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Five New Architectural Monuments in Beijing


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The NY Times has a fascinating piece today on five new architectural landmarks that have been built / are being built in Beijing:

In Changing Face of Beijing, a Look at the New China

Make sure you check out the interactive graphic under the multimedia sidebar. The new CCTV building (by Rem Koolhaas) and the National Theatre (by Paul Andreu) are particularly amazing. I think I'm in love with the Theatre, with its moat and its location right in the heart of the city -- almost like a landlocked Sydney Opera House.

The power of great architecture to transcend simple necessity and function and instead to transform and recreate a city, a country, and its people is quite evident in this piece. Makes you wish we took the same initiative here... :(

A couple of shots of the Theatre thrown in for good measure:

129.jpg

national_grand_theatre_beijing_paulandreu251007_5.jpg

And the CCTV building:

cctv_beijing_oma_220307_12.jpg

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The power of great architecture to transcend simple necessity and function and instead to transform and recreate a city, a country, and its people is quite evident in this piece. Makes you wish we took the same initiative here... :(

Nice buildings, but I don't see these helping China's rural poor much at all. It's the tale of two Chinas.

The China currently on disply to the West is fab.

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Nice buildings, but I don't see these helping China's rural poor much at all. It's the tale of two Chinas.

The China currently on disply to the West is fab.

Oh, you're quite right; it's not helping at all, especially the poor. But it is changing the way that the outside world views China and the way that some Chinese view themselves in the context of a larger, global society.

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The jury is still out for me on the last photo but that theater is fantastic. I wish there were enough room in the Museum district for somthing like this on a similar style but on a much smaller scale.

I also say that Houston no longer has the gutts to even consider such buildings. The late 70's early 80's without question, Houston would have considered pulling something like this off, but those days are gone. Nonconformity is a fighting word in current day Houston.

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The jury is still out for me on the last photo but that theater is fantastic. I wish there were enough room in the Museum district for somthing like this on a similar style but on a much smaller scale.

I also say that Houston no longer has the gutts to even consider such buildings. The late 70's early 80's without question, Houston would have considered pulling something like this off, but those days are gone. Nonconformity is a fighting word in current day Houston.

Ouch!

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Cities have always demonstrated their importance with spectacular architecture. Were that Houston had that confidence.

For Civic structures, yes. But in the USA, people create buildings.

It's not just Houston. Even when people have monety to burn you end up with something like this:

Yahoo_Headquarters.jpg

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Even when people have monety to burn you end up with something like this:

Everyone knows money doesn't buy good taste, but it's not just an issue of money. It is also civic pride, confidence, and a bit of arrogance.

It's not just Houston.

No, but I still think Houston is punching WAY below its weight architecturally. We put up buildings like the civil courts that frankly look like they belong in Des Moines or Sioux Falls. Look at what LA did with the Disney Hall and cathedral versus the Houston's Hobby center and cathedral. It's pretty sad.

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Ouch!

OOOOOOO, yeah maybe I shouldn't have put it quite like that. I do have a tendency to say things then read them later and realize I could have used a bit more tact.

Still, I could totally see a small scale version of that theater in Herman Park next to the reflecting pool. Or one of our museums with a expansion with a similar style. Believe it or not, I could even see it as a museum amongst the trees in The Woodlands. The more I look at it, particularly the night shot, the more I am really loving that Theater.

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The NY Times has a fascinating piece today on five new architectural landmarks that have been built / are being built in Beijing:

In Changing Face of Beijing, a Look at the New China

Make sure you check out the interactive graphic under the multimedia sidebar. The new CCTV building (by Rem Koolhaas) and the National Theatre (by Paul Andreu) are particularly amazing. I think I'm in love with the Theatre, with its moat and its location right in the heart of the city -- almost like a landlocked Sydney Opera House.

The power of great architecture to transcend simple necessity and function and instead to transform and recreate a city, a country, and its people is quite evident in this piece. Makes you wish we took the same initiative here... :(

A couple of shots of the Theatre thrown in for good measure:

129.jpg

national_grand_theatre_beijing_paulandreu251007_5.jpg

And the CCTV building:

cctv_beijing_oma_220307_12.jpg

The NY Times has a fascinating piece today on five new architectural landmarks that have been built / are being built in Beijing:

In Changing Face of Beijing, a Look at the New China

Make sure you check out the interactive graphic under the multimedia sidebar. The new CCTV building (by Rem Koolhaas) and the National Theatre (by Paul Andreu) are particularly amazing. I think I'm in love with the Theatre, with its moat and its location right in the heart of the city -- almost like a landlocked Sydney Opera House.

The power of great architecture to transcend simple necessity and function and instead to transform and recreate a city, a country, and its people is quite evident in this piece. Makes you wish we took the same initiative here... :(

A couple of shots of the Theatre thrown in for good measure:

129.jpg

national_grand_theatre_beijing_paulandreu251007_5.jpg

And the CCTV building:

cctv_beijing_oma_220307_12.jpg

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I just thought it was an intresting articel, and Building

Whole article:http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20080720/wl_mcclatchy/2994196

capt.97b82c5a30b94f648d50b863b878335d.china_olympics_cctv_tower_bej102.jpg?x=275&y=345&sig=EX4RmLysSKMS.U.cmaH8Xw--

Kinda' makes me wonder on how long THAT design is going to last. I know this (among other) buildings are china's pet projects, but I don't have much confidence in the materials or workmanship.

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well if a plane crashes;

it can go towards the middle :lol:

I don't think it'll take that much.

The stress loads on some of those beams. I also wonder the placement of those things since you know they can't be placed in a conventional form. Would stink if some of the offices have weird angles in them.

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well if a plane crashes;

it can go towards the middle :lol:

Hilarious.

I like the one next door better. NPR had several comments from nearby neighbors and most hate it. I laugh when they call it a bird's nest. I get Vertigo :blush: just wondering or imagining what it will be like standing on the floor with no bottom? If on ground level can you see the people walking around above you? Scary but I give them credit for being sooooo innovative and "Bladerunner-ish". It is quite the feat!

When will our city get one like this?

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