Do you see any structures around you?

Which material are each made of?

Why is this material suitable for the structure?

1.  The  Capitol's  dome  

  Is  the  massive  dome  situated  above  the  U.S.  Capitol,  which  is    288  feet  (88  m)  high  and  96  feet  (29  m)  wide.  

  It’s  made  of  4.ooo  tons  of  cast    iron.  Fourty  brown  stone  columns  are  needed  to  carry  this  huge  weight.    

 Do  you  think  that  wood  columns  would  do  this  job?  

1.  The  Capitol's  dome  

 Do  you  think  that  wood  columns  would  do  this  job?   Wood  is  not  resistant  enough  to  carry  this  weight.  Stone  is  very  resistant,  so  it  is  very  often  used  in  massive  structures  which  carry  huge  weights.    

2.  Golden  gate  bridge  

 This  big  structure  connects  the  two  sides  of  the  San  Francisco  Bay.  It’s  2,7  km  long,  and  230  m  high.  Carries  a  six  lane  highway,  and  two  more  lanes  for  bikes  and  pedestrians.  

  It’s  made  of  steel.     Do  you  think  that  cast  iron  would  be  a  good  material  to  make  this  structure?  

2.  Golden  gate  bridge  

 Do  you  think  that  cast  iron  would  be  a  good  material  to  make  this  structure?    Cast  Iron  is  not  a  good  material  to  make  bridges  because  it's  too  fragile.  Steel  is  very  tough,  so  it's  very  often  used  to  construct  bridges,  buildings,  etc.    

3.  Madrid-­‐Barajas  Airport  (T4)    It  has  a  big  yet  light  structure,  made  with  light  steel  tubes  and  wood.    

  It’s  designed  to  provide  a  warm  and  aesthetic  environment  to  the  millions  of  passengers  that  use  it.  

 Do  you  think  that  concrete  would  be  a  good  material  for  this  purpose?  

3.  Madrid-­‐Barajas  Airport  (T4)  

 Do  you  think  that  concrete  would  be  a  good  material  for  this  purpose?    Concrete  is  cold  and  unpleasant.  Wood  is  warm  and  nice,  so  it's  very  often  used  inside  buildings,  where  people  is  going  to  spend  some  time,  to  provide  a  comfortable  environment.    

4.  Guggenheim  Museum  (Bilbao)    It’s  one  of  the  most  admired  contemporary  buildings.  

  It  covers  a  32.000  square  meters  site  along  the  Nervión  River.  

  It  has  a  remarkable  titanium  cover  designed  to  catch  the  surrounding  light.  

 Do  you  think  that  stone  would  be  a  good  material  for  this  building?  

4.  Guggenheim  Museum  (Bilbao)  

 Do  you  think  that  stone  would  be  a  good  material  for  this  building?    Stone  doesn't  reflect  light,  so  isn't  good  to  catch  people's  eyes.  Titanium  is  shiny  and  never  gets  rusty.  For  this  reason  is  used  sometimes  to  cover  structures,  making  them  attractive.    

5.  Solomon  R.  Guggenheim  Museum  • Opened  in  1959,  Located  in  Manhattan,  New  York  City  it  is  the  sister  museum  of  the  Guggenheim  in  Spain  • The  exterior  of  the  museum  is  made  of  gunite,  a  mixture  of  sand  and  cement  that  is  sprayed  on  the  inside  of  a  wood  and  steel  frame,  which  is  later  removed  • Designed  by  Frank  Lloyd  Wright  • The  shape  of  the  building  is  influenced  by  a  ziggurat,  ancient  Mesopotamian  temple    • Because  of  it’s  unusual  round,  windowless  design,  it  was  very  controversial  when  it  was  built  and  many  artist  protested  the  design.    

The Skylight at the center of the museum

6.  The  London  Millennium  Footbridge  Steel  suspension  bridge  for  pedestrians  crossing  the  River  Thames  in  the  City  of  London  Began  construction  in  1998  and  opened  in  2000  and  called  the  “Wobbly  Bridge”  due  to  the  

slight  swaying.  The  bridge  then  closed  for  construction  and  was  reopened  in  2002  Cost  18.2  M  pounds  to  build  It  is  144  meters  long  and  4  meters  wide.  Was  featured  in  the  6th    Harry  Potter  film  franchise  

hHps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo-­‐U5iOinM8    

Questions Copy each question in your notebook.

Then, working in pairs, answer it and write the answer in your notebook.

You have five minutes to answer each one.

After fifteen minutes, you will share your answers With the rest of the class, so try to make them

As clear and understandable as you can.

Questions 1. Explain the purpose of each of the structures you

have just seen in this presentation.

2. Explain why the material used in each structure is the best for its

purpose. 3. Mention other structures that:

a) carry a huge weight b) connect people

c) protect its inside space d) catch people's attention

4. Why did artists protest the Guggenheim structure? 5. Why was the Millennium bridge closed for two

years?