Sacsayhuamán, Sacred Valley / Photo from samuelgraphics

Sacsayhuamán, alternatively called Saksaq Waman, is an ancient Inca ruin at an altitude of 3,701 meters.  It is a walled complex laden with mystery near the old city of Cusco, Peru. The immense fortress was built by huge stone blocks weighing upto 300 tons, but nobody knows how these stones were cut, moved and put into place. The construction method of the builders of these megalithic walls is still a mystery, as you cannot fit a single piece of paper between most of the stones. The precise construction work, along with artistically bent corners of the limestone blocks and varied shapes of the walls are the chief factors behind the relic’s continued presence till date.

Cusco City View / Photo from Andrew Oliver

The longest of the three Sacsayhuamán walls is about 400 meters long and 6 meters tall. About 6,000 cubic meters volume of stone had gone into the construction work. The limestone blocks that went into the construction of the wall weighed up to 300 tons.  The transportation of the stone blocks at that age is really interesting. Some of the bigger ones had to be transported more than 50 miles across rugged mountainous terrains. The Incas did not use wheeled vehicles like chariots at that time. There is difference of opinion among chroniclers about the identity of the chief architect behind Sacsayhuaman.

Inca walls / Photo from dachalan

“A good example of Inca stonework at Sacsayhuamán, Peru. They cut and hauled huge stones to make walls like this, and fit them together — without mortar! — so tightly that you coudn’t get a knife-tip or a piece of paper between them. Solid enough to have survived tremendous earthquakes.” / Photo from Now and Here

Photo from dibopics

Another interesting construction is the Muyuqmarca or Muyucmarka, which is a small Inca ruin consisting of 3 concentric circular walls, all connected with radial walls located within the Sacsayhuamán archaeological site.

Cusco Sacsayaman Round Tower / Photo from Rufous y Anunciada

Sacsayhuamán. Peru / Photo from Fábio Hasegawa

The Spanish, who invaded the region, extracted a large quantity of rock from the walls of Sacsayhuamán walls to build churches in Cuzco region. For this reason, the walls are perfect up to a certain height and then suddenly missing beyond that point. The relic is famous for extensive underground crisscrossing passages called Chincanas. These Chincanas also connect the fortress with other parts of the Inca remnants. Mystery continues to be unfolded at Sacsayhuamán. In 2008, a temple was discovered in the premises. The temple dates back to sometime between 900 and 1200 AD.

Photo from vcastelo

Photo from Paseos

The mysteries around the construction of Sacsayhuamán have boosted its claim to fame. The fortress, which could contain about 5000 people, still has an impressive size and can raise the eyebrows of some of the most renowned architects of today’s age. Some of the stone blocks are really huge and as large as a medium-sized truck! Most importantly, they are still in their designated place even today! Some of the bigger blocks weigh over 50 tons and are still tightly stuck together like bits of puzzles.  At times, you cannot but remain wonderstruck at how the biggest block, weighing over 120 tons, was moved to the site with precision at that age? What tools did the Incas had in their possession for cutting these gigantic blocks that precisely fitted together?

Photo from bks22

Photo from Edwort

The Spanish invaders considered themselves superior in military technology than the Incas. They were shocked at the Incas’ achievement. Some Spanish chroniclers have degraded the Incas in their chronicles and have written that the fortress had been built by evil spirits and demons. Some people even today believe that the structure was not constructed by the Incas. They believe that extraterrestrials could have arrived in our planet and built the Sacsayhuaman fortress. Alternatively, they might have taught the Incas how to build it.

Ruins of Sacsayhuamán, a grand ceremonial and shaman burial site near Cusco. This entrance is double walled, which in Inca architecture always leads to a temple / Photo from ramtyns

Stones in Saqsaywaman / Photo from jonathan_simon

However, the specialists after a simple analysis of the structure and style of construction have come to the conclusion that the Sacsayhuamán fortress was indeed a construction work of the Incas. The estimated workforce behind the fortress was around 20,000 – 30,000 men and the approximate time of construction was about 60 years.

Inca festival / Photo from chillghetti

Inca ruins at Saqsaywaman, Cuzco, Peru / Photo from dachalan

Though it is hard to imagine a hotel made of ice, except for fairy tales, however there exists an Ice hotel in this material world. A unique concept embellished with fine piece of art work to offer an extraordinary experiences. The Ice hotel is situated in the village Jukkasjärvi, north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, lying on the shores of Torne River – a meter thick ice layer on the river in winter is the prime source of all design, art and architecture.

Amazingly! It requires an estimated 10000 tones of crystal clear ice from the Torne River and 30000 tones of pure snow from Mother Nature to build this terrific hotel, situated in midst of an unspoilt profusion. Build on a 3500 sq. meters area, the Ice Hotel hosts an eternal Ice Chapel, an exhibition hall showcasing ice art, a cinema, excellent conference rooms and most of all, a world famous ‘Absolut Ice Bar’.

During the summer the suites, the rooms, the reception, the bar, the entire construction, once again turns to be a part of nature, coursing towards the sea. The Ice Hotel is rebuilt every year, and comes with a new design, new suites, as well as a brand new reception – an absolute makeover.

ICE HOTEL

Beijing would be hosting the world’s biggest airport, in time for 2008 Beijing Olympics – an evidence of China’s ever-growing quest for building the fastest, highest and biggest than any other country. The Beijing airport would outmatch both the current biggest, Heathrow and Hong Kong – double their size when Terminal 5 gets completed, is expected to be “truly awesome”, as proclaimed by British architect, Lord Foster, the brain behind the construction.

Currently the busiest in China, Beijing Airport would undergo a rmb16,000 million ($2 billion) expansion, to manage the increasing traffic as a part of China’s entry into WTO (World Trade Organization) and 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The new undertaking by Chinese Government is supposed to increase the capacity of the airport from 27 million to 60 million passengers per annum by 2015.

The airport would be one of the most sustainable, incorporating design concepts in world. As stated by Lord Foster on behalf of his team,

“this is a fantastic opportunity to deliver a 21st century airport that will set global standards in terms of passenger experience, operational efficiency and sustainability, but this airport will also be a symbol of place and togetherness, welcoming and uplifting.”

Hydropolis, will be the first luxury underwater hotel in Dubai. The grandiose dream will come alive underwater, with multifarious facilities and arrangements pampering you every minute of your stay.

This is going to be the largest contemporary construction projects in the world, covering an area of 260 hectares that is the same area of the London’s Hyde Park. The whole construction will incorporate three elements – a land station, where the guests will be welcomed, a connecting tunnel which will transport people to the main hotel area and the plushy 220 suites with impeccable arrangements.

It is a $300 million project to be designed by Joachim Hauser, whose futuristic visions have resulted into many structural wonders. The innovative designs and contemporary settings will surely take your breath away. The geometrical shape of the hotel will accommodate all the modern amenities – such as restaurants, bars, meeting rooms and theme suits. There will be a ball room, staircases, lifts and ramps. The surrounding areas will be flanked by banquets and receptions to assist you all on the way.

It may sound bizarre, but Dubai, the oil-rich city is going to witness a spin on the skyscraper! Sheikh Mejren bin Sultan’s Mejren Group and Kristen Company have collaborated to create the dynamic architecture. It was announced on 11^th April, 2007, that the construction will initiate within a period of six months, which is expected to complete in two years. The whole project will cost $330 million.

David Fischer, the world renowned architect designer, first conceived the idea. The edifice will rocket up to 68 stories and is going to be a combination of hotels, apartments and office towers. The floors will rotate 360 degrees, thus rendering the tower a new architectural form, at every spin.

For the first time, a tower will be capable of generating electricity, from the wind turbines placed in between the stories, which are shaped like doughnuts. However, the rotation of each doughnut will be at a very slow pace, (one rotation in 90 minutes), so as to avoid illness. The outlandish designs of the tower will incorporate other facilities, such as elevators, emergency stairs and other exclusive benefits.

Burj Dubai is the 8^th wonder – the tallest man-made steel framework slated to finish by the end of 2008. Burj Dubai, the glitzy tall building is scheduled for occupancy in September, 2009.

The edifice is a rich man’s paradise, with lavish ambiance and breath taking arrangements to sweep you off your feet. Standing tall at Doha street, along Sheikh Zayed Road, the building lets you have a rendezvous with the extravagant and rocking glamour world! Celebrated designer, Adrian Smith, first conceived the layout of the building. Samsung Engineering and Construction is the main constructor of the building and Skidmore Owings and Merrill LLP are the spearheads behind the structural, architectural and mechanical engineering.

So far, there has been no official announcement regarding the actual height of the building. However, a contractor involved in the project has revealed a height of around 818 meters. Based on the height, it is expected that the building will have around 160 floors. The tower of the building will reach in helical shape with terraces (almost 26), casting its glance on the entire city.

The architectural splendor will leave you breathless. Right from the maintenance system, structural components and facade maintenance – everything is impeccable and awe-inspiring. The enigmatic building will render you many interesting facts, which you have never heard or seen before.

The elevators will have the longest journey from bottom to top, at world’s fastest speed of 18m/sec, that is 40 mph. The tower hosts the world’s highest elevator installation. The curtain walls of the building will be equivalent to the stretch of 17 football (soccer) fields. The building is going to be the first mega high rise, in which the elevators will be programmed to permit controlled evacuation in case of fire events.

The dancing fountains will look enchanting at the foot of this massive structure. Moreover, the water system of the building will supply an average of about 25000 gallons of water per day!

The building houses the most extravagant water-cooling system. The tower will require at least 10,000 tons of cooling per hour, which is equivalent to 10,000 tons of melting ice per day. More surprising is the tower’s electricity demand, which is estimated at 36 mVA, that is 360,000, 100 watts light bulbs.

To fight the nature’s odds, the tower is designed for seismic conditions. The walls and the slabs are built in a way to provide high resistance to fire. The building has all the arrangements to take care of the safety and security of those in the building and also in close proximity to the building. People can rush to the pressurized air-conditioned refuge areas, located at every 25 the floor. At times of emergency, this will be a boon for the victims.

Dubai Marina, UAE

photo by Stacey Murphy

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