5.Reviews

Big buildings of Beijing

media type="youtube" key="s0kWDZfJkuU" height="268" width="448" align="right" In this video Jeremy Goldkorn talks about newarcitectural tendencies in the city of Shanghai. He explains four innovative and important structures that are being build in differents places of the city. The first building is the new tower of CCTV located at the Shangai’s Boulevar and designed by Rem Kolhaas. This huge structure consists in two building with asymmetrical axes and its odd shape promise to be the bottom of many controversies. The second structure named in the video is the National Theater. This magnificent design made by Paul Andreu will have an interesting shape. Some people said it will look like a floating, futuristic egg. The third building is the National Swimming Center, called “ Watercube”. It plays with the geometry of water bubbles forming a massive rectangule. The last structure is the Olympic Stadium, made by Herzog and De Meuron. It has the shape of a brid’s nest and it is one of the largest eco buildings in Shanghai and the world. In my opinion the Shanghai’s architecture is one of the most impressive, magnificent and futuristic tendences actually. Their odd shape and theirs extrange theories will make the city of Shanghai the craddle of architecture of the 21th century.

The National Aquatics Center in my opinion is the best architectural projects of these serie of structures. This wonderful building called “The Water Cube” was designed by PTW Architects (Australian firm) in an international architectural competition for the aquatic center project. The facades of The National is based on the natural formation of bubbles in soap foam but the most interesting of “The Water Cube” is that the rectangular form of this structure symbolized the Chinese culture and its relationship to the Birds Nest stadium. The armonic combination of the Chinese tradition with its surroundings and the simple path makes an innovative and unique arquitecture that takes your breath away at Shanghai.

All of these important structures are being constructed at Shanghai and are revolutioning the old, poor and traditional architecture of this city. Urban spaces is also changing for a futuristic style because new building with its odd shape are giving a futuristic look to the city. However, this transformation is quite slow because most of the population are living in a poor situation (economic and infraestructure level). For this reason, these radical changes in certain infrastructure are not approved by a large number of people but I think that this is the first step to improve the economy of Shanghai.



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 * THE 7 WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD **

The seven wonders of the Ancient World were magnificent constructions of classical antiquity. They were located around the Mediterranean and its beauty and greatness led to Philon of Byzantium in 200 B.C to chosen these particular and majestic constructions to be the seven wonders of the world.

The Pyramids at Giza are the oldest of the seven wonders (2600 and 2500 B.C.) and are the only surviving wonder. But the pyramids had a meaning for the citizens of Egypt because represented the link between heaven and earth. The largest of the three pyramids it is The Great Pyramid which took 20 years in its construction. This pyramids was the tomb for the Egyptian Pharoah Khufu. The most interesting is that The Pyramid of Khafre is smaller than the Great Pyramid but how this pyramids is on a slight hill in the middle of the others two pyramids and has its angle of inclination is steeper appears to be bigger than the Pyramid of Cheops (Great Pyramids).



The Statue of Zeus at Olympia is another Ancient 7 Wonders of the World. It was built 438 B.C. by the Council of Olympia to show their respect for Zeus. The Statue of Zeus was constructed inside the Parthenon by the sculptor Phidias. It was about 12 meters tall and ocupated the whole width of the aisle of the temple. Also the statue in his right hand had a small statue of the god of victory and in his left hand, a shining scepter on which an eagle rested.

At the same time, I could learn more about The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. There were construted in the 7th century B.C for the King Nebuchadnezzar II like sign of love for his wife. The Queen Amyitis felt nostalgic about her homelands because there were green, rugged and mountainous and she doesn’t like the flat and the desert of Mesopotomia. For this reason Nebuchadnezzar II building an artificial mountain withrooftop gardens were the gardens were terraced and surrounded by the city walls. About The Lighthouse of Alexandria I Know that it was located in Egypt and it was construted in the 3rd century B.C. However, I didn’t Know that The Lighthouse of Alexandria was the only Ancient 7 Wonders of the World with a practical purpose. Its main objective was guided ships at night and contribute to the marine traffic safety. About The Lighthouse of Alexandria structure I could Know that it was made up of three stages: a square base with a central nucleus, middle octagonal section, and, at the top, a circular section with a statue of Poseidon stood atop the tower. media type="file" key="k2.wma" width="300" height="45"

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was another of the Ancient 7 Wonders of the World. It was designed by the Greek architects Satyrus and Pythius between 370 and 350 B.C. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was dedicated to King Mausolus. But I didn’t know that The Mausoleum was destroyed because it was an example of pagan art. The colossus of Rhodes was chosen by philon of bizantium in the year 200 b.c. it was a statue of 32 meters high on marble rock and it was built to honor the god helios.It took 12 years to build the colossus and it was destroyed by an earthquake some years after. It was said that the fingers of the statue were bigger than any statue at that time and even after it cracked down many people went to see it. It layed around for 900 years after falling down. The temple of artemis was named a wonder by philon of bizantium in the year 200 b.c and it was the greatest accomplish of the greek civilization. It was made of 127 marble columns, each 20m tall and it took 120 years to be build and it was destroyed by earthquakes and constant gothic invasions.

The seven wonders of the ancient world are magnificent structures made by man in the early history. However, the beauty, ingenious, architectural and engineering advances are the most interesting elements of these structures. I always wanted to know about their origin and the way to make this wonderful structures because those were time where did not exist any advances or mechanisms like crains, a different kind of materials, knowledges of architecture and others. I think the pyramids of Egypt are the most impressive of these wonders because of its enormous size, internal structure and its accurate location respect to the stars. Unfortunately the Egyptian cities were not planned like its piramids because their continued emigrations did not allow complete development of an urban space. Anyway, this magnificent structure show the power of man. media type="file" key="k3.wma" width="300" height="45"


 * THE OFFICIAL NEW 7WONDERS OF THE WORLD

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** The majestic Shwedagon Pagoda **

media type="file" key="beauty.wma" width="300" height="45" The majestic Shwedagon Pagoda has been called the Mountain of Gold because is one of the most beautiful and impressive structure made by man. I think this wonderfull Buddist temple must be a candidate for the new wonders of the world. Its giant, golden and glittering pagodas will take your breath away in the city of Yangon which is the former capital of Birmania.

The leyend says that Shwedagon Pagoda has 2.500 years old. It was built before Buda’s death in the year 480 b.C. by two merchant brothers who meet with buda, who gave them 8 hairs so they could go inside Birmani. The two brothers with the help of the local king, went to the hills of Singuttara where were all other relics. Shwedagon Pagoda is preceeded by the magnificent stupa of Shwedagon Paya ( wich is a kind of reliquary ) surrounded by temples. The stupa is 100 m high and its covered with gold and precious stones. It is located at the western border of the Real Lake in the hills of Singuttara. It is the most sacred pagoda for the Buddist of the country because it contains some of Budda’s relics, wich are a piece of cloth and eight hairs of Siddharta Gautama.

Shwedagon Pagoda has four entrances to the paya, with staircases that lead to the platform yin byin in the hills of Singuttara. Two giant chinthes (mytic lyons) protect the south entrances, the image in the altar situated at the top of the staircase is the second buda’s, Konagamana. The base of the stupa was made with bricks covered with gold. Over the base you can find several platforms where only men and monks can enter. In the top lies the crown wich is covered with 5.448 diamonds and 2.317 rubies.

The temples that surround the Shwedagon Paya have different architectures depending on who gave the money to build it, his or her country and the moment in history these temples where made. Many monarcs donated money and gold to conserve this structure since the 15th century. In these temples people can not go inside with shoes and the prayers have to be made walking around counter clock wise.

Personally, I think that these temples should be considered as one of the new world wonders because it is not only full of beauty and color, it also contains legends, religion, relics and culture.