Text 8. Elements of architecture. Function

Words and word combinations:

Function – назначение;

a gigantic office building – гигантское офисное здание;

accessibility of the rooms – доступность комнат;

the various parts of the building – различные части здания;

to enter and leave the building easy – войти и покинуть здание легко;

facilities – удобства;

to plan traffic patterns – планировать систему движения;

an important consideration - важный учет;

a private room – личная комната;

other vehicles – другие средства передвижения;

loading docks – грузовой док.

Every building is designed for certain purposes. A functional building – whether a small house or a gigantic office building – fulfills those purposes by serving the needs of its users in a pleasant and convenient way. The building is also designed to provide adequate heating, lighting, sources of power, and, in some cases, air conditioning.

Today, energy conservation has become an important consideration in architectural planning. For example, architect may use large windows or even entire walls.

Many activities may take place within a building. In a house, such activities include eating, sleeping, bathing, and entertaining. Each activity has different requirements in regard to location, size, and accessibility of the rooms in which the activity occurs. For example, a bedroom is a private room and should be set off from the rest of the living spaces. But everyone in a house uses the dining room, and it should be more centrally located.

An office building involves a much more complex arrangement of space than a house. The architect must make sure that hundreds or perhaps thousands of workers can move quickly through the various parts of the building. In addition, visitors should be able to enter and leave the building easy. Parts of the structure may to have special equipment, and a large amount of storage space may be required. The architect must take into consider the activities that take place outside the building. For example, the building may require parking facilities. In addition, the architect may have to plan traffic patterns so that automobiles and other vehicles can approach and leave the building without crossing many lanes of traffic. Driveways must be wide enough for the trucks to enter, and loading docks must be the proper height for delivery trucks.

Exercises:

1. Give Russian equivalents of the following phrases:

designed for certain purposes; a functional building; a small house or a gigantic office building; to provide adequate heating, lighting, sources of power; to have special equipment; a large amount of storage space; to plan traffic patterns.

2. Say if the following sentences are true or false:

1. A functional building – whether a small house or a gigantic office building – fulfills those purposes by serving the needs of its users in a pleasant and convenient way.

2. Today, energy conservation has become a less important consideration in architectural planning.

3.A house involves a much more complex arrangement of space than an office building.

4. Parts of the structure may to have special equipment, and a large amount of storage space may be required.

5. Driveways must be narrow enough for the trucks to enter, and loading docks must be the proper height for delivery trucks.

3. Insert missing words, use the text’s vocabulary:

1. The building is also designed to … adequate heating, lighting, sources of …, and, in some cases, air conditioning.2. Each activity has different … in regard to location, size, and … of the rooms in which the activity occurs.3. The architect must make sure that … or perhaps … of workers can move quickly through the various parts of the building.4. The architect must take into … the activities that take place outside the building.5. But everyone in a house … the dining room, and it should be … centrally located.

4. Translate these sentences into Russian:

1. Every building is designed for certain purposes.2. The building is also designed to provide adequate heating, lighting, sources of power, and, in some cases, air conditioning.3.. For example, a bedroom is a private room and should be set off from the rest of the living spaces.4. Parts of the structure may to have special equipment, and a large amount of storage space may be required.5. In addition, the architect may have to plan traffic patterns so that automobiles and other vehicles can approach and leave the building without crossing many lanes of traffic.

5. Retell the text.