Evander Jones
When it comes to architecture, the US knows how to keep things interesting. There are buildings shaped like everyday objects, and then there are designs that defy logic. Here are 20 examples that explain the country’s liking for the unusual. It’ll leave you amused, baffled, or both.
Kansas City’s Giant Shuttlecock, Missouri
What’s more unexpected than a giant badminton birdie? The Nelson-Atkins Museum’s lawn features four towering shuttlecocks. Each of them is 18 feet tall. A husband-and-wife artist team designed the museum as playful art, but it has sparked debate for decades. Some call them ingenious and others downright odd.
WonderWorks, Tennessee
The upside-down WonderWorks building in Pigeon Forge looks like it’s been flipped by a giant force. This wild design ties into the backstory of a lab experiment gone wrong. Inside, the quirky architecture continues, with inversion tunnels and tilted interiors adding to the fun, weird, and immersive experience.
Bubble House, Florida
Originally, there were two bubble houses, but one got demolished in 2012. The current one looks like a spaceship stranded on the Florida coast—a head-turning architectural home that was built in 1954 to withstand hurricanes. Its totally round, dome-style design still baffles and fascinates visitors.
The Big Duck, New York
Long Island’s giant duck-shaped building, which is now a gift shop, was originally a poultry shop in the 1930s. Martin Maurer, a duck farmer, crafted this unapologetic design using a live duck as a model. Since day one, the Big Duck has earned a spot in roadside Americana lore and funny stories.
The Beer Can House, Texas
In Houston, a house covered in over 50,000 beer cans stands as a masterpiece of art and a recycling project. John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer, started it as a hobby in the 1960s, but it’s an unusual tourist attraction now. Every aluminum panel has Texan ingenuity—and perhaps overindulgence
The UFO-Shaped House, Tennessee
Curtis W. King, a building contractor, built this home for his son as a retro-futuristic inspiration near Chattanooga. It’s locally known as the Spaceship House, and looks like it’s ready for takeoff. Today, this house is an Airbnb, so you can enjoy the outerspace vibes along with modern comforts.
The Mystery Castle, Arizona
After being diagnosed with tuberculosis, a man named Boyce Luther Gulley left his family to live alone in a desert. There, he built The Mystery Castle for his daughter as a childhood promise. There are 18 rooms, 13 fireplaces, and multiple eclectic details—all made from unusual components like bottles and car parts.
The Igloo City Hotel, Alaska
Hotel Igloo City, near Denali National Park, is a failed attempt to attract travelers. The abandoned igloo-shaped building looks eerie as well as fascinating. Its unfinished interior is quite contrasting to its oversized, new-like exterior. It’s a weird but famous relic of Alaska.
The Dog Bark Park Inn, Idaho
In Cottonwood, you can sleep inside a park that looks like a giant beagle. If you’re a dog lover, it’s either a fun outing or just plain hilarious. Plus, this dog-shaped B&B doubles as folk art as it was created by chainsaw artists. The inn is as kitschy as it gets.
The Fremont Troll, Washington
It’s an underpass in Seattle that features a massive troll clutching a real Volkswagen Beetle. Although it’s technically a sculpture, its size and integration with the bridge make it a bizarre “architectural” feature. Those who love quirky photo ops must visit this place!
The Prada Marfa Store, Texas
You can’t shop at this “store,” which is in the middle of a desert, but you can either mock or admire its minimalist facade and actual Prada displays from 2005. With this permanent art installation, the artists were aiming to explain the themes of luxury branding, consumerism, and the inclusion of art into everyday life.
The Corn Palace, South Dakota
Mitchell residents built The Corn Palace in 1892 to celebrate the area’s fertile soil and attract settlers. It is covered in weird murals made of corn and gained its iconic design elements, Moorish minarets, and onion domes, in 1937. Locals annually redecorate it with stunning corn murals honoring South Dakota’s agricultural heritage.
The Kettle House, Texas
WWII veteran Clayton E. Stokley built the Kettle House, which looks like a giant steel teapot. Originally intended as a convenience store, it was abandoned mid-project. After decades of neglect, it was renovated into a vacation rental—a step that preserved its bizarre design and coastal mystique.
The Palace of Depression, New Jersey
Vineland has this structure made from junk that was built during the Great Depression. The Palace of Depression brought hope and resilience at that time. There are unusual design features, like twisting pathways and mismatched materials, which may look out of place but hold historical importance.
The Longaberger Basket Building, Ohio
It’s a seven-story office that was built to resemble the company’s iconic picnic basket, and the building is as literal as it gets. The basket-shaped office looks quite eccentric, with two complete handles. Though the building closed as Longaberger’s headquarters, it still is a quirky Ohio landmark.
The Clown Motel, Nevada
Leona and Leroy David built this eerie motel in 1985 to honor their late father. He was a clown enthusiast and was buried in the nearby cemetery. With over 150 clown figurines and its unsettling location, the motel blends heartfelt homage with a hauntingly weird atmosphere that’s emotional as well as bizarre.
Lucy the Elephant, New Jersey
Have you ever seen an elephant-shaped building? Lucy the Elephant in Margate, NJ, will surprise you! It was built as a marketing tool and has been a hotel, tavern, and tourist attraction since 1881. Lucy’s design, size, and vivid paint make it a striking sight on the Jersey Shore.
The Ziggurat Building, California
This one takes its inspiration from the ziggurats (Mesopotamian stepped structures). The zigzag building looks like a weird city version of the traditional design. It gives the ancient stepped shape to modern office spaces. Some call its tiered design smart; others think it’s simply not needed.
The Watts Towers, California
An Italian man named Sabato “Simon” Rodia built the Watt Towers over a span of 33 years using scrap metal and concrete. These towering sculptures in Los Angeles defy traditional architecture by rising nearly 100 feet despite being made of wire mesh, mortar, and a mosaic of found objects such as glass bottles, ceramic tiles, and seashells.
The Shoe House, Pennsylvania
York’s shoe-shaped home was built in the 1940s as an advertisement for a shoe company. Mahlon Haines, locally known as the “Shoe Wizard,” commissioned it by giving the builder one of his shoes as design inspiration. It’s now a museum, and its whimsical design delights visitors who critique its marketing genius and architectural absurdity.
