I am the memory of a moment of happiness;
I am the last gift of the living to the dead;
I am a part of joy and a part of sorrow.
But I look up high to see only the light,
And never look down to see my shadow.
This is wisdom, which man must learn.
Khalil Gibran, Song of the Flower
Beautiful words from the poet Khalil Gibran. We humans have always found flowers to be alluring and they have been an indispensable part of our lives, as we celebrate our joys and mourn our sorrows with them. Flowers are an essential part of our culture and traditions. In India, flowers are a part of celebrations and prayers, religious rituals and rites, ceremonies and festivals. The lotus flower, a symbol of purity and eternity, is not only our national flower, but it's also used in religious ceremonies. Similarly other flowers like marigold, roses, jasmine, etc. find an important place in our culture and traditions.
Different flowers have different meanings and convey different sentiments across the globe. For example; Aster was used to ward off evil spirits by the ancient civilization, bamboo is popular in China and is a symbol of grace and strength, Cherry Blossoms in Japan is associated with the transience of life, while Tulip is associated with fame and perfect love and is the national flower of Holland. Infact, Tulip bulbs were more valuable than gold in Holland in the 1600s.
Here, are some buildings around the world that were inspired by the shape of flowers:
# The Lotus temple, in New Delhi-India designed by Fariborz Sahba, and opened in 1986, is inspired by the lotus flower. It has 27 free-standing marble-clad petals arranged in a cluster of three to form nine sides.
# The 2,722 feet high Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai-UAE, designed by Architects SOM opened in 2010, is inspired from the symmetry of the desert flower Hymenocallis.
# The ArtScience Museum in Singapore opened in 2011, designed by Moshe Safdie is inspired by the lotus flower.
# The Tbilisi Public Service Hall in Tbilisi-Georgia, designed by Architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas in 2012, has eleven diversely shaped petals.
# The Qizhong Stadium in Shanghai-China built in 2005, with a capacity of 15,000 has a blooming magnolia-like steel roof. It was designed by the Japanese architect Mitsuru Senda.
# The Wuhan New Energy Centre in China currently under construction, designed by Grontmij with Soeters Van Eldonk Architects, is shaped after the Calla Lily, with a 140-metre tower in the centre, surrounded by lower towers in the shape of flowers and covered in vegetation.
Somebody has truly said,
Life is like a flower, let it unfold. Have a beautiful day ahead.
# The Lotus temple, in New Delhi-India designed by Fariborz Sahba, and opened in 1986, is inspired by the lotus flower. It has 27 free-standing marble-clad petals arranged in a cluster of three to form nine sides.
# The 2,722 feet high Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai-UAE, designed by Architects SOM opened in 2010, is inspired from the symmetry of the desert flower Hymenocallis.
# The ArtScience Museum in Singapore opened in 2011, designed by Moshe Safdie is inspired by the lotus flower.
# The Tbilisi Public Service Hall in Tbilisi-Georgia, designed by Architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas in 2012, has eleven diversely shaped petals.
# The Qizhong Stadium in Shanghai-China built in 2005, with a capacity of 15,000 has a blooming magnolia-like steel roof. It was designed by the Japanese architect Mitsuru Senda.
# The Wuhan New Energy Centre in China currently under construction, designed by Grontmij with Soeters Van Eldonk Architects, is shaped after the Calla Lily, with a 140-metre tower in the centre, surrounded by lower towers in the shape of flowers and covered in vegetation.
Somebody has truly said,
Life is like a flower, let it unfold. Have a beautiful day ahead.
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