Van Egeraat, Dynamo Stadium, Moscow

Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat has won a competition to redevelop the Dynamo Moscow Stadium and surrounding park in Moscow.

Called VTB Arena Park, the project comprises the redevelopment of the Dynamo Moscow stadium and its surrounding park Erick a contemporary multifunctional urban regenerator, that will play a key role in transforming its wider surroundings.

Erick van Egeraat’s 300,000-m2 multifunctional culture, health and sports centre will be developed on a 116,000-m2 site and will comprise a 45,000-seat Stadium Arena for Dynamo Moscow, a 10,000-seat Arena Hall, a Retail and Entertainment complex, restaurants, parking and other facilities.

VTB Arena allows the existing park to be completely preserved as a public, green area. Parking facilities will be included underground, and horeca and sports training facilities will be included above ground, with the park continuing over the roof of these functions.

Erick van Egeraat partnered with Russian architect Mikhail Posokhin for the project.

Frank Gehry, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas

Frank Gehry’s newest project, the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, in Las Vegas, is a leading research centre for degenerative brain diseases.

The sculptural building cost almost $100 million and consists of two wings connected by an open courtyard.

In the ordinary northern part of the building is a research center and hospital, in the creative south part – the life activity center.

In this project the architect manipulates space and materials to create stunning structures that captivate the imagination and although the two parts of the building differ from each other, they also act like two parts of the whole.

The Gehry teams have created a masterpiece of architectural design, blending strong visual impact with superior efficiency in patient care.

According to WAN, Gehry decided to design the building because he, like founder Larry Ruvo, has been affected by degenerative brain diseases. Ruvo’s father had Alzheimer’s and Gehry’s analyst’s wife had Huntington’s disease.

Therefore, this building is like a tribute to those they lost, and also a beacon of hope for finding treatments or cures for these unfortunate ailments.

Christian de Portzamparc, Carnegie 57, New York City

The $1.3 billion skyscraper is actually the first major property development to come after the global financial crisis put hundreds of projects in the Big Apple on hold and upon its completion in 2013, will be the tallest residential building in the city, at 1,005 feet, eclipsing the Trump World Plaza.

There will be 136 apartments in the tower, above the 210-room Park Hyatt hotel which will sprawl over the first 20 floors. Gary Barnet, the project’s developer, seems confident that his tower will attract both design kudos and deep-pocketed buyers.

Carnegie 57, is a new “ultraluxury” condo building, designed by French starchitect Christian de Portzamparc, on 57th Street across the street from Carnegie Hall, in New York.

Sky Bridge Petronas – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sky Bridge Petronas Kuala Lumpur

Sky Bridge Petronas Kuala Lumpur

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The beautiful Patronas Tower, also known as the Twin Tower stand proudly in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. These towers were the world’s tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004. The towers have the most amazing and unique bridge in the world, connecting the two towers on the 41st and 42nd floors. This is the highest 2-story bridge in the world.

Brooklyn Bridge – New York, USA Brooklyn Bridge of New York USA

Brooklyn Bridge of New York USA

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The bridge was originally known as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Being one of the oldest bridges in United States, it was completed in 1883. It links the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River.

The Wind and Rain Bridge – Chengyang, China The Wind and Rain Bridge of Chengyang China

The Wind and Rain Bridge of Chengyang China

This unique and beautiful bridge is in Guangxi province of China, built by people from different ethnic groups including Miao, Zhuang, Dong and Yao. The Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge is also known as Yongji Bridge or Panlong Bridge. It’s built on the Linxi River. The bridge was built in 1916. The bridge is constructed with wood and stones. It is 64.4 meters (73.43 yards) long, 3.4 metes (3.72 yards) wide and 10.6 meters (34.78 feet) high.

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, USA

Construction on the Walt Disney Concert Hall began in 1992, after a $50 million donation from Walt’s widow, Lillian Disney. Pritzker Prize winner Frank Gehry delivered the designs a year earlier but some of his initial plans were changed to improve acoustics. The building’s exterior of stainless steel, mirror-like panels had to be sanded to reduce sunlight beaming into adjacent apartments. If you love Gehry’s iconic Guggenheim Bilbao, you’ll fall for Disney Hall in turn.

Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Canada

Designed by French architect Roger Taillibert and built for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, Montreal’s much-maligned and costly Olympic Stadium is the perpetual brunt of jokes and indeed, clandestine affection. Alternatively known as the “Big O” or “Big Owe”, due to the exorbitant price-tag, the stadium was not completed in time for the Olympic Games and had to be used without a tower or roof. The retractable roof arrived from Paris in 1981 and stood unused because of insufficient funds but more likely, municipal corruption. Even after it was installed, the roof ripped and needed expensive repairs. For these and many other misfortunes, the Olympic Stadium is Montreal’s most notorious skylime attraction. Still, the Big O is the largest stadium in Canada by seating capacity and at 175 m, the distinctive, inclined tower is the highest in the world. For a great view of the city, ride up to the observation deck.

National Stadium, Beijing, China

Designed for the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, Beijing National Stadium is considered to be the world’s largest enclosed space, with a volume of three million cubic metres. The design created by Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron inspired by Chinese art and culture is more commonly known as “Bird’s Nest Stadium” due to the web of steel beams that compose the roof. The 91,000-seat stadium weighs 42,000 tons and measuring 294 m from east to west and 333 m from north to south. Beijing National Stadium will host the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2015.

Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia

This civic centre in the heart of Melbourne, Victoria was built as a focal point for the city, to mask the unattractive railway lines that ran through the city centre. The railway had to be covered with 3,000 tons of steel beams and 4,000 spring coils to absorb vibrations. The unusual design of the square makes copious use of sandstone, zinc and glass. Taking 8 years to design and build, Federation Square hosts several shops, restaurants and coffee shops, as well as the Ian Potter Centre, the first major museum dedicated exclusively to Australian art.

Casa Batlló, Barcelona, Spain

Built in 1877 and restored by Antoni Gaudí and Josep Maria Jujol, the Casa Batlló is a perpetual Barcelona highlight and part of the Gaudí UNESCO World Heritage Site. Referred to by locals in Catalan as Casa dels ossos (House of Bones), the building’s exterior indeed has a remarkable skeletal appearance. The façade is made from broken ceramic tiles in hues of orange, green and blue. In his design, Gaudí was inspired by the shapes and colours found in marine life.

Palais Idéal, Hauterives, France

The Palais Idéal or the Ideal Palace is a testament to how far you can get if you doggedly pursue a dream. The castle was built by Ferdinand Cheval, a French postman who dedicated 33 years of his life inspired by a stone he tripped over on his rounds. He stopped to examine this rock and found it so bizarre that he decided to take it home with him and returned the next day to gather more rocks. After noticing the amazing way time had shaped the rocks, Cheval decided to become an architect and built his castle from little rocks and pebbles. This fine example of “naïve art” architecture with influences from the Bible and Hindu mythology is now open to the public.

The Crooked House, Sopot, Poland

Built by Szotyńscy & Zaleski and inspired by a children’s illustration made by Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg, the Crooked House (Krzywy Domek) was built in 2004 as part of the Rezydent shopping centre in downtown Sopot. It was built to fit in with the other surrounding buildings but to appear melted or exhausted. The three-story house features several bars, restaurants and tourist shops and is the most photographed building in Poland.

Kunsthaus, Graz, Austria

Built to celebrate European Capital of Culture recipient Graz in 2003, the Kunsthaus was designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier in an organic shape with a skin made of iridescent blue panels. With its large protruding nozzles, a concept known as “blob architecture”, the building has been nicknamed the “Friendly Alien” by its designers. The unusual museum hosts a variety of contemporary art from the last 40 years. At night, the museum is an amazing sight with its computerized lighting system that glows beneath the acrylic skin.

Cathedral of Brasília, Brazil

This Roman-Catholic church in Brazil’s capital was designed by Oscar Niemeyer to symbolize two hands pointing to heaven. The cathedral is made up of 16 concrete columns, representing hyperboloid structures with asymmetric sections. In the square outside the cathedral, four bronze sculptures representing the Evangelists greet visitors. Three suspended angel sculptures decorate the building’s interior, weighing 100 kg, 200 kg and 300 kg.

The Atomium, Brussels, Belgium

Built for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, the Atomium is a 102 m-tall structure in the shape of an elementary iron crystal enlarged 165 billion times. The Atomium is made up of 9 steel spheres, out of which 3 are closed to the public since they lack virtual support; the remaining spheres are connected via escalators, the top one offering a breathtaking view of the city of Brussels. The construction symbolizes peace between nations, faith in progress and a positive view on the future of humanity.

KVLY-TV mast

The KVLY-TV mast (formerly the KTHI-TV mast) is a 628.8 m (2,063 ft) tall television-transmitting mast in Blanchard, Traill County, North Dakota, United States, used by Fargo station KVLY-TV channel 11. Completed in 1963, it was the tallest structure ever built until succeeded by the Warsaw radio mast in 1970; that mast collapsed in 1991, making the KVLY-TV again the tallest structure in the world until the Burj Khalifa overtook it in 2010.



It remains the second or third tallest structure in the world. It is a guyed mast, not a self-supporting structure, and is therefore not included in lists of tallest buildings. The height of the transmitting antenna itself is 113 feet (34 m) and is included in the height of the tower as the lattice tower itself ends around 1,950 feet (590 m). The tower weighs 864,500 pounds (392.1 t) altogether and takes up 160 acres (0.65 km2) of land with its guy anchors.The 113' antenna alone weighs 9,000 pounds. In 1989, daredevils climbed the tower and BASE jumped from it.

Duomo di Milano

A truly must-see attraction for any visitor to Italy’s city of fashion, the Duomo di Milano is the fourth largest cathedral in the world and a classic example of Gothic architecture. Started in the 14th century, the construction of Milan’s cathedral was completed five centuries later, during the reign of Napoleon. One of the symbols of Milan, the cathedral is a spectacular monument, standing at 182.5 meters, from the ground to its highest spire.

Located in the very heart of the city, in the square that shares its name, the Duomo di Milano has been the scene of countless social, cultural and religious events, throughout the centuries. One of the most impressive churches in the world, the Duomo di Milan is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.

Palace of Alhambra, Spain

Palace of Alhambra, Spain

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Alhambra is a beautiful and astounding example of Muslim style of architecture, situated on the southeastern border of the city of Granada, Spain. The palace seems to have come straight out of a fairytale.The complete name of Alhambra is “Qal’at al-Hambra”, which means “The Red Fortress”. The beautiful Palace stands marvelously on the top of hill Al-Sabika looking over the River Darro. Mohammed ben Al-Hamar, the first king of the Nasrid dynasty ordered the construction of the Palace in 13^th century as his royal residence. Alhambra was completed towards the end of Muslim rule in Spain, by Yusuf I (1333-1353) and Muhammed V, Sultan of Granada (1353-1391). The archways, courts and halls of the palace are designed beautifully. The palace stands proudly, showing the excellent workmanship of the workers and builders of the palace. The canopy of the palace is breathtakingly beautiful.

Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan

Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan

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Badshahi Mosque is a beautiful example of Islamic architecture. The Mosque was built by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Amazingly, the beautiful mosque was built in a limited time period of only two years. The construction of the mosque began in May 1671 and completed in April 1673. The mosque accommodates 10,000 worshippers in its main prayer hall. 100,000 worshipers can offer prayer in its courtyard which is the largest Mosque courtyard in the world. It remained the largest Mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986. Today, it remains the second largest after Faisal Mosque, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Lighthouse of Alexandria, Island of Pharos, Alexandria, Egypt

Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt

Replica of Lighthouse of Alexandria in China

The Lighthouse of Alexandria served a practical purpose besides being a marvelous example of architectural elegance. It ensured safe return for the sailors to the Great Harbor. A mirror was mounted at the top of the lighthouse which could reflect light more than 35 miles off-shore. Scientists today are amazed by this mirror. It was one of the 7 wonders of the world. It is 393 to 450 feet tall. The amazing idea was conceived in the early 3rd century BC by the ruler Ptolemy I. It was built in 3 stages and each stage was built on the top of the lower stage. For centuries the lighthouse lit the ways of the sailors. The structure was damaged by earthquake. A scale replica of the Lighthouse of Alexandria is in the Window of the World Cultural Park in China.

Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China

Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China

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The famous 71 meters (233 feet) tall statue is carved out of a cliff face. It shows a seated Buddha with his hands on his knees. This statue is the tallest statue of the Buddha and the shoulders are 28 meters wide. The smallest toenail can easily seat a person and the 7 meters wide ear can accommodate two people . The head of the Leshan Buddha is 14.7 meters tall and 10 meters wide and is covered with 1,021 buns of curly hair. People say:

“The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain”

It lies at the confluence of the Minjang, Dadu and Qingyi in city of Leshan in the Chinese province of Sichuan. The statue took 90 years to complete. It’s construction was started by a Chinese monk named Haithong in 713, hoping to calm down the turbulent water. He gouged out his own eyes to gather funding to build the structure. He thought this would express his sincerity. The work stopped with his death and was started by his disciples 70 years later. The project then was sponsored by a regional Governor. The statue finally got completed in 803. Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site.