9 modern architectural wonders

What are the greatest wonders of the world you can list? You can include the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the Colosseum of Rome on your list. Undoubtedly, these ancient structures are some of the greatest feats of architecture.

But there are also many modern designs that represent the great creative genius of man. This article presents 9 of the world's best architectural wonders. You may also be interested in the article 10 of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in the world.

9. St Mary Ax 30, London, England

The Mary Ax skyscraper is a popular landmark in London. This building has 41 floors and a curved structure with incredible architecture. It is often called “Cucumber"Because of the unusual shape. It is also the first eco-friendly skyscraper in London. To provide natural ventilation, a glazed structure with a light block has been developed.

The cucumber was erected back in 2003 by order of a reinsurance company Swiss Re... The building was officially put into operation in April 2004. At that time, the building was known as the Swiss Re building. In 2007, the company decided to sell the building for £ 600 million. Later, the building was named after the street on which it was located, St. Mary Aix 30.

The iconic building has an elongated and also curved shape. Contains 744 glass panes with a glass dome on top. The windows display a changing pattern of dark and light shades, which gives a stunning view of the building.

Also double glazed windows were installed to reduce energy consumption by 50%. In total, the building offers 76,400 square meters of office space. The clubhouse is located on the top floor of the building and provides visitors with a 360-degree view of London.

8. Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Reaching a height of 452 m, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur are the tallest twin towers in the world. These iconic towers symbolize Malaysian culture and are indicative of its economic growth. In 1998, the Petronas Twin Towers were erected and their official opening took place in August 1999. The towers for a long time remained the tallest building in the world, but later they were surpassed by the Taipei 101 skyscraper. This happened in 2004.

The towers were designed by the Argentinean American architect Cesar Pelli. The tower required 33,000 kg of stainless steel, as well as 55,000 glass panels. Each tower has 88 floors. In addition, special panels of the towers also have a light filter and noise suppressors. The glass façade bears a resemblance to Islamic art motives.

The towers have a 58.4 m long two-story suspension bridge on the 41st and 42nd floors. It is the tallest two-story bridge in the world. The interior features ornaments for cutouts of advertising structures. The Twin Towers have a total area of 4,252,000 square meters, with tenants occupying the entire space over 41 floors.

7. Reina Sofia Palace of Arts, Valencia, Spain

The Reina Sofia Palace is a stunning opera house and cultural center in Valencia. It is also known as Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Spain. The internationally renowned architect Santiago Calatrava was responsible for the design of this modern architectural marvel. The construction began back in 1995, and it took 10 long years to complete.

At the moment, the palace is one of the most popular attractions and, in addition, one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world.

With a height of 75 meters, this landmark is the world's tallest opera house. It is a 17-storey building with 3 floors underground and 14 above ground. What is most impressive about the building is its floating mosaic roof.

The feather-like roof is 230 meters long and is made of multilayer steel. White concrete and mosaic works bring light to the entire exterior of the building. There are also 3 separate areas inside, which are dedicated to operas, music performances and conferences.

6. CCTV Headquarters, Beijing, China

CCTV's headquarters is a 44-story, 34-meter-high skyscraper located in the Chinese city of Beijing. The building is best known for its extraordinary shape and it is unquestionably one of the most stunning architectural wonders of the world.

This iconic building was formed by two leaning towers that merge perpendicularly to the top and bottom to form a closed loop. The engineers referred to this design as the "3D hinge".

The headquarters was built by renowned architects Rem Koolhas and Ole Scheren. Construction lasted from 2004 to 2012. In 2013, the building was named "Best Tall Building Worldwide" by the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats.

The inclined towers of the headquarters are at a height of 234 meters and 194 meters, respectively. At the point of contact, the two towers form a 15-storey bracket. The highly unusual structure of the headquarters is also able to withstand seismic activity.

5. Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

The Guggenheim Museum, located in Spain, is the foremost marvel of modern architecture. The official opening of the museum took place in October 1997. The famous American-Canadian architect Frank Gehry was involved in his project. The museum is a series of interconnected buildings known for their titanium curves and glass designs.

The random curves of the Guggenheim Museum are made of titanium. This is the most impressive attraction in the museum. These curved surfaces reflect light and provide a stunning view of the museum. The exhibition area is dedicated to the 11,000 square meters of the museum. In total, the building has 19 exhibition areas. On them, 10 galleries have an irregular shape, and nine have spectacular stone patterns.

4. Beijing National Stadium, China

The National Stadium in Beijing is one of the largest and most breathtaking steel structures in the world. Because of its appearance, it was also named "Bird's Nest". This $ 33 million stadium was built between 2003 and 2008. It opened as the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

It happened on June 28, 2008. About 28 km of steel was used in the construction of this magnificent stadium. The circular pattern of the stadium was inspired by traditional Chinese pottery.

The circular shape of the Beijing National Stadium also represents heaven. The rolling steel profiles are the most impressive feature of the Beijing National Stadium. This also gives rise to the nickname "Bird's Nest".

The total area of the national stadium in Beijing is 254,600 square meters with a capacity of 91,000 people. In addition, in order to control environmental conditions, the stadium also has a sliding roof.

3. National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing, China

The National Center for the Performing Arts is otherwise known as the Grand National Opera House. It is a striking art center located in Beijing. This amazing elliptical structure, made of titanium and glass, is also sometimes referred to as the "giant egg". The building contains an opera house, a concert hall, and a theater with an area of 118,900 square meters.

The National Bolshoi Theater was designed by the French architect Paul Andrew. Construction of the Arts Center began in 2001 and was completed in 2007. About 18,000 titanium plates as well as 1,000 sheets of very white steel were used to construct the impressive oval shape of this building.

The National Bolshoi Theater has underwater entrances and walkways.The theater also has an underground garage. The Bolshoi Theater is also surrounded by a crystal like an artificial lake. This gives an amazing view of the theater.

2. Sydney Opera House, Australia

The Sydney Opera House is one of the world's undisputed architectural wonders. The opera is popular worldwide for its amazing design, especially for its extraordinary sail-shaped roofs. Considering the great architectural form and structural design, the opera house has been recognized as a World Heritage Site. It was recognized as such by UNESCO in 2007.

The construction of the opera house began in 1957, and it took 16 long years to complete. It was designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon. Today the Sydney Opera House is one of the most popular centers for the performing arts. Each opera plays host to over 1,500 performances and attracts about 2 million visitors from all over the world.

The Sydney Theater's sail roofs are composed of 2,100 precast concrete sections. For the roof design of the opera house, Jorn Watson used a special kind of ceramic tiles to make the structure more attractive and exciting in Sydney Harbor.

It took 3 years to make the special ceramic tiles that were used in the design of the Sydney Opera House. Engineers have used over 1 million of these tiles to design the roof sails of the Sydney Opera House. The interior of the theater features a variety of unusual colors, including cream, red and yellow.

Sydney Opera House consists of five main sections - a concert hall with a capacity of 2,679 people, an opera house with a capacity of 1,547 people, a drama theater with a capacity of 544 people, a playhouse with a capacity of 398 and a studio with a capacity of 364 people. All rooms have breathtaking designs and excellent acoustics.

1. Khalifa Tower (Burj Khalifa), Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Burj Khalifa accounts for Dubai's most notable architectural marvel. With a height of 828 meters, it is the tallest building in the entire world. Burj Khalifa has over 200 floors, 160 of which are habitable. This is one of Dubai's most incomparable and iconic achievements.

The tower was built between 2004 and 2010. It was designed by the popular American architectural firm SOM. The tower was officially opened on January 4, 2010. The shape of the Hymenokallis flower with petals that diverge from the core in different directions became the inspiration for the design of the building.

Burj Khalifa is made in the form of an upward spiral pattern. The engineers used the "Y" shape for the design of the building. The center of the structure consists of three separate wings. The indentations for these wings on each level give a very stable outline of the building.

The Khalifa Tower offers residences, offices and retail space. The building also houses an environmentally friendly condensation system. This system provides over 15 million gallons of water every year.