15 OUTSTANDING EXAMPLES OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN ENGLAND

15 OUTSTANDING EXAMPLES OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN ENGLAND England plays a critical role in the modern world, and British architecture is considered one of the most modern in the world.

1. MUSEUM OF THE US AIR FORCE IN CAMBRIDGE Projecting the stunning beauty of the museum, the Norman Foster paid tribute to all the American airmen who died during the Second World War and in the wars in Vietnam and Korea. The building, located in the British city of Cambridge, was built in 1997. Aged in a contemporary style facade of the building in its shape resembles a huge hangar. In the inner space of the museum you can see the legendary American aircraft of the war years, most of which are suspended in the air with the help of special cables, which creates the effect of full realism.

2. THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMPANY "WILLIS" IN IPSWICH The headquarters of the insurance company Willis Group Holdings, located in the small English town of Ipswich, was built in 1975. The facade of the building form a large panel of dark glass. The interior is open and well-lit office space. It is worth noting that the building for the first time brought the Norman Foster professional recognition in his native country and abroad, it was one of the first masterpieces of architecture of hightech.

3. AQUATICS CENTRE IN LONDON It’s located in the UK capital and was built specifically for the Olympic Games. It is not the most complex Hadid project, but its popularity will give odds to many. President Jacques Rogge of the International Olympic Committee called the water sports center "a true masterpiece. " According to the authors, the form of the building simulate the movement of water and smooth geometry in combination with the curved surfaces make it stand out against other urban facilities.

4. WESTMINSTER ACADEMY IN LONDON Westminster Academy, which opened in London in 2008, was nominated for the prestigious architectural award Stirling. This Academy set new educational standards that meet all the requirements of modern teaching methods. It is quite simple in form building captivate passers-by with their colorful facades, which alternates glazed ceramic tiles and colorful green and yellow shades. Interiors Academy colors comparable with expressive facades. The Academy structure includes a spacious entrance hall, an auditorium, a café, a library, a gym, a "green room" (lecture hall), and a rooftop restaurant.

5. OBSERVATION TOWERSCULPTURE "ARCELOR MITTAL ORBIT" IN LONDON 115 -meter-high observation tower "Orbit Arcelor Mittal" is located in the Olympic Park in London. "Orbit" was designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Belmondo to perpetuate for future generations the incredible hospitality of the 2012 Olympic Games. The tower is located between the main Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Center, which allows park visitors to appreciate the beauty of the Olympic Village with two circular observation platform at the top of the tower.

6. THE NEW STADIUM "WEMBLEY" IN LONDON Football stadium "Wembley" is located in London. It was opened in 2007 on the site of the old stadium. The modern stadium, designed for 90 thousand seats second capacity in Europe (the first place belongs to the legendary "Camp Nou" in Barcelona). At the stadium there is a unique retractable roof. However, it is known primarily its lattice "arch of Wembley", reaching 134 m in height.

7. SKYSCRAPER "BITHEM TOWER" IN MANCHESTER Multi-functional 47 -storey skyscraper "Bithem Tower" was built in Manchester in 2006. The author of the project was the Ian Simpson. This skyscraper that reaches 168 meters high, is considered the tallest building outside London and the 11 th tallest in the UK. The shape of the building resembles a giant razor. The first 22 floors are occupied four-star hotel "Hilton", and on the 23 rd is the most luxurious restaurant with panoramic views of Manchester. The remaining floors are rented for offices.

8. "URBIS" MUSEUM IN MANCHESTER Museum "Urbis" is a modern exhibition space in Manchester. It was opened in 2002 as part of a major reconstruction of the Bourse. The building has seven floors. Curiously, the inspection of the entire exposition begins from the top floor, where the tourists climb the elevator. At first, this modern complex is conceived as a museum about the life of Manchester, which was extremely unprofitable. Therefore, in 2004 it was decided to change the status of the "Urbis", and the museum it turned into a large exhibition center dedicated to British pop culture. The change of status and cancellation of admission has led to unprecedented growth in popularity of the Manchester Museum.

9. "CITY HALL" IN LONDON "City Hall" was opened in 2002. Total construction cost is about 65 million pounds. The building has a convex shape, which reduces the actual surface area, thereby saving power consumption. The building's design is strongly reminiscent of the dome of the Reichstag, with its spiral staircase and an oval shape. The entire complex surrounds a long gallery. On the upper floors is a platform for conferences, meetings and exhibitions.

10. SKYSCRAPER "SHARD" IN LONDON Skyscraper "Shard" (translation from English -. "Splinter") was built by the famous architect Renzo Piano in London in 2012. 72 -storey building height of 309 meters has become one of the symbols of modern London. The skyscraper consists of office part (from the first to 28 th floors), restaurants and bars (31 -33 floors), the hotel complex (34 -52) and 10 luxury apartments (in the last 20 floors), also located on the top floor observation deck. Skyscraper "Shard" is considered to be the tallest building in Western Europe

11. BRIDGE "MILLENNIUM" IN GATESHEAD The first tilting bridge "Millennium" in the world, built in 2001, passes through the River Tyne and connects the city of Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne. Constructive basis of the bridge is two steel arches, one of which is located at an altitude of 50 meters above the water surface, and on the other, horizontal, moving pedestrians and cyclists. Also under the horizontal arch can pass river vessels of medium and low altitude. When approaching the bridge high vessel unable to pass through a small gap, the two arches are rotated 40 ° around the axis. During this maneuver the characteristic bridge was nicknamed "winking eye".

12. RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX "SELFRIDGES" IN BIRMINGHAM Shopping and entertainment complex "Selfridges" was designed by Future Systems architectural office in Birmingham in 2003. The complex includes a variety of cafes, recreation areas, several areas for events. One of the most important elements of the complex is suspended transition to a parking lot. The main facing material of this controversial building are aluminum wheels, by which creates the illusion of shimmering silver wave. The architecture of the complex "Selfridges" extremely ambiguous and caused a lot of disputes between judges something extraordinary and admirers of the classics.

13. SKYSCRAPER MARY AXE IN LONDON Skyscraper, nicknamed "cucumber-house" was built in 2004. Located in London's financial center building is considered one of the most environmentally friendly in the world and has the status of "the greenest skyscraper. " Such a high score for environmental friendliness of this masterpiece of modern architecture in the first place ensure the natural ventilation system, elaborate architectural firm of Norman Foster, and which lie within the green areas of the complex. The main area of the "Cucumber" occupied many offices of Swiss Re. The first floor is open to all visitors, and are located in the upper expensive cafes and restaurants with panoramic views of the city. It is worth noting that Mary Axe was the most expensive building the UK, beating the Swiss insurance company in a record 630 million pounds.

14. THE LIBRARY OF BIRMINGHAM One of the largest public libraries in Europe was officially opened in Birmingham in 2013. The authorship of this incredible project owned by a Dutch studio Mecanoo. The main feature of the building, of course, is its facade, lined with aluminum and gold bars. Separate words worth mentioning, and open plan with plenty of public areas - emphasis on group sessions, during which the noise is not considered a hindrance. The roof of the library - operated, and her garden, offering stunning views of the second largest city in England.

15. FERRIS WHEEL "LONDON EYE" IN LONDON "London Eye“ is one of the largest Ferris wheel in the world. It was built in London's Lambeth spouses project architects David Marks and Julia Barfield in 1999. "Eye" consists of 32 fully enclosed and airconditioned cabins for passengers, capsules, made in the form of eggs. These booths symbolize the 32 suburbs of London. Each 10 -ton capsule can accommodate up to 25 passengers. Especially spectacular wheel looks at night due to the lighting system, which can be operated manually. Recently, "London Eye" was recognized as one of the most famous sites in the world.