When Antoni Gaudi graduated from architecture school, the official who handed him his diploma famously remarked that Gaudi was either a genius or a fool. Gaudi’s fantastical Casa Batlló—which is the most distinctive house in a row of eccentric homes in Barcelona, often referred to as the “Island of Discord”—proves beyond a shadow of a…
Architect Mike Reynolds is a firm believer that one man’s trash is another man’s insulation. A pile of discarded tires and beer cans inspired Reynolds to start building houses out of materials that most people throw away. The company that Reynolds founded—Earthship Biotecture—currently builds unique, sustainable homes around the world. Mike Reynolds decided that the…
From serving as suitable scenery for scary movies to keeping real-life secrets within its walls, the famous Sowden House knows how to attract both film enthusiasts and amateur detectives. In 1926, skilled architect Lloyd Wright designed this masterpiece of a house for painter and photographer John Sowden, who the Mayan-style residence is named after. The…
The main historic landmark of luxury living in New York City is Long Island, which holds the architectural diamonds of America. Luxury mansions, extravagant parties, fancy clothes and rare cars are roughly how F. Scott Fitzgerald portrayed the Gold Coast of Long Island in the 1920s in The Great Gatsby. These were the years when…
The El Jem Amphitheatre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the largest and best-preserved Roman monuments globally, and it holds a unique place in Africa. Nestled in the small village of El Jem (formerly known as Thysdrus) in eastern Tunisia, this architectural marvel is a testament to the grandeur and extent of the…
In the heart of Vienna, Austria, stands a whimsical, one-of-a-kind residential building known as Hundertwasserhaus. Designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, it’s a captivating architectural treasure worth exploring. Abandoning conventional linear forms and box-like structures, Hundertwasserhaus boasts an eclectic mix of shapes, colors, and columns that reflect the signature style of its creator, Friedensreich Hundertwasser….
f you ever find yourself in Montreal, there’s a peculiar structure on the waterfront that is bound to catch your attention. This is Habitat 67, a housing complex that was designed by Moshe Safdie as part of his graduate thesis while studying architecture at McGill University. The building was erected to provide temporary accommodation for…
Burj Al Babas, located near the Black Sea, is a ghost town filled with 587 half-finished, abandoned mini-castles. Initially, it was planned as a luxurious urban development offering the appearance of royalty for those willing to pay from $370,000 to $500,000 for their own palace. The project developer, Sarot Group, envisioned rich foreigners enjoying the…
