‘Vertical Forest’ in Chinese Residential Complex Becomes Mosquito-Infested Jungle
The Qiyi City Forest Garden residential complex in Chengdu, China, was supposed to be a green paradise for its residents, but two years on, the vertical forest concept has turned into a nightmare. Back in 2018, the idea of living among dozens of exotic plants proved very exciting for the people of Chengdu, one of […]
Mushroom House Built Atop Narrow Staircase Baffles Internet
Photos of a so-called “mushroom house” sitting on a narrow concrete staircase have been doing the rounds on Japanese social media and leaving viewers scratching their heads in disbelief. The viral photos were originally posted by Japanese Twitter user Yuko Mohri, but have since been shared over 20,000 times on the popular social network alone. […]
Mexican Bank Builds Branch in the Middle of Nowhere
Photos and videos of a functional Banco del Bienestar branch seemingly located in the middle of nowhere have been getting a lot of attention on Mexican social media this week. Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador was one of the very first people to get blamed for wasting government money on useless buildings after the […]
The Genius Behind Japan’s New Transparent Public Toilets
Most people are apprehensive about using public restrooms as it is, so making them completely transparent would just boost their anxiety, right? Well, apparently, the exact opposite is true. Japanese public toilets generally have a higher standard of hygiene that other public restrooms around the world. I distinctly remember posting about Benjyo Soujer, a Tokyo […]
Chichen Itza Chirp – Clapping at Base of Ancient Pyramid Echoes the Call of Sacred Bird
Chichen Itza, the pre-Colombian archaeological site built by the Mayans in northern Yucatan, Mexico, is home to many architectural and cultural wonders, one of which has baffled acoustics experts for decades. The Temple of Kukulkan is one of the most visually-striking structures at Chichen Itza, but perhaps its most intriguing characteristic is acoustic, not visual. […]
The Famously Narrow ‘Pie House’ of Deerfield
A suburban Chicago home has become known locally as the “Pie House” because of its resemblance to a wedge-shaped slice of pie. Built in 2003, on an oblong plot of land in Deerfield, Illinois, the Pie House has become somewhat of a local tourist attraction, with people stopping by regularly just to take pictures of […]
Massive Road Bridge Built Around Tiny House of Very Stubborn Owner
A newly opened highway in China’s Guangdong province has been making news headlines for a very peculiar reason: it’s built around the tiny home who refused to move. China is well-known for its “nail houses”, properties of homeowners who reject compensation from a developer for their demolition, but while most such examples are encountered within […]
Vietnamese Man Decorates Home With Almost 10,000 Porcelain Dishes
A Vietnamese man obsessed with traditional porcelain dishes and antiques has spent the last 25 years of his life decorating his house with almost 10,000 porcelain bowls, plates and urns. Nguien Van Truong first fell in love with porcelain antiques in 1986, a year after being discharged from the army and returning to his home […]
This Japanese Building Has a Highway Passing Right Through It
The Gate Tower Building is one of the many several tall office buildings that make up Osaka’s impressive skyline, but there is something about it that makes it unique in the world – it has a functional highway going right through it. Photos of this architectural anomaly have been doing the rounds on social media […]
Russian Couple Build Pyramid of Giza Replica in Their Rural Backyard
A couple from Istinka, a small village located 12 kilometres outside St Petersburg, Russia, have built a concrete replica of the Great Pyramid of Giza right in their own backyard. Measuring 9 meters above ground and 9 meters deep, and consisting of about 400 tonnes of concrete blocks, the pyramid of Istinka is 19 times […]
Spanish Company Specializes in Building Pools That Look Like Sandy Oasis
Piscinas de Arena is a Spanish pool company that can build you a realistic-looking oasis with a sandy beach and turquoise water right in the comfort of your own backyard. With the Covid-19 pandemic causing havoc around the world, vacations to tropical paradises may have to take a back-seat this year, but that doesn’t men […]
Vietnam Takes On Dubai With the World’s First 24K-Gold-Plated Hotel Exterior and Interior
Globetrotters looking for the world’s most exclusive accommodations will soon be able to add a new line on their list of must-visit locations – a Hanoi 6-star hotel with a 24K-gold-plated exterior and interior. After over a decade of development, the Hanoi Golden Lake hotel will be completed by the end of this year. The […]
Egyptian Capital Builds Highway Bridge Literally 50 Centimeters from Residential Building
Authorities in Cairo, Egypt, have come under fire for approving the construction of an “essential” highway bridge literally half a meter from several apartment buildings. Egyptian social media has been abuzz over a new high-speed bridge currently under construction in Cairo’s Al-Haram district, for the simple reason that it is being built right next to […]
Indian Mogul Builds His Own White House Atop a Skyscraper
The Indian city of Bangalore is home to one of the most lavish, over-the-top luxury mansions in the world – a replica of the White House built atop a skyscraper. Vijay Mallya, the chairman of United Breweries Group, has always been one of India’s most flamboyant tycoons, but in 2010, when he announced plans to […]
Just Room Enough Island – The World’s Smallest Inhabited Island
Just Room Enough Island, is an aptly-named private-owned island with literally just enough room for its owners’ house, a couple of trees and a miniature beach with a pair of bench chairs. Part of the Thousand Islands archipelago on the border between the U.S. and Canada, Just Room Enough Island measures about 3,300 square feet […]