Julius Klingebiel Zelle (Göttingen/ Germany)

The artwork covering the walls of this psychiatric hospital cell is that of Julius Klingebiel (1904-1965). The former German army mechanic was arrested in 1939 for killing his step son and shortly after got diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was hospitalized.

Soon he began decorating the cell where he stayed, at first using a paste made from toothpaste, coal, wood and stone. When the nursing staff noticed the calming effect he got from painting they supplied him with proper paint and a brush which he used to cover all the walls of cell #117. The paintings featured animals, (military) people, ships, heraldic motives, national-socialist topics and roman-catholic imagery.

After his death in 1965 the hospital preserved his cell as it was. Only a handful of people knew about it until the artworks were published in a book as part of a research project in 2013 and the cell is now protected by law as a cultural monument.

Kolarbyn Ecolodge (Skinnskatteberg/ Sweden)

Kolarbyn Ecolodge is ”Sweden’s most primitive hotel”. There is no electricity, no showers, nothing fancy at all, just twelve well camouflaged little cabins in between all the trees. All covered in mud and grass. Bilberries and mushrooms grow wild on their roofs. As natural as it can be.
Perfect for an adventure off the beaten track. To breathe some fresh air, to enjoy the peacefulness, to take part in free outdoor activities and to experience the local wildlife.

Bombay Sapphire Distillery Glasshouses (Laverstoke/ U.K.)

These curvy glasshouses are part of the Bombay Sapphire Distillery in Laverstoke. They house exotic plant species used in their distillation process. One of the glasshouses has a humid tropical environment and the other a dry temperate Mediterranean climate. The connection to the still house allows waste heat from the distillation process to be recycled to maintain the warm climates for the plant species to flourish. The fluid geometry of these new glass buildings was influenced by recent advances in glass technology and by Britain’s rich heritage of botanical glasshouse structures.













Photos by Iwan Baan.

via
http://www.archdaily.com/554750/bombay-sapphire-distillery-heatherwick-studio

Bosco Verticale - Vertical Forest (Milan /Italy)

Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) is a pair of award- winning residential towers in the Porta Nuova district of Milan. It opened in 2014 and was designed by Boeri Studio.
The towers are home to 900 trees and over 2,000 plants ranging from shrubs to flowers distributed in relation to the façade’s position towards the sun.

Snail House (Sofia/ Bulgaria)

In the Bulgarian capital of Sofia theres a rather unusual house in the district of Simeonovo. The 5 storey tall Snail House was designed by local architect Simeon Simeonov and painted all colours of the rainbow. On the snails back there's even a ladybug and a butterfly crawling around. It took around 10 years to complete and was opened to the public in 2009.

Rainbow Panorama Walkway (Arhus/ Denmark)

In Denmark Olafur Eliasson has created a permanent installation that gives a rainbow-tinted 360 view of the city of Arhus. "Your Rainbow Panorama" is situated on top of the ARoS Museum of Art and measure 150 meters around.

The Initiation Wells of Quinta da Regaleira (Sintra/ Portugal)

Quinta da Regaleira is an estate inside a World Heritage protected landscapenear near Sintra, Portugal. The castle itself is a popular tourist attraction but there's more to it beneath the ground.
Two wells spiral deep into the earth like inverted towers. The wells were never used, nor intended for water collection, but for secretive initiation rites. The larger one contains a 27-meter spiral staircase with several small landings. The spacing of these landings, combined with the number of steps in the stairs, are linked to Tarot mysticism. The smaller well contains straight stairs that connect a series of ring-shaped floors to one another.
In addition to the wells there's also various caves, grottoes, tunnels and other monuments located around the castle park.

Holmenkollen - Penthouse on a Ski Jump (Oslo/Norway)

The upper-most level of the Holmenkollen ski jump has been turned into a luxury penthouse. The cozy, yet expansive alpine retreat has floor to ceiling windows that give you one of the best views imaginable of Oslo - snow capped mountains and endless forest. Right above is the highest roof terrace in town, ideal for stargazing if you're not scared of heights.

Kaos Temple (Polígono de Asipo/ Spain)

An abandoned and neglected historic church in the spanish municipality of Llanera, Asturias has been converted into a colourful indoor skate park. In December 2015, artist Okuda San Miguel started his colorful mural which now covers the churches vaulted ceilings and walls. Created in collaboration with Red Bull, ‘Kaos Temple’ is a sanctuary for both skateboarders and art lovers alike.

Château Miranda - Château de Noisy (Celles/ Belgium)

Since Halloween is just around the corner I thought this abandoned castle would be fitting.

Château Miranda, also known as Château de Noisy is a 19th-century neo-Gothic castle in Celles, Belgium. The Liedekerke-Beaufort family commissioned the English architect Edward Milner to build it in 1866.
The castle remained occupied by the same family until World War II when it was taken over by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS) who used it as an orphanage until 1980.

The building has stood empty since 1991 and has fallen into disrepair. The municipality of Celles have offered to take over the building but the family have refused. As of now (2015) it is still in a very derelict state and has become a favourite venue of urban explorers.

Postmodern Utopian Dream City (Paris/ France)

A Paris unknown to many unfolds itself in a part of the eastern suburb of Noisy-le-Grand.
The otherworldly housing estate was originally built to house a migrant population of rural and foreign refugees post WW2.

Constructed between 1978 and 1983 the complexes were designed to represent an alternative architectural approach. A number of Hollywood films used the place as a backdrop, including Brazil (1984) and, more recently, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay (2014).
But inside this postmodern utopian dream city, all is quiet: time stops and people are scarce.
Parisian photographer Laurent Kronental's photo series, Souvenir d'un Futur (Memory of a Future), is a homage to what he describes as the "stranded senior citizens" of the French capital's Grand Ensemble region. He photographed it over the course of 4 years.
In 2006 there were plans to demolish parts of the development but after widespread resentment from its inhabitants it was decided to keep it standing for now.

"These 'monuments', living memories of their time, personify the fragile strength of a youth having blindly aged." —Laurent Kronental

13 Plaça del Sol (Barcelona/ Spain)

This beautiful tower-shaped modernista building is located at 13 Plaça del Sol in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. The bottom floor currently houses Restaurante Envalira.

Lichtenstein Castle (Honau/ Germany)

Lichtenstein Castle is situated on a cliff near Honau on the Swabian Alb, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
There has been a castle on the site since around 1200. It was twice destroyed around 1300 and fell to ruin.
In 1802, the land came into the hands of King Frederick I of Württemberg, who built a hunting lodge there. His nephew Duke Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg added the current castle in 1840–42. The romantic Neo-Gothic design of the castle was created by the architect Carl Alexander Heideloff.
Today, the castle is still owned by the Dukes of Urach, but is open to visitors. The castle contains a large collection of historic weapons and armour.

Sketch (London/ U.K.)

In a converted 18th century building in Conduit Street, Mayfair, London there's a wonderfully surreal place called "Sketch". It has an art-gallery and several hip restaurants and cool bars under one roof: The Lecture Room & Library, the Gallery, the Glade, the Parlour, and the East Bar.
Opened in 2002 by legendary French chef Pierre Gagnaire and restaurateur Mourad Mazouz is has become a destination for art, music, fabulous food and decadent drinks. Apart from award winning food, the place is also a visual feast that is ever changing like a sketch...

Les Ecotagnes Treehouse (Haute-Savoie/ France)

Additional to its chalet, Les Ecotagnes also has 2 separate tree houses perched 9 metres off the floor and secured to the surrounding pine trees.
Both cabins are acessable via a walkway, have double beds and their own wood stove to keep you warm through the winter nights. There is a decked area in front of each of the cabins where tables and chairs are provided allowing you to have breakfast, dinner or just chill.

The Tower of Peretti (Tuscany/ Italy)

This magnificent fantasy-like fireplace was cast after one of the giant's heads in the Baroque 16th-century Bomarzo gardens. It belongs to the Tower of Peretti. Originally it was built by Spanish invaders as a watchtower & military lookout on the steep and craggy cliffs of Southern Tuscany in the 16th-century.
At the time when these photos were taken it was (and probably still is) the holiday retreat of jewelry designer Elsa Peretti who hired Milanese architect Renzo Mongiardino to turn the awkward and spartan interiors with their thick stone walls, cell-like rooms and cracks for windows into welcoming spaces and to create the illusion of living in a three-dimensional fairy tale tower.

Lærdal Tunnel (Sogn og Fjordane/ Norway)

Lærdal Tunnel is a 24.51-kilometre long road tunnel connecting connecting Oslo and Bergen. It is the longest road tunnel in the world succeeding the Swiss Gotthard Road Tunnel.
Its design takes into consideration the mental strain on drivers, so the tunnel is divided into four sections, separated by three large mountain caves at 6-kilometre intervals. While the main tunnel has white lights, the caves have blue lighting with yellow lights at the fringes to give an impression of sunrise. The caves are meant to break the routine, providing a refreshing view and allowing drivers to take a short rest. The caverns are also used as turn around points and for break areas to help lift claustrophobia during a 20-minute drive through the tunnel.

The Invisible Church (Borgloon/ Belgium)

Although officially called "Reading between the Lines" this work of art is often referred as "The See Through Church" or "The Invisible Church".
The walls, roof and the spire are constructed from layers of steel flats with gap between each layer, making an interesting visual effect that changes with the angle of the viewer.

Tree Sparrow House (Cornwall/ U.K)

Perched in an ash tree with sea & countryside views, this tree house accommodation offers a unique holiday adventure.
Sitting about 2m from the ground you access the main seating/kitchen area via a wooden staircase. The mezzanine level has a cozy double bed. It is fully insulated with double glazed windows and has heating for chillier nights.

Stauran Art Café (Syltefjord/ Norway)

Stauran Café is a unique place at the very top of Norway, above the Arctic Circle. Trees can't really grow at this latitude so the buildings are handmade from Russian driftwood. You can even see shipworm's holes on some of the walls inside.
Apart from the café there's also little driftwood cabins for overnight stays, a camping area, barbequeue evenings, meditation and sauna. Crystal jewellery and intricate paintings on rock-slabs are available for purchase as souvenirs and personal guided tours with emphasis on geology, history and fishing are also offered.
They're open during the warmer season from May 15th - September 15th.