If you are involved in the construction industry in one way or another, you very well may have an interest in unique or unusual buildings that exist around the globe. Indeed, if you are planning a trip, particularly one that might take you abroad, you may be wondering what might be in your line of travel when it comes to unique buildings. There are 10 unusual, unique buildings you should put on your travel bucket list, structures you should try and visit at some juncture in your life.
Capital Gate – Abu Dhabi, UAE
People have marveled at the Leaning Tower of Pisa for generations. While it is a marvel, there is a modern building that outdoes the Leaning Tower of Pisa, particularly when it comes to “the lean.” Capital Gate is one of the tallest buildings in Abu Dhabi. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Capital Gate is the world’s furthest leaning, man-made tower. The structure leans at an 18 degree angle, and intentionally so. This is a lean eight-times greater than the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault – Longyearbyen, Norway
Nothing grand or stunning about this structure, from a visual perspective. But, in some ways, the future of civilization may depend on the work done at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is designed to store millions of different types of seeds for the replanting of various crops in the event of any number of major global disasters. The building comes complete with blast-proof doors, airlocks, and motion sensors.
Palace of the Parliament – Bucharest, Romania
The Palace of the Parliament is the second largest administrative building on the planet. Indeed, it is so big that it can be seen from space. The structure was commissioned by the last communist dictator to rule in Romania before the collapse of the Soviet Empire. A fraction of the building is in use today, most of it sitting idle.
Turning Torso – Malmö?, Sweden
The Turning Torso is an architectural marvel. It is also the tallest residential building in Sweden. The Turning Torso twists and turns a full 90 degrees from its base to top.
Antilla – Mumbai, India
Antilla is the world’s only $1 billion private residence. The residence was completed in 2010. Although construction ending nearly a decade ago, the home’s owner, Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani, and his family have yet to move in full time. Perhaps Air BnB needs to take a look?
Lotus Temple – Delhi, India
If in Indian, a visitor interested in building and architecture should also check out the Lotus Temple in Delhi. The Lotus Temple is indeed designed to mimic the appearance of the flower. The Lotus Temple is a Bahai house of worship completed in 1986.
Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center – Baku, Azerbaijan
The Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center is a recently completed project. The structure is of great interest to architects. The Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center is the design creation of world-famous architect Zaha Hadid. It is described as a real-world implementation of the principles behind the Möbius Strip. The Möbius Strip is described technically as having the mathematical property of being non-orientable.
Krzywy Domek – Sopot, Poland
On first blush, some people might conclude that the Krzywy Domek looks rather like something extracted from a book by Dr. Seuss. Despite its unique appearance, the Krzywy Domek functions like a traditional office building. With that noted, the Krzywy Domek is considered one of the “seven wonders” of tri-city region that includes Sopot, Gda?sk, and Gdynia
Ryugyong Hotel – Pyongyang, North Korea
Passage into North Korea is next to impossible for U.S. citizens at this juncture in time. Nonetheless, if a person ever ended up in that isolated nation, the Ryugyong Hotel will be on your officially-approved tour. In addition, the structure is hard to miss when in the country’s capital city. Construction began on the wannabe hotel some 25 years ago. The exterior of the structure is imposing. Alas, even after a generation, the building is nowhere close to being completed. You literally can visit the Ryugyong Hotel, but you can’t stay here.
Tower Infinity – Incheon, South Korea
Tower Infinity doesn’t yet exist. Construction will start on this project will start in the not too distant future. Once completed, Tower Infinity will be one of the taller buildings in the world, at 1,486 feet. However, the structure will only have 15 floors, Tower Infinity being dedicated to entertainment and recreation. The building will have an invisibility illusion that will be achieved through a high-tech LED façade system.
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes for Documents International LLC, a leading apostille service for individuals and businesses.