1. Capital Gate — Abu Dhabi, UAE
Flickr: karenjwilson / Creative Commons
One of the tallest buildings in the city, the Capital Gate has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “world’s furthest leaning man-made tower.” The building leans 18 degrees, four times more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
2. Svalbard Global Seed Vault — Longyearbyen, Norway
Flickr: landbruks-_og_matdepartementet / Creative Commons
With blast-proof doors, airlocks, and motion sensors, the Global Seed Vault has been designed to contain millions of varieties of seeds to allow for the replanting and growth of various crops in the case of any major global disasters.
3. The Crooked House — Staffordshire, United Kingdom
With one end of the bar four feet lower than the other end, the Crooked House pub has certainly earned its moniker. The difference in height is due to ground movements caused by mining in the region.
4. The Piano House — Anhui, China
The name is self-explanatory - the building is shaped like a giant piano with a grand glass violin for an entrance. The open top of the piano serves as a canopy for the home’s roof terrace.
5. Palace of the Parliament — Bucharest, Romania
Built during the era of the Soviet Union, this Stalinist symbol is the second-largest administrative building in the world. It’s so large that it can even be seen from space.
6. Turning Torso — Malmö, Sweden
Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Turning Torso is the tallest residential building in all of Sweden. From the bottom to the top, the building twists a full 90 degrees.
7. Antilla — Mumbai, India
The world’s first billion-dollar home, Antilla is owned by Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani - although he and his family have never actually moved in full-time, even though construction was completed in 2010.
8. Kunsthaus — Graz, Austria
The Kunsthaus is a contemporary art museum with a “biomorphic” shape that stands out against the traditional architecture of the surrounding buildings.
9. Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center — Baku, Azerbaijan
Designed by world-famous architect Zaha Hadid, this recent construction has been described as a real-world implementation of the principles behind the Möbius Strip.
10. Crazy House — Dalat, Vietnam
This guesthouse has been compared to the works of both Dalí and Gaudí, with the main building being inspired by natural structures and the surrounding environment.
11. Monte Rosa Hut — Zermatt, Switzerland
This Swiss hut incorporates various technological advances that make it over 90% self-sufficient in terms of energy needs.
12. Lotus Temple — Delhi, India
The Lotus Temple is a Bahai house of worship completed in 1986. It is one of only seven major Bahai temples around the world.
13. Ontario College of Art and Design — Toronto, Canada
This “table-top” addition to the Ontario College of Art and Design sits over 25 meters above the ground. It received the “Award of Excellence” from the Toronto Architecture and Urban Design Awards, the highest architectural honor bestowed by the city of Toronto.
14. Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval — Hauterives, France
This building, located in southeastern France, was created by Ferdinard Cheval, the town’s postman. Though Cheval was poor, his work has been recognized by major figures in art and literature, from Pablo Picasso to Anaïs Nin.
15. Krzywy Domek — Sopot, Poland
Sopot’s Krzywy Domek, which despite its appearance is a largely typical office building, is considered one of the seven wonders of tri-city region encompassing Sopot, Gdańsk, and Gdynia.
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