The scyscraper as an architectural style emerged at the dawn of the industrial revolution, and untill now this type of structures is the most striking architectural achievement of the 20th century. And the High-tech style turn to be one of the most favored trends in high-rise construction, since the technological innovations of the computer age have only increased the potential of its further development.
High-tech is one of contemporary architectural styles matching to highrise construction best of all. It combines the pragmatism of the rational approach to the use of the modern designs and materials, progressionism, etc., as well as graphic intensity and artistic expressiveness that achieved by means of visual emphases on the building exterior. Being in stark contrast to eclecticism, where the structural basis of the building is virtually “dressed” in the attributes of the style, High-tech looks like absolutely honest architecture that wins favor by means of its visual transparency and compositional clarity. Its brevity and supremacy (symbiosis) of the functional approach and the artistic source are the key elements to the popularity of the style.
Hardly any art trend in contemporary architecture caused so much debate, and comprehensive lengthy discussions as it did a style of Postmodernism. Over the past 50 years there have appeared various reflections of its ideas in almost all countries where any slightly significant construction has taken place. Precisely through this architectural experimentation the society started to extensively consider this phenomenon of modern consciousness.
The city of Mecca is usually associated with solely religious topics; and in this day and age it very often refers to numerous news reports on the annual pilgrimage and the outstanding number of disciples. Thus, it is all the more strange to relate it to the latest highrise construction activity. However, it is not absurd but a real combination of ambition, financial capacity and religious aspirations. The high-rise hotel building that was erected in close proximity to the main Muslim sanctuary demonstrates a new approach to the realization for one of the main goals of every true follower of Islamic guidance – the Hajj.
The capacities of modern building has a way more often allow the boldest construction ideas to come true in everyday life. Day by day architects find it more difficult to surprise and amaze the imagination of the sophisticated and gorged representatives of the “consumer society”. Sometimes, however, one can create a concept or a branch that steals the public attention for a long time. Deconstruction can be attributed to the category of such successful doctrines or even to the “philosophy of creativity”. Buildings that were constructed in the style of modern architecture abidingly cause broad public response, become local sights and the focal points of active urban life and even turn the decorations for new movies.
The notion “digital architecture” appeared in the professional usage in the early 1990s. During that time architects from many countries were actively seeking different means of expression and principles of creating new vivid images. All their effort focused on how to use scientific achievements, they tried to get away from modularity and standardization in construction and reject symmetry and statics in composition. The idea that an object of architecture can be perceived in motion, with the relevant evaluation category being time and the apparent building integrity being rather nominal, was first to be found in the conceptual construction of specialized pavilions for exhibitions and festivals.
Exceptional and unique socio-political situation in Hong Kong in the second half of the twentieth century was largely determined by the character of the architecture of this in the recent past city-state.
The International Finance Centre (IF C) is a huge commercial complex situated on the coastline of the Central district in Hong Kong. It consists of two skyscrapers (1IF C and 2IF C), trade centre IF C Mall, 60-storey Four Seasons Hotel and residential building Four Seasons Place. The complex was built by the upcoming company IF C Development in cooperation with Sun Hung Kai Properties, Henderson Land and Towngas. The Airport Express station passes directly under it. Guests arriving in the Hong Kong airport can quickly reach the heart of the city.
The International Commerce Centre being highest building in Hong Kong recently took fourth place in the world rating. And when the construction of the Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Saudi Arabia was finished, the tower lowered to fifth place in the list of the highest skyscrapers in the world and takes the third place by floors number.
Traditional notions of contemporary Russian reader about Vietnam mainly limited to images, gleaned generally from American action movies of different years, where wet impenetrable jungle is full of local people in conical hats, Y-bar slippers and Soviet arms in hands actively fighting against the inculcation of American “humane and democratic regime”. Of course, none up-to-date cultural values, high-tech or scientific modern achievements do not fit in this image, but yet such an attitude to this small South Asian country is fundamentally wrong.
