Timeline- MATERIALS USED over Centuries, Decades and Years

Building materials are used in construction of buildings. There are many types of materials used over the centuries, decades and years. Materials has evolved over the years from the fabric, skin, wood, stone, metals and glass. As time has changed, the materials used has develop many countries for their society by providing shelter.

CAVES, TENT AND WOODEN HOUSE

Before materials were used or known, during the stone age, the natives lived in caves. Soon, man found out about fabric which are made from skin or cotton. The skin used are mostly animal skin also known as leather. Skin are usually used to make tents or teepee. These homes are usually dwell by nomadic groups. Besides that, wood was then used to construct infrastructure. The down-side of wood is its durability and fire risk.

ROCK , STEEL AND GLASS INFRASTRUCTURE

Rock is a very dense material so it gives a lot of protection. Rock infrastructures are usually used to build fortresses in the past for protection of the country. Soon, the evolution of steel began, these days, many infrastructures are made from steel. As shown in the image above, the Eiffel Tower in Paris is made from steel. Steel is a metal alloy whose major component consist ofiron. Steel, is strong, flexible and has long durability.

Glass is made from mixtures of sand and silicates. Lately in the 21st century, glass has been quite popular in many infrastructure. By using glass, it enables natural lighting to enter the building and thus promoting 'Eco-friendly' living.

Although, many materials has been found or invented, these materials are still presently used in many countries. Every material has their advantages and disadvantages but none of them will go out of trend.

Ruth Teo

Bridges : The Evolution

Bridges have evolved from tree trunks across rivers to massive steel structures spanning across the ocean linking one land to another. With the advancement of technology, bridges were built based on the sustainability of the materials used, making them more and more practical as the ages progressed.

As illustrated above, tree trunks were used as bridges across rivers in the ancient times. They then evolved into rope bridges, made primarily out of vines and grasses, suspended across valleys.

Then came the clapper bridges made of large slabs of stone. This gave way to the stone arch bridges during the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages, through the Renaissance period onwards.

After the stone bridge period, came the steel suspension bridges. The Brooklyn Bridge in New York was the first ever steel suspension bridge, supported by steel wires. As technology advanced further,

bridges were built using reinforced concrete for longer sustenance. 

From 1931 on, bridges were more commonly built using steel and reinforced concrete instead of stone and so on. Many massive steel and reinforced concrete bridges around the world that were built in the earlier years are still standing majestically today. One of them is the world renown Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco. 

Yoke Lin.

Timeline - The Tallest Building in History by Period

With the aid of the technology advancement, the architects and engineers have come out with new innovative building methods and designs that taller buildings can be built without ended up collapsing. Great and tall buildings have been constructed and existed since ancient times. Now, let us take a quick tour through time, visiting some of the selected tall buildings.



Timeline - The Tallest Building in History by Period

Part 1

In Part 1, as you can see, one of the tallest buildings in history by period is The Great Pyramid of Giza (Egypt). It was built in B.C. 2580 with a height of 147m. It acts as a tomb for the Pharaoh. 

The second selected tall building is The Lighthouse of Alexandria (Egypt). It was built in B.C. 280 and has a height of 135m. Its main function is to guide the sailors into the harbour at night. 

On the other hand, the third selected building is Lincoln Cathedral (Lincoln, England). It was built in 1307 with a height of 160m.

Part 2

In Part 2, the A-shaped building is called Eiffel Tower (Paris, France). This tower was built in 1889 with a height of 300m. It was built for the World Exhibition and still remains until now. It is the symbol of the City of Light (Paris). 

The building beside Eiffel Tower is Petronas Twin Towers (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). It was built in 1996 and has a height of 452m. It also acts as a modern centre for urban activity, trade and commerce. 

Lastly, the unique building right beside the Petronas Twin Towers is Burj Khalifa (Dubai, UAE). It was built in 2010 with a height of 828m. Burj Khalifa is also known as Burj Dubai. Currently, it is ranked as the world tallest building. 

Prepared by Nicole Lim.

Evolution of Home in Malaysia

The homes in Malaysia evolve from a series of designs from 1920s till present. The evolution of houses are based on the evolvement of time and technology, people's need and the demand of land properties in Malaysia.

 Firstly, the wooden houses built in 1920s are traditional dwellings that originates before the influence of modern construction. Secondly, the terrance houses built in 1940s are many houses built together in one piece of land.

Next, bungalow built in 1960s is a one unit house on a piece of land. Lastly, condominium built in 1980s is a building that consists many housing units. Condominiums are preferred in modern developments as it maximize the usage and the profit of the land.

by, Ong Su Ling

Conie's Timeline - Roofing Evolution

A roof is constructed in different forms that may be in the shape of a letterbox, cathedral, stadium and various other designs. There are different types of roof coverings, which include slate, metal, concrete, tile, clay tile, wood shingles and list goes on ......#ConieLim.270212#

 Roofing Part I

Roofing Part II

Media used : Black Ink Pen

                       Blue & Black markers