Ten examples of oddly satisfying architecture
Tired of doomscrolling? Why not take a five-minute break to browse through this roundup of strangely pleasing architecture.
The Scoop, UK, by Corstorphine & Wright
This office building in London looks like a chunk has been taken out of it using a giant ice-cream scoop.
That was a decision made by architecture studio Corstorphine & Wright to ensure that, viewed from down the street, it perfectly frames the circular window of the neighbouring church.
Find out more about The Scoop ›
Footbridge at Albi, France, by Ney and Partners
Another piece of architecture that interacts with its neighbour in a gratifying way can be found in the town of Albi, France.
Here a steel pedestrian and cycle bridge cantilevers out from a 19th-century viaduct over the River Tarn, with a weaving pattern that corresponds to the geometry of the original crossing's arches.
Find out more about this bridge ›
Shanghai Grand Opera House, China, by Snøhetta and ECADI
Norwegian architecture studio Snøhetta and Chinese studio ECADI designed this opera house to resemble an unfolding fan.
A vast and dramatic spiral staircase winds its way up to the roof of the building, and will be accessible to the public once the project opens.
Find out more about Shanghai Grand Opera House ›
Designed by Danish architecture studio BIG, this art gallery is quite literally a building with a twist.
The strips of aluminium that make up its cladding help to create the optical illusion of a curved form, twisting like a stack of playing cards.
Find out more about The Twist ›
Hometown Moon, China, by Syn Architects
A large, illuminating semi-circular window emerges from the roof of this ceremonial hall at the edge of a glassy pool on China's Mount Tai.
Neatly mirrored in the water it forms a full circle that resembles the moon, while also reflecting light down into the space below during the daytime.
Find out more about Hometown Moon ›
The Glasshouse, UK, by Heatherwick Studio
The studio of British designer Thomas Heatherwick drew on Victorian terrariums for this kinetic greenhouse at the centre of a National Trust garden.
Closed it takes the shape of a 10-sided pyramid, but a hydraulic mechanism allows its glass panes to slowly unfurl like a flower on warm days.
Find out more about the Glasshouse ›
Ephemeral Bubble, Japan, by MAD
This installation saw a PVC-membrane bubble protrude from the front of a historic wooden house, almost as if it had been blown by the building itself.
It was created by Chinese architecture studio MAD for the 2024 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale in Japan, and was used to host performances and ceremonies.
Find out more about Ephemeral Bubble ›
Dresden Museum of Military History extension, Germany, by Studio Libeskind
A giant shard of steel appears to slice right through the neoclassical facade of Dresden's Museum of Military History, symbolising a break with the city's difficult past.
The striking extension was completed in 2011 and is considered a key example of deconstructivist architecture.
Find out more about the extension to the Museum of Military History ›
Photography Seoul Museum of Art, South Korea, by Jadric Architektur and 1990uao
Rising up to form a sturdy cube, a twisting stack of concrete panels give this photography museum in Seoul an appealing tactility.
The architects drew on the appearance of a camera's iris, and intended for the building to change depending on the light and viewer's perspective as "a tribute to the transience of photography".
Find out more about the Photography Seoul Museum of Art ›
300 John Lemley Lane, USA, by Ben Pennell
There's something strangely satisfying about the exoskeleton of this experimental house in Christiansburg, Virginia.
Working with students at Virginia Tech, designer Ben Pennell constructed most of it himself using simple materials in ingenious ways.
Find out more about 300 John Lemley Lane ›
The post Ten examples of oddly satisfying architecture appeared first on Dezeen.