Marco Polo

Marco Polo was born in Italy in 1254. A traveller and merchant, he was one of the first Europeans to travel across Asia and into China. His journey lasted 24 years.

He set out, aged 17, with his father Nicolo and his uncle Maffeo on their great journey to China. They sailed south from Venice, Italy and stopped off in the Middle East. They then carried on overland to Persia (now Iran), through the Pamir Mountains and the Gobi Desert before they got to China.

At that time, China was more advanced than Europe. They already had paper, so large numbers of books were available. They also used paper money in many parts of the empire.

After he got back to Italy, Marco Polo wrote a book describing the riches of Asia. His written account was the first Western record of porcelain, coal, gunpowder, printing and silk.

WRITING TASK

Write about a famous traveller or explorer. Do you know anyone who does the same job?

TRANSLATION

Fallingwater

Fallingwater (1936-1939) is the most famous house that a well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed. It combines nature and living space in a poetic, effective manner. The building demonstrates perfectly Wright’s concept of organic architecture.

The house seems to grow out of the cliff and ledges, so it fits in perfectly with the surrounding landscape. It consists of several concrete trays which project over a waterfall.

The rooms are arranged in a clever way so that the house seems very spacious. The floor of the living room is built over a natural rock, parts of which are incorporated into the interior.

The house has other interesting features. Its floor-to-ceiling windows emphasis the close connection between the inside and outside of the building, as do the stairs which lead to the water. Its rushing sound is heard constantly in the house.

In spite of its daring construction and dramatic effect, the building appears to be an integral part of the natural setting. It is admired by architects all over the world and is considered by many to be Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece.

WRITING TASK

Write a description of a building you know well and whose design you admire. What Voronezh architects do you know?

TRANSLATION

Sky City 1000

Tokyo has a major problem with overcrowding and a lack of green space. The Takenaka Corporation has proposed Sky City 1000, a vertical city for the 21st century.

The Sky City proposal consists of a building 1,000 metres tall (about three times the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris) and 400 metres wide at the base. It has a total floor area of eight square kilometers. It functions like a medium-sized city with housing, offices, commercial facilities, schools, parks and theatres. It provides for 35,000 full-time residents and 100,000 workers. Sky City 1000 hopes to provide all the services of a city in an attractive natural environment.

The building is made up of 14 dish-shaped levels stacked one upon the other. To get around such a large building high-speed lifts containing up to 70 people will be used in the building and a small train will run around the roof. Engineers have carried out tests using Tokyo’s fire helicopter to see what the danger would be if there was a fire.

The main advantage of Sky City 1000 is that people would be able to get to work, the shops, and schools without getting in a car. However, some people would be scared to live in such a tall building, especially with Japan’s earthquake problems.

WRITING TASK

Write a description of a superstructure you know. If money and time were not a problem, what large structure would you like to design?

TRANSLATION