Architecture is a subject that fascinates and captures the attention
of a certain breed of people. Appreciating the design of a building is
one thing, but understanding its construction, the different elements
that make it so spectacular and feeling that desire to create something
for yourself appeals to a fair few select people.
Read about some
of the top architectural cities in the world, different design trends
and how they have been evolving in the past hundred years.
Dubai
Perhaps
the most impressive of modern construction sites is Dubai in the United
Arab Emirates. With oil no longer the main focus in the Emirate,
attention is turning to tourism and hospitality in the region with some
of the most grandiose skyscrapers and construction endeavours ever seen
taking place within the city. Modern spins on traditional Islamic
architecture can be found as well as the most innovative modern designs
in the world. Man-made islands shaped to look like palm trees and
skyscrapers that resemble the sails of yachts are just the beginning as
developments continue.
Beijing
China's capital has been the
centre of culture and politics in the country since the Ming Dynasty in
the 14th century. When the last of the dynasties fell in 1911, Beijing
was a place of extreme unrest with warlords fighting for control of the
city. Relics of the dynasties architectural styles remain - buildings
like the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City are characteristic of
this with multi-eaved roofs and intricate brickwork. Today this old
architecture clashes with modern skyscrapers and boxy buildings that
exist for function rather than form, providing for the corporate centre
that the capital has become. Innovative marvels like the Watercube
National Swimming Centre's blue walls and the dome-like National Grand
Theatre of China do break up the monotony of grey skyscrapers that are
found in central business districts.
Rome
Ancient Roman
architecture plants an image in the mind of almost anybody who hears the
words. Stone colosseums and the intricate Aquduct of Segovia in Spain
still stand today as proud monuments of the empire's past. Government
and banking buildings all over the Western world took inspiration from
these early designs and today the arch is a staple of Roman architecture
that can be seen almost anywhere and everywhere.
When you're planning a new home for yourself or planning the construction of a new office or
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