1. Modern Architecture

2. 1. What do they look like each?
2. Can we find similar lines/shapes in nature?

3. Pre-reading
Look at the title and guess which of the following topics will the text be about?
( ) 1.The text is about architecture.
( ) 2.Some modern architecture takes examples from nature.
( )3.The text is about parks and gardens.

4. Reading and Post-reading
Read the passage quickly to divide it into parts and find out the main idea of each part.
Part 1(1 para.)
Part 2(2-4 para.)
Part 3(5 para.)
Part 4(6-8 para.)
Architecture looks at the man-made living environment.
Modernism and modern buildings
Ancient architecture
Some modern architecture takes examples from nature.

5. Reading and Post-reading
Read carefully and pay attention to the main points and then answer some questions about them.
1. What’ modernism?
2. Can you describe modern buildings? Their materials, sizes and styles, as well as your feeling?
3. What about ancient architecture?

6. Reading and Post-reading
Differences between modern and ancient architecture:
modern
traditional
size
style
material
feeling
huge
small
no straight lines and
sharp corners, like
things in nature
straight lines, flat roofs,
sharp corners, glass walls
steel, concrete, glass, plastic
stone, brick, wood
hard, unfriendly
warm, friendly

7. Reading and Post-reading
But,
do all modern buildings look hard and unfriendly?
Any examples?

8. “Nature does not has any straight lines.”
Antonio Gaodi
——Spanish architect

9. Casa Batllo Balconies look like eyes. Walls look like
Roofs look like the back of a dragon.
Balconies
look like eyes.
Walls look like
the skin of fish.
Casa Batllo

10. Frank Lloyd Wright
—— American

11. Guggenheim Museum, New York,
completed in 1959

12. Sydney Opera House, symbol of Australia
designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, completed in 1973

13. seashells / ship sails

14. What idea do you
think the architect
wants to express?
The Olympic Stadium in Beijing , nicknamed "bird's nest"

15. Reading and Post-reading
Suggested answers:
1. In one of his designs, Antonio Gaudi designed balconies that look like eyes; parts of buildings that look like bones; walls that look as if they are covered with the skin of a fish; roofs that look like the back of a dragon.
2. Frank Lloyd Wright designed a building that looks like a Japanese seashell.

16. Reading and Post-reading
3. To me the design for the Olympic Stadium shows that China is a strong and modern country. At the same time the structure of the stadium gives me the feeling that a nest is a home to birds and that the “nest” is a warm home to all the people from all over the world.

17. 2.What do you think of modern buildings?
Discussion
1. Why do some people think modern buildings look unnatural, and why do they experience them as cold and unfriendly?
2.What do you think of modern buildings?
Why?

18. Language Points Fill in the blanks with the verbs given:
Every great culture in the past had its own ideas of beauty (express) in art and architecture. When you look around at buildings, streets, squares and parks, you will find them (design), (plan) and (build) in different styles.
2) They wanted their buildings (construct) in a way (look) unnatural.
expressed
designed
planned
built
constructed
to look

19. Language Points
3) Developing countries want to build the most modern-looking buildings as the first step towards (become) a modern country.
4) … You do not feel (invite) to enter them. Everything about these buildings seems hard and unfriendly.
becoming
invited

20. Language Points
5) Nature does not have any straight lines. Antonio Gaudi, a Spanish architect, was the first (understand) that. … He only wanted natural materials, such as stone, brick and wood (use) and many parts of his buildings look like things we find in nature.
6) Frank Lloyd Wright, who built an art museum in New York, found himself (inspire) by Japanese seashells.
to understand
to be used
inspired

21. Language Points
7) (see) from the top, it looks as if the stadium is covered by a gray net of steel, and it looks just like a bird’s nest (make) of tree branches.
8) Although the stadium will be made of concrete and steel, the (flow) lines and round shapes make the building (look) warm and friendly.
Seen
made
flowing
look