© 2020 Condé Nast. The islands are meant to look like a map of the Earth and can be seen from space. The renamed Willis Tower now houses various offices and businesses and its skydeck ledge on the 103rd floor is a popular tourist destination. The buildings Beijing built for the Olympics completely challenge the city’s own style of architecture. This luxury hotel is the only self-proclaimed seven-star hotel in the world. An ancient Greek city on Ionia’s coast, Ephesus was best known for its Temple of Artemis. Sears, Roebuck & Co., financed the skyscraper’s construction and built it to house their employees. One of the most popular attractions for both locals and tourists in Chicago is the Cloud Gate, which reflects 80% of the city’s skyline on its surface. So the government recently decided to reinvent its image as a major international hub of commerce. The temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was largely destroyed in 268 AD by the Goths. >> Check out these tips for having an indie travel experience in Beijing. Gaudi’s masterpiece is still under construction today, and won’t be completed for some time. The expansive wall is more than 2,000 years old and extends almost 9,000 kilometers (5,500 miles). Each period built a new architectural layer on top of the old, and many of these monuments remain intact. 1. Only the ruins of this once grandiose temple remain, but it still represents the power and pride of past Athenian rulers. It's hard to escape Renaissance aesthetics in Florence, the birthplace of the late-14th-century movement. Now, Beijing is home to a collection of both traditional and contemporary buildings. With 51 floors, it’s short for a skyscraper, but impressive because of its precarious-looking construction and asymmetry. By Kelsey Kloss. From the arched roof to curved windows that gave the structure its nickname “House of Bones,” this building contains almost no straight lines. Over the course of ten years, Dubai's landscape has transformed. For perfect examples of Classical architecture, turn to the Temple of Hephaestus, Temple of Olympian Zeus, or the iconic Parthenon (pictured). The Burj Khalifa also boasts the world’s highest mosque, the world’s highest swimming pool, and it is the tallest free-standing structure in the world. Instead of creating an image of calm and focusing attention inward, both the exteriors and interiors of Beijing’s new construction aim to grab attention and awe viewers. First prime minister Lee Kuan Yew led the country for over 30 years and is responsible for transforming Singapore into one of the richest places in the world. Art Nouveau came into fashion in Budapest in the late 19th century to early 20th century, and the city remains one of the best places to see the architectural style today. Shortly after India's 1947 partition, Prime Minister J. Nehru tasked Swiss modernist architect Le Corbusier with designing an organized, progressive city: one that would break from past traditions from the ground up. Our list features old and new pieces of architecture in the city and countryside, including museums, wineries, churches, and skyscrapers. >> Discover off the beaten path spots in Greece. Where in the world, as a young architect, would be the best country to find a job in an architecture firm? The height-to-diameter ratio of its columns is unusual; it is 7:1, whereas most Ionic buildings are 9:1 or 10:1. It was also featured in many newspaper and magazine articles. They depict battles, processions, important statesmen, and deities. It still stands even after 2,500 years of weathering, war, and vandalism. This movement sought to elevate the status of Catalan thought, art, literature and philosophy to the same level of European ideas and art. Great architecture is both artistic and scientific, both beautiful and practical. (Pictured here is the North Christian Church.). As of 2010, this skyscraper is the tallest man-made building ever built. To accommodate the influx of Jewish immigrants fleeing Europe, German Bauhaus-trained architects integrated the modern style's affordable and functional building techniques with curved lines and a color well-suited for the Mediterranean climate to create a habitable city by the sea. Gaze at La Sagrada Familia in Spain, gape at the Colosseum in Italy, and gawk at the Himeji Castle in Japan. Greek architecture is often associated with temples and columns. Awarded "Building of the Year" at the World Architecture Festival, the Auckland Art Gallery offers a truly unique experience for art lovers. Last week, we decided to pose this question and … London's most iconic building, St Paul's Cathedral, was designed by English architect Sir Christopher Wren. The era's embellished but symmetrical and geometrical structures—columns and domes—and emphasis on realism and the human form departed from the irregular and severe lines of the Medieval period. Pei, Eero Saarinen, and Richard Meier. Over time, Istanbul has served as a capital for Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman Empires, and is now Turkey’s capital. It has more than 200 floors and has a height of 828 metres. The style is especially prominent in Southeast Asia, as exemplified by the early 20th-century buildings in Hanoi. On the surface, the world’s top 25 cities don’t seem to have much in common. Istanbul is located on both the continents of Europe and Asia. The original church on the site was founded in the year 604AD. Burj Khalifa . >> Book ferries in Greece Gaudi remodeled this private home from the inside out. A city with a distinct architectural style has a certain draw to travelers. Nowhere are Craftsman bungalows more prominent than in West Seattle, home to the landmarked Bloss House (pictured here), and in Seattle's Queen Anne district, where the movement’s simple construction, balanced proportions, and matching gardens provided a sweet departure from the ornate Victorians of that era. The buildings—defined by the dynamic lines, use of materials like concrete and glass, and sharp contrasts typical of Futurism (a branch of Modernism)—give Brazil's capital a true sense of aesthetic unity. >> Check out free things to do in Barcelona. The Romans built 11 aqueducts to bring bathing and drinking water to their densely populated city. What to see: Tower of London, London Bridge, Saint Paul’s Cathedral, … Hagia Sophia, also known as the Church of the Holy Wisdom, is most known for its unique dome. When capturing this beautiful architecture photography location, it is best to look at the details. This is a housing designed on top of a pedestrian bridge. Inside, the walls and ceiling are lined with more than 20,000 handmade blue ceramic tiles, which give the mosque its name. The friezes and sculptures housed in Athens temples provide insight into the lives and worship practices of the Athenians of yesteryear. When Constantine the Great declared the city the capital of the Roman Empire in 330, he built this commemorative column. >> Discover the best observation decks in the world Other examples of amazing architecture include the Burj Al Arab and The World -- an artificial archipelago made to resemble a world map. They found it was cheaper and stronger than the previously popular marble. There are plenty of architectural styles to discover in Madrid, but Baroque is the one that stands out amongst some of the city’s main sights. The building was believed to illustrate the new lifestyle people would live in increasingly crowded cities around the world. They built many monuments to celebrate victories, to give honor to the deities, and to stroke their own egos. Urban designers or planners bring together architecture, public space, sustainability, social equity, transportation, and other aspects of city life to create a space that consciously addresses each issue. Taking notes from earlier Medieval stonework, the towers of Oxford's mid-19th-century Gothic Revival skyline define the city, embedding it with a sense of gravity and academic prowess—just like its namesake university. 15 Bridges Around The World With Beautiful Architecture. Its early reputation revolved around the adventuresome architectural work of Arquitectonica, the magnetic popularity of the Art Deco district, and the Technicolor lens of Miami Vice. >> Book flights to Rome The Romans were known for being great innovators, so it should come as no surprise that the city of Rome has exemplified and adapted to pretty much every architectural style since the ancient Classical movement (Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance—you name it). Cubic Houses (Rotterdam, Netherlands) Architect: Piet Blom. Columbus, Indiana has a population of only 44,000, but it's a surprising trove of Modernism: The town claims more than 70 buildings designed by star architects, including I.M. The skyscraper stands in a seismic region. This interactive sculpture is essentially a giant stainless steal bean that acts as a mirror. 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