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6/30/11

National Space Centre, Leicester England


Nicholas Grim Shaw and Arup engineers designed the National Space Center in Leicester UK. Minimal aluminum structure is covered by three EFTE layers. The cushy pillows are transparent to showcase the larger than life rockets inside. A structural spine of steel frame in the back holds it all together.

Completed in 2001, the light structure soars 140ft. Each rib extends 20m and is spaced at 3m high. Old water storage tanks provide an opportunity for the stainless steel spine to continue underground, preventing water from the nearby river from seeping in. These tanks had 20,000m2 of mud removed to make this possible, part of the reclamation plan of a sewage plant brownfield.

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6/29/11

Danish Pavilion, Shanghai World Expo 2010


BIG - bjarke ingels group designed Denmark's pavilion for the 2010 expo in Shanghai. The concept starts with a twisting path that occurs at a variety of speeds, pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile. This short spiral assumes the character of Denmark with a variety of wall apertures and translucent materials. The path continues upward with a roofless experience, and then back down to the ground level. The edges of the spiral meet each other at times and interact with particular interconnections. A water feature similar to the Little Mermaid statue punctuates the center of the spiral. Other negative spaces formed by the loop provide opportunity for sheltered public and for servant spaces. The white structure is almost free floating and stands out as a deep experience in this year's expo. It is also one of those rare projects that turn out to actually look like how they were rendered to look...

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6/28/11

Palacio de Congresos Princesa Letizia, Oviedo Spain


Santiago Calatrava designed the The Exhibition and Congress Center City of Oviedo. The soaring white shapes and repetitive organic structure is characteristic of Calatrava, a structural engineer with an emphasis on aesthetic creation. A perimeter low-rise building rises above the pedestrian level to frame a couryard space, with the north end completely open to a front plaza. Each end of the frame juts as a wedge into the street in a truly magnificent front view. The central 2,300 m2 exhibition hall rises in a contrasting angle to catch the southern sun.

The white dome for this vast space rises 45m and accesses 12 meeting rooms. An additional meeting hall can seat 217. A multipurpose room has 410m2 of space. The raised frame building houses administration and governmental offices. A hotel provides convenient space for visiting users of the Palacio.

Economic struggles pushed back construction on this project in 2010, and a collapse in 2006 injured construction workers. Faults in arc welding designs led to Calatrava having to pay out 3.5 million for the event. As far as I could tell it is still unfinished.

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6/27/11

Berlin Cathedral, Berlin Germany


The Evangelical Berliner Dom in Berlin was first established as St Erasmus Chapel under Frederick II Irontooth in 1451. Joachim II Hector acquired the Renaissance St. Paul's Church from a Dominican convent in 1535 to establish the Brick Gothic cathedral there. The kingdom subsequently fell into Calvinist hands and Martin Böhme designed a new front facade in 1717. The Supreme Parish Church was demolished to provide a Baroque extension for the Berlin Cathedral in 1747 designed by Johann Boumann. King Frederick William III had famed architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel refurbish the church in a Neoclassicist style. Julius and Otto Raschdorff designed a completely new Neo-Renaissance building in 1893. The damage from World War 2 was surprisingly light, considering the entire inner city was flattened by bombs, and reconstruction simplified much of the design. The northern wing was eliminated.

At a cost of 11,5 million Marks the building is a great example of an evolved building, torn down and rebuilt in a long series of iterations. The large plaza in front of the iconic building is a popular public space of Museum Island. The extravagance of the dome has unfortunately been scaled down from its stunning glory but the view is still quite impressive. The Fersehturm was built in full view behind the church as a kind of statement about Germany's modernity is a society that refuses to compromise some of its religious morals.

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6/25/11

Peterborough Cathedral, Cambridgeshire England


The Early English Gothic Cathedral Church of St Peter in Peterborough England was first built in the 12th Century after an Anglo-Saxon church there was destroyed by Vikings. The original tower built in 966 gave the town its name "Peter-burgh." The building is now asymmetrical because a matching tower was never built on the other side. Extensive renovations have changed the cathedral's appearance over the years, but the three massive arches on the front Western facade match the original, very unique among churches. Other Norman churches moved the towers above this front facade and shortened the portals.

The ceiling also retains much of its original character despite being repainted twice. Cathedrals commonly had their stonework painted inside, but this was later removed from most churches. It is an important example of high Norman architecture.

Illustrations from book
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6/24/11

Mastro's Ocean Club, City Center Las Vegas


KAA Design designed Mastro's Ocean Club restaurant in the Crystals City Center on the Las Vegas strip. Layers of undulating mahogany beams and sapele wood structure form an organic structure based on a crustacean shell. Careful backlighting gives the feeling of being underwater. Glimmering elements act like rippling water and bare horizontal wood is reminiscent of the hull of a ship.

The 80ft "tree house" rises from the central public circulation area very unexpectedly. David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group designed this portion. It connects to less flashy dining venues behind. The entire concept is very fitting in this mall of open skylights and soaring edifices. It opened on February 5 2010.

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