10 Architecture Fun Facts

Did you know The Sims?

Did you know that The Sims was originally designed as an architecture simulator?

One of the most popular video games is The Sims, which was released in 2000. The game’s original concept, before it became a life simulator, was more like SimCity: players would design a house, and autonomous characters would test the design’s success.

Did you know that there is a skyscraper with no windows?

There is a windowless tower located in Manhattan

The Long Lines Building is an unorthodox Bauhaus-inspired tower with a windowless façade in pinkish-gray Swedish granite, designed by John Carl Warnecke (architect of the JFK Eternal Flame). In the midst of other Manhattan skyscrapers, the façade’s battlement-style vertical shafts and square vents give the structure a terrifying castle jail apparition. The lightless tower is shrouded in a black shadow cast by the night sky.

Did you know that Architecture was once an Olympic Sport?

From 1912 to 1948, International Olympic Committee hands out medals for architecture, painting, sculpture, literature and music

In 1912, the Stockholm Games hosted the inaugural architecture competition. All application in every category of the art competitions had to make the connection between art and sport. Built work and speculative plans, as well as town planning initiatives, were all welcome to enter the architecture competition. Eugène-Edouard Monod and Alphonse Mucha won the first ever Olympic gold medal in architecture for Building Plan of a Modern Stadium for their town planning.

Did you know that Lego made special bricks for architects?

These bricks were smaller and more to scale

These new bricks, called as Modulex bricks, were released to the public in 1963 and were designed specifically for architects, who were the target market. The Modulex system for architects was previously known as “M20” (due to the intended scale of 1:20), but because most architects never got around to using it, a new improved line was launched in 1966, but was eventually discontinued in the 1970s.

Did you know that one architect never designed a structure with a right angle?

Zaha Hadid is famous for her radical deconstructivist designs

Zaha Hadid, an Iraqi-British architect, is known for her intensely futuristic architecture, which has flowing façades, sharp angles, and harsh materials like concrete and steel. The structures she built successfully accomplished what so many people find so puzzling about great architecture: she took the toughest materials and manipulated them to create objects that appear soft and solid at the same time.

Did you know that construction of Great Wall of China took longer than the start of Christianity?

Wow, that’s a long amount of time!

Between the 3rd and 8th centuries, Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, began building on the Great Wall of China. The construction began with the construction of various fortifications, which were then interconnected over time. This project was completed in 1878, giving the wall a total construction time of at least 2600 years! Christianity began somewhat more than 2000 years ago.

Did you know of an ancient city carved out of rock?

Petra in South Jordan is a marvel city known around the world for its unique features

Historians and archeologists both see the site as notable because of its stunning rock-cut architecture and sophisticated water management system, the latter of which allowed the region to be inhabited despite being surrounded by desert and rough, rocky terrain. Because of the color of the stones used in its construction, Petra has also been dubbed the “Rose City.” It was also named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Did you know that the largest religious monument in the world is in Cambodia?

It is called Angkor Wat that means “Temple City” or “City of Temples.”

Angkor ruled over much of Southeast Asia for centuries, with a population of over one million people at its peak. Even though Cambodia is predominantly Buddhist now, the Hindu religion’s principles served as the foundation for the construction of Angkor Wat. The sculptures of stone gods, as well as the layout of the temples themselves, bear witness to this religious impact today from mimicking the Hindu universe.

Did you know of this very unique apartment complex in Japan?

It is called Reversible Destiny Lofts of Tokyo

The architects of Tokyo, Japan’s Reversible Destiny Lofts designed an unusual housing building to keep residents active and stimulated with this in mind. Some features include bent angles, sunken kitchens, and a lack of interior doors, all designed to have an impressionable effect on individuals it housed. It motivates people to examine themselves and keeping a healthy environment for reinvention.

Did you know that this bridge is higher than the Eiffel Tower?

It is both a marvel of architecture and engineering fused together

The world’s tallest bridge is also regarded as one of the most spectacular engineering marvels. The Millau Viaduct in southern France, built to relieve traffic congestion, spans 2,460 meters across the canyon valley of the River Tarn and provides stunning scenery of the region. The Millau Viaduct is taller than the Eiffel Tower, with one pole situated at an altitude of 343 meters (1,125.5 ft).

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