Most Beautiful Buildings in The World

These are the world’s most beautiful buildings? Are you kidding?

A hundred years ago, naming the world’s most beautiful buildings was easy: the Parthenon. Sure. The Taj Mahal. Absolutely. Hagia Sophia. No argument. But now, in part because the whole notion was chewed up and spit out by those troublemaking Modernists, we’re just learning to think about architecture in terms of beauty again. It’s open season.

Certain themes are evident in our choices of the world’s most beautiful buildings. We love buildings surrounded by water; the interaction between water and daylight is always magical. (Why do you think the Lincoln Memorial has a reflecting pool at its doorstep?) And we are head over heels for flamboyant uses of pattern and color. The Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision, for example, is positively psychedelic.

So are we consistent? Nope. But however capricious our choices may seem, we don’t take beauty lightly. After all, the ongoing search for beauty is what travel is all about. It’s certainly the best reason we know to leave the house.

ICMC at Brandenburg Technical University
Cottbus, Germany

While many architects prefer the smoothest, clearest glass, Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron specializes in texture. This technologically sophisticated university library, in an obscure corner of Eastern Germany, is clad in frosted glass—and embossed with letters from the world’s alphabets. Shaped like an amoeba, with its central spiral staircase in bright magenta and green, the seven-story building looks like a carnival ride.
Relativity Theory: The free-form building looks especially impressive because it’s surrounded by long, dull, rectilinear buildings of the sort the East Germans were known for.

Sagrada Família
Barcelona

Visionary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí spent more than 40 years of his life on this glorious, chaotically complex, and still unfinished Gothic-Art Nouveau cathedral. After his untimely death in 1926 (he was hit by a streetcar), his associates continued his sculptural masterwork, and despite the fact that the original drawings were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War, construction continues today. Completion is scheduled for sometime between 2017 and 2026.

Authenticity Alert: The east-facing Nativity façade was the only one completed by Gaudí himself.

Burj Al Arab
Dubai, UAE

 This 60-story sail-shaped hotel, which sits on its own private island, was designed to be a national icon. But the interior is where the beauty lies: a nearly 600-foot-tall atrium—the world’s tallest. The undersides of tier after tier of semicircular balconies reveal a spectrum of colors. And the tower’s powerful diagonal braces, like the flying buttresses of the past, inspire awe.
Insider Tip: Non-guests can gain access to the Burj Al Arab’s private island by booking a meal at one of its restaurants; try afternoon tea at the Skyview Bar or a buffet lunch at Junsui.

Institute for Sound and Vision
Hilversum, The Netherlands

The work of Jaap Drupsteen, the graphic artist responsible for the building-size media collage, used to be everywhere in the Netherlands. This building is his comeback. Along with architecture firm Neutelings Riedijk, he covered the façade of the massive media archive and museum with images from Dutch television, abstracted into a giant four-sided mural and baked directly onto cast glass. The effect is stunning inside and out.
Experiential Beauty: Tour the history of Dutch broadcasting, or simply gaze up at the stained glass from a table at the atrium’s Grand Café.

The Golden Temple
Amritsar, India

This most sacred Sikh shrine sits in the middle of what was once a wooded lake. The Buddha came here to meditate, and so did Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, some 2,000 years later. The Harimandir, or “Temple of God,” was built and destroyed many times before the current version was erected in the late 1700s. The radiance of this gilded building, a mixture of Hindu and Muslim architectural styles, is amplified by reflections in the surrounding water and the devotional music that emanates from the temple day and night.
Night Owls Welcome: The temple is open 20 hours a day, from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, and is illuminated (and especially lovely) at night.

National Congress Hall
Brasilia, Brazil

Brasilia probably works better as a Modernist sculpture garden than as a city, but if there is one piece of it that best represents the whole, it’s Congress Hall. Architect Oscar Niemeyer’s colonnaded marvel, with its grand sci-fi entrance ramp, skinny twin towers, and two bowl-shaped meeting halls (one for the Chamber of Deputies and one for the Federal Senate), treats the business of government as a monumental work of art.

Not Just Skin Deep: Go inside and check out the Green Hall (named for the color of the carpet and the Brazilian flag), with its collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative screens by renowned Brazilian artists.

The Guggenheim
Bilbao, Spain

The Frank Gehry–designed, titanium-clad phenomenon that upstaged the Guggenheim’s Frank Lloyd Wright transformed the way the world understands architecture, art museums, and the strategies for reviving depressed industrial cities. Today, the shiny undulating museum doesn’t look as shocking as it once did, but it does embody a certain kind of late 20th-century thinking—the thrill of formal complexity and high art.

Small Is Beautiful: Alternatively, we could make a case for Frank Gehry’s first major building, the diminutive white Vitra Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany.

The Chrysler Building
New York City

Designed by architect William van Alen, the Chrysler’s shiny, filigreed Art Deco spire is the most indispensable piece of the New York City skyline, perfectly balancing the primal thrust of the classic American skyscraper with the desire for a little bling. (It was the world’s tallest for less than a year in 1931 before that zeppelin-masted tower eight blocks south took the spotlight.) Day or night, its stainless-steel crown still dazzles like nothing else.

Icon Alert: This is possibly the only building in the world that is decorated with automotive hood ornaments: the big eagles on the 61st floor were copied from a 1929 Chrysler.

Mont St. Michel
Normandy, France

Though not as lavish as some landlocked cathedrals, this abbey is certainly the most dramatically situated, enjoying prime real estate just off the coast of Normandy. The first abbey was built in 709, with construction continuing for hundreds of years. Spurning the safety of the causeway (built in 1879 and currently being reconstructed), pilgrims still scamper across the sands at low tide to reach the Mont, and risk being overtaken by fast-moving waters.

Dining Tip: Try the agneau de pré-salé, a local specialty made from meat from the lambs that graze on the nearby salt meadows.

Nelson-Atkins Museum’s Bloch Building
Kansas City, MO

Unlike many modern additions to historic museums, Steven Holl’s 21st-century companion doesn’t overwhelm the 1933 Beaux Arts original. His string of iridescent frosted-glass boxes pop out of the grassy lawn—they are absolutely magical at dusk when they begin to glow—and filter sunlight into a series of dramatic underground galleries.

Special Attraction: Check out the Noguchi Sculpture Court, a minimalist space created by the famed Japanese-American artist that cleverly blurs the line between indoors and out.

World's Scariest Bridges

From sky-high suspension bridges to dilapidated rope bridges, these crossings aren’t for the meek.

All bridges serve a purpose, whether utilitarian or inspirational. And some of them add a distinct element of fear. But you don’t have to be in a remote part of the world: scary bridges exist everywhere, in all shapes, sizes, and heights. And crossing over them can be the ultimate in adventure travel.


Many courageous (or foolhardy) travelers seek out hair-raising bridges just for the thrill. The bridges along the route to Colombia’s National Archaeological Park of Tierradentro are a good example. Though there are safer routes via bus from La Plata, some thrill-seekers choose to ride motorcycles over slippery bamboo crossings deep in the mountains, where one wrong move could mean plunging into a turbulent river.

So get ready to face your fears—or maybe find your next adventure—with our list of the world’s most petrifying bridges.

Aiguille du Midi Bridge
France

Don’t look down. At this height, you’ll want to keep your eyes locked on the panorama of the craggy French Alps. Fortunately, the bridge itself is short, making for an easy escape if acrophobia sets in. But those truly afraid of heights probably won’t even see the bridge; getting here requires taking a cable car that climbs 9,200 vertical feet in just 20 minutes.

Where: The summit of Aiguille du Midi in the Mont Blanc massif near Chamonix.

Stats: 12,605 feet above sea level.

Royal Gorge Bridge
Colorado

America’s highest suspension bridge may be breathtaking for some, but those scared of heights may be left gasping for air as they stare straight down nearly 90 stories at the Arkansas River below. Completed in 1929, the bridge didn’t have stabilizing wind cables until 1982.

Where: Royal Gorge, Colorado, over the Arkansas River.

Stats: 969 feet above the gorge; 1,260 feet long.

Trift Suspension Bridge
Switzerland

 One of the Alps’ longest and highest pedestrian suspension bridges, Trift was built in 2004 to reconnect hikers to a hut made inaccessible by a retreating glacier. A replacement in 2009 gave this bridge higher handrails and stabilizing cables to prevent it from swinging violently in the wind. But it still provides an adrenaline rush.

Where: Trift Glacier, near the town of Gadmen in the Swiss Alps.

Stats: 328 feet high; 558 feet long.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Northern Ireland

First things first: nobody has fallen off this bridge. However, many visitors who walk across simply can’t handle the return and have to go by boat. It used to be even scarier. Erected by fishermen who went to the island to catch salmon, the original bridge had only a single handrail. The rope bridge eventually became popular with tourists seeking a thrill, and the National Trust replaced it with a sturdier structure with two handrails.

Where: Near Ballintoy in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Stats: 65 feet long; nearly 100 feet above the rocks below.

Capilano Suspension Bridge
Canada

Originally built in 1889, this simple suspension footbridge surrounded by an evergreen forest is very high, fairly narrow, and extremely shaky—the cedar planks bounce on their steel cables as you walk across them. If the bridge doesn’t scare you, wait until the spring of 2011; the Cliffhanger attraction will allow visitors to climb across a series of suspended walkways attached to a cliff.

Where: North Vancouver, British Columbia, across the Capilano River.

Stats: 450 feet long; 230 feet high.

Mackinac Bridge
Michigan

Some drivers get so nervous about crossing this five-mile-long bridge that they don’t even go. And this happens so often that the Mackinac Bridge Authority will drive your car or motorcycle for you (and for free). The biggest fear is the wind, which often exceeds 30 miles per hour on the bridge.

Where: Between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas.

Stats: 5 miles long; 199 feet above the water.

Puente de Ojuela
Mexico

This bridge leads to a ghost town, but it’s the squeaky wood floor that makes it scary. Fortunately, steel cables suspended from two towers bring a greater feeling of safety. Still, steel is a relatively recent addition: when German engineer Santiago Minhguin built this bridge in the 19th century, those towers were made of wood.

Where: The ghost town of Ojuela, an old mining settlement in the northern state of Durango, Mexico.

Stats: 1,043 feet long; 2 feet wide; 360 feet above a gorge.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Maryland

Drivers are notoriously afraid of this bridge, as it’s subjected to frequent—and often violent—storms. And when the bad weather hits, forget about visibility: get to the middle of this five-mile-long bridge and you can barely see land.

Where: Spanning the Chesapeake Bay to connect Maryland’s eastern and western shores.

Stats: Nearly 5 miles long; 186 feet high at its highest point.

Monkey Bridges
Vietnam

It may seem that only monkeys could make it across traditional monkey bridges—after all, they’re typically made of a single bamboo log and one handrail. However, the name comes from the stooped monkey-like posture you have to maintain when crossing, so as not to plunge into the river below.

Where: Various points across the Mekong Delta at the southern tip of Vietnam.

Stats: These bridges are built by hand by local residents and vary from town to town. Newer ones are made of concrete.

Hussaini Hanging Bridge
Pakistan

Massive gaps between the planks, a wild side-to-side swing: there are reasons this is considered one of the world’s most harrowing suspension bridges. While rickety cable and wood bridges are common in this area, crossing this bridge over the rapidly flowing Hunza River is particularly frightening, as the tattered remains of the previous bridge hang by threads next to the one currently in use.

Where: In the village of Hussaini in Northern Pakistan, crossing the Hunza River.

Stats: Floodwaters reportedly submerged the bridge in May 2010. However, due to its draw as a popular adventure-travel activity, the bridge is likely to be rebuilt.

Top Ten Fighter Aircraft of All Time.

Over the past century, dozens of aircraft have been designed and built to fight in the sky. But now based on expert opinion, audience polls and technical comparison, we've constructed a five-point matrix, that will rank the Top Ten Fighter aircraft of all time.

No. 10:F/A-22 Raptor

  No. 10: F/A-22 Raptor
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Power Plant: Pratt & Whitney F-119 PW-100
Top Speed: Mach 2.5
Armament: One 20mm cannon, six AMRAAM and two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles

Because it is almost invisible to radar and carries an awesome array of weaponry the F-22 Raptor, America's fourth-generation fighter, gets superb innovation and fear factor ratings. However, the aircraft's prowess is compromised by its astronomical production costs and the fact it has some way to go to match the combat records of the F-15 and F-16. Therefore, in the kill ratio, production and service length categories, the Raptor scores zip, placing it firmly in 10th place on our list.

No. 9: Sea Harrier FA2

Manufacturer: British Aerospace
Power Plant: Rolls Royce Pegasus mk 104 or 106 turbofan
Top Speed: 736 mph
Armament: Two 30-mm Aden cannon, plus two AMRAAM and four Sidewinder missiles, two Harpoon or Sea Eagle anti-ship missiles

With its unrivaled ability to maneuver, hover and pop up from unexpected places, the Sea Harrier earns a solid fear factor rating. Its unique design and simple-to-produce airframe score well. Despite achieving a high kill ratio in the Falklands, the "jump jet's" slow speed makes it vulnerable to ground fire, which reduces its overall score. Though the aircraft is being phased out of frontline operations it still earns a respectable ninth place in our top 10 league. 

 No. 8: Sopwith Camel

Manufacturer: Sopwith Aviation Company
Power Plant: Clerget rotary engine
Top Speed: 112 mph
Armament: Two Vickers .303 machine guns

Credited with destroying at least 1,200 enemy aircraft, the Sopwith Camel rightly deserves to be called one of the best fighters of all time. Its solid, if unspectacular, scoring across the board ensures its standing in eighth place on the list of the greatest fighters of all time. 

 No. 7: Me 262 Schwalbe

Manufacturer: Messerschmitt
Power Plant: Two Junkers Juno 004s
Top Speed: 540 mph
Armament: Four 30mm MK-108 cannons

For innovation the "Swallow" scores maximum points. As the first of its kind, the Me 262 inspired equal measures of fear and admiration, so it also scores at the top of the scales in the fear factor category. However, because the aircraft was difficult to build and it had notoriously unreliable engines, the aircraft's production rating is low - so too is its service record, having only been active for a little over two years. Nevertheless, the Me 262 will forever be in the record books as being the world's first fully operational jet fighter - a legend of the skies and the seventh greatest fighter of all time.

 No. 6: Supermarine Spitfire

Manufacturer: Supermarine Aviation Works
Power Plant: Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12 piston engine
Top Speed: 369 mph
Armament: Eight Browning .303 machine guns; later version, four 20mm cannon

Used in all British theaters of conflict throughout the Second World War the Spitfire remains the unrivaled symbol of victory and Britain's finest hour. But the Spitfire is also famous for giving Field Marshall Erwin Rommel the scare of his life. On July 17, 1944, in the north of France, a Canadian pilot named Charlie Fox shot at the car carrying the German military mastermind and knocked it off the road, putting Germany's "Desert Fox" out of commission.

No. 4 - A Tie! 

MiG 15
Manufacturer: Mikoyan Gurevich Design Bureau
Power Plant: Klimov VK-1 turbojet
Top Speed: 668 mph
Armament: One 37mm N-37 cannon and two 23mm NR-23 cannon

AND

F-86 Sabre
Manufacturer: North American
Power Plant: General Electric J47 engine
Top Speed: 685 mph
Armament: Six .50-caliber machine guns and eight 5-inch rockets

Compared to today's fighters both these jets are underpowered and primitive but few aircraft have done so well at the job they were designed to do. Both the F-86 Sabre and MiG 15 were the right aircraft at the right time and each richly deserve a prominent place in aviation history. Both designs relied heavily on captured German swept-wing technology and British engine design, so for innovation the MiG and Sabre are equally matched. Both fighters were produced in large numbers, but the MiG edges in front of the Sabre in the production category because of its renowned simplicity. Both jets have similar service records. The result? They are inseparable in the rankings: the MiG 15 and F-86 Sabre tie for fourth place. 

No. 3: F-4 Phantom

Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglass
Power Plant: Two J79 Spey turbojet afterburning engines
Top Speed: 1,485 mph
Armament: Four AIM 7 Sparrow and four AIM 9 Sidewinder missiles.

Produced in large numbers the F-4 Phantom has an unrivaled service history. But the aircraft really earns its third place ranking for being fast, durable and deadly. Phantoms were the test bed for missile technology - and the aircraft held five speed records for an impressive 13 years before being beaten by the aircraft featured in the No. 2 spot on our list of the top 10 fighters of all time.

No. 2: F-15C Eagle

Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglass
Power Plant: Two Pratt & Whitney F-100-PW-100 afterburning turbofans
Top Speed: Mach 2.5
Armament: One 20-mm cannon, four AIM-7F Sparrow and four AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles

No other fighter in the history of aerial combat has a record that even comes close to the Eagle's. The F-15 is far superior to most of its brethren - way better than the F-4 - accelerating better, turning better, handling better.

In fact, such is the reputation of the F-15 that during the opening phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Saddam Hussein's air force simply refused to get in the air. They knew the F-15 would just knock them out of the sky.

 No. 1: P-51D Mustang

Manufacturer: North American Aviation
Power Plant: 1600 hp Packard-built Merlin 61 piston engine
Top Speed: 437 mph
Armament: Six wing-mounted .50-caliber machine guns

Fitted with external drop-tanks the Mustang's range was extended to almost 2,000 miles, making it the only Allied fighter capable of protecting the Allied bombers on long-range, deep-penetration raids. The Mustang performed its job so well that after its introduction in 1944, casualty rates for bomber crews were reduced by 75 percent. In fact, American P51s destroyed almost 5,000 enemy aircraft in Europe - making it the highest scoring U. S. fighter in the European theater of operations.

Top Ten Most Secured Buildings In The World

Now-a-days buildings are not known only for their aesthetics and strength but also the security it provides its inhabitants. When one hears about bombings, hijacks, robberies; it is important that the building offers maximum protection. Here are 10 buildings which will make you feel that the world is a better place to be in!

1. Pentagon, Washington

 

Headquarters of the US Department of Defense, the ‘Pentagon’ is considered as the one of the highly secured buildings in the world. The security of the 280 acre building is under the Pentagon Force Protection Agency which comprises federal police officers, Untied States Pentagon Police, expert technicians and anti-terrorism investigative and security personnel. The security is very tight with various identification and references required to enter the building. The Defense for Public Affairs department conducts tours giving insight into this industry.

2. Jewel House, Tower of London

The Jewel House in the Tower of London houses priceless treasures of England’s past and present rulers. Its collection includes crowns and scepters of Queen Victoria, Elizabeth etc. A Major General controls the security of the Jewel House. A dedicated control room provides constant monitoring of the Jewel House, while additional £4.5 million has been spent on fire safety and security. The jewels are encased in 2-inch thick shatter-proof glass and there is constant security provided by the Tower Guard and the Yeoman Warders and is regarded as one of the most secure buildings in the world.

3. AT&T Long Lines Building, New York

This 167.95 m building has been built with the sole purpose to protect its sensitive and expensive telephone equipment. It is ‘windowless’ and its exterior walls are constructed of granite-faced precast concrete panels. This brutalist style of architecture was utilized so that it’s self-sufficient and protected from nuclear fallout for up to two weeks after a nuclear blast.

4. Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, Los Angeles

A literal case in point is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, which is constructed using the base isolation tool in earthquake engineering, which is one of the most powerful and cost-effective technologies till date. This Church can house 3,000 worshippers at a time thus protecting them against any earthquake threats.

5. Empire State Building, New York

The Empire State building is an office building which proves to be very safe for its inhabitants. This 102 storied building is the 15^th tallest building in the world is built in a steel frame and is clad in Indiana limestone and granite. It has been constructed to withstand high intensity winds and earthquakes to make it safer for the 21,000 employees that work in the building. Strict security measures are enforced for the safety of all the people in the building. Security checks are a must, while visitors can only enter with a valid ticket, every visitor must pass walk-through scanners.

6. Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty building, Czech Republic

The building in existence since May 2009 is considered as one of the most secure buildings in the world. Radio Liberty provides free press to people in countries where free press is banned, thus making its journalists and freelancers vulnerable to threats their lives. They are also favorite targets of terrorists. These concerns have been taken into consideration when constructing the state-of-the-art building. It also has elaborate security measures in place to provide safety to its employees.

7. Buckingham Palace, England

The Buckingham Palace is the home of the Royal family of England and is also a highly secured palace. The Royal Family have their own armed guards at all times and the famous sentries guard the palace at all times. The palace also has its own police station. The Foot Guards Battalion at Wellington Barracks and Chelsea Barracks units and Hyde Park Barrack units are on the stand-by and minutes away if required in case of emergency.

8. The White House, Washington D.C

The White House is the official residence of the President of the United States of America, the White House is under constant surveillance against threats, nuisances, crowd management etc. The security of the White House is under the United States Secret Service and United States Park Police. The White House is not open to visitors for added security.

9. Guantanamo Bay Prison Camp, Cuba

A parody to the title but well, it keeps prisoners locked in; this prison is the most isolated and heavily fortified prison in the world. It was built to house terrorists from the Al-Qaeda network. This prison is constantly guarded by heavily armed military guards and marines. It is also surrounded by 70,000 minefields, swamps and the ocean making escape virtually impossible. However, due to its unpopularity in treatment of its prisoners, the prison will be closed.

10. Headquarters Joint Operational Command (HQJOC), Australia

The HQJOC is a 28,000sq.m area building that houses the strategic and operational staff from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Forces. The facility is built in such a way so that it is self-sufficient in times of emergency without compromising the operations of the employees.

Largest Solar Powered Creations of The World

Recently, the world’s largest solar-powered office building was unveiled in Dezhou, Shangdong Province in northwest China. The 75,000-square-meter office building bears a resemblance to an ancient sun dial and reminds visitors of the importance of renewable energy. Today, we have for you the world’s largest solar powered creations that amaze us with their size and purpose they’re built for. Hit the jump to see them all…

World’s largest solar-powered office building



The world’s largest solar-powered building has been unveiled in Dezhou, Shangdong Province in northwest China. The 75,000-square-meter office building is based on the sun dial structure and marks the urgency of seeking renewable energy to replace polluting fossil fuels. The building provides space for exhibition centers, scientific research facilities, meeting and training facilities and a sustainable hotel. Dubbed the Sun and the Moon Altar micro-row buildings, the architecture features the Chinese characters for sun and moon, while the white exterior symbolizes clean energy. In addition to a massive solar array, green ideas have been applied throughout the construction process. The external structure used only 1% steel for the Bird’s nest and advanced roof and wall insulation systems reduce 30% more energy than the national energy saving standard. The building will be the main venue for the 4th World Solar City Congress.

 World’s largest solar-powered footbridge



Premier Anna Bligh has officially opened the world’s largest footbridge of its kind in Brisbane’s CBD. Constructed at a cost of over $63 million, the Kurilpa Bridge is expected to be used by about 36,500 people each week. The structure is 470m long and more than 1050 people were employed on the project. Spanning the Brisbane River, the bridge employs a sophisticated LED lighting scheme that can be programmed to produce an array of different lighting effects, which will become a feature of Brisbane’s annual Riverfire celebrations. The energy-saving lighting system will be powered by 84 solar panels that collectively generate a daily output of about 100KWh and an average yearly output of 38MWh. The solar energy generates supplies 75% of the power required to run the LED setup in the fully lit mode, but in most lighting configurations, 100% of the energy required will come from the solar panels. Surplus electricity generated by the solar array will be returned to the main grid.

 World’s largest solar powered trimaran



PlanetSolar is a multi-hull vessel, commissioned by German investor Immo Stroeher. The vessel being built at a shipyard in Kiel, Germany is said to be the world’s largest solar-powered trimaran. It will not have sails; instead will rely on solar panels to circumnavigate the world in 140 days. The triple-hull, 30-metre-long, 15-metre-wide boat will incorporate solar cells onto the 508-square-metre top of the main centre hull. The solar panels are capable of producing 1,000 watts of electricity daily. Surplus energy is stored in the batteries, enabling the 58-ton trimaran to continue its journey without sun for up to three days at a speed of 10 knots or 18 kilometres per hour.

 World’s largest solar audio system



Grzebik Design has come out with what is being called the world’s largest solar powered loudspeaker system. Located in the Taiwan National Stadium in Kaohsiung, the audio system is capable of cranking out 105 dB of sound to 40,000 spectators. The ultra-modern $5 billion Taiwan National Stadium features a stunning 14,155 square meter roof incorporating 8,844 solar panels, which emulates the form of a flowing river, and generates 1.14 million KWh annually preventing the release of 660 tons-per-annum of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The electricity generated is used to power the audio system. Designed by renowned Japanese architect Toyo Ito the whole system comprises of 60 distributed Apogee Sound AE-7SX weather-resistant loudspeakers for primary seating area coverage, 12 Apogee Sound ALA-5WSX weather resistant Acoustic Linear Array loudspeakers provides field coverage, and 2 Apogee Sound AFI-205 and two AFI-Point5 loudspeakers provide Control Room audio monitoring.

World’s largest Solar Power Tower Plant



Abengoa, a Spanish engineering company has developed a huge 54 story high tower near Seville in Spain. Said to be the world’s largest solar power tower plant, it consists of more than 1200-mirrored heliostats neighboring a huge tower. Called the ‘PS20 plant’, the installation has heliostats covering 1291 ft2 area each, giving the entire heliostat field a massive area of 155,000 m 2. Each heliostat tracks the sun throughout the day on two axes and concentrates the radiation onto a receiver located on the upper part of the 531 ft tower. After this, the receiver converts 92% of received sunlight into steam that is piped down to a turbine driven generator at the base of the tower. The PS20 plant is capable of generating 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough to supply 10,000 homes.

 World’s Largest Solar Project



Taking advantage of the dryness of Sahara Desert, renewable energy giants are prepping up the installation of the world’s largest solar power plant that collectively will generate a whopping 100GW of concentrating solar power. Promoted by Desertec Foundation, the plant will be built by 20 blue chip German companies, who would be gathering together to discuss plans and investments to create the massive project. Unlike other solar power plants, which are usually built on a single location, this massive plant would be scattered throughout politically stable countries in northern Africa. The collective output of the plant would be 80 times larger than a similar plant being planned for the Mojave Desert. The power output would be transported across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe on high-voltage DC lines that will finally supply 15% of the energy demand. The companies involved in the planning state that similar installations have to be constructed to end the gripping energy crisis. The €400bn project would take 10-15 years to go online, but once constructed it will help other countries of the world to aim towards renewable energy generating plants to end their dependence on fossil fuels.

 World’s largest solar powered tree



Brisbane City Council have recently refurbished world’s largest solar powered Christmas tree to delight the Brisbane crowds. The beautiful tree has decked it out with new foliage, decorations and a sophisticated solar powered lighting system featuring 16,000 bulbs. Location in King George Square, the Christmas Tree features 250 red opaque baubles, a multicoloured twinkling light system and a giant star made up of solar panels for the tree’s top. The new-look tree would be more sustainable and help in saving the environment.

 World’s Largest Solar Stadium



No one has ever attempted to power an entire stadium with solar energy before, but Japan-based Toyo Ito Architects are using solar energy beyond all conventions to power the main stadium built for the World Games. The $150 million stadium can house 55,000 spectators and can power 80% of the surrounding neighborhood if it‘s solar array is connected to the grid during days when the stadium is not being used. Every inch of the stadium’s incredible 14,155-sq-m roof area is covered with 8,844 solar panels that could potentially generate a whopping 1.14GWh of electricity annually. The record braking stadium is touted to be the world’s largest solar-powered stadium.

World’s largest solar cooking system



India has been working on to escalate the use of solar energy in the country. The country is boasting the development of the world’s largest solar steam cooking system that has been installed in Shirdi in the state of Maharashtra. The system, built at the cost of about $280,000 uses solar energy to convert water into 3,500kg of steam daily, which is then used to cook food for the pilgrims visiting the shrine of 19th century saint Sai Baba. The system can feed up to 20,000 people per day and can save about 100,000kg of cooking gas annually. Of the total cost needed to install the system about 43% was paid by the government.