Buildings of the future, today
BMW Central Building: This 40,000 square metre building forms the hub of a massive BMW car plant in Leipzig, Germany. The node links up three production buildings, and houses 5,000 staff who produce around 650 cars every day. Designed by Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid, it cost $1.5bn to build.
21st century architecture is creating some of the most complex, hi-tech buildings in history. We take a tour through some of the most interesting
30 St Mary Axe: Better known as the Gherkin to locals, this Norman Foster design has quickly become part of the London skyline. Its energy-saving techniques - including natural ventilation and insulation created by huge shafts that run up and down the 41 floors - make it highly efficient, using around half the energy a typical tower would consume.
Stata Center: Iconic architect Frank Gehry was employed to build this, a modern centrepiece to the campus of the Massachussets Institute of Technology. Full of angles and empty spaces, the building appears to be collapsing into itself before reaching up into two independent towers. And if the building itself isn't advanced enough for you, then look inside: it is home to the university's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab.
Bank of China: This 1,034 foot tall tower is instantly recognisable in Hong Kong for its sloping roof. At the lower levels the building is rectangular, before switching to a triangular shape as it stretches upwards. Designed by IM Pei, the structure boasts an award-winning sustainability programme and environmentally-friendly operation.
Millau viaduct: This awe-inspiring bridge, which crosses the Tarn valley in southern France, uses a series of pylons - each as tall as the Eiffel Tower. Another Norman Foster design, the viaduct broke a series of records and is the tallest vehicle bridge in the world
InterActive Corp: Frank Gehry is best known for swooping metallic structures such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao - but his latest creation is one of his most technically advanced. Housing the offices of IAC, a large web conglomerate, the outside is made entirely of glass - a decision which required "cold bending" of huge panes, sometimes up to a 150 degree angle.
Taipei 101: The 101-storey green giant in Taiwan is decked out with hi-tech baubles: fibre-optic and satellite net connections and the world's fastest lifts (they shoot up at 37 miles per hour). But perhaps most impressive is the 660 tonne ball of steel that hangs down inside the building from the 92nd floor. The mass damper, which hangs on a pendulum, is built to steady the building in extreme winds.
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