Strangely Shaped Buildings Trivia Quiz

Answer: Saddledome

Obviously, this arena looks like a saddle. It was originally named the Olympic Saddledome (constructed in 1983 for the 1988 Olympics), but as has become the habit, the arena's name has changed over the years with different corporate sponsorship. In 1995, the name was changed to the Canadian Airlines Saddledome, and then in 2000 it became the Pengrowth Saddledome. This time the name remained for a decade until 2010 when the home of the Calgary Flames became the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Oddly enough, the architects weren't actually trying to follow a 'Western' theme. They designed the roof of the arena as a reverse hyperbolic paraboloid, which allowed for a view free from obstruction by support pillars (and reduced costs by having a third less interior space than traditional arenas).

Answer: Geodesic sphere

The geodesic sphere that houses the Spaceship Earth ride at Walt Disney World was first opened in 1982, and since then the iconic building has been the symbol of the Epcot theme park as a whole. While it looks like a single sphere from the outside, it is actually two structural domes, with the legs supporting a steel box-shaped ring at the sphere's perimeter a little under the 'equator' line. From that structure the bottom dome hangs, while the top, slightly larger dome portion sits on it.

Interestingly, the dome was cleverly designed so as to ensure that any rainwater is collected in one-inch gaps in the facets into a gutter system, and the water is then channeled into the World Showcase Lagoon. Thus, no water flows over the edge onto people below.

The facets that make up this geodesic dome are not made of glass. There are, in fact, 11,324 silvered facets, with 954 partial or full flat triangular panels around the sphere (allowing for the supporting legs).

Answer: Yes

Founded in 1973 by Dave Longaberger, his company made handcrafted maple wood baskets, along with other home and lifestyle products, and sold them primarily through a multi-level marketing business model.

The Longaberger Company was bought out in 2013 by CVSL, Inc., and closed in 2018 before being acquired by Xcel Brands, who relaunched the business in 2019.

"The Basket" building, however, is no longer owned by the current company, nor the former original family company. It was sold by CVSL during their tenure, when the company was struggling financially.

Answer: Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum was originally established in 1967 in the aforementioned Juma Mosque in Baku's Old City. In 1992 it was moved to the second floor of what was the Lenin Museum. Construction on the new, uniquely-shaped building took over six years to complete, with its official opening in 2014. It was designed by Austrian architect Franz Janz.

Answer: Insurance sales

The Transamerica Pyramid is 48 stories tall, and at the time of its construction in 1972, was the tallest building in the USA west of Chicago and the eighth-tallest building in the world. In 2017, the San Francisco skyline got a new height champion with the construction of the Salesforce Tower, which was completed in 2018.

The original company, the Transamerica Corporation, was bought out by Dutch insurance company Aegon in 1999. Aegon decided to keep the Transamerica building when the rest of its American holdings were purchased by GE Capital. Aegon finally sold the building to SHVO and Deutsche Finance America in 2020.

Answer: Bahaʼi

This beautiful building was made with 27 free-standing marble-clad 'petals' in clusters of three, forming nine sides, each with a door opening onto a central hall. The foundation was laid in 1977, and the temple was completed and opened in late 1986.

As the Baha'i faith teaches the essential worth of all faiths and religions, the Lotus Temple is open to any and all to come.

Answer: Gibson Les Paul

Located on the Hollywood Reservation of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Seminole Hard Rock Café and Casino began as a humble 12-story Hard Rock Hotel in 2004, with the iconic guitar-shaped tower and an additional 'Oasis Tower' added to increase the original 469-room capacity to over 1,200. The additional towers were completed in 2019.

Answer: 2008 Summer Olympics

The unique design of the Beijing National Stadium, constructed between 2003 and 2008 for the 2008 Summer Olympics, looks like it has randomly placed beams to make for the bird's nest effect, but the structure is actually symmetrical, with the opposite sides having the same pattern. The beams were originally meant to help disguise the struts for a retractable roof, but the roof was discarded as an idea.

Symbolically, the stadium draws on Chinese culture to represent the 'great nature' on earth with an overall theme of balance.

Answer: Brussels, Belgium

The Atomium - a portmanteau word combining 'atom' and 'aluminium' - was designed by engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak, meant as a tribute to scientific progress and highlight Belgian engineering skills. Construction began in 1955 and was completed just one month prior to the opening of Expo '58.

Originally, the spheres of the structure were coated with aluminium, hence the name, but since then, the building has undergone extensive renovations and restoration, including the outer metal, which is now stainless steel. It is far more appropriate to the actual structure, which is representative of α-iron (ferrite) crystal, magnified 165 billion times.

Answer: False

This is the Sydney Opera House, and while Sydney is one of Australia's largest cities, and the capital of New South Wales, it is not the capital of the country. That distinction goes to Canberra, which is 285 km to the southwest, and not located on the coast.

The Sydney Opera House had its beginnings in 1954 when the New South Wales government convened an advisory group (the Opera House Committee) to choose a site for the new musical facility. They chose Bennelong Point, and launched a design competition, which was won by the aforementioned Danish architect Jørn Utzon. Construction began in 1959 and was eventually completed and opened in 1973, despite the intent to have it open on Australia Day in 1963.