When you’ve got a wild imagination and money to burn, it can give birth to some really odd architecture.
There’s everything from mini-amusement parks and dizzying towers to “battery homes” and make-shift castles. One is even upside-down. Sadly, most of us will never see them.
Amey Kandalgaonkar is a Shanghai-based architect that loves to mix nature with stark, harsh building lines.
This mansion was inspired by ancient tombs in Saudi Arabia – which were literally carved inside an enormous chunk of rock in the middle of nowhere. Inside is modern, luxurious, and incredibly private. Sorry, no public tours.
Architect Freddy Mamani Silvestre is famous for building mansions for Bolivias emerging wealthy moguls.
The locals have gone to calling them “space ships” – and not in an endearing way. Outside might be bright and loud, but inside is even brighter and louder. It seems to be a cross between a Vegas casino and a kid’s playroom.
Matt and Cassey Topham landed some serious luck when they won 42million pounds in a lottery.
They bought an old mansion with the idea of redesigning it into a massive eco-home. Their luck turned sour when they found out the place was illegally claimed by a criminal element. We can’t go there because they haven’t been able to build it yet.
In the middle of sprawling green farmlands sits Chateau Artisan. Architect Charles Sieger modeled the mansion after a 17th-century French chateau.
The problem, his “castle” needed a mote, but there were no lakes in the area. The rich designer wasn’t phased and had one dug instead. The only way outsiders can see inside is if you pay the insane rent levels.
It’s also known as the Dr. Seuss House by the locals of Talkeetna, Alaska.
Engineer Phillip Weidner had originally wanted a two-story cabin. However, his imagination and engineering degree took over. After 20 years of construction, it now sits at 185 feet high. People are not allowed in because it’s private property … and the house still isn’t done.
From the front, it looks like any other sprawling property.
But it’s in the back that things take a unique turn. Apparently, the designer thought a personal, tiny water park was the perfect addition. There’s not only a lounge area, but also a lazy river, a games room, a basketball court, and a tennis court.
It’s touted as the largest log home in the world. It is the one exception to this list – in that you can actually go and visit the Northern Michigan lakefront home.
It has over 50 rooms including a steam room, indoor boathouse, and a 3,000-gallon hot tub. There is also a side farm with an apple orchard and 13 extra buildings.
One guy loved Batman so much, he decided to make a mansion inspired by the character.
Also inspired by Gaudí, the building sculpted what he imagined a white, posh bat cave would look like. The final result ended up looking like a bleached skeleton growing out of the ground.
A Russian businessman and real estate developer decided he wanted to not only wake up to blue skies every morning, but he also wanted to live in a space ship.
So that’s exactly what he had built. It’s an odd sight to see in the middle of a lush forest. It gets even stranger when you read the architect’s “professional description”.
It’s like a boathouse … but on millions of dollars and a bunch of steroids.
One wealthy couple spent millions making their dream home float. They wanted to travel but have their own space. The very cool thing is that there are hydraulic pillars that will raise it up (in case of hurricanes or other dangerous storms). It’s an understatement to say it’s very strange to see it floating by.
Topsy-turvy homes are rare – maybe a dozen or so scattered around the log.
They’re often made as art pieces, unique landmarks, or tourist attractions. The ones where the public is allowed inside have all come with the same reaction. It didn’t matter how big it was. The experience was jarring.
Rolf Disch designed this Freiburg mansion to be as environmentally friendly and energy-efficient as possible.
The entire building rotates so its solar panels get all the sun. Also, the insulated side is turned in whatever direction the season requires. Sadly, the idea never caught on and it remains the only one of its kind. Sorry, no visitors allowed.
The dominant building in the middle of Kielder Reservoir actually serves as part of the water processing system.
However, in fine rich-person fashion, one eccentric millionaire tried to buy it so he could change it into a house. The offers went on for years with the government standing firm. It finally ended with the buyer deciding to copy the idea in a place he was allowed to buy.
In the middle of suburban Mississauga Ontario, Canada sits this well-known property.
Its 18,000 square feet of lavish living space is everything you would imagine in the epitome of wealth. There’s just one problem. The name made headlines when a maid was found deceased by “non-natural” means.
