architecture as a (beijing) duck

version 1 , polite.  there are a bird perch, a bird nest, and a bird's egg on the ground of Beijing.

version 2 , sharp architect's humor.  A guy is about to poop (CCTV building, anthropomorphic. Sorry Rem). He is looking for the toilet, but can't find it (national stadium, sorry Herzog.. but that's the shape). So he does it on the street (National theatre).

NPCA

Only here you can be undecided between spend a Sunday afternoon at the KTV (karaoke) or go to the theatre for an opera.. I finally opted for a stunning Aida, the NPCA, the bubble-shaped theatre.

re-move

Friday night, a guy moving a small police station... with policemen inside. 

the Silk Road, 3D

In any architectural competition, today, and not only here in China, about 80% of the outcome is done by the render. A lot of companies are starting to draw rough floor plans and elevations only after have reached a satisfying 3d image. The temptation is understandable, because is so easy to simply play with render engines,  and which one of the jury members would even check the so boring  and old-fashioned CAD drawings?

So here it is what is becoming the most useful tool in today's offices: the rendershop's catalog. Basically it works like a catalog of a dressmaker - the company is called, ironically, the Silk Road- although it reminds me also to the one of Barbie clothes. And it has 400 pages of stuff, shifting from fake Palladio style to Gotham city. 


How will I dress my tower today?

Beijing Zoo

Pavilions in pure soviet style at the Beijing zoo. The light comes in from the animal cages at the sides of the main space, and from the ceiling.

The Pants

CCTV building just completed, after 8 years (started in 2004), 473.000 m2.
Accommodating TV studios, offices, broadcasting and production facilities.

So they will be able to broadcast the European cup, next month!

Postcard from Hong Kong

Statistics may be not updated, or unprecise, but:

- highest population density in the world (Mong Kok district 130,000 in one square kilometer)
- longest bridge span for car and train traffic (Tsing Ma Bridge, opened May 1997, main span of 1.377 m)
- largest permanent light show in the world ( A Symphony of Lights, 13-minute long show of synchronized light and sound, performed on the existing 20 high-rises on the Hong Kong Island, since January 2004).

http://www.brandhk.gov.hk/en/xml/funfacts_main.xml