Advanced 1 Unit 10

Unit 10
Architecture

Introduction
a. Complete the conversation with the words below. There are more words than you need.

architecture • domed • exterior • floor plan • incorporate • renovations

structures • urban

Ray: I love (1) ______________ architecture; cities have such interesting buildings.
Pearl: I know, and not just buildings but other (2) ______________ too, like bridges,
tunnels, and monuments.
Ray: Hey, look at that building over there, the big stone one, with the pillars…
Pearl: Wow. Look at its fancy, (3) _____________ roof. That really is beautiful
(4) ____________.
Ray: Do you think the inside of the building is as nice as the (5) ______________?
Pearl: I don’t know. Let’s go see.
Ray: Unfortunately, we can’t. The building is closed. It’s undergoing (6) ____________.

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b. The sentences below use either the Present Simple or the future. Read each sentence
and choose its meaning from the list below.

Sentence Meaning

1. Don’t you love the interior of this museum? a. A prediction

2. I’ll have the floor plans ready for you by next week. b. A habit

3. This tower is the tallest tower in the world. c. A promise

4. The roof won’t survive another snowstorm. d. A permanent situation

5. Will you bring the wood inside, so the rain doesn’t ruin it? e. An emotion

6. My brother works for an architecture firm. f. A planned event

7. Whenever I visit a new city, I take pictures of the
g. A general truth
architecture.
8. We start construction at 7 A.M. every morning. h. An unplanned action
9. On Monday, we’ll be visiting the oldest buildings in the
i. A repeated action
neighborhood.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

c. Complete each sentence by writing the correct form of the word in parentheses.

1. Congratulations on your architecture award. I __________________ you’d win. (know)

2. This room is beautiful. I __________________ inside since they renovated it. (not be)

3. _______________ you _______________ your architecture exam yet? (take)

4. I thought I’d be late to my design course this morning, but luckily, they
__________________ (not start)

5. By the time the other architect arrived, I __________________ the floor plans. (finish)

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 Advanced 1 Unit 10

Baran Architectural Firm

a. Do you remember the ad for the architecture firm Baran Design? Here is a customer
testimonial which reviewed their work. Read the testimonial and answer the questions.

Customer Testimonial

I would highly recommend Baran Design for any new construction or renovation project.
Our committee used the architecture firm to build our new city library, and we couldn’t be
happier. The result is a magnificent structure that is both beautiful and functional. Although
it was a huge undertaking, the project was completed on time and within budget. It is
continuously receiving compliments from city officials and community members.

The Baran Design staff was extremely professional and helpful. They listened to all our
needs and made sure that even the smallest details were considered in the design. During
construction they were very attentive, responsive to questions, and prompt to answer.

Nelson Davis, the project’s team leader, is intelligent, organized, and has a great eye
for design and detail. Nelson made himself available for building meetings whenever
necessary. He was also very skilled at resolving construction issues.

Nelson and his professional staff were a pleasure to work with. We would not hesitate to
use Baran Design’s services again.

Nikola Turner, Springfield Library Committee Chairman

1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph? What are the supporting details?
Main idea: _______________________________________________________________
Supporting details: ________________________________________________________

2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph? What are the supporting details?
Main idea: _______________________________________________________________
Supporting details: ________________________________________________________

3. What is the main idea of the third paragraph? What are the supporting details?
Main idea: _______________________________________________________________
Supporting details: ________________________________________________________

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The Architecture Competition

a. Do you remember the video about the architecture competition? Jerry Menendez, one of
the judges, wrote an article about designing a shopping mall. Read the article and answer
the questions.

Architects Hit the Mall

By Jerry Menendez

After participating in this year’s Northeastern Architecture Competition, I thought I’d share
with readers the challenges architects face when designing a shopping mall.
For starters, designing a successful shopping mall is all about balance. The mall needs to
be spacious, to house dozens of stores, yet not so huge that it’s difficult to get from one
area to another. The layout should encourage shoppers to roam and explore, but without
getting lost.

Another major challenge is attracting shoppers. Today, many people are shopping online,
and malls are closing down. To get people back into the mall, we have to redefine what a
mall is. It has to be more than just a place to shop. It needs to be an entertainment center.
Some malls are being built with indoor ice rinks, water slides, amusement parks, and
even ski slopes. Cultural elements, such as concerts and art centers, are also being added
to the modern mall. And instead of only offering a food court, with fast food, malls are
starting to offer fine dining options, by adding upscale restaurants.

All these elements help to create a sense of a community. And to further develop this
mood, architects and designers are building open air malls, which incorporate the natural
landscape. For enclosed malls, they add plants, trees, wooden walls and floors, waterfalls
and rocks, and large windows, to let in natural light.

Architects and designers are also building malls with environmental sustainability
considerations in mind. Some malls have rooftop gardens with a rainwater collection
system. Others are built in areas that can be reached by public transportation.
And lastly, for a mall to be successful today it needs to be attractive, innovative
architecture. An inviting exterior will draw people in, and a welcoming interior will make
them stay.

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 Advanced 1 Unit 10

1. Jerry Menendez writes that designing a mall is all about balance. What does he mean by this?
________________________________________________________________________
2. What is causing many malls to close?
________________________________________________________________________
3. Why does Menendez think we we need to redefine what a mall is?
________________________________________________________________________
4. Give three examples of how malls have been turned into entertainment centers.
a. ______________________________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________________
5. What is the main idea of the sixth paragraph? What are the supporting details?

Main idea: _______________________________________________________________

Supporting details: _________________________________________________________

b. Based on the information you read in the article, discuss with a partner what kind of mall
you would design. What would it look like? What would it have inside? Write a paragraph
describing your shopping mall.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

c. Share your shopping mall plan with the class.

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Office Renovations
a. Do you remember the conversations between client and architect in the computer
lesson? Match the answers to the questions.

Questions
1. So, what’s most important to you in terms of office design? ____
2. There are many ways to make an office eco-friendly. What environmental issue do you
want to work on first? ____
3. Do you have any suggestions for saving water? ____
4. Can you make the work spaces adjustable, so we can reconfigure them as we need to?
____
5. How about providing a second common area for employees, such as a large company
lunch room? ____

Answers
a. Sure. We can make a flexible floor plan, which can be rearranged easily.
b. We can incorporate a rainwater collection system
c. Yes. A lunch area could be a good place for employees to relax and informally share
ideas.
d. We want to cut down on electricity use.
e. Well, our employees often work in teams, so we need a space that’s conducive to
collaboration.

b. Rewrite the sentences below as suggestions or polite questions.

1. I’ll draw up some plans so we can discuss them.

_____________________________________________________________________

2. Let’s meet on Monday to talk about your project.

_____________________________________________________________________

3. We’ll make a “quiet zone” with individual workstations.

_____________________________________________________________________

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 Advanced 1 Unit 10

c. You are meeting with an architect to renovate your home. She gives you a questionnaire
to find out more about you and your project. Write answers to her questions below.

1. What kind of spaces do you need, based on your lifestyle? For example, do you work
from home, or do you entertain a lot?
__________________________________________________________________

2. How much time do you spend in the different rooms and outdoor areas of your home?
__________________________________________________________________

3. What would you like to change about your home?

__________________________________________________________________

4. Are there any rooms that you want to connect, or areas that you want to make more
private?
__________________________________________________________________

5. Would you like to make your home more environmentally friendly? What’s you biggest
environmental concern?
__________________________________________________________________

d. If you were an architect, what questions would you ask potential clients? Write five of
your own questions below.

1. __________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________________________

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National Society of Architects Design Awards

a. Do you remember jury comments from the National Society of Architects Design
Awards? Here are additional jury comments. Match of the comment to the project that it
is referring to. There are more comments than you need.

Projects
1. The Repurposed Theater __

2. MacMillan Hotel __

3. Ellington Complex __

Comments
a. “An ingenious solution that increases private space while encouraging community”
b. “Exceptional use of recycled materials”
c. “Perfect example of incorporating landscape into an indoor environment”
d.” Restoration that preserves the building’s original charm”

b. Which of the three architectural design projects you read about interests you most?
Explain your choice.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

c. Read about another architecture competition. Then answer the question that follows.

The Architecture Blueprint Public Choice Award

The Architecture Blueprint Journal is holding its annual Public Choice Award. The award
is presented to the project that “exemplifies beauty, intelligence, creativity, and service
to the community.” Unlike other architecture competitions, whose juries are made up
of outside experts, this competition is judged by the journal’s readers. As stated in the
journal, “We trust the architecture and design knowledge of our readers to determine
exemplary architecture.”

What makes this architecture competition unique?

___________________________________________________________________

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 Advanced 1 Unit 10

Hiring an Architect
a. Leanne is speaking with her friend Galina about hiring an architect. Read an excerpt from
their conversation, and answer the questions.

Leanne: I’m thinking of hiring an architect for my home renovation. Do you know how to
go about finding one?
Galina: I’d start by asking for recommendations from friends and neighbors. I’d also look
for professional architecture organizations online, and see if they have listings
for architects in the area.
Leanne: Then what happens? Let’s say I get the names of a few architects…
Galina: Then, you set up a meeting with each one. You want to get a sense of what he or
she is like and whether you think you’ll get along. Don’t forget, you’ll be working
very closely with the architect. You have to make sure you respect each other.
Leanne: Isn’t it expensive to set up all those meetings?
Galina: No. Most architects are happy to set up an initial meeting at no charge, to get a
sense of what your project is about.
Leanne: Is it OK to ask them for references?
Galina: Definitely. Ask for references, and then contact those references. Find out if the
architect finished on time and on budget, and if there were any problems.

1. Why does Leanne want to hire an architect?

__________________________________________________________________
2. How will Leanne start the process of choosing an architects?
__________________________________________________________________
3. Why is it important to set up meetings with potential architects?
__________________________________________________________________
4. What question do you think Leanne will ask Galina next?
__________________________________________________________________

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Additional Reading
Global Reading
1. Read the title of the article and the first paragraph. What is the main idea of the article?
____________________________________________________________________

2. Read the second paragraph. What does it describe?

____________________________________________________________________

3. Read the first sentence of the third paragraph. What will this paragraph be describing?
____________________________________________________________________

Close Reading
1. What does running low in line 10 mean? _________

2. The words you will cook, in line 8, is an example of Future Simple. What is the meaning?
(promise, planned event, unplanned action, spontaneous decision, or prediction?)
________________________________________________________________________

3. In line 10, the word by is used to introduce a process. What is the process?
________________________________________________________________________

4. In line 20, the phrase in order to is used to state a purpose. What is the purpose?
________________________________________________________________________

5. In line 25, the writer uses the phrase as opposed to to contrast two things. What two things
are being contrasted?
________________________________________________________________________

6. The word constantly is used to express that something is always happening. What is
constantly happening in line 27.
________________________________________________________________________

7. What word or phrase in the last paragraph is a synonym for unbelievable? _____________

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 Advanced 1 Unit 10

Homes of the Future

Interior designers, together with the top technology companies, have been dreaming up what they
expect homes to look like in the not-too-distant future. As one would expect, the prototypes are in
effect “smart” homes, utilizing touch-screen technology wherever possible.
In the house of the future, each room will be designed with the goal of being as environmentally
5 friendly, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing as possible. Let’s start with the heart of every home
— the kitchen. Kitchen cabinets will be constructed of sleek glass that doubles as an LED screen,
where you can watch TV while cooking or enjoy a movie during dinner. Countertops will be made
of a stain- and scratch-resistant recycled glass. Instead of using electric or gas burners, you will cook
your food on an induction cooking surface that can be transferred anywhere on the countertop with
10 the swipe of a hand. A computerized system will create grocery lists by monitoring which items are
running low and which are approaching their expiration date! You will be able to jot down notes on
your refrigerator’s electronic pad and even look up recipes or play music from there, too.
In the bathroom, the “smart” mirror won’t just show you your reflection — it will also remind you to
take your medicine, give you the day’s weather, and provide tips on how to apply makeup. You will
15 even be able to make video calls and connect to social networks while getting ready for the day or
evening. The plumbing will focus on water conservation by transferring the used water from the sink
to fill the toilet bowl. You will even be able to regulate the temperature and texture of the floor and
choose from a variety of aromatherapy scents to enhance your bathroom experience.
Moving on to the bedroom, the beds of the future will have a 100-percent biodegradable mattress
20 made with fishing wire in order to prevent the spread of bedbugs and other microorganisms. One of the
other nifty bedroom features will include a mirror that can tell you whether a missing piece of an outfit
is in the closet or the laundry. If you find yourself sleepily wandering to the bathroom in the middle of
the night, motion sensors will activate dim floor lights so that you can safely return to your bed.
Children’s bedrooms will have a high-tech sleeping pod that encloses the child’s sleeping area. This
25 design will save energy, since only the sleeping pod, as opposed to the entire room, will need to be
heated. In order to ensure that your children are breathing in clean air, the sleeping pod will incorporate
an air-purification system that constantly pumps in fresh oxygen. Adults may also use a sleeping pod
if they wish.
Does this sound far-fetched? Experts believe that people might be living in homes similar to this in as
30 short as a decade from now, so start planning your home improvements of the future now!

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Comprehension Questions

1. According to the article, how will homes of the future be different from today’s homes?

________________________________________________________________________

2. Which room does the writer consider to be the heart of the home?

________________________________________________________________________

3. What will bathroom smart mirrors do?

________________________________________________________________________

4. How will mattresses be environmentally friendly?

________________________________________________________________________

5. What will be the benefit of a sleeping pod?

________________________________________________________________________

6. How do we know that the writer thinks his or her article sounds like science fiction?

________________________________________________________________________

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