ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINE
BEST ARCHITECTURal STRUCTURES TO VISIT TAJ MAHAL: THE MONUMENT TO LOVE
CONTENTS
P4 SAINT BACILIS CATHEDRAL
P12 SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
P16 BEIJING NATIONAL STADIUM
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P6 TAJ MAHAL
P17 BURJ AL ARAB
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR This is the 1st edition of WOW Magazine, published by the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) knowledge community. ly publishes articles of particular interest to AIA members and the planning, design, research, and construction. Since 2005 we have also published a hard copy version of the Journal that has expanded our distribution worldwide. The goal has always been to promote awareness and educational exchange between architects and healthcare providers and to broaden our base of understanding about our clients. Articles are submitted to, and reviewed by, an experienced nationally diverse Editorial Review Committee (ERC). Over the years, the committee has reviewed hundreds of submitted articles and responded to countless writers’ inquiries, and encouraged and assisted numerous writers in achieving publication.
credits EDITOR IN CHIEF GRAPHIC Lourdes Massín Avendaño DESIGNER Lourdes Masín Avendaño PRODUCER Lourdes Massín Avendaño WRITERS PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jorge Láscar Jim Byers cannundrum.blogspot.com secondglobe.com tedytravel.com juzgoholidays.com hailbritannia.com
moscow.info sydneyoperahouse.com history.com jumeirah.com
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Saint Basils Cathedral
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THE CATHEDRAL OF THE VIRGIN BY THE MOAT The popular alternative refers to Basil the Blessed, a Muscovite ‘holy fool’ who was buried on the site (in the Trinity Cathedral that once stood here) a few years before the present building was erected. The Cathedral was ordered by Ivan the Terrible to mark the 1552 capture of Kazan from Mongol forces. It was completed in 1560. That’s pretty much all the genuine history that’s known about this celebrated landmark. There, however, scores of legends. Nothing is known about the builders, Barma and Postnik Yakovlev, except their names and the dubious legend that Ivan had them blinded so that they could not create anything to compare. Historians unanimously state that this is nothing but urban folklore. Architectural specialists are to this day unable to agree about the governing idea behind the structure. Either the creators were paying homage to the churches of Jerusalem, or, by building eight churches around a central ninth, they were representing the medieval symbol of the eight-pointed star. The original concept of the Cathedral of the
Intercession has been hidden from us beneath layers of stylistic additions and new churches added to the main building. In fact, when built, the Cathedral was all white to match the white-stone Kremlin, and the onion domes were gold rather than multi-colored and patterned as they are today. In the 17th century a hip-roofed bell tower was added, the gallery and staircases were covered with vaulted
Amazing design and structure inside
ed domes were replaced with decorated ones. In 1860 during rebuilding, the Cathedral was painted with a more complex and integrated design, and has remained unchanged since. For a time in the Soviet Union, there was talk of demolishing St. Basil’s - mainly because it hindered Stalin’s plans for massed parades on Red Square. It was only saved thanks to the courage of the architect Pyotr Baranovsky.
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THE ONLY MONUMENT built in the name of
love
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TAJ MAHAL THE MONUMENT TO LOVE
Often described as one of the wonders of the world, the stunning 17th Century white marble Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth.
But a new play which recently premiered in India gives a dramatic and unexpected twist to historical events. The production of Shah Jahan-o-Mumtaz suggests that all was not well in the lovers’ paradise and questions the motive behind the building of the Taj. Everyone knows it as a monument to love, but could it in fact have been built out of guilt? The play was originally written in English in the 1970s as the Tale of the Taj by Dilip Hiro, a London-based author, playwright and expert on international affairs.
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my script,” Mr Hiro told the BBC. And here, he explores “the conmutual love is embossed on the popular psyche”. Mumtaz was a far-sighted political thinker, an astute strategist and schemer, and the woman behind as well as ahead of her man M Sayeed Alam, Director of Shah Jahan-o-Mumtaz “As an Indian, one is mesmerised by the Taj. The conventional story behind it is Shah Jahan’s eternal love for Mumtaz. “To put it bluntly, there is no drama in sentimental mush praising beauty and so on, so the play
had to be about achieving But a new play which recently premiered in India gives a dramatic and unexpected twist to historical events. The production of Shah Jahan-o-Mumtaz suggests that all was not well in the lovers’ paradise and questions the motive behind the building of the Taj. Everyone knows it as a monument to love, but could it in fact have been built out of guilt? The play was originally written in English in the 1970s as the Tale of the Taj by Dilip Hiro, a London-based author, playwright and expert on international affairs.
my script,” But a new play which recently premiered in India gives a dramatic and unexpected twist to historical events. The production of Shah Jahan-o-Mumtaz suggests that all was not well in the lovers’ paradise and questions the motive behind the building of the Taj. Everyone knows it as a monument to love, but could it in fact have been built out of guilt? The play was originally written in English in the 1970s as the Tale of the Taj by Dilip Hiro, a London-based author, playwright and expert on international affairs. my script,” Mr Hiro told the BBC. And here, he explores “the conmutual love is embossed on the popular psyche”. Mumtaz was a far-sighted political thinker, an astute strategist and schemer, and the woman behind as well as ahead of her man. Mumtaz was a far-sighted political thinker, an astute strategist and schemer, and the woman behind as well as ahead of her man M Sayeed Alam, Director of Shah Jahan-o-Mumtaz “As an Indian, one is mesmerised by the Taj. The conventional story behind it is Shah Jahan’s eternal love for Mumtaz. “To put it bluntly, there is no drama in sentimental mush praising beauty and so on, so the play had to be about achieving But a new play which recently premiered in India gives a dramatic and unexpected twist to historical events. The production of Shah Jahan-o-Mumtaz suggests that all was not well.
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DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Named the Taj Mahal in honor of Mumtaz Mahal, the mausoleum was constructed of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones (including jade, crystal, lapis lazuli, amethyst and turquoise) forming intricate designs in a technique known as pietra dura. Its central dome reached a height of 240 feet (73 meters) and was surrounded by four smaller domes; four slender towers, or minarets,
gateway of red sandstone and a square garden divided into quarters by long pools of water, as well as a red sandstone mosque and an identical building called a jawab (or “mirror”) directly across from the mosque. Traditional Mughal building practice would allow no future alterations to be made to the complex. As the story goes, Shah Jahan intended to build a second grand mausoleum
Perfect sunset with the most amazing architecture
stood at the corners. In accordance with Islamic tradition, verses from the Quran were inscribed in calligraphy on the arched entrances to the mausoleum, in addition to numerous other sections of the complex. Inside the mausoleum, an octagonal marble chamber adorned with carvings and semi-precious stones housed the cenotaph, or false tomb, of Mumtaz Mahal. The real sarcophagus containing her actual remains lay below, at garden level. The rest of the Taj Mahal complex included a main
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across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal, where his own remains would be buried when he died; the two structures were to have been connected by a bridge. In fact, Aurangzeb (Shah Jahan’s third son with Mumtaz Mahal) deposed his ailing father in 1658 and took power himself. Everyone knows it as a monument to love, but could it in fact have been built out of guilt? The play was originally written in English in the 1970s as the Tale of the Taj by Dilip Hiro, a London-based author, playwright and expert.
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Sydney opera house A MASTERPIECE OF LATE MODERN ARCHITECTURE In its short lifetime, Sydney Opera House has earned a reputation as a world-class performing arts centre and become a symbol of both Sydney and the Australian nation. It is admired internationally and proudly treasured by the people of Australia. It was created by a young architect who understood and recognised the potential provided by the site against the stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour. Denmark’s Jørn Utzon
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gave Australia a challenging, graceful piece of urban sculpture in patterned tiles, glistening in the sunlight and invitingly aglow at night. Jorn Utzon died in Copenhagen in November 2008 aged 90. The distinctive roof compris-
es sets of interlocking vaulted ‘shells’ set upon a vast terraced platform and surrounded by terrace areas that function as pedestrian concourses. It was created by a young architect who understood and recognised the potential provided.
DESIGN AND STRUCTURE The two main halls are arranged side by side, with their long axes, slightly inclined from each other, generally running north-south. The auditoria face south, away from the harbour with the stages located between the audience and the city. The Forecourt is a vast open space from which people ascend the stairs to the podium. The Monumental Steps, which lead up from the Forecourt to the two main performance venues, are a great ceremonial
stairway. The vaulted roof shells were designed by Utzon in collaboration with internationally renowned engineers Ove Arup & Partners derived from the surface of a single imagined sphere. Each shell is composed of pre-cast rib segments radiating from a concrete pedestal and rising to a ridge beam. The shells are faced in glazed off-white tiles while the podium is clad in earth-toned,
reconstituted granite panels. The glass walls are a special feature of the building, constructed by Utzon’s successor architect, Peter Hall. The auditoria face south, away from the harbour with the stages located between the audience and the city. The Forecourt is a vast open space from which people ascend the stairs to the podium.
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HISTORY OF THE DESIGN The history surrounding the design and construction of the building became as controversial as its design. In 1956 the NSW Government called an open-ended international design competition and appointed an independent jury. The competition brief provided broad the best design talent in the world; it did not specify design parameters or set a cost limit. The main requirement of the competition brief was a design for two performance halls, one for opera and one for symphony concerts. Reputedly rescued from a pile of discarded submissions, Jørn
Utzon’s winning entry created great community interest and the NSW Government’s decision to commission Utzon as the sole architect was unexpected, bold and visionary. Design and construction were closely intertwined. Utzon’s radical approach to the construction of the building fostered an exceptional collaborative and innovative environment. The design solution and construction of the shell structure took eight years to complete and the development of the special ceramic tiles for the shells took over three years. The project was not helped
Inside of Sydney Opera House
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by the changes to the brief. Construction of the shells was one of at the time, symphony concerts, managed by the ABC, were more popular and drew larger audienceS. The vaulted roof shells were designed by Utzon in collaboration with internationally renowned engineers Ove Arup & nal shape of the shells derived from the surface of a single imagined sphere. Each shell is composed of pre-cast rib segments radiating from a concrete pedestal and rising to a ridge beam. The shells are faced in
glazed off-white tiles while the podium is clad in earth-toned, reconstituted granite panels. The glass walls are a special feature of the building, constructed according to the modsuccessor architect, Peter Hall. The distinctive roof comprises sets of interlocking vaulted ‘shells’ set upon a vast terraced platform and surrounded by terrace areas that function as pedestrian concourses. In its short lifetime, Sydney Opera House has earned a reputation as a world-class performing arts centre and become a symbol of both Syd-
Amazing architectural structure
ney and the Australian nation. Design and construction were closely intertwined. Utzon’s radical approach to the construction of the building fostered an exceptional collaborative and innovative. Peter Hall completed a combined arts and architecture degree at Sydney University. Upon graduation a travel scholarship enabled him to spend twelve months in Europe during which time he visited Utzon in Hellebæk.. Returning to Sydney, Hall worked for the Government Architect, a branch of the NSW Public Works Department. While there he established himself as a talented design architect with a number of court and university buildings, including the Goldstein Hall at the University of New South Wales, which won the Sir Joh.
A sanctuay to the art
ing architect Don Gazzard who warned him acceptance would be a bad career move as the project would.
Returning to Sydney, Hall worked for the Government Architect, a Hall resigned from the branch of the NSW. Government Architects s short lifetime, Sydney Opera House has pursue his own pracearned a reputation as a tice. When approached world-class performing to take on the design arts centre and become role, (after at least two prominent Sydney archi- a symbol of both Sydtects had declined), Hall ney and the Australian nation. spoke with Utzon by Design and construction phone before acceptwere closely intertwined. ing the position. Utzon Utzon’s radical approach reportedly told Hall: he to the construction of (Hall) would not be able the building fostered an exceptional collaborathe Government would tive and innovative. have to invite him back. [53] Hall also sought the advice of others, includ- Design and construction
were closely intertwined. Utzon’s radical approach to the construction of the building fostered an exceptional collaborative and innovative environment. The design solution and
construction of the shell structure took eight years to complete and the development of the special ceramic tiles for the shells took over three years.
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Beijing National Stadium THE BIRD’S NEST Beijing National Stadium, located at the south of the centrepiece Olympic Green, is a stunning landmark building, which staged the 2008 Olympic Games from 8 August to 24 August 2008. The stadium has a gross volume of three million cubic metres and is considered to be the world’s largest enclosed space. It is also the world’s largest steel structure with 26km of unwrapped steel
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used. The innovative structure was designed by Herzog & De Meuron Architekten, Arup Sport and the China Architecture Design and Research Group, and has been nicknamed the “bird’s nest” due to the web of twisting steel sections that form the roof. As well as designing a modern stadium, the team was challenged with creating a venue that was part of the culture of China and would put Beijing. The 91,000-seat stadium was designed to incorporate elements of Chinese art and culture.
The National Stadium’s main structure is an enormous saddle-shaped elliptic steel structure weighing 42,000t. The stadium extends 333m from north to south and 294m from east to west, with a height of 69.2m. The stadium design included demountable seats of 11,000. The stadium has two independent structures, a red concrete seating bowl and the outer steel frame around it at a 50ft distance. As this was an Olympic venue, there were many standards that the design consortium had to conform to. Everything from the width of the track to the size and location. It is also the world’s largest steel structure with 26km of unwrapped steel used. The innovative structure was designed by Herzog & De Meuron Architekten, Arup Sport.
burj al arab THE THIRD TALLEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD Burj Al Arab was designed by multidisciplinary consultancy Atkins, led by architect Tom Wright, who has since become co-founder of WKK Architects. The design and construction were managed
by Canadian engineer Rick Gregory also of WS Atkins. Construction of the Island began in 1994 with over 60 WS Atkins managerial and design staff, and up to 2,000 construction workers during peak
construction. It was built to resemble the sail of a traditional Arabian vessel called a dhow. Two “wings” spread in a V to form a vast “mast”, while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium. The architect
Tom Wright said “The client wanted a building that would become an iconic or symbolic statement for Dubai; this is very similar to Sydney with its Opera House, London with Big Ben, or Paris.
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