<p>In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of overly unique housing complexes around the world.</p>
<h3><strong> A symbolic tower apartment in a city that looks like a hedgehog</strong><br>
L&#8217;Arbre Blanc (France)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_202696" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3665px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202696"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="1fbe1c25"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--IffliOTr--/t_article_image/v1630467533/aflo_138786959_e4gzl2.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-202696" class="wp-caption-text">L&#8217;Arbre Blanc, a 17-story building with three basement floors and 113 units, has restaurants and galleries on the first and second floors that are open to non-residents.</figcaption></figure>
<p>L&#8217;Arbre Blanc (pictured above), located in Montpellier in the southern part of France, was built in &#8217;19 by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto (50) and others. In response to the city&#8217;s request for &#8220;an architecture that will be handed down to future generations,&#8221; Mr. Fujimoto came up with the concept of a &#8220;white tree. Taking a hint from plants that grow in the sun, the design was inspired by the image of a tree spreading toward the sky. At first glance, the exterior of the house looks mysterious, but it is comfortable to live in. There are many sunny days in this area, and the large veranda is perfect for sunbathing and barbecues. The close proximity to the neighbors also suits the people who like to socialize casually.</p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<p>WoZoCo in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (see photo below), was built for a very different reason. The client had a strong desire to build 100 dwellings on a plot of land that could only accommodate 87 units at most. So, the design office took the plunge and made 13 of the units pop out of the building. Originally, it was an idea that the designers jokingly came up with.</p>
<p>Why do they build such crazy housing complexes overseas? Mr. Takashi Moriyama, an architectural economist, examines.</p>
<p><strong> &#8220;The first reason is that people have a deep-rooted sense of buying an apartment as their final home. The first reason is that there is a deep-rooted sense of buying a condominium as one&#8217;s final home, so many people want to live in a unique condominium even if they have to spend a lot of money.</strong></p>
<p><strong> The second is the difference in the way people think about design. The Netherlands and Singapore are the two countries in the world with the most eccentric architecture. In the Netherlands, the government recommends that at least 5% of the construction cost be spent on &#8220;art&#8221; when building public facilities. As a result, public facilities are all highly designed. This has led to a preference for elaborate designs in private housing complexes as well.</strong></p>
<p><strong> Singapore is home to a large number of newly affluent people, who look for unusual features in their homes, such as unusual exteriors and luxurious interiors. As a result, unique architecture is being accepted.</strong></p>
<p>There is a world of designer condominiums that is fun to look at.</p>
<div class="expapp-no-provided-scope expapp-no-provided-scope-start"></div>
<p>Curvaceous beauty that won the award for best new high-rise building<br>
Absolute Towers (Canada)</p>
<figure id="attachment_202697" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2411px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202697"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="91d0ad50"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--KlUHnJ2o--/t_article_image/v1630467518/GettyImages-458628947_3_bh4ofl.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-202697" class="wp-caption-text">The twisted curves of this building remind me of a woman&#8217;s body, and it is called the &#8220;Marilyn Monroe Building. The building&#8217;s innovative design, which changes its expression depending on the angle from which it is viewed, has been highly evaluated.</figcaption></figure>
<h3></h3>
<h3>The Interlace (Singapore), a huge, complex apartment building that makes courier companies cry.<br>
The Interlace (Singapore)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_202698" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3651px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202698"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="493c1f3d"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--ZJuDq574--/t_article_image/v1630467661/aflo_124526161_rsrkbi.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-202698" class="wp-caption-text">The Interlace is a huge condominium complex that makes couriers cringe. Each building is designed from different angles to allow sufficient light and wind to enter each room. It was designed by a German Jewish architect, and is characterized by its geometric three-dimensional layout.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>A building that looks like an octopus&#8217; foot, hidden in the forest.<br>
El Nido de Quetzalco´atl (Mexico)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_202699" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 4054px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202699"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e5bf5b84"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s---sKbbIag--/t_article_image/v1630467728/aflo_35625675_bxlwas.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-202699" class="wp-caption-text">This building was inspired by the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. It expresses the world view of the myth with the vivid colors unique to Mexico.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>The shape of a wave is transformed into a housing complex<br>
Denmark] The Wave</h3>
<figure id="attachment_202700" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2639px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202700"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="04795321"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--Eb85AXaC--/t_article_image/v1630467795/aflo_23391060_w2qzry.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-202700" class="wp-caption-text">Built in a town with an ocean and a hill, this building takes the shape of the wave form of both. All the rooms have double-sided lighting, and most of them have different floor plans.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>A room that juts out as much as 11 meters.<br>
The Netherlands] WoZoCo (also known as Oklahoma)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_202701" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3150px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202701"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d54d4bce"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--lBty8rZw--/t_article_image/v1630467861/aflo_21518692_jbwb4a.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-202701" class="wp-caption-text">Housing for elderly people over 55 years old. The spacing of the columns and the shape of the windows are deliberately not aligned, and colorful parts are used. It is a work of convenience and playfulness.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>An apartment made of squares tilted at 45 degrees.<br>
The Netherlands: The Cube-house in Rotterdam</h3>
<figure id="attachment_202702" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3150px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202702"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="caf8c224"><img src="https://gsjebzejhjubm-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--a11QBzHL--/t_article_image/v1630467498/jpp09788232_dsslih.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-202702" class="wp-caption-text">The exterior is made up of 38 cubes. The cubes are slanted to let in more light. Part of the building is used as a youth hostel, where you can stay overnight.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="expapp-no-provided-scope expapp-no-provided-scope-end"></div>
<p>From the September 10, 2021 issue of FRIDAY</p>


 Afro Jiji PressGetty Images

 There is a growing number of housing complexes around the world that are too unique for their own good. Let's take a look at seven carefully selected by this magazine!

 It's fun to look at, but how comfortable is it to live in? ...... A riverside designer apartment that looks like a hedgehog, an octopus-legged structure in the middle of a forest, and a complicated mammoth housing complex that makes delivery companies cry.

Just looking at them is fun…! The Top 7 Most Mysterious Housing Complexes in the World

Access Ranking