Japan Biggest Fish Market

Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo is the largest in Japan.

It dwarfs the old Tsukiji Fish Market which is still operational today.

The daily frantic pace inside the fish market is indeed phenomenal.

Japanese like their seafood which can clearly be seen in their cuisine.

Glass Public Toilet

Design statement from the architect Shigeru Ban:

There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those located at a park. The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside. Using the latest technology, the exterior glass turns opaque when locked. This allows users to check the cleanliness and whether anyone is using the toilet from the outside. At night, the facility lights up the park like a beautiful lantern.

Shigeru Ban was born in 1957 in Tokyo, Japan. Established Shigeru Ban Architects in 1985. Founded the NGO Voluntary Architects Network (VAN, now an NPO) in 1995. Besides designing houses and museums, Ban is also involved in disaster relief activities. Recipient of numerous awards including the Pritzker Prize (2014), the Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2014), and the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice (2017).

Source: The Tokyo Toilet

Penang Ferry Suspended

The iconic Penang ferry services have been suspended until Aug 26, for emergency repair works.

A notice was put up near the entrance to the ferry terminal in Weld Quay which stated that the service was interrupted for the time being due to malfunction ferries.

Auxiliary policemen were also stationed at the terminal to divert the passengers to take the shuttle bus instead.

Rapid Ferry head Osman Amir said the three-day service suspension was due to some technical engine problems.

“The problems affect four ferries. We would like to apologize for the inconvenienced caused,” he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi who was at the scene, shared his frustration over the halted services on his Facebook live feed.

“The operators should take responsibility as the service suspension has caused distress among the public.

“We urge the Penang Port Commission to provide an explanation,” he said.

Rapid Ferry which operates the service under Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, prepared free bus shuttles to bring passengers to and from the island with a frequency of 20 minutes.

The earliest bus available from Penang Sentral on the mainland was at 6am while the last bus would travel at 9.40pm.

From the island at Weld Quay, the earliest bus would leave at 7.10am and the final bus would leave at 11pm.

Rapid Ferry also put up a status in its official Facebook page about the service interruption, receiving angry comments from netizens.

Many claimed the notice was put up at the last minute, causing inconvenience to those who rely on the ferry service to travel to work.

Source: FreeMalaysiaToday.com

The transportation system in Penang desperately needs upgrade to keep up with the rapid growth of urbanization. It is sad to note that the issue was never taken seriously due to politics. Politicians in Malaysia are unfortunately willing to sacrifice the economy of one state simply because it was controlled by the opposition. It is a very narrow minded policy to punish a state even though it contributes huge proportion of the country's GDP annually. When a performing state is being held back politically to progress further, it is not difficult to understand why Malaysia is now lagged much behind a the small little red dot known as Singapore.

China's Electric Tram

Quick charge! A self-driving super capacitor tram has rolled off the production line in China’s Hunan. This eco-friendly tram can run for 5km after charging for only 30s! With a capacity of 500 passengers and a maximum speed of 70km/h, it will operate at Kunming Changshui International Airport.

Taking Care Of Abandoned Pre-War Heritage Buildings In Penang

 

Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has demanded that owners of abandoned “heritage buildings” or pre-war houses “upkeep their premises” or action will be taken against them, The Star reported.

MBPP said it has “identified” 73 abandoned properties (commercial and residential) worth about RM300 million.

The report stated that such structures have “become an eyesore to passers-by”.

Councillor Wong Yuee Harng told the daily that MBPP’s Heritage Department discovered 134 abandoned properties in 2016 but the “number dropped to 73 this year” after some of the owners were traced.

“We managed to trace some of the owners and issued them notices. Several of them returned to clean up the place and turned their properties into more decent-looking buildings,” he revealed.

If MBPP is forced to clean up the buildings, the bill will then be sent to the owner, Wong warned.

“The cleaning can cost between several hundreds to thousands of ringgit, depending on the severity of the damage.

“Cranes and heavy machinery are needed if there is major structural damage that could pose danger to the public,” he said.

Also, under the Local Government Act, culprits could be fined RM1,000 or jailed not more than six months, or both, plus a fine of not more than RM100 a day if the offence “continued after the conviction”.

“Sections 127 and 128 of the National Land Code allow alienated land to be forfeited by the state.

“For those who are unsure, they can check with the land office if they possess ownership of such properties,” Wong told The Star.

Source: EdgeProp.my

Futuristic Home of Football

Xi’an International Football Centre will be a 60,000-seat stadium for national & international matches as well as league games, youth training academies & entertainment events. Located in Xi’an's Fengdong New District with its stations on the city’s expanding metro network, the design takes its legacy mode operations as the starting point to provide optimum conditions for football and maximum use by future generations.

Integrated within the orthogonal urban grid of Fengdong’s business district, the open façades invite the city into the heart of the stadium to enjoy its public spaces, recreation & dining facilities all day. Located on a series of shaded south-facing garden terraces with views over the city, these amenities will also serve spectators during matches & events.

The sweeping lines of the stadium’s façade echo the fluid forms of the roof which shelters the saddle-shaped bowl that maximizes spectator seating at midfield.

An ultra-lightweight cable-net roof structure creates a minimum load & material footprint that also reduces the stadium’s primary structure. Wide perimeter roof overhangs shelter the large open-air terraces and concourses with extensive planting on all levels, providing comfortable conditions in Xi’an’s hot summers.

Supported by the cable-net structure, a translucent membrane over the seating protects spectators from bad weather & direct sunlight while also allowing the most amount of natural light to reach the playing surface, promoting the growth of grass on the pitch to provide playing conditions of the highest standard.

Digital modelling has defined the geometry of the spectators’ seating bowl to optimize proximity and views to the field of play from all seats, generating the most exciting atmosphere for football and an outstanding match experience for all players & spectators.

China’s ancient capital and core of the Silk Road, Xi’an has a long history of welcoming visitors from around the world. In the global arena of football, the International Football Centre continues this tradition and builds a lasting legacy of new civic spaces, sports & recreational facilities for the city.

Animation by Atchain

The Future of Penang

BIG, Hijjas and Ramboll are selected as winners of Penang State Government’s international competition to design a masterplan for Penang South Islands, providing Penangites with approximately 4.6km of public beaches, 600 acres of parks and a 25km waterfront.

The masterplan proposal – BiodiverCity – supports the Penang2030 vision with a clear focus on livability, on stimulating a socially and economically inclusive development, and on environmental sustainability for future generations. BiodiverCity will be a new sustainable, global destination where cultural, ecological and economic growth is secured and where people and nature co-exist in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet at the southern shore of Penang Island.

Penang’s vast biodiversity spans various topographies and protected environments which in recent years have seen its coastal zones and natural habitats disrupted by urban developments. In contrast, BiodiverCity is conceived as an Urban Mosaic of three diverse islands, and a set of urban design guidelines for mixing programs, addressing pedestrian and mobility networks, building sustainably and harvesting resources.

The three islands bring together mixed-use districts of 15,000 to 18,000 residents across 50 to 500 acres, and a continuous 50 to 100m buffer around each district, establishing habitat connectivity and supporting edge ecologies in reserves, parks, corridors and urban plazas.

The Channels, BiodiverCity’s first island, is constructed in three complementary phases: in Phase 1, Active Destinations include a wave pool and technology park; in Phase 2, a Civic Heart establishes governance and research institutions in the area; and in Phase 3, a Cultural Coast builds upon the heritage and vibrant creative energy of Penang’s George Town to create a regional and international draw.

As the heart of the district, the Channels’ 500-acre digital park includes spaces for research, development and local business opportunities. Malaysia’s newest public destination will be the future home for conferences, education centers and a family-oriented park where locals and guests can explore the world of technology, robotics and virtual reality.

The Mangroves, BiodiverCity’s second and central island dedicated to businesses, is organized around a network of sheltered urban wetlands, creating suitable environments for its namesake Mangrove forests—an important natural infrastructure that doubles as effective powerhouses for sequestering more than four times as much carbon as a typical forest. At the center of the Mangroves, the Bamboo Beacon hosts meetings, conferences and major events—broadcasting the knowledge developed in BiodiverCity out to the world. In addition, civic amenities are distributed throughout the city to promote inclusive growth and participation in urban life.

The buildings in BiodiverCity will be designed to perform efficiently and will to a large extent be constructed by low-carbon materials such as bamboo and Malaysian timber in combination with green concrete, a sustainable alternative comprised of industrial waste and recycled materials. By encouraging green roofs, facades, public and private open spaces, the islands can form a nearly continuous habitat mosaic feeding back into the forests, beaches, riparian zones and estuaries at the island’s edges.

The Laguna, BiodiverCity’s westernmost island, is an oasis for ecological living, organized around a central marina. Eight smaller islands form a miniature archipelago, where floating, stilted and terraced housing takes advantage of the natural setting of Tanjung Gertak Sanggul, and where fisherman landing points can easily access the open waters by navigating each of the island’s waterways.

Meanwhile, newly established marine habitats support biodiversity underwater by providing spawning grounds for native species, and recreational points and hatcheries support the local communities along Penang’s southern coast. A web of ecological corridors connects forest reserves to coastal beaches while supporting habitats and communities across the islands. Within human-populated areas, animals are given safe passage through the continuous canopy and waterways, and within natural habitats, people can safely access elevated boardwalks.

BiodiverCity supports a water, air and land-based autonomous public transportation network, aiming for a car free environment where streets serve as a safe and welcoming thoroughfare for bikers and pedestrian.

Districts are efficiently connected below platforms to increase the efficiency of goods, services and regional mobility, while maximizing pedestrian safety throughout the public realm.