Rebuilding the Wonders

Abstract

AbstractAncient peoples envisaged that their monuments would last forever, in contrast to the brief life of fifty years that is planned for most modern buildings. However, we understand the destructive forces that can affect buildings better than our ancestors and could construct even more resilient structures, given sufficient thought and adequate resources. We could build New Wonders that would physically resemble their predecessors, using both traditional and modern materials. They could be designed to withstand predicted environmental changes and natural disasters for thousands of years. However, we cannot preserve them from deliberate destruction to satisfy political, business or religious objectives.