Quite a few Master indulge in unthinkable adventures in art using unusual materials. The renowned Artist, Scott Weaver wave a real but complicated and truly absorbing sculpture “Rolling through the Bay”, using household toothpicks. He made this outstanding piece technically universal, by sourcing the raw material which is the toothpicks, from around the world, through friends, relatives and from where he traveled himself.

The sculpture, showing San Francisco and its tourist attractions, was completed 35 years ago using over 1’00’000 toothpicks. He still continues to add, details with newly sourced material. Just imagine the long intensive hard work put into this project in over 3000 hours that the artist estimates.

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Scott Weaver comments that the ‘Heart’ displayed in the Palace of Fine Arts, was made from toothpicks that people wasted at his wedding.

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The expiatory church of La Sagrada Familia has since become a sign of identity of Barcelona, Spain. In fact it is promoted by peoples’ will and inspiring religious beliefs. 125 years have passed and construction is still going on at a slow pace and is expected to complete in early 21st century.

La Sagrada Familia is a private expiatory under construction church, dedicated to Holy Family. It is managed by ecclesiastical foundation that controls budgets and building project in accordance with guide lines of Antoni Gaudi.

The private casual funds generate from donatives admission fee paid by about 3 million visitors every year. They come to appreciate and study the architectural and religious aspects. Gaudi’s works depict symbolic Christianity all over. He displays faith—Jesus and Virgin Mary—The Apostles, Evangelists and Saints in appropriate mode and suggestive symbolizing architecture and carvings around the church interior and in 18 bell towers.

History:

Josep Maria Bocebella Verguer founded the Spiritual Association of Devotees of Saint Joseph in 1866. They decided to construct an expiatory church dedicated to the Holy Family in 1874. Generous donations were received and a plot measuring 12’800 sq. meter was bought in 1881 in the centre of Barcelona city. The foundation stone was laid on 19th March 1882 (on Saint Joseph Feast) by the Bishop of Barcelona. The building initiated with Neo-Gothic design representing crypt beneath the apse by the architect Francisco de Paula Villar. However, early disagreements made him resign and Antoni Gaudi took charge.

Antoni Gaudi was an outstanding figure of Catalan Culture and known in International Architectural circles for creating very lively works and landscapes that appeal to human senses.

Gaudi received an anonymous large donation in around 1890. He then aspired to scrap the present plan and redesign and built a huge monumental structure incorporating better innovations, high towers and sophisticated detailed sculpture formations to explain the teachings of Gospels. In 1882 he laid foundations of Nativity façade, completed the apse façade in 1894 and the Roser door of Nativity Cloister in 1899.

He also built Temporary schools for children of workers of La Sagrada Familia. Nativity Façade model was displayed in 1910 in Paris at Grand Palais, by Eusebi Guell. The work commenced in 1882 using old means. Gaudi sensed the task difficulties and deviated from traditions. He adopted modern techniques to speed up work and create better quality. He had railway track laid suitable for small wagons for easy transport of materials. Employed cranes and built workshops at site for convenience. He replaced manual tools by electric machines and gadgets for finer workmanship.

2000: The Central Nave Vaults were completed. Work began on Glory Façade foundations. On Millennium occasion, a mass was held inside the church so that the people could view the Grandeur and spread of detailed craftsmanship.

2001: The Passion Façade was completed. Joan Villa Grau installed the stained glass windows, dedicated to the Resurrection. Center of crossing four columns were completed.

2002: International Gaudi year and his 150th birth anniversary were celebrated by Barcelona Council. La Sagrada Familia participated fully by commissioning Temporary schools and holding a show “Night of Light and Fire” on 1st June. Special Illuminations and a memorable Castle of fireworks was the main highlight of this event. The wall of prophets and patriarchs, located in the Passion Façade was completed by Josep Maria.

2005: The Eucharistic symbols of bread and wine sculptured by a Japanese Etsuro Sotoo were placed in Central Nave window. Ascension sculpture was placed between Façade Towers.

2006-8: Glory Façade Choir and apse vaults were completed.

2008-10: The Vaults of apse and crossing are completed so that the Central Lantern Tower could be finished. This Lantern will be crowned by a 170m high cross, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Four more towers, dedicated to evangelists will surround central tower.

Construction of the main Façade will complete the Church La Sagrada Familia.

Photo wikimedia.org

The ruler of Dubai, Sh. Muhammed bin Rashid al Makdoum, wanted Dubai to be known for something very special and unique, besides his intention to diversify from trade base economy to a service and tourism oriented. Burj Dubai has returned the title to the Middle East, once again, for having the tallest building. This was snatched by Lincoln Cathedral, England, in 1311 from the Great Pyramid of Giza (Middle East) which remained the highest man made structure for four millennium years.

Burj Dubai is designed by M/s Skidmore Owings and Merrill – Andrian Smith being the main architect till 2006. This company also designed Willis Tower in Chicago, World Trade Centre in New York, besides numeral high rises. This design is similar to planned tower The Illinois, a mile high skyscraper. The original intention of promoters of Burj Dubai was a residential tower with 73 floors. Andrian Smith proposed major changes in height to make top crown section to look more elegant. The steel frame super structure (antenna) at the top is designed so as to vary its height as desired to maintain the tallest rating.

The Burj design resembles the flower Hymenocallis. The three lobed elements wrap around the tower core, rising in spiral form. The cross section area is reduced in periodic set-backs, narrowing the tower as it rises. The Y-shape structure design offers wide aerial view of the Persian Gulf from all sides. The exterior of the building is covered by stainless steel panels, glazed for maximum reflection of light and heat to with stand and reduce extreme summer temperatures to comfortable levels. However, top floors will stay 6oC (11oF) cooler than the base floors-by height differential. The structural design limits the tower sway by wind pressures to a maximum of 1.2m (4ft) at the highest point.

The construction contractor is Samsung Engineering and Construction. They also built PETRONAS Twin Towers and Taipei 101. The structure uses reinforced concrete. The tower base is supported by 192 concrete piles dug in 50m (164ft) deep. The huge height needed concrete pumping by very special pumps. Most of the concrete, mixed with ice, was poured at night to prolong setting time for uniform cool curing to avoid any cracking possibility, under massive weight of the structure.

The seven hundred private apartments have been laid out on floors 45 through 108. These were sold completely within the same day of offer. The Armani Hotel occupies lower 37 floors. The remaining floors and spiral towers will house thousands of office suites and mini homes. A swimming pool is located at 78th floor, while 123rd is a lobby. 124th floor will contain indoor / outdoor observation / security deck. The top spire will hold communication equipments. An estimated 38000 persons can be housed at one time. Double deck super fast elevators are being installed. Further the project includes, 7 acre Parkland, Dubai Mall and a 30 acre man made Dubai Lake.

Dubai Fountain

A very costly (DH 800 Million) fountain has been installed on the outside of Burj Dubai, this is 900 ft long and shoots water jets 500 ft upwards. Over 600 lights through 50 color projectors illuminate it, accompanied by world class and traditional music.

Check illustration

Height Increases History

The original plan was a 73 story residential building. The upper limit was revised many times (secretly) probably to push through height ratings. These changes created a sort of history as it rose above the recorded towers one by one. In February 2007, it crossed the Willis Tower. Continuing progress over other middle order ones, it topped the highest Warsaw Radio Mast in Poland, Standing at 628.8m (1815ft.), on first September 2008. Burj Dubai achieved its ultimate height, finishing at 818m (2684ft.) on 17th January 2009. Inauguration is expected in December 2009.

The National Geographic and other TV Channels have shown documentaries on the Big, Bigger and Biggest series, detailing the typical engineering challenges faced by the builders during construction, compelling design changes and altering completion schedule twice.

Technical Statistics on the World’s Tallest Sky Scrapper and (Part of Downtown Burj Dubai Project)

Building height: 818m (2684 ft.) – (Half mile or 0.8 Km)

Top Antenna or Spire: 200 m (700 ft.)

Floors and Area: 162 usable floors, each 334’000m2 (3’595’100 sq. ft.)

Architect: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (Adrian Smith till 2006)

Developer: EMAAR Properties, South Korea.

Completion: Expected 2nd December 2009 (Extended Twice) Construction started 21st September 2004

Occupancy: Offices, Hotels and Residences.

Previous Highest building: Taipei (101 Floors) 509.2 m (1671 ft.) and Willis Tower (Sears Tower) 527.3m (including antenna)

Price Project: Burj Dubai over US& 4 Billion while total Downtown Burj Dubai US& 20 Billion.

Price Office: Over US$ 43’000 per m2 (2009)

Price Residence: Over US$ 38’000 per m2 (2009)

Record Comparisons:

Burj Dubai Previous Tallest

Tallest with 160 Floors                                                                      World Trade Centre 110 Floors

1. Tallest Free Standing Structure 818m                                           KVLY TV Host 628.8m
2. Tallest Free Standing Structure 818m                                          CN Tower 553.3m

World’s Fastest Elevators at speeds of 60 km/h or 16.7m / second. First World’s tallest building to include residential homes.

Burj Dubai or Dubai Tower,The World’s Tallest Sky Scrapper

The Malaysian Twin Towers (88 floors) were considered the world’s tallest building when completed in 1998 and remained so till 2004 when Taipei surpassed it with 101 floors. The other comparable towers were the Willis Towers and the World Trade Center Twin-Towers with 110 floors. Quite often tall pinnacles or antennas are erected at the top to increase height rating.

The standard rules differ. However, according to U.S. based CTBUH such antennas are regarded superficial structures to confuse height and do not add to structural use or design. Accordingly when Willis Towers 250 ft. tall antenna was excluded, the PETRONAS Tower was assessed 10 meters higher.

The PETRONAS Towers are designed by architect Cesar Pelli. These Towers have the deepest bedrock or a 120 meter deep concrete foundation. The beautiful design reflects Islamic motif art and its circular structure presents a very picturesque outlook. High strength reinforced concrete is used for stability against strong winds. The Tower’s main strength comes from its 23 x 23 meters in concrete core. The supporting columns spread in outer circle to provide clear office space ranging up to 2000sqm each floor.

The floors below ground level, house Suria KLCC, the biggest shopping mall. It also has KLCC Park spread over 66,000 sqms. jogging paths, fountains, pools and children playgrounds are all provided. Further Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra is also there.

PETRONAS Twin Towers Occupants

The PETRONAS and their subsidiary companies and associates occupy Tower One. The Tower two tenants include well reputed companies like Al-Jazera, English Boeing, IBM, Mckinsey & Co., Microsoft, Reuters, Krawler Network and so on.

Twin Towers Sky Bridge

The two storey bridge is build connecting the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors. The world’s highest bridge is 58m long and weighs 750 tons. Visitors are allowed up to the bridge through free passes. The sky bridge is also a safety device for facilitating evacuation in case of any emergency in any tower. The staircases and multiple lift systems are sufficient for total evacuation if needed. A drill trial was conducted successfully.

The lifts

Otis lifts are installed in the centre of each tower. The double Decker lifts service two floors at a time. This sophisticated system consists of dozens of lifts arranged for “short haul” servicing floors up to 20 and “long haul” servicing up to floors 42, the podium. From here people change lifts to reach top floors in pattern, similar to lower floors. Besides these, “shuttle lifts” operate non-stop from G/1 to floor 42. In case of emergency these help vacate people from top floors quickly.

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