While the land "Down Under" celebrated Australia Day, the real men (and women) at work have been tennis players! The two-week long Australian Open is being wrapped up today, January 29, 2012, in Melbourne, Australia. The final matches of this Grand Slam tennis event are being played at Rod Laver arena, part of the Melbourne Park complex.

Completed in 1987 by Peddle Thorp Architects, the arena was one of the first to incorporate a retractable roof. Two roof sections, each with "arched trusses," can be rolled apart in about 20 minutes. Since that time, the technology has advanced. The roof of the 2012 Super Bowl stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium, can move from sideline to sideline in about nine minutes.

Join us for a look at other Big Buildings Designed for Sports and Entertainment. And, while you're at it, also take a look at the Architecture in Australia and New Zealand.

^{Source: History, Rod Laver Arena.
Photo copyright Robert Prezioso / Getty Images.}

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Even before the dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, DC, controversy brewed over an inaccurate quotation on one side of the memorial sculpture. The inscription paraphrased Dr. King's famous "I was a drum major" speech, but officials resisted making changes in words that were already carved into stone.

Now, however, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is expressing concerns. "I do not think it's an accurate portrayal of what Dr. King was," Salazar told the Washington Post. "We have to make sure that we get it right."

The Secretary has given the National Park Service until mid-February to come up with "a more accurate alternative." Stay tuned.

Speak your mind: Should architects change famous quotes?

Read the full article, Correcting the Martin Luther King memorial mistake, in the Washington Post online.

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As I re-read The Great Gatsby, I've been taking a new look at the opulent architecture of America's Gilded Age. Also this week: monumental mistakes and a very funny house.

New and Updated Pages:

• Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina
• Great American Mansions
• Palm Springs Architecture
• Words on Monuments: Mistakes on Memorials & Statues
• The Pod House in New York State

New From Our Readers:

• What's the best American city for exploring architecture?
• What qualities make a great architect?

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G'day! In Australia, January 26 is Australia Day, a national holiday celebrating Captain Arthur Phillip's landing at Sydney Cove. Over the next 200 years, Australia's first European settlement became the site of some of the world's most innovative buildings, like the Sydney Opera House and eco-friendly homes by architect Glenn Murcutt.

Join us for a closeup look at Architecture in Australia...

^{Sydney Opera House photo by David Messent, courtesy of Jørn Utzon/Utzon Architects and the Pritzker Prize Committee}

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