Some of the World's Most Bizarre Construction Projects

[@Sideprojects]

Thank you to Curiosity Stream for sponsoring this video. Check out Past Present Future here: kzbin.info/aero/PLOYdDvFegGzcNWEKQjvB9IwD3CFjC2cA1

[@michaelmayhem350]

Simon we need DTU March 8 1994 Michigan

[@TheEDFLegacy]

This video made me think of some of Canada's most interesting construction projects. I'm not sure if you've covered it on this channel or Megaprojects, but Fort Henry, and the Rideau Canal, are both very big projects that shaped what Canada is today. I actually live fairly close there, so if you want some footage from there, let me know and we can work something out.

[@fredred8371]

Video starts at 1:22

[@alexfortin7209]

Habitat 67 is an extremely interesting concept. The view from many units is breathtaking and it is still a prestigious place to live.

[@rubiconnn]

It seems like a poorly thought out plan. Irregular and non-square buildings cost more. Just arrange them on top of each other and the cost will drop substantially.

[@TheEDFLegacy]

@@rubiconnn True, but if that's what people wanted, they would live in boring buildings. Which most of them do, to be honest.

[@rubiconnn]

@@TheEDFLegacy People will live wherever they can. The issue isn't that there isn't enough pretty building. The issue is that there isn't enough housing.

[@version2minus1]

@@rubiconnn The issue is that there isn't enough *affordable* housing. Safdie's goal with Habitat 67 is that he wanted to use that as a modern template for affordable housing. I'm no architect but even in 66, this design was extremely complex and challenging to implement and thus more costly. So his experiment failed but the fact its construction was still attempted - and completed - is still quite a engineering feat. BONUS FACT: None of Habitat 67's concrete terraces directly face each other.

[@jaquigreenlees]

There has been a few container multi-unit housing projects recently that take the same concepts at Habitat 67 and use them.

[@ksoule1985]

They should turn the basket building into an apartment building...if they can turn a historic jail building in Duluth, MN into apartments, they can totally turn that into a really nice apartment block!

[@BakuganBrawler211]

It certainly would work if somebody would just put the time and effort into it. I was blown away soon as I heard him say Longaberger basket in Newark since I pass it all the time going to and from the area. Longaberger could be a far bigger player than now maybe even on par with how they were in the hay days if they’d gotten on the internet train soon as digital marketplaces became a thing.

[@Kiefsti]

I would go out of my way to live there.

[@BakuganBrawler211]

@@Kiefsti Perfect distance from Columbus or anywhere else it’s a amazing spot being right off the highway too.

[@carddamom188]

I will talk with Cristiano Ronaldo about the idea... Hang on a bit...

[@ecospider5]

The Space Needle was treated with contempt by some original locals and the Eiffel tower was considered an eyesore for over a decade. Sometimes things have to start as weird to eventually become iconic. But sometimes they just stay as weird.

[@bigblob1623]

The Eiffel Tower is an eyesore.

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

Personally I think if they aren't weird to begin with, they get demolished before they have a chance to become iconic, more often than not

[@jeremy5602]

Iconic doesn't mean cool

[@Svartalf14]

more than 130 yeas after it was put at the wrong end of the champ de mars, I still regard the eiffing tower as Paris' second worst eyesore, right after the sacré coeur... and I dwell there... fortunately, nowhere near either.

[@jeremy5602]

@@Svartalf14 It's kinda funny how a lot of times, these famous landmarks can draw thousand or millions of tourists but then the locals think they look hideous

[@ShotofDespresso]

MoPop is still one of my top museum experiences of all time. The architecture is weird, the permanent exhibits inside are phenomenal, and it's in a great spot to explore Seattle before or after your visit.

[@brodericki4281]

I can’t put my thumb on it at all but this was in my opinion one of the best side projects I’ve even watched well done Simon and co

[@elizd9952]

Ok I want an out-takes video. Sometimes I wonder how many times Simon had to pause and burst out laughing just to continue to look like he was keeping calm. I was busting up laughing during his most straight-faced quibs.

[@dragonsandungeons]

Yes, glad to see the giant basket building! My dad used to work there in the early 2000's.

[@GarrettOtt-ls2ml]

I live a 2 mins walk away if I go and stand in the right spot I can see it from the stop sign in front of my house

[@annehersey9895]

I really like the idea of habitat’67. Each unit has a view of something more than the wall othe next building, more access to natural light, ability for cross breezes and the rooftop garden of your neighbors house. I would think today it would be much cheaper with modular buildings able to be put in place like his original LEGO model. You could make it cheaper by using modified shipping containers!

[@ignitionfrn2223]

2:30 - Chapter 1 - The experience music project 5:15 - Chapter 2 - The big duck building 7:25 - Chapter 3 - The big basket building 10:00 - Chapter 4 - Zizkov television tower(prague) 12:00 - Chapter 5 - Habitat 67

[@meeksandgeeks]

20 Fenchurch Street (the walkie talkie) is not a Frank Gehry building. Its architect was Rafael Viñoly. Weird that no one fact-checked that before this video came out.

[@ZebraGirl97]

The experience music project's building is definitely really weird, and the interior layout is confusing, but the experience itself is absolutely awesome. So much cool history and interactive exhibits, and an awesome venue for live concerts, too!

[@rhov-anion]

Back in school, my band went to Seattle to march in the parade there and went to the EMP. We had a blast inside. You can imagine 80 musicians geeking out over music history. We also loved the "smashed guitar" design, so maybe (just maybe) it was meant for musicians and not architecture snobs.

[@BatCaveOz]

When I lived in Montreal, we always called Habitat 67 the "Lego houses"... they were awesome and remain awesome. It would be great to see this concept reimagined.

[@MKdross]

Habitat 67 is the coolest idea ever!

[@tannusmasters-dray1424]

Habitat 67 is one of my favourite architectural builds. I had to do an essay for it at university. Was one of the key inspections behind my project proposal

[@tigertank3024]

Oh, let’s go Montreal is in the thumbnail

[@bjarulez]

ye come on lets go, where we going?

[@SquintyGears]

It looks better in the thumbnail than irl

[@Estebanf259]

yay

[@rjgaynor8]

That duck is sacred to many of the locals. I have been with the kids and it’s eyes are very creepy.

[@christopherguy1217]

I love Habitat 67. I saw it when it was built and was sad that the final project was only a small fraction of what was proposed. Interestingly there were many engineers that swore it couldn't be built.

[@andyginterblues2961]

I attended Expo 67 when I was a child of thirteen, with my mom and two siblings. I had just received a Kodak "Instamatic" film camera as a birthday present, and ran around taking photos of everything (and nearly got lost in the crowd several times). Habitat was probably the coolest "exhibit" that I encountered at Expo. (It was just called "Habitat" at the time). I believe that many of the units had already been rented, but there were several that were open for public perusal. Walking onto a deck that was also someone's roof was a pretty novel experience. I've heard that over the years "Habitat 67" has become a bit run down, but when I saw and ran through it in 1967, it was brand new and beautiful. I would rent there in a minute. Pretty sure that at present all of the units are rented up, and in demand.

[@audreymuzingo933]

Habitat 67 breaks all my rules of aesthetics and yet I've always loved it, wish I could check out a few of the apartment interiors someday.

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

We had a substitute teacher that loved traveling the world and taking pictures of all the weird toilets and such. I called him toilet guy, and he was one of the nicest fellas. Epic beard too.

[@kaltaron1284]

Only the toilets? Because some of the signs can be pretty hilarious on occasion.

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

@@kaltaron1284 yep, as far as I'm aware, it was just toilets. Had him on and off as a sub for quite a number of years. Middle school through high school

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

@@kaltaron1284 also curious of an example of these signs you speak of.

[@kaltaron1284]

@@goosenotmaverick1156 Like the ones differencing men and women or asking you to sit on the toilet or wash your hands afterwards.

[@johnransom1146]

Habitat 67 is still an interesting building. I always thought it must be hard to heat with so many exterior walls and windows. In cold Montreal. Everything goes over budget in Quebec due to graft

[@mariusvanc]

And floors! Usually, the coldest room in a house is the room above the garage (typically unheated), because the floors are so poorly insulated.

[@batfurs3001]

My Western European ass is actually really surprised how cheap the units are! If they're well insulated, $500k is very affordable for something that large with a private outside space in such a big city. The house I live in currently with my parents was €750k and it's just a slightly above average size house with a small back yard. It's not near any huge cities or anything, just in a generally convenient area to live in

[@MarcSherwood]

@@batfurs3001 From what I can find, the units are not $500K, but at least double that. There are a number of units that have also been combined to create larger units and sell for millions. If they were $500K I'd buy one right away. We are in the market for a unit in Montreal right now and that would be a steal.

[@ifabforfun]

@@batfurs3001 it's not that easy to get too and I don't recall much parking around, the only times I've been to it I was on foot or bicycle, it's built on kind of a pier. Looks cool but no way I'd live there unless it was very cheap. -Montrealer

[@rodchallis8031]

"Everything goes over budget in Quebec due to graft." Not disputing that, but years ago I remember an Inquiry in Quebec about bid rigging and bribing politicians. During the Inquiry, a construction company "Goodfella", during testimony, said something along the lines of 'I don't know why anyone is upset, our prices aren't any different than Ontario's.' Maybe Quebec only seems bad because the corruption is found out. In Ontario... ya didn't see nuthin....

[@smferreiro2610]

2:45 Walkie-Talkie's architect was Rafael Vignoly who previously planned another similar one in Las Vegas, with the same problem of "melting" cars...

[@terryarmbruster9719]

Don't know why Simon's basement isn't in this list

[@JohnnyAFG81]

Habitat 67 is under a fair but of scrutiny on account of the asbestos insulation. Also when they were built the roofs were lacking a waterproof membrane. They leaked, a lot.

[@ifabforfun]

I've seen it up close and was a little shocked the first time, humidity on the inside of the windows, mildew stains on the concrete outside the windows. Doesn't look like a luxury condo that's for sure.

[@JohnnyAFG81]

@@ifabforfun it was never meant to be for luxury. It was a cheap way to build houses that exploded in costs through corruption, lack of planning and stupidity on all levels. The old owner of the house we lived in worked as a foreman on this site and the Olympic stadium. The stories he told us were something out of a movie.

[@patrickbrumm420]

roof leaked? was the architect a student if Frank Lloyd Wright?

[@JohnnyAFG81]

@@patrickbrumm420 improper planning and new building techniques that were never used. Like all the Expo 67 pavilions it was built fast and corners cut.

[@-Baikal-]

The habitat 67 just gives me dystopian cyberpunk vibes and the name doesn't help either

[@DC4260Productions]

Here in New Zealand there's a small town called Tirau, and their information centre is made up of two buildings that look like terrifyingly large sheep.

[@AeroGuy07]

Happily surprised to see the Longaberger basket building. I used to drive past it at least once a week while doing deliveries to the nearby Marysville, OH Honda factory.

[@GarrettOtt-ls2ml]

Fun fact: The Longaberger Basket is 2 mins walk for my house we sometimes sneak on the property to fish the ponds they keep stocked😋🇺🇲🤠.

[@ginagee5627]

I have lived in Baltimore all my life, walked past that building all my life, and never knew what it was called. Glad they tore it down.

[@bunnyalf]

The Basket is in my hometown. Came back for a visit and was amazed!

[@hannahp1108]

I'm one of the rare fans of the Experience Music Project. It's so bonkers, I love it.

[@ericreativecuts]

My grandfather used to take us to the park near Habitat 67. It had a bunch of climbing gyms shaped like boats and we called it The Pirate Park. He used to tell us all about how the island was made for Expo. I think my grandmother knew the architect (as one herself) but she wasn't extremely impressed. Then again she rarely was lol

[@gabriellashimone6546]

Seems like Longaberger put a new spin on "Going to Hell in a handbasket"...

[@Microtonal_Cats]

Whoever edited this, the sound volume difference between interstitials and program material is way off, it's usually very pro on this channel. Music between parts (with the "chapter cards" I guess you'd call them) is loud enough to wake up sleeping people in the house if you're watching at a normal volume.

[@shuhratm2]

I had my senior prom at the Experience Music Project building in 2005. It was pretty cool inside

[@twincast2005]

The Experience Music Project very much looks like a modern art sculpture. Not my cup of tea, but whatever. The Big Duck is not quite as adorable as giant rubber duckies, but still quite charming. The Big Basket looks, in a word, wholesome. Never thought I'd say that of a building. Considering the move away from plastic bags and the boom of Etsy, moving back in ought to be profitable... The Žižkov tower is just... wow. Yikes upon yikes upon yikes upon yikes. That said, I think the creepy babies visually break up the architecture well, making it slightly less ugly. And Habitat 67 actually looks phenomenal! The only thing it needs is a proper paint job. Sans the drab grey, it's a hot contender for favorite building ever.

[@Diecastclassicist]

Hey, I liked the Morris Mechanic Theater!

[@johnpeace971]

Make the basket into apartments. I'd be first in line to live in a giant basket

[@Thorinox]

And the odd thing about Habitat 67 is that it is near impossible to buy a place to live there. And there are units that are much better then other spots too.

[@poorman-trending]

“All but 600 people” means everyone except 600 people. Not “only 600 people”.

[@petergerman3832]

Out of all of these, only the television tower needs to be torn down.

[@davidmeeks2405]

Would love to see you do something on Frank Loyd Wright (more specifically his masterpiece Water Fall) the house he designed and was built in, I believe Pennsylvania.

[@jbeattie02]

I know Simon listens to ideas, let's have a video about Archibald Leitch, famed football stadium designer from when designs were done by hand on a drawing board

[@zata1197]

No really who the hell approved that Prague tower, its hideous and doesn't match anything around it, and the babies, wtf. That thing should be torn down

[@Dank-gb6jn]

Number one reminds me of an abstract art piece. I love it.

[@j.p.6932]

8:07 It wouldn’t be too insane looking if they hadn’t included the handles. If they had kept everything else and just made the exterior covered with silver metal panels, it would be pretty cool

[@intothevoid47]

12:03 "A case for living city" I'd be terrified of a living city. Imagine you're at work and the building picks itself off the ground to take a walk...

[@nunya___]

Habitat 67 would look nice if it was painted. Feels like living in a parking garage.

[@4everthehill]

I seriously was not expecting The Flanders Duck of my homeland to make it on here

[@joseybryant7577]

All of these oddly shaped buildings, reminds me of the similarly designed buildings Los Angeles had in the early 20th century.

[@stevejohnson3357]

Whenever compiling a list of the worst of something there are bound to be armies of examples that are to obscure to include. There are churches or libraries that are so bland they blight whole Neiborhoods and a few are ghastly.

[@charlesgallagher1376]

I was at the Montreal Worlds Fair in 1967 when I was 10 years old. The Habitat impressed me then.

[@MH-fb5kr]

That tower in Prague wold be perfect for implosion and landfill. UGLY isn’t enough to describe that skyline monstrosity.

[@andrewg7576]

The EMP building is gorgeous!

[@jessefrost6730]

I live in Newark where the basket is located and I’ve been looking at it for so long that I don’t even see it when I drive by it

[@seattlegrrlie]

I live in Seattle. The hideous Experience Music Project cannot be put in words. It's confusing, unbelievable, and you just don't look at it directly

[@nonenowherebye]

Locally, the EMP is also known as "The thing that the Space Needle coughed up."

[@Yooper_Life]

My parents took me to Expo '67 and we got to wander around the Habitat complex.

[@ariadnepyanfar1048]

Federation Square in Melbourne Australia was mostly regarded with fascinated/horrified revulsion when it was built, but has now become a beloved city landmark, and many of its architectural concepts were copied world wide with great success. I suspect The Experience Music Project will undergo a similar transformation in community opinion as people become accustomed to it, especially since it's not yet *another* grey box. Fed Square and The Music Experience will likely be very dateable, much like Art Nouveau and Art Deco, but I won't be surprised if one or both get Historic Building status slapped on the them in the future.

[@fredred8371]

Video starts at 1:22

[@Fuchswinter]

I honestly don't think the duck buildings are bizarre, it's super charming and cute

[@DrSuperKamiGuru]

The duck house was weird until the glowing red eyes. Then it became hilarious.

[@melasnexperience]

I actually like the Longaberger building, if only because it feels like a throwback to that era in the early 20th century where buildings where shaped by what they're selling (examples are a coffee shop shaped like a percolator or a fried chicken restaurant shaped like a chicken). Really hoping that it doesn't get bought by someone who just wants to demolish it.

[@SpaceGringos3D]

The amount of effort you put into your background is we’ll appreciated! I love the brick. It kinda sets a spooky vibe 👻

[@reggiep75]

Me: Making notes regarding the creepy baby sculptures to put on the wall of our block to torment the living hee-bee-jee-bees out of the troublesome neighbour. Red glowing duck eyes are being added too. It's gonna be spicy! 😉😂

[@katherinerohrbacker145]

I lived a few blocks from the Zizkov TV Tower and I have to say, that while it is a hideous looking structure, no matter where I went in Prague, I could always pinpoint my neighborhood.

[@garygup]

Habitat 67 seems to have similar goals to the Byker Wall in my home town.

[@gr5535]

You forgot the Brain Building in Vegas- WEIRDLY COOL 🤔

[@danielreuben1058]

I know nothing about architecture, but habitat 67 looks quite interesting, and beautiful, to me. However, the price tag is way too high for the original vision.

[@Jimvanhise]

I think it was early this year I read an article in the LA Times about a university which wanted to build a large student dormitory in which many rooms had no windows the building only had a few exit doors, which struck me as a severe fire code violation, not unlike the ship which sank two years ago where 30 people were trapped below decks and killed due to few exits available to them. The whole reason homes are built in which every room has a window is so people cannot get trapped in the case of a fire.

[@synapticfreeze2189]

I used to drive by the basket building on a regular basis. It took a couple of trips for me to realize just what the hell it was.

[@ferociousgumby]

Does anyone notice how Simon is speaking faster and faster? Must be hard to keep up 13 channels or whatever he has now.

[@Ghouliano]

I saw the big duck on tiktok recently and thought it was so cute 😭 the inside is cozy haha

[@Cherokee51774]

I went to the Experience Music Project like 20 yrs ago. I enjoyed it very much. Didn't care about the building design. What was inside was cool.

[@ascensionindustries9631]

Don't forget the life sized moving Gundam.

[@bingsterc7621]

Learning about the Dark History of The Zizkov Television Tower in Prague, and besides the Tower being the Tallest Building in Prague as well as being named the 2nd Ugliest Building in the World...one could make a legitimate argument about the Structure being One of the Most Controversial Buildings built in the 20th Century.

[@wdwerker]

Unlike many of these it did not disappoint and ended on a high note !

[@domentora]

I visited the duck while on Long Island a few months ago, really neat to see in a video.

[@airwavesintheair]

I think the basket building could make a really cool hotel/resort!

[@BTScriviner]

The Big Duck is a beloved tourist attraction today on Long Island

[@madmadammeag5141]

It's a shame stuff like Habitat 67 isn't feasible everywhere. Places like the Great Basin in Utah have limited hight for buildings which means outward building is necessary. Sucks though, because that would be a really cool place to live.

[@SafetySpooon]

Morris Mechanic Theatre was THANKFULLY demolished in 2015.

[@nao__channel]

im surprised the Hyderabad Department of Fisheries building didnt get a mention, its a giant fish shaped building in India. Certainly a wacky structure

[@alexmendoza4261]

Side projects, here we go. Cheers Simon

[@plane7453]

Prices in Montreal have skyrocketed. I'd say the cheapest thing in habitat right now it's probably 1.5 million Canadian. And your taxes are probably through the roof. I just got my assessment and it's $200,000 more than last time. Somehow I still love Montreal

[@BakuganBrawler211]

I pass the basket a few times a week going to Newark it’s always something else. There’s also another basket in Dresden albeit the size of a small house it’s still super cool the thought of a basket headquarters, if only more took their lead maybe we’d have a swoosh HQ or the leaning towers of adidas.

[@jennfogs]

Maurer's Big Duck! I truly find it funny how many of my local things end up in Simon's videos.

[@OrdinaryDude]

Ironically, one of the ugliest building in Copenhagen is the "Dansk Architecture Center and Design" building.

[@gyvren]

There’s a community in the Arizona desert that’s been there since the 70’s called Arcosanti.. although, considering the lack of care at that place, it might be better named “Apathy..”

[@JDCardwell80]

I'd love to purchase the Duck Home; if it hasn't been demolished or left just sit there with little to maintenance. My wife & I would live in our current home, then attempt to turn the Duck into a B&B! I have enough land & a small river/creek behind our home fed by a cool & refreshing spring that has created a small relaxing pool & it would fit in great!

[@daniellemhall1358]

Habitat 67 is so fascinating to me.

[@fostrate2554]

Genuinely surprised that the (technically) ongoing Neom Line project doesn't make an appearance on this list.

[@raymondroberts1905]

I'm particularly curious about the Weyerhaeuser corporate headquarters in Federal way Washington. Not sure it fits, but it is striking when driving by it on the freeway.

[@KristiContemplates]

Chapter 2: your opening question - my answer is "you're in Australia". Have you ever been able to see the Big Prawn?

[@In_TheMoonlight]

Growing up I called the Experience Music Project the "collapsing building", but don't get me wrong, I thought and still think it is very cool!

[@BaddBadger]

That place with the babies up and down the outside? I've stayed near there. What a weird view to have out the window!

[@SuzysRedStripes]

Peter Blake sounds really fun at parties 🙄

[@alexwatson5791]

That’s a nice new jacket Simon

[@simonrancourt7834]

A couple of years ago, there was a proposition for an Habitat '67 Lego set.