# ### Buildings modelled on real things ###



## autumnriver (Dec 20, 2004)

I’ve had difficulty finding one word to replace “modelled on real things”, so I have to use this awkward title. "Material"? "Concretized?" "Pictographic"? "Hieroglyphic"? "Imagery"? "Realistic"? "Symbolic"? No no no. I'll be thankful if someone could tell me that word.

I found these buildings:

*Type 1
Buildings that copy the exact shapes of real things*
In terms of architectural aesthetics, they are often controversial. (no offence)

1. *Beijing Tianzi Hotel*, Beijing
It consists of shapes of three traditional Chinese gods, namely God of Happiness, God of Emolument, and God of Longevity.
It’s said to be the most laughable building of China.
(For more information of and comments on this building, check an earlier thread started by me:
***This is a building!***
www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=307269&page=1&pp=20)

















2. *Fangyuan Mansion*, Shenyang, China
It’s an office building in the shape of an ancient Chinese coin.
Outright money worship.

















3. *Elephant Building*, Bangkok









4. *Lotus Temple*, Delhi









5. *Atomium*, Brussels









*Type 2
Buildings that use some elements of shapes of real things*
Generally speaking, they are less controversial.

1. *Bibliothèque Louis Nucéra*, a library building in Nice, France
It symbolizes the human brain.









2. *Bank of China Tower*, Shanghai
It uses some elements of _Bubi_, an ancient Chinese coin.

















3. *Jinmao Building*, Shanghai
A transformation from ancient Buddhist pagodas.

















4. *Shanghai Museum*, Shanghai
An ancient Chinese tripod caldron.

















5. *Panorama Hotel*, Shanghai
Its top is like a leaf.










6. *Bank of China Tower*, Hong Kong
Inspiration comes from growing bamboo shoots.

















7. *Yintai Centre*, Beijing (u/c)
Tops of the three buildings are like a traditional Chinese lantern.

















8. *National Stadium*, Beijing (u/c)
Nickname: bird’s nest.









9. *Woolworth Building*, New York City
Like a cathedral. Buildings like this can be found everywhere.









Can anyone give more examples?
Thx.
(Forget about Vegas hotels. They are just copies of other buildings.)


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## Skyman (Jan 4, 2006)

Nice job!!!


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

autumnriver said:


> *Fangyuan Mansion*, Shenyang, China
> It’s an office building in the shape of an ancient Chinese coin.
> Outright money worship.


This one is off the hook


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Anyway, here's more 

*Lippo Centre, HK* Inspirations from Koalas climbing a tree



















*Space Needle, Seattle* Inspirations from flying saucers


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## Brendan (Feb 24, 2006)

Q1 in Gold Coast City, Australia was inspired by the Sydney 2000 Olympic Torch.

And I can see what they mean.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

This building in Bangkok is inspired by old school retro robots.


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## Lau (Nov 15, 2004)

WANCH said:


> Anyway, here's more
> 
> *Lippo Centre, HK* Inspirations from Koalas climbing a tree



:rofl: 

OMG!!!! I never imagine that, but it´s true!!!!


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Lau said:


> :rofl:
> 
> OMG!!!! I never imagine that, but it´s true!!!!


As I mentioned in the other threads, The Lippo Centre in HK was originally The Bond Centre developed by Australian businessman Alan Bond. Thus the Koala concept.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Another one 

*Burj Al Arab, Dubai* Inspirations from a Dhow, an arabian sailing ship


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Water Tower Coffee Pot *
Stanton, Iowa 



















*Dog Bark Park Inn*
Cottonwood, ID










*Longaberger Office Building*
Newark, OH


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## GoSatta (May 26, 2005)

WANCH said:


> This building in Bangkok is inspired by old school retro robots.



where in bangkok is that building? i know bangkok got alot off ugly buildings but that has to be one of the worse i have seen  been there almost 20 times but i never seen that one


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

GoSatta said:


> where in bangkok is that building? i know bangkok got alot off ugly buildings but that has to be one of the worse i have seen  been there almost 20 times but i never seen that one


The *Bank of Asia Building* is located in Bangkok off Sathorn Road.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

What a bizarre, and totally fun thread this was! Thanks for researching it well,
and presenting it for our pleasure!! Cheers!


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## Jue (Mar 28, 2003)

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

I have never seen that Tianzi Hotel. I *MUST* stay in it in 2008 now! :lol:


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## Jules (Jun 27, 2004)

that robot thing is some sort of cool.


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## LordMarshall (Jun 26, 2005)

cool thread idea


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

GoSatta said:


> where in bangkok is that building? i know bangkok got alot off ugly buildings but that has to be one of the worse i have seen  been there almost 20 times but i never seen that one


Alot of BKK buildings are very creative like the robot and elephant buildings. I also like the Wave Tower as well


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Some more :

*Shoe House*
York, PA









*Big Pump*
Gentry Co, MO










*Ship Building *
Guilford Co, NC


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## Marcanadian (May 7, 2005)

*Big Apple*-Colborne ,Ontario, Canada









*Capitol Records*-Hollywood,California, USA
Supposed to represent a pile of old records










*Crocodile Hotel*-Kakadu, Northern Territory, Australia









*Bahai Temple*-New Delhi, India
Represents a lotus








*
El Hemisferic*-Valencia, Spain
An eye









*Esplanade theratres*, Singapore. Bug's eyes









Thailand









*Swastika*-San Diego, California, USA


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## Chevin (Apr 9, 2006)

^^^ What the hell!! LOL


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## TalB (Jun 8, 2005)

There is a reason why this skyscraper is called the Lipstick Bldg.


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## jmancuso (Jan 9, 2003)

a lot of the chrysler building's detail came from chrysler cars; hubcaps, hood ornaments...


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## autumnriver (Dec 20, 2004)

I found more:

1. *Xinhua News Agency*, Beijing
A pen.








2. *Ryugyong Hotel*, Pyongyang
A mountain.
















3. *BMW Building*, Munich
An engine.
















4. *Pudong Airport, Phase 2*
A flying roc (a legendary bird in Chinese culture).









**********
The big ones
(Not buildings of course.)
1. *Tekesi County Seat*, Yili, Xinjiang, Northwest China
Based on _Bagua_ (the Eight Trigrams) in traditional Chinese culture.
















2. *Brasilia*
A giant plane.








3. *Palm Jumeirah*, Dubai








4. *Venice*
A fish?
(Aha, just coincidence.)


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## GoSatta (May 26, 2005)

Brasilia (not a building but i city  )

it looks like an aeroplane, but its suposed to be a bird or a butterfly cant remember


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## toRRone (Feb 16, 2006)

*il matitone - genoa*









_genovesi_ believe that _matitone_ was inspired by the shape of a pencil








but the true inspiration are most probably the baptisteries of pistoia: 








and parma:


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## TalB (Jun 8, 2005)

The Chrysler Bldg also looks like a giant pencil.


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## james2390 (Mar 31, 2003)

Wow, I never noticed the connection between the Lippo Centre and Kualas.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

james2390 said:


> Wow, I never noticed the connection between the Lippo Centre and Kualas.


The French architect intentionally did it for his Australian client.


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## zee (Nov 30, 2005)

*The Burj Dubai*



*The ground pattern of the Burj Dubai, is shaped like the flower of the hymenocallis, a white lily native to the deserts of the Arabia*


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## TalB (Jun 8, 2005)

Has anyone had their shots?


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## staff (Oct 23, 2004)

The Turning Torso is inspired by... a turning torso.


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## spotila (Oct 29, 2004)

that venice map makes it look like a lambchop~


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## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

3...2...1 LIFTOFF

The true "SPACE NEEDLE"


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## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

WANCH said:


> Another one for HK.
> 
> Who would not forget the *Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre*. It's has a bird influenced design.



I thought it looked more like a turtle


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## asheesh88 (May 26, 2006)

One that was not mentioned was the Bahai Temple in Evanston, IL, just outside of Chicago. It, like the temple in Delhi, also resembles a lotus flower.










Asheesh


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## SkyscraperJunky (Nov 20, 2005)

Eero Saarinen's TWA Terminal at JFK Airport in NYC represents a dove.


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## KJBrissy (Jan 9, 2006)

The Holiday Inn in Townsville Australia looks a lot like the sugar shaker, which just happens to be its nick name:


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## ReddAlert (Nov 4, 2004)

Milwaukee Art Museum---a bird.


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