МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ
РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ
НОВОСИБИРСКАЯ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННАЯ
АРХИТЕКТУРНО-ХУДОЖЕСТВЕННАЯ АКАДЕМИЯ
Кафедра иностранных языков
В.В. КОСТРОВ, Д.В. ШИФМАН
CLASSICAL AND MODERN BUILDINGS OF RUSSIAN AND WORLD ARCHITECTURE
Учебное пособие по английскому языку
Новосибирск 2015
Данное учебное пособие предназначено для студентов 2-го курса специальностей «Архитектура» (07.03.01), «Градостроительство» (07.03.04), «Дизайн архитектурной среды» (07.03.03), «Дизайн» (54.03.01) и представляет собой сборник аутентичных текстов, которые носят познавательный характер, расширяют кругозор студентов и содержат сведения об архитектуре и истории создания известнейших российских и зарубежных сооружений.
Цель данного пособия состоит в ознакомлении студентов с наиболее известными памятниками мировой и отечественной архитектуры разных эпох (Храм Христа Спасителя, Версальский дворец, Московский Кремль, Музей Гуггенхайма в Бильбао и др.) с профессиональной точки зрения.
Широкое использование в текстах пособия профессиональных терминов даёт возможность студентам последовательно овладевать профессиональной лексикой. Также для каждого текста разработан блок лексических и грамматических упражнений, выполняя которые студенты закрепляют полученную информацию и совершенствуют свои языковые и профессиональные навыки.
ОГЛАВЛЕНИЕ
The Moscow Kremlin……………………………………………………………….. 5
St. Basil's Cathedral………………………………………………………………..9
The Palace of Versailles……………………………………………………………13
Saint Paul’s Cathedral……………………………………………………………17
The Peterhof Palace………………………………………………………..……….22
The Peter and Paul Fortress……………………………………………….……...27
The С hurches of Kizhi…………………………………………………….……….31
The Sydney Opera House…………………………………………………………..36
The Louvre Pyramid………………………………………………………………41
The Petronas Twin Towers………………………………………………………..46
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao……………………………………………………...51
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour………………………………………………….55
The Gherkin………………………………………………………………………..59
Burj Khalifa……………………………………………………………………..….63
Revision Questions…………………………………………………………………68
Sources………………………………………………………………………………69
The Moscow Kremlin
The existing Kremlin walls and towers were built by Italian masters over the years 1485 to 1495. The irregular triangle of the Kremlin wall encloses an area of 275,000 square metres (68 acres). Its overall length is 2,235 metres (2,444 yards), but the height ranges from 5 to 19 metres, depending on the terrain. The wall's thickness is between 3.5 and 6.5 metres.
Originally there were eighteen Kremlin towers, but their number increased to twenty in the 17th century. All but three of the towers are square in plan. The highest tower is the Troizkaya, which was built up to its present height of 73,9 metres in 1495. Most towers were originally crowned with wooden tents; the extant brick tents with strips of colored tiles go back to the 1680s.
Cathedral Square is the heart of the Kremlin. It is surrounded by six buildings, including three cathedrals. The Cathedral of the Dormition was completed in 1479 to be the main church of Moscow and where all the Tsars were crowned. The massive limestone facade, capped with its five golden cupolas was the design of Aristotele Fioravanti. Several important metropolitans and patriarchs are buried there, including Peter and Makarii. The gilded, three-domed Cathedral of the Annunciation was completed next in 1489, only to be reconstructed to a nine-domed design a century later. On the south-east of the square is the much larger Cathedral of the Archangel Michael (1508), where almost all the Muscovite monarchs from Ivan Kalita to Alexis I of Russia are interred.
There are two domestic churches of the Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Moscow, the Church of the Twelve Apostles (1653–56) and the exquisite one-domed Church of the Deposition of the Virgin's Robe, built by Pskov artisans over the years 1484–88 and featuring superb icons and frescoes from 1627 and 1644.
The other notable structure is the Ivan the Great Bell Tower on the north-east corner of the square, which is said to mark the exact centre of Moscow and resemble a burning candle. Completed in 1600, it is 81 metres (266 feet) high. Until the Russian Revolution, it was the tallest structure in the city, as construction of buildings taller than that was forbidden. Its 21 bells would sound the alarm if any enemy was approaching. The upper part of the structure was destroyed by the French during the Napoleonic Invasion and has, of course, been rebuilt. The Tsar Bell, the largest bell in the world, stands on a pedestal next to the tower.
The oldest secular structure still standing is Ivan III's Palace of Facets (1491), which holds the imperial thrones. The next oldest is the first home of the royal family, the Terem Palace. The original Terem Palace was also commissioned by Ivan III, but most of the existing palace was built in the 17th century. The Terem Palace and the Palace of Facets are linked by the Grand Kremlin Palace. This was commissioned by Nicholas I in 1838. The largest structure in the Kremlin, it cost an exorbitant sum of eleven million rubles to build and more than one billion dollars to renovate in the 1990s. It contains dazzling reception halls, a ceremonial red staircase, private apartments of the tsars, and the lower storey of the Resurrection of Lazarus church (1393), which is the oldest extant structure in the Kremlin and the whole of Moscow.
The northern corner of the Kremlin is occupied by the Arsenal, which was originally built for Peter the Great in 1701. The southwestern section of the Kremlin holds the Armoury building. Built in 1851 to a Renaissance Revival design, it is currently a museum housing Russian state regalia and Diamond fund.
Active vocabulary:
terrain - местность
to increase - увеличиваться, возрастать
square in plan - квадратный в плане
tile - изразец, плитка
gilded - позолоченный
interred - похороненный
exquisite - изысканный
superb - превосходный
to resemble - напоминать
to be commissioned – быть заказанным
exorbitant - непомерный
dazzling - ослепительный
storey - этаж, ярус
EXERCISES
I. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. Its overall … is 2,235 metres (2,444 yards), but the height ranges from 5 to 19 metres, depending on the terrain.
2. Originally there were eighteen Kremlin towers, but their number … to twenty in the 17th century.
3. Most towers were originally … with wooden tents; the extant brick tents with strips of colored tiles go back to the 1680s.
4.The Cathedral of the Dormition … in 1479 to be the main church of Moscow and where all the Tsars were crowned.
5. Several important metropolitans and patriarchs … there, including Peter and Makarii.
6. Until the …, it was the tallest structure in the city, as construction of buildings taller than that was forbidden.
7. … bell, the largest bell in the world, stands on a pedestal next to the tower.
8. The Terem Palace and the Palace of Facets … by the Grand Kremlin Palace.
9. This was commissioned by Nicholas I in 1838. The largest structure in the Kremlin, it cost an exorbitant sum of eleven million rubles to build and more than one billion dollars … in the 1990s.
10. The northern corner of the Kremlin … by the Arsenal, which was originally built for Peter the Great in 1701.
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
flashy, to rise, temporal, to recover, excellent, aureate, floor, look like, accommodate, house.
X. Retell the text.
St. Basil's Cathedral
Although it's known to everyone as St. Basil's, this legendary building is officially called "The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat". The popular alternative refers to Basil the Blessed, a Muscovite 'holy fool' who was buried on the site (in the Trinity Cathedral that once stood here) a few years before the present building was erected.
The Cathedral was ordered by Ivan the Terrible to mark the 1552 capture of Kazan from Mongol forces. It was completed in 1560. That's pretty much all the genuine history that's known about this celebrated landmark. There, however, scores of legends. Nothing is known about the builders, Barma and Postnik Yakovlev, except their names and the dubious legend that Ivan had them blinded so that they could not create anything to compare. Historians unanimously state that this is nothing but urban folklore.
Architectural specialists are to this day unable to agree about the governing idea behind the structure. Either the creators were paying homage to the churches of Jerusalem, or, by building eight churches around a central ninth, they were representing the medieval symbol of the eight-pointed star. The original concept of the Cathedral of the Intercession has been hidden from us beneath layers of stylistic additions and new churches added to the main building. In fact, when built, the Cathedral was all white to match the white-stone Kremlin, and the onion domes were gold rather than multi-colored and patterned as they are today.
In the 17th century a hip-roofed bell tower was added, the gallery and staircases were covered with vaulted roofing, and the helmeted domes were replaced with decorated ones. In 1860 during rebuilding, the Cathedral was painted with a more complex and integrated design, and has remained unchanged since.
For a time in the Soviet Union, there was talk of demolishing St. Basil's - mainly because it hindered Stalin's plans for massed parades on Red Square. It was only saved thanks to the courage of the architect Pyotr Baranovsky. When ordered to prepare the building for demolition, he refused categorically, and sent the Kremlin an extremely blunt telegram. The Cathedral remained standing, and Baranovsky's conservation efforts earned him five years in prison.
The Cathedral is now a museum. During restoration work in the seventies a wooden spiral staircase was discovered within one of the walls. Visitors now take this route into the central church, with its extraordinary, soaring tented roof and a fine 16th Century iconostasis. You can also walk along the narrow, winding gallery, covered in beautiful patterned paintwork.
Active vocabulary :
to blind - ослепить
dubious - сомнительный
homage - дань
to match - соответствовать
demolishing - снос
blunt - резкий, грубый
route - маршрут
EXERCISES
I. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. Although it's … to everyone as St. Basil's, this legendary building is officially called "The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat".
2. Nothing is known about the builders, Barma and Postnik Yakovlev, except their names and the dubious legend that Ivan had them … so that they could not create anything to compare.
3. In fact, when built, the Cathedral was all white to match the white-stone Kremlin, and the onion domes were gold rather than multi-colored and … as they are today.
4. In the 17th century a … bell tower was added, the gallery and staircases were covered with vaulted roofing, and the helmeted domes were replaced with decorated ones.
5. For a time in the Soviet Union, there was talk of … St. Basil's - mainly because it hindered Stalin's plans for massed parades on Red Square.
6. Visitors now take this route into the central church, with its extraordinary, soaring tented roof and a fine 16th Century …
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
to build, to require, doubtful, complement, polychromatic, unaltered, breakdown, renovation.
X. Retell the text.
The Palace of Versailles
Louis XIV's magnificent chateau evolved in three major phases. The Sun King first intended Versailles to be a retreat from the responsibilities of government. Between 1661 and 1668, the architect Louis Le Vau (1612–1670), the gardener André Le Nôtre (1613–1700), and the painter Charles Le Brun (1619–1690) collaborated to create a palace suitable for the Sun King to entertain favoured courtiers. When Louis XIV decided in 1668 that Versailles was to become a royal residence, able to house his full court for months at a time, he ordered extensive additions. Le Vau drew up plans to frame the Old Chateau in a terraced "envelope" of white stone. The envelope included state apartments for the king and queen, the salons of which were each dedicated to one of the seven planets known to orbit the Sun. The king's own bedchamber, echoing the theme articulated in the chateau's gardens, depicted scenes from the myth of Apollo.
Work on the chateau and its gardens was by no means complete when Louis XIV permanently installed his family, court, and government at Versailles in 1682. Jules Hardouin-Mansart (1646–1708) oversaw the final enlargement of the palace and adjacent buildings that would eventually house five thousand courtiers and as many government officials, guards, and servants. It was Mansart who designed the legendary Hall of Mirrors. Running almost the entire length of the chateau's western facade, the gallery was sheathed in mirrors, furnished with solid silver chandeliers, and crowned by ceiling panels by Le Brun that depicted pivotal episodes from the Sun King's life. Meanwhile, Le Nôtre continued to expand the gardens, adding grottoes, ornamental lakes, and a Grand Canal so vast the navy could perform maneuvers on it. Construction on Louis XIV's palace ceased only with the completion of the Chapel Royal in 1710.
The exterior of Versailles changed little over the course of the eighteenth century. Louis XV (ruled 1715–1774) came to loathe his great-grandfather's formal palace and added little to it. Although he commissioned the Royal Opera designed by Jacques-Ange Gabriel (1698–1782), he was far more interested in increasing the privacy of his own apartments. Louis XVI (ruled 1774–1792), the last of the Bourbons to rule at Versailles, also concentrated on interior renovations. His queen, Marie Antoinette (1755–1793), concerned herself with the Petit Trianon, a bucolic palace on the grounds of Versailles. After a revolutionary crowd triumphantly carried the ill-fated king and his family back to Paris in 1789, the chateau fell empty. The history of Versailles as the residence of the French kings officially ended in 1837, when Louis-Philippe declared that the royal chateau was to become a museum celebrating "all of France's glories."
Active vocabulary :
chateau - шато, замок
retreat - уединённое место
courtier - придворный
bedchamber - спальня
by no means - отнюдь не
to oversee - следить
adjacent building - примыкающее здание
to sheath - покрывать, облицовывать
chandelier - люстра, канделябр
pivotal - главнейший
to loathe - ненавидеть, питать отвращение
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. How many major phases did Versailles evolve in?
2. Who worked on the palace in the first phase?
3. What was the Old Chateau framed in?
4. What were the salons dedicated to?
5. What was depicted in the king's bedchamber?
6. Who oversaw the final enlargement of the palace?
7. How did the Hall of Mirrors look inside?
8. What did Louis XV commission to Jacques-Ange Gabriel?
9. What did Louis-Philippe declare?
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
stage, artist, to comprise, to supervise, whole, to stop, renewal.
III. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. The Sun King first ... Versailles to be a ... from the responsibilities of ...
2. ... and ... in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries ... the cathedral even more.
3. When Louis XIV ... in 1668 that Versailles was to become a royal ... he ordered ... additions.
4. The king's own ..., echoing the theme ... in the chateau's gardens, depicted ... from the myth of Apollo.
5. Work on the chateau and its ... was by no means complete when Louis XIV ... installed his family, ..., and government at Versailles in 1682.
6. Running almost the entire length of the chateau's western ..., the gallery was sheathed in ..., furnished with solid silver... , and crowned by ceiling panels by Le Brun.
7. Marie Antoinette, ... herself with the Petit Trianon, a ... palace on the ... of Versailles.
8. After a ... crowd triumphantly carried the ... king and his family back to Paris in 1789, the chateau fell ...
X. Retell the text.
Saint Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul's Cathedral has had an eventful history. Five different churches were built at this site. The first church, dedicated to the apostle Paul, dates back to 604 AD, when King Ethelbert of Kent built a wooden church on the summit of one of London's hills for Mellitus, Bishop of the East Saxons. At the end of the seventh century, the church was built in stone by Erkenwald, Bishop of London.
In 962 and again in 1087, the cathedral was destroyed by fire, but each time it was rebuilt and expanded. By that time, it had become one of the largest cathedrals in Europe. Renovations and extensions in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries enlarged the cathedral even more.
But disaster struck again on the night of September 2, 1666, when the Great Fire of London destroyed 4/5th of all of London, wiping 13,200 houses and 89 churches, including the St. Paul's Cathedral off the map.
In 1669, three years after the fire, Christopher Wren was appointed 'Surveyor of Works' and was tasked with the construction of a new church to replace the destroyed Gothic cathedral. Only the third design offered by him was accepted, and the first stone was laid on June 21, 1675.
The dome reaches a height of 111 meters (366 ft) and weights about 66,000 ton. Eight arches support the dome. On top of the dome is a large lantern with a weight of 850 ton.
560 steps lead visitors along three galleries all the way to the top of the dome. The first gallery, the Whispering Gallery, just inside the dome, is renowned for its acoustics. The second gallery, the Stone Gallery, is situated at a height of 53 meters (174 ft) on the outside of the dome, right above the colonnade. On top of the dome, at a height of 85 meters (279 ft), is the narrow Golden Gallery, which encircles the lantern's base. From here you have a magnificent view over the City.
The Baroque interior is just as imposing as the exterior of the church. The mosaics on the ceiling were added in 1890 by William Richmond after Queen Victoria complained that there was not enough colour in the cathedral. The baldachin above the altar was rebuilt in 1958 after it was damaged by bombardments during World War II. The design is based on a sketch created by Wren. The only monument in the church that survived the fire of 1666 is the tomb of John Donne, from 1631.
Several famous people are entombed in the cathedral's crypt. Most notable are the tomb of the Duke of Wellington - who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo - and the tomb of Admiral Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar. There is also a tomb of Christopher Wren himself and a number of important artists are buried here as well.
The impressive facade at the west side of the church consists of a large portico and pediment. A relief on the tympanum depicts the conversion of Paul and was created in 1706. The portico is flanked by two towers which weren't part of the original plan. Wren added them at the last minute, in 1707.
Active vocabulary:
to dedicate - посвящать
summit - вершина
to expand - расширять
wipe off - стирать
Surveyor of Works - главный смотритель королевских зданий
dome - купол
lantern - фонарь
renowned - известный
to encircle - окружать
ceiling - потолок
tomb - усыпальница
crypt - склеп
pediment - фронтон
tympanum - тимпан
to flank - быть расположенным сбоку
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. How many churches were built at the site of St. Paul's Cathedral?
2. Whom was the seventh century church built in stone by?
3. What happened on September 2, 1666?
4. What appointment did Christopher Wren get in 1669?
5. When was the first stone of the new cathedral laid?
6. How much does the lantern of St. Paul's Cathedral weigh?
7. What are the names of the galleries of the cathedral?
8. What was damaged by bombardments during World War II?
9. What does the cathedral's tympanum depict?
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
to consecrate, top, catastrophe, to assign, famous, impressive, to perish.
III. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. At the ... of the seventh century, the church was built in ... by Erkenwald, ... of London.
2. ... and ... in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries ... the cathedral even more.
3. The Great Fire of London ... 4/5th of all of London, ... 13,200 houses and 89 ..., including the St. Paul's Cathedral ... the map.
4. In 1669 Christopher Wren was ... 'Surveyor of Works' and was ... with the construction of a new church to ... the destroyed Gothic cathedral.
5. The ... reaches a ... of 111 meters (366 ft) and ... about 66,000 ton.
6. The first ..., the ... Gallery, just inside the dome, is renowned for its...
7. The mosaics on the ... were added in 1890 by William Richmond after Queen Victoria ... that there was not enough ... in the cathedral.
8. The impressive ... at the west side of the church ... of a large portico and ...
X. Retell the text.
The Peterhof Palace
The Peterhof Palace was built in the early 18th century by Tsar Peter I (the Great) to rival France's Versailles. Situated 29 km from St Petersburg the location was ideal as it enabled Peter ease of access to Europe from the Kronstadt naval base - which was situated on an island off the coast - and also to St Petersburg, it was also to provide a suitable place to enable the provision of Kronstadt.
The first building on the site was started in 1714; this was the Monplaisir Palace, which was to become Peter’s summer palace. Peter played a major part in the design of Monplaisir and the other initial buildings and fountains. Constructed in grounds that cover more than six hundred hectares it was eventually to contain thirty palaces and pavilions.
To facilitate construction a grand canal was dug between the main palace and the sea in order that building materials could be transported easily to the site by water from Western Europe in order to provide the thousands of workers. Peter wished to complete the construction in a short period of time and the main palace was completed in 1721. On August 14, 1723, Peterhof officially opened and was to become one of the favourite residences of the tsars, several of whom were to add to it over the years.
The main palace which is known as the Grand Palace was originally of similar size to the other buildings and was known simply as the Upper Palace. It was built between 1714 and 1721. The Palace was significantly altered and expanded between 1745 – 55 by Peters daughter the Empress Elizabeth, to the design of the Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who added an additional floor, a new palace wing and a small domed church. The interior was remodelled in a baroque style, although Peter’s study room was left intact. The decoration to the Grand cascade and the development of the complex also progressed under Elizabeth and during the reign of Catherine II (the Great).
The Palace contains a number of opulent state rooms which are reached by a Rastrelli’s ceremonial staircase decorated with gilded statues. The rooms include the spacious Ballroom with the windows and mirrors on either side of the room creating the illusion of an even larger hall. Other notable rooms in the palace include the baroque Audience Hall, the blue Drawing Room, the white Dining Room, two Chinese study rooms, the original study of Peter I and the Throne Room which is the largest room in the Great Palace (300 square metres) with its portraits of the Romanovs. The Chesma Hall contains wall paintings depicting the naval battle of Chesma (1770) the first of a number of naval defeats for the Ottoman Empire by Russia. Also of note is the Picture Hall with its walls almost entirely covered by 368 paintings.
The Palace is however, most famous for its many and varied fountains. The greatest being the Grand Cascade, completed in 1724. This consists of a large cascade which runs from the foot of the Great Palace to a long canal that leads to the Gulf of Finland. The cascade consists of 39 gilded bronze statues, 64 water jets and 75 fountains. On a terrace at the top of the cascade is a pair of Tritons and a number of gilded sculptures. The centrepiece of the Grand Cascade is the Samson Fountain, which shows Samson opening the jaws of a lion out of which is a vertical jet of water shooting 20 metres into the air. The statue symbolized Russia's victory over Sweden at the Battle of Poltava (1709) in the Great Northern War. At the centre of the cascade is an artificial grotto connected to the palace by a hidden corridor. The grotto is constructed in brown stone and it contains artefacts of the fountains' history. This includes a table and bowl of artificial fruit which soak visitors when they reach for the fruit. A number of fountains are designed to catch the unsuspecting visitor who are wet when they approach a fountain or when they are within its reach.
All of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs nearby and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. It is the elevation difference and not pumps that creates the pressure to work the fountains of the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade. The Samson Fountain is supplied by a special aqueduct, over four km in length, which draws water and pressure from a source at a higher elevation.
The grounds of Peterhof are divided into three separate parks; it includes the upper, lower and the Alexandria Park. Around the park are numerous buildings and fountains. By the sea front stands the Monplaisir Palace, this is at the centre of a small park which consists of six differently themed gardens. The dragon waterfall nearby is named after the three statues of dragons that spout water onto a checkerboard patterned sloping plane. Along from the Monplaisir Palace is the Hermitage Pavilion, a small building with a white façade. Nearby is the Orangery, built to protect plants and flowers from inclement weather. Also to be seen are the recently opened Olga Pavilion built in 1846 on a small island and Tsarina’s Pavilion both of which have undergone a recent renovation and are now open to the public.
In 1918 Peterhof became a museum although during World War II it was occupied by the German troops and suffered severe damage and was destroyed by fire. The reconstruction began almost immediately after the war and continues to this day.
Active vocabulary :
to rival - конкурировать, соперничать
to alter - переделывать, изменять
intact - нетронутый
opulent - роскошный
state room - парадный зал
spacious - просторный
drawing room - гостиная
defeat - поражение
pump - насос
checkerboard - шахматная доска
inclement - бурный, обильный
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. What do you know about the Monplaisir Palace?
2. Why was a grand canal between the main palace and the sea dug out?
3. What happened on the 14-th August 1723?
4. What is the Chesma Hall famous for?
5. What is the centrepiece of the Grand Cascade?
6. In which parts is the Peterhof’s area divided?
7. What did Rastrelli do for architectural image of Peterhof?
8. What happened to the Upper Palace between 1745 and 1755?
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
to compete, roomy, to make changes to, to enlarge, luxurious, to build, height, cascade, to incur, gold-plated.
III. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. The first building on the site was started in 1714; this was …, which was to become Peter’s summer palace.
2. On …, Peterhof officially opened and was to become one of the favourite residences of the tsars, several of whom were to add to it over the years.
3. The Chesma Hall contains wall paintings depicting the naval battle of Chesma (1770) the first of a number of navel defeats for … by Russia.
4. The greatest being …, completed in 1724.
5. On … at the top of the cascade is a pair of Tritons and a number of gilded sculptures.
6. The statue symbolized Russia's victory over Sweden at the Battle of Poltava (1709) in ...
7. … is constructed in brown stone and it contains artefacts of the fountains' history.
8. All of the fountains operate without the use of ...
9. The Samson Fountain is supplied by a special …, over four km in length, which draws water and pressure from a source at a higher elevation.
10. Nearby is the Orangery, built to protect plants and flowers from … weather.
X. Retell the text.
The Peter and Paul Fortress
The Peter and Paul Fortress was one of the first buildings in St Petersburg. It was started in 1702 by Peter I (the Great) in order to secure the approach to the river Neva, which Peter took from the Swedes. The first bastions of the fortress were constructed of earth-filled timber under the supervision of Peter and his Generals, who gave their names to the bastions. The fortress took over 20,000 labourers - many working with their bare hands to move the earth. The weather was extremely harsh, resulting in thousands dying. In 1706 work began on the stone fortress to replace the wooden and earth one and in 1712 work began on the construction of the stone St Peter and Paul Cathedral to replace the wooden church built in 1704. The Swedes were defeated in 1721 before the fortress was even completed. From then onwards the fortress housed part of the city's garrison and served as a high security political jail: amongst the first inmates was Peter's own son Alexei.
During the February Revolution of 1917, the fortress was attacked by mutinous soldiers and the prisoners were freed. It was then used to hold hundreds of Tsarist officials. On October 25th, the Fortress came into Bolshevik hands, and after the blank salvo of the Cruiser Aurora, the guns of the Fortress fired 30 or so shells at the Winter Palace, although fortunately causing only minor damage. The Provisional Government ministers were the last prisoners at the Fortress. In 1924 most of the site was converted to a museum, for which it is still used today.
The Cathedral was completed and consecrated in 1733 but was destroyed by fire in 1756 to be rebuilt by Empress Elizabeth. Within the Cathedral, on either side of the nave are the graves of most of the Romanov rulers of Russia from Peter the Great onward. The two that stand out, which make them the easiest to find is Alexander II and his wife, Maria Alexandrovna, as their tombs are coloured; Alexander’s being made of malachite and his wife’s of pink Ural rhodonite. In 1998, on the eightieth anniversary of their execution the bodies of Nicolas II, his wife Alexandra, their children (with the exception of two of them who had not been found at that time) and their servants were buried in the small Chapel of St. Catherine within the Cathedral.
Also in the Cathedral is the beautiful carved ornate wooden pulpit covered in gold leaf. Opposite the pulpit is a small low platform on which the Tsar stood while attending the church service. At the far end of the Nave is the iconostasis. This is a partition or screen separating the sanctuary from the main part of the church on which icons are placed. The iconostasis is made out of gilded soft lime wood. Both it and the altar canopy were made in Moscow and delivered to St Petersburg in pieces to be installed in the Cathedral in 1729.
Other buildings are situated within the fortress and include the prison, the mint and the Commandants house.
A statue of Peter I has been the cause of controversy, as the tiny head, modelled on a mask made by Rastrelli on Peters death, is completely disproportionate to the body. Legend has it that touching the statue brings good luck.
One of the finest architectural structures in the fortress is the Neva Gate built of granite in the Classicism style. It is decorated with two pairs of Doric columns and a triangular pediment. The gate is known as the "Gate of Death" because prisoners were led through it to be executed. It was restored in 1998 - 1999, to resemble the gate of the middle of the 18th century, and leads a three-span granite bridge joining the Commandant's Pier and with views across the Neva to the Winter Palace.
Active vocabulary :
labourer - чернорабочий
garrison - гарнизон
inmate - заключенный
mutinous - мятежный
shell- снаряд
carved - резной
pulpit - кафедра
partition - перегородка
sanctuary - алтарь
mint - монетный двор
span – пролет
EXERCISES
I. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. The … took over 20,000 labourers - many working with their bare hands to move the earth.
2. During the February Revolution of 1917, the fortress … attacked by mutinous soldiers and the prisoners … freed.
3. The Cathedral was completed and consecrated in 1733 but was destroyed by fire in 1756 … by Empress Elizabeth.
4. Within the Cathedral, on either side of the … are the graves of most of the Romanov rulers of Russia from Peter the Great onward.
5. Also in the Cathedral is the beautiful carved ornate wooden … covered in gold leaf.
6. At the far end of the Nave is …
7. One of the finest architectural structures in the fortress is the Neva Gate built of granite in the …
8. The Neva Gate is decorated with two pairs of Doric columns and a triangular …
9. The gate … as the "Gate of Death" because prisoners were led through it to be executed.
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
advance, stronghold, complement, deface, luckily, reconstruct, look like, rough, attendant, safety.
X. Retell the text.
The Сhurches of Kizhi
The forests of northern Russia, between Lake Ladoga and the White Sea, were once dotted with great ensembles of log churches. Now only a few precious examples remain, of which the most remarkable is located on the small island of Kizhi, one of almost 1,400 situated in Karelia's Lake Onega. Detached from the mainland, the island has long been known as a sacred space. Its unusually picturesque setting exists within a length of only 6 kilometers (3.7 miles).
Yet this beauty alone would not have saved the site from the decay and vandalism that destroyed so many other masterpieces of wooden architecture. For over a century, the efforts of some of Russia's leading preservations have ensured the protection of this legacy. In 1966, Kizhi achieved the status of a national architecture and historic museum; in 1990, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kizhi Island now contains some of the oldest surviving examples of Russian log buildings, including one small church--the Resurrection of Lazarus--dated perhaps as early as the end of the 14th century.
The supreme example of Russian wooden architecture is Kizhi's Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, built in 1714 ostensibly in honor of Peter the Great's victories over the Swedes, although a Transfiguration Church had existed at Kizhi since at least the early 17th century. Located on open space in the southwest part of the island, the church formed the center of a pogost, a term which by the 18th century had come to mean an enclosed cemetery with a parish or district church.
As with St. Basil's on Red Square in Moscow, the main Kizhi church, with its many domes, produces an impression of overwhelming profusion and complexity; yet the design derives from rigorous structural and aesthetic logic. Its soaring pyramidal silhouette (37 meters high) signifies consecrated ground from a great distance, and the design of the structure reinforces that symbolic purpose at every point. The core of the Transfiguration Church is an octahedron, rising in three tiers and buttressed by extensions ("arms") at the four compass points. These extensions are also stepped, thus providing platforms for additional cupolas: twenty on the structure, plus one at the top and another on the east side above the apse. This intricate pattern of cupolas and log structure is emphasized by the natural properties of the different woods: the dark walls of aged pine logs and the brilliant silver of the cupolas, covered with over 30,000 curved aspen shingles tightly fitted over the cupola frame.
The design of this elaborate superstructure provided an efficient system of ventilation to preserve the structure from decay. Yet as was typical of tall wooden churches in the Russian north, the tower was not visible from the interior, which was capped at a low level by a ceiling painted with saints and archangels — known as a "sky" or nebo — over the central part of the church. This "sky" provided a culmination to the religious imagery of the icon screen in front of the altar. Unfortunately this particular "sky" at Kizhi was lost during World War II, and we know of its form only through black-and-white photographs.
The Church of the Transfiguration was intended for use only during major church holidays in the summer. It was not uncommon in Russia to have paired churches, for summer and winter. At the Kizhi pogost, the adjoining "winter" Church of the Intercession, built in 1764, provides an admirable visual complement to the ensemble. Whereas the Transfiguration Church soars, the Intercession accentuates the horizontal, with an extended “refectory.” Its crown of eight cupolas surrounding the main cupolas at the top of its octagonal core is a dramatic and satisfying resolution that enhances, rather than competes with, the form of the Transfiguration Church.
The final element of the original pogost ensemble at Kizhi is a bell tower with a tent roof between and in front of the two churches. Originally built in the late 18th century, it was rebuilt in 1874 and renovated most recently in the early 1990s. The pogost, with cemetery, is enclosed by a low wall of horizontal logs on a base of fieldstone.
The middle and northern parts of Kizhi also have their chapels, brought to the island from villages in the surrounding area. All of them have the modest charm and beauty characteristic of traditional Russian log architecture for places of worship, with decorative carved end boards and small wooden cupolas. The most striking of these buildings is the 18th-century Chapel of the Three Prelates, originally from Kavgora village in the c region of Karelia. The small structure culminates on its west end with an octagonal bell tower.
In departing Kizhi Island, the soaring forms of the Church of the Transfiguration are again visible. Although less known than the great Gothic cathedrals, it is their equal as a daring expression of the spiritual impulse in architecture. The Transfiguration Church is now undergoing a thorough, complex restoration that will enable it to survive as one of Russia’s defining monuments.
Active vocabulary:
log - бревенчатый
picturesque - живописный
decay - разрушение
legacy - наследие
ostensibly - якобы
cemetery - кладбище
apse - апсида
parish - приход
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. What is the place where the architectural ensemble the Kizhi pogost is situated?
2. What is the etymology and the meaning of the word “pogost”?
3. How is the intricate pattern of cupolas and log structure emphasized?
4. How did the construction of churches survive?
5. What does the term “sky” mean in wooden church architecture?
6. What do you know about a bell tower of the Kizhi pogost?
7. What measures are taken today for saving the architectural ensemble?
II. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. The Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior formed the center of …, a term which by the 18th century had come to mean an enclosed cemetery with a parish or district church.
2. The core of the Transfiguration Church is …, rising in three tiers and buttressed by extensions ("arms") at the four compass points.
3. The design of this elaborate superstructure provided an efficient system of … to preserve the structure from decay.
4. This "sky" provided a culmination to the religious imagery of the icon screen in front of the …
5. … was intended for use only during major church holidays in the summer.
6) It was not uncommon in Russia to have … churches, for summer and winter.
7. The final element of the original pogost ensemble at Kizhi is ... with a tent roof between and in front of the two churches.
8. The middle and northern parts of Kizhi also have their …, brought to the island from villages in the surrounding area.
9. The Transfiguration Church is now undergoing a thorough, complex … that will enable it to survive as one of Russia’s defining monuments.
10. Whereas the Transfiguration Church soars, the Intercession accentuates the horizontal, with an extended …
III. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
remarkable, racy, to break down, intricacy, outline, dome, unusual, belfry, section, modest.
X. Retell the text.
The Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in New South Wales, Australia. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, opening in 1973 after a long gestation that began with his competition-winning design in 1957. The NSW Government, led by Premier Joseph Cahill gave the go-ahead for work to begin in 1958.
It is a modern expressionist design, with a series of large precast concrete "shells", each composed of sections of a sphere of 75.2 metres (246 ft 8.6 in) radius, forming the roofs of the structure, set on a monumental podium. The building covers 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres) of land and is 183 m (600 ft) long and 120 m (394 ft) wide at its widest point. It is supported on 588 concrete piers sunk as much as 25 m (82 ft) below sea level.
Although the roof structures are commonly referred to as "shells", they are precast concrete panels supported by precast concrete ribs, not shells in a strictly structural sense. The shells are covered in a subtle chevron pattern with 1,056,006 glossy white- and matte-cream-coloured Swedish-made tiles from Höganäs AB, a factory that generally produced stoneware tiles for the paper-mill industry. From a distance, though, the shells appear a uniform white.
Apart from the tile of the shells and the glass curtain walls of the foyer spaces, the building's exterior is largely clad with aggregate panels composed of pink granite quarried at Tarana. Significant interior surface treatments also include off-form concrete, Australian white birch plywood supplied from Wauchope in northern New South Wales, and brush box glulam.
Of the two larger spaces, the Concert Hall is in the western group of shells, the Joan Sutherland Theatre in the eastern group. The scale of the shells was chosen to reflect the internal height requirements, with low entrance spaces, rising over the seating areas up to the high stage towers. The smaller venues (the Drama Theatre, the Playhouse, and The Studio) are within the podium, beneath the Concert Hall. A smaller group of shells set to the western side of the Monumental Steps houses the Bennelong Restaurant. The podium is surrounded by substantial open public spaces, and the large stone-paved forecourt area with the adjacent monumental steps is regularly used as a performance space.
Active vocabulary :
performing arts - исполнительские виды искусства
to conceive - задумывать
go - ahead - разрешение или приказ к началу чего-л.
precast concrete - сборный бетон
pier - свая, столб
rib - нервюра
matte-cream-coloured - матово-кремового цвета
uniform - однородный
glass curtain wall - навесная стеклянная панель
to be clad - быть уложенным, отделанным, облицованным
to be quarried - быть добытым
off-form - без опалубки
plywood - фанера
brush box glulam - клеёная древесина тристании скрученной
venue - площадка, место проведения каких-л. мероприятий
forecourt - внешний двор, площадка перед зданием
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. Which state of Australia is the Sydney Opera House located in?
2. Who was the architect of the Opera House?
3. How many hectares does the Sydney Opera House cover?
4. How deep are the concrete piers sunk?
5. What are the shells of the Opera House covered with?
6. What do the interior treatments of the building include?
7. Which group of shells is the Concert Hall placed in?
8. What is placed beneath the Concert Hall?
9. What external area is often used as a performance space ?
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
to devise, permission, part, glossy, to cover, to provide, condition.
III. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. The Sydney Opera House was ... and largely built by Danish ... Jørn Utzon, opening in 1973 after a long gestation that began with his ... design in 1957.
2. The building ... 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres) of land and is 183 m (600 ft) ... and 120 m (394 ft) ... at its widest point.
3. The Opera House is ... on 588 concrete ... sunk as much as 25 m (82 ft) below sea ...
4. Although the ... structures are commonly ... to as "shells", they are precast concrete ... supported by precast concrete ribs.
5. The ... are covered in a subtle chevron ... with 1,056,006 glossy white- and matte-cream-coloured Swedish-made ... from Höganäs AB.
6. Significant interior surface ... also include off-form concrete, Australian white birch ... supplied from Wauchope in northern New South Wales, and brush box...
7. The scale of the shells was ... to reflect the internal height..., with low entrance spaces, rising over the seating ... up to the high stage towers.
8. The podium is surrounded by ... open public spaces, and the large stone-paved ... area with the adjacent monumental steps is ... used as a performance space.
X. Retell the text.
The Louvre Pyramid
The Louvre Pyramid is one of the most distinctive features of the Parisian landscape. Serving as the grand entrance of one of the world's finest museums, the pyramid was designed by famed architect I.M. Pei. Opened in 1989 at the bicentenary of the French Revolution, the Pyramid at the Louvre has become a symbol of the museum and of modern Paris.
The scale of the Louvre Pyramid is quite impressive. At the base, the pyramid of glass and steel is nearly 100 feet wide; the massive structure soars 72 feet, towering above the visitor promenade. 70 triangle-shaped and 603 diamond-shaped panes of glass were specially designed to let in the perfect amount of the light to the visitor centre below.
The Pyramid at the Louvre can be seen from the outside plaza and from below. The spacious lobby beneath is called the Hall Napoléon, serving as a visitor centre and an entry point into the massive museum — home to Leonardo da Vinci masterpieces and so much more. Escalators lead to public galleries and a spiral staircase descends from the Cour Napoléon, the central courtyard.
Leaving behind the Louvre Pyramid and heading into the museum, one'll find some of the world's greatest collections of art and cultural landmarks. The largest French national museum, which has been open since the 1790s, welcomes millions of visitors every year. So when you're standing in front of the Winged Victory statue, admiring the scope of the Islamic art collection, or embarking on a thematic tour, you'll find something to set your heart soaring. Heading back outside, a visitor'll have the chance to wander through lovely gardens and an open-air statue gallery, just a short stroll from the Louvre Pyramid.
The history of the Louvre Pyramid begins in the early 1980s when French President François Mitterrand commissioned the new addition to the historic museum. From the beginning, the plans stirred up controversy; many were concerned about a modern structure added to a building begun in the twelfth century. Even with this chapter in the history of the Louvre Pyramid, it's become one of the most visited landmarks in the entire world — along with other treasures such as the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Egyptian antiquities, and decorative objects once owned by French royalty.
There is a counterpart to the Pyramid at the Louvre — La Pyramide Inversée, opened in 1993. The inverted skylight towers over the Carrousel du Louvre, an underground shopping mall next to the Hall Napoléon. Below the glass pyramid, visitors'll find dozens of shops, cafes, and open spaces. It's a fine place to enjoy the views and the special displays. Every November, the exhibit space serves as one of the galleries for Paris Photo exhibition.
Active vocabulary :
landscape - ландшафт
bicentenary - двухсотлетие
scale - размер
to soar- возвышаться
panes of glass - стеклянные сегменты
lobby - вестибюль
masterpiece - шедевр
to descend - вести вниз
scope - масштаб
to embark on- начинать
controversy - разногласия
landmark - достопримечательность
antiquities - древности, древние артефакты
royalty - члены королевской семьи
skylight - застекленная крыша
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. What does the Louvre Pyramid serve as?
2. Whom was the pyramid designed by?
3. When was the pyramid opened?
4. What is the Louvre Pyramid made of?
5. What is the height of the pyramid?
6. How many triangle-shaped and diamond-shaped panes of glass does the pyramid consist of?
7. What is called the Hall Napoléon?
8. Whom was the Louvre Pyramid commissioned by?
9. What is La Pyramide Inversée?
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
peculiarity, size, to rise, square, to lead down, to saunter, copy.
III. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. Serving as the grand ... of one of the world's finest ..., the pyramid was designed by famed ... I.M. Pei.
2. Opened in 1989 at the ... of the French ..., the Pyramid at the Louvre has become a ... of the museum and of modern Paris.
3. At the ..., the pyramid of ... and steel is nearly 100 feet ...
4. The spacious ... beneath is called the Hall Napoléon, ... as a visitor ... and an entry point into the massive museum.
5. Escalators lead to public ... and a spiral ... descends from the Cour Napoléon, the central ...
6. The ... of the Louvre Pyramid begins in the early 1980s when French President François Mitterrand ... the new ...to the historic museum.
7. The inverted ... towers over the Carrousel du Louvre, an ... shopping ... next to the Hall Napoléon.
8. Every ..., the exhibit ... serves as one of the galleries for Paris ... exhibition.
X. Retell the text.
The Petronas Twin Towers
On April 15, 1996, the Council on Tall Buildings named the Petronas Towers the tallest in the world, passing the torch to a new continent. Although the project's developers, a consortium of private investors in association with the Malaysian government and Petronas, the national oil company, had not originally set out to surpass Chicago's Sears Tower, they did aspire to construct a monument announcing Kuala Lumpur's prominence as a commercial and cultural capital. In the design of American architect Cesar Pelli they found a winning scheme – twin towers of elegant proportions with a slenderness ratio (height to width) of 9.4 – that would capture not only the title but the public imagination.
Pelli's design answered the developer's call to express the 'culture and heritage of Malaysia' by evoking Islamic arabesques and employing repetitive geometries characteristic of Muslim architecture. In plan, an 8-point star formed by intersecting squares is an obvious reference to Islamic design; curved and pointed bays create a scalloped facade that suggests temple towers. The identical towers are linked by a bridge at the 41-st floor, creating a dramatic gateway to the city.
Because of the depth of the bedrock, the buildings were built on the world's deepest foundations. 104 concrete piles, ranging from 60 to 114 metres deep, were bored into the ground. The concrete raft foundation, comprising 13,200 cubic metres of concrete was continuously poured through a period of 54 hours for each tower. The raft is 4.6 metres thick, weighs 35,800 tons and held the world record for the largest concrete pour until 2007.
The structure is high-strength concrete, a material familiar to Asian contractors and twice as effective as steel in sway reduction. Supported by 75-by-75-foot concrete cores and an outer ring of widely-spaced super columns, the towers showcase a sophisticated structural system that accommodates its slender profile and provides from 14,000 to 22,000 square feet of column-free office space per floor.
Other features include a curtain wall of glass and stainless steel sun shades to diffuse the intense equatorial light; a double-decker lift system with a sky lobby transfer point on the 41-st floor to accommodate the thousands of people who use the complex daily; and a mixed-use base featuring a concert hall and shopping centre enveloped by nearly seventy acres of public parks and plazas.
In both engineering and design, the Petronas Towers succeed at acknowledging Malaysia's past and future, embracing the country's heritage while proclaiming its modernization. The end result, says Pelli, is a monument that is not specifically Malaysian, but will forever be identified with Kuala Lumpur.
Active vocabulary :
to surpass - превосходить
ratio - соотношение, пропорция
to capture - завоевать
heritage - наследие
arabesque - арабеска
repetitive - повторяющийся
to intersect - пересекать
bay - выступ, эркер
scalloped - зазубренный
raft foundation - сплошной фундамент
contractor - подрядчик
concrete core - железобетонный каркас
to showcase - демонстрировать
stainless steel - нержавеющая сталь
to diffuse - рассеивать
to envelop - окружать
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. What happened on April 15, 1996?
2. Who were the project's developers?
3. Who was the architect of the Petronas Towers?
4. What do the towers look like in plan?
5. Which floor are the towers linked at?
6. What was the reason for building the Petronas Towers on the world's deepest foundations?
7. What is the structure made of?
8. What type of lifts is used in the towers?
9. Where are the concert hall and shopping center placed?
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
syndicate, to exceed, evident, known, lessening, to demonstrate, complex.
III. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. On April 15, 1996, the ... on Tall Buildings named the Petronas Towers the ... in the world, passing the ... to a new continent.
2. In the design of ... architect Cesar Pelli they found a winning ... that would ... not only the title but the public imagination.
3. Pelli's design answered the ...'s call to express the 'culture and heritage of Malaysia' by evoking Islamic ... and employing repetitive ... characteristic of Muslim architecture.
4. The identical ... are linked by a ... at the 41-st floor, creating a dramatic ... to the city.
5. The concrete ... foundation, comprising 13,200 cubic metres of ... was continuously ... through a period of 54 hours for each tower.
6. The structure is ... concrete, a material ... to Asian contractors and twice as effective as steel in ... reduction.
7. In both ... and ..., the Petronas Towers ... at acknowledging Malaysia's past and future.
8. The end ..., says Pelli, is a monument that is not ... Malaysian, but will forever be ... with Kuala Lumpur.
X. Retell the text.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
World-famous architect Philip Johnson called the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao "the greatest building of our time." It is "a miracle," said The New York Times. Certainly, few buildings in history have generated so much praise or have so greatly changed a city as Frank Gehry's museum on the industrial riverfront of Bilbao.
The city, once the culturally moribund commercial centre of Spain's Basque region, was revitalized by the 1997 opening of this radically unconventional museum - an irregular fusion of limestone, glass, and a shell of thousands of lustrous titanium sheets.
Admirers have compared the museum to a titanium clipper ship under full sail (harking back to Bilbao's shipbuilding history) and to a spaceship from Alpha Centauri (underlining the museum's futuristic look, an apt setting for its collection of contemporary art). To one Spanish novelist, the blaze of titanium and light is a "meteorite."
Critics, on the other hand, have described the museum as looking like a cauliflower or a large soufflé. In any case, few visitors remain unmoved upon entering the museum's 150-foot-high atrium, from which glass lifts and metal walkways lead to 19 exhibition spaces – including the world's largest gallery, measuring 426 feet long and 98 feet wide. The ground-floor galleries suit large-scale artworks and installations, and some pieces were specifically made to fit their exhibit spaces, among them Richard Serra's Serpent.
Works of art displayed at "El Guggy" come from New York's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and from the Basque government. Pieces range from abstract expressionist to cubist and geometrical, and include many big names of 20th-century art: Kandinsky, Picasso, Pollock, De Kooning.
Still, the museum itself remains the main attraction. Visitors gaze out through tall windows, running their eyes along the museum's titanium ripples. They've never seen anything like this before!
Active vocabulary :
moribund - угасающий
limestone - известняк
sheets - пластины
lustrous - блестящий
apt - подходящий
cauliflower - цветная капуста
walkway - переход, проход
ripples - волнистые формы
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. In what word did The New York Times describe the Guggenheim Museum?
2. Who was the architect of the museum?
3. Where is Bilbao situated?
4. When was the museum opened?
5. What are the exterior walls of the Guggenheim Museum covered with?
6. What did critics compare the museum to?
7. What is the height of the museum's atrium?
8. What do works of art come to the Guggenheim Museum from?
9. Whose works can be seen in the museum?
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
wonder, acclaim, completely, plate, modern, big, look.
III. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. Few buildings in history have generated so much ... or have so greatly changed a ... as Frank Gehry's museum on the ... riverfront of Bilbao.
2. The city was ... by the 1997 opening of this radically ... museum - an irregular fusion of ..., glass, and a ... of thousands of lustrous titanium ...
3. Admirers have ... the museum to a titanium clipper ... under full ... and to a spaceship from Alpha Centauri.
4. ... have described the ... as looking like a ... or a large soufflé.
5. Few visitors remain ... upon entering the museum's 150-foot-high ..., from which glass ... and metal ... lead to 19 exhibition spaces – including the world's largest ..., measuring 426 feet ... and 98 feet ...
6. The ... galleries suit large-scale ... and ..., and some pieces were specifically made to ... their exhibit spaces, ... them Richard Serra's Serpent.
7. Works of art ... at "El Guggy" ... from New York's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and from the Basque ...
8. Visitors ... out through tall ..., running their eyes along the museum's titanium ...
X. Retell the text.
EXERCISES
I. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the largest of the Russian Orthodox Church, … can up to 10,000 people.
2. The walls are up to 3.2 meters …, and the total space of the structure is 542,000 cubic meters.
3. The cathedral was … as a monument to the incredible bravery the Russian people showed in their … against Napoleon`s army in 1812.
4. The cathedral was … with donations from the public.
5. He devised a … cathedral in the Neo-Byzantine style.
6. The lower was decorated with 177 marble plates that detail the … of the Patriotic War of 1812.
7. The first electrical … in Moscow were installed on the square in front of the cathedral.
8. Professor Mikhail Spassky of Moscow University designed a special system of ...
9. The pool … over 130 meters in diameter, with a maximum depth of 6 meters.
10. An observation platform was also … at the bell tower level.
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
project, think up, imitation, statue, invent, corner, defeat, characterize, adjudge, amount.
X. Retell the text.
The Gherkin
30 St Mary Axe, better known by its nickname Gherkin, is one of the most eye-catching buildings in London and it stands out prominently in the city's skyline. The Gherkin is one of several modern buildings that have been built over the years in a historic area of London.
Construction of the Gherkin was commissioned by Swiss Re, a reinsurance company. The 41-storey skyscraper was built in 2004 after a modern glass and steel design by the architectural firm of Foster and Partners. Originally known as the Swiss Re Building, it was later renamed to its street address 30 St. Mary Axe after Swiss Re sold the building in 2007. Even before its construction was complete Londoners dubbed the building the 'Gherkin' for its distinctive shape, and it is still known by that name.
The tower was built in the heart of London's financial centre at the site of the 1903 Baltic Exchange Building which had been damaged by a terrorist attack in 1992. The construction of a glittering high-tech building in the middle of a relatively low-rise area with plenty of historic buildings and narrow medieval streets set off a new debate about the need for tall buildings in the City of London. But even as many new skyscrapers are now built in Canary Wharf - well outside the city's historic centre - the Gherkin has acted as a catalyst for the growing cluster of high-rises in the City.
The cigar-shaped structure has a steel frame with circular floor plans and a glass facade with diamond-shaped panels. The swirling striped pattern visible on the exterior is the result of the building's energy-saving system which allows the air to flow up through spiraling wells.
On the street level, the Gherkin's base is well integrated with an open public plaza. Huge white X braces create a dramatic entrance. The top of the tower, where visitors find an open hall covered by a glass conical dome is even more spectacular. From here you have great views over the city. Unfortunately the building is not open to the public.
Its unique, bold and energy efficient design has won the Gherkin many awards including the Stirling Prize (2004), the London Region Award (2004), and the Emporis Skyscraper Award (2003).
Active vocabulary :
eye - catching - привлекающий внимание
reinsurance company - перестраховочная компания
skyscraper - небоскрёб
to dub - давать прозвище
gherkin - корнишон
glittering - блестящий, сверкающий
medieval - средневековый
catalyst - катализатор
steel frame - стальной каркас
swirling - закручивающийся
well - вентиляционная шахта
plaza - открытая площадка
brace – перекладина
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. Who was the commissioner of the Gherkin?
2. How many storeys are there in the skyscraper?
3. When was the Gherkin built?
4. Who built the skyscraper?
5. What was the original name of the building?
6. What site was 30 St Mary Axe built at?
7. What is the skyscraper built of?
8. What was the reason for creating swirling striped pattern of the exterior?
9. What is at the top of the Gherkin?
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
noticeable, to order, floor, centre, discussion, group, unparalleled.
III. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. 30 St Mary Axe, better known by its ... Gherkin, is one of the most eye-catching buildings in London and it stands out ... in the city's ...
2. ... of the Gherkin was ... by Swiss Re, a ... company.
3. Originally known as the Swiss Re Building, it was later ... to its street ... 30 St. Mary Axe after Swiss Re ... the building in 2007.
4. Even before its ... was complete Londoners ... the building the 'Gherkin' for its ... shape, and it is still known by that name.
5. The tower was built in the ... of London's financial centre at the ... of the 1903 Baltic Exchange Building which had been ... by a terrorist attack in 1992.
6. The cigar-shaped ... has a steel frame with ... floor plans and a glass ... with diamond-shaped panels.
7. On the street ..., the Gherkin's ... is well integrated with an open ... plaza.
8. The top of the ..., where visitors find an open hall ... by a glass conical ... is even more spectacular.
X. Retell the text.
Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa, known as Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the tallest man-made structure in the world, standing at 829.8 m (2,722 ft). Construction began on 21 September 2004, with the exterior of the structure completed on 1 October 2009. The building officially opened on 4 January 2010. The tower's architecture and engineering were performed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago, with Adrian Smith as chief architect, and Bill Baker as chief structural engineer.
Burj Dubai is the development’s crowning glory in every sense, a building that has pushed the boundaries of design and engineering further than many thought possible. Excavation work for the tower began soon after the announcement of its launch, with more than 60 contractors and consultants joining forces on a project of unprecedented scale and ambition. When construction work was at its most intense, more than 12,000 people from over 100 countries were working every day at the Burj Dubai site. In total, Burj Dubai took 22 million man hours to build.
Standing at more than 800 metres (2,625 ft), Burj Dubai captivates audiences with its height. But its construction underground is equally worthy of fascination. More than 45,000 cubic metres (1.59 million cubic ft) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes, make up the tower’s steel-reinforced foundations with 192 piles running to a depth of over 50 metres (164 ft).
Extensive seismic and wind tunnel testing was carried out to perfect the design of the tower. The triple-buttressed shape of Burj Dubai allows it to manage the effect of wind vortices generated around the tower, as well as changes in atmospheric pressure between its base and spire.
The main construction material of Burj Dubai is reinforced concrete, specially designed to withstand the staggering pressures inherent in the world’s tallest building. In total, Burj Dubai employs a record-breaking 330,000 cubic meters (11.6 million cubic feet) of concrete; 39,000 metric tonnes of reinforced steel; 103,000 sq m (1.1 million sq ft) of double glazed glass; and 15,500 sq m (166,800 sq ft) of embossed stainless steel.
Work on the glass and aluminium exterior cladding of Burj Dubai started in May 2007 and was completed in September 2009. Nearly 400 skilled engineers were assigned to the project. At the outset, around 20-30 cladding panels were installed each day. The daily rate of installation reached 175 panels as the project neared completion. Burj Dubai has set a new world record for the highest installation of an aluminium and glass façade, at 512 metres (1,679.8 ft). A staggering total of 24,348 panels cover a curtain wall area of 132,190 square metres (1.4 million sq ft). But the Burj Dubai’s shimmering exterior is designed to minimise heat transmission into the building itself, therefore saving energy. Condensation from the panels is also collected and used for landscape irrigation. Burj Dubai’s spire may resemble a needle at ground level, but in reality it is a colossal structure made up of 4,000 tonnes of structural steel. Nor is it exclusively ornamental, housing as it does communications equipment for the tower.
With a total built up area of around 6 million square feet, Burj Dubai is set to become a living, vibrant community in the heart of Dubai. Around 2 million square feet inside the tower is dedicated to luxury residential apartments, while more than 300,000 square feet is allocated for office space. Countless artworks by prominent Middle Eastern and international artists, including sculptures and various contemporary installations, adorn the interiors of Burj Dubai and line Emaar Boulevard throughout Downtown Burj Dubai.
A total of 57 elevators and eight escalators serve people living, working and enjoying their leisure time inside the tower. Burj Dubai has four swimming pools, a cigar lounge, residents’ lounge, the fine dining restaurant ‘Atmosphere’, and a variety of health and fitness facilities. Moreover, the tower’s 124th floor observation deck, ‘At the Top, Burj Dubai’, offers 360-degree views of the city and is open to the public. Burj Dubai features ‘The Offices’, a 12-storey annex of prime office space; ‘The Club’, a four-storey health and fitness centre; and ‘Armani/Pavilion’, an outdoor entertainment venue that opens onto the Burj Dubai Lake and The Dubai Fountain, described as the world’s tallest ‘performing fountain’.
Demonstrating that Burj Dubai is more than just a building, its creators have perfected a written narrative that evokes 
the tower’s soul. Visitors to the ‘At The Top, Burj Dubai’ observation deck can read the ‘I am Burj Dubai’ legend. Its opening stanza reads: “I am the power that lifts the world’s head proudly skywards, surpassing limits and expectations. Rising gracefully from the desert and honouring the city with a new glory, I am an extraordinary union of engineering and art, with every detail carefully considered and beautifully crafted…”
Bringing Burj Khalifa to life required a combination of visionary ideals and solid science. In the process, the project amassed an awe-inspiring number of facts, figures, and statistics.
Active vocabulary :
to perform - исполнять
glory - слава
launch - ввод в эксплуатацию
unprecedented - беспрецедентный
steel-reinforced - армированный сталью
to manage - справиться
vortices - вихрь
spire - шпиль
staggering - неустойчивый
glazed glass - глазурованное стекло
equipment - оборудование
annex - пристройка
EXERCISES
1. Fill the gaps in the following sentences:
1. The building … opened on 4 January 2010.
2. Burj Dubai is the development’s … , a building that has pushed the boundaries of design and engineering further than many thought possible.
3. When construction work was at its most intense, more than … were working every day at the Burj Dubai site.
4. Standing at more than 800 metres (2,625 ft), Burj Dubai … with its height.
5. Extensive seismic and wind tunnel testing … perfect the design of the tower.
6. The main construction material of Burj Dubai is reinforced concrete, specially designed to withstand the … in the world’s tallest building.
7. Burj Dubai has set … for the highest installation of an aluminium and glass façade, at 512 metres (1,679.8 ft).
8. Condensation from the panels is also collected and used …
9. Burj Dubai’s spire may resemble …, but in reality it is a colossal structure made up of 4,000 tonnes of structural steel.
10. With a total built up area of around 6 million square feet, Burj Dubai is set to become a … in the heart of Dubai.
II. Find in the text the synonyms for the following words:
artificial, fame, unique, whirlpool, confront, weaving, use, determine, present-day, appropriate.
X. Retell the text.
REVISON QUESTIONS:
1. What are the most important structures of the Moscow Kremlin?
2. What is the official name of Saint Basil's Cathedral?
3. How many major phases did Versailles evolve in?
4. How did the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles look inside?
5. What appointment did Christopher Wren get in 1669?
6. What does the tympanum of St. Paul's Cathedral depict?
7. What did Rastrelli do for architectural image of Peterhof?
8. What was the Peter and Paul Fortress converted to?
9. What do you know about a bell tower of the Kizhi pogost?
10. What are the shells of the Sydney Opera House covered with?
11. Who was the architect of the Sydney Opera House?
12. What is the Louvre Pyramid made of?
13. What does the Louvre Pyramid serve as?
14. What was the reason for building the Petronas Towers on the world's deepest foundations?
15. What do the Petronas Towers look like in plan?
16. What are the exterior walls of the Guggenheim Museum covered with?
17. In what word did The New York Times describe the Guggenheim Museum?
18. How many people can the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour accommodate?
19. What site was 30 St Mary Axe built at?
20. Which records does Burj Halifa hold?
SOURCES:
1. http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Sydney+Opera+House
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Kremlin
3.http://moscow.ru/en/guide/entertainment/attractions/monasteries_cathedrals_and_c hurches/index.php?id4=194
4.http://rbth.com/articles/2011/01/28/the_churches_of_kizhi_russias_sacred_island_1 2318.html
5. http://skyscraper.org/TALLEST_TOWERS/t_petronas.htm
6. http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/gherkin.htm
7. http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/stpaulscathedral.htm
8. http://www.destination360.com/europe/france/paris/louvre-pyramid
9. http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Versailles.aspx
10. http://www.famous-historic-buildings.org.uk/russia_7.html
11. http://www.moscow.info/red-square/st-basils-cathedral.aspx
12. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=534013&page=1288
МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ
РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ
НОВОСИБИРСКАЯ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННАЯ
АРХИТЕКТУРНО-ХУДОЖЕСТВЕННАЯ АКАДЕМИЯ
Кафедра иностранных языков
В.В. КОСТРОВ, Д.В. ШИФМАН
Дата: 2019-03-05, просмотров: 259.
