From giant ducks to Martian-style homes, weird (and wonderful) buildings around the world

New book ‘Weird Buildings’ from Hoxton Mini Press encourages readers to think outside the box with a selection of architecture that is functional and fantastical

weird buildings Casa del Acantilado
Casa del Acantilado, Spain
(Image credit: Luminar Neo)
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Humans are drawn to the peculiar. Anything weird, wonderful and out of the norm may pique curiosity. Tapping into this, and new from Hoxton Mini Press, Weird Buildings is a book that delivers a plethora of architectural oddities. Written by editor Imogen Fortes, the publication takes readers through human creativity at its most imaginative (if not polarising) with more than 100 buildings that question the boundaries of architecture and design.

The Big Duck

The Big Duck, New York

(Image credit: Randy Duchaine (Alamy))

Mirrorcube Treehotel

Mirrorcube Treehotel, Sweden

(Image credit: Hufton+Crow-VIEW)

'Weird Buildings' by Hoxton Mini Press

As you flip through this tome's pages, familiar landmarks jump out. From Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Batlló in Barcelona, Spain, to a mountaintop museum by Zaha Hadid. Other examples include Bubble Palace, a Mars-inspired settlement in Théoule-sur-Mer, France, by Antti Lovag, and Norway’s underwater restaurant, Under, by Snøhetta.

Inntel Hotel

Inntel Hotel, The Netherlands

(Image credit: Pixelbiss (Alamy))

Under

Under, Norway

(Image credit: Lillian Tveit _ Alamy)

The book also highlights America’s obsession with roadside whimsies, from teapot-shaped service stations in Washington and Pennsylvania, to The Big Duck in Flanders, New York, and The Dog Bark Park Inn Cottonwood, Idaho, by Dennis Sullivan and Frances Conklin.

Teapot Dome Service Station

Teapot Dome Service Station, Washington

(Image credit: Mark Kiver (Alamy))

The Wave

The Wave, Denmark

(Image credit: Finbarr Fallon)

Fortes has created an archive of unexpected buildings, varying in scale and spanning the globe, each treading a fine line between sculpture and structure.

Drina River House

Drina River House, Serbia

(Image credit: 2024 Shutterstock)

The Basket Building

The Basket Building, Ohio

(Image credit: Andre Jenny (Alamy))

Some of the buildings are certainly novelties, created for fun alone or designed to grab drivers’ attention on the highway. But behind even the most gimmicky façades lies the essence of human creativity, encouraging passers-by to reimagine what a building can be.

The Twist, Norway

The Twist, Norway

(Image credit: Patrik Bloudek)

Although a building shaped like a giant fish or a space-inspired settlement may not be for everyone, rule-breaking structures are a reminder of the value of curiosity and wonder in our daily lives.

Casa do Penedo, Portugal

Casa do Penedo, Portugal

(Image credit: Marc-Philipp Keller (Alamy))

Pre-Order: Weird Buildings

Hoxton Mini Press
Weird Buildings

'Weird Buildings' by Hoxton Mini Press, £20, is available to purchase from 4 September 2025 or pre-order now at the link above 

Tianna Williams
Staff Writer

Tianna Williams is Wallpaper’s staff writer. When she isn’t writing extensively across varying content pillars, ranging from design and architecture to travel and art, she also helps put together the daily newsletter. She enjoys speaking to emerging artists, designers and architects, writing about gorgeously designed houses and restaurants, and day-dreaming about her next travel destination.

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