Buildings and bridges

There are many beautiful and interesting modern buildings and bridges. Learn about some famous buildings and bridges around the world.

The Millau Viaduct, France This bridge goes across the river Tarn in the south of France. It was designed by the famous architect Norman Foster and it was built in 2004. The Millau Viaduct is one of the tallest bridges in the world (270 metres tall!). It is made of very strong materials like steel (a metal) and concrete (a mix of stone, sand and water), but it is very beautiful.	The Beijing national stadium, Beijing, China This amazing sports stadium was built for the 2008 Olympics. It is sometimes called the 'Bird's nest' because it looks like the place that birds build to live in. Many architects worked together to design this building. Like the Millau Viaduct, the Beijing National Stadium is made of steel and concrete. 80,000 people can watch sports there.
The Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia The Sydney Opera House was built in the 1960s. It is a famous place where people go to watch music and plays. It was designed by an architect called Jorn Utzen. Many people love the Sydney opera house. They think it looks like big, white shells or sails on a boat. What do you think it looks like?	The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, Japan There are many interesting bridges in Japan, but the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is the most famous because it is the longest bridge in the world (1,991 metres long!). It goes across the Akashi Strait, a sea which can be very dangerous and stormy to go across by boat. This bridge was built in the 1990s to make the journey across the Akashi Strait safer. 23,000 cars go across it every day!
The Dancing House, Prague, Czech Republic This building is called the Dancing House because people think that it looks like two people dancing! It was built in the 1990s. No-one lives in the Dancing House; it is used as an office and there is a restaurant at the top of it. It is made of glass and concrete. People do not agree about the Dancing House; some people think it is ugly but others think it is beautiful. What do you think?	The Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates People are building the Burj Khalifa now. It is going to be the tallest building in the world (828 metres!). It is made of glass, metal and concrete and it is going to be in a big park called the Burj Khalifa Park. There are going to be flats, a hotel, offices, restaurants and three swimming pools inside the Burj Khalifa. It is so big that 36 people take four months to clean it!

1. Read again and answer.
   1. Where is the Millau Viaduct?
   2. Why was the Beijing national stadium built?
   3. Who designed the Sydney Opera House?
   4. Why was the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge built?
   5. What is the Dancing House made of?
   6. How long does it take to clean the Burj Khalifa?
2. Correct the sentences.
   1. The Millau Viaduct is made of weak materials like wood.
   2. The Beijing National Stadium is made of glass and metal.
   3. People watch sport in the Sydney Opera House.
   4. The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is very short.
   5. People think that The Dancing House looks like a sailing boat.
   6. There are going to be flats, a zoo, offices, restaurants and three theatres inside the Burj Khalifa.
3. Design and draw a building or bridge. Write about it!