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50 Times Architects Really Outdid Themselves And People Celebrated Their Works Online (New Pics)
More than 4 billion people live in urban areas globally. It’s now projected that by 2050, more than two-thirds of the world population will live in urban areas. So no wonder we pay more importance to the buildings and structures around us.
And among countless poorly executed, dysfunctional, and aesthetically nauseating architecture examples (just take a look at our previous post with architecture so bad it got shamed by people), there are some gems that landed in this list.
From vertical gardens to incredible brickwork, and anything that combines function, creativity, skill and complements the surrounding area in a beautiful way, there’s a real feast for your eyes. Scroll down through the examples of architects outdoing themselves, and upvote your favorite ones! Psst! Part 1 of this post awaits right here.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
This Vertical Garden Located In Madrid, Spain
Davis the Un-Greatest 3 years ago
It looks like when two images are spliced together, where one is a city and one is nature
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#2
Entrance Gate Of The St. Petersburg Mosque, Russia. Designed By Architect Nikolai Vasilyev
#3
Apartment Building In Turin Holds 150 Trees
When you think of architectural wonders, you think of the beautiful Sydney Opera House, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris (partially destroyed by a huge fire accident in 2019), The Guggenheim, New York City or La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona. These architectural icons deservedly land on t-shirts and coffee mugs that tourists bring home along with their great memories.
In many cases, however, such iconic examples that shaped modern architecture and gave new meanings to how generations of the past century saw the spaces they live and spend time in are rather rare. In reality, mass urbanization is exploding around the world, meaning that around 50% of the 7 plus billion people on this planet have moved to cities. And this number will almost certainly increase to around 80% by 2050.
#4
Matsumoto Castle, Matsumoto, Japan, Late 16th Century
#5
Eltz Castle Is Located In Wierschem, Germany And Has Been Owned And Occupied By The Same Family For Over 850 Years...
Jyri Hakola 3 years ago
And for some curious reason the head of the same family looks still as young as he looked 850 years ago ? ;)
#6
Mont Saint Michel In France
And there are many threats that come with urbanization, from pollution and uncollected waste to social inequality and greater poverty, with local governments unable to provide services for all people. Since there are so many more people living in urban areas, the housing problem is another key problem in big cities where the prices of real estate are affordable for the very small fraction of society with higher than average income.
No wonder, these days, cities are packed with utilitarian apartment slabs with unrelieved gridded façades, infill condo housing that looks as if it's been trucked in from the suburbs, and a grim precast concrete retirement home that takes up a whole block. You wish nobody had built them. Dystopian architecture has been captivating people’s imagination, making them fear a scenario where modernism went wrong. What if it already has?
#7
The 17th Century Shah Jahan Mosque In Pakistan, Notable For Its Geometric Brick Work
#8
Sumela Monastery, A Greek Orthodox Monastery Originally Established Around Ad 386 Nestled In A Steep Cliff At An Altitude Of 1200 Meters, Trabzon Province, Turkey
#9
Fort Bourtange, Netherlands
Bored Panda spoke with Lisa Yaszek, a Regents Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech, who said that dystopian and brutal architecture we often see in megacities captivates our imagination because it reminds us of the images of dystopian science fiction cities that we’ve seen on the big screen for a century.
“The cities featured in movies such as Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927), George Lucas’s THX-II38 (1971), Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982), and Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One (2018) all have a very distinctive look,” Lisa said.
The professor explained that such architectural dystopias have a very distinctive look. They are vertical dystopias rendered in dull, industrial-colored palettes (the colors of concrete, steel, rust, and smoke, with an occasional shot of neon); they are marked by either the total absence or total contamination of nature; and they are completely out of scale to the humans who live in them.”
#11
This Cafe In Czech Republic
#12
Arnavutköy, A Neighborhood Away From Istanbul’s Touristic Hustle
Moreover, Lisa added that “the scale of science fiction dystopias reminds us of the gap between rich and poor, with the rich literally at the top of skyscrapers while the poor huddle underground or at street level, trying not to be crushed under the weight of the dystopian city and its crumbling infrastructure,” she explained. It makes you wonder whether we already live a science fictional dream?
#13
From The Middle Kingdom
#14
Writer's Museum, Edinburgh, In The Fog
#15
This 325-Year-Old Tree Was Utilized In The Building Design When Authorities In Turkey Would Not Allow For Its Removal
#16
Buildings By Freddy Mamani In El Alto, Bolivia
#17
Spitzhäuschen, A Narrow Half-Timbered House Built In 1416 Located In Bernkastel-Kues, Germany
#18
The Burnt Farm Cottage Built With Red Brick In The 1840s, Borough Of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, Southern England
#19
The Interior Of Barcelona's Sagrada Família, Designed By Antoni Gaudí. Construction Began In 1882- And It's Still Not Finished. It's Expected To Be Completed By 2026, Just In Time For The 100th Anniversary Of Gaudí's Death
#20
Shah-I-Zinda Necropolis In Samarkand, Uzbekistan
#22
Art Nouveau Architecture Of A House Built In The 1880's In Brussels, Belgium
#23
Front Of House, Back Of House. Dubbed "The Mullet House"
#24
19th Century Victorian Gothic Cottage Framed By The Arch Of The Gatehouse At Holly Village, Highgate, North London, UK
#25
The Zip Building, Milan
#26
The Ark Of Bukhara Is A Fortress Located In Uzbekistan
#27
Egypt
#28
Capt James Taylor House, A 1892 Queen Anne Victorian In Marine City, St. Clair County, Michigan
#29
Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary
#30
Edinburgh Castle And Its Half Moon Battery Seen From The Vennel Steps In The Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland
#31
Ribbon Chapel In Onomichi, Japan
#32
Burg Hochosterwitz, A Castle Built On A Limestone Rock Which Was First Mentioned In A Text In 860 And Continuously Fortified Until The 16th Century. Still Owned By The Noble Khevenhüller Family After The Acquisition In 1571. Carinthia, Austria
Don Golosso 3 years ago
The two towers on the bottom left seem really surprised that they have to eat the road.
#33
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Saint Thomas 3 years ago
I was there a few weeks ago ^^ It's stunning. Many beautiful art deco buildings in that city. They were built after a major earthquake destroyed big parts of the city in 1895.
#34
Sun Rays Through The Double Lancet Windows Of Westminster Abbey, City Of Westminster, London, UK
#35
Azadi Tower, Tehran, Iran
#36
Galtaji Hindu Temple Located In Aravalli Hills In Jaipur Of India. Temple Complex Have Many Natural Freshwater Springs
#37
Children Standing In Front Of One Of The Main Doors Of Casablanca Mosque
#38
Venice, Italy
I’m A Black Cat 3 years ago
Bridge of sighs, while beautiful, has a shuddering past. The prisoners were taken over the bridge to their cells and the view from the bridge was often their last sight of daylight.
#39
Oslo Opera House Designed In 1999 By Snøhetta And Finished In 2007
#40
15th Century Castle Of Coca In Central Spain
#41
140 Meters High Ruyi Bridge In China
#42
The Waves, Vejle, Denmark
#43
Mahkama Du Pacha - Casablanca, Morocco
#44
Cubic Windows
#45
Cologne Cathedral. Masterpiece Of Gothic Architecture. Years Build : 1248 - 1880
Peter Thielen 3 years ago
The scope of that thing is unbelievable, the photo doesn't do it just...
#46
Dating Back To The 15th Century, Plaza Mayor Is A Major Public Space In The Heart Of Madrid, The Capital Of Spain
Patrick Smith 3 years ago
They weren't laid out. They are old medieval streets that evolved as the city grew and were often based on old country lanes or village streets that got consumed. Most of Europe is like this. The American grid seems odd to us
#47
The Iwan Ceiling Of Fatima Masumeh Shrine In Iran
#48
Villa Farnese, A 16th Century Pentagonal Renaissance Mansion Built On The Fortress Foundations In The Town Of Caprarola, Viterbo, Northern Lazio, Italy
#49
A Rooftop Restaurant/Cafe In Chongqing, China
Brian Brown 3 years ago
China has some really cool stuff. Such a contradiction to most news on TV...
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What do you think ?
earringnut 3 years ago
I love the mix of classic and modern buildings. Usually you only get one or the other.
Gerard Neaux 3 years ago
One of the few articles where it's totally worth clicking to see all the images, not just the top ones.
renee brack 3 years ago
Stunning and inspiring. I love my place in Australia but these castles ... omg - the art, the space - the builders have created heaven on Earth.
Kenny Kulbiski 3 years ago
Loved all of these and kudos to the architects but at least half the credit ought to go to the engineers, craftsmen, and builders that made an idea reality.
Bacony Cakes 3 years ago
Reminder: October 2nd is International F*ck Brutalism Day. brutalism-...be-png.jpg 
Michael Se 3 years ago
The Palace of Pena outside Lisbon should be on this list. It's all sorts of wacky.
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago (edited)
See photo of staircase above. In 1853, the Sisters of Loretto opened a school for girls in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Twenty years later, they finally were able to hire the same architect as the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. He designed the sisters a beautiful, gothic-style chapel, then known as the Chapel of Our Lady of Light. It is now the Chapel of Loretto. However, the architect died before building access to the choir loft. Due to little space, they concluded that a staircase would take up too much room, therefore, minimizing seating. Legend says the sisters then invoked St. Joseph the Carpenter’s intercession through a novena. On the ninth day, a mysterious man looking for work arrived on their doorstep with only donkey, a hammer and a carpenter’s square. According to the Loretto Chapel’s official website, the man only used “simple tools and wooden pegs. The rare wood is not native to the American Southwest.” They know he used a type of spruce wood, but no one knows where it came from or how the carpenter got it. Legend also says that while building the staircase over the course of three months, no one saw him enter or leave the chapel. Once he completed it, he disappeared without payment or a thank you. The sisters also contacted lumber stores in the area, but were unable to retrieve any open accounts for the supplies he supposedly purchased. The staircase has two complete 360-degree turns with no centre pole for structural support. The entire weight of the staircase rests on the bottom stair. some believe that St. Joseph built this amazing structure. Others believe St. Joseph sent someone to do it. Sorry about the deleted messages, but I was having trouble uploading the text and the photo..
Dorothy Cloud 3 years ago
Most of those older buildings are fantastic. Until I stopped and thought how long it took to build and how lives it took to build. And yes I know there was no other way to do it then.
David Butler 3 years ago
A lot of these place would not look out of place in a Studio Ghibli movie.
Cathelijne Van 3 years ago (edited)
C'mon guys I know vivid colours really sparks up a photo but some of these just hurt my eyes! Nice topic for a post though, and really nice photos, but let's keep it a little bit more real (photographer here 🙋🏻♀️)
Tim Pillinger 3 years ago
UK cathedrals to Google if you like these: Durham - old bold grandeur high above the river. Lincoln: perfect gothic style Ely: that lantern. Southall: The mason had toothache and did a self portrait.
earringnut 3 years ago
I love the mix of classic and modern buildings. Usually you only get one or the other.
Gerard Neaux 3 years ago
One of the few articles where it's totally worth clicking to see all the images, not just the top ones.
renee brack 3 years ago
Stunning and inspiring. I love my place in Australia but these castles ... omg - the art, the space - the builders have created heaven on Earth.
Kenny Kulbiski 3 years ago
Loved all of these and kudos to the architects but at least half the credit ought to go to the engineers, craftsmen, and builders that made an idea reality.
Bacony Cakes 3 years ago
Reminder: October 2nd is International F*ck Brutalism Day. brutalism-...be-png.jpg
Michael Se 3 years ago
The Palace of Pena outside Lisbon should be on this list. It's all sorts of wacky.
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago (edited)
See photo of staircase above. In 1853, the Sisters of Loretto opened a school for girls in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Twenty years later, they finally were able to hire the same architect as the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. He designed the sisters a beautiful, gothic-style chapel, then known as the Chapel of Our Lady of Light. It is now the Chapel of Loretto. However, the architect died before building access to the choir loft. Due to little space, they concluded that a staircase would take up too much room, therefore, minimizing seating. Legend says the sisters then invoked St. Joseph the Carpenter’s intercession through a novena. On the ninth day, a mysterious man looking for work arrived on their doorstep with only donkey, a hammer and a carpenter’s square. According to the Loretto Chapel’s official website, the man only used “simple tools and wooden pegs. The rare wood is not native to the American Southwest.” They know he used a type of spruce wood, but no one knows where it came from or how the carpenter got it. Legend also says that while building the staircase over the course of three months, no one saw him enter or leave the chapel. Once he completed it, he disappeared without payment or a thank you. The sisters also contacted lumber stores in the area, but were unable to retrieve any open accounts for the supplies he supposedly purchased. The staircase has two complete 360-degree turns with no centre pole for structural support. The entire weight of the staircase rests on the bottom stair. some believe that St. Joseph built this amazing structure. Others believe St. Joseph sent someone to do it. Sorry about the deleted messages, but I was having trouble uploading the text and the photo..
Dorothy Cloud 3 years ago
Most of those older buildings are fantastic. Until I stopped and thought how long it took to build and how lives it took to build. And yes I know there was no other way to do it then.
David Butler 3 years ago
A lot of these place would not look out of place in a Studio Ghibli movie.
Cathelijne Van 3 years ago (edited)
C'mon guys I know vivid colours really sparks up a photo but some of these just hurt my eyes! Nice topic for a post though, and really nice photos, but let's keep it a little bit more real (photographer here 🙋🏻♀️)
Tim Pillinger 3 years ago
UK cathedrals to Google if you like these: Durham - old bold grandeur high above the river. Lincoln: perfect gothic style Ely: that lantern. Southall: The mason had toothache and did a self portrait.
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