With the vast technology spread evolving faster than ever, boosting many creative aspects for architects, we can now see many magnificent sculpture art spots in the world. There are equally as many of them are ugly, average, uninteresting, or formulaic. Then, in a category all to themselves, are the genuinely bizarre ones—the ones you have to witness to believe they exist.
By now, architects are aware of the beauty of these designs that persist as emblems of creativity and art. They also know these forms frequently serve as people’s favorite art tourism destinations. As a result, architects started immersing the art of sculptures in various aspects, including children’s sculptures, ceramic sculptures and food sculptures.
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There is something special about eccentric architecture, including the various impressive structures around the globe that are renowned for their breathtaking and controversial designs. What comes to mind, then, when you think about odd structures? Does the structure resemble a basket or a wonky house? And if you haven’t already seen a pretty strange design, here are twenty of The World’s Strangest Sculpture Art Spots in the world that defy the standard and should be your next stop on your art tourism destinations.
20 of The Strangest Buildings and Sculpture Art Spots Around the World:
We have some of the strangest sculpture art spots in the world. By strange, we don’t mean that these sculptures are ugly or unappealing; instead, we suggest they are unique, existing for a reason. Sculptures naturally can appeal to the general public. With its three-dimensional dynamics, it draws a spectator in and frequently conveys a message that could be social, historical, or cultural.
While European nations lead the globe in displaying sculptures in public spaces like streets, it is common to find sculptures interacting with passersby in public areas worldwide. Here are 20 of the strangest sculpture art spots and the strangest buildings in the world that have inspired millions and connected the art world with the viewers.
1) Longaberger basket building, Newark, Ohio:
©Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images
The Longaberger Company, a maker and distributor of baskets, had its corporate offices in this structure, sometimes referred to as the Big Basket, which is a notable illustration of unconventional architecture. After the business relocated in 2016, the building was purchased by local developer Steve Coon to convert it into a five-star hotel. However, it is now back on sale for $6.5 million.
2) Dog Bark Inn, Cottonwood, Idaho:
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This beagle-shaped property, located along highway 95 in Cottonwood, Idaho, is a bed-and-breakfast hotel. Guests enter the room through a private walkway on the second floor that connects to the pup’s body. When inside, a staircase leads to the dog’s head, which also has extra sleeping quarters and a muzzle alcove.
Also read: 10 of the Most Iconic Buildings of Modern Architecture
3) National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad, India:
©art.branipick.com
This enormous fish-shaped building, built in 2012, is close to Hyderabad and serves as the regional office of the National Fisheries Development Board. Inspired by Frank Gehry’s “Fish” in Barcelona, this four-story building, also known as “Fish Building,” is a perfect illustration of hideous cookie-cutter structures in architecture. The structure’s facade is covered in stainless steel panels, making it even more spectacular at night; when blue spotlights shine on the building, it appears like a fish is swimming through the city.
©PETER KENT, Pinterest
4) Piano Building Huainan, China:
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Hefei University of Technology architecture students created this glass violin-shaped structure in 2007, leaning on a piano and acting as an exhibition showroom. The violin has a staircase and escalators, and the piano, supported by three concrete legs, has space for two concert halls. It is referred to as the “Most Romantic Building in China,” making it one of the top art tourism destinations.
5) Niimi Building Tokyo, Japan:
©Philipp Zechner/Alamy
Who said you could only dive into human-sized teacups at amusement parks? Japanese kitchenware distributor Niimi’s Tokyo building has enormous teacup balconies in Asakusa, which also happens to be the location of the well-known Buddhist temple “Sensō-ji.”
Also read:-10 Remarkable Art Nouveau Buildings Mastered by Gaudí
6) Big Duck / Long Island, New York, USA:
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The one who initiated everything. Yes, we know you’ve been waiting long to understand the story behind this infamous hideous cookie-cutter structure. Martin Mauer, a duck farmer, pitched the building in 1931 to sell ducks and eggs. The building attracted a lot of folks due to its distinctive style and convenient location. The duck, initially constructed along a major roadway in Riverhead, New York, lived a troubled life moving around a lot until settling 6 kilometers away in the little village of Flanders.
An old picture of the Big Duck structure back in the ’70s, ©Mac Gramlich/Getty Images
The building’s design, intended to resemble a Pekin duck, was constructed almost entirely out of steel wire and cement to allow a place for a gift shop. Along with being memorialized in the united states, the Big Duck also contributed to architectural history in 2008 when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States.
7) Haines Shoe House | Hallam Pennsylvania, USA:
©Visitpadutchcountry.com
According to records, shoe salesman Mahlon Haines handed the structure’s architect a boot and requested, “Build me a house like this.” In 1948, Haines created The Shoe House as a means of business marketing. The five-story building, which is 25 feet tall, features an unconventional layout with the living room at the toe, the kitchen at the heel, and the bedrooms up the boot’s ankle. In the shoe’s instep, there’s also an ice cream store.
8) Prague Dancing House, Prague, Czech Republic:
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The Nationale Nederlanden Building, popularly referred to as the “Dancing House,” is the most impressive sight in Prague. Designed by Vlado Milunic in collaboration with Frank Gehry in 1992 and finished in 1996, it symbolizes the immortally famous dancing team of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Due to its uniqueness, its contemporary style is universally acclaimed today in contrast to how contentious it was when built back then.
9) Kindergarten Wolfartsweier, Karlsluhe, Germany:
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Honestly, if I were a kid, I’d be blown away to attend this school every day, learn, and play in a structure with that compact design. Every morning as kids enter through its mouth, the metal and concrete structure, covered by a green fur-like roof, stands there, acting as though it were going to eat them. Its two levels are well-lit by the sun through the large, spherical windows that serve as its eyes.
10) Big Dog and Sheep, Tirau, New Zealand:
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Tirau, a small town in New Zealand, is home to some monstrous animals. The highway through the city, which has a population of just around 800, is lovingly patrolled by a giant dog and a big ram, followed by an oversized sheep.
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Designed by regional artist Steven Clothier, the i-SITE Visitor Center, also known as the Big Dog Information Center, is located in the Big Dog, while the Big Sheep’s stomach is home to a wool and craft store. Both buildings were built in the 1990s. However, the visitor center was constructed with a matching design after the sheep.
11) The Knotted Gun, New York:
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The Non-Violence by Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, popularly known as The Knotted Gun, is conveniently situated adjacent to the United Nations in New York. The artwork now stands for the possibility of a world without violence.
12) Les Voyageurs, France:
©freeyork.org
This intriguing sculpture has the power to fascinate anyone. Bruno Catalano’s sculpture attempts to capture the aspects of life that the regular person lacks.
13) Čumil, Bratislava, Slovakia:
©Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Given his perspective peering out of a maintenance hole and the sneaky smirk on his face, it makes perfect logic that it is the Slovak word for “watcher.” Following Slovakia’s independence in 1947, the city commissioned several public works, including The Watcher by local sculptor Viktor Hulk.
14) Man Hanging Out, Prague:
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There are many sculptures in Prague, but this one, the “Man Hanging Out,” is arguably one of the greatest. The statue, which David Cerny made, portrays the well-known Sigmund Freud grappling with the decision of whether to grasp on or let go while holding onto the post with one hand.
15) Really Good, London, United Kingdom:
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This one-of-a-kind sculpture stands in London’s Trafalgar Square and welcomes guests as they pass around the persistently busy square. “Really Good,” a 23-foot-tall bronze thumbs-up hand sculpture by Turner Prize-nominated artist David Shrigley, is meant to take a little step toward improving the world. A ridiculous but worthwhile proposition, according to the artist.
16) The Mustangs of Las Colinas, Texas, USA:
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One of the world’s largest collections of sculptured horses is this one. Despite frequently appearing smaller in pictures, these bronze statues are 1.5 times larger than actual horses. They have unique water jets fitted into their feet that project water in a manner that creates an illusion that they are running through a river.
17) The Unknown Bureaucrat, Reykjavik, Iceland:
©wikimapia.org
Constructed in 1994 by the sculptor Magnus Tomasson. The Unknown Official is a vast stone sculpture that depicts a guy wearing a suit and a suitcase but lacking a torso and having his upper half encircled by a huge rock. It is still one of Iceland’s most popular attractions.
18) De Vaartkapoen, Brussels, Belgium:
©Ruthasis, Pinterest
Designed by the Belgian artist/ sculptor Tom Frantzen in 1985, this sculpture shows a scene evocative of a comic sketch where a man abruptly appears from a utility hole and pulls a policeman’s feet out from under him.
19) Statue of Franz Kafka, Prague, Czech Republic:
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With many personal interpretations, this vague sculpture has been controversial for a long time as Jaroslav Róna’s underlying concept is hardly understandable. According to one hypothesis, it is a throwback to Kafka’s story “Description of a Struggle,” in which the protagonist, jealous of another traveler, climbs onto his shoulders to get a new perspective on the world. As soon as he realizes everyone has their hardships, his envy for the unknown individual vanishes.
20) Alberta’s Dream, Alberta, Canada:
©Michael Wheatley/Getty Images
Another controversial artwork is the Spanish Jaume Plensa statue, Alberta’s Dream. Many disagree with the artwork’s significance because it is so politically contentious. However, that distinguishes Plensa’s work since it sparks a discussion that might not have occurred alternatively.
