In the contemporary world where art has taken new dimensions, we find that architectural wonders abound in various countries. The amount of ideating, planning, executing and furnishing for these architectural wonders is staggering. Likewise, the new revelations that occur at different times of the day are also phenomenal. Indulging in wonders such as the Dujiangyan Zhongshuge and the Hawa Mahal really makes one ponder on how they were erected. At the same time, the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque and Gran Hotel Ciudad De México put one in awe with the prepossessing embellishments.
Dujiangyan Zhongshuge
The Dujiangyan Zhongshuge is an enthralling modern structure situated in the West of Chengdu, in the Sichuan province, China. A roughly 973 square meter bookshop, the architect of this flabbergasting 21st century wonder is Li Xiang. This whole book shop was inspired by the UNESCO World Heritage listed – Dujiangyan Irrigation System. A few of the designs delineated water – resembling and symbolizing the many rivers which flow throughout the city. The magical labyrinth thus created consists of several spiraling staircases, curved archways and intentionally placed mirrors to allude to an impossible space. The whole bookstore feels like a mysterious world of books straight out of a fantasy movie.
This whole structure dazzles the shopper even before they reach the content. The imposing glass curtain doors at the entrance give way to the C- shaped bookshelves that seem to go infinitely in space, thanks to the mirror ceiling. With warm hues of ivory and walnut, the irregular book channels themselves seem like flowing water frozen in time. The floor plan blends history, practicality and aesthetics giving the feel of walking along a rolling mountain or an outdoor eave.
The children’s reading area is done up distinctively with random and irregular bamboo which has been ingeniously transformed into bookshelves. Likewise, many other elements have been used to make this artistic concept look vibrant and alluring. This bookshop has a staggering collection of more than 80,000 books. A portal to some magical land, this bookstore is not just another shop, it is an architectural wonder par excellence.
Hawa Mahal
The Hawa Mahal is a stupefying palace located in the Indian city of Jaipur. The palace was designed by Lal Chand Ustad for Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the grandson of the founder of Jaipur. This stunning palace was completed in 1799. Ever since has been regarded as one of the iconic symbols of the state of Rajasthan.
Intended as a viewing screen, the Hawa Mahal was built as an extension to the women’s chambers of the City Palace. Through this screen, women of the royal household could freely view the bazaar. The Hawa Mahal was dedicated to Lord Krishna. It was said that the shape of the palace resembled the crown of Krishna. The Hawa Mahal is also a cultural and architectural marvel which reflects the Hindu Rajput and Islamic Mughal architectural styles. Keeping in sync with the visual language of the “Pink City” of Jaipur, the Hawa Mahal was built entirely in red sandstone, which glows with a pink hue.
The astounding thing about this building is that it is often identified as the world’s largest building constructed without a foundation. Standing tall at a height of 50 feet, and having 953 windows, the main entrance of this building is at the rear end. A series of ramps lead to the upper stories. The windows, also called the ‘jharokas’, are decorated with intricate latticework so that the royal ladies could observe everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being seen. This latticework allows the breeze to keep internal spaces cool. This is quite ingenious as the Hawa Mahal translates to ‘Palace of the Winds’, a name which it truly lives up to.
Nasir al-Mulk Mosque
Going to Iran, one can tour around multiple cultural and prepossessing sites. But, the Nasir- al-Mulk Mosque is without a doubt one of the most exquisite structures in Iran. Also known as the Pink Mosque or the Rainbow Mosque, it looks like an ordinary mosque at first sight. But, as the sun rises the mosque turns into a mind-blowing kaleidoscope. As the sunrays reach through the mosaic windows, the whole building seems to get painted with hundreds of colours. Although this magic stays for only a couple of hours, it gives a whimsical and heavenly sensation.
This mosque is located in a region towards the southern part of Lotf Ali Khan Zand Street. It is built on a 2216 square meter piece of land. Along with beauty, this mosque also bucket loads of history. In 1876 Mirza Hassan Ali Khan, the province ruler, who was also famous as Nasir- al-Mulk, decided to leave a mosque as a memory of himself for the generations to come. The mosque was finished after 12 years in 1925. But there were no glasses with distinct colours or special doors and windows until 1969 when Haj Mirza Ayat added these wonders to the mosque.
Initially, the mosque contained a worship place, a house, a bath and a storehouse, along with a huge indoor space. A lot of this initial structure was destroyed when Lotf Ali Khan Street was built.
An intriguing fact about the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque is that, unlike Iranian mosques, it lacks a dome. The most fascinating aspect is the tiling of the mosque which has its own unique aesthetics. Nowhere in the world is one to find these tiles. The beautiful balance it has with the colourful glasses and elegant architecture puts one in awe as the light plays in various colours to give an outworldly feel altogether.
Gran Hotel Ciudad De México
Gran Hotel Ciudad de México is an exceptional luxury Boutique hotel set in the heart of Mexico City. This spectacular art-nouveau building features an immense and intricate stained glass Tiffany ceiling designed by French artisan Jacques Gruber. The stunning colors and pattern of the glass ceiling are meant to evoke the railroad, a symbol of modernity at the time it was built. There are three medallions at the center of this dome. The ceiling contains 20,000 separate pieces of glass. It is illuminated by a combination of sunlight and lighting fixtures, making it the fourth largest of its kind in the world.
In line with the Art Nouveau style, it is characterized by long, sinuous, organic lines used extensively in its glass designs and illustrations. Alongside the remarkable ceiling, there is a Louis XV-style chandelier in the lobby, and beautiful wrought-iron railings along the mighty staircase on the first three floors out of the total five.
The present-day hotel was originally built between 1895 and 1899, on the site of a 16th-century palace. It was originally a trade center. In 1968 the building was converted into a hotel for the celebration of the Mexico City Olympic Games. This exquisite hotel has sixty rooms and suites. All of them are elegantly furnished in a style that creates a balance with the boutique hotel. Furthermore, there’s a huge cage-like iron elevator which has been stated to be the first of its kind in Mexico City. The interior of the hotel showcases most of the original decor. One of the best hotels to stay, it is indeed an amazing place to relive the past.
To conclude, it is undeniably hard to assess the best architectural wonder. Every structure has its own unique wow factor. It is bewildering to know that we live in a world where simple things like bookshops or hotels can be transformed into imposingly stunning masterpieces. The contemporary world of architectural wonders is full of jaw-dropping buildings that can astonish with their singularity and imaginative styles. Breath-taking, phenomenal and prepossessing, this is how I would describe these architectural wonders.
Writer : Aarna Sharma
Grade : 7 (Year 2024)
Place : Sydney, Australia
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