Krzywy Domek or Crooked House in Sopot, Poland, is Poland’s most photographed building. With its undulating roofline and warped, windows and doors, this 4,000 sq.metre building was inspired by the fairy tale illustrations of children’s book illustrator Jan Marcin Szancer and the work of artist Per Dahlberg. Built in 2004, the building houses a shopping centre, restaurants and a radio station, and has been described by tourists as “melting”, “cartoon crazy” and “looks like its dancing”.
The Krzywy Domek has a tradition of having those who participate in its cultural events add their names to the building’s “Wall of Fame”, the Polish version of the American Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2009, this quirky attribute was one of many that helped it earn a spot on the list of the 7 Wonders of the Tricity. The designers are great fans of the well known illustrator of children’s fairy tales, Per Dahlberg, and his imaginative sketches became the inspiration for the design of this fun building. They have even purchased some of his original sketches which are displayed throughout the store.
The architectural style of the house is in fact in line with the traditional form of the town but in a warped version as though we are observing it through a fairground mirror. The stained glass entrance and the blue and green enamelled shingles on the roof are illuminated at night, creating an even more surreal appearance for the structure. It comes as no surprise that it claims the prize for being the most photographed building in the whole of Poland.
Picture Credit : Google
