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From: Architexturez-IN <admin-in@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:26:33 +0530
BEIJING (Reuters Life!) - The North Korean and Togolose embassies are
never going to be able to compete with the Forbidden City or Great Wall
for tourists.
But these buildings are fine examples of the retro Communist
architecture at which Beijing excels and make a great, offbeat
attraction for the visitor tired of temples and shopping, especially
with the 2008 Olympics approaching.
High ceilings, large windows, whitewashed walls, old-fashioned wooden
doors and lots of harsh right angles -- you could be forgiven for
thinking Swiss-born architect Le Corbusier had a hand in some of the
embassy designs.
Modernist, minimalist and often quite brutal, they embody a
socialist-chic design ethic rapidly vanishing as Beijing develops and
glass-fronted skyscrapers edge out simple brick and plaster.
cont'd....
http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSPEK27842320070928