1. National Fisheries Development Board Office – Andhra Pradesh, India
The giant fish-shaped building pictured above is actually the regional office for the Indian National Fisheries Development Board near Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh. This four-story building opened in April 2012 and was constructed at a reported cost of almost 20 crore rupees (approximately $3.3 million). The intention was to add color to the regional headquarters, and we reckon it’s mission accomplished. The building may only bear a passing resemblance to Frank Gehry’s golden “Fish” sculpture in Barcelona – purported to be its inspiration – but it certainly has a distinctive look of its own. The fish building is also said to be unique throughout the entire continent of Asia.
2. The Sheep Building – Waikato, New Zealand
Animals have inspired quite a few of the most unusual commercial buildings in the world, and two such strange structures are located in Tirau, New Zealand. The small town – around 30 miles southeast of Hamilton in the Waikato region – has a population of just 729, and it has had to continually adapt to a tourist economy as its farming roots floundered. It has also developed a reputation for creating artworks from disused corrugated iron; a large iron shepherd even sits in the town’s churchyard. One of the most noticeable iron buildings is this giant sheep, which hosts a wool and craft store belonging to John and Nancy Drake. It’s close to a dog-shaped information center (see entry 3).
3. Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn – Northern Territory, Australia
This is probably one of the most unusually shaped Holiday Inns in the world. The hotel is marketed as “the only deluxe accommodation” in Kakadu National Park, Jabiru, in Australia’s Northern Territory, and the crocodile structure takes its cues from the predatory animals that live in the area. Two well-known galleries containing Aboriginal rock art as well as the Bowali and Warradjan cultural centers are nearby. The hotel’s Energy Eye system aims to improve energy efficiency in rooms and decrease the building’s carbon footprint, and it also runs an indigenous employment program. Hopefully, it’s the closest vacationers will come to the belly of a crocodile.
4. Tirau i-SITE Visitor Centre (Big Dog Information Centre) – Waikato, New Zealand
In the late 1990s, the South Waikato District Council needed to build new public toilets in the town of Tirau. And when the council discovered an ideal plot of land belonging to John and Nancy Drake, the couple suggested that it should include other amenities, too, such as this dog-shaped information center. John Drake’s idea for the center was inspired by his adjacent, sheep-shaped building, and local craftsman Steven Clothier built the canine’s head. Inside, Tirau artist Fred Luckman designed a much-admired mural that portrays local scenes. And the structure also features a spectacular stained glass window, which was unveiled in 2005.
