Shanghai Astronomy Museum

From the street level, it looks like an alien ship has just landed on earth. With its shiny smooth metallic skin and futuristic form, it is not hard to see why. However, all the nerds out there don’t get too excited just yet, this is just another mind-boggling building coming out of China!

With a footprint of 420,000 square feet, the new branch of the Shanghai Astronomy Museum is the largest museum of its kind in the world. The designer Ennead utilises scale, form and the manipulation of light to create an ‘immersive’ environment so that visitor can establish relationship with their surrounding and subsequently the universe.

Architecturally speaking, this building is extraordinary in the sense it is designed without any straight lines nor right angles, mimicking the dynamic geometry of the universe. Elipse instead of circle are mostly used to create a dynamic as opposed to static perception throughout the building. This again is echoing the universe which is constantly moving such as the rotation of the earth and the gravitational force of all the planets. There are three major components to this building namely – the Oculus, Inverted Dome and Sphere. These are actually astronomical instruments that track the sun, moon and stars.

Living in the modern concrete jungle, we have gradually lost our senses to our immediate environment. Just ask yourself, how often do you cast aside your mobile phones and simply enjoy the beauty of the ever changing sky that is so vast that it encompasses the entire planet? People nowadays spend more time looking down onto their phones than looking up. If not careful, human may soon evolved into a species with our head pointing downward to the ground. The idea of the Shanghai Astronomy Museum acknowledges this issue and set to refocus our attention back to the sky through the visit of this magnificent building. 

There are multiple locations within this vast building that provide glimpses of our magnificent sky for visitors to enjoy. The daylight that enters into the building also create an optical illusion whereby parts of the building seem to be defying gravity and floating in space.

The Game Changer For Malaysia's Town Planning

The Malaysian state of Penang is fast becoming an IoT-Enabled Smart City modeled on the tenets of green living, strong ESG principles and sustainable economic momentum. Soon, it could be one of Southeast Asia’s hottest investment destinations.

Central to that transformation is Penang South Islands (PSI). The three-island development will help the state achieve its Penang2030 vision. By combining advanced technologies for next-generation industries with eco-friendly masterplans, PSI will raise the game for Penang as a leading investment destination for global corporations.

“The PSI Green Plan will play a vital role in making that happen,” says Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang. “The PSI targets a 50% reduction in CO2e emissions by 2030 compared to business as usual. Coupled with Penang’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, ESG principles will make PSI the ideal choice for global businesses to build their manufacturing hubs while meeting their sustainability targets. Especially in the electronics, medical devices and other high-end sectors where Penang already makes significant contributions.”

 

A Green Plan for the Penang South Islands

 

The PSI Green Plan promises big outcomes: 100% renewable energy for powering the Green Tech Park; a 40% reduction in urban planning emissions; a 40% reduction in non-renewable energy use from super low energy buildings with efficient cooling systems, smart features and renewable energy installations; a 70% reduction in freshwater demand from the dual-purpose sewage treatment plant, rainwater harvesting and water saving devices; and a 65% reduction in landfill waste with extensive recycling, food maceration and composting.

The plan addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)1–a much-needed achievement given that Asia remains far from meeting any of the SDGs. In turn, PSI will become an advanced new ecosystem that serves as a model for the future of work, livability and sustainability around the world.

“The PSI Green Plan will accelerate the ‘greenification’ of Penang’s economy, governance and infrastructure,” the Chief Minister says. “It will enable Penang to reach its full potential as a high-income, low-carbon state that prioritizes the well-being of its people and the environment while providing a platform for innovative and sustainable-minded businesses to thrive.”

The environmentally conscious, people-first masterplan also puts pedestrians, bicycles and water transport ahead of cars. The goal is to achieve a 70:30 public-private modal share, compared with 5:95 currently. To make that happen, PSI will include 140 kilometers of bicycle and walking tracks as well as seven kilometers of navigational waterway. These transportation pathways will reduce transport-related emissions by up to 80%.

“There will be generous provision of public open spaces island-wide (900ac), including beaches, mangroves, water canal, wetlands, flood plains and bioswales enhancing the biodiversity design of the island by connecting people with greens and water,” the Chief Minister says. “It will also reduce the Urban Heat Island effect and reinforce the design resiliency towards flood, erosion and sea level rise.”

 

Expanding Penang’s Tech Legacy

 

As innovative companies gravitate to Penang, PSI will fuel growth in the state’s well-established tech manufacturing sector. Dubbed ‘the Silicon Valley of the East,’ Penang already produces 8% of global back-end semiconductor output. With end uses linked to 5G, autonomous vehicles and the IoT, chips made in Malaysia power some of today’s most innovative products, making Penang a vital link in electronics supply chains.

Where Penang was a hub for labor-intensive manufacturing decades ago, today it designs and produces high-value-added technologies, that spans everything from integrated circuits and software to embedded systems. Penang’s steady climb up in the value chain continues to attract some of the most innovative companies in the world. They are setting up Centers of Excellence, Design Centers and R&D Hubs to tap into the state’s unique advantages. In the years ahead, PSI will provide space for more companies to do the same as they move up the value chain.

In 2019, Penang drew a record MYR16.9 billion ($4.1 billion) in manufacturing investments—nearly 90% of which went to the Electrical & Electronics, machinery and equipment, and scientific and measuring equipment (including medical device) sectors. In 2020, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, U.S. front-end semiconductor equipment giant Lam Research announced a USD225 million investment to build the group’s largest manufacturing facility in Batu Kawan Industrial Park. The company will join dozens of tech heavyweights including Intel, which has one of the largest silicon design centers in Penang; Micron Technology, which built a center of excellence for solid state drives in Penang; and National Instruments, which has its largest R&D facility outside of the U.S. in Penang.

“Chip-making is a very complex process that requires manufacturing expertise,” the Chief Minister says. “Through decades of hard work, Penang has developed the talent and know-how to meet the needs of technology companies around the world. PSI will build on those strengths, taking Penang’s manufacturing capabilities to the next level while taking sustainability, the environment and lifestyle into account for businesses and their employees.”

 

Source: Bloomberg.com

A Perfect Design For The Tropics

Sindhorn Village is a luxurious, mixed-use development in central Bangkok. The master plan of this new landmark also features a generous green space with a low-density ratio that will enhance its residents’ living standards. Sindhorn Village consists of the Sindhorn Residence condominium, Baan Sindhorn serviced apartments, Kimpton Maa-Lai hotel & restaurant, Sindhorn Kempinski hotel & residences, an art museum and the Velaa retail plaza.

Velaa Sindhorn Village is the fruition of A49’s award winning design. The single-story semi-outdoor retail mall merges with the green space called Super Green. Cafes, restaurants, shops, services and a below-ground supermarket are weaves together along this green space creating a seamless connection to the surrounding urban fabric. Areas dedicated to community use, or “green courts” are interspersed throughout this complex.

The design of the retail buildings meanders 300 meters along Langsuan Road, around the established large trees, effectively creating a ribbon of shops and restaurants. This formation, along with the tall façade, makes each shop visible from the street, attracting customers. There is no need for air conditioning in this complex as open plan walkways allow for natural ventilation. The perforated canopy roof over the shopping areas and pedestrian walkways is supported by branches of treelike columns to mimic the experience of strolling in a park.

Rays of light filtering through the roof canopy of the five main courts shimmer and create shadows below like the pattern of leaves, allowing natural daylight into the interiors. Lighting design, both warm and welcoming, illuminates the night through the perforations like fireflies in an enchanted forest.

Sindhorn Village 是位于曼谷市中心的一项豪华综合发展项目。这个新地标的总体规划还包括一个低密度的宽敞绿地，这将提高居民的生活水平。

Velaa Sindhorn Village 是 A49 获奖设计的结晶。单层半户外零售商场与名为 Super Green 的绿地融为一体。咖啡馆、餐厅、商店、服务和地下超市沿着这个绿色空间编织在一起，与周围的城市肌理形成了无缝连接。

这座建筑物围绕着大树，有效地创造了一条商店和餐厅的带状结构。这种形式，连同高大的立面，使每家商店从街上都能看到，吸引了顾客。这座建筑物不需要空调，因为开放式走道允许自然通风。购物区和人行道上的穿孔天篷由树状柱子的分支支撑，以模仿在公园散步的体验。

光线透过五个主要庭院的屋顶天篷闪烁着微光，并在下方形成树叶图案的阴影，让自然光进入室内。灯光设计，既温暖又好客，透过穿孔照亮夜晚，就像梦幻森林中的萤火虫。

A Dream Home In Singapore

A house that is inspired by Southern California and South of France styles which created a comfort and warmth environment. Nestled in lush foliage, this is also a house inspired by the family's broad travel experiences.

Husband and wife team Columbian architects Diego Molina and Maria Arango specializes in private residential projects. Designing houses for people has been their life-long passion. In this project, they fuses French and American architectural languages in a tropical settings. This is also one of the first projects in Singapore that uses bioclimatic plaster to keep its interior cool from the intense heat of the tropics. Large French windows all around the ground floor bring in nature and daylight into the interior of the house. 

The client also plays a major role in scouring around the world to source for the right fittings such as the bronze door handle and Italian marble counter top. The architects removed all the false ceilings throughout the house to create higher double volume spaces that reveal the beautiful timber rafters of the original structure.

China Showcases High Tech During Spring Festival Gala

Chinese New Year also known as Lunar New Year is celebrated in most parts of the world by Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and overseas Chinese. Nowhere else on earth is this festival celebrated in a big way than China itself. Traditionally during Chinese New Year Eve, major television stations across China will host events to countdown for the arrival of the new year. This year, state-of-the-art technology is incorporated to show off to the world what China is capable of in putting up a world class performance on stage. They invited renowned celebrities such as Andy Lau, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen and Jacky Wu to perform in this spectacular annual event.

Penang In Fantasy World

Super talented Malaysian artist Chong Fei Giap transformed the UNESCO Worl Heritage City of George Town into a fantasy anime world. The city is located on Penang island, the tourism and manufacturing powerhouse of Malaysia.

Chong incorporated Japanese anime elements into his depiction of the urban setting of George Town. His artwork makes one relook at this popular city in a refreshed perspective. Truly creative!

Source: Chong Fei Giap Facebook

马来西亚艺术家Chong Fei Giap将世界遗产城乔治市（George Town）改造成幻想动漫世界。该城市位于马来西亚的旅游和制造业重镇槟城岛上。

Chong将日本动漫元素融入到他对乔治市（George Town）城市环境的描绘中。他的作品以崭新的视角重新审视了这座历史悠久的城市。十分有创意啊！

You Don't Need Expensive Materials To Build Good Architecture

The Gallery House is designed as a garage on the ground floor with a multi-purpose space on the upper level intended to be used by people living in the area. It is a gesture from both the architect and client to give back to their community. In order to maximize the public usage of this facility, the building is extended into the street both visually and physically.

The architecture is inspired by Bengal's terracotta temples. Exposed brick masonry walls inlaid with ceramic blocks makes the building stands out from its surrounding. Collaborating with a ceramic artist, rejected ceramic blocks from factory were collected and re-used as building material for this project. Terracotta bricks were procured from a river-side brick field located nearby. These two were combined to create a unique structure out of them. The careful selection of recycled materials like the ceramic and terra-cotta tiles, the architect managed to create a high quality architecture by using inexpensive materials. This is a very good project to debunk most clients’ belief that only luxurious materials can make good building.

During the process of construction, the client decided to give up his initial intent of a garage and embraced the re-purposing of the ground floor as a community hall while the upper floor houses a multipurpose-room, a sitting area and a pantry. The multipurpose-room was to be used primarily for providing tuition classes and yoga sessions to the local community. At night, this space is used as a dormitory for resident staff. The client is proud to see the space put to good use and he is the key player in this good cause project.

This area holds a festive procession along the narrow, winding neighborhood lanes annually, a kind of local cultural celebration. To further make this building function more efficiently in the local context, the architect steps down the structure towards the street forming a gallery for public to sit while others gather at street-side during this event. Through judicious planning and play of voids in volume, the integral space of the building was shared with the neighborhood people as a humane gesture of giving back to the local community, without disrupting the privacy and security of inner functions.

This building clearly demonstrates to us that good architecture actually only needs two things – creative use of available materials and a programme that can relate to the community. How simple and wise it is.

该建筑的灵感来自于印度庙宇。利用砖砌成的墙面镶有陶瓷砖，使这建筑在它周围环境中脱颖而出。与陶瓷艺术家合作，收集了工厂不要的陶瓷块，并将其重新用作该项目的建筑材料。砖是从附近的河边砖场获得的。将这两个结合在一起，创建一个独特的建筑。在仔细选择可回收材料（例如陶瓷砖和赤陶砖）后，建筑师使用廉价的材料创建出高质量的建筑。

在施工过程中，发展商决定放弃最初的车库意图，而是将一楼用作社区礼堂，而上层则设有一间多功能空间，一个休息区和一个餐具室。多功能室主要用于为当地社区提供补习班和瑜伽课程。在晚上，此空间用作常驻员工的宿舍。发展商很高兴看到这个空间能够被大众充分的使用，感到自豪是这项目的关键参人物。

好的建筑实际上只需具备两个因素 - 有创意的材料使用以及对社会有贡献的效果。这是那么的简单和明智啊！

Chinese New Year Travel A Risk To Covid-19 Outbreaks

Train stations were swamped by people rushing back to their villages to celebrate Chinese New Year before Covid-19 times.

Before the pandemic hits, the biggest annual human migration happened in China every year during the Chinese New Year period when billions of Chinese citizens returning to their home villages from the major cities. This year due to signs of outbreaks from Hebei to Heilongjiang in the north, provincial authorities are trying to control the spread by curtailing travel in the festive season.

The plan by provincial cadres, who are urging migrant workers to “remain in cities, stay in work,” is aimed at reducing transmissions of the virus while boosting the economy at the same time.

Authorities are still fighting hard to flatten the spikes in infections, more than two weeks after China was hit by Covid-19 outbreak since early this year.

The spread of the coronavirus in rural areas of two provinces of Hebei and Heilongjiang had been under the watch of authorities for weeks until the pathogen crept into cities and provincial capitals. This week the outbreaks have pushed China’s nationwide tally of daily new cases to above 100, the highest in the past nine months after Beijing lifted the lockdown on Wuhan.

The National Health Commission (NHC) reported 103 fresh cases across the country in the past 24 hours to Friday morning.

Most of these cases were identified in repeated rounds of aggressive testing in Hebei, Heilongjiang and Jilin. The case identification system of China is different from other countries in that they do not count asymptomatic carriers as confirmed cases, a practice that has left the NHC open to criticism as the West continues to accuse China of manipulating the official figures released to the public.

The NHC’s nationwide map tracking infections on Friday red-flagged Beijing’s Daxing district, home to the capital’s sprawling new airport, and two districts in Hebei’s provincial capital of Shijiazhuang as Covid high-risk areas where the strictest lockdowns and entry and exit bans apply.

Three other smaller cities across Hebei, Heilongjiang and Jilin are also classified as hot spots of the virus. Provinces and municipalities are directed to share information and coordinate measures to curtail long-distance trips by migrant workers and others to avoid a nationwide travel rush in the run-up to the Chinese New Year celebration in February.

Chinese migrant workers who are planning to go home to the countryside have to first obtain negative test results before their trips or they risk being fined or detained.

The new rules stipulate that, after getting back to their rural homes, they will also have to undergo 14 days of “soft quarantine” with no interactions with anyone outside their families or households.

Police will be mobilized and dispatched to villages and towns to enforce monitoring and to catch anyone breaking the rules.

These measures are necessary to stem the virus from spreading into China’s vast rural areas which are poorly-funded to manage disease control. 

Hospitals and clinics in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other major cities in southern Guangdong province have been swamped by migrant workers for testing since Thursday.

They need their negative test results to book train tickets home. The growing hoards have sparked fears of infections and local police are forced to implement crowd control measures.

More than 30 million workers from other parts of China are employed by factories in Guangdong and many are eager to go home in the Lunar New Year. That amount of people is more than the entire population of Australia!

In a desperate move to discourage people from travelling, railway operators and airlines like China Southern and Shenzhen Airlines are asked to slash departures from Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Both carriers have cancelled most flights to Beijing and Shijiazhuang. China Railway Corp’s Guangzhou branch has also rescheduled departures to make fewer seats available.

Governments and employers in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and other coastal provinces are also doling out aid and incentives to lure workers to stay, with a whole range of giveaways, coupons and even cash handouts of up to thousands of yuan on offer. 

Other incentives to encourage people to stay put in the major cities are free rides on public transport, free admission to local tourist attractions as well as a lucky draw with prizes which includes luxury sedans and iPhones etc. 

The latest “remain in city, stay in work” campaign is expected to generate more growth for the Chinese economy, with machinery humming and giveaway coupons encouraging increase of consumption.

China’s GDP is projected to grow as much as 7% in January and February 2021. In the final quarter of 2020, China’s economy expanded by 6.5%, highest in the pandemic hit world!  

Building That Looks Like Termite Mounds

The building with a strange name "50%Cloud", incorporates red brick architectural features designed by Luo Xu. This unusual structure is built on red soil completely composed of local red bricks without a single steel bar or nail. The clear benefit of using locally available materials is that the building blends into nature effortlessly. The building looks like a huge art installation with its strange roof design undulates in the sky. It looks almost like a giant termite mound from a distance. Some of its unique architectural features include curved contours and variety of spatial volumes set at staggering heights. 

The interior space extends the natural curves of the exteriors, characterized by large-span arches and lofty ceilings. Round openings are carved out on roofs to let natural daylight into the interior of the building. The interplay of daylight and cloud shadows throughout the day produces a surreal ambience inside this building and thus creates diversified spatial experiences. Almost every corners of this building are Instagram worthy.

Interior landscape further enlivens the dining atmosphere of the restaurant inside. Natural light casts onto rough bricks, softened by interior lighting and tasteful selection of furnishings, all these elements together producing an environment that encourages guests to interact with the space. The overall interior design is a multi-sensory spatial experience.

这座建筑有个很奇怪的名字叫“ 50％Cloud”，全红砖建筑给它增添了特色。这类不寻常的红砖结构毫无需要一根钢筋或钉子。利用本地材料明显的好处是，该建筑很容易的融入周围大自然。该建筑的特征在于该屋顶的独特设计在天空中起伏。从远处看起来几乎就像是一座巨大的白蚁丘。它的一些独特建筑特色包括弯曲的墙和各种不同高度设置的空间。 

内部空间延伸了外部的自然曲线，其特点是大跨度的拱形和高耸的天花板。屋顶上刻有圆形天窗，可让自然光进入建筑物里面。阳光和云影之间的互动使建筑物室内产生了超现实的气氛，从而创造了多样化的空间体验。这座建筑几乎每个角落都充满美丽的拍照空间。

室内景观提升了内部餐厅的用餐气氛。自然光投射在粗糙的砖块上，并通过室内灯光和雅致的家具布置的柔和反应，所有这些元素共同营造出一种鼓励客人与空间互动的环境。整体室内设计给出了丰富的多感官空间体验。

KL - Singapore High-Speed Rail Cancelled

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong once described the proposed KL-Singapore High-speed Rail project as a 'game changer' to the region. Sadly, the much hyped project is now cancelled following the joint-statement from both countries on the 1st of January 2021. What a terrible news to start the new year!

The stumbling block to seal the deal was mainly due to both sides were unable to reach a consensus on a number of issues. The project was initially estimated to cost about US$14.9 billion to $19.8 billion. Malaysian government seemingly wished to reduce the cost following the devastation to its economy in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The main drawcard of 350km long project is the substantial reduction in travel time to just 90 minutes compared to 4 hours by car. Official estimates show that the project could contribute about $5 billion dollars to the GDP of both Malaysia and Singapore and create more than 100,000 jobs by 2060.

The major disagreement is Malaysian government's proposed to appoint local contractors and consultants instead of having a jointly conducted open tenders process previously agreed. Singapore also cannot accept the Malaysian government's proposal to remove the third party asset company that would supply the train system and operate the railway network. As both countries have no previous experience of operating a high-speed rail network, Singapore cannot agree to the removal of the asset company.

Historically, rail projects have proved to be successful in spurring developments along the path of the networks. This project will not only benefit Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, but will serve as a powerful locomotive to bring up and stimulate developments around the various Malaysian towns along the way.

Some analysts believed that the project's termination will further erode investors' confidence towards the Malaysian government. Malaysian politics has been in an unstable situation since the Sheraton Movement Coup in February 2020.

新加坡总理李显龙曾经预测吉隆坡-新加坡高铁项目将为东南亚带来巨大好处。令人遗憾的是，在2021年1月1日两国最终宣布这个项目已被取消。新的一年却由一个坏消息开始！

双方政府无法在一些问题上达成共识。该项目最初估计耗资约149亿美元至198亿美元。由于新冠肺炎大流行，马来西亚政府似乎希望在2020年经济遭受重创后降低建筑成本。长达350公里的高铁主要吸引力在于，它将行程大幅减少至90分钟，而目前驾车则需要4小时多。官方估计显示，到2060年，该项目可为马来西亚和新加坡的GDP贡献约50亿美元，并创造10万多个就业机会。

历史告诉我们，铁路项目已成功地促进了沿网络道路的发展。该项目不仅会使吉隆坡和新加坡受益，还将会带动并刺激沿途的所有在马来西亚的各个城镇的发展。

一些分析人士就因这次事件认为，该项目的终止将进一步削弱投资者对马来西亚政府的信心。自2020年2月喜来登政变以来，马来西亚政治一直处于不稳定局面。