TOP 7 unusual architectural solutions

Community planning is a balancing game of managing to locate functioning systems as close to residential areas as possible, while trying to keep most of them at a distance to reduce pollution, noise, and other factors that can cause health risks.

It would seem that this is basically impossible, but still there are several unique examples that will delight engineers, ordinary people and wildlife.

1. Roads and bridges connecting island settlements and even farmsteads in Norway

The infrastructure of settlements plays a fundamental role for any civilized society, because not only the comfort of life, but also its duration depends on the well-coordinated and competent work of all sectors of the economy.

Even if it is a small fishing village located in the Bulandet archipelago 20 km off the mainland coast of Western Norway in the county of Westland. The group of islands has become the main place to live and work for 300 people who are engaged in fishing and seafood processing.

The authorities of the municipality of Asquall made sure that every house that occupies its own island is connected to all the necessary facilities, and the residents do not feel cut off from the world.

This fishing village is not the only island-type settlement that is a haven for tourists and introverts that the authorities have taken full care of.

2. Man-made dams that save lives and the environment

Despite the fact that water is the basis for the existence of all life on our planet, in some cases it can turn into a deadly weapon that sweeps away everything in its path.

Take, for example, the Netherlands, most of which is located below sea level. And if we add to this the fact that all rivers rush into the North Sea, it becomes clear why the country's authorities are doing everything possible to protect it from floods.

The Deltawerken Dam, or Delta Works, was an impressive response to the massive flooding in the North Sea in 1953. Delta Works consists of 13 dam structures that together form the largest storm barrier in the world.

Its bold design, covering the coastline with sluice barriers, if necessary, covering a number of bays (offshoots from sea to land, such as in the eastern Scheldt) and movable (lateral) flood barriers is recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the modern world, previously unseen.

3. Transformation of train stations and airports into exotic greenhouses

Urbanization dictates its own rules, and at the dawn of the construction of large cities, few people paid attention to the fact that nature is being largely destroyed. But the limit has come to such carelessness, now more and more attention is paid to the preservation of the environment and augmentation of natural resources. Considering that the built-up park zones cannot be returned, the authorities of some megacities decided to create them inside large transport hubs.

4. Eco-ducks saving lives of people and animals

Excessive and sometimes thoughtless human intervention in nature leads to disastrous consequences for flora and fauna. The created barriers in the form of busy highways and railways cost the lives not only of our smaller brothers, but also of people.

To minimize the impact of transport infrastructure on wildlife, in the middle of the last century, special intersections with bridges and tunnels began to be created that allow animals to safely cross obstacles.

Reference:These structures are called ecoduks. They were first created in France in 1950 and since then many civilized countries have adopted this experience in order to reduce the negative impact of farming on wild animals.

Most of all in this direction have succeeded in the Netherlands, there are more than 600 tunnels and bridges, arranged above / below the main and secondary highways and railways.

5. Suspended railway

People have long been accustomed to the railway track, which runs in most parts of the world, but only a few can see the carriages rushing over the head of passers-by. For the rest, the elevated railway / tramway seems like pictures from the future, but this is a reality that the inhabitants of the Wupper Valley (Germany) can observe on a daily basis.

Such an exotic engineering implementation as the monorail made famous not only its creator Eugen Langen, but also provided the residents of the large-scale industrial city of Wuppertal with transport links that allow them to get to and from work.

And it happened back in 1901. At the moment, the monorail tramway is still relevant and the most interesting thing is that for more than 100 years no one in the world has dared to introduce such a model of the transport system.

6. Bridges carrying water across rivers, gorges, roads or valleys

Hydraulic structures called aqueducts are known to ancient civilizations, which sought to provide settlements with water. Over time, man-made waterways turned into strategically important objects with expanded functions.

So, for example, water bridges began to appear, which are considered navigable aqueducts, laid across highways, they can also cross rivers, valleys, deep gorges or rise above city blocks.

7. Dizzying transport interchanges and extreme communication routes that can scare everyone

The appearance of a huge number of vehicles of any kind has become a weighty argument for the active development of road infrastructure. With the increase in the number of vehicles (mainly), there are problems of creating highways and increasing their throughput. In order to somehow solve the problems with eternal "traffic jams", on the main roads they began to build ornate structures with a mass of overpasses and branches - road junctions.

In some countries, they are so confusing and complex that even looking at the pictures, you can be glad that we will not have to frantically think which way to go.

The situation is no better in regions with difficult terrain, where highways, railways or bridges have to be laid, if not on the edge of an abyss, then over a deep gorge or over a raging sea surface.

Growing urbanization is forcing the authorities of large cities to pay attention to the unique concepts developed by modern architects that will improve the infrastructure of megacities up to the creation of new communities.