This rollercoaster-inspired NYC skyscraper is one of the wildest things we've ever seen

New York is no stranger to jaw-dropping architecture, but The Big Bend may be the wildest concept yet. Proposed by Athens- and NYC-based Oiio Studio, this U-shaped skyscraper would quite literally loop over Midtown Manhattan like a gravity-defying rollercoaster. At 4,000 feet in total length, it would not only tower over the competition—it would become the longest building in the world.

Designed to arch high above Billionaire’s Row on 57th Street, The Big Bend would top out at 2,000 feet, making it taller than One World Trade Center. But height isn’t the only headline here. Instead of going up and up like its super-slender neighbors, this one bends over itself in a giant architectural horseshoe, connecting two towers at the summit in an elegant (or unhinged?) curve.

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So why build a skyscraper that looks like it belongs in an amusement park? Zoning laws, of course. New York City’s restrictive height and floor area rules make traditional vertical builds more expensive. By substituting height for length, Oiio’s architects argue that The Big Bend is a “modest solution” to Manhattan’s sky-high limitations. And hey, if you can’t go higher, go longer.

The elevator concept alone is enough to make your head spin. Rather than a standard up-and-down shaft, the building would use a looping elevator system capable of moving vertically, horizontally and around curves. Think: The subway meets Space Mountain.

Despite its jaw-dropping design (and several renderings that have lit up Instagram and TikTok), The Big Bend remains firmly in fantasy territory. It’s more satire than scaffolding: Oiio has never submitted serious blueprints or filed construction plans. Their own posts hint at the project as a commentary on the absurdity of luxury real estate, with visuals that include top hats, cash stacks and a dizzying amount of glass and steel.

Still, the concept has sparked conversation around city planning, inequality and Manhattan’s increasingly surreal skyline. Whether you love it or loathe it, there’s no denying The Big Bend would change the game—and the view—from Central Park.

Want a closer look at this architectural fever dream? Head to Oiio Studio’s website to explore the renderings and decide for yourself: genius, joke or somewhere in between.