a blog about soybean cake and other essential topics
The winning entry to redesign Bruce Lee's house in Hong Kong came from a Hong Kong team. Image source: bruceleeresidence.com
I began visiting China in the 1990s – at a time when online photo storage systems had not yet exploded for the masses. So, most of my photos are stored the old-fashioned way in envelopes tucked in boxes in my parents’ garage.
I thought I’d share pictures of Qingdao, China from my visit in 2000 – especially this Bavarian-inspired building that the German governor once used when German troops occupied the area.
Why share images that are nearly a decade old?
Images – no matter when they are published, shown publicly or viewed privately – always tell a story and show people a slice of what life was, or is, like.
And for me, China remains a fascinating and, at times, complicated place.
I’ve driven by the glass boxy building that houses PATH – and I believe condos – at 2201 Westlake Ave. a few times in the evenings in recent weeks.
So, I thought I’d see how my basic digital camera would do in capturing the light and dark. Yes, I’m talking about Westlake in Seattle.
I know some people aren’t huge fans of glass boxy buildings. But I like them as part of a city’s landscape – especially in the Pacific Northwest, where natural light is always welcome.
Interestingly enough, I wrote about this building development years ago. Back then, as I recall, an automobile dealer used the plot of land - Land Rover, if my memory serves me correct.
Of course, before that and years ago, it was just a plot of land near Denny Park, Seattle’s first, which opened in 1884.
I agree with many of the Vimeo commenters about artist Rob Carter’s fabulous stop-motion video, Metropolis, which looks at Charlotte, North Carolina - it’s fantastic.
I especially agree with one of the commenters, who noted that it has a very Monty Pythonesque quality to it – which is a compliment, indeed.
His work chronicles the city, which he said is growing fast with various skyscrapers and stadiums.
The soaring skyscraper known as Burj Dubai shed one title and gained another on Monday – that of the tallest building on the planet.
Previously, people could only call it the world’s tallest structure since it was not open to the general public.
The actual height was kept a secret – but the fact that it would house an Armani Hotel was not – before the opening. But, as The New York Times noted, it stands a proud 828 meters tall, or 2,717 feet.
I’ve seen some earlier reports that put the height at 818 meters. The Gray Lady estimates the price to be about $1.5 billion, though the $4 billion amount also has been thrown about.
The New York Times has the details in its report, including the name change:
In a surprise move, the building’s name was changed from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa, in honor of the president of Abu Dhabi, Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
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It’s really easy to do – and I do it all the time: Glom on to the new, the sleek designs of architecture, furniture, automobiles and ships.
These designs, as epitomized by the blueprint from Rem Koolhaas for the new CCTV building in Beijing, amaze. Just take a look at the video introduction of the landmark building in China’s capital.
The designs show how an architect envisions a building relating to its place on the ground and against the sky and surrounding structures.
Sharp angles stick out, lines bend and others flow seamlessly for what appears to be endless continuity. People like it.
At least, I do.
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Dubai, as you’ve seen, has caught the world’s attention in recent days, largely because of the possibility that developers might not be able to repay their debt on time.
Dubai World, which The New York Times describes as the main investment arm, stands an estimated $59 billion in the hole.
The newspaper reported that Dubai World floated the idea of not repaying interest on that debt for half a year.
It also ran a piece talking about how Dubai World wants to temporarily stop paying for all or part of its debt.
Yes, that can rattle markets.
If there’s any symbol of the rocket-like growth in Dubai, it has to be the Burj Dubai, the more than $4 billion structure which is the world’s tallest at 818 meters, or 2,684 feet.
When it opens later this year, the Burj Dubai will be the world's tallest building. Image source: burjdubaiskyscraper.com via glasssteelandstone.com
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If there’s a time to crane your neck in the sky to see what lurks closer to the clouds, I suppose it is now.
As you can see from the towering, soon-to-be-finished Burj Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, I’m not talking about a Buddhist temple perched on the curve of a giant mountain in Tibet, China, India or Bhutan.
But that sight that would be nice, too.
The Burj Dubai reportedly costs $4.1 billion and shoots up 818 meters – or 2,684 feet – already making it the world’s tallest structure.
With over 160 stories, it will likely open on Dec. 2 - or at least part of it will - as part of the Emirates’ National Day, according to BurjDubaiSkyscraper.
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Images and notes after the jump.
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Dan Chung, a staff photographer with the Guardian, has filed some remarkable videos about China, including this one of Beijing construction.
We often see the end result of the glittering towers of China. He spent time to look at the people who put those skyscrapers together.
Many – if not all – of the workers in this video are likely migrants, who travel from China’s towns and villages to the big cities in search of work.
If you didn’t see, The New York Times notes concern in Japan about China’s economic rise in Asia – and the world. The article notes that China is expected to become the world’s second-largest economy next year.
If you didn’t see, I noted some of the underlying ideas in this post about a country’s place in the world.
Recently, IÂ included Chung’s other work – a nice, down-to-earth video about Chinese lanterns – in this entry, about those red lanterns that can light up the night.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
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