Architecture Topics

The Citigroup Center, originally known as the Citicorp Center and now officially called 601 Lexington Avenue, is one of the most distinctive skyscrapers in Midtown Manhattan and one of New York City’s great stories of architecture and structural engineering.
In this episode, we explore how architect Hugh Stubbins and structural engineer William LeMessurier designed the 59-story tower around an unusual constraint: St. Peter’s Lutheran Church had to remain on the site. The solution produced the building’s famous elevated structure, enormous supporting columns, diagonal bracing and unmistakable 45-degree roof.
But shortly after Citicorp Center opened in 1977, LeMessurier discovered that a combination of quartering winds and changes made during construction could create a serious structural vulnerability. What followed became one of the most famous engineering ethics stories in modern architecture.
We trace the Citigroup Center from its 1970s design and construction through the structural crisis, secret reinforcement work, tuned mass damper, and its eventual place among the most recognizable landmarks of the New York skyline.
A story of skyscrapers, architecture, engineering, risk and responsibility in the heart of Manhattan.

The KIO Towers, officially known as Puerta de Europa, are two of the most recognizable buildings in Madrid. Standing at Plaza de Castilla on the Paseo de la Castellana, these dramatic leaning skyscrapers have become an unmistakable symbol of the Spanish capital.
In this episode, we explore the architecture and history of the KIO Towers, from Madrid’s expansion north and the transformation of Plaza de Castilla to the ambitious design by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee. We look at how the towers were engineered to lean, the structural challenges hidden behind their simple form, the financial troubles that stopped construction, and how an unfinished corporate project eventually became one of Madrid’s most famous landmarks.
Whether you’re interested in modern architecture, skyscraper design, Madrid architecture and urban planning, or you’re simply planning a trip to Madrid and want to understand the buildings you’ll see around Plaza de Castilla and the Castellana, this is the story behind one of the city’s most unusual sights.

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Discover the story of the Louvre Pyramid, one of the most famous landmarks in Paris and an essential stop for anyone visiting the Louvre Museum. We explore how architect I. M. Pei transformed the historic Cour Napoléon with a modern glass pyramid, why the project caused such controversy, and how it eventually became one of the defining images of Paris.
From François Mitterrand’s Grand Louvre project to the vast underground entrance hidden beneath the courtyard, this episode reveals the architecture, history and engineering behind the Louvre Pyramid, the smaller glass pyramids and the inverted pyramid inside the Carrousel du Louvre.
A perfect listen for anyone planning a trip to Paris, looking for things to do near the Louvre, or interested in French history, Paris architecture, museums, iconic buildings and the work of I. M. Pei.
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Keep the memories of your own trips together with WentoTravel.com, a permanent travel archive for your photos, videos, notes and journeys.
Architecture Topics listeners can use the code ARCHITECTURETOPICS to get 30% off for life.

As heatwaves become more frequent and cities grow hotter, air conditioning is becoming one of the most important architectural questions of our time. But the future of AC is not as simple as installing more machines everywhere.
In this final episode of The Architecture of Cool, we explore air conditioning, climate change, home comfort, urban heat, energy use, refrigerants, green roofs, street trees, passive cooling, district cooling, radiant cooling, and the challenge of keeping buildings comfortable in a hotter world.
From historic cities like Paris, Venice, Barcelona, and Rome to fast-growing hot-climate cities, the question is no longer whether we need cooling. The question is how we design better buildings, better streets, better rooftops, and better AC systems so comfort inside does not make the city outside hotter, louder, or harder to live in.

Air conditioning changed more than indoor comfort. It changed the way homes, apartments, facades, windows, ceilings, and cities were designed.
In this episode of The Architecture of Cool, we explore how AC entered domestic life, from window units in older apartment buildings to central air in modern homes and split systems in historic European cities.
A story about architecture, air conditioning, climate control, window AC units, central air, split systems, thermal comfort, domestic architecture, modern homes, urban buildings, and the complicated relationship between comfort inside and machinery outside.