Steel House (US)

This extraordinary building, located near the city of Lubbock, Texas, immediately draws attention with its bizarre form. It resembles a giant rusty spaceship that seems to have landed on the edge of Yellow House Canyon. The project’s creator, sculptor and inventor Robert Bruno, began construction in 1973. It took him nearly 30 years to bring his vision to life, crafting everything by hand and using about 110 tons of corten steel—a corrosion-resistant material that gives the house its distinctive weathered look.

House on the Cliff (Grenadines)

Perched on one of the islands of the Grenadines in the Caribbean, this unusual residence appears to merge seamlessly with the surrounding rock. The architects managed to create a stunning sense of unity between the building and the landscape. The project was designed by the Spanish studio GilBartolome for a couple from Madrid, who fell in love with the local coastline and its natural beauty. Built from reinforced concrete, the house’s exterior is richly decorated with hundreds of handmade zinc scales, which shimmer across the façade. This technique not only evokes the movement of ocean waves but also protects the structure from the tropical climate.

Inntel Hotel (Netherlands)

Located in the center of Zaandam, near Amsterdam, this hotel opened in 2010 and instantly became a regional architectural icon thanks to its extraordinary design. The façade looks as if it has been assembled from a patchwork of 70 colorful pieces, each one inspired by elements of traditional local houses. The result is a whimsical twelve-story structure that seems to fuse multiple classic homes into one towering building.

Treehotel (Sweden)

Deep in the forests of Sweden’s Harads region, near the Arctic Circle, stands one of the world’s most famous eco-hotels. Opened in 2010, the Treehotel quickly became an international sensation. Its most striking creation is the Mirrorcube, a minimalist treehouse wrapped entirely in mirrored glass. The cube seems to slice through tree trunks, creating the illusion that nature flows right through the building. Constructed from lightweight aluminum and clad in reflective glass, the structure blends perfectly into its surroundings, reflecting the forest and leaving the ecosystem undisturbed.

Balancing Barn (England)

This mirrored building near the town of Thetford, Suffolk, is one of Britain’s most talked-about examples of contemporary rural architecture. Completed in 2010, the Balancing Barn takes inspiration from traditional countryside barns but reimagines them in a futuristic and surreal way. Nearly half of the structure projects dramatically over a slope, appearing to defy gravity and creating a mesmerizing sense of fragile balance.

The Wave (Denmark)

The Wave residential complex sits on the shores of the picturesque Vejle Fjord, in the Danish town of Vejle. Completed in 2018 after more than a decade of construction, the complex consists of five interconnected wave-shaped buildings. Its sweeping white façades echo the curves of the sea and surrounding hills, creating an impression of fluid motion. Beyond its visual appeal, the design ensures excellent natural lighting and offers panoramic views of the fjord from almost every apartment.