These structures are examples of novelty architecture, or programmatic architecture, in which the function of the building itself is represented by the way it looks. The fad was popularised in the 1950s with the boom of cars and the advent of freeways, as businesses needed a way to quickly communicate what services they offered to drivers speeding by.
While some of these follies are no more than roadside attractions, others are fairly brilliant in their architectural intentions and have been named as beloved landmarks. Although these buildings are all still standing, there are many more examples which have been demolished as the trend fell out of favour. Can you guess what these businesses do just by looking at their buildings?
Longaberger Company | Newark, Ohio
Yes, indeed, the American basket-maker shaped its headquarters after its top-selling picnic basket, the “Medium Market Basket.” This seven story Ohio building even has special technology to keep its odd shape protected: The handles can be heated in cold weather to prevent damaging ice accumulation. The company founder, Dave Longaberger, wanted all of the company’s buildings to look like this, but died before his dream was fulfilled.
Hood Milk Bottle | Boston, Massachusets
This 40-foot tall bottle in the plaza of the Boston Children’s Museum
has been serving up milk (and ice cream) to thirsty kids since 1933.
The bottle was originally built in Taunton, Massachusetts, but was soon
abandoned, when it was photographed by Walker Evans as a roadside
novelty. The bottle was moved to Boston and restored, then moved to
Museum Wharf where it was re-opened to the public in 2007. Over the
years, the logo has even been updated to reflect Hood’s own corporate
rebranding.
The Doughnut Hole | La Puente, California
Opened in 1968, The Doughnut Hole was once a chain with locations
found throughout Southern California, but now this lone doughnut is the
only survivor. This building gets double points in the programmatic
architecture tally because not only is it shaped like a doughnut to draw attention from passing cars, you can also drive right through the doughnut to get your doughnuts.The Big Duck | Flanders, New York
Originally built by farmer Martin Maurer to sell his fresh ducks and
duck eggs to passing motorists, this 1931 Long Island tourist attraction
has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The
poultry-inspired curves are made with wood framing and cement with a
lovely car-centric detail: The eyes are Model T tail lights. Due to its
long and storied legacy, the word “duck” has been used by architects and
historians to describe any building in the shape of an everyday object.Gibeau Orange Julep | Montreal, Canada
The “Big Orange,” as it’s nicknamed, is home to the Orange Julep
restaurant, which specialises in a frothy orange drink not unlike an
Orange Julius. The founder, Hermas Gibeau, built the two story concrete
sphere in 1945 and apparently planned to live with his family inside of
it as well. There were once many orange-shaped Orange Julep restaurants
in the Montreal area but this is the only existing one.Kansas City Public Library | Kansas City, Missouri
At Kansas City’s central library, one wall of the parking garage is actually a library itself: 22 books selected by the public
are represented here as 25-foot tall volumes. The books are made from
mylar signboard and their spines show exquisite detail. Although the
library has been open for over a century, the “Community Bookshelf” was
finished in 2004.Tail o’ the Pup | Los Angeles, California
From 1946 to 2005, Tail o’ the Pup served up hot dogs from two
different LA locations to celebrities and children alike. While not technically a building — it’s a hot dog stand, so not permanent — Tail o’ the Pup is in the news as the beloved wiener was transported out of storage for restoration earlier this year and will soon resume operations somewhere in LA.
