Designing a beautiful building that can provide comfort and practicality requires high doses of creativity, knowledge, and skills. When the architecture company clearly lacks one of these factors, the result is often a poorly designed structure that looks like perfect chaos. Well, we surely understand that this job is quite demanding and even extra challenging at times. But still, it's not always a good idea to mix modern art and traditional architecture, and you’re just about to see why we feel this way.

Of course, nobody enjoys boring and out-of-date designs that can quickly put you in a sullen, melancholy mood; however, everything in life should be done in moderation, especially when it directly affects people’s lives and sense of practicality.

So, whether it’s an office building, a family house, or a 5-star hotel, these examples clearly show that the architect might have gone a little overboard with their creative ideas and architectural planning.

From rare towers that almost look like a living, breathing creature to high-rise buildings that twist and dance together, say a friendly Hello to some of the weirdest structures around the world. Indeed, what was the architect really thinking?

25 The Basket Building Was Dave Longaberger's Biggest Mistake

What started as a simple, an almost naïve dream quickly turned into a jaw-dropping building, shaped like a giant basket. Initially, Dave wanted the company’s headquarters to bear a striking resemblance to their successful basket production. The experts who worked on this unusual and downright ridiculous project weren’t at all fascinated by Dave’s plan; however, his “dream” finally became a reality in 1997. The 7-story building features at least 150-ton handles that are even visible from State Route 16, Ohio. As bizarre as it is, this Basket Building is made of stucco placed over a steel foundation. Well, it sure creates the illusion of an actual basket with woven patterns; however, the whole project doesn’t exactly sound like the most fantastic architectural design.

24 A High-Rise Building That Looks Like An Elephant

Situated at Paholyothin Road in Bangkok, Thailand, The Elephant Tower is, hands down, the country’s most famous structure, soaring up to 102 meters in the sky. This high-rise building in Bangkok resembles an elephant and often serves as a hotspot for photographers and architecture-lovers. Frankly, we can’t even begin to imagine the regular flow of curious travelers there, who come here only to marvel at its engineering. The overly creative architect who worked on the project was Ong-ard Satrabhandhu. In a nutshell, this man designed a jaw-dropping building with 32 floors that look like nothing else you’ve ever seen.

23 Meet "The Shark"  - Russia

Who said that bars and cafes should have a dull, unattractive façade? This exceptional place somewhere in Russia was actually made from an old boat. No, that’s hardly a joke, pals. This beautiful Slavic country has always been full of character; therefore, such unique and rarely seen architectural designs somehow match its profile. But what’s slightly more compelling than that is the presence of unreliable stilts on which the boat-shaped structure sits. On top of all, when the Karma River enters its full cycle of strength and length, it spills over, and "The Shark" looks as though it’s almost floating on the water. It sure sounds pretty cool until you happen to be at the "The Shark" when the river comes.

22 Habitat 67 Was A Failed Dream

Unfortunately, this is just another poorly designed building that was even acknowledged as a failed architectural attempt. The Israeli designer and architect, Moshe Safdie, set off on a challenging mission to build an imaginary city made up of over 50 buildings. But much to his surprise, his innovative project had cracks in more than just one place. Also, the project, which was initially designed as a structure to balance the cold geometry against the breathing nature, was eventually mired in a huge controversy. Of all the pavilions built for Expo 67, only two have remained somewhat intact.

21 The Odd Sheep Building In New Zealand

Now that we’ve got an elephant-shaped structure, it was high time we introduced you to this unique and famous Sheep Building. Actually, this animal-inspired building has got a visitor center and a wool shop from where tourists can purchase delightful souvenirs for their families. However, when it comes to the design of the building, we can’t really say that it’s particularly beautiful and mesmerizing. The charming town of Tirau in New Zealand is apparently quite fond of taking care of such concrete animals. The sheep, dog, and ram seem to be enjoying standing guard in a town with less than 800 residents in total.

20 The Gravity-Defying Szymbark House In Poland

Designed by Daniel Czapiewski, this upside-down house is not only a gravity-defying structure but a major tourist spot in Poland. This mysterious house, positioned at the foot of a hill, is often considered an architectural project with an anti-political bend. This unique house was built on a tilt, barely providing the sense of comfort and practicality. Therefore, it took much longer than usual to complete.

In the late 90s, the interior of the house was decked out in quite modern furnishings that were way ahead of the time. Every single detail there was well-considered to oppose the Polish political dominance back in the day. By the time the house was completed, the life in Poland must have been turned upside down as well.

19 The Cubic Apartments In Rotterdam That Are Quite Confusing

These curios Cube Houses - also known as Kubuswoningen in Holland - are one of the city’s most symbolic tourist attractions. The creation of these apartments was based on the concept of “Living As Urban Roof.”

In a country like Holland, such a residential development is thought of as an effective way to optimize more space on the ground level. The unique architectural project presents an unseen set of innovative houses that were somehow poorly designed anyway. These atypical apartments are shaped like cubes and are tilted over by 40 degrees.  Indeed, all of this may really sound quite revolutionary in this artistic industry; however, the architect might have built a more practical building that’s actually good for living.

18 The Teakettle House That Was Neglected By Tea-Lovers

At first, you may think of this design as quite a lovely architectural joke that somebody wanted to excite us with. However, when you take a second look at it, you’ll realize how bizarre its design really is. Frankly, if we had the chance to talk with the creator of this unbelievably insane structure, we’d probably ask them what on earth made them sketch such a design. The so-called Teakettle house was built in the late 90s and was supposed to serve as a low-cost restaurant. Ironically, the Teakettle house that was meant to be popular with tea-lovers wasn't exactly a hit back in the day. But, oh well, let’s not pretend that we can hardly think of a reason or two as to why it failed to attract crowds of regulars.

17 An Italian House That Flies?

Of course, there’s no such thing as flying buildings and houses, but what really makes this structure quite exceptional is its unique abilities. Indeed, this rather unattractive house with a dull façade runs on rails and swivels 360 degrees. Does your home possess such theatrical skills? Probably not, but neither do ours. Apparently, the guy who built this strange structure – because it doesn’t really look like an average house at all – lived in it for at least a few years before passing away. As weird as it sure is, this house is still holding up somewhere in the region of Sarzana, Italy where it rotates on its rails while fading away into shambles.

16 A Piano-Shaped Building That's Cute But Basically Useless

Located in the eastern parts of China, this weird piano-shaped building is probably one of the most romantic places in Anhui’s Province. Those who are devoted fans of both architecture and music will probably find this architectural design to be quite fantastic. But for the rest of us – practical thinkers – it certainly looks over-the-top, especially with these piano-inspired components that are basically devoid of any purpose whatsoever. Thankfully, nobody made the mistake to buy this building. Today this otherwise charming place simply serves as a tourist attraction in Huainan city, east Anhui Province, China.

15 Hang Nga Guesthouse a.k.a The Crazy House - Vietnam

Located somewhere in Vietnam, this weird guest house surely lives up to its name. There’s no doubt that the so-called Hang Nga Guesthouse instantly catches the eye, but sadly, it doesn’t leave a good impression on anyone. There’s nothing particularly exciting about its architecture, especially with its inconsistent themes and patterns. If you take a closer look at it, you’ll surely see that no two windows look the same; and yes, THAT thing in the bottom left corner really looks like a giraffe, sticking its head out of the ground.

Apparently, this atypical building is owned by the daughter of the ex-president of Vietnam, and we can’t help but think where sanity has gone these days.

14 The Lonely House That Got Stuck Between Rocks. Literally.

Why would anyone want their house to be wedged between jagged rocks? Obviously, the person who came up with this ridiculous architectural plan must’ve regretted this project since its creation. This otherwise charming place, known as La Maison du Gouffre is literally wedged between huge jagged rocks. Since its completion, this cottage has been drawing tourists who cannot believe how come the house was put exactly between these two rocks. Well, if they really want to find the answer to their question, they certainly must ask the owner and architect of this strange structure.

13 When A Roof Tumbles Down Due To A Poor Architectural Design

Kemper Arena is an indoor stadium that opened its doors in 1976. But somehow the trussed roof of the building, which was supposed to be its best feature, turned out to be its worst. In 1979, Kansas City was hit by a heavy storm, and the roof of the building gave in. Ironically, the design of the roof had to release rainwater when in reality, it allowed the water to collect until it formed a pool on the roof. As a result of the poorly designed roof, the whole creation went to hell.  What’s even more ridiculous is that even the bolts were miscalculated. No wonder why the trussed roof came tumbling down during the heavy storm.

12 The Facade Of The Walkie Talkie Centre In London Reflects Too Much Sunlight Onto The Street

The Walkie Talkie Centre in London is, without a doubt, an eye-popping building that was most likely thought of as an architectural triumph. But much to the surprise of the team of its engineers and architects, the building turns out to be quite dangerous for anyone on the streets. The Walkie Talkie Center has got some serious safety issues regarding its shiny façade that was somewhat neglected during its completion. The building reflects sunlight onto the streets, which has already proven to make the pedestrians feel a bit weird and uncomfortable; not to mention that the reflected sunlight damages the paint of the parked cars nearby the building.

11 Vdara Hotel & Spa Is Literally The Hottest Building In The Area

Similarly to the well-known 20 Fenchurch Street (The Walkie Talkie Center in London), this luxury LA Spa Hotel has also underestimated the reflective and mighty power of the sun. Vdara hotel has got such a curved structure that it causes a solar beam that makes the indoor pools perfectly unusable. That’s not all, though. Much like the Walkie Talkie Center, the shiny exterior design of the building also reflects too much light onto the streets. Sometimes it gets so hot that you can even cook eggs on the road without any problem. From the look of things, the architects who worked on the project didn’t exactly see that coming.

10 The InTempo Skyscraper Had No Elevator

The Spanish Intempo skyscraper might have sounded like the definition of innovation, but in reality, it was nothing more than a high-rise building plagued with mishaps. A perfect example of that is the lack of an elevator despite the 23 flights of steps that the workers have to trudge up to complete the building. Somehow none of the engineers realized that they were building a skyscraper without an elevator. Ironically, the sales manager of the Intempo residential towers explained that there were, in fact, initial drawings of elevators. According to Rafael Ballesta, the architectural planning included at least six of them. But apparently, they must have played some sort of a magic trick on everyone since they just disappeared in the blink of an eye.

9 The Cladding of Aon Center Only Lasted A Year

Whoever thought that it’d be a good idea to fork over hundreds of thousands of dollars into the façade of this building was honestly a pretty foolish person. This Italian cladding is often used as a material that can turn even the most boring façade into a stunning one; however, the Italian Carrara cladding of the famous Aon Center barely lasted a year. Although it’s no secret that the Italian Carrara marble is much thinner than the standard cladding, it resulted in a severe cracking way too soon. At one point it got so bad that one of the slabs detached and even crashed into the roof of the adjacent building. Subsequently, the entire façade of the building had to be sheathed again and it only proved that the cladding material was a pretty poor choice.

8 John Hancock Tower - Get Ready For Some Thermal Stress

Being stuck on the 20th floor in a skyscraper that isn’t properly designed for swaying or dealing with thermal stresses is like trying to jump off a hill without a parachute. Now couple that with people’s fear of heights and motion sickness, which isn’t rare at all, and you’ll get one hell of a working environment. Literally. This poorly designed building even caused hundreds of windows to pop out of the frame and eventually fall into the street below. Well, we don’t know why John Hancock Tower was built like this, but it should be completely renovated before something much more serious happens there.

7 333 South Wabash - The CNA Plaza

Evidently, the engineers and architects, who designed this fabulous building, didn’t take the thermal expansion seriously, and boy, did they pay for their negligence. This overlooked detail resulted in dozens of cracked windows over time.  Worse still, one window of the 333 South Wabash cracked so badly that it actually fell to the street below. As a result, over 3,000 windows had to be replaced with new ones. Since then, the building has gotten tons of yearly checks which had to prove that the building is no longer a threat to the passengers below. Hopefully, there would be no more such cases in the future.

6 The W.E.B. Du Bois Library Is Sinking Due To The Volume Of Books

Besides being the tallest library in the USA, the W.E.B Du Bois Library is also quite ill-famed for something else. According to the Boston Globe, this otherwise impressive building is slowly sinking due to its rich collection of books. Interestingly, the building has already started spalling – a phenomenon that explains the strange occurrence when structures begin shedding brick ships.

Of course, the authorities didn’t just sit back in their padded chairs while the legendary library was falling apart.

As an attempt to slow down the process of spalling, lots of books were eventually moved out of the library. The Du Bois library was built on a pond-saturated ground which justifies the sinking; however, it doesn’t explain why the library was so poorly built.