This Week’s Crazy Building: Sunrise Kempinski Hotel

“Sunrise Kempinski Hotel” by Artyukh Igor is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Symbolism abounds in Beijing’s Sunrise Kempinski Hotel. Sitting on over 3,400 acres the compound features 14 restaurants and bars, a private marina, and even a pagoda. Covered by 10,000 glass panels, by day they reflect the sky, mountains, and lake. By night they are lit up by hydroelectric-powered LEDs. The Hotel is 318 feet high
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This Week’s Crazy Building: NTU Learning Hub

“NTU Learning Hub” by Lyslee555 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
The NTU Learning Hub in Singapore looks so organic, you would never guess it’s a space for technology! The unusual building, which looks like something from the Flintstones, includes many smart features to promote collaboration while also achieving the highest environmental standards. The NTU or Nanyang Technological University hired Heatherwick Studios for the design and
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This Week’s Crazy Building: The Bean

“The Bean” by Andrew E. Larsen is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Cloud Gate or the Bean as it’s known is an innovative sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor. Kapoor was inspired by liquid mercury and wanted to create something that would reflect the skyline, clouds, and visitors who get an interesting view underneath the work’s 12-foot high arch. It weighs in at 110 tons and required
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Fallen Star

Fallen Star at UCSD
UCSD’s Fallen Star is reminiscent of a scene from The Wizard of Oz. Designed by artist Do Ho Suh, the work examines the concepts of home, space, and memory. Suh felt like he had been “dropped from the sky” when he first came to study in America. The Fallen Star sits at a 10-degree angle
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Sea Ranch Chapel

California’s own Sea Ranch Chapel blends architecture with nature in a unique expression. Designed by James Hubbell, it took local artists, craftspeople, and contractors 9 months to complete. The work was done using a model and sketches instead of construction plans. Contractor Thamby Kumaran had experience working on ships which was instrumental in completing the
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Digital Beijing Building

The Digital Beijing Building looks like something from the Matrix. The aptly named structure’s northern and southern facades resemble barcodes while the eastern and western sides are reminiscent of circuit boards. It was built in 2007 to be a communication and information hub for the Summer Olympic Games the following year. In 2001, the Beijing
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Amos Rex

Amos Rex Museum Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki, Finland is home to a unique new art museum, Amos Rex. The historic 1930s Lasipalatsi building became its new home. Gallery space lies beneath a unique topography of hill-like shapes in a busy public square. Visitors can shop, dine, and catch a movie in the restored Bio Rex theater. Those under 18 can enter
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Francis Crick Institute

The high-tech Francis Crick Institute, located in the heart of London is the largest biomedical research facility under one roof in Europe. Opened in 2016, the 1,000,000 square foot building features 1,553 rooms over 12 floors. About 1,250 scientists from 70 countries work across disciplines to discover the underlying causes of disease and generate new
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Petersen Automotive Museum

The wild design of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles dares to ask why not? Check out the photo below to see how the 2014 reconstruction changed the facade (which was done without making major architectural revisions to the original building). The new design is composed of red corrugated metal beneath ribbons of riveted
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Ragnarock Museum

Dive into rock and roll music at the Ragnarock Museum in Roskilde, Denmark. Beyond the music, visitors explore how it has influenced culture. Designed by architects MVRDV and COBE, visitors walk the “red carpet” as they approach this gold-studded building. The interior also features the same studded shapes but in a red velvet shade, referencing
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