Beatthewolf Refurbishment Blog

Oprah Winfrey is American television tycoon who has a personal wealth of $2.7 billion, not too shabby. In 2001, with that gigantic stack of cash, Oprah bought Californian home for $50 million. The property covers 42 acres of land and the mansion alone covers 23,000 square feet.

Since buying the house, Oprah has added her own touch of luxury by splashing out on some pricey refurbishment, installing a state-of-the-art home cinema, a man made lake with exotic fish. Oh and the house has 8 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms, bit small really.

50 Cent

50 Cent’s stunningly enormous 51,657 square foot luxury home located in Connecticut has an impressive 19 bedrooms, 37 bathrooms, 6 kitchens, 5 Jacuzzis, 2 snooker rooms (cos one obviously isn’t enough), an indoor swimming pool, a night club, a gym, an indoor racquetball court, a tennis court, a home cinema, indoor shooting range and oh yeah a pond. Bling bling!

Fiddy bought the home from boxing legend Mike Tyson and spent an estimated $6 million in refurbishment. Lavishly furnished with personalised rennovation to match – this home is everything a self-styled celebrity could need.

John Travolta

Well, look who’s talking now! Hollywood star John Travolta owns a not so beautiful but very luxurious and impressive style Florida mansion. Its cost: $2.5 million. Parking facilities? Of course, mainly one huge hangar for his Boeing 707 and one for the Gulfstream… and of course several smaller garages for his collection of 15 cars. His mansion just near Ocala, FL is called “Jumbolair”, a pretty inventive and fun name for a home!

Rod Stewart

Rock star legend Rod Stewart owns a mega mansion painted all in sunshine yellow in Palm Beach area. Its cost was $12.5 million, and a very impressing feature is that it has it own private beach, football pitch and a carting track.

He is a big fan of paintings, and he boasts with owning the biggest pre-Raphaelite painting collection in the world. Moreover, he is also a great fan of original Regency furniture and marble statues. Art Nuveau and Art Deco are the driving influences in both the outdoors and indoors decorations of his lavish and tastefully elegant home.

Celine Dion

Celine Dion owns a $20 million “Water-park” house, on Jupiter Island, Florida. The mega structure water park construction around the house uses no less than 6 million gallons of water per year; however, she and her husband Renee have constructed on the property 5 huge private wells so that they will never encounter a water shortage. The entire mansion is surrounded by huge pools and artificial rivers that definitely are forte points for both kids and grown ups alike during torrid summer afternoons! The interior of the home is entirely decorated in elegant black and white furnishings and accessories.

Will Smith

Still the Fresh Prince for many, while for others a very dear character from the “Pursuit of Happiness”, and for others of a certain generation the lyrical mastermind behind the shake your hands from side to side masterpiece “Boom boom shake the room”. Will Smith lives in a refurbished castle in Calabasas, California.

Truly exclusivist and luxurious, this little castle is estimated at $20 million, and of course it comes with its own lake and huge sports arenas such as an ultra modern tennis court & basketball field. Together with his beautiful wife Jada-Pinkett Smith and their children, they enjoy all the luxuries money can buy in this fairytale castle, which by the way, has its own zip code!

Hugh Hefner

Hugh Hefner has a personal worth of over $40 million all thanks to his Playboy Empire. His Playboy Mansion is both is home and headquarters, the notorious Californian party home covers a total of 6 acres of land and has a staggering 26 bedrooms in the main property that takes 20,000 square feet.

The luxurious refurbished home features the infamous Grotto, an underground water area which comes with the sacred rule, ‘what happens in the Grotto, stays in the Grotto’.

Jerry Seinfeld

Comedy super star Jerry Seinfeld bought this luxury estate from rocker Billy Joel for a reported figure of $32 million and has been refurbishing it ever since.

The East Hampton, New York home has a 22 car garage to fuel Seinfeld’s motor passion and as a devoted New York Mets fan, he even has his very own private baseball pitch. The luxuriously refurbished property was voted as the #1 celebrity party house by OK! magazine.

Larry Ellison

Oracle software founder and CEO Larry Ellison, is very famous not only for his work related achievements, but also for his real estate acquisitions. He spent $65 million on a collection of beachfront houses in Malibu, and transformed them exactly the way he wanted them: into comfortable, luxurious little beachside palaces. His real estate list does not end here, as he owns 12 homes in total in Malibu, on which he spent $180 million.

The one that can be seen in the picture is a mega palace with its own cable railway for when someone wants to be “transported” to the pool.

Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes

“Top Gun” star and his wife simply love ludicrously expensive real estates. They own several homes, one of which in London UK, and the other in Telluride Colorado, but none of these two homes exceed $6 million. The real deal is their home in Beverly Hills, which they bought for the exorbitant price of $35 million. Luxury, elegance and opulence are describing this palace both inside and out!

The home has 9 bathrooms and 7 master bedrooms, with private pools and a tennis court. The mansion features a fence enclosure, so that the family can enjoy their privacy. The building was originally completed in the 30s, but went through several refurbishments and maintenance works. Today, the establishment occupies 1.4 acres, which gives plenty of private space that is for sure!

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

The ultimate celebrity couple own this $40 million estate in Long Island, New York and if you think it looks nice on the outside then you should see the inside. It has a ridiculous 18 refurbished bathrooms, yes 18! The Tudor style property covers an incredible 22,000 square feet and it comes with both a swimming pool and private tennis courts.

Steven Spielberg

He’s the man behind such great films as Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan and the last Indiana Jones film, okay scratch the last one but with a personal wealth of over $3 billion, he’s bought a pretty amazing home.

His recently refurbished East Hampton property in New York is worth approximately $25 million and like any self respecting billionaire would have, their is a state-of-the-art film studio. Spielberg’s home even has a private stables and a guest house so his A-list celebrity friends can stay over.

George Clooney

When Clooney isn’t making blockbuster films in Hollywood, he tends to enjoy the quiet life, this is optimised with this Italian villa in the small town of Laglio which has a total residency of only 930 people.

He bought the luxury property in 2002 for $10 million and has added some nice refurbishment touches. It now boasts having it’s own private jetty into the water, a swimming pool, a fully equipped gym, tennis courts and beautifully manicured gardens.

Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk is a skateboarding superstar and he has the crib to match, trust me with a personal brand worth over $1 billion, you get an extremely luxurious house. His Southern Californian home covers over 3,800 square feet, it has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms which he shares with his family.

He even has a recently refurbished guest house so his A-lister friends can stay over in their own private building. To complete the package, he has his very own skate park which he often skates in with his kids.

Robbie Williams

It’s not easy being a millionaire pop star that’s loved by millions of woman world wide, oh wait a sec, yes it actually is very easy. Robbie ‘I like to take my shirt off’ Williams’ LA home boasts an impressive 10,681 square feet of land.

The entire property has been refurbished with an astonishing total of 8 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. The property’s tor de force is the outdoor aquatic arrangement, the pristine swimming pool and relaxing hot tub just oozes luxury.

Gene Simmons

Former Kiss bassist Gene Simmons is used to a life of luxury and wealth, this is truly reflected in his regularly refurbished home. His Californian house covers 16,500 square feet of space and that includes 4 bedrooms and a whopping 6 bathrooms!

The pierre de resistance of Simmons’ home is his archive room where he has just about every piece of Kiss memorabilia out there, even a Kiss coffin!

Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell is a multi-millionaire known as much for her controversial nature as for her successful modelling career. Her modest Jamaican ocean front home only has 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, which for a major celebrity is a small property, but for Campbell it’s all about luxury and simplicity.

A former owner of the property was the famous author Ian Fleming and he wrote every single 007 James Bond novel in the beautiful Jamaican retreat.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock’s New Orleans property may not look as extravagant on the outside but once inside, it’s all bells and whistles.She bought the house for $2.25 million and it covers an astonishing 6,615 square feet.

It has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, it’s also been refurbished with marble mantelpieces and antique mouldings. Outside she has a lavish swimming pool with barbeque area to keep all guests entertained.

The Osbournes

The Black Sabbath singer and family who rose to wider fame with the self titled MTV reality TV show, share the luxurious Hidden Hills in California shared with other A-list celebrities.

Their property takes up 10,953 square feet of land and cost an estimated $10 million. The home that covers 2.3 acres has 6 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, they also have the almost compulsory outdoor swimming pool.

Mary J. Blige

Grammy winning soul singer Mary J. Blige is a bit of a bargain hunter when it comes to real estate as this property shows. She bought this lavish 18,250 square feet home for a snip at just $12.3 million, a mark down of over $5 million from the original price.

The New Jersey mansion comes with a 14 seat home cinema, a fully equipped personal gym, a basketball court and even an elevator!

Jennifer Lopez

Hollywood’s much loved couple Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony live literally in a wonderful palace in LA area, with an interior resembling a museum of art collections rather than being a simple family home. Elegance and sumptuous luxury in white and other soft tones are the perfect words to describe this wonderful mansion.

The home is equipped with 7 spacious bedrooms and no less than 14 bathrooms, all of these wrapped in an area of almost 12,500 square feet! Still Jenny from the block though!

Halle Berry

Halle Berry is an Oscar winning actress, and she’s definitely got the swanky home to match. Her West Hollywood home in California has a modest 4 bedrooms, the outside alone has an extravagant swimming pool, a hot tub and even two fire pits made of out real volcanic lava. Now that’s some luxurious refurbishment.

David and Victoria Beckham

This celebrity couple have enjoyed plenty of media attention since well forever, but for what they are truly famous for is that they like to “collect” only ultra luxurious and expensive homes. While they own more than just one home both in the US and in Europe (UK), the mansion they have in Beverly Hills is the truest gem of all.

This is a vintage-style castle home, which cost the football star only $10 million. Nestled among lush tropical gardens, this is the perfect family home anyone could enjoy!

Eddie Murphy

Comedy star Eddie Murphy’s property acquisition (completed in 2005), cost the actor $20 million. This mansion is located in famous Beverly Hills 90210 area. Several large sized cool and heated pools, tennis courts, wonderful landscaping, a bowling alley, a personal library that has two floors and additional entertainment spaces are wrapped into a whooping 40,000 square meters mega size.

Aaron Spelling

The late media mogul Aaron Spelling has always been famous for having only ultra luxurious and exorbitantly expensive homes. Rumors say that this little castle is estimated at $150 million, and among the tens of luxury facilities, it is important to note that it has exactly 123 rooms, around 6 lavishly landscaped gardens, around 10 mega-impressive fountains and several bars. At first sight, it looks like a luxury hotel resort, but it is actually the home of Candy Spelling now.

Richard Gere

Romantic comedy star and heartbreaker of entire generations of women Richard Gere, owns a $9 million home in Hampton. Many would expect to see a lavishly decorated mansion, but instead this is a luxurious American farmhouse style establishment. Many critics praise his choice, as one would never say such a great star lives in such a farmhouse style, almost vintage home. Highly chic, with a classic tone and natural beauty, are the expressions that best describe it!

24 Marvels of Construction – Old and New

beatthewolf — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:21:45 +0000

Everywhere in the world, one can find buildings and structures that are truly all-time marvels of architecture. These are means of human expression and at times these constructions can depict man’s genius and intelligence.

The following remarkable 24 awe inspiring buildings are filled with meanings and symbols not just for those that built them, but also for entire generations. Built in different parts of the world and through different ages, these amazing works are a powerful note of a great architectural prowess.

Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi – UAE

This leaning structure is actually the most “inclined” building in the world (leaning at 18 degrees westward!), thus beating by far the record held by the Tower of Pisa. It has 35 floors, and it is 160 meters high. Certainly in order to cope with the gravity issues, the designers have made use of breakthrough engineering methods such as stacking floor plates vertically, which would allow the building to lean safely.

It has a floor area of 53,000 sq. meters, and it uses the “diagrid” building model, just as Hearst Tower did. The diagrid pattern allows for a much better distribution of the weight, and it also allows for using less steel than a building of its size would normally have to.

La Sagrada Familia, Spain

The Roman Catholic church La Sagrada Familia located in Barcelona, Spain was designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudi. Due to its unique architecture and taste for amazing details, it is Spain’s top tourist attraction.

La Sagrada Familia’s building started in the year 1882 and construction has not yet finished. The current team of architects aims to finish it by the year 2026, which is the centennial year of Gaudi’s death. However, on November 7 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed La Sagrada Familia as a minor basilica, even though it was not completed.

La Sagrada Familia has a design that is described by Gaudi as “the last great sanctuary of Christendom.” The part of the church that gets the most attention are the spindle shaped spires which symbolize the ascending order of Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists and the Twelve Apostles.

Seattle Central Library, USA

This is a glass and steel combination structure, built upon the master plans of architects Rem Koolhaas and Joshua-Prince Ramus. Seattle Central Library was opened in May 2004, and on its opening year it received more than 2 million guests who were curious to see the new wonder.

The building has an overall outlook of suspended blocks of steel and glass. It has 34,000 square meters, an underground parking establishment, and it is one of the most modern libraries in the US, allowing automatic book sorting, being equipped with hundreds of computer terminals and allowing wireless communication systems among the staff.

Its cost for completion was $165 million, and one quite interesting fact is that the inhabitants of Seattle actually read more books that people in any other city. The library hosts both electronic and paper books, magazines and other important documents.

St. Basil’s Cathedral, The Kremlin

Moscow’s Kremlin is a powerful symbol of two imperial cultures: medieval Muscovy and the Soviet Union. It is a very fascinating mixture of austere secrecy and a lavish opulence. From an architectural point of view, this is considered to be an eclectic way of construction which reflects the paradox of the two main shifts in the Russian culture.

The Kremlin is in fact a historic complex bordered by the Moskva River, which among others includes Saint Basil’s Cathedral and the Red Square. It is best known for its Russian citadels, the four palaces, four cathedrals and the Kremlin Wall and towers. Moreover, this is the current official residence of the President of Russia.

Casa de Musica, Portugal

This is an unusual architectural style concert hall, located in Porto city, Portugal. Its cost for completion was €100 million, and it took around 4 years to complete (2001-2005). When people first catch a glimpse of it, they say it looks like an “upside down house”, which is an optical illusion that the architects wanted to achieve.

Some critics see it as a simplistic piece of structure; however, it belongs to the most significant works of the 21^st century list. The very first concert held here was that of Lou Reed, and some architects compare the overall beauty and design of the centre with that of the Guggenheim Museum in Spain.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was made public by Hiram Bingham, one of the most famous American explorers in 20^th century. This impressive Inca site started gaining worldwide fame in 1911 and nowadays is one of the most popular archaeological sites in the world. Its fame came from its breathtaking, yet enigmatic setting on the edge of a mountain.

The Andean mountain top which hosts it is situated at a 9,060 feet above the sea level. Machu Picchu, translated as “Old Peak”, represents a sacred place for the Incas. The city was truly sustainable, as it had terraces for agriculture and it was surrounded by natural springs. The genius of the site comes from the perfectly carved and sculpted gray granite. Many historians believe that Machu Picchu was also an astronomical observatory for the Incas, and also served as a spiritual palace.

CCTV Headquarters, Beijing – China

The China Central Television Headquarters is an ultra modern building, a skyscraper with 44 floors. The building completed in 2008, and it is regarded as one of the most important structures of contemporary architecture in Beijing. It is built following an unusual style one could say a quite “elliptic” one. It is made up of horizontal and vertical sections, covering a floor area of 389,079 square meters, and there are 75 elevators functioning inside the building.

The structure was built upon the plans of Rem Koolhaas, who also designed the controversial style Seattle Library earlier mentioned. It is considered a wonder structure of China, an implied a cost for completion of €600 million.

The Alhambra, Granada – Spain

Alhambra, in the Arabic language would translate as “the red fortress”, and this building is a wonderful example of Muslim architecture. The fortress and palace was ready in the 14^th century (1248- 1354), and it was built in honor of the Moorish monarchs who were ruling at the time in Granada. It remains the strongest architectural symbol reflecting over a bygone era when Spain has been under Muslim rule.

Today, the fortress is being visited by millions of tourists, and it is a great cultural heritage of the Spanish people. The walls surrounding the fortress stretch well over one mile in perimeter, while the interior chambers are wonderfully decorated with arabesque style architecture.

BMW Welt- Munich, Germany

This is an ultra modern exhibition space of the BMW AG, and it was completed in 2007. The structure occupies a nice place on the green buildings of Germany list, mainly because it is an energy efficient building, using a huge solar plant which is on the roof. It has what is called a “floating cloud roof”, and the entire structure is built in the open space style. Yet another energy efficient feature is that its huge glass facades allow for natural light to enter the building, thing which reduces the need of electrical light consumption.

For the construction, there were needed 4,000 tons of steel, and the roof alone is 16,000 square feet. Transparency, flexibility and practicability are the three main attributes that best describe this futuristic and echo friendly building.

Notre-Dame de Paris, France

Literally translated as “Our Lady of Paris”, this wonderful structure is a Catholic Church, built in the Gothic style. Construction started at the beginning of the 12^th century, and it was completed in 1345. It is one of the most outstanding historical monuments of Paris even as of today.

It underwent many restoration and maintenance sessions through the centuries, mainly because in times of historical boiling points for France, such as the Huguenot riots in the 16^th century, or later the French Revolution, and then the First and Second World War, there were many attempts to destroy the façade of the cathedral and many treasures have been stolen from its interiors.

The Millau Viaduct, France

Built upon the designs of master architect Norman Foster, this cable stayed suspension bridge was completed in 2004. Currently, the Millau Viaduct is the tallest bridge on the Globe (343 meters high), and its cost for completion was €400 million. It is a combination of concrete and steel, and there were used 7 huge concrete suspension pillars for its construction.

The bridge crosses the valley of River Tarn (southern France), and it has a total length of 2,460 meters, and a width of 32 meters carrying 4 lanes. Two years after its completion, it has received the Outstanding Structure Award from the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE).

Versailles, France

Versailles has been the seat of power for the French rulers during the 18^th century. Chateau de Versailles, as it is formally called, is now a museum of history and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for over 30 years.

Once a mere location for Louis XIII’s hunting lodge, this palace gained its majesty and splendor due to Louis XIV. He moved the government and the court of France to Versailles in the year 1682, and consequently three French kings lived there. Versailles also has an important place in the French Revolution, a reason why nowadays has a special importance for French people.

The Hall of Mirrors, King’s Grand Apartments, the Chapel and the Opera are just a few of the notable spots that must be seen in this amazing castle.

The Guggenheim Museum – Bilbao, Spain

Belonging to the modern architectural wonders of our World list, the Guggenheim Museum was built in 1997, and is one of the mostly admired structures belonging to the contemporary architectural style. It is built using curves that seem to be randomly placed, and the entire structure gives a slightly chaotic impression.

The style to which it belongs is “Deconstructivism”,a style which is characterized by fragmentation, and non-rectilinear shapes. The entire structure resembles a ship, and the main construction materials were huge titanium panels and glass, both of which reflect natural light impressively. It’s cost for completion: $100 million.

The Parthenon, Greece

The Parthenon was built in Athens, Greece, between 447 and 432 BC. It was the main structure of the Acropolis building during the ancient times. Iktinos and Kallikrates, the architects of the Parthenon, dedicated the massive structure to the goddess Athena, the protector of the city. Therefore, the main purpose of this amazing structure was to serve as a temple and a shelter for the monumental statue of the goddess.

The foundation of the Parthenon is made of limestone, while the huge columns are made of marble. At that time, using marble was uncommon and the Parthenon represented a premiere in architecture from this point of view. The distinctive view of the columns standing on the top of Athens transformed this structure in one of the most powerful symbols of the Greek civilization.

Beijing National Stadium, China

The Beijing National Stadium was the centerpiece of the 2008 Olympic Games that were held in China. The stadium is considered to be one of world’s largest enclosed spaces, with over three million cubic meters in gross volume. The Beijing National Stadium is also said to be world’s largest steel structure, since more than 26 km of unwrapped steel were used to create this bird’s nest like stadium. The design was conceptualized by Herzog & De Meuron Architekten, Arup Sport and China Architecture Design and Research Group. They aimed to have a modern stadium that shouts out loud to the entire world what China is meant to be in the future centuries.

There are 80,000 seats available in the Bird’s Nest and 11,000 demountable seats can be added. The stadium extends 333 meters from north to south and 294 meters from east to west, having a height of 69.2 meters. It also displays various Chinese folk elements, making it a perfect attraction not just for the sport lovers, but for the cultural tourists as well.

Taj Mahal, India

Tha Taj Mahal, often called “the crown of buildings”, is considered to be one of the most beautiful structures on Earth. It combines Persian, Islamic and Indian elements that create a cohesive, unique hasa Mughal style of architecture. It was erected by Shah Jahan, a Muslim Emperor, to commemorate his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The Taj Mahal can be found in Agra, India and is considered an “elegy in marble” that symbolizes the ideal of eternal love. It is in fact a mausoleum that houses the remains of the queen Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal was built over 22 years with 20,000 workers, costing a whooping 32 million rupees (around $1 million). It was finally completed in 1648. In our days, many people consider it one of the most beautiful buildings ever made.

Burj Al Arab, Dubai

Burj Al Arab is an imposing 321 meters high structure on an artificial island off the Jumeirah beach, in Dubai. The Tower of the Arabs (in the Arabic) is the Jemeirah Group’s 5 star luxury hotel in the United Arab Emirates. It was designed by Tom Wright of WS Atkins and built by Said Khalil in 1994.

The hotel rests on an artificial island created 280 m (920 ft) offshore and is connected to the mainland through a private bridge. To secure its foundation, the builders had to sink 230 forty-meter (130 ft) long concrete piles into the sand. Its design depicts a billowing sail of a boat and symbolizes Dubai’s transformation into the modern and urban world.

St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice

It is the most famous structure of Venice, and it is a building which has gone through many changes throughout the centuries. The present structure has been built in 1063 (actually consecrated in 1071), and then in later centuries modifications have been added: it got an entirely new façade in the 13^th century, the Baptistery in the 14^th century, and the carvings and marble decorations in the 15^th and the Zen Chapel was added in the 1500s. The cathedral reached full completion in 1617.

The cathedral has 5 wonderful domes, and it is 43 meters high on the outside, while the inner height is roughly 29 meters. It is built in the Byzantine and Gothic architectural style, and the basilica stands as a symbol of power and wealth. It is also known as “The Church of Gold” mainly because it’s opulent decoration with gilded mosaics which gives it a truly impressive allure.

Sydney Opera House, Australia

The Sydney Opera House was conceptualized and built by Jorn Utzon, a Danish architect. This is definitively the performing arts center in Sydney, Australia and due to its immense cultural value, it was cited as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is considered to be one of the most distinctive buildings in the world, due to its innovative design.

The Sydney Opera House hosts over 1,500 shows every year and is also the home to some popular performing companies such as Opera Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, The Australian Ballet and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. With its very iconic expressionist exterior that looks like a conglomerate of shells, it is one of Sydney’s top tourist attractions. The building covers 1.8 hectares of land, being 183 meters long and 120 meters wide.

Masjid al-Haram, Saudi Arabia

Al-Masjid al-Haram is the world’s largest mosque, located in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Mecca is the holiest city in Islam, being the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad, the founder of the Islamic religion. The Grand Mosque of Mecca covers an area of 88.2 acres (356,800 square feet) and can host up to four million people.

Muslim tradition says that the mosque was set up by the angels even before the creation of human kind. It displays nine minarets, each 89 meters (292 ft) high. Nowadays it is the common direction towards the Muslims all over the world pray and the main location for Islam’s pilgrimages. It is the strongest religious symbol for more than 1.57 billion people worldwide and one of the most sacred places on Earth.

Dubai Mall, Dubai – UAE

There is no question; this is the biggest mall in the world, and it opened in 2008. In the year it opened, it received around 38 million guests from around the world, who were eager to discover all its corners. Besides operating more than 1,000 retailers and services, the mall is also a huge entertainment center with a wonderful Aquarium (the biggest in the world, with a tank of 10 million liters of water!), the Discovery Center, the SEGA indoor theme park, the biggest “Cineplex” of Dubai with 22 screens, roughly 120 different cafes and restaurants, and even a luxury hotel with a capacity of 250 rooms.

The structure has a 12 million square feet area, and it has won several recognition awards for best art creation and design techniques. The parking lot has enough space for 14,000 vehicles, and the world’s largest “dancing fountain” decorates the front entrance area of the mall.

Westminster Abbey, London – England

Its construction started in 1050 and it was completed by 1065, and it is built in the Gothic architectural style. Its formal name is Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster. It is one of the greatest symbols of Royal Britain, since this is the place where coronation, burial and royal wedding ceremonies of the monarchs have been held throughout the centuries. Since 1308, King Edward’s Chair is the throne where all British sovereigns take their seats at the moment of coronation. Westminster Abbey is an official UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our Lady of Flanders’ Cathedral of Tournai, Belgium

Image via Jean-Pol Grandmont

Our Lady of Flanders’ Cathedral or Notre-Dame Cathedral is found in Tournai, Belgium, and was built in the 12^th century in a Romanesque style, famous for its rich structure and sculpture. The architecture of its five towers is considered to be a precursor of the Gothic style.

The cathedral was rebuilt in the 13^th century, when only pure Gothic style elements were used. Due to its vast dimensions, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame from Tournai is a very good model of the great edifices made by the architectural school from north of the Seine. It also served as an inspiration for Gothic cathedrals all over the world.

The Colosseum, Italy

This is the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire, a masterpiece of Roman architecture and engineering agreed by all historians. Completed in 80 AD under Emperor Titus, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests, reenactment of battles and different drama shows. This amazing structure could seat up to 50,000 spectators during the Roman age. Unfortunately it was later used as a residence, a workshop, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.

Although earthquakes seriously damaged the structure, The Colosseum is still standing proud, symbolizing a golden era for Italy’s ancestors.

15 Green and Eco Friendly Pieces of Architecture

beatthewolf — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:20:04 +0000

We’re living in times when living green is not an option anymore, but a genuine concern. Fortunately, building green is becoming quite a powerful trend in modern architecture. A bit expensive in its early stage of design, projection and construction, a green building should become a financially profitable investment just several years after its completion.

Building green is the only valid option for the future and the sooner people understand this, the better our future life will be. Here are some of the finest green pieces of architecture that has been created so far.

1. Horizon House in Bristol

Horizon House in Bristol is the perfect piece of architecture that can be classified as green and sustainable. It scored 85% in the BREEAM assessment in 2006 and was awarded the BREEAM Office award in 2010. As Westmark’s key project, they aimed to have low carbon emissions and low energy costs.

Rainwater is harvested and is used to flush toilets thus reducing water consumption by 70%. The lighting has a smart control only turning them on when needed. There are also solar hot water collectors that produce hot water on demand. Photovoltaic cells are used to produce energy as well for the whole Horizon House.

2. Yale University Sculpture Building and Gallery – Philadelphia, PA

The Yale University Sculpture Building and Gallery is situated on a former brownfield site. The contractors and architects decided to salvage the area by building the project on it and utilise the space. Eco friendly plumbing was introduced such as waterless urinals, dual flush toilets and low flow faucets to initiate low water consumption.

There is a rainwater collection system that recycles the rainwater into potable water before transferring it off to the sewage system. They have used local and recyclable materials during its construction to reduce costs and to incorporate local products. The interiors feature utilitarian design with unfinished surface and exposed steel.

3. Roundhouse in Beverly Hills, USA

The Roundhouse in Beverley Hills in the United States was the brainchild of Eli Attia. Eli is a renowned architect who focuses on innovation in architecture especially now that green and eco living is advocated by a lot of people and organisations.

The roundhouse is in a 13,000 square feet area and is constructed with three floors. It is made of recycled steel, incorporated with a rainwater collection system, and the roof features a garden with a wide ecosystem. Its shape is also a product of research to maximise the solar energy.

4. Bletchley Leisure Centre

The Bletchley Leisure Centre is just one of the few leisure centers in the UK that have incorporated various environment saving efforts so that they can save on costs and contribute to a better planet.

The building was designed by Holder Mathias Architects and constructed by SDC for Milton Keynes Council. Their project was aiming to minimise costs while constructing the building and so they utilised recycled materials and sourced the materials locally. They used a biomass boiler and reduced water consumption while construction was still ongoing. They used different energy saving systems within the building to further continue on saving energy costs throughout its operations.

5. TAG McLaren HQ Building, Woking, UK

The TAG McLaren Headquarters Building in Woking, United Kingdom was designed by world renowned architect Norman Foster. He utilised the manmade lake and incorporated it into the overall design of the building. The lake was also the focal point not only of the design but also of its eco friendly features.

The lake is the source of the cooling effect that is installed in the building. Its glass walled façade follows the shape of the lake and a cantilevered roof gives shade that protects the building’s area from the sunlight’s heat. The lake’s water is pumped into the building every 48 hours and is filtrated using a natural system.

6. Garthwaite Center for Science and Arts, Cambridge School of Weston – Boston, MA

The Garthwaite Center for Science and Arts in Boston is a model building in terms of how well it has preserved the natural environment that it is sitting on. The architects intended to save the natural area by preserving the trees that are erected on the area. They maintained the trees in the area creating a natural shade and a natural environmental setting for the center. In short, the building was actually built with respect to the site itself and not destroying the site to build a building. This is a great idea because the natural area will not be destroyed or depleted in any way.

7. Defra’s Lion House

The Defra Lion House was awarded with the OGC Special Award for Government Sector Achievement. The Defra Lion House was found to be a model building when it was assessed for green living systems. It was certified by BREEAM in 2006 and 2008 and was given an outstanding rating on both occasions.

The building incorporates various systems that consider the environment in all its operations. They have installed energy efficient lighting and heating as well as systems that can minimise water consumption. It served as a model building for government offices in the area as it has implemented good eco friendly policies in management and maintenance of the building.

8. Pocono Environmental Education Center (Bohlin Cywinski Jackson) Wilkes-Barre, PA

The Pocono Environmental Education Center is more than just a center in itself. It speaks for what it is made for. The architects and the contractors carefully thought of their every move so that they can build something that can be a model of green design that can be replicated in different architectures around the world.

The building serves as a teaching tool in itself as it becomes an example of great green architecture. The materials that were used in constructing the building were recycled and are locally made. They analyzed the site itself so that they can adapt the building to it.

9. Rogiet Primary School

White Design and Willmott Dixon Construction collaborated on the Rogiet Primary School. They envisioned a building that is completely eco friendly and put the environment at the forefront. The Rogiet Primary School was awarded the BREEAM Schools award, a prestigious award for buildings that were built to be green and a model for all other buildings as well.

They used sustainable and green design principles from partnering approach to be able to produce an architecture that does not only address the educational needs but also thinks forward in terms of the environment. The garden and pond area are used for wildlife study – taking the biology and ecological education to the next level.

10. Lavin-Bernick Center – Minneapolis, MN

The Lavin-Bernick Center is very different from its mother university center. The old building is cooled by electric and mechanical systems the whole year and that has cost the management a lot of money over the years.

Taking that into consideration, when the architects were planning the Lavin-Bernick Center, they incorporated a system to ensure that the building will be passively cooled for only five months in the year. This means there are massive savings in the electricity and heating bills. Shading systems, large ventilation and balconies were also included in the design.

The building is revolutionary in terms of putting passive strategies that can be eco friendly and energy efficient.

11. Loreto Sixth Form College in Manchester

Loreto Sixth Form College in Manchester, UK was awarded by the BREEAM with their recognition for Green Architecture for Further Education. Their Learning Skills Council Funded Building is considered to be one of the greenest buildings there is because of their efforts in having energy efficient lighting, proper ventilation as well as water consumption regulators that help the management in saving costs that they had to pay over the year.

Their learning resource center, ICT facilities and library are all equipped with eco friendly systems. They also implement policies within the area that takes care of its surroundings as well as to further help the management in all its eco friendly efforts within the building.

12. Queens Botanical Garden Visitor & Administration Center – New York, NY

The Queens Botanical Garden Visitor and Administration Center in New York features different systems and technological advancements that combines water management and landscape integration to create a space that still reaches its goal to be a hub for culture and environment education. They also have energy conservation systems and they installed energy generation systems of their own to reduce energy costs throughout the year.

Moreover, 33% of the materials that were used in the construction of the building were manufactured within a 500 mile radius from the site. They used low maintenance materials that were manufactured with low carbon and chemical emissions and recycled most of the old construction materials from other areas.

13. Heifer International, Little Rock, Arkansas

The Heifer International building uses only half the energy that buildings of the same kind consume. This is because of the careful consideration of the building’s impacts on the environment from the planning stage up until the construction and implementation stage.

Irrigation water is collected then is used to cool the building through an energy efficient water system. They also use low flow water plumbing to lessen water consumption. The building was also constructed in such a way that the natural light will come in through big windows so that there would be less need for electrical lighting.

14. Littlehey II Young Offenders’ Institute

Littlehey II Young Offender’s Institute was awarded the BREEAM award in 2010 for being an eco friendly building. They have been trying to utilise recycled materials in the various areas of the building as well as other energy efficient lighting to illuminate the area. They intended to use recycled materials in the construction of the building and y also used energy efficient construction methods.

The heating system is a biomass heating system that covers 30% of the annual heating costs of the building. The modular construction of the building contributes to a great thermal performance as well.

15. White River Place in St. Austell

The White River Place in St. Austell was awarded with the BREEAM Retail recognition. The White River Place in St. Austell is a joint venture of the South West regional Development Agency as well as White River Developments. It served as the model for eco friendly real estate development in the area.

The architects wanted to do a local development that makes a major impact in the community. They wanted to have interaction and involvement from the tenants in its eco friendly system and policies. The construction materials were all environmentally friendly and were locally sourced.

Norman Foster’s architectural palette

beatthewolf — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:59:07 +0000

Norman Foster’s architectural palette comprises hundreds of projects whether smaller or greater, with all of them bearing his unique signature of high tech architecture with emphasis on comfort, usability, and environmentally friendly structures.

He is an architect mostly known for his introduction of “High-Tech” architecture in Britain and was mostly influenced by the works of Oscar Niemeyer, Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

The main characteristics of his architectural style:

The creation of structures making use of high end technology
The integration of complex computer systems and the combination of these with several laws of physics
Combining efficiency and intelligence so as to create buildings that are eco-friendly and highly functional using little outside resources
Constant innovation being reflected through each newly erected structure
Grandeur, chic and usability combined in perfect harmony

International success

Over the years, Norman Foster has become a great national and international success, and won several prestigious awards such as the famous Pritzker Architecture Prize (1999), or the Sterling Prize, which he has won twice (in 1998 for the American Air Museum and in 2004 for the 30 St.Mary Axe in London). In 2009 he received the Prince of Asturias Award in the category of Arts for his notable achievements in the architecture sector.

Throughout his career there can observed a notable shift from the sophisticated high tech style towards the more minimalist, but highly modern style. As he himself admits in an interview found on Sky news (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Article/201009115917638), it is very important to acknowledge that time has come when smart decisions need to be taken in the field of architecture.

The Earthly resources are getting scarce, and architecture needs to make use of wise technologies and implementations in order to create something big and impressive but by making use of as little as possible outer sources, by staying environmentally savvy at all times.

Environmentally friendly projects

The ambitious, high-tech and environmentally friendly projects of Norman Foster and Partners does not stop here. Currently in its project phase, the first ever carbon neutral city is planned to be built in Abu Dhabi UAE. It is called Masdar City, and it is planned to be a 0% energy consumption walled in city, relying exclusively of solar energy power generation and other natural sources.