Regarding ancient architecture, East and West went in completely opposite ways. Westerners are accustomed to building magnificent and tall palaces of stone, while in the East we prefer exquisite wooden attics. The Forbidden City, built in the eighteenth year of Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1420), is the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the quintessence of Han palace architecture, an unsurpassed masterpiece of ancient architecture, and the largest and most complete complex of ancient wooden structures in the world.
The Chinese seem to have an innate love for wood and use wood everywhere for basic necessities of life. But today in China you rarely see wooden buildings. Under the influence of "Chinese speed", these ancient pure wooden structures gradually disappeared under the reinforced concrete "Black Forest", and they were never seen again.
However, as China phases out wood and uses "stone" to build buildings, foreign countries take over the banner of wooden buildings. In foreign countries, many wooden buildings arose. Last year, the well-known website papularmechanics.com launched a selection of the world's top 10 wooden structures, which included 10 of the most impressive wooden structures in the world. Let's appreciate the splendor of today's wooden buildings.
1. Kennecott Mine
The Kennecott mine in Alaska was built between 1911 and 1938. Once this place was the most important copper mine in Alaska. Accordingly, a city was built, the largest of which is a wooden building up to 14 stories high. The city is currently preserved as a National Historic Site.
2. Old New Zealand government building
With its imposing façade, clean steps, cast-iron fireplaces and cowrie interiors, Government House is an important part of New Zealand's architectural heritage. Like many colonial buildings of the last century, the government building was modeled after Italian stone palaces, symbolizing the power and stability of the empire. The building was built using New Zealand's finest native tree, the kauri, which cannot be replicated by any building today because all existing kauri forests in New Zealand are permanently protected. Renowned for its strength, resilience, and beauty, kauri has a honey-colored grain that, when buffed, has a delicate satin sheen.
3. Noah's Ark Genesis Museum
Length 155 m, depth 26 m, height 16 m, the wooden boat has a record "length to width ratio of 6:1" and is advertised as "the largest solid wood building to date." There are three floors inside the ship, and there will be life-scale models of animals, including dinosaurs, to simulate real space. The ship will house a restaurant and souvenir shop for 1,500 people, and the first phase of construction will cost more than $100 million.
4. SunnyHills Cake Shop in Japan
The pineapple cake shop, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, has a narrow wooden slat facade with an intricate three-dimensional lattice that creates a cloudy look. Confectionery company SunnyHills wanted Kengo Kuma to design a boutique building that would reflect the company's signature pineapple cake
5. Michigan Superdome
What impresses me the most about New Orleans is the Superdome. In this city with several tall buildings, the Superdome is definitely the city's landmark. Flying into the urban area of New Orleans by plane, you can clearly see its greatness from the porthole.
6. Tamedia office building, Zurich, Switzerland
The Tamedia office building of the Zurich media group is built of pure wood: columns, beams and even wedges - noble, but with advanced fire protection technologies. The design of Shigeru Ban fully showcases traditional Japanese woodworking craftsmanship.
7. U Bein Bridge, Myanmar
U Bein Bridge is located on Dongtaman Lake in the ancient city of Amalapura, southwest of Mandalay City, Myanmar. Built in 1856, with a total length of 1200 meters, this is one of the longest wooden bridges in the world. The U Bein Bridge was originally built from Myanmar's most famous teak wood, but over the years some sections of the bridge have now been renovated with stone pillars. Donthaman Lake is a seasonal lake. When the lake rises during the rainy season from April to September, the surrounding area will be flooded. During the dry season, many small islands form in the lake and the locals grow crops on the small islands. . Myanmar locals also call the U Bein Bridge "The Bridge of Love".X".
8. Community Church of Knarvik, Norway
The new community church in Knarvik is located on the picturesque west coast of Norway, north of the city of Bergen, in a unique location overlooking the cultural landscape and the local city centre. The surrounding heather landscape gives the chapel an inspiring atmosphere. Its unique and innovative features and prime location make it a landmark in the community, open to all and a place where people come to pray every day.
9. Canadian Center for Innovative Wood Design
It's finally Canada's turn! Needless to say, this project is the first 7-story solid wood structure building in North America. Located on the campus of the University of Northern British Columbia in Canada, this innovative wood design center combines the most advanced wood materials and building technologies to date. . the use of CLT and Glulam as the main material has become an exemplary building in this field.
10. Forte Apartment Building, Australia
Completed in 2012, this almost 10-story solid wood building was at the time the tallest modern wooden building in the world. In Australia, it has been awarded a local five-star green building certification. (Currently it has been successfully overtaken by Canada)
The advantages of wooden structures in terms of environmental protection, heat preservation and energy saving, safety, seismic resistance, durability, comfort and economy have not only been tested by history, but also fully confirmed these advantages. The practice of modern buildings with wooden structures at home and abroad has become an industry-recognized option for achieving energy savings in a building.