Lucy the Elephant is a six-story elephant-shaped example of novelty architecture, constructed of wood and tin sheeting in 1881 by James V. Lafferty in Margate City, Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, two miles (3.2 km) south of Atlantic City, in an effort to sell real estate and attract tourists.

Urban photographer Roman Robroek spent five years scouring the continent for the grandest examples of forgotten architectural beauty. Here: Watch your step on this Polish spiral staircase. (Photo by Roman Robroek/South West News Service)

Donna Dotan has a self-described obsession with symmetry. Her prowess with architectural photography is well applied in her personal project, “Reflections from Above”, where she captures striking images of New York City reflected in the glass of skyscrapers. She describes the project as a treasure hunt, and says that she is looking for an all-glass skyscraper to add more reflections to her series. (Photo by Donna Dotan)

These are the ambitious plans which suggest skyscrapers of the future may house an entire city. The Endless City project is an award-winning proposal by sure Architecture, who propose turning skyscrapers into complete ecosystems. London is the proposed city for the mixed-use tower – which would feature huge ramps linking different sections of the structure. The company, whose design won the SkyScrapers and SuperSkyScrapers Competition, insist the structure would be a great space-saver in dense cities which have previously spread outwards rather than upwards. (Photo by Caters News)

Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi attends a meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinale Palace on June 10, 2009 in Rome, Italy. Colonel Gaddafi is in Rome to attend a meeting of G8 Development Ministers. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images). ROME – JUNE 10

An installation consisting of a series of bird boxes is displayed in a tree in Duncan Terrace Gardens in Islington on March 24, 2011 in London, England. The boxes by artists Bruce Gilchrist and Jo Joelson of “London Fieldworks”, were designed to reflect the architecture of the Georgian terraces and flats that surround the park in the community gardens. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)