# Anyone ever built a "Crooked House"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 16, 2014, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574 "2014-05-16T08:43:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/1 "2014-05-16T08:43:16Z")
In Heinlein’s excellent story “–And He Built a Crooked House”, the house in question is in the shape of an unfolded tesseract. I’m wondering if anyone has actually built a house or other structure in this shape. Googling find something called “Little Tesseract House” but while it’s an unusual shape, it’s not in the shape of Heinlein’s Crooked House. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/2 "2014-05-16T09:40:12Z")
An unfolded teseract is just a collection of cubes, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/3 "2014-05-16T09:42:27Z")
Apparently a Stanford math student built one in 2nd Life. [New World Notes: -- AND HE REZZED A CROOKED HOUSE](http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2006/06/_and_he_rezzed_.html) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/4 "2014-05-16T10:48:23Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > An unfolded teseract is just a collection of cubes, isn’t it? Yes. In this particular instance, it’s 4 cubes in a vertical stack, with 4 cubes attached to the sides (faces) of the second cube from the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/5 "2014-05-16T12:32:52Z")
It probably exists as a subset of [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_67). ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/6 "2014-05-16T14:26:17Z")
For an alternative definition of ‘crooked’ there’s the Wharton Eshrick Museum. A house built by the artist that has no right angles or flat surfaces. [This picture](http://www.philagrafika2010.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/venue_image_full/venue_images/Picture%201.png) doesn’t express it too well, it’s hard to appreciate how much this looks like a cartoon house until you see it in person. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/7 "2014-05-16T14:37:25Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Yes. In this particular instance, it’s 4 cubes in a vertical stack, with 4 cubes attached to the sides (faces) of the second cube from the bottom. How about this? But it’s upside-down: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/SingTel_Ayer_Rajar_Telecommunications_Tower.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/SingTel_Ayer_Rajar_Telecommunications_Tower.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![RememberMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@RememberMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RememberMe)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/8 "2014-05-16T19:03:12Z")
Crooked? How about sideways? > **[The State – Sideways House Family](https://funnyordie.com/2009/07/14/15819/the-state-sideways-house-family/)** > > Exclusive clip from The State Complete Series DVD available now! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/9 "2014-05-16T20:54:58Z")
It’s not a house, or even a real construction, but I love how, in Salvador Dali’s _Crucifiction_, Christ is shown crucified on such an “unfolded” tesseract: [https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;\_ylt=AwrB8pGZenZTxHQA8..JzbkF;\_ylu=X3oDMTIyMXFpazduBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAMzMzA2ZTAxM2E5NjA4ZjViNjNmNDhhNzZiODM5ZDM1OARncG9zAzEEaXQDYmluZw--?back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F\_adv\_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DDali%2Bcrucifixion%26fr%3Dyfp-t-901%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D1&w=726&h=1139&imgurl=4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-jWtvnE2QAcs%2FUGMHHl9qAxI%2FAAAAAAAANGo%2F07dzOgcz1rI%2Fs1600%2F12b-crucifixion-dali1.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fporelamoralarte.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F09%2Fsalvador-dali.html&size=130.3KB&name=Salvador+Dalí%2C+marqués+de+Dalí+y+de+Púbol+(Figueras%2C+11+de+mayo+de+...&p=Dali+crucifixion&oid=3306e013a9608f5b63f48a76b839d358&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=Salvador+Dalí%2C+marqués+de+Dalí+y+de+Púbol+(Figueras%2C+11+de+mayo+de+...&b=0&ni=21&no=1&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11umvlghe&sigb=13fsdrj6q&sigi=13261crkj&sigt=12avm4n9u&sign=12avm4n9u&.crumb=5pSq48dxh0z&fr=yfp-t-901](https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8pGZenZTxHQA8..JzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIyMXFpazduBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAMzMzA2ZTAxM2E5NjA4ZjViNjNmNDhhNzZiODM5ZDM1OARncG9zAzEEaXQDYmluZw--?back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3DDali%2Bcrucifixion%26fr%3Dyfp-t-901%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D1&w=726&h=1139&imgurl=4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-jWtvnE2QAcs%2FUGMHHl9qAxI%2FAAAAAAAANGo%2F07dzOgcz1rI%2Fs1600%2F12b-crucifixion-dali1.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fporelamoralarte.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F09%2Fsalvador-dali.html&size=130.3KB&name=Salvador+Dal%C3%AD%2C+marqu%C3%A9s+de+Dal%C3%AD+y+de+P%C3%BAbol+%28Figueras%2C+11+de+mayo+de+...&p=Dali+crucifixion&oid=3306e013a9608f5b63f48a76b839d358&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=Salvador+Dal%C3%AD%2C+marqu%C3%A9s+de+Dal%C3%AD+y+de+P%C3%BAbol+%28Figueras%2C+11+de+mayo+de+...&b=0&ni=21&no=1&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11umvlghe&sigb=13fsdrj6q&sigi=13261crkj&sigt=12avm4n9u&sign=12avm4n9u&.crumb=5pSq48dxh0z&fr=yfp-t-901) I also like how, in his painting _The Last Supper_ the room has the appasrent shape of a dodecahedron – a 12-sided figure, appropriate for a room holding 12 apostles: [https://search.yahoo.com/search;\_ylt=A0LEV02SenZTa0sA7V1XNyoA;\_ylc=X1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGJjawM2NDAxZDJkOW5jaXRwJTI2YiUzRDMlMjZzJTNEYWwEZnIDeWZwLXQtOTAxBGdwcmlkA0JIX0lReG9hUUhtOTRTTmN0enRYTkEEbXRlc3RpZANBRDAxJTNEU01FNTA1JTI2QURTUlAlM0RTTUU0MDYlMjZBU1NUJTNEUUkwMzglMjZNU0ZUJTNEQUNCWTE4JTI2UkFNUCUzRFJNUDAzJTI2VUkwMSUzRFZJUDM3MCUyNlVOSSUzRFJDRjA0MwRuX3JzbHQDMTAEbl9zdWdnAzEwBG9yaWdpbgNzZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDBHFzdHJsAzE2BHF1ZXJ5A0RhbGkgTGFzdCBTdXBwZXIEdF9zdG1wAzE0MDAyNzM2NDIxNDYEdnRlc3RpZANWSVAzNzA-?gprid=BH\_IQxoaQHm94SNctztXNA&pvid=Hs82Hzk4LjFiAC0TU3ZLuQSKMjQuMlN2epL\_3iFI&p=Dali+Last+Supper&fr2=sb-top&fr=yfp-t-901](https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0LEV02SenZTa0sA7V1XNyoA;_ylc=X1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGJjawM2NDAxZDJkOW5jaXRwJTI2YiUzRDMlMjZzJTNEYWwEZnIDeWZwLXQtOTAxBGdwcmlkA0JIX0lReG9hUUhtOTRTTmN0enRYTkEEbXRlc3RpZANBRDAxJTNEU01FNTA1JTI2QURTUlAlM0RTTUU0MDYlMjZBU1NUJTNEUUkwMzglMjZNU0ZUJTNEQUNCWTE4JTI2UkFNUCUzRFJNUDAzJTI2VUkwMSUzRFZJUDM3MCUyNlVOSSUzRFJDRjA0MwRuX3JzbHQDMTAEbl9zdWdnAzEwBG9yaWdpbgNzZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDBHFzdHJsAzE2BHF1ZXJ5A0RhbGkgTGFzdCBTdXBwZXIEdF9zdG1wAzE0MDAyNzM2NDIxNDYEdnRlc3RpZANWSVAzNzA-?gprid=BH_IQxoaQHm94SNctztXNA&pvid=Hs82Hzk4LjFiAC0TU3ZLuQSKMjQuMlN2epL_3iFI&p=Dali+Last+Supper&fr2=sb-top&fr=yfp-t-901) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/10 "2014-05-16T21:37:27Z")
“Crooked House” is one of a handful of Heinlein stories I got my mother to read, long ago. She laughed and said something like, “He doesn’t know _crooked house_.” We lived in a postwar adobe house that didn’t have a 90-degree angle or a perfectly vertical wall in it. Was an immense pain to do even small remodeling, fit carpet to, or furnish. So I have said with a straight face, when this topic comes up, “Why yes, I lived in one.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/11 "2014-05-17T00:26:30Z")
I think a crooked man lived in one. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/12 "2014-05-17T02:13:49Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Yes. In this particular instance, it’s 4 cubes in a vertical stack, with 4 cubes attached to the sides (faces) of the second cube from the bottom. I can see someone doing this, for sure. It’s the way the rooms are supposed to interconnect that’s gonna be the bitch. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/13 "2014-05-18T18:09:36Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > For an alternative definition of ‘crooked’ there’s the Wharton Eshrick Museum. A house built by the artist that has no right angles or flat surfaces. [This picture](http://www.philagrafika2010.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/venue_image_full/venue_images/Picture%201.png) doesn’t express it too well, it’s hard to appreciate how much this looks like a cartoon house until you see it in person. Hmm, was Eshrick pursued by the Hounds of Tindalos? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/14 "2014-05-18T18:25:28Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Hmm, was Eshrick pursued by the Hounds of Tindalos? Had to look that up. I don’t know, maybe that’s why. All of his woodwork has a fantastical aspect to it. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/15 "2014-05-18T21:40:55Z")
> [@jimbuff314](#): > > I can see someone doing this, for sure. It’s the way the rooms are supposed to interconnect that’s gonna be the bitch. Use strong beams and folding money. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/16 "2014-05-18T22:35:35Z")
We had this contractor one time and he was usually drunk. I think that was the reason why he had such trouble with straight lines. But I really don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/17 "2014-05-18T22:45:53Z")
If you want crooked - go to The Crooked House Pub in Gornal near Birmingham, England. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0QDtgVPvyW0/maxresdefault.jpg "The Crooked House Pub - Coppice Mill, Gornal, West Midlands, England 2010") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QDtgVPvyW0) ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/18 "2014-05-18T23:35:37Z")
**Six Flags Over Texas** used to have an attraction called [Casa Magnetica](http://www.guidetosfot.com/attractions/rides/casamagnetica/) that was kind of neat. The whole thing was purposely built crooked to create sort of an anti-gravity optical illusion. Round objects would roll uphill. Water flowed upwards. Everybody looked like they were leaning way over compared to the walls. It was kind of trippy. The video on the linked page doesn’t do the effect justice, and the scripted stuff the guides/actors play out is painfully unfunny (though that could be seen as part of the charm). I believe it’s been closed for years. ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/19 "2014-05-19T01:31:37Z")
If he can build this, Frank Gehry could probably build a tesseract house: [Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health](http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2010/06/dzn_Lou-Ruvo-Center-for-Brain-Health-by-Frank-Gehry-2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574/20 "2014-05-19T02:29:12Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > **Six Flags Over Texas** used to have an attraction called [Casa Magnetica](http://www.guidetosfot.com/attractions/rides/casamagnetica/) that was kind of neat. The whole thing was purposely built crooked to create sort of an anti-gravity optical illusion. Round objects would roll uphill. Water flowed upwards. Everybody looked like they were leaning way over compared to the walls. It was kind of trippy. The video on the linked page doesn’t do the effect justice, and the scripted stuff the guides/actors play out is painfully unfunny (though that could be seen as part of the charm). I believe it’s been closed for years. That sounds like the _Casa Loca_ (Crazy House) that was an attraction at Freedomland, the amusement park built by Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood (who built Disneyland) in Queens, New York . It was BIGGER than Disneyland. But New York City is a lousy place to build a big amusement park – no parking, and nobody comes in the winter. It closed in three years. A lot of stuff from Freedomland got sold to other amusement parks. They couldn’t move the Casa Loca, but they sold the plans to Clark’s Trading Post near Lincoln, NH (which got some other stuff from Freedomland). They rebuilt it as _Tuttle’s Rustic House_, and it continues to operate to this day: > **[TUTTLE'S SHOOTIN' GALLERY at Clark's Bears, Lincoln, NH](https://clarksbears.com/attractionsTuttle.php)** > > TUTTLE'S SHOOTIN' GALLERY at Clark's Bears: This interactive attraction will maintain the rustic charm of the Tuttle family as guests test their TRIGGERnometry skills shooting at 60 targets. Nothing like Heinlein’s unfolded Tesseract house, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-built-a-crooked-house/688574.md?page=2)