Hang in there! 13 breathtaking buildings that seem to defy gravity | CNN
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Hang in there! 13 breathtaking buildings that seem to defy gravity
Balancing Barn, England —
Visit Suffolk, in East Anglia, and book at stay at the Balancing Barn, by Dutch architecture firm MVRDV. An incredible 50% of the holiday home is unsupported, but it's so solidly balanced that a swing has been installed at the end of it.
Located along a mountain pass on the Austrian-Italian border at the height of 2,509 meters, this stunning museum illustrates the history of the pass and the nearby road. Its open ended structure is a reminder of the function of the surrounding area, which connects two nations.
The museum was designed by Italian architect Werner Tscholl to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road.
Courtesy Werner Tscholl/ photo by Alex Rainer
Flying Mud Boat, Japan —
A few tension cables are all that's keeping Terunobu Fujimori's "Flying Mud Boat" from crashing to the ground. The cute little hut has an anime feel and can be dismantled and installed anywhere.
courtesy kentaro tsukuba
Too High Teahouse, Japan —
The "Too High Teahouse" was also created by architect Terunobu Fujimori, who took inspiration from traditional Japanese teahouses. He represented Japan at the 2006 Venice Biennale.
courtesy kenta mabuchi
Wozoco Apartments, Netherlands —
MVRDV architects explain that the original design for the apartment units for the Wozoco building in Amsterdam didn't fit the size of the construction. But they just put them in anyway and let the extra space jut out.
courtesy mvrdv
Fallingwater, USA —
Fallingwater is perhaps American architect Frank Lloyd Wright's best known building. It hovers poetically on top of a waterfall. The structure was so shocking when it was built in the 1930s that it landed on the cover of Time magazine.
courtesy brian donovan
Astra brewery, Germany —
The Astra Tower in Hamburg housed the brewery that made Astra beer. The gravity defying landmark was eventually demolished and replaced by a less exciting generic office tower.
courtesy jan krutisch
Rohner Port Building, Austria —
Designed by architectural firm Baumschlager Eberle, the Rohner Port Building can be found in Fussach, Austria. It is meant to evoke a bird standing on thin legs.
from baumschlager-erberle.com
Sharp Centre, Canada —
Why build a regular school when you can make a stunning one? Architect Will Aslop answered that thought with the fun and colorful Sharp Centre for the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, which balances on thin stilts.
from www.all-worldwide.co
Cube houses, Netherlands —
The late Dutch architect Piet Blom designed these whimsical cubic houses in Rotterdam and Helmond, in the Netherlands. The top part of the homes are tilted 45 degrees to create a dizzying effect.
courtesy andrea de poda
Cube houses, Netherlands —
Inside the houses, sunlight pours in from the numerous windows. The structures are now an iconic tourist attraction.
courtesy Michela Simoncini
Niterói Museum, Brazil —
One of Rio de Janeiro's icons, the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and structural engineer Bruno Contarini, taking inspiration from a flower.
courtesy Rodrigo Soldon
Montreal Olympic stadium, Canada —
Montreal's landmark Olympic Stadium is known for the world's tallest leaning tower (175 meters). It was designed by French architect Roger Taillibert.
courtesy Nic Redhead
Cactus house, Netherlands —
Like a giant Jenga tower, the Cactus House was designed by Ben Huygen and Jasper Jaegers for the city of Amsterdam. Each level of the proposed housing project maximizes sunlight exposure to the balconies, encouraging greenery.
