When it comes to a city's landscape, buildings play a definitive role, and even go as far as attracting visitors to a place.
9 buildings we're looking forward to seeing this year
Indeed places like the Burj Khalifa (Dubai), Empire State building (New York) and our very own National Theatre have garnered international acclaim owing to their brilliant, unique designs.
Indeed places like the Burj Khalifa (Dubai), Empire State building (New York) and our very own National Theatre have garnered international acclaim owing to their brilliant, unique designs.
This year, as reported by CNN, the world is set to see a new set of artistically designed buildings and we can't wait to tour them.
Check them out.
1. Tai Pei Performing Arts Centre, Taiwan: The artistic design sees a skeletal frame supported by a massive orb.
2. Latin American Art Museum, Miami, Florida: Designed by Fernando Romero, the building was designed as a series of overlapping terraces to "blur the borders between indoors and outdoors" and encourage pedestrians to visit.
3. Louvre Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi is no stranger to exotic architecture with buildings like the Etihad Towers and Ferrari World and the Louvre is set to take things to a whole new level. Designed by French architect, Jean Nouvel, the building features a lattice steel roof intended to create the illusion of a "rain of light" for those walking underneath, reminiscent of walking through a semi-covered souk (market).
4. Tate Modern Extension, London, England: The world famous contemporary art museum is set to get a new addition which will see the use of the same brick palette as was used in the older structure.
5. Tao Zhu Yin Yuan Tower, Taiwan: Also known as the Agora Garden Tower, the building is designed by Vincent Callebaut and aims to be one of the world's most eco-friendly structures boasting several gardens and forests within, recycle all organic waste and water used and is heated using solar power.
6. National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington DC: This building is set to look like a piece of history as the museum's exterior will be covered in intricate bronze mesh not unlike the iron work done by freed slaves in the South.
7. Zayed National Museum, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Designed by award-winning British architect, Norman Foster
8. Ping An Financial Centre, Shenzhen, China: This imposing structure will be 100-floors making it Shenzhen's tallest structure ever and the 4th tallest building in the world. The building has also received a high certificate of green architecture, LEED gold.
9. World Trade Centre Transportation Hub: Once upon a time, before the deadly attacks of September 11, 2001, the original World Trade Centre was the tallest building in the world. The all new One World Trade centre is still a pretty intimidating building standing as the 3rd tallest building in the United States. The World Trade Centre Transportation Hub is designed by Santiago Calatrava and has been in the works for 12 years. It will serve over 200,000 daily commuters and millions of annual visitors from around the world.Calatrava likens the design to "a bird being released from a child's hands, with the wings supported by columns of light." He further added that at night, the illuminated building will serve as a lantern in its neighbourhood.
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