Shell House (Isla Mujeres, Mexico)
While the materials used to build the Shell House were fairly traditional, the design of it was anything but. This whimsical conch construction on Isla Mujeres seems straight out of the Little Mermaid! The house has attracted a lot of attention throughout the years and it's currently available as a very unique vacation rental.
Lia Bo Bia
Guitar House (Fayetteville, Georgia)
Songwriter Elvis L. Carden, decided to devote the design of his house to his greatest passion: music. This 3,800 square-foot guitar-shaped home took approximately sixteen years to build, but Elvis was adamant on completing his dream house. The exterior walls have the perfect curves of a Gibson and the aluminum cables that stretch across the length of the exterior are the ultimate strings. What else could you expect from a guy named Elvis?
courtesy of Elvis L. Carden
The Shoe House (Hellam, Pennsylvania)
Taking the idea straight out of the beloved folk tale, shoe retailer Mahlon N. Haines (aka the Shoe Wizard) built this house in 1948 to advertise his business. After Haines passed away, the Shoe House was sold and turned into a destination ice cream parlor. Today it is back in the Haines family's hands and open for tours.
Carl Stough
Toilet House (Suweon, Korea)
To highlight the need for better sanitation around the world, the chairman of the World Toilet Association, Sim Jae-duck, built his house in the shape of a toilet (now that's dedication). The steel, white concrete and glass house is named Haewoojae, which in Korean means "a place of sanctuary where one can solve one's worries." Before he moved in, Jae-duck rented the house for $50,000 and gave the proceeds to his campaign to provide poor countries with proper sanitary facilities.
courtesy of the World Toilet Association
Airplane house (Abuja, Nigeria)
At first glance, we thought this was a horrible plane crash! But it turns out this site was no accident. To honor his wife's love of travel, Said Jammal built their home in a shape of an airplane. The things we do for love.
courtesy of the Washington Post
The Pineapple House (Dunmore Park, Scotland)
In 18th century Europe, nothing said affluence like a massive pineapple. This tropical delicacy became a symbol of coveted exoticism stretching from cuisine to architecture. And the IV Earl of Dunmore just had to have one. In 1761, he built this home addition as a garden retreat and hothouse and today it is one of the most famous buildings in Scotland.
John Watson
Dog Park Inn (Cottonwood, Idaho)
Dennis Sullivan and Frances Conklin created the Dog Bark Park for their love of beagles and classic roadside attractions. The beagle-shaped cottages are available for rent. The gift shop, which features "the whimsical chainsaw artwork of husband/wife artists Dennis and Frances" is definitely a highlight.
dogbarkparkinn.com
Car House (Salzburg, Austria)
The compact Volkswagen Beetle has always been a fuel-efficient car, but what about applying that conservationist model to a house? German architect Mark Voglreiter took up the challenge and nailed it with the "Auto Residence." Its thermal insulation makes it very energy-efficient. The house was rented in 2004 for a pricey $2,500 euros a month-and we thought people living in their cars were trying to save money!
stadtbaumeister.com
