Which building would you

prefer to study in?

Go through the text and match the main idea with each part.

Part 1

(para1-2)

Part 2

(para3-5)

Part 3

(para6-8)

Features of modern Architecture

Examples of modern architecture

The beginning of modern architecture

Taihe Dian

the Temple of Heaven

Notre Dame de Paris

What do they look like

Multiple choices

1. _____ belongs to modern architecture. A. The Opera house in Sydeny B. Taihe Dian C. The great European cathedrals D. The Temple of Heaven2. Architects in the 1920’s wanted their buildings unnatural be

cause ______? A. They like building materials such as steel, glass and con

crete B. They didn’t like the traditional architecture style. C. They wanted to change people’s feeling of beauty. D. they didn’t like building materials such as earth, stone, br

ick and wood

3. Ancient architecture and modern architecture are different in _____.

A. size and height B. roofs and corners

C. balconies and windows D. materials and shapes

4. What can we infer from the text?

A. The author doesn’t like modern architecture at all.

B. The author prefers ancient buildings to modern ones.

C. The author prefers buildings which look natural to ones which look unnatural.

D. The author prefers traditional materials to modern ones.

The great Spanish architect

Antonio Gaudi

Try to explain the following sentences with your own words by using simple English.

1. Modernism was invented in the 1920’s by a group of scientists who wanted to change society with buildings that went against people’s feeling of beauty.

Modernism was invented in the 1920’s by a group of scientists. They wanted to change society with buildings and the buildings usually went against people’s feeling of beauty.

Nature does not have any straight lines. Antonio Gaudi, a Spanish architect, was the first to understand that.

Despite the fact that he used traditional materials, Gaudi was a modern architect.

Seen from the top, it looks as if the stadium is covered by a gray net of steel.

Antonio Gaudi, a Spanish architect, was the first to understand that nature does not have any straight lines.

Although Antonio Gaudi used traditional materials, he was a modern architect.

If you see from the top, the stadium seems to be covered by a gray net of steel.

Pair work:

Work in pairs.One asks questions from the text and the other answers.

Each paragraph one question.

1. Modernism was invented in the 1820s.

2. They wanted their buildings to constructed in a way to look natural.

3. In modern architecture, materials such as earth, stone brick and wood are used.

4. Modern buildings impress us because they are huge. Many people find them beautiful and feel invited to enter them.

1920s

unnatural

traditional

do not findnot invited

5. Antonio Gaudi’s works were constructed

all over the world.in and around Barcelona

6. Antonio Gaudi was a traditional architect.modern

7. The 2008 Olympic Stadium in Beijing will be made of brick and stone.concrete and steel

An art museum is doing to be built in Baotou and the government ask you to be the architect. How would you design the building?

What materials do you prefer to use?

What will the building look like?

What inspires you?

Homework

• Write down your design down and post it to the government if possible.

The house is modern. The rooms are big. The ceiling is low. The house is comfortable. Every house has a toilet and bathroom.

All the houses are the same. The building material is not very beautiful. You often hear noise from the neighbours. To see flowers or birds, we have to go to a park.

The house is old.The rooms are small.The ceiling is (sometimes) is high.The house is not (always) so comfortable.Sometimes there is no (own) toilet or bathroom.

The house is very special.The building materials are nice.The house is very quiet.There are flowers and birds in the garden.There is a lot of contact with the neighbours.They know and help each other.

Brick, wood, bamboo. earth, stone, (traditional )

Concrete, glass, steel., plastic, paint (modern)

A; Which type of chairs do you like? Would you prefer the wooden ones or do you like the modern chairs better?B: I prefer something modern. So I’d rather decorate my house with the modern chairs than with the wooden ones. I think the wooden ones are also too big, and they’re not very comfortable.A: I don’t get very excited about modern furniture. In my opinion, such chairs look the same everywhere around the world. I’d rather have some furniture that looks Chinese, such as those two wooden chairs.B: Well, they look nice, but what I think is that they’re not very comfortable. You’ll probably never sit in them.

Try to find out the history of art and architecture, names of artists and architects, famous buildings and works of art in the world.