A bridge supported by giant hands. A house where Fred Flintstone could knock on the door and shout ‘Wilmaaaaa!’. Or a snail shell, but for humans. We took a look around, and these are our top 5 examples of amazing architecture.
5. Casa do Penedo
Casa do Penedo looks like the house of the Flintstone family. It was simply placed between four large rocks. These form its foundation walls. Although the owners wanted to integrate their house into nature as discreetly as possible, they did not succeed. The stone house attracts everyone's attention. Built in the 1970s, Casa do Penedo is now a tourist attraction and was voted the strangest house in the world in a Japanese ranking. The estate still serves its builders as a holiday residence. In order to be able to enjoy the nature and tranquillity of the Portuguese landscape of Fafe, there was no electricity in the house from the beginning and still is today. However, the residents do not have to do without water and gas.
4. Cultural Centre in Shanghai
The cultural centre by Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio forms the heart of the new Bund Finance Center district in Shanghai. What makes it so special? Its flexible façade, consisting of 675 individual panels. They surround the building like a veil. The speed, lighting and flow pattern can be customised to suit the occasion. Traditional bridal jewellery - especially the tassels for the panels - and Chinese weaving art served as inspiration. The cultural centre is a popular meeting place and never ceases to amaze with its dancing façade.
3. Casa Nautilus
Naucalpan, north-west of Mexico City, is home to an almost legendary architectural project. The Casa Nautilus by architect Javier Senosiain allows its residents to immerse themselves in a world of their own. The architect has built a clam shell for people from a particularly lightweight reinforced concrete structure. The perfection of organic forms was the inspiration for the project. There are no corners or edges to be found in Casa Nautilus. Instead, the soft shapes and natural materials, as well as details such as colourful glass tiles, grass carpet and a spacious room layout including a private TV room and office, invite you to marvel.
2. Golden Bridge
Enormous stone hands support the Golden Bridge in Vietnam, which stands like a giant sculpture in the landscape. The pedestrian bridge made of steel mesh and fibreglass was designed by TA Landscape Architecture and, despite its sculptural character, has a very practical purpose: it connects the cable car station with the garden of a local hotel. Since its opening in 2018, visitors have been able to enjoy the spectacular view while being carried by hands on the Golden Bridge.
1. Dubai Frame
The Dubai Frame stands like an oversized picture frame in the landscape. Opened in 2018, it is impossible to miss with its two 150-metre-high towers. A 93-metre-long viewing platform with a glass floor connects the two towers. The building was designed by architect Fernando Donis, who won an award for his design back in 2008. Inside the Dubai Frame there are restaurants, shops and a museum. The seemingly simple shape of the building sets high static and safety requirements. This also makes this project exciting for property professionals. In addition to the shape, a spacious park in front of the building, the magnificent façade in the style of the United Arab Emirates and the breathtaking viewing platform delight the many visitors to this extraordinary building every day.
