Examples of Beautiful Architecture and Sustainable Development
Great design gets attention in architecture for good reason. Beautiful scenery makes everything around it better. Whether it's work or play, we do both of them best when we feel good about where we are. In recent years there's been a greater focus on marrying great design with eco-friendly principles. For some time the argument persisted that one had to be sacrificed for the other. It took actual architects and engineers to prove that theory wrong. They refuted it in stunning fashion. Throughout cities worldwide amazing structures abound that display beauty made all the more remarkable by their environmental credentials.
Let us look at twelve examples of architectural mastery. They are exceptional monuments to the partnership between artistic passion and earth-friendly ideas.
1. Shanghai Tower (Shanghai, China)
This two thousand seventy-three foot tower boasts what is called a transparent second skin. This double glass arrangement regulates temperature and reduces the building's carbon footprint by circulating air throughout the facade. It is the world's second tallest building and recognizable to anyone who calls themselves a fan of Chinese films and dramas. The Shanghai Tower is platinum LEED certified. The building's exterior lights are powered by two hundred seventy wind turbines, making it a classic example of green solutions in service of practicality and beauty.
2. Museum of Tomorrow (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
In a city that presents one of the worlds premiere carnivals, this extraordinary structure still manages to stand out. The Museum of Tomorrow lives up to its name by delivering a futuristic appearance matched by forward-thinking design. It is covered in solar panels that fan out along its flowing perimeter. The blades are adjustable, creating an adaptable system. The building's air conditioning units use cold water from Guanabara Bay to provide its climate control.
3. Bahrain World Trade Center 1 and 2 (Manama, Bahrain)
This is a beautiful two-tower Persian Gulf structure designed by Atkins in 2008. It has three sky bridges, supporting wind turbines. They pull in breezes from the nearby gulf and turn it into power for the appropriately eight hundred foot towers. The building is designed in the shape of sails from Arab ships. It has reflective pools at its base that help with cooling via evaporation.
4. Taipei 101 Skyscraper (Taipei, Taiwan)
This skyscraper was designed by architect C.Y. Lee. It is approximately one thousand six hundred sixty-seven feet tall. Within Taipei 101 are low-use water fixtures that reduce the building's overall usage by more than thirty percent. The building literally towers over the Taipei skyline, both as a thing of beauty and as a reminder that environmental friendliness has its pretty side.
5. Oasia Hotel (Singapore)
The WOHA Architecture firm designed this beautiful hotel and finished it in 2016. The building has many gaps and crevices designed to let air flow in and around the interiors. This gives the structure a circulation that 'breathes'. The Oasia Hotel's exterior is covered in plant life, creating the appearance of a thing alive. It is an amazing four-star hotel that provides its guests luxury with an eco-friendly added bonus.
6. The Crystal (London, United Kingdom)
This new London landmark draws thousands of tourists a year. Its unique design uses natural light to do the majority of the internal illumination during the day. Its electrical power comes primarily from solar panels. The building uses LED lights arranged in a 'smart' array that switches them on and off in conjunction with the available light on-hand. The building catches rainwater and recycles if for drinking and cooling. The Crystal was created by Siemens, one of the United Kingdom's premiere firms and is a testament to their innovation.
7. Pixel Building (Melbourne, Australia)
This Australian mini-masterpiece is a flamboyant display of color. The building is an ostentatious reminder of green engineering's ability to delight the eye. Created by Studio 505, it uses recycled colored panels to regulate light control. The Pixel Building was Australia's first carbon-neutral office building. The roof catches rainwater for recycling and uses wind turbines for some of its power.
8. CopenHill (Copenhagen, Denmark)
This gem in Copenhagen was designed by Bjarke Ingels Group's founder, the eponymous Bjarke Ingels. It represents stunning high-design architecture. The building has a ski slope on top of its roof, taking advantage of the areas prodigious snowfall. In terms of green design, CopenHill boasts a power plant that emits no toxins into the air. It actually turns tons of waste material into energy for sixty thousand homes in the surrounding area.
9. Apple Park (Cupertino, California)
Steve Jobs conceived this amazing structure as a green-designed headquarters for his empire. Apple Park is a coliseum-style rounded building that runs entirely on sustainable energy. Not only does Apple Park utilize solar power, it circulates air through specially designed conduits to regulate the building's temperature. Overhangs protect the occupants from too much direct sun, and surrounding plants mitigate the climate of the building's one hundred seventy-two acre campus.
10. Suzlon One Earth (Pune, India)
This building is the home of one of the world's major suppliers of wind turbines. Suzlon One has a fine, functional appearance with a pleasant layout that's inviting and attractive. It is platinum LEED certified. The building generates a great deal of its own energy from wind and solar. Its energy consumption is so well balanced that it is a zero net-sum energy user.
11. Bank of America Tower (New York City)
This lovely building, designed by architect Rick Cook, stands amidst one of the world's busiest skylines. The tower has floor to ceiling glazing that takes advantage of the natural light while trapping and harnessing heat. The building collects and processes rain water. Its appearance is modern and striking, making it a beautiful addition to a famous cityscape.
12. Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew (Sisaket, Thailand)
This offering is possibly the quirkiest on our list. Its name translates into “The Million Bottle Temple”. It is literally made from over one million beer bottles. Its beautiful green water and lovely green roof belie the fact that its structure is comprised of containers that formerly held Heineken and Chang beer. Despite its unusual name, the temple is actually a Buddhist place of worship. It has its own crematorium, as well as comfort rooms for visitors.
