I'd like it in the form of a toad, please.

October 5, 2012 12:29 PM

Sometimes walls, windows, door and a roof just isn't enough. Why be boxed in by four walls when you can make your home or business look just like your favorite critter? Here's a collection of animal-shaped buildings from around the world, including the trailblazing Lucy the Elephant whose creator got a patent in the 1880s giving him exclusive rights to make animal-shaped buildings up until the turn of the century.

My favorite isn't included in that list: The Toed In (on Shorpy). There's lot more out there: The Duck House at the Shanghai Expo. A cat-shaped kindergarden and simpler cat-shaped buildings on Cat Island in Japan. A fabulous set of snake-shaped homes in Mexico. America has several pig stands and pig-shaped hot dog stands. Some pigstands serve people at the mouth of the pig. There is a bulldog cafe. Strange and Unusual Buildings offers up: a goose-shaped home & Mother Goose Cafe & a shark-fronted building. The Japanese Tsunami destroyed a crab-shaped public toilet. Belgium gives us a Trojan Horse-shaped B&B. There are buildings shaped like dinosaurs in CA, FL, and FL again. An Indian Fisheries building is shaped like a fish. An Octopus in China is a bit abstract. An ice cream-mongering owl includes a pun.

If animals don't work for you, may I suggest buildings that look like the food they serve?

posted by julen (12 comments total)

Soo... no pictures of the inside of said elephant, dog, alligator, cat, duck, whatever?

FWIW, there's a strawberry (shaped building) that sells ice cream and milkshakes on the way to the beach in NC. It only stands out in my mind because this is area of the world is largely peach country. It's also a great piece of marketing because everybody I know is aware of said strawberry.
posted by Blue_Villain at 12:58 PM on October 5, 2012

There's also the majestic (10 story!) Robarts Turkey at University of Toronto.
posted by 256 at 1:11 PM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]

Big Things are a common tourist attraction in Australia. My favourite is The Big Merino.
posted by zamboni at 1:18 PM on October 5, 2012

Soo... no pictures of the inside of said elephant, dog, alligator, cat, duck, whatever?

Well, here's the interior of the dog in Tirau. The place has gone nuts on corrugated iron 'sculpture' in the last ten years, every time I drive through there seems to be something new - a corrugated iron shepherd outside the church, Poppy's cafe has a corrugated-iron poppy, there's a teddy bear, teapot, giant sunflower and so on and on . It's a nice stroll on Streetview of a small town that was once on its knees, cheerfully embracing a (it has to be said, kind of tacky) craze and absolutely blooming with it.
I'm fond of the place.
posted by Catch at 2:44 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

I live just south of an area older locals call "One Spot" because it was once graced by a house framed by a giant flat bifurcated dog. The dog is long gone, but you'll still hear about "One Spot," at least for now.
posted by sonascope at 3:20 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

There's the sombrero-shaped restaurant in Tucumcari, NM. I'm not sure if it's still open.
posted by annsunny at 4:01 PM on October 5, 2012

The Whale House in Santa Barbara apparently took crew of 20 workers three years to build. It's really hard to see from the road.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:51 PM on October 5, 2012

You know who else was fond of buildings shaped like animals?
posted by howfar at 5:36 PM on October 5, 2012

My favorite isn't included in that list: The Toed In (on Shorpy).

OH MY GOD. It's like a real Doc Hopper's.
posted by Violet Hour at 5:55 PM on October 5, 2012

There's also the majestic (10 story!) Robarts Turkey at University of Toronto.

Let's all agree not to tell Jenny.
posted by dhartung at 9:42 PM on October 5, 2012

There's also the Hood Milk Bottle at the Children's Museum in Boston.
posted by pxe2000 at 3:23 PM on October 6, 2012

so, so cool and nice, despite being so dumb, because even:)
posted by maiamaia at 3:29 PM on October 6, 2012