English, baby!

Architecture

Date: Sep 15 2003

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Architecture is one of the most important things in our lives, but few of us ever think about it. We live, learn, work and play in buildings every day, but we rarely think about the quality of the buildings we’re in and what when in to making them. Architecture is the art of making buildings, and it’s an essential part of human existence.
The first thing that people should know about architecture is that buildings are everywhere – architecture is not. To qualify as architecture, a building must be more than a functional object. It must be functional, but it also must be beautiful and have the ability to enrich people’s lives.
Read on to learn about some of the greatest examples of contemporary architecture in the world.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Perhaps the most famous and most popular contemporary building in the world, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain is a perfect example of wonderful architecture. Designed by Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry, the titanium clad building has attracted millions of people to Bilbao since it was built in 1997. Frank Gehry has done many successful buildings in many places around the world, but the Guggenheim is considered to be his masterwork.
Another Guggenheim Museum is also considered to be one of the greatest buildings in modern history. Designed by the most well known American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, the Guggenheim in New York is an amazing example of the power of architecture.
One of the best young architects in the world is a man from Holland named Ben Van Berkel. He is doing many interesting projects around the world. One of his newest is an office building that is clad in metal panels that have an extraordinary color. Mr. Van Berkel’s work is on the cutting edge of contemporary design.

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Discussion

Architecture is my true passion in life. I absolutely love the art of making buildings. It’s the most fascinating subject I’ve ever studied – and I’ve been lucky enough to both work for an architecture firm and to design my own building. The building I’m designing is just a small house, but it’s still a lot of work!
Take it easy,
Miguel