What's your favourite masterpiece of architecture?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around participants sharing their favorite masterpieces of architecture, exploring various iconic buildings from different cultures and historical periods. The scope includes personal preferences, architectural styles, and comparisons between ancient Greek and Roman structures.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express admiration for the Sydney Opera House, citing its design and aesthetic appeal.
  • Others highlight the significance of domes, with specific mentions of St. Peter's Basilica, Il Duomo in Florence, and the Pantheon, noting their architectural features and historical context.
  • There are claims regarding the superiority of Roman architecture, with some asserting that Roman structures have endured for over 2000 years.
  • Conversely, other participants argue in favor of Greek architecture, suggesting that Romans borrowed heavily from Greek designs and that Greek ruins are equally impressive.
  • The Hagia Sophia is mentioned as a notable dome structure, with some participants expressing a preference for it over others.
  • La Sagrada Familia and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao are also highlighted as remarkable architectural works, with discussions about their ongoing construction and design elements.
  • Participants share anecdotes about the Burj al-Arab hotel, including its unique features and the celebrity events that have taken place there.
  • There is a debate about the scale and impact of Greek versus Roman architecture, with references to specific structures like the Parthenon and the Olympic stadium.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on their favorite architectural masterpieces, leading to disagreements about the merits of Greek versus Roman architecture. No consensus is reached regarding which is superior, as both sides present compelling arguments.

Contextual Notes

Some claims about the longevity and scale of structures are based on personal interpretations and may depend on specific definitions of architectural greatness. The discussion reflects a variety of perspectives on historical significance and aesthetic value.

kasse
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There are many beautiful buildings around the world, like the library of Alexandria, the Louvre, The Colosseum...

It's difficult to pick one, but Sydney Operahouse

http://www.nettravel.cz/Data/Foto/421475/1024/Australie-Sydney-opera-V-Sydney-Australie-1012.jpg

scores high on my ranking. The designer is Danish, by the way.
 
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I'm partial to domes. St. Peter's and Paul's are both spectacular, but Il Duomo in Florence is my favorite, especially since you can climb up over its bricks and timbers between the two shells on your way to the cupola on top. The Pantheon is amazing because it is huge, and was built with concrete, by the ancient Romans.
 
Romans are the best. 1000 years later and still standing.
 
cyrusabdollahi said:
Romans are the best. 1000 years later and still standing.
Greeks are better, plus the romans stole all there ideas from the greeks.

If you like domes, Hagia Sophia is best IMHO:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia
 
Ursula Andress...
'nuff said.
 
cyrusabdollahi said:
Romans are the best. 1000 years later and still standing.

1000 years ? you mean more like 2000 years...

marlon
 
And the rest, few are from 500BC.

But this is young for Greek ruins. In fact the oldest ruins in Italy are Greek in Sicaly
 
Anttech said:
Greeks are better, plus the romans stole all there ideas from the greeks.

If you like domes, Hagia Sophia is best IMHO:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia

I know that, but the greeks did not have great structures like the romans at the roman scale.
 
Anttech said:
Greeks are better, plus the romans stole all there ideas from the greeks.
Greeks are cool but they didn't come up with arches and domes...
 
  • #10
La Sagrada Familia

p_61_La-Sagrada-Familia-barcelon.jpg


http://www-cdr.stanford.edu/~wgriffin/photoAlbums/EuropeTrip_10_02/Barcelona%20Spain/images/019%20-%20Sagrada%20Familia%20-%20Gaudi%20side.jpg

I have to be in the right mood for that, though!
 
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  • #11
Hmm..Taj Mahal, perhaps?
 
  • #12
Gokul's dead on with this, the Sagrada Familia is absolutely incredible. And it's not even finished yet.

Also a big fan of Bilbao's Guggenheim museum:

http://www.itea.arcelor.com/imagenes/edificios/estado/223-126-Guggenheim%20(Large).jpg
 
  • #13
i would have to go with the sagrada familia also. it will be finished in my lifetime luckily. :approve:

http://img286.imageshack.us/img286/9472/sagradafamiliadrawingvy5.png


i also like the hagia sophia & the surrounding buildings. it reminds me of theed (the naboo capital city) in star wars.
 
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  • #14
The Burj al-Arab hotel.
 

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  • #15
Evo said:
The Burj al-Arab hotel.

That's the one with the tenniscourt on top right ? Where Federer and Agassi once played an exhibition "match".

marlon
 
  • #16
marlon said:
That's the one with the tenniscourt on top right ? Where Federer and Agassi once played an exhibition "match".

marlon
Yes. :bugeye:
 

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  • #17
They actually played tennis on the helipad. Tiger Woods hit a golf ball into the sea.
 
  • #18
Evo said:
Yes. :bugeye:

That is awesome.
 
  • #19
Evo said:
Yes. :bugeye:

WOW, man man man...I agree with Evo, this is some impressive building.

BRAVO

marlon

I would love to have my office there...Way up high in fresh air to get lots of inspiration for whatever it is i would be doin'

:smile:
 
  • #20
Lol, then a big gust of wind comes along and blows all your papers into the ocean. :rolleyes:
 
  • #21
dontdisturbmycircles said:
Lol, then a big gust of wind comes along and blows all your papers into the ocean. :rolleyes:

hey, i work with a pc man...this is 2006 :wink:

marlon
 
  • #22
Lol, true enough marlon.

I have to agree with arildno, the Taj Mahal is very nice.

White these may not be the most beautiful, they are definitely the most awe inspiring in my mind.

http://faculty.etsu.edu/kortumr/03egypt/adobejpgimages/19gizalarge.jpg

Also I would concede that they are no great feat in architecture, but for their time, they were!
 
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  • #23
cyrusabdollahi said:
I know that, but the greeks did not have great structures like the romans at the roman scale.

What are you saying :) Ma Va! The greeks of course had the great structures, from the ancient times. Have you ever been on the hills of the acropolis in Athens? Have you ever seen any of the ancient temples sewn across all the islands of Greece, From Crete to Aegina? Have you ever been to the coast of Turkey? Perhaps even Sicily?

All the classical Roman architecture you will see, has its roots in Greek Architecture.
 
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  • #24
marcusl said:
Greeks are cool but they didn't come up with arches and domes...

Arches yes, domes not sure about. But the Hagia Sohpia was the largest Domed structure for a LONG time.

The greeks used Arches in architectures before anyone else did, especially in bridges...
 
  • #25
Anttech said:
What are you saying :) Ma Va! The greeks of course had the great structures, from the ancient times. Have you ever been on the hills of the acropolis in Athens? Have you ever seen any of the ancient temples sewn across all the islands of Greece, From Crete to Aegina? Have you ever been to the coast of Turkey? Perhaps even Sicily?

All the classical Roman architecture you will see, has its roots in Greek Architecture.


Yes, I know that. :rolleyes: But the Romans actually BUILT massive structures at a scale the Greeks did not.
 
  • #26
cyrusabdollahi said:
Yes, I know that. :rolleyes: But the Romans actually BUILT massive structures at a scale the Greeks did not.
Compared to what, the greeks thought of massive structures? :cool:

Have you seen how big the Parthenon is? Or perhaps the Olympic stadium, or the Temple to Aphia, or Light house in Alexandria.

Sorry I really don't get what you are referring to. Yes there is more Roman stuff standing in Rome, but that doesn't say anything about the scale of the Greek Civilisation or the amount of structures they built 2000 to 3000 years ago, or even the size of those structures.

In fact the Romans would have amount to squat if it wasnt for the Greeks, but that's just speculation on my part :-p
 
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