This year has produced more than its fair share of outlandish, extraordinary and ridiculously ambitious architecture. From a massive globe-shaped entertainment venue that can be illuminated as an oversized emoji, to a plan to build a skyscraper so big it can fit 20 Empire State Buildings, here's our pick of the top 10 architectural oddities of 2023.
Our look at the year's most unusual architecture runs the gamut from the crazy to the brilliant, so "oddities" shouldn't be taken as a negative, and there are some genuinely impressive feats of engineering here.
The projects are presented in no particular order, and hail from all over the world. Saudi Arabia punches above its weight, as you'd expect nowadays, but there's some weirdness in the West too – notably in Las Vegas. We've also included some proposals alongside completed buildings, however each one is either under construction or is expected to start soon.
Read on then for our look at 2023's top 10 architectural oddities.
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![The Sphere, by Populous, officially opened in September 2023 and hosts concerts, as well as sporting events like boxing]()
July 05, 2023Looking like a huge high-tech snow globe, the Sphere is the world's largest spherical structure and hosts the world's largest LED display on its exterior. This has now been officially illuminated for the first time with a Hello World message. -
![Epicon will feature two skyscrapers, the shorter of which will rise to a height of 225 m (roughly 740 ft), while the taller will reach 275 m (900 ft)]()
November 16, 2023Another day, another spectacular-looking skyscraper project revealed for Saudi Arabia. Named Epicon, the development will be centered around two futuristic-looking towers that are meant to evoke a desert mirage. -
![The Huai'an Zhongshuge bookstore's incredible interior design was realized with wood, marble, and glazing]()
November 14, 2023X+Living has made a real splash producing fantastical bookstores throughout China, and has now revealed another example in Huai'an that features an incredible interior design made up of complex cosmic forms. -
![The Seoul Ring is expected to be completed by the end of 2027]()
March 20, 2023The Seoul Metropolitan Government has revealed plans to build the world's largest spokeless Ferris wheel. The huge metallic ring will rise an impressive 180 m over the South Korean landscape, and host almost 1,500 passengers per hour. -
![The Mukaab will reach a height, width and length of 400 m (1,312 ft), forming a huge cuboid supertall skyscraper]()
February 20, 2023An incredibly ambitious new cuboid skyscraper is planned for Riyadh that will reach a height of 400 m and host a twisting tower inside. According to Saudi Arabian authorities, its interior will be so big that it could hold 20 Empire State Buildings. -
![Described as a square that rolls by designer Thomas Randall-Page, the Cody Dock Rolling Bridge has a novel method of allowing boats to pass]()
March 03, 2023Admittedly, this footbridge isn't the easiest, nor the most practical way to get people from one side of a river to another – but it might be one of the most creative. The unique crossing rolls 180 degrees to make space for boats to pass under it. -
![Tencent Helix will consist of four towers, with the tallest reaching a height of 153 m (501 ft)]()
December 08, 2023Büro Ole Scheeren has revealed plans for an extraordinary new project named the Tencent Helix. Taking the form of four connected twisting towers, it will serve as the new global headquarters of tech giant Tencent in Shenzhen, China. -
![Bugatti Residences will be defined by an extraordinary sculpted design]()
May 25, 2023Bugatti is the latest luxury automotive brand to dive head-first into architectural design, revealing plans for an amazing new tower in Dubai that will include car elevators, allowing penthouse owners to drive right up to their suites. -
![A commute with a difference: Maxon Studio is attached to the owner's main residence for easy access, and it rolls down a railroad track to a secluded spot once the workday begins]()
May 02, 2023Hired to create a home office, Olson Kundig joked that it should be put on railroad tracks. After talking it through, the idea became a solid plan for a train-like studio that rolls down the rails to keep work and home life separate. -
![UK firm Atkins has been commissioned to help realize an ambitious plan to build a linear city in the Saudi Desert called the Line]()
February 23, 2023Imagine taking a population the size of New York and putting it into a 170-km-long skyscraper in the desert. An incredibly ambitious project named the Line is doing just that, and UK firm Atkins has been commissioned to help realize it.
