This feature was first published in April 2025 in My Mensa Weekly, our exclusive newsletter for Mensa members. Find out more about becoming a Mensa member here.
Words: Jonathan McIntosh
What’s the purpose of a building? While each has a specific function, many are built to be admired, and others are symbolic of the cultures and human endeavour that brought them into being. Some, however, have wonderfully off-the-wall designs that challenge our logic and delight the senses. Take a wander through this quartet of arresting architectonic treasures.
El Nido de Quetzalcóatl in Mexico City, Mexico
Designed by architect Javier Senosiain, this striking sculpture garden and apartments in Naucalpan outside of Mexico City blends contemporary Mexican architecture with the country’s pre-Hispanic culture and the legend of the Aztec feathered serpent deity, Quetzalcóatl.
The Quetzalcóatl Nest boasts curved lines and is decorated in colourful mosaics, giving the sense that the building is a living, breathing being. Complete with tail and head, the building’s 10 apartments lie throughout the belly of the beast. These are accessible via tunnelled walkways and by entering the deity’s mouth.
Senosiain’s creation sits on a 40-acre estate that also houses large botanical buildings, lakes and mineral caves. The otherworldly building is designed to complement its surrounding natural environment and caves.
It’s also covered in a sturdy waterproof material called gunite – designed to construct swimming pools – making it resistant to earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Image: Quetzalcoatl’s nest in Mexico
La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain
Work began on Antoni Gaudí’s magnum opus in 1882 and continues today. The renowned Catalonian architect avoided right angles and employed natural shapes to celebrate nature’s divine creations. From the catenary arches to spiral staircases, each detail mirrors the harmony between nature and human creativity.
Interior columns resemble tree trunks, with their branches representing a lush forest canopy overhanging intricate mosaic work and stained glass. Alongside this, a pair of pillars are supported by turtle sculptures, which symbolise both terra firma and the fluidity of the marine environment.
When complete, the Sagrada Familia will have 18 towers spanning 90-120 metres. The 12 along the building’s three facades – the east-facing Nativity, the west-facing Passion and the south-facing Glory – represent the 12 Christian apostles. The Virgin Mary Tower is the church’s second tallest.
The addition of The Chapel of the Assumption and the Tower of Jesus Christ in 2025 and 2026 will signal the building’s completion and, in the centenary year of Gaudi’s death, will cement its place as the world’s tallest church. However, finishing decorative touches and the addition of a controversial stairway will see work continue until 2034.
Image: Main image, top, a view of La Sagrada Familia from the air; above, an internal spiral staircase
Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India
The Lotus Temple replicates the shape of India’s sacred flower, which is symbolic of peace, love, purity and immortality. Open to all religions and backgrounds, this building’s floral design reflects the simplicity of the Baha’i faith while acting as a symbol for the unity of humankind and its many religions.
The temple is now one of the world’s most visited places of worship and has welcomed up to five million visitors a year since opening in 1986.
The building saw Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba turn Indian architectural traditions on their head by utilising light and water as design elements instead of the intricate carvings and sculptures typical of the country’s older temples.
The structure comprises 27 freestanding marble flower petals arranged to form its ancillary spaces and nine entrances. These access points lead to the 40-metre-high hall illuminated by domes and skylights, which can host up to 2,500 worshippers.
Reflecting the lotus flower’s natural habitat – on water – the temple is surrounded by nine lotus-shaped ponds. With a clever use of lighting, it looks like this giant flower-shaped superstructure is floating on water too.
Image: The Lotus Temple located in Delhi, India.
Longaberger Basket Building in Newark, Ohio, US
This huge seven-storey picnic-basket-shaped building was the former headquarters of the Longaberger Company, who were famous for their handcrafted maple wood baskets.
The company’s owner, Dave Longaberger, wanted to create a structure that mirrored exactly what his company was famous for: the Medium Market Basket. He got exactly what he wanted – at 160 times the scale.
The building – known locally as the Big Basket – is the result of some impressive architectural tinkering. The façade consists of stucco panels that create the illusion of the horizontal and vertical weave patterns of an actual basket. Its two large handles each weigh a whopping 75 tonnes and contain heated elements to prevent them warping in winter.
The Ohio landmark was completed in 1997 and housed the Longaberger business until 2016. It remains a much-loved local landmark and amazing example of novelty architecture.
Image: The unique basket-shaped Longaberger Company building
Whether you’re a big flying buttress fan or prefer parapets, the architects behind the designs hope to leave behind an impression. With their distinct styles, bold designs and unusual shapes, these four buildings each have a unique story to tell. And they show that no idea is too big or too whimsical to make a reality.
Learn about the history, obstacles and technology behind Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece.
Credits: Shutterstock
