Shoe House -  South Africa

The ‘shoe house’ of South Africa is the work of artist and hotelier Ron Van Zyl, who built it for his wife Yvonne in 1990. The shoe houses a little museum of sorts, showcasing Van Zyl’s wood carvings. The shoe is part of a complex that includes an eight-chalet guest house, camp site, restaurant, pool and bar.

Mushroom House - Cincinnati, Ohio

Architect Terry Brown created this much-maligned ‘mushroom house’, an unusual piece of architecture situated in a rather upscale area of Cincinnati. Brown’s architectural style developed when he began experimenting with materials like wood, colored glass, shell, ceramics and various metals to create irregular shapes that mimic those found in nature.  A professor of architecture and interior design at the University of Cincinnati, Brown frequently had to defend the unique design of the house against complaints by neighbors before passing away in 2008.

Floating House - Ukraine

An optical illusion? Trick of Photoshop? Nobody really seems to know much about this supposed ‘floating barn’ which was reportedly located in Ukraine and may or may not still be standing. Cantilevered barns do exist - mostly in the Appalachian region of the United States – but usually aren’t quite this dramatic looking. Real or fake, it’s certainly pretty striking.

Space House – Signal Mountain, Tennessee

 

The ‘Space House’ in Signal Mountain, Tennessee was built by Curtis King and his sons in the 1970s and is quite a draw for curiosity seekers in the area, who have been filing by and taking photos for decades. Six concrete support pillars look like landing gear beneath the main part of the building. The Space House sold on the auction block in March 2008 but the buyer defaulted, so it’s being offered for “whatever the public is willing to pay” on December 14th.

Crooked House – Sopot, Poland

From Poland comes another interesting building, the ‘Crooked House’. The design was inspired by the drawings of Polish artists Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg, which have a whimsical and Dali-esque feel. It’s not actually a house – it’s part of a shopping complex. But, it’s very cool all the same, with its surreal angles and blue-green glass.

Hundertwasser Haus – Vienna, Austria

Austrian artist Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser may not be well known across most of the world, but anyone who has visited Vienna knows of his iconic creation, the Hundertwasser Haus.  It’s an apartment complex characterized by patchwork paint, undulating floors, the incorporation of vegetation and a façade with seemingly no rhyme or reason to its structure. Hundertwasser reportedly took no payment for designing it, considering it a public service to prevent something ugly going up in its place.

7 Glittering Greenhouses and Glass Houses

(Check out our complete collection of 70 Amazing Houses from Around the World.)

amazing glass houses and greenhouses

Most of us see our homes as our own personal sanctuaries. Home is a place where you can let loose, be yourself, and walk around in your underwear whenever you please. But for people who live in glass houses, home is more like a fish tank. While some of these glass houses seem impractical for everyday living, others serve a very real purpose. Greenhouses are constructed of glass to harness the power of the sun for growing plants. Whether they are meant for people or for plants, these houses made of glass are visually stunning.

 

philip johnson glass house new canaan connecticut

 

Arguably the most famous glass house is the Glass House designed by the late architect Philip Johnson as his own residence. When it was completed in 1949, it was hailed as a triumph in glass architecture. It continues to be a well-loved example of superb design, and in 1997 it was declared a national landmark. Located in New Canaan, Connecticut, the Glass House is now open for visitors to explore.

 

amazing glass house ring house

 

This striking home is located in a forest in the Japanese town of Karuizawa. Its solid glass walls are punctuated with bands of wood that both connect it to and separate it from the surrounding forest. The building site itself was a dark and uninviting space, but the architects managed to make this incredibly beautiful home look perfectly in sync with its surroundings.

 

amazing glass house christiania glass house

The glass house in Christiania, Copenhagen, proves that high-powered architects are not the only ones who can build beautiful glass structures. This building was constructed from salvaged materials and the exterior glass walls are composed of old windows. The old window frames add character and charm to the home. Since glass houses can often appear cold and clinical, this is an interesting take on building glass walls.

 

yume no shima tropical greenhouse

 

The tropical greenhouse on the man-made Japanese island of Yume No Shima (Dream Island) is a magnificent example of how beautiful greenhouses can be. The structure is composed of three domes that tower over the landscape of this former garbage dump which was reborn as a park in 1978. The domes have been open since 1988 and today house impressive examples of greenery like giant bamboo and carnivorous plants.

 

amazing glass house farnsworth house

 

Another glass house that has achieved some measure of fame is the Farnsworth house. Built by famed architect Lugwig Mies van der Rohe in the late 1940s, the home was commissioned by prominent Chicago doctor Edith Farnsworth. The gorgeous house was a feat of modern design, but it was the subsequent legal battle between the homeowner and architect that focused the public’s attention on the structure. The Farnsworth house is now a national landmark open for tours.

 

 

amazing greenhouses curitiba botanical garden

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