10 Masterpieces of Urbanism: The Strangest and Most Unexpected Projects of 2023

The year 2023 was full of surprises and innovations in the field of urbanism. In this photo gallery, we present you 10 masterpieces of urbanism that showcase the creativity, vision, and ambition of the architects, engineers, and artists who made them possible.

Sputnik Africa presents you the strangest and most unexpected projects of 2023. Enjoy!

1 / 10

Sphere in Paradise, Nevada, with the grandstands from the Formula 1 race a couple of days before visible. Sphere is 366 feet (112 m) high and 516 feet (157 m) wide at its broadest point. It is the largest spherical building in the world at 875,000 sq ft (81,300 m2).

CC BY-SA 2.0 / Harold Litwile / Sphere in Paradise, Nevada, with the grandstands from the Formula 1 race a couple of days before visible

2 / 10

Epicon, a futuristic tourist complex that will appear in northwestern Saudi Arabia in the coming years.

3 / 10

Huai'an Zhongshuge Bookstore in China.

4 / 10

Seoul Ring, the world's largest spokeless Ferris wheel, planned to be built in South Korea.

5 / 10

The Cody Dock Rolling Bridge designed by Thomas Randall-Page. The square cog design, rolling on catenary curve tracks - together with a balanced centre of gravity - enables the bridge to be rolled between higher and lower positions with minimum effort.

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Dominicos / The Cody Dock Rolling Bridge designed by Thomas Randall-Page (cropped photo)

6 / 10

New Murabba is a gateway to another world. It is a new modern downtown overlooking an iconic landmark. Here, a human-first downtown where access to greenery and amenities is within 15 minutes, innovative technology and sustainability seamlessly blend with a profound respect for nature and authenticity.

7 / 10

Bugatti, the French luxury car manufacturer, has unveiled the Bugatti Residences, a huge curved skyscraper in Dubai that surprises with its shape. It looks as if it was painted by Salvador Dali.

8 / 10

Ole Schieren's architectural bureau has presented a project called Tencent Helix. It is about a large complex consisting of 4-5 skyscrapers. The main feature is that all the buildings will be connected to each other and "twisted in a whirlwind".

9 / 10

Olson Kundig Architects principal Tom Kundig, who was commissioned to create a home office for the designer, jokingly suggested placing it on the railroad tracks so the owner could commute to work from home. After discussion, the light-hearted remark turned into a solid plan. Thus came Maxon Stidio, which rolls on the tracks and literally separates work and home life.

10 / 10

"The Line" is an innovative skyscraper city that is already under construction in northwestern Saudi Arabia. According to the NEOM development project, it will consist of two 170-kilometer-long mirrored facades opposite each other. They will be united by a system of crossings, folding bridges and common high-speed transportation.