6 Incredible Buildings Made from Ice and Snow

Icy winter weather is well on its way, but while most of us are turning up the thermostat, several creative designers are turning that below zero chill into incredible examples of ice architecture. We've scoured the world's coldest corners to bring you a flurry of beautiful buildings and interiors that have been built from ice and snow. From a Tron-inspired ice suite in Sweden to a sparkling snow castle in Finland to an icicle-laden citadel built in Minnesota, hold on tight to your hot cup of joe and hit the jump for a sampling of some of the coolest frozen structures on earth.

TRON ICE HOTEL SUITE

In anticipation of the release of 3D TRON: Legacy, last year a set of Ben Rousseau and Ian Douglas–Jones created a suite at the famous IceHotel above the Arctic Circle in Sweden. The electric blue Tron-inspired lighting scheme was achieved by cutting grooves into the ice, inserting energy efficient EL wire and then icing over the wire to keep it in place. The “Legacy Of The River” suite, was part of their campaign to launch a new line of illuminated furniture and products, which debuted earlier this year.

QUEBEC’S HOTEL DE GLACE

Every January the gorgeous Hotel De Glace in Quebec City opens to the public, and visitors are invited to sleep in artistically designed ice rooms. Made almost entirely from snow and ice, the hotel changes design and shape each winter. The hotel even boasts an ice chapel where lovebirds — who didn’t fly south for the winter — can wed.

HARBIN INTERNATIONAL ICE AND SNOW SCULPTURE FESTIVAL

For nearly 30 years, hundreds of thousands of people have flocked to the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in northeast China to witness dazzling works of manmade ice architecture. Chunks of ice are brought in from the frozen Songhua River and molded by talented sculptors into jaw-dropping life-size creations, which are placed throughout the city.

RUSSIAN ICE PALACE

The ice palace in St. Petersburg, Russia first appeared in 1740 as the handiwork of Empress Anna Ivanovna to celebrate victory in the Turkish war. In 2005 historians worked to recreate the structure with a team of 14 ice masters led by famous ice-sculptor, Valerij Gromov. Following detailed plans left by architect Pyotr Yeropkin centuries ago, the ice palace was rebuilt to include the 20 meters tall by 50 meters wide palace, a garden filled with ice trees and an ice statue of an elephant. The interior of palace is also furnished with furniture made of ice, including an ice bed with ice mattress and pillows. The palace is reconstructed every year.

GEOTHERMAL ICE CASTLES

Ice man Roger Hanson decided to pass on building boring backyard snowmen, spending the last four years growing himself larger than life ice castles instead. Using a geothermal heating system, special sprayers and a computer program he created himself, Hanson builds crystalline masterpieces that get bigger and more elaborate every year.

FINLAND’S LUMI LINNA SNOW CASTLE

The SnowCastle of Kemi by the Gulf of Bothnia in Finland is a source of great pride for locals, and a showcase of the architectonic “snowmanship” of its constructors. Construction of the SnowCastle starts in December and it takes approximately 5 weeks to complete. Because natural snow is too soft, the castle’s builders make new snow out of the sea water using snow pipes. The SnowCastle 2012 will be open January 28th, 2012.

Gorgeous Origami-Esque Klein Bottle House Nestles Into Australia’s Landscape

The Klein Bottle House is a gorgeous structure that has been recognized for its funky origami twist and modern aesthetic. In response to an awkward site astride Rye Beach's dramatic landscape in Australia, McBride Charles Ryan gave the house the shape of a "Klein Bottle" - a mathematical non-orientable surface that has no boundary and does not distinguish between left and right. If that's a little hard to wrap your head around, know that despite its complex geometric design, this home is actually very livable. More cool photos and details after the jump.

McBride Charles Ryan is known for manipulating form and function in a way that is still harmonious with the natural landscape. Although abstract, this home’s spiral configuration was somewhat necessary to ensure the smallest amount of site disruption and is arranged to be comfortable inside. Designed to be a weekend home, it is modestly sized and centered around a lovely courtyard and an internal stairway connects the various levels.

Like origami, the home with its snazzy facade clad mostly in cement sheeting, appears to be folded in on itself even though it features a traditional stud frame foundation. With a foyer, courtyard, laundry, three bedrooms, and a whole pile of natural light, this gorgeous home is somewhat evocative of the ubiquitous fibro-shacks that Australians recall so fondly as an integral part of the country’s beach architecture. This award-winning project nestled into the dramatic Mornington Peninsula is a classic example of serious cool that is also bright green.

1000 Recycled Doors Transform the Facade of a 10-Story Building in Seoul

South Korean Artist Choi Jeong-Hwa used 1000 brightly colored recycled doors to transform a bland 10-story building into an eye-popping visual indulgence. Jeong-Hwa is a master of using found objects to make provocative spaces, and the project is one of his most ambitious attempts to place normal things in an extraordinary way. The doors stretch up the scaffolding of the mid-rise, giving the hulking mass a pixelated charm.

Choi Jeong-Hwa’s imagery is born out his desire to let art engage with the greater population. His work is almost delusional – he takes ordinary, often discarded items and uses them to create unique spaces.

1000 Doors engages with the entire city of Seoul through its immense scale. The mass of doors reads like a crazy advertisement from afar. Up close, the juxtaposition of the common doors scaling the full height of the building is a bit jarring, if not amusing.

The piece makes a statement about how art changes how we see, as Jeong-Hwa puts it: “People think you can only find Korean Art in Museums and Galleries” for “other artists”. The ambiguity and strength of his work rests in the tactile quality of the discarded object itself.

Top 10 spookiest buildings around the world

Have you ever visited a building that gave you the creeps? These 10 buildings around the world are guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine.

1. Wat Rong Khun, Chang Rai, Thailand

Still under construction, Chiang Rai's controversial modern temple is part traditional Buddhist temple, part white-frosted wedding cake, and part avant-garde art with a disturbing penchant for pointiness. Visitors must cross a bridge to the temple over a field of fangs and hundreds of pleading white arms and suffering faces of statues reaching up from hell. While stark whiteness predominates, the inside and other parts of the temple compound (including the toilets) are sparkling gold.

Wat Rong Khun is open daily; the White Temple is a short drive from Chiang Rai.

2. Sedlec Ossuary, Kutná Hora, Czech Republic

By the mid-1800s, the crypt at the Sedlec monastery had been a popular burial site for centuries, with plague outbreaks and Hussite Wars contributing thousands of remains. In the 1870s a local woodcarver was hired to make creative use of the bones that had been piling up in the crypt. This was no minor task: the ossuary contains the remains of over 40,000 people, many of which were used to decorate the chapel. The effect is as beautiful as it is macabre: elaborate light fixtures, arrays of bells, furnishings, splashy wall treatments and coats of arms are all loving recreated from skulls and bones of all sizes. Is that chandelier staring back at you?

To reach the monastery, drag your bones 800m south from Kutná Hora's main train station.

3. Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, North Korea

Under construction since 1987, the massive and still unfinished 105-story Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang looks like a luxury hotel designed for Mordor. Nicknamed the 'Hotel of Doom' and described as 'the worst building in the history of mankind' by Esquire, construction halted due to lack of funding, and the partially completed building stood windowless and looming ominously over the city for 16 years before work resumed in 2008. Strikingly modern when first designed, time has not been kind to the building, which now looks simultaneously menacing, dated, and unconscionably extravagant relative to the impoverished populace.

Once granted a visa, visitors to North Korea have little choice in where they are allowed to visit or photograph, but at 105 stories, the Ryugyong Hotel is hard to miss from anywhere in the capital.

4. Dongyue Temple, Běijīng, China

Běijīng's most morbid shrine, the operating Taoist shrine of Dongyue Temple is an unsettling but fascinating place to visit. Stepping through the entrance you find yourself in Taoist Hades, where tormented spirits reflect on their wrongdoings. The 'Life and Death Department' is a spiritual place to ponder your eventual demise, the 'Department for Wandering Ghosts' and the 'Department for Implementing 15 Kinds of Violent Death' have slightly less inviting names, while the ill might seek out the 'Deep-Rooted Disease Department'. Other halls are less morbid, but no less interesting. Visit during the Chinese New Year or the Mid-Autumn Festival to see the temple at its most vibrant.

Paying the extra Yuan for a guide can be helpful for interpreting the aspects of the temple that might otherwise defy explanation.

5. Lemp Mansion, St Louis, USA

Reputed to be one of the USA's most haunted houses (if there are degrees of hauntedness), St Louis' Lemp Mansion has a long history of odd occurrences. Charles Lemp committed suicide in the house in 1949 and, ever since, strange things have taken place at the house, including doors that swing open spontaneously, glasses that leap off tables and break, and a tragically short-lived reality TV show. Today, the mansion operates as a restaurant and inn that capitalizes on the morbid fame through murder mystery dinner theatre, Halloween parties and weekly tours by a noted 'paranormal investigator'. Stay the night if you dare.

The mansion can be found just off I-55, south of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.

6. Scott Monument, Edinburgh, Scotland

A spiky Gothic fantasy with more than a passing resemblance to a Thai temple, the monument to Sir Walter Scott is a beloved fixture of the Edinburgh skyline. Just 61m high, the climb to the top doesn't sound daunting until you find yourself wedged into the preposterously tiny spiral staircase. The final curve is so notoriously tight that squeezing yourself out the final doorway requires the flexibility of a spelunker. Edinburgh mystery writer Ian Rankin once set the scene of the crime at the top of the Scott Monument, with much of the story focusing on the physics of getting a stiff cadaver down the twisty staircase. Not a claustrophobe? This might make you think otherwise.

7. Catacombe dei Cappuccini, Palermo, Italy

All of the inhabitants of the catacombs below Palermo's Capuchin Monastery are decked out in their Sunday best. Unfortunately, that Sunday was several hundred years ago, and the outfits have fared significantly better that the wearers. The mummified bodies and skeletons of some 8000 Palermitans from the 1600s through to the 1800s are kept in the catacombs for all to see, some so well preserved that they look eerily lifelike. Men and women occupy separate corridors, and within the women's area there's a special virgin-only section. Spooky for adults, probably terrifying for the kiddies - be warned.

The catacombs are a 15-minute walk from Palermo's Piazza Independenza along Via Cappuccini or a short bus ride.

8. Chernobyl Reactor #4, Ukraine

Famously the site of the world's biggest nuclear disaster in 1986, the 30km-radius exclusion zone is mostly uninhabited today, but limited tours have been available since 2002 for travelers who are curious enough to get a glimpse of the industrial ghost town and aren't put off by the ominous click of a Geiger counter. Factories, homes, schools, and a particularly creepy abandoned amusement park stand decaying and choked with weeds, but remain much as they looked at the time of disaster. The Ukrainian government has indicated that the exclusion zone will be increasingly open to travelers in the coming years. Just don't step on the radioactive moss.

The best way to visit Chernobyl is to use one of the several Kiev-based agencies such as Solo East or New Logic.

9. Ottawa Jail Hostel, Canada

Want to spend the night in the slammer? Why not make it a jail haunted by the spirits of former inmates and deemed unsuitable for prisoners in the early1970s due to appalling conditions? Opened in 1862, the Carleton County Gaol was in operation for over a century, but it was hardly a hit with the prisoners who complained of cramped conditions and sanitation problems. It might not have been suitable for prisoners at the time, but if you're a traveler on a tight budget and don't mind that your room happens to be a prison cell and your bunkmate might be spectral, it's perfect. As a 'prisoner' today, your punishment includes parking, wifi, and a games lounge.

10. White Alice, Alaska, USA

A gold-rush town a century ago and the finishing line for the Iditarod dog-sled race today, Nome is the perfect example of a honky-tonk, almost-at-the-Arctic-Circle frontier town. Overlooking the town and the Bering Straits from the top of Anvil Mountain is White Alice, a weird Cold War relic. From down in the town it looks like a bizarre space-age Stonehenge, closer up it could be a film set for a shoot of the Victorian-era War of the Worlds. The four strange corrugated-iron sound reflector structures were intended for listening to suspicious Soviet activity.

Missing Link Builds an Awesome Indoor Treehouse Inside Their New South African Office

If you had a treehouse INSIDE your office, would you ever want to go home? That's the concept behind Missing Link's extraordinary design for their lively new headquarters in South Africa. The presentation firm had to receive special permission to bring in a 6 ton tree that died of natural causes, which they then converted into an adorable treehouse complete with a cozy gathering area underneath. But that's not the end of it - with a budget of $120,000 and only 6 weeks to get from design to completion, the team scoured Johannesburg scrap yards and secondhand shops to find a range of unconventional recycled materials to create what they call "orchestrated chaos."

Samantha Dean is Missing Link’s Managing Director and one of several people who went without sleep and fought with contractors on a daily basis in order to bring this incredible project to fruition. “Richard (our CEO) is the biggest kid we have, so a fireman’s pole and slide were TOP of the list of HAVE to haves. Our space is very much a mesh of a lot of ideas from a bunch of people over time,” she said.

The 1,250 square feet office in Fourways also features a bath converted into a table, a faux camper van concession space, and the work of Graffiti master Nic Hooper of Shakewell, all of which reflect a refreshing take on the ideal work environment. Samantha said, “I think the biggest thing for me is that we are proof that you don’t need to work in a gray walled cubical farm to be productive. And we’re not a bunch of crazy ‘creatives’ – we make presentations for banks (amongst others).” She added, “You spend 66% of your life at work (and us often more so)– why not make it as much fun as possible?” We couldn’t agree more.

Magic Mountain Lodge is a Hill-Like Hobbit Highrise

When we first came across this green, mountain-like resort, we had to do a double take to see if it was for real! Called the Magic Mountain Lodge, the 13 room hotel looks like it came straight from middle earth. The lodge sits in the private Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve in northern Chile's Patagonia and is a celebration of the rich natural heritage that the preserve aims to protect. And get this-- visitors enter the establishment on a suspended rope bridge and are greeted by a cascade of water coming down from the cone shaped green roof.

The Lodge sits on a diverse forest region in northern Patagonia and is a base camp at the Hulio Hulio preserve for ecotourists looking to spot a puma or explore the local waterfalls. The hotel is cone shaped with dormer windows peaking out of its vegetated and stone façade. A water spot on top pours over the roof, drenching the plants and anyone at the base of the building. The playful design is intended to evoke an ancient legend that speaks of a magic mountain in the area that grants wishes.

If you don’t get your wish fulfilled, at least there is a bar, a restaurant, and a sauna inside. Outside, there are hot tubs made from the hollows of tree stumps. The lodge is designed using local building materials and labor and all the wood was carefully harvested locally as well.

The reserve is a privately held 600 square kilometer park dedicated to the preservation of the region’s biodiversity and fauna. The surrounding land, located on the northern edge of Patagonia right in the center of Chile sees all four seasons and is a very wet region. The rich diversity of land types and the relatively undeveloped region is a huge draw for international tourists seeking to see one of the wildest places left on the planet.

Sliding Hubs Prefab Modular Housing Has 64 Different Combinations

Italian designer Gabriel Aramu has come up with a temporary, modular, portable, prefabricated housing system that can be combined in so many different ways, you'll never have a chance to experience them all. The Sliding Hubs prefab system is built out of modular open ended boxes that can be combined together to form different lengths or slid open to create wider spaces in 64 different configurations. Aramu conceived as these to be used in a variety of situations, from temporary shelters to small urban spaces.

Easily transported and installed in almost any environment, the Sliding Hubs system was designed for flexibility in housing. Each square box is completely prefabricated and includes structural stability, interior finishes, space for utilities in the wall, insulation and an outside rain screen. Sliding Hubs are designed to be built from a system of steel reinforcements that hold the panel “sandwich” horizontal and vertical, which is covered with an external layer of polycarbonate. The boxes can be combined, stacked together and even split apart to create skylights in the ceiling. Ever exposed edge is fitted with a door or windows, which pulls in natural daylight. Since the modules are small, it keeps the over all size of the resulting building small, which means they are easy to light, heat or cool.

So far, Aramu has come up with 64 different ways to combine the boxes to create a huge variety of buildings that can be used as studios, offices, apartments, single family homes or combined in larger ways to create multi-family housing or even shelters. Whether temporary or permanent, the modules are meant to be made of high quality materials in order to be durable. Sliding Hubs could easily fit into the context of an urban environment, but could also be used temporary housing in developing countries. Aramu and his design was recently nominated as a finalist in the Milano Design Camping design competition.

Stunning Alpine Ski Apartments are Wrapped in a Modern Scalloped Skin

Green-minded ski bums will be stoked to know that this striking Alpine apartment complex in Slovenia has a scalloped skin that pays respect to the region's vernacular architecture, and a sauna in the basement! As a result of rigorous building regulations, OFIS arhitekti had height restrictions and a small footprint to work with, so the cubic complex was given a pitched roof (to elongate it vertically) and superb chiseled angles to make it seem wider than it actually is. This mixed-use building remarkably holds six studio apartments, a communal area on the ground floor, and a recreational area in the basement. Step on in for a closer look at this sustainable ski complex and get ready to dust off your snowboard!

This gorgeous apartment complex was designed to fit in with the traditional alpine lodges that are so common in the Alps. This was accomplished in part with materials taken from the surrounding environment, such as the lovely larch used to create each apartment’s balcony, and the scalloped skin that resembles traditional tiles. We have to say the skin, which provides excellent thermal massing, is somewhat deceptive in that it’s actually made from cement.

Even so, the glazed windows throughout combined with the overall small ecological footprint and clever ventilation system give this complex just the sustainable edge we like to see. And being lovers of the outdoors, we’re especially happy to see how well the pine trees and jagged mountains are framed – as though they are central to the program, as they should be!

High-Flying Rubem Braga Elevator Complex Improves Pedestrian Accessibility in Rio de Janeiro

Residents of the Cantagalo and Pavao communities in Rio de Janeiro now have much better access to and from their homes in Rio de Janeiro thanks to a new 80 meter elevator complex. The Rubem Braga Elevator towers connect the area via two 30 person elevators, stairs and a pedestrian bridge down to the rest of the city and a subway station. Covered in brightly colored louvers, the towers protect the pedestrians from the elements as they are walking to work or back home. Designed by JBMC Arquitetura e Urbanismo, the towers also serve as a tourist attraction to take in the beautiful vistas of the beaches and the city.

The new elevator complex serves as the gateway to the local community and improves access conditions. Previously residents of the community relied on a series of precarious stairways and improvised accesses throughout the mount. Residents were constantly exposed to dangerous situations, poor lighting, crime and even the risk of possible landslides. This new facility is more than just a pedestrian friendly elevator though. It helps to reduce social inequality, lower the crime rate, improve quality of life, and provide unrestricted access to the different means of public transport. Tourists also enjoy the towers and make use of the elevators to access a vantage point from which to view and take pictures of the city.

The elevators transport people efficiently up 80 meters in height between the Cantagalo and Pavao communities on the hill and the Ipanema neighhood below. Named after Rubem Braga, a chronicle writer that lived in a building neighboring the Cantagalo favela, the elevator complex is made up of two towers, connected via a foot bridge to access different levels of the steeply sloped community. Both towers utilize an elevator capable of transporting 30 people at a time starting as early as 5 am up until midnight. During the week around 4,200 people use is and during the weekend around 3,300 people make use of the elevators. Staircases behind the class elevators are provided in case the power is out. Colored in bright blue and green louvers, the towers are protected against the rain and the harsh sun, but still encourage natural ventilation throughout.

Much like Rio’s cable car system, the elevators are helping improve transportation around the city in time for the upcoming world cup and the Olympics. Completed in 2010, the Rubem Braga Elevator Complex was recently shortlisted in the 2011 World Architecture Festival under the New and Old Category.

Shimmery Hansha Reflection House Thinks Outside The Japanese Box

We love the minimalism and space management of Japanese homes, but we have definitely noticed a trend towards standard boxy designs. The shimmery Hansha Reflection House overlooking the Misakimizube Koen Park seeks to shatter the status quo with a reflective facade and hybrid building techniques. Designed by Studio SKLIM Architecture, the cantilevering single family residence was built using renewably sourced timber and features three distinct zones.

The public, private, and service programs of the house have been separated, with the public portions upstairs, peering through the windows facing the park’s lake and sakura trees. Strategically placed, the windows let in just enough light without permitting excess solar gain. Inside the home reveals a tasteful minimalism, both in design and its simple furnishings.

This home showcases three landscaped areas, including a central courtyard which acts as a giant funnel that pushes out hot summer air. As a result of this, the home is beautifully ventilated, nature’s way. But the most interesting aspect of the Hansha Reflection house, which refers to the shiny exterior reflecting the surrounding landscape and vice versa, lies in the designer’s choice to combine mortice and tenon jointing with steel bracketing to give strength to the timber sourced from renewable forests. This combined with the unique facade give this home a handsome edge over the standard white box!

Student job hunt: 10 top tips

1) Everybody is looking for work: students, qualified architects and developers. So when sending speculative CVs, be precise, make your point and don’t waste time with a self-indulgent pitch about your work. Do your research and work out what you can bring to the studio.

2) Studios will be interested in your ability to be adaptable so now is the time to learn new skills. Practices are also using this quiet time to refresh their portfolio, website and marketing material, so think InDesign and Photoshop, even web tools.

3) 3D and CGI will always be useful to a studio that is pitching or hitting competitions hard so brush up on CAD and find out which software the company already uses.

4) Be flexible. Be prepared to work freelance for short burst of time to cover competition work. If you work two days a week for one firm there is nothing to stop you working the other three for a different practice. In smaller studios take your own laptop and offer to work for a week at no cost to see how you fit in. Be warned: do a maximum of a week because although architects do free pitches all the time, working for free is never a good practice to get into long-term.

5) Go where the work is: schools, affordable housing, MoD projects, healthcare and infrastructure.

6) Parts of Europe are still fairly buoyant so be prepared to travel and possibly learn a language. It’s better than hanging around Clerkenwell in the cold.

7) Don’t be London-centric. Expand your search to the rest of the UK – perhaps in your university or home-town where living costs will be cheaper.

8) Graduates in architecture have valuable skills across many design disciplines so look beyond architecture: interior design; exhibition design; product design and manufacture; CGI; computer game design; film…

9) Unfortunately the adage ‘it’s who you know, not what you know’ applies to architecture so find a use the network you have and make new friends.

10) Win a competition and start a practice – the odds are against you but what the hell.1) Everybody is looking for work: students, qualified architects and developers. So when sending speculative CVs, be precise, make your point and don’t waste time with a self-indulgent pitch about your work. Do your research and work out what you can bring to the studio.

2) Studios will be interested in your ability to be adaptable so now is the time to learn new skills. Practices are also using this quiet time to refresh their portfolio, website and marketing material, so think InDesign and Photoshop, even web tools.

3) 3D and CGI will always be useful to a studio that is pitching or hitting competitions hard so brush up on CAD and find out which software the company already uses.

4) Be flexible. Be prepared to work freelance for short burst of time to cover competition work. If you work two days a week for one firm there is nothing to stop you working the other three for a different practice. In smaller studios take your own laptop and offer to work for a week at no cost to see how you fit in. Be warned: do a maximum of a week because although architects do free pitches all the time, working for free is never a good practice to get into long-term.

5) Go where the work is: schools, affordable housing, MoD projects, healthcare and infrastructure.

6) Parts of Europe are still fairly buoyant so be prepared to travel and possibly learn a language. It’s better than hanging around Clerkenwell in the cold.

7) Don’t be London-centric. Expand your search to the rest of the UK – perhaps in your university or home-town where living costs will be cheaper.

8) Graduates in architecture have valuable skills across many design disciplines so look beyond architecture: interior design; exhibition design; product design and manufacture; CGI; computer game design; film…

9) Unfortunately the adage ‘it’s who you know, not what you know’ applies to architecture so find a use the network you have and make new friends.

10) Win a competition and start a practice – the odds are against you but what the hell.

The Spacious Prefab WingHouse Unfolds From a Shipping Container

The prefab WingHouse is a promising design which provides quick shelter that looks to be also quite durable. Unfolding from a shipping container sized box, the building becomes nearly three times the shipping size in just five hours of set up time. The finished product does not look temporary one bit—the multiple configurations can make for a small home, dorms, or office space out of the open 80 square meters.

The main design principle of the WingHouse is relatively simple. Because they come in the standard shipping container size they are easily transportable and do not need a crane to set down. The walls of the container sized unit rise up like wings (hence the name), with a built-in crane to create a large butterfly roof– this little movie shows how it is done (the design is similar to how the new Glide House unfolds onsite). Tucked behind are a pair of floors which fold down onto a foundation which is not much more than cement blocks. Panels are inset between the roof and floor with built-in windows and doors.

The result is a large interior space which can be finished in multiple ways. Because there are no internal supports, a home with a large open floor plan can accommodate three bedrooms.  Other floor plans include a four to eight bedroom dorm, an office space or just a simple meeting room. The finished units comes wired and plumbed with built-in cabinets. The butterfly roof and horizontal sections to the panels add a clear contemporary style, letting visitors know this is not the same old portable.

10 Spectacular Building Architectures Around the Globe (Part 2)

5. Songjiang Hotel

Location: Songjiang district, Shanghai, China

Architect: Atkins

Date of Construction: Completed on May 2009

Distinct Feature: Built in quarry

This ultra stylish and luxurious hotel of Shanghai has won the award of international design competition. It is a five-star hotel with beautiful water filled quarry at its front where natural beauty in the surrounding is a toping on the cake and located in Songjiang district, Shanghai, China. The stunning conceptual design of the hotel grabs the attention of the people from all around the world. It is a 400 bed resort which is 2 floors higher than the rock face of 200 meter deep quarry. It also tender underwater public areas and guest rooms. Banqueting centers, conference halls, cafes and sports areas are incorporated in the Songjiang hotel.

4. Regatta Hotel

Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

Architect: Atkins

Distinct Feature: Follows Nautical theme

A large building surrounded by 10 small towers is what we call Regatta hotel and is the fourth top unique structure of the world. The developer made it by keeping the nautical theme in mind and says that the 10 small towers represent sailing boats and whilst the large one is the lighthouse. The large building which the developer called the light house is the real center of attention since it has the most inconceivable structure we have ever come across. The building was designed by well known Atkins which has also designed Burj khalifa (the tallest building of the world).

3. CCTV headquarter

Location: China

Architect: Office for Metropolitan Architecture East China Architectural Design & Research Institute

Date of Construction: Started on 1st June 2004

Distinct Feature: Radical shape

China central television headquarters is another skyscraper which is 234 meters tall and has forty-four stories. It is situated in Beijing central business district and the construction of the building was started in June 2004 and completed in January 2008. The structure was designed with the association of Arup where as Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren of OMA, were its architects. The building is diverse from traditional towers and consists of six horizontal and vertical sections. Since the building is located in a seismic zone which made it a real challenge for construction. A taxi driver gave it a nick name dà kùchǎ (大裤衩) which means “big boxer shorts” due to its radical shape.

2. Chicago Spire

Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Architect: Santiago Calatrava, Perkins and Will

Date of Construction: 25 June 2007

Distinct Feature: Spire shape

The now-defunct and incomplete skyscraper of Chicago is the building known as Chicago spire and located in Chicago, Illinois. Due to the enduring recession which began in 2008, the construction of the project which started on 25 June 2007 was halted. The design of the building is a creation of a Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and the development responsibilities were taken by the St Patrick’s Athletic owner Garrett Kelleher of ShelbourneDevelopment Group, Inc. It was assumed to be the tallest building of the world, with a height of 610 meters and 150 floors.

1. Aqua Tower

Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Architect: Jeanne Gang

Date of Construction: 2007-2009

Distinct Feature: Wave shape facade and the tallest building ever designed by a woman

Aqua tower is a mixed used residential building which has 86 stories and located in the Lakeshore East development in downtown Chicago. The design of the building was developed by a team under the supervision of Jeanne Gang and became the tallest building designed by a woman in the world. It is a skyscraper with a height of 262 meters and each floor has 1,500 m² of area. Terrace gardens, gazebos, pools, hot tubs, walking track and fire pit, are a part of this building which has wave-like façade.

10 Spectacular Building Architectures Around the Globe (Part 1)

10. Residence Antilia

Location: Mumbai, India

Architect: Perkins & Will

Date of Construction: 2007-2010

Distinct Feature: Taj Mahal of 21st century

It is a twenty-seven floor residential building in India. It is said to be one of the most expensive living coutures in India as located at the most expensive street of the world which costs US$25,000/sq m. It is situated in South Mumbai at Altamont road, Cumballa hill and belongs to the billionaire Mukesh Ambani who is the chairman of reliance industries. The house has luxurious living style where a staff of 600 is employed for the maintenance of the house. It is also known as the “Taj Mahal of 21^st century”.

9. Burj khalifa

Location: Dubai, UAE

Architect: Atkins

Date of Construction: 2004-2010

Distinct Feature: Tallest structure in the world

Burj khalifa which means “Khalifa towers” is the tallest structure in the world with a height of 2,717 feet which is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The building was inaugurated on 4^th January 2010 and became a part of downtown Dubai. 1.5 billion US dollar were spent on the development of this project and according to the chairman of project’s developer of Emaar properties, Mohammed Ali Alabbar the cost of office space in Burj khalifa has reached US$4,000 per sq ft. initially it was named as Burg Dubai but later on its name was changed to honor UAE president Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan who supported its development in the country despite of global financial crisis in 2007 to 2010.

8. Gazprom Headquarters

Location: St. Petersburg, Russia

Architect: RMJM architects

Date of Construction: 1993

Distinct Feature: One of the tallest structures in the world and has a feature to change its facade color 10 times per day on the basis of position of the sun

This building with a unique structure belongs to Gazprom which is the largest natural gas extractor company in the world. The Gazprom headquarter is located in St. Petersburg, Russia and familiar with a name “corn on the cod” among the inhabitants of the locality. This building has an extraordinary feature since the crystal outlook of the building changes color 10 times a day according to the position of sun. The colossal glass flamed building has a height of 300 meters which is the second reason of its popularity apart from color changing propensity.

7. Penang Global City Headquarters

Location: Penang island, Malaysia

Architect: Asymptote Architecture, under leadership of Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Coutur

Date of Construction: Started around 2002

Distinct Feature: Urbanism and elegance

The Penang Global City Center is positioned in Penang Island, Malaysia and acquires an area of 185 hectare plot with two ionic towers, each of which is 200 meters high. The sole structure of the building was designed by Asymptote Architecture under the guidance of Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Coutur. The construction of the building faced a lot of controversies and criticism but was completed with a stylish and stature design in almost 15 years. The picturesque landscape enhances its urbanism and elegance. It is a symbol of rich cultural heritage of Malaysia.

6. Russia Tower

Location: Moscow, Russia

Architect: Foster + Partners

Date of Construction: Started on 18 September 2007

Distinct Feature: Skyscraper of Russia

The partially built skyscraper of Russia is present in the Moscow international business center of Russia. The construction of this building was started on 18 September 2007 but dramatically ceased by officials in June 2009 and turned into a parking lot for the buildings in its vicinity. The tower was estimated to contain 118 floors and would cover an area of 520,000 m² it would also accommodate 3,680 cars for underground parking. Although it took over 2 billion dollars in its construction but was cancelled afterwards due to significant conflicts of interests.

Modern + Tuscan + Dreamy

This had us at “3oo years old.” And “Italian Villa.” And “renovated by Swiss Architects.” Is there any better combination than an old structure put through the filter of the sweet, modernist design sensibilities of the Swiss. The answer is no. And Casa Olivi is proof positive that the old and the new can combine to create some pretty sweet interiors.

Modern Eye Candy

Adin Design’s Rainbow-Hued Glass Facade Adds a Bright Splash of Color to Kolkata, India

The very mention of India all too often evokes images of mundane, densely-populated streets, which is exactly the stereotype Adin Design meant to shake off with this beautiful rainbow-hued facade. Constrained by a small site in a squished Kolkata neighborhood, the International Management Institute’s curved glass envelope completely overcomes the surrounding grey while simultaneously ensuring a sustainable, daylit, and well ventilated learning environment.

The most advanced technologies have been incorporated into this program to ensure its energy efficiency. Two layers of clear glass provide plenty of daylight while a PVB layer gives the building its requisite insulation. Throughout the structure, open spaces have been encouraged to facilitate healthy levels of ventilation, and a massive skylight in the reception floods the area with natural light. Even the library, which is surrounded by three glass windows and shaded in the back, is light enough during the day to obviate the need for any artificial intervention. This is the brightest learning institute we’ve seen in a while!

Facebook’s Fancy New Server Farm Will Be Cooled Naturally By Arctic Air

Facebook has been taking steps to green its empire lately and now it has announced another eco-friendly plan for a fancy new server farm. Instead of using a ton of energy to cool the new server farm, the internet giant has decided to just locate the facility in a place that is naturally freezing cold - the Arctic! Located in Luleå, Sweden, the state-of-the-art server farm will be cooled naturally by the Arctic chill. We "Like" it!

All of our writing on walls, status updates and pokes cause Facebook’s busy servers to work hard- and produce a lot of excess heat. Most server farms must also include complicated – and expensive – air conditioning systems to prevent self combustion from over heating! So relocating a server farm to cooler temperatures makes a lot of sense as it helps to naturally alleviate waste heat. Since Facebook has become such a giant worldwide conglomerate, their server farms which span 175,000 square feet over three buildings are nothing to laugh at.  To run the Arctic air cooling system will cost a cool $75 million a year so one can only imagine how much the cost would be in a warmer climate! The Swedish server farm will also enjoy the benefits of the nearby Luleå River, which provides green and affordable hydro-electric power.

Luleå is in Northern Sweden, and borders the Arctic Circle by under 100 miles. It is as close to the North Pole as Siberia, and averages a chilly 35 degrees Fahrenheit year round.  The giant data center could easily be cooled naturally with fans and its proximity to such frigid weather makes the process a whole lot more efficient. One thing that we should mention though is that the farm will be producing a lot of warmer air, which probably won’t be enough to have an impact on climate change on the Arctic tundra, but if other businesses become attracted to the area, it may be something to monitor.

Innovative Front to Back Infill House Creates Two Separate Homes On a Small Lot

This teensy tiny suburban lot near Ottawa, Canada recently became the site of two totally separate homes thanks to the Front to Back Infill house. Designed by Colizza Bruni Architecture, the houses ditched the traditional side to side residence configuration, opting instead to fill in the lot with one home in the front and one in the back.

The residents of the infill homes split the 25 ft by 80 ft land cost, keeping their tight budget  low and construction affordable. The rear unit is extremely private, facing and interacting with the back yard, while the front home interacts with the street and adjacent neighbors. The architects chose simple, sustainable plywood and metal to clad the exterior, reflecting the industrial feel of the neighborhood.

The rear unit rises in a three-storey box form, with an open kitchen and dining area while the second floor living room looks down upon the kitchen, which is the central focus of the family home. Large windows flood the interiors with light, and face the lush backyard. The rear home is private and quiet,  focusing on family meals, and gathering around a simple fireplace in the mezzanine.

Facing the street, the front unit perches off of the box of the rear home. The main living area is elevated on two columns, housing a car park and foyer area below. The living area opens into a large street-facing boxed cantilevered terrace, which includes a gorgeous wooden privacy screen that meets an open glass corner. The interior is bright thanks to skylight and a glazed glass curtain on the front of the home and glass walls throughout.

House with slide

Yokohama-based atelier level architects has completed 'house with slide', a three-storey family residence that features a continuous circulation route that utilizes both stairs and the playground equipment. Circumscribing the volume of the house, the playful layout places the living spaces at the core of the house with a number of access points along the course.

living area on the second level

Since the circulation is placed at the outer edge of the design, the interior is largely lit using vertical openings in the roof. a centrally-placed courtyard with sliding glass doors illuminate the living room with natural daylight while creating a small play area for the children of the house. rounded corners of the layout encourages the light to wash around edges to further light the space.

slide exit into the living space

(left) stairs up to the top of the slide

(right) slide

third floor hall way connecting the stairs and slide

living room with light courtyard

(left) light courtyard

(right) washroom with roof light

entrance and slide exit to the right

(left) library

(right) slide and hallway

(right) slide and hallway

exteriorcirculation diagram