The Strangest Buildings in the World

From a super tall skyscraper that's seemingly built upside down to an office building in the shape of a giant clam and from a 400 m tall tower that for some reason has two wind turbines at the very top to whatever in the world , this thing is supposed to be here are the top 10 strangest buildings in the world and we have a little bonus at the end .

Let's start with the smallest and slowly work our way up .

This is number 10 , the Al Dar headquarters , we start off this list with the Al Dar headquarters which is located in the heart of Abu Dhabi at an impressive 110 m tall .

This semis sper building is the second largest of its kind in the world behind only the Guangzhou circle in China .

When you look at it from a distance , the structure resembles a coin standing on its side .

But upon closer inspection , the building is actually curved on its sides with two convex shaped facades .

According to its creators , the shape is inspired by a clamshell , an important symbol within Abu Dhabi and a place that has a rich marine history and biodiversity the construction was no easy feat .

The shape alone required extremely precise measurements and calculations to make sure that everything was just right .

Concepts such as the golden ratio and pentagrams were even employed to determine the perfect dimensions to support the unconventional shape .

Its creators had to make use of diag grids .

These diag grids are diagonal grids of steel that serve as the framework for the entire structure .

And in this case , they doubled as the iconic patterns on the building's facade .

Now let's move on to number nine .

The Oasis towers currently being built in the Chinese city of Nanjing .

This next building gets even stranger .

The Oasis towers are a mixed use residential and commercial development intended to be a refuge for people in the middle of the bustling city .

What's most interesting about its towers is its shape and its use of landscaping with two L shaped 150 m tall towers separated by a massive green and open area .

It's safe to say that there's nothing like it anywhere else in the city or maybe even in the rest of the world .

The structure gets its iconic look from its dozens of terrace like balconies that stick outwards in different patterns .

The two towers are also strategically placed within the city block in order to maximize ventilation and the flow of natural light in between the two towers will be a huge open space intended for shops , restaurants and recreation .

The project's developers are calling this space , the oasis a thriving green space .

In contrast to the great bustle of the city and with Nanjing's ever growing population and industry , the creation of such a green building is a great addition to the city .

Number eight , the Alberni over on the other side of the world .

This next strange building is located in Vancouver .

The city is famous for its dense and uniform skyscrapers that give the city its unique and iconic charm .

However , Alberni a brand new 155 m tall residential skyscraper aims to challenge this very idea .

The Alberni curves away from its base as it rises and straightens back at the very top .

This strange form according to its creators is intended to preserve the views of the neighboring buildings on the block despite being the tallest structure in its immediate vicinity .

The Alberni does not obstruct surrounding views of the coal harbor waterfront and the city skyline .

Another reason for this unique shape is that each floor has a balcony that cuts into the footprint .

This allows sunlight to naturally flow deeper into the apartments and improves the flow of air throughout the entire building .

Next up is number seven , the Xian Jing gate at a height of 177 m going back to China .

The Xian Jing Gate in the city of Hegang is a little different compared to the previously mentioned buildings .

Unlike the others , this project is instead meant to be a cultural monument for the city , a structure that depicts the city's rich character , culture and history .

This is similar to the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Washington Monument in Washington DC .

At its core , the Xian Jing Gate will be a cultural landmark in the middle of the city at almost 100 and 80 m tall .

This glass exterior monument will be made to physically and symbolically reflect the surrounding city .

According to its creators , the gate is a testament to the convergent spirit of the city .

The location of the project is literally at the convergence of two major rivers and the two separate towers that wrap around each other converge into a single mass at the top .

This is to symbolize the city of Hengyang as a place where the old and the new coexist in harmony .

Aside from its cultural significance , the Xian Jing Gate will also serve as a tourist information center and feature an observation deck located at its highest point .

Next up is number six , the Gacha Tower just over to the north in the historic city of Xi'an is where we find our next strange looking building .

The Gacha Tower will be a 210 m tall mixed use skyscraper located within the city's special economic and technology zone .

What makes this specific building a strange one is its apparent lack of defined edges from top to bottom , all sides and corners are completely smooth .

Another interesting detail about its design are the glazed keyhole shaped openings located on the four sides of the structure from a distance .

These openings appear to cut straight through the building , creating a vast open space inside the tower that offers amazing views the historic city .

According to its creators , one of the main selling points of this project is its compliance with the highest standards of international sustainability certifications .

This means that among other things , the tower is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system and a photovoltaic system that will be able to generate renewable energy for the skyscraper itself .

Before we get to the top five strangest buildings , we quickly want to take a moment and thank X for sponsoring this video .

X is creating these really unique and smart wallets that allow you to carry up to 12 cards and some cash .

They come in many different designs and colors such as vegan , Italian leather or space great aluminum .

I've actually been using X's wallets for a while now and so far I'm really liking them and just like that , the cards safely pop out and are ready to use .

The best thing is you don't have to worry about any data thieves .

All of extra's wallets come with built in RF ID protection and even if your wallet ever does get stolen , it has a solar powered tracker so you can see its location right from your phone .

It's tucked right into the back there .

So if you're ready to upgrade your wallet head on over to extra.com and use our code top luxury to get an exclusive discount of up to 55% off during extra's Black Friday sale .

Thanks again to extra for sponsoring this video .

And now let's continue with number five , the iconic towers over in Qatar .

The next building on this list is home to 25 star hotels .

The iconic towers sometimes referred to as the Qatar towers is a 210 m tall skyscraper that has a very unique shape .

The project opened to the public back in 2022 when Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup , the shape of the building is an architectural interpretation of the country's national emblem .

Specifically , it depicts the two scimitars which symbolize Qatar's might , strength and Arab roots .

The resulting product is this crescent shaped structure which is also reminiscent of an iconic symbol within Islam .

The country's main religion located on the northern tower is the Raffles Doha Hotel , a luxury five star hotel with suites heavily themed around the high end Parisian lifestyle .

Meanwhile over in the southern tower is the Fairmont Doha Hotel , another five star hotel themed more around the idea of the sea and luxury yachts .

It's worth noting though that Qatar is probably not building this skyscraper just for its cultural and religious meaning .

Qatar is a country that relies heavily on its oil and gas industries .

Building such a strange looking skyscraper could be part of their grand plan to draw more attention to the city and slowly shift the economy , tourism and it seems to be working .

I mean , we're all currently watching this video about their architecture .

Am I right ?

Number four , the Tower of Life at 290 m tall .

If it were ever to be built , this next building would become the second tallest skyscraper in Africa planned to be constructed in the Senegalese capital of Dakar .

The Tower of Life is envisioned to be the evolution of African architecture , whatever that really means , African architecture is usually quite different compared to the usual modern aesthetic and is known for preserving traditional construction methods .

The Tower of Life doubles down on this philosophy and incorporates it in an iconic design that's uniquely African .

It's inspired by the Baobab trees that are quite common within the continent and incorporates naturally occurring patterns .

Interestingly , the entire structure's exterior will be encased using 3d printed and locally sourced clay .

The pattern for this clay exterior is derived from natural patterns that occur in actual living organisms .

According to its creators , this outer cover will help to maintain a microclimate within the structure .

Once completed , the Tower of Life will be used for offices , a museum , an amphitheater and even an entire self contained forest containing indigenous African plants and animals .

So it will literally be a tower of life moving on to the next building in this list .

Number three , the spiral this 314 m tall skyscraper is located in New York's Hudson Yard and was designed by the world-famous architectural firm Biaa Ingels group .

The most notable features are its outdoor gardens located on each floor of the structure .

These balconies spiral upwards and around the building in a sort of staircase like fashion .

The outdoor gardens also serve as a green communal area .

Tenants no matter which floor they might be located in .

The Spiral's design is also reminiscent of other towers in the city where the upper portions of the structure step back as it ascends .

The Spiral was recently completed in 2022 and now serves as an office building for many notable companies such as Pfizer and HS BC .

As we get closer to the top of this list .

Next up is number two , the Srg Tower , this strange building will be located in Dubai City .

That's no stranger when it comes to crazy and over the top mega projects .

And to say this skyscraper's design is strange , is a gross understatement looking at official renders of the project .

One design element will definitely grab your attention located at the very top of this 460 m tall skyscraper will be two full sized wind turbines .

These turbines will be capable of generating 500 kilowatts of peak energy which can be used to power parts of the building .

The idea behind the installation of these turbines is to exemplify the sustainability aspirations of projects like this especially so in a place such as Dubai where green energy and sustainability have become a recent priority .

In addition , the building will also have photovoltaic panels installed on each floor in order to generate even more clean energy .

But to be completely honest building , such a massive skyscraper is rarely sustainable and its designers are probably to call their plans sustainability aspirations .

Other than the eye catching wind turbines , the SI G tower design also makes use of a di grid structure similar to the one that we've mentioned earlier in the video , this structure together with the huge opening surrounding the turbines will serve to reduce the amount of force exerted by the strong winds .

Once completed , the SRG tower would become the second tallest building in Dubai behind only the iconic Burj Khalifa .

And finally , here's number one , the Affirmation Tower at over 500 m tall .

The Affirmation Tower is the tallest building on this list .

What's weird about this skyscraper is that it's seemingly built upside down and it's planned to be built in one of the few remaining empty plots of land in Manhattan .

Interestingly , this site is actually only a mere block away from the site of the spiral , which we've previously talked about .

The original plan for this project was for it to become the tallest building in the western hemisphere , even surpassing the one World Trade Center .

But out of respect to the tower's important history and its significance to the United States .

It was decided to be slightly smaller , at least when measured in meters in floor height .

The Affirmation Tower would still be taller according to its creators .

The inspiration behind the skyscraper's design is a subtle tribute to black culture .

The tower's exterior resembles that of Afro picks with its terrazzo facade that is shaped like the bristles of a comb .

Though I think the comparison may be a stretch , I can kind see the resemblance and as for the reason behind the inverted look , well , the project's architect David Adjaye is known for his unusual and dramatic designs .

The affirmation tower is designed developed and planned to be constructed by a majority black team .

If it were ever to be built , this skyscraper would become a historic first and a triumph for further inclusivity in the world of real estate though it probably wouldn't change that much regarding the issues faced by many black people in their day to day lives .

This is still a great step forward .

Although we've reached the end of our list , we have one more insane bonus in store , the Turnery Tower , unlike other buildings mentioned in this video , this one is only a concept .

The design was first announced back in 2021 and its plan to be built somewhere in Shanghai .

But aside from these small details , little is known about this project , we aren't even sure if it's gonna be built in the first place looking at the renders .

It wouldn't be unlikely for someone to think that this design came straight out of a science fiction movie .

The project will consist of three individual blocks each 400 m tall that spread inward and outward at set intervals , together , these three towers complement each other to create a unique and iconic silhouette .

What do you think about these buildings ?

Do you know of any other strange looking buildings that we missed in this list ?

Let us know in the comments down below .

Thank you for watching and we'll see you in the next video .