Date: unknown

Architect: Simon Dale

Purpose: private house

More info: From the author: “You are looking at pictures of a house I built for our family in Wales. It was built by myself and my father in law with help from passers by and visiting friends. 4 months after starting we were moved in and cosy. I estimate 1000-1500 man hours and £3000 put in to this point. Not really so much in house buying terms (roughly £60/sq m excluding labour).”

“The house was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gives us a unique opportunity to live close to nature.” he says.

This building is one part of a low-impact or permaculture approach to life. This sort of life is about living in harmony with both the natural world and ourselves, doing things simply and using appropriate levels of technology.

When asked why he is doing this, he gave this answer: “ It’s fun. Living your own life, in your own way is rewarding. Following our dreams keeps our souls alive.”

(image credits: Simon)

Some key points of the design and construction:

• Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter
• Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls, foundations etc.
• Frame of oak thinnings (spare wood) from surrounding woodland
• Reciprocal roof rafters are structurally and aesthaetically fantastic and very easy to do
• Straw bales in floor, walls and roof for super-insulation and easy building
• Plastic sheet and mud/turf roof for low impact and ease
• Lime plaster on walls is breathable and low energy to manufacture (compared to cement)
• Reclaimed (scrap) wood for floors and fittings
• Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere (windows, burner, plumbing, wiring…)
• Woodburner for heating - renewable and locally plentiful
• Flue goes through big stone/plaster lump to retain and slowly release heat
• Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations
• Skylight in roof lets in natural feeling light
• Solar panels for lighting, music and computing
• Water by gravity from nearby spring
• Compost toilet
• Roof water collects in pond for garden etc.

Main tools used: chainsaw, hammer and 1 inch chisel, little else really. Oh and by the way I am not a builder or carpenter, my experience is only having a go at one similar house 2yrs before and a bit of mucking around inbetween. This kind of building is accessible to anyone. My main relevant skills were being able bodied, having self belief and perseverence and a mate or two to give a lift now and again.

Homepage: http://www.simondale.net/house/

What is a hobbit hole?

The memorable first line of The Hobbit immediately makes it clear that a hobbit hole “means comfort.” Hobbit holes consist of rounded, smooth curves to help blend the structure into the side of the hills, complete with a rounded door that opens to smooth, comfortable circular rooms. They are decorated to promote quiet, relaxing time at home with a good book, or as a place for a group of friends to gather. Equipped with wood stoves and small kitchens, hobbit holes are a space for where the simple life can blend with coziness and comfort.

In the story, the occupants of these cozy little dwellings are small, furry-footed creatures that resemble smaller versions of humans, except that they forgo shoes and opt for a simple, quiet life instead of going on crazy adventures. Their homes reflect their most important ideals, which are quiet, uneventful days filled with good books, good friends and good plain meals.

Hobbit holes in real life

Now with the popularity of the film, hobbit holes have become a popular home design in both the UK and the rest of the world. Building a home below ground is a creative way to design a home while also finding unique way to bring natural light into an underground space. Between the soft curves of the structure and the muted light underground, hobbit holes are indeed cozy, the perfect place to read a fantasy adventure novel or host a writer’s group.

Hobbit holes have been seen cropping up in many places, such as Bolton and Pembrokeshire. They are also becoming popular in Switzerland, where they are known as “Earth homes.” Hobbit holes have also been spotted in Australia, the USA and New Zealand.

Tips for building your own hobbit hole

If you’re thinking of building your own hobbit hole, it’s easy to do if you have a piece of land that resembles a hill or something you can build into. Since hobbit holes extend back into a hillside, it’s much easier to construct your hobbit hole this way instead of trying to drill down into the ground.

You should also consider how you will get electricity. Generally, hobbit holes are not equipped with these modern comforts because Tolkein’s Middle Earth did not have things like electricity, running water and internet access. If you want to adopt the simple hobbit lifestyle, you can sell your electronic devices on musicMagpie.com and invest the money into creating your dream hobbit hole.

Either way, living in a hobbit hole will certainly make you stand out. Show your devotion to Tolkein’s masterful work of fantasy and design your hobbit hole today!

Date: 1973

Architect: Stuart Landsborough

Purpose: entertainment

More info: Stuart Landsborough’s Puzzling World is a tourist attraction near Wanaka, New Zealand. It started out as just a maze in 1973, but over the years expanded to accommodate a “puzzling café” where guests could try out several puzzles, rooms with optical illusions, the and other things.

One of the biggest attractions is the leaning tower. The Leaning Tower of Wanaka is, as the name implies, a tower that is seemingly impossibly balanced on one corner, making the whole structure lean at an angle of 53 degrees to the ground. Exactly how this is achieved is yet to be unveiled, but it can be assumed that some kind of counterbalance or anchoring device has been used.

(Image credits: Somerslea)

(Image credits: Broken Piggy Bank)

India

The Lotus Temple in India is one of the most breathtaking pieces of architecture in the world. While it may be a little out of the ordinary, the design of this building represents a blooming lotus, creating a picture of perfection in the night sky.

Poland

Found in the quirky streets of Sopot in Poland, The Crooked House is a famed tourist attraction. With a design inspired by the works of Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg, it is easy to see why this building became an architectural masterpiece.

Austria

Appropriately titled as ‘House Attack’, the Erwin Wurm structure in Vienna is one of the most photographed structures in the world. As the name suggests, a house is seen to be wedged onto the side of a tall building, as if it was picked up in a strong gust of wind and transported to its resting spot.

United Kingdom

The world’s largest greenhouse, located in the United Kingdom, is not only visited by green thumbs, but also lovers of architecture. The positioning of the structures makes it appear as though bubbles have appeared across the countryside.

France

The innovative architecture of the French is not something new, although the Palais Bulles in Cannes is absolutely astonishing. Designed only using curved materials, the structure is warped both on the interior and exterior.

United Arab Emirates

The Atlantis often leaves visitors in awe, due to its sheer enormity. While it’s all luxury at the hotel, the design incorporates a breathtaking cut-out and palace-like features. If you’re intrigued by this architectural masterpiece, find flights to Dubaiand experience the magic today!

Egypt

Now recognised as a world wonder, the pyramids of Egypt are like no other structures in the world. Created centuries ago, these magnificent pyramids are still seen to be the epitome of architectural creations.

Canada

While Canada is not typically known for its wacky architectural designs, the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum is a skyscraper tipped onto its side; completed with a giant ape, upside down signs and a hanging window-washer.

Thailand

Thailand may have a few interesting pieces of architecture, throughout the country, but there’s no beating the Robot Building in Bangkok. As the name suggests, the enormous skyscraper looks exactly like a robot, right down to the eyes, shape and antenna.

United States

Have you ever wanted step inside an enormous picnic basket? Well, in Ohio your wildest dreams can come true. Complete with giant picnic basket handles over the roof, this seven storey corporate building is one of the wackiest architectural designs in the world, suitably titled ‘The Basket Building’!

Date: unknown

Architect: Octavio Ocampo

Purpose: private house, also available for rent

More info: The Conch Shell Hose is said to be the most outstanding and original house in the island of Isla Mujeres. Surrounded by Caribbean Ocean (180 degrees of ocean views from the windows) it gives you an unique opportunity to experience what it’s like living in a Sea Shell. The conch shell house was built using a fairly traditional foundation, such as concrete, as well as recycled and found materials. The owner of the house Octavio Ocampo is a well known artist, whose brother Eduardo is an architect (he also has a house on that island, but a more traditional).

If you enter the house you would be surrounded by a wonderful shell themed interior. The main room has no corners – it is round. The upstairs bathroom sink is made out of the base of a conch shell, the faucets are made out of coral, the towel racks are made from conch shells and other seashells and items found on the local beach.

Some technical info: 2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4, 5500 sq. ft. , 2 Bathrooms, 1 Half Bath, near the ocean, swimming pool, air-conditioning, internet access.

(Image credits: Mark Stadnik)

(Image credits: Mark Stadnik)

(Image credits: Tim Yates)

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Date: first exhibited in the 1997

Architect (artist): Dennis Oppenheim

Purpose: Sculpture

More info: It was too hot for New York City; too hot for Stanford University. But a controversial, imposing sculpture by renowned international artist Dennis Oppenheim finally found a public home in laid-back Vancouver.

A country church is seen balancing on it’s steeple, as if it had been lifted by a terrific force and brought to the site as a device or method of rooting out evil forces. Artist website: http://www.dennis-oppenheim.com/

(Image credits: papalars)

(Image credits: midnightglory)

(Image credits: pkdon50)

Here is a video I found on youtube about this sculpture.

Date: scheduled on 2010

Architect: Dr. David Fisher

Purpose: multipurpose (offices, hotel, residential apartments)

More info: We have seen tall buildings, we have seen  strange buildings, but have you seen buildings in motion that actually change their shape? Sounds unbelievable but not to Dr. David Fisher.

Visionary architect Dr. David Fisher is the creator of the world’s first building in motion - the revolutionary Dynamic Tower. It will adjust itself to the sun, wind, weather and views by rotating each floor separately.

This building will never appear exactly the same twice.

It is amazing but you will have the choice of waking up to sunrise in your bedroom and enjoying sunsets over the ocean at dinner.

In addition to being such an incredible engineering miracle it will produce energy for itself and even for other buildings because it will have wind turbines fitted between each rotating floor (picture 2). So an 80-story building will have up to 79 wind turbines, making it a true green power plant.

The Dynamic Tower in Dubai will be 1,380 feet (420 meters) tall, 80 floors, apartments will range in size from 1,330 square feet (124 square meters), to Villas of 12,900 square feet (1,200 square meters) complete with a parking space inside the apartment. It will consist of offices, a luxury hotel,  residential apartments, and the top 10 floors will be for luxury villas located in a prime location in Dubai.

The Dynamic Tower in Dubai will be the first skyscraper to be entirely constructed in a factory from prefabricated parts. So instead of some 2000 workers, only 680 will be sufficient. Construction is scheduled to be completed by 2010.

Website: http://www.dynamicarchitecture.net

(Image: Dynamic Architecture ™ all rights reserved to Dr. David Fisher)

(Image: Dynamic Architecture ™ all rights reserved to Dr. David Fisher)

(Image: Dynamic Architecture ™ all rights reserved to Dr. David Fisher)

Date: opened in 2000

Architect: Frank Gehry

Purpose: Museum of music history

More info: Experience Music Project(EMP) was founded by Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft. It is a museum of music history sited near the Space Needle and is by one of the two stops on the Seattle Center Monorail, which runs through the building. The museum contains mostly rock memorabilia and technology-intensive multimedia displays. The structure is also home to the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. Designed by Frank Gehry, the building resembles many of his firm’s sheet-metal construction works, such as Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall and Gehry Tower. The structure contains 140,000 square feet (13,000 m²), with a 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m²) footprint.

Herbert Muschamp (New York Times architecture critic) described it as “something that crawled out of the sea, rolled over, and died.” Forbes magazine called it one of the world’s 10 ugliest buildings

(Image credits: drocpsu)

(Image credits: EMP)

(Image credits: papalars)

(Image credits: bananarchist)

(Image credits: sparktography)

Date: 2006

Architect: Daniel Czapiewski

Purpose: Entertainment

More info: Daniel Czapiewski, Polish businessman and philanthropist, built this house as an artistic statement about the Communist era and current state of the world. Many tourists who visit complain of mild seasickness and dizziness after just a few minutes of being in the structure.

Thanks Radziooz for sending us photos

Date: 1945-1986

Architect: Guðjón Samuelssondesign

Purpose: Church

More info: The Hallgrimskirkja (literally, the church of Hallgrimur)is Lutheran parish church that in addition to being very unusual is also a very tall one, reaching 74.5 metres (244 ft) height. This Lutheran parish church is the fourth tallest architectural structure in Iceland. It is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrimur Petursson.The church is also used as an observation tower. It took incredibly long to build it (38 years!) Construction took time from 1945 to 1986.The Architect of this building is Guðjon Samuelssondesign.

Links: Hallgrímskirkja

(Image Credits: Stuck in Customs)