The document discusses 10 of the most influential buildings in history. The Eiffel Tower was an exploration in engineering when first built in 1889. The Highland Park Ford Plant, built in 1904, was the first to implement the modern assembly line. The Home Insurance Building, constructed in 1885, was the first skyscraper and first to use a structural steel frame. The Robie House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1909, redefined domestic home design. The Seagram Building, built in 1958, set new standards for office buildings that have been widely replicated.

1. 10 Most Influential
Buildings

2. The Eiffel Tower1 |
Built in 1889, the
tower was assumed to
be unfeasible when it
was first proposed.
The building is unique
for being largely
useless, an enormous
monument to
industrialism more
than anything else.
This is why it was so
important – the Eiffel
tower was an
exploration in
engineering.

4. 2 | The Highland Park Ford Plant
The Highland Park Ford plant
(built in 1904) is perhaps the
most influential of all buildings
in the western world when it
comes to modern cities.
The plant was the first place to
implement the modern
assembly line – it had enough
space that a row of cars could
be produced sequentially.

6. 3 | The Home Insurance Building
The Home Insurance
Building was constructed
in Chicago in 1885. It is
largely considered the
first skyscraper ever and
was the first building to
make use of structural
steel.
Steel frames have since
become the norm for all
modern skyscrapers
including the tallest, but
the method had its
origins in this building.

8. 4 | Robie House
The Robie House was
designed by Frank Lloyd
Wright in 1909 and
completely redefined the
domestic home space.
The building was typical of
the style Wright would
eventually be known for:
Japanese-inspired,
horizontal buildings with big,
solid interiors.

10. 5 | The Seagram Building
The Seagram building is immediately
recognisable – even to those who have
never seen it before. That’s because it
set up a new standard for office
buildings that has since been seen a
hundred times over.
The building was constructed in 1958, in
New York City, and aimed to make the
structural components of the buildings
apparent. The columns are exposed at
the bottom of the building, reminding
passersby of the steel frame, but also
breaking down the intimidating barrier
to entry of other buildings.

12. 6 | Casa Da Musica
A lesser known building
designed by Rem Koolhaas,
this was created in 2005 to
house musical productions.
The building represents a
balance between technical
achievement and
architectural flourish. It is
neither the severe
simplicity of the Seagram
building, nor the absurd
playfulness of the Walt
Disney Concert Hall. It
balances ability with
function.

14. 7 | Walt Disney Concert Hall
One of the most
popular modern
buildings is the Walt
Disney Concert Hall,
designed by Frank
Gehry in 2003.
The building pushes
against the uptight
structure of many
other modern
buildings, rebelling
against the limits of
physical
construction.

16. 8 | The Dulles Airport
The first public airport to cater
to jet planes only, the airport
was an idealistic leap forward
in architecture and design.
A man made lake nearby was
dug out to collect rainwater
and the dynamic building
itself aimed to reflect the
trajectory of flight.
It was, and is, a building that
was widely respected for the
advances it made.

18. 9 | The Shard
The tallest building in London,
the Shard was built in 2012 by
Renzo Piano.
It has proven a controversial
building, one of a confidently
futuristic design.
The building marked a return
of an unapologetic style of
architecture that had largely
been dormant with the recent
focus on minimising
environmental impacts.

20. 10 | Military History Museum
This Dresden museum shows
an intelligent awareness of its
place in history – a soaring
shard has been introduced to
an historical building. At once
reminiscent of a cutting blade,
the hull of a ship and the stab
of a bayonet, the symbol is an
aggressive response to a dark
history.
The thin metal aims to
represent the transparency of
democracy, in stark contrast
to Germany’s history of
control and fascism.

22. Further reading
• How Buildings Change The Way Kids Learn:
http://www.centralbuild.com.au/blog/how-buildings-change-the-way-kids-learn/
• How Much Does A Factory Cost To Build?
http://www.centralbuild.com.au/blog/how-much-to-build-a-factory-or-warehouse/
• 5 Most Impressive Office Buildings In The World:
http://www.centralbuild.com.au/blog/the-5-most-impressive-office-buildings-in-the-world/
• 5 Lessons from Great Architects:
http://www.centralbuild.com.au/blog/5-lesson-from-great-architects-for-your-project/