C.Y. Lee, the Taiwanese architect who built Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest buildings, also made this — one of the world’s ugliest. The 25-floor office block in Shenyang, China, takes inspiration from ancient Chinese coins that were circular with square cutouts in the middle. Abu Dhabi’s Aldar building — also a coin — looks sleek. This just looks clunky.
15 Buildings That Don’t Look Like Buildings
Pyongyang’s Ryugyong Hotel resembles a giant ballistic missile. As the so-called “Hotel of Doom” prepares to open in 2013, TIME looks at 15 buildings that don’t look like buildings
Fang Yuan Building
Full List
15 Buildings That Don't Look like Buildings
- Ryugyong Hotel
- Indira Gandhi Planetarium
- National Fisheries Development Board Building
- Chang Building
- Aldar Properties Headquarters
- Longaberger Basket Company Home Office
- Tianzi Hotel
- National Library of Belarus
- Flame Towers
- Lotus Temple
- Cross # Towers
- Fang Yuan Building
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
- The Experience Music Project
- London Aquatics Centre