10 Startling Surrealist Architecture Examples That Will Take Your Breath Away

5) The Sharp Centre / By Will Alsop

A distinctive black and white pixel skin covers the raised “tabletop” addition to the Ontario College of Art and Design, strikingly contrasting the otherwise relaxed Victorian modern settings. Twelve colorful legs support the structure, rising as high as 26 meters.

Cleverly, the raise was implemented to fund the development of additional public open areas. The layout was conceived to enhance the flow of foot traffic as well. Surrealist Architecture characteristics were achieved here by fusing seemingly incompatible beliefs as the building manages to strike a unique equilibrium in the area, bewildering onlookers.

Also Read: 10 of the Most Iconic Buildings of Modern Architecture

6) Heydar Aliyev Center / Zaha Hadid Architects

Among the finest examples of surrealist architecture in the world can be found in this Eurasian country. As a symbol of Azerbaijan’s delicate and sentimental character and optimism regarding the future, the structure is designed to appear to rise organically from the ground. In our opinion, we find it succeeds admirably in this regard.

7) Dream Within Dream / Wutopia Lab

Yu-Ting, Wutopia Lab’s founder, was inspired to create this abstract forest by a reoccurring dream his daughter had in which she was in a wooded area. He used 108 white steel structures of varying heights. From there, he crafted a wide range of natural features—cave complexes, hillsides, waterways, rocks, peaks, beautiful waterfalls, and even theaters—within the forest to inspire an adventure of discovery.

8) Las Pozas / Edward James

Edward James, a Surrealist poet, conceived of the Las Pozas sculpture garden, which he constructed inside an abandoned coffee farm in the heart of the jungle. The place exhibits the air of prefabricated ruins, like those of a forgotten civilization, thanks to the uncompleted bridges, the winding stairways that go nowhere, and the pavilions with unidentifiable levels. Following the rules laid out in the first Surrealist architecture manifesto, the space is not motivated by rational, artistic, or ethical concerns but encourages exploration.

9) TWA Terminal / Eero Saarinen

The TWA terminal designed by Eero Saarinen exemplifies how typical architecture can take on surrealist features without compromising its physical purposes. There’s a touch of Surrealist architecture to the whole structure, from the flowing and open interiors that embrace the nuances of art to the terrific soaring canopies that challenge the physical constraints.

10) City of Arts and Sciences / Santiago Calatrava

This cultural and scientific complex, designed by the renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, is a wonder in and of itself. Located on a 350,000-square-meter plot of land in the middle of Valencia’s historic core and the Nazaret coastal neighborhood, it is the most extensive urban development in the city.

Calatrava employs his signature white concrete and broken tiles in the style of Gaudi to unify the entire building. This building’s uniform appearance and smooth surface result from two identical concrete casings cut together. The facility complements its environment and serves as an artistic centerpiece.

Surrealist Architecture: Our Final Thoughts

Because of the many different ways it could be interpreted and the astounding structures it produced, Surrealism is considered to be among the most significant achievements in the architectural genre. In the coming decades, where technology and architecture have come together to form the perfect combination, the potential for Surrealist architecture among a population of young people interested in the future is only expanding, with its value growing yearly.