Looking to the Future
The future may seem like a far-off dream, but in some places, it’s already here. From sci-fi high-rises to alien-like centers, here are 20 of the most stunning and spacey buildings around the world.
1. Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Located in Singapore, the Marina Bay Sands is a luxury hotel that has all the amenities you need, from shopping malls to entertainment complexes to casinos. Three towering skyscrapers hold up a boat-like structure called SkyPark, which, of course, comes equipped with an observation deck and a swimming pool.
2. The Atomium, Brussels
The Atomium is a landmark and museum in one. It was originally built in 1958 for the World Expo and stands out for its alien molecular design.
3. Museum of Tomorrow, Rio de Janeiro
The Museum of Tomorrow lives up to its name as a premier science and sustainability center. It pairs sleek white structures, organic curves, and quintessential solar panels to create a building unlike any other.
4. Tao Zhu Yi Yuan, Taipei
One look at this skyscraper will have you doing a double take. What’s even more surprising is the fact that it’s just a residential building—a very eco-friendly one at that, though. The helix shape and blend of greenery make it quite the utopia.
5. Pixel Building, Melbourne
The Pixel Building may come across as quite zany and strange, but surprisingly, it’s an office building! The colorful pixels do well to hide irregular window placements, and the vibrant design makes it quite a tourist spot.
Rob Deutscher from Melbourne, Australia on Wikimedia
6. Burj Khalifa, Dubai
When people think of sci-fi buildings, the first thing to come to mind is the Burj Khalifa. The tallest skyscraper in the world, it has everything from observation decks to office spaces to residential homes. Despite its size, it manages to retain an elegance unlike any other.
7. The Crystal, East London
Located in East London, The Crystal is the pinnacle of sustainability and sci-fi in this busy city. The sharp layout of the windows does well in capturing light and creates an almost glowing alien outpost.
8. Faraday Future Campus, Northern California
The Faraday Future Campus is intended for the research and development of electric vehicles, and of course, a high-tech endeavor like that needs an equally high-tech base of operations.
Precious Madubuike on Unsplash
9. United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel
Military personnel can now train in style and take a load off at the coolest new religious chapel in Colorado Springs. Featuring spiraling towers and aluminum and glass, this cathedral is perfect for the space age.
10. Auditorio de Tenerife, Spain
Located in Spain, this concert hall serves both as an architectural spectacle and a cultural center. The waves in the white structure are meant to resemble a spaceship—one that looks like it’s ready to take off any second.
11. Futuroscope, France
This park in France blends public access with innovation and technology. Plenty of reflective structures are collected to show off just how futuristic civilization is getting.
12. VIA 57 West, New York
The VIA 57 West is surprisingly another residential skyscraper, but one that looks like nothing else in the city. With its unique pyramid-like structure, the building hosts an open courtyard and unique sloped shapes for that cyberpunk feel.
13. The National Library of Belarus
Lots of countries take pride in designing their national libraries, but Belarus took it to a whole other level. The giant structure is covered in glass, and glowing LEDs are used to display unique images.
EuroAsia Vizion from New York on Wikimedia
14. The Bullitt Center, Seattle
The Bullitt Center is one of the greenest commercial buildings in the entire world, all made possible thanks to the massive solar panels that cover it. As a self-sustaining building, it’s pretty out of this world.
15. Kunsthaus Graz Art Museum, Austria
Located in Austria, this art museum is as much a masterpiece on the outside as it is on the inside. The alien-looking structure uses irregular windows and an amorphous design to appear almost alive.
16. Yugoslavian World War II Monuments
Many countries have dedicated monuments to their past events, and various locations in the Balkans are host to these abstract stone structures. It’s not hard to confuse these memorials as alien relics of some sort.
17. Galaxy Soho, Beijing
Located in Beijing, the Galaxy Soho is an office and commercial complex, but that’s just where the fun begins. With a unique flowing and organic design, it looks like it could be housing a space colony in there.
18. Apple Park, Cupertino
Apple Park seamlessly blends the outdoors with the indoors. Not only is it the headquarters of Apple Inc., but it resembles a massive circular spaceship with a secluded section of Eden inside.
19. CopenHill, Copenhagen
The appropriately named CopenHill is a waste-to-energy power plant that demonstrates Denmark’s commitment to sustainability. The sloped building is covered in greenery and could easily double as a ski resort.
20. The Gherkin, London
It’s a strange thing to name something after a gherkin, but nonetheless, this egg-shaped glass tower is sure to stop you in your tracks. It practically shimmers, resembling an alien tower from some long-lost alien world.
