This Twitter moment all started when travel writer David Whitley posted some photos of buildings shaped like animals that he'd seen in his travels. Since his initial posts, the trend has become a worldwide roundup where people are finding and posting local animal buildings in their area.
Get ready for some architecture choices that don't make a whole lot of sense like the church that's shaped like a chicken. But hey, art imitates life. Just this time it's animal life. Here are Whitley's finds and other weird and hilarious buildings.
This Ambiguous Bird Building
Birds are pretty great. They help spread seeds and pollen that helps pollination and tree growth, they do an excellent job adding ambiance for wedding ceremonies, and they're always ready and willing to eat the fries you don't want at the beach. They rock all around.
But this building doesn't rock so much. Maybe it's because the bird looks like a mutant dove crossbred with a duck. Or they decided that windows weren't a priority but a long neck was. This building generates a lot of questions, but the biggest one is why.
This Architecture Is Ex-sheep-tional
We all love a good sheep. They're cuddly, soft, make incredible sweaters, and you can count them to get a good night's sleep. But they're a moderate size - keyword moderate.
Whoever designed this building takes the cake for loving sheep the most. You would have to be a huge fan of the barnyard animal to want to blow it up to 1 million times its size. It's unclear what this building is for, but since it's open you might as well go check out what's behind that placid sheep stare. Baaahhhh... you're getting very sleepy...
Turns Out, The Sheep Was Part Of A Flock
This is what the internet is for! After people were bemused, amused, and confused by the sheep building, Twitter user @chrispokerwebb stepped up and informed the general public the sheep building is only a taste of a greater animal complex.
Around the sheep is a ram building and a dog building. These buildings are part of the tourist information center in Tirau, New Zealand. Apparently, the sheep building is the bathrooms. That makes sense to empty your bl-aaaaa-der in. Next slide is a close-up of the adorable dog building.
This Eagle Building Has You Enter Through The...
It was bound to happen. With all of these doors on all these animal-shaped buildings located on the side or on the animal's mouth, there was bound to be one where you enter from the... back door.
This gorgeous building is located in the Jatayu national park in India. It's really unfortunate it's so pretty but so poorly designed. Hopefully, the architect knew what this looked like before it was finalized because if they didn't that would be quite a shock.
Here's the Dog Building Up Close And Personal
No tourist center is complete without a lovable dog mascot willing to stand out front all day and greet visitors. Only this time, it's a giant steel greeter that's very quiet. Nonetheless, this dog is a very good boy.
Look at the way that tongue is hanging in the wind. That bone sign is an adorable touch too. It doesn't even matter what's inside of this part of the tourist center, we're all content to stand outside and gaze up at this building. Do you hear a woof in the distance?
This Croc Is Made For Soccer
Sports teams and fans love their mascots. We all go nuts when the guy in the suit prances onto the field and gives out hugs and free t-shirts. But what if the field was the mascot?
The Bursaspor football club in Turkey took their love for their team's colors and their crocodile mascot to the next level by building a stadium in the shape of the fierce animal. What a great way to make your club stand out. It would be scary playing the home team there too and having to enter through its jaws.
When You're Always In The Dog House
When you make your significant other mad they say 'you're in the dog house.' But if your house is shaped like a beagle, does that mean that you're already in the dog house and you've never left? Does that mean you're in the 'double-dog-house?'
There's another dog house in the background of this photo so maybe this type of house is a new trend that's sweeping the nation. People probably want to feel closer to their pets by getting inside their heads. Sparky, what makes you tick?
Rams Aren't Supposed To Melt Right?
Life imitates art, but in this case, maybe that's not the best thing. The architect's intentions were really good here - we don't pay Merino sheep enough attention for sure. A melting sheep probably wasn't their goal though.
The 'Big Merino' building in Goulburn, Australia is truly a one-of-its-kind and lives up to its name. There's nothing 'small' about this sheep, from the building size, head, horns, and fluffy folds. It just doesn't look soft so much as it looks like it's turning into a puddle in the heat.
Nemo Didn't Find His Dad But He Found His True Calling
Fish aren't the first things you think of when brainstorming for building ideas. In fact, they may not even be the second or the third. They're actually probably dead last. This architect was definitely thinking outside the box and the pond for his creation.
This photo of this fish building looks like a utopian vision of a perfect neighborhood. Just look how colorful it is and how happy the people look strolling around this giant fish. Maybe one day we'll live in harmony with the fish. Ariel would definitely agree.
This British Building Is Apparently An Elephant
Twitter user @hitriddle sent this one in of the elephant-shaped leisure center in Coventry, England. Looks like Coventry certainly has a love for the big creatures. Hopefully, they don't build a mouse-shaped building nearby.
If you're looking at this and you're confused, you're not the only one. People on Twitter were skeptical there was any animal there at all. Apparently, this is one of the few angles where you can actually see an elephant. Sort of. They should've given it floppy Dumbo ears to make it more recognizable.
This Building That Looks A Lot Like Noah's Arc
This isn't an animal-shaped building - but it is animal-themed and that's close enough. This building shaped like Noah's Ark really takes a modern spin on the myth by being made out of steel and glass.
Hopefully, they made it so it can float... just in case. It would be nice if this modern looking ark came with air conditioning and heated blankets for the animals of the future. This time lets make sure we don't leave behind an animal. Unicorns really would've been a nice addition.
Park Your Car Under A Creepy Crawly
This carpark made this building list because of the sheer wacky energy it puts out. The architect who designed this clearly didn't get the heebie-jeebies over insects because they made this scorpion huge and menacing. Be very still and it won't come towards you.
In this Arizona building, they were going for an ancient Egypt theme, so the hieroglyphics, statues, and sandstone lining the buildings makes sense. But who dreamt up the carpark shaped like a scorpion? That's either genius or unsettling - there's no in between.
This Chicken... Church
Building a church that's shaped like a chicken invites so many questions. Is the church for chickens only? Is the religion revolving around a chicken deity? Is it skin on or skin off and is it crispy? Bring your own seasoning to service just in case.
This chicken church is in Indonesia. It's a beautiful building and a lot of time and effort was put into it by the architect who based it off a divine dream he had. The only chicken churches in America are those run by Paster Colonel Sanders.
See You Later, Alligator Building
David Whitley inspired this submission from Nick Hallworth on Twitter who shares the kookiest building Darwin, Australia has to offer. Hint, inside they're always playing 'Crocodile Rock.'
This building is one of those unfortunate ones where you can't tell what it's supposed to resemble unless you're flying over it in a plane. If your company booked a conference here all you would see is that ominous yellow eye and be confused. Don't be worried, it's not the eye of Sauron, only the eye of the crocodile.
Welcome To My Humble Whale
Haven't you ever wanted your home to look like your favorite animal? This architect certainly understood that feeling when he built this lifesize whale house for someone. Now you can know what it really feels like to be stuck in the belly of the whale.
This home is perfect for all the captain Ahab's out there. This friendly-looking whale would be a great home for anyone looking to relax, rest their head, and learn the ins and outs of marine biology. Hopefully, the architect didn't build any krill in its mouth.
Since We're Already Talking About Chicken Buildings, Here's An Actual Chicken Shaped KFC
The bird really is the word. What about the flighty animals makes them perfect for architectural design we'll never know. What we do know is that this is an unexpected trend that has staying power. Also pecking power.
This 'Big Chicken' KFC almost lives up to the beauty of the chicken church. The neon signs, vacant eyes, and open beak decorating this chicken make it look like a big glowing version of the animal ready to cluck. Judging by the monstrous size of it, its cluck would be loud too. Take cover from big red!
Panda Solar Panels That Are Cute And Green
Unfortunately, you can't hug this cuddly looking bear - unless you want to be uncomfortably grasping hot metal. What better way to make something as boring as a solar panel look enjoyable than an entire field of them shaped like a giant panda bear. It's hard to tell who's happier - scientists or little kids.
This region of Datong County in northern China is home to not one, but two solar panel pandas. The other one even waves at you. Doesn't that just make your heart recharge a bit?
This Kindergarten Is Purr-fect
Schools always look so boring. We've all been to one where the walls are boring neutral colors and the bricks are grey and sad. Luckily for the world, there are schools out there taking a whisker, oops a risk, and making their buildings cute.
In Germany, they just do things a little differently. For starters, this adorable kitty kindergarten. What better way to combat first-day-of-school fears than by building an adorable space for the kids to play and learn? Just don't pull its tail exhaust vent - cats don't like that.
Car Shop That Looks Carnivorous
Dinosaurs aren't just for the big screen anymore. You don't have to buy a ticket to see Chris Pratt practicing dinosaur telepathy to catch a glimpse of a prehistoric creature doing its thing down at this car wash in Springhill, Nova Scotia.
Just make sure you don't ask what kind of dinosaur this is because there's no answer. It's a non-descript 'friendly' dinosaur. See that joyful smile? He would never eat you, and because this is a building he'll never even dream of it. What a good boy.
This Pig Building Saw You Order A BLT
Something is never quite right with the eyes on these buildings. Nevermind why they've been built or what kind of business they house, the eyes are always the most 'off' things about them.
This San Antonio pig-building has eyes that have seen some scary stuff. The way they vacantly look off into the middle distance definitely means they're looking at a slaughterhouse. Or they've just seen a BBQ rib festival begin to set up across the street. This poor traumatized porky.
