2. Hello everyone! I am Olianna Gonzalez and I am a student of
architecture at Simon Bolivar University.For my final project in
English for architecture and urban planning III, I am going to show
you, from an architectural and urban planning point of view, what I
consider makes Venezuela an exceptional and unique country applying
all the concepts and characteristics learnt in this term: color,
texture, lighting, circulation, space and scale, acoustics and
rhythm.
3. Venezuela is a tropical country on the northern coast of South
America. It is one of the most urbanized countries in South
America, where most of the habitants live in the cities of the
north, especially in Caracas (its Capital). This city is notable
for being a valley, having the honor to count with one of the most
unique landscapes that this country and city may offer to the
world, The Avila Mountain
Together with this, Caracas count with a range variety of buildings
located not just down the valley but also in the mountain, what
offers a nice illuminated landscape in the night.
4. Caracas, for being an overcrowded city, has to deal with a
problem that some cities in the world are having: overpopulation +
demand of cars from the citizens. Public transports in Caracas are
not the best choice due to the insecurity that this country is
facing at the moment, and also these types of transport are not
working properly neither. For this, many of the people that live in
Caracas feel the necessity of acquiring private way of transports,
which causes lots of traffic. Another reason why it has become
difficult for the city to have a horizontal circulation, were
people feel free to walk and be in the streets, is because some
places lack of sidewalks.
5. In spite of this, Caracas count with few pedestrian spaces:
Boulevard of Sabana Grande, Alfredo Sadel Square, Universidad
Central de Venezuela, among others.In these, the architects use a
different type materials or structures to symbolize the horizontal
circulation. In the first two examples, the texture in the floor;
and in the last one, corridors and ramps are used.
6. On the other hand, we have La Torre La Previsora (Previsora
Tower) and Las Torres del Silencio, which are examples of the
varieties of buildings, in what scale refers, that you may find in
this Capital city being one of the highest buildings in Caracas.In
here, you may also see the use and relationship between public and
private spaces, vertical circulation and the rhythm used in the
design of these buildings (setbacks, bay spacing)
7. Color is another characteristic of Venezuelan architecture. In
colonial towns like: EL Hatillo (Caracas), Bocono (Trujillo),
Pampatar (Isla de Margarita), etc; colors are important, and it is
the principal distinguishing of these towns all over the world.
Texture is another crucial point in Venezuelan architecture and
urban planning, not only in the colonial style but also in the
modern, for example in Alcaravan Residence or Atrium
Building.
8. Aula Magna, Teresa CarenoTheather and La ConchaAcustica are the
best examples of acoustic architecture in Caracas, where the most
important ballets and operas are being held.
9. To conclude, I believe the architect and urban planning in
Venezuela is unique because it offers to the public different
fundamentals and characteristics typical of these country and its
citizens, which is part of the range of cultures that existed and
are real in these countries. Even though we, Venezuelans, are
trying to face some problems like the traffic and insecurities, I
think this country has so much to offer to the world in an
architecture and urban planning point of view, that most of those
negative things are being overshadowed by the positive ones. After
all, positive and negative things are what make our culture so
special, and our citizens so determined to contribute with this
amazing country to make it everyday a better place to
live.
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