AC Units: extremely useful things but hardly easy on the eye. These street artists have turned the humble metal box into something truly beautiful. They’ve left us wondering why everyone doesn’t make their air conditioning unit into a masterpiece. Whether they’re cleverly camouflaged or playing a major part in a magnificent mural, these air conditioning units blend seamlessly into the walls they’re on. Cool.

1. Sprung a Leak

Image SourceAbove: In New York’s East Village, a battered eyesore is given a tongue-in-cheek touch.

2. The Morning After

Image SourceAbove: New York by Nick Walker at 35 Cooper Square, East Village, Manhattan: AC units blend into this large mural on the side of an iconic building that’s now sadly been demolished.

3. Dewey Square, Boston

Image SourceAbove: This temporary, 70 x 70 foot mural is painted on to the air intake structure for an underground tunnel (OK, not strictly an AC unit, but still an otherwise dull, air related object.) Painted by twin Brazilian artists Otavio and Gustafo Pandolfo, known as collectively as Os Gemeos, it certainly brightens the place up.

4. Juicy Unit

Image SourceAbove: We don’t know where this incredible mural is, but whoever thought of turning an AC Unit into a carton of juice is a genius.

5. Circus Tricks

Image SourceAbove: On this colourful mural in London, dancers fly through the air and appear to be celebrating the coolness of the AC unit. It hasn’t been painted over, but is a central part of the mural – and it looks great.

6. Musical Notes

Image SourceAbove: On the side of Frankfurt’s Leunabunker, air vents and AC units become speakers and amps.

7. Part of the Process

Image SourceAbove: In this Toronto mural by P. Bresnen, the AC units have been totally ignored so that they become part and parcel of the artwork. Is it just us, or does the bloke in the foreground look like he’s tinkering with the air conditioning?

8. Breezy Trees

Image SourceAbove: In Pittsburgh, it looks as though the AC unit has been deliberately included in this work – perhaps because trees are known as nature’s air conditioners?

9. Cooling Off

Image SourceAbove: New York, again – and the temperature by this unit is simply cool degrees.

10. AC- Absolute Chaos

Image SourceAbove: In Kuala Lumpur, things can get pretty hot – which is why this building is studded in AC Units. This street art helps the building surrender to the chaos of all that machinery, giving it an edgy, urban aesthetic.

11. Cool for Cats

Image SourceAbove: In Miami, Arizona, this cuter-than-cute mural shows a sweet little kitten clinging on to the AC unit for dear life.

12. Hot Stuff

Image SourceAbove: We don’t know where this stencil work is, but someone’s got a good sense of humour…

13. It Must be Love

Image SourceAbove: In Santa Barbara, California, an AC Unit is almost completely camouflaged into this loved-up work of art.

14. Monster Mash

Image SourceAbove: Santa Barbara again – and an AC unit becomes a sinister-looking creature…

15. Sitting Pretty

Image SourceAbove: New York, again – and this cat looks perfectly happy on its AC unit perch.

16. Windmills of Your Mind

Image SourceAbove: In Puglia, Italy, these AC units mirror the colourful, windmill wheels of the children’s bike.

17. Raining Cats and Dogs

Image SourceAbove: This busy mural called ‘Gimme Shelter’ is on the side of an animal shelter in Philadelphia. At first glance, it’s tricky to spot the AC unit, but it’s actually smack bang in the middle, with a cat walking across its top.