Progress cannot be stopped. We want things to move forward even faster. Our dreams are now expressed through architecture and design. What do most of us dream of?
前进的步伐势不可挡。我们希望事物可以更高速地发展。现在,我们的梦想通过建筑和设计得以展现,那么我们大多数人梦寐以求的是什么呢?

Space tourism, all-purpose robots, folding cars and many more keep constantly boggling our minds. Architects are capable of creating buildings that are not only practical, but also attractive in their own way. And here are a few examples of such creations:
太空旅行、全能机器人、折叠汽车等,还有更多让我们脑洞大开的事物。设计师擅于以其特有的方式建造实用美观的建筑,如下便是几个颇具创意的设计案例:

1. Atomium, Brussels
布鲁塞尔原子球塔

The Atomium was built in the 1950s and is located in Brussels. The designer’s idea was to create a building that would remind of an iron crystal. The structure is slightly over 100 meters tall and consists of 9 interconnected spheres. Visitors can use the escalators to move from one sphere to another. The top ball has a restaurant inside. The others are rented for conferences, meetings and exhibitions.
原子球塔建于20世纪50年代,坐落于布鲁塞尔。设计者的理念是想建造一座可以让人联想起铁原子晶体的建筑物。原子球塔高百米有余,由9个相互连通的球体构成。访客可以乘坐扶梯在球体间实现转移。顶端的原子球内部有家餐馆,而其它的原子球出租出去作会议、集会还有展览场馆。

2. Galaxy Soho Building, Beijing
北京的银河SOHO

China is developing. New buildings keep growing. Some of them are genuinely outstanding. Galaxy Soho is surely one of such constructions. It was built using stainless steel, stone, glass, aluminum which makes the building look modern, stylish and very elegant. The building with its snow-white cones connected by wavy bridges and suspended platform has made the city even more popular.
中国在发展,新建筑层出不穷,其中有些确实出类拔萃,北京的银河SOHO便是其中之一。银河SOHO由不锈钢、石材、玻璃和铝制成,看上去摩登有型、相当典雅。波浪形的桥梁连接起建筑雪白的锥型结构,高悬的平台让这座城市更接地气。

3. Burj Khalifa, Dubai
迪拜哈利法塔

Dubai is a luxurious place in all senses of the word. It wishes to excel in all spheres. The world’s tallest building called Burj Khalifa is also here. The structure is famous for breaking a few other records. The tower is located downtown and has an observation deck. Standing there you can enjoy the fantastic scenery of the city and other not less impressive buildings surrounding the tower.
无论从何种意义看,迪拜都是个奢侈的地方,期待在方方面面都独树一帜。世界最高建筑哈利法塔也在迪拜,其建筑结构还打破了其他记录。哈利法塔位于市区,有个观景台,站在那里你可以饱览城市奇景,周边建筑也毫不逊色,令人印象至深。

4. Absolute World Towers, Toronto
多伦多绝对世界塔

These two skyscrapers are built in Toronto. They remind of two slightly twisted cans. Both buildings are over 500 feet tall, each consisting of more than 50 floors. The purpose of these structures was not only to make the city more original and unique – the residential condominium is rented by people who want to rent offices and apartments.
这两座摩天大楼建于多伦多,让人联想起两个轻微扭转的易拉罐。两幢楼都超过500英尺高,每一幢都有50几层楼。其建造目的不仅仅是让城市更为独特和别具一格,这也是对外出租的住宅式高级公寓,出租给想租办公室和公寓房的人。

5. Spaceport America, New Mexico
新墨西哥州美国太空港

It is surprising how much the human race has achieved. No doubt we will soon fly to space as tourists. We already have a spaceport that looks as futuristic as our whole notion of the universe. This is the first commercial spaceport that has launched 12 missions so far. The tenants are the world’s famous spaceflight companies, such as Armadillo Aerospace, UP Aerospace and Virgin Galactic.
人类创造的一切着实令人惊叹。无疑,很快我们就会以旅客的身份飞向太空。我们早就建好一个太空港了,和我们对整个宇宙的理解一样,太空港的外形颇具未来主义风格。这是迄今为止头一个已经完成12项飞行使命的商业太空港,入驻这里的是世界著名太空飞行公司,如美国犰狳航空航天公司、UP航空航天公司、维珍银河太空旅行公司等。

6. West 57, New York City
美国纽约西区57街

The full address of this building is 625 West 57th Street. It is also called W57 In short. This residential block was still under construction in 2014 and was reported to be completed in 2015. The huge housing project is located in New York.
这幢建筑的详细地址是西区57街625号,所以也简称W57。这个住宅区2014年仍在建造中,据报道称将在2015年完工。这个巨大的住宅项目工程位于纽约。

From the outside the building reminds of a pyramid while inside you can find 600 apartments with balconies providing a wonderful view of the surroundings. Another advantage is that it is built in a comparatively quiet area, where there is not too much traffic and air pollution.
从外部看,这栋建筑让人想起金字塔,而其内部有600套带阳台的公寓房间,周边美景尽收眼底。另一大优势则是相对而言这一住宅区地处幽静之所,远离交通的喧嚣和空气污染。