- [Glen] Sometimes we see architecture
that really makes you stop and stare.
They might offer an escape to a completely different world,
transport you into the past
or even give you glimpses into the future.
I'm Glen and today we're looking at 10 architectural gems
that are sure to stop you in your tracks.
- [Woman] Number 10.
- [Glen] The spectacular Hagia Sophia rises over Istanbul
with its faded red entrance
and the four minarets surrounding it,
showing the true size and scale of the building.
You can imagine what an imposing site it would have been
back in the sixth century when it was first built.
The cathedral had several role changes
as it survived through the centuries.
At first it was a Greek Orthodox Christian Cathedral
conceived by the architects from Miletus.
As the world's largest building,
it was a wonder of the Ancient world.
The huge, 105 foot dome was supported by pendentives,
triangular segments of the sphere, which spread
from top to bottom to support the dome's weight.
It was such an impressive engineering feat
that the structure was the largest pendentive dome
for over a thousand years
until St. Peter's Basilica was built.
Later the Hagia Sophia was converted
into an Ottoman Imperial Mosque,
at which point the minarets were added.
And now, the museum stands as a popular tourist attraction
and a well-preserved example of Byzantine architecture.
- [Woman] Number nine.
- [Glen] Built in 2012, Gardens by the Bay
is Singapore's star attraction.
The Gardens are 250 acres in total and consist of both
outdoor gardens and two indoor conservatories.
The green space offers a welcome respite
from daily life in Singapore.
To enter the two conservatories,
the Flower Dome or the Cloud Forest,
there is an entrance fee of around $20.50
but it's definitely worthwhile.
The Flower Dome is
the world's largest columnless glasshouse,
while the Cloud Forest
houses the world's tallest indoor waterfall
atop a 138-foot-tall mountain
that guests can ascend via elevator.
However, the Gardens by the Bay are probably best known
for the supertrees, large manmade structures
between 82 and 160 feet tall.
The 18 supertrees are located in the free outdoor gardens
with the bases covered in vertical gardens.
If you wish to walk along the Skyway though,
the elevated bridge that goes from supertree to supertree,
you'll need to pay another entrance fee.
It's just under $6.
Plan to stay until nightfall
as the supertrees are covered in fairy lights,
which illuminate in the evening.
- [Woman] Number eight.
- [Glen] At just over 1000 feet tall, The Shard in London
is the tallest building in the European Union.
Unveiled in 2012, it was nicknamed The Shard
because of the way it looks like a shard of glass
sticking out from Central London.
Reaching for the sky almost like a taller
and skinnier glass pyramid, it has already converted itself
into a London icon after just a few years of existence.
The Shard was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano
who was inspired both by the nearby railway lines
and the masts of sailing ships.
This led Piano to design a spire-like structure
that would stick out amongst the London skyline
but in an elegant way
similar to how old church spires used to do.
In order to do this, Piano had to design
for light and transparency.
As a result, there are 11 thousand panes of glass
on the structure, which are deliberately angled
and glazed in a way that helps them reflect the sky above.
- [Woman] Number seven.
- [Glen] Another London icon,
this time in the heart of the financial district,
is 30 St Mary Axe or as it's more widely known The Gherkin.
Obviously, it earned the name
as the building resembles a cucumber.
Using innovative methods to save energy, opening in 2004,
standing at 591 feet tall and designed
by architectural firm Norman Foster and the Arup Group,
there are gaps strategically placed in each of the 41 floors
that create a natural ventilation system.
This means that The Gherkin has a double glazing effect,
which keeps the building warm in winter and cool in summer.
It's been a well-loved addition to London
since its conception and locals even participate
in the annual Gherkin Challenge where participants
can walk or run up the tower's 38 floors
to raise money for charity.
The Gherkin may soon have a new building alongside it.
The proposed 1000-foot-tall tulip
resembling, you guess it, a tulip flower.
The structure is planned as a tourist viewpoint
and education center.
- [Woman] Number six.
- [Glen] The iconic Petronas Towers are probably
what first comes to mind when you think about Malaysia.
From 1998 to 2004, these twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur
used to have the illustrious title
of the tallest buildings in the world.
Taking three years to build, the 1483-foot-tall buildings
are made mostly of reinforced concrete.
Architect Cesar Pelli managed to incorporate many references
to Islam, the predominant religion in Malaysia.
There's a glass and steel facade that resembles motifs found
in Islamic art and there's an overlapping square design
for the cross section of the towers, which is in the shape
of the Islamic symbol Rub el Hizb.
The vertigo-inducing double-decker sky bridge
connects the two buildings at the 41st and 42nd floors.
This is the highest two-story bridge in the world.
Since during high winds, the two buildings
can move up to several feet in either direction,
the bridge is not actually connected
to the main structure and it's able to slide in and out.
- [Woman] Number five.
- [Glen] Stealing the title of the world's tallest building
from the Petronas Towers in 2004 was the Taipei 101.
It sticks out from the Taipei skyline four or five times
taller than any of its neighboring buildings.
C.Y. Lee & Partners were the architectural firm
behind the Taipei 101 and they used a lot of symbolism
from Chinese-speaking cultures in the final design.
As referenced in its name, the tower has 101 floors.
The number 100 is the traditional number of perfection,
so the building decided to go one step further
than perfection with 101 floors.
The center portion of the tower
is also clearly divided into sections.
And there are eight sections in total
with eight floors each.
The number eight is considered
to bring abundance, prosperity and good fortune.
The building doesn't just rely on luck to bring success,
it also has an extremely sound structural design.
As Taipei is prone to earthquakes and typhoons
so the the building has deep foundations
and even a steel pendulum acting as a tuned mass damper
at the top of the tower.
- [Woman] Number four.
- [Glen] The Kingdom Center in Riyadh is famous
for its unique inverted parabolic arch at the top
connected by a 213 foot sky bridge.
Work began in 1999
and the bottom 2/3 are made of reinforced concrete
with the final third using a tubular steel frame.
Just three years later it was completed
and at 991 feet tall, it was the tallest building
in the city until the Burj Rafal was unveiled in 2014.
The unique sky bridge that gives the building
a distinctive hole in the middle
is a popular tourist attraction for views of the city.
It costs 60 Saudi riyals, the equivalent of 16 USD
to visit the top and it takes two elevators to get there.
The building is also home to residences, commercial offices,
the Four Seasons Hotel, a mall,
and a massive 3000-car parking lot.
- [Woman] Number three.
- [Glen] At first glance, the 1080-foot-tall Ryugyong Hotel
looks like it would be more at home in Las Vegas
than in Pyongyang, North Korea.
The pyramidic structure has three points,
which converge at the summit under a truncated cone,
combining several floors.
This cone is supposedly intended to rotate at the top
once construction finishes.
It's been under construction since 1987.
The economic problems in the secretive nation that began
with the fall of the Soviet Union and continue today
with sanctions from the West,
mean that it has never been completed.
After five years, the structure has reached
its planned height but then the building sat vacant
for over a decade without further attempts to complete it.
Almost like a giant empty husk it sat and decayed
until the work re-began
and in 2011, finally, the exterior shell
had windows and a telecom antenna.
Still, nobody knows when the interior of the building
is estimated to be completed.
- [Woman] Number two.
- [Glen] Looking up at the twisting and turning structure
of the Shanghai Tower is enough
to make anyone feel a little queasy.
It's the second tallest building in the world at 2073 feet
and it twists 120 degrees
as it climbs 128 floors to the top.
This helps not only to add a beautiful exterior aesthetic
but it's also practical as it reduces
by almost 25% the wind loads on the building.
Designed by Chinese architect Jun Xia, the building
was constructed with reinforced concrete and steel.
Although it uses less steel than conventional design,
so it managed to save millions of dollars
in construction costs.
The elevators in the building all designed by Mitsubishi
are of particular note.
They are double-decker elevators
and the second fastest elevators in the world at 46 mph.
In addition, it has the furthest traveling single elevator
in the world as one elevator ascends 1898 feet.
Like an elevator into the sky.
- [Woman] Number one.
- [Glen] Of course, it wouldn't be possible
to make a top 10 skyscraper list without mentioning
the current reigning tallest building in the world.
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai reaching up through the clouds
at an incredible 2716.5 feet high.
It was designed by architect Adrian Smith
from Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.
The building earned its name from the ruler of the UAE,
Sheik Khalifa, who sponsored the completion of the project
when they ran into funding problems during construction.
The structure is inspired by Islamic architecture
as it features setbacks as the structure gets taller
culminating in one long 800 foot spire at the top.
It's an architectural marvel and its no wonder
that millions of people from around the world
flock to gaze up at it.
Tickets to visit the at-the-top observation deck
on the 125th floor start at 141 dirhams, around 38 USD.
One thing for sure, if you aren't good with heights,
you might want to give this one a miss.
Whether they're skyscrapers, gardens with supertrees
or even cathedrals from 1500 years ago,
these architectural gems continue to amaze and inspire us.
Which one took your breath away?
And why?
- [Cassie] Hey guys.
This is Cassie.
I hope you guys enjoyed this video.
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