Land art is basically art that is made by human artists and is located in nature as opposed to gallaries and such. Sometimes the work is made out of nature, itself, and sometimes, the work is made out of human-made materials and just placed in nature. The dilemma is that threats are being posed to beautiful land art. One is the simple matter of erosion, and another, more dire threat, is the fact that companies are trying to carry out projects such as railroads and drilling for oil, which could majorly disturb several areas where there is Land Art. Join discussion...

Over the last 5 years, the Panthenon in Rome has been enduring repairs on it's massive dome (43 m in diameter, 43 m high), along with two of it's bronze entrances. The Panthenon was originally constructed in the 1st century AD, and held the title of having the largest dome in the world for well over 1,000 years after being built. The floor, as well, has been repaired along with the removal of rainwater stains and the strengthening of the plaster, stairwell, and bell supports. All of these repairs were sponsered by the Italian Lottery. Join discussion...

My article is about a new art museum that was built in Qatar around last year. Not only does the museum contain collects of Islamic art, but the building itself is a piece of art because of its modern, yet still Islamic, style. It was designed by a 91 year old Chinese man named I.M. Pei, (who grew up in Hong Kong where my mom is from) and is also famous for designing the East building of the National Art Gallery in DC. Pei had to study Islamic culture before the museum was designed, and considers the museum itself a piece of sculpture. Join discussion...

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is currently suing renowned architect Frank Gehry for flaws in a center he designed for them. They claim that flaws in the $300 million Stata Center have caused severe leaks, cracks, drainage problems. These problems have so far cost them $1.5 million to repair. They are also sueing the construction company that built the center. Both Gehry and the constrution company have refused to take responsibility for the flaws. Gehry claims that not only are they problems minor, but that they could have been avoided if M.I.T. had not insisted on cutting out parts of the design for financial reasons. This is not the first time that Frank Gehry has been sued for flaws with his buildings. Join discussion...

Beginning on the 8th of November, the OSRAM Seven Screens in Munich, Germany will show a new staging by ART+COM, a company that works to research and develop interacive media solutions. These seven sreens, entitled "Reactive Sparks" change color based on the movement of passing traffic. The Seven Screens are located alongside Munich's Mittlerer Ring, one of Munich and Germany's most congested roads. Traffic going in and out of the city stops here every morning and evening. For "Reactive Sparks", every passing car is individually tracked and triggers a reaction that is clearly visible to drivers and pedestrians. The main object of the artwork is energy. ART+COM describes the piece: "The movement of the passing vehicles is a metaphor for life energy, as an expression of activity and lives." They back this up by saying that people who drive are driving with a goal: to get to work or home, to go shopping, to visit a friend or relative. ART+COM mentions that this energy finds its metaphorical correlation in the light ("spark"). I think that this is a really cool piece of art not only because it is triggered by the natural flow of energy in what most would call ordinary life, but also because of how available it is to the general public to watch and see. Join discussion...

Madrid's Prado Museum has seemingly been stuck in the past for the last century. But not anymore: the museum opened its brand new $ 219 million extension measuring 237,000 square feet last Wednesday, October 31 (If you're wondering, the extension was designed by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo and was a good $219 million). Before, the museum was cramped and haphazardly arranged. When new exhibitions were introduced, permanent paintings had to be moved and stored for the duration of the exhibit. The building lacked room and even a usable front entrance. Now, however, visitors can use a new front entrance, lecture hall, and cafe, and admire temporary exhibits that now have 15,000 square feet set aside just for them. The extension frees up space in the old building and allows plenty of new paintings, a number equal to half the museum's previous number of displayed art, to be displayed. Plus, from the outside, the new structure blends quietly into the surrounding neighborhood, effectively melding the art world and the ordinary one. Join discussion...

This survey, conducted by EA, found that the Bullring Shopping Center is considered the ugliest building in Britain. The central library of the city came in second. On the other hand, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France was voted the most beautiful building in Europe. Join discussion...

In Jerusalum, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is at risk of being hit by a crumbling Ethiopian Orthodox monastery on its roof. The church is one of Christianity’s holiest shrines, so the fact that this could happen brought up much consern. Many people want to force the renovations to the monk's living quarters up above the church so that it will not fall on the church, but others say that they are near, but not on top, of the roof. This would mean that there is no danger, but there is still much concern. Join discussion...

Lawrence Halprin has a very well developed and supportive belief about the arts in our society. At age 92 he has seen many of his works of art develop and redevelop, until what once was a thought out landscape becomes a field of dirt or a new building. The reason, he explains, is that his landscapes are so thought out that they take more understanding than simple architecture of a building. Anyone can note a beautifully created structure, but understanding why the artist chose to design a landscape takes much more thought and is often over thought. People are starting ways to preserve the landscapes, but with developing lands and industrial mindsets, sometimes it can't be done as it would be preferred. Because of this, photography is getting more precise at documenting these works of art that can have such a lasting impression. Landscape architecture definitely deserves more than this, but it is a step in the right direction Join discussion...

Recently a $621 million addition of a visitor center was made to the East side of the Capitol; a project with an original budget of $265 million. The east side used to be the simply-landscaped, calmer side of the Capitol building, but now it has been swallowed up in a jumbled mass of architecture and walkways. The effect of the 580,000 square foot structure is minimized by placing most of it underground, but the bucolic air of the past has been lost. Moreover, the interior is all about sterility and smooth surfaces, making it feel airport- or hospital-like. Join discussion...