The space-age craze of the 1960s was an important source of inspiration for architects of that time. Around the globe, oddly-shaped buildings were erected, many of which bore a strong resemblance to the extraterrestrial vehicles which, till then, had almost exclusively been featured in the publications of the UFO contactees of the 50s and in science fiction movies and magazines.

In the 21st century the space-age concept is still popular, and today almost every state or country has one or two restaurants, terminals, stadiums, concert halls, conference halls or exposition halls in the shape of a flying saucer. Most of these buildings are set in urban areas and will not easily prompt someone passing by to report a UFO.

Smaller buildings, erected in desolate areas, are more likely to cause confusion, especially when these buildings are seen under poor conditions (for instance through fog, or from a great distance). It is only one reason why UFO investigators, checking up on stories of landed UFOs, should always visit the sighting location and look for special structures or buildings that may help identify the reported object.