old one? Definitively a major downgrade.
Petra Schaap 1 year ago
I love it! if you stand right in front instead of on the sided, its even better. Also nice inside.
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What do you think ?
Rebecca Elliott 1 year ago
I love Bored Panda. It is a great place to go when depressed! I always find something that makes me laugh. And think. And be amazed. Some of the comments made give me hope for mankind with the humor, empathy.
Marnie 1 year ago
Thanks, BP. Love this. But it makes me so sad I'll never have any hope of even seeing one of these or anything like it :-(
LadyHermit 1 year ago
I get what you're saying, from my own experiwnce ar least, I too will probably never see these places. But just a bit of perspective. According to neurological and behavioral studies, our brains are made to idealise places, experiences and people prior to actually experience them. We use our creative minds, imagination, hope and future projection ability, to create these idealised versions. So actually, what you get to see online and think about is the best version you'll likely ever going to get about that specific place, since going there would involve other tourists, climate differences, travelling fatigue etc. Just 30 years ago, when there was no internet, we would've had no way to even stumble upon such information easily, having to scour books on architecture. And just a century ago almost impossible alltogether. So overall, ain't it awesome we get to know about them anyway?
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DadManBlues 1 year ago
I think architects would be happy to draw buildings like these but nobody wants the cost of a full-carved-stone house or an Art Deco facade.
Kelly H. Wilder 1 year ago
I don't know how to answer the poll at the end. Each region has amazing architecture and beauty. I liked almost all of these!
flowingcomplexity 1 year ago
Unfortunately where I’m from “the old” is not important. They destroyed everything. And I heard too many times: “ew everything is so old in Europe”😞
Rebecca Elliott 1 year ago
I love Bored Panda. It is a great place to go when depressed! I always find something that makes me laugh. And think. And be amazed. Some of the comments made give me hope for mankind with the humor, empathy.
Marnie 1 year ago
Thanks, BP. Love this. But it makes me so sad I'll never have any hope of even seeing one of these or anything like it :-(
LadyHermit 1 year ago
I get what you're saying, from my own experiwnce ar least, I too will probably never see these places. But just a bit of perspective. According to neurological and behavioral studies, our brains are made to idealise places, experiences and people prior to actually experience them. We use our creative minds, imagination, hope and future projection ability, to create these idealised versions. So actually, what you get to see online and think about is the best version you'll likely ever going to get about that specific place, since going there would involve other tourists, climate differences, travelling fatigue etc. Just 30 years ago, when there was no internet, we would've had no way to even stumble upon such information easily, having to scour books on architecture. And just a century ago almost impossible alltogether. So overall, ain't it awesome we get to know about them anyway?
Load More Replies... DadManBlues 1 year ago
I think architects would be happy to draw buildings like these but nobody wants the cost of a full-carved-stone house or an Art Deco facade.
Kelly H. Wilder 1 year ago
I don't know how to answer the poll at the end. Each region has amazing architecture and beauty. I liked almost all of these!
flowingcomplexity 1 year ago
Unfortunately where I’m from “the old” is not important. They destroyed everything. And I heard too many times: “ew everything is so old in Europe”😞
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