5 Exclusive Lanterns
The project consists from “5 conceptual lanterns”, each of which has the function. Lanterns are visible from apart — by the way, during day heat they create a shade.
Night Chinese Street
VIA «Design kilometre»
Merry Wanderer of the Night:
China
Design kilometre
Each of lanterns carries out the own social program; in one the electronic museum, in other — information centre, in other — viewing pavilion is organised. Under the earth lanterns are connected with each other, in this zone has been created four additional metro stations.The centre for visitors on the bank of the mountain river
Architects from studio Standardarchitecture-Zhaoyang Studio, authors of this project in places of tourist pilgrimage in Tibet, at building used technologies traditional for given district: bright pigments of local minerals used for colouring of walls of an interior.Niyang River Visitor Center
The centre is named by name of the rivers, Niyang River Visitor Center. Here there will be a ticket office, a room for disguise and a bathroom. The building is on a tourist route, on border of Tibet and the Chinese province Sichuan.
Visitor Center in Tibet
VIA «The centre for visitors on the bank of the mountain river»
Public health services high technologies
Company RTKL — the international architectural company which is engaged in designing of buildings and constructions — in the end of this year begins erection of an innovative hospital complex by the area of 361,000 m. The complex will serve simultaneously more than 2200 patients. Project cost: 2,82 billion yuans (or 304 million euro). The control and management of building will be carried out by the best experts RTKL from office in Los Angeles.Innovative embodiment
Company RTKL has been chosen as the contractor of the project as a result of competition in which 30 architectural firms participated. Desire of the customer — create a building which embodies: the innovative, progressive and ecological concept of the health centre.The Western technologies and East culture
In a hospital complex, besides chambers with hospital cots, will take places: hospitals, the centre of the emergency help, infectious branch, audiences and lecture halls for experts and students of medical HIGH SCHOOLS, a hostel for pupils, an office building, a conference — a hall and a reception.Marriott Marco Island Hotel by RTKL
East Asia: Qing Dynasty throne fetches $5.15 mln at auction
A throne belonging to Emperor Qianlong during the Qing Dynasty in the 1700's has sold for 5.15 million US dollars at auction. The sale took place in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province. A visitor looks at a throne of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) during an auction preview in Nanjing,
East China's Jiangsu province, Jan 7, 2015. The seat, made of rosewood and inlaid with gold
and exquisite flowers pattern, is given a starting price of 35 million yuan ($5.6 million).
It was from the Hall of Imperial Supremacy (Huangji dian) in the Forbidden City,
the main hall in the area of Palace of Tranquil Longevity (Ningshou gong),
which the Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) built for spending his years
after his retirement [Credit: China News Service]The throne, made of rosewood and inlaid with gold and a floral pattern, was owned by philanthropist Li Chunping.
It took him three years to buy the throne from a descendant of a royal highness of the Qing Dynasty in Tianjin.
Li said the final price was lower than he expected and that the throne will have a higher value after two or three years.
A buyer from Beijing bought the throne after three rounds of bidding.
Source: China Org [January 13, 2015]
Park of the United Nations
The Global Green Project
The project of Park of the World has been initiated by a municipal government of the city of Chungju in honor of that now the Secretary general of the United Nations is the native of this city, Ban Ki-Moon. Having stretched on river Namhangang coast, the project becomes the new city center.
The UN Memorial Hall
The building in the form of an ellipse, the maximum diameter — 60 meters becomes United Nations monument. In a building of 8 floors + a basement floor. In the center — an audience on 1,500 places, and also additional conference halls. From an audience the fine kind on Tangeumdae Natural Park will open.
Rising up a spiral, the building becomes the house for an exhibition in which the history of the United Nations since 1945 till today will speak. The person who is the center of interest of missions of the United Nations, will be integrated into architecture and appearance of "globe". The building will be located in the center of a garden from 192 apple-trees which number is equal to number of the states which are members of the United Nations.
East Asia: 600-year-old tower destroyed by fire in Yunnan
A fire in the southwest of China has destroyed the 600-year-old Gongchen tower, part of an ancient city gate in Weishan county in Dali prefecture, Yunnan province.
The fire started at about 3 a.m. on Saturday. Firefighters struggled for nearly 2 hours to put out the flames. About 300 square meters of the architecture was burnt down. No causalities have been reported and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Gongchen tower was a city gate tower, which was built in 1390 during the Ming Dynasty. It was listed as a key cultural protection site in Yunnan province. Last month, a fire engulfed an ancient Miao village in southwest China's Guizhou Province.In 2006, China nominated the village as a UNESCO World Heritage site. And in January last year, Dukezong Ancient Town, in the famous resort county Shangri-la in Yunnan province, was also burned down in a fire. The so called "Moonlight City" is one of the most renowned resorts in Shangri-la, known for its well-preserved ancient Tibetan dwellings.
Source: CCTV [January 04, 2015]
Lubetkin Prize has got to the bird's nest
National Stadium in Beijing which in the people is called “the birds nest”, has received prestigious Lubetkin Prize, founded Royal Institute of British Architects, RIBA, as the most outstanding architectural work outside of the European Union.
Speaking about a building, the main judge of the award and President RIBA, Sunand Prasad has told: “this year the short list looked excellently. Discussion was long, however the result is obvious”.
The National Stadium is a project of architectural company Herzog and de Meuron, executed together with China Architectural Design and research Group, Arup Sport and Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong), artist Ai Wei Wei.
Circles of the applicants who have entered into a short list: Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal, project Foster and Partners together with NACO and Beijing Institute of Architectural Design; Watercube, National Swimming Centre, project PTW Architects together with China State Construction and Engineering Corporation; building Museum Brandhorst in Munich; Sean O’Casey Community Centre in Dublin; building The British High Commission in Sri Lanka, project Richard Murphy Architects.
The project jury in which structure were Sunand Prasad RIBA President, Tony Chapman, RIBA Head of Awards Paul Monaghan, the architect and Chair of the RIBA Awards Group Alison Brooks, architect Tom Dyckhoff — have visited all six buildings-applicants.
The Architectural Chinese Greatness
The Architectural Heap
In the modern world you are surprised — as architects of the past could build approximately in one style, according to the general mood of an epoch, and consider it as art?
The original architectural project
In Competition on Originality there was a new applicant. Peking bureau MAD has offered the skyscraper project on which each floor gardens will blossom.
The basic feature of a design — not at height, and on horizontal saturation. The tower represents a heap of the floors, one on another where each layer will shift aside, thus creating open space for a patio and gardens. A 385-metre tower name Urban Forest.
Art Architecture in China
By the end of 2009 year architects plan to finish work on the design concept. The tower becomes the third studio in a portfolio. The studio offers new directions for development of city architecture in China. Namely actualization of ecologically steady multiplane structures which would return the nature in cities. The city of Chongking became the fourth on size a city of China in 1997.
East Asia: Military castle of Ming Dynasty under restoration in Hebei Province
At two kilometres in circumference and protected by an imposing 12-metre wall, the Ming Dynasty's 'Martial City' had a reputation that struck fear into opposing armies. The fortress was built in 1393 and managed to repel all
attacks by the invading Mongolian armies
[Credit: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao]So much so that battle plans would be drawn up to specifically give the castle at Zhangjiakou, in China's northern Hebei province, a wide berth.
The fortress measures some two kilometres in circumference
and was protected by an imposing 12-metre wall
[Credit: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao]Now archaeologists have begun a daunting project to restore the once-mighty site to something approaching it previous glory, in particular the dilapidated outer wall that repelled every attack which invading Mongolian armies could throw at it.
Among the works being carried out at Wanquan Castle is
the restoration of the fortress' dilapidated outer wall
[Credit: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao]The restoration of the fortress - which was given the coveted title of 'Wucheng' or 'Martial City' after its construction in 1393 - will see building work completed in the original Ming Dynasty style of architecture, Cinese sources report.
Workers restore the southern barbican entrance to Wanquan Castle,
which was known as the Ming Dynasty's 'Martial City'
[Credit: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao]The project will see the restoration of the Ming and Qing era commercial districts, the Great Wall Martial Museum, the Golden Harvest Academy and performance theatres as well as the opening of the Red Tourist Route, with all work planned to be complete in 2016. The restoration work will also include the ongoing protection of surviving structures.
While much of the interior city is in good condition, the outer wall is somewhat
dilapidated and will be the focus of much of the work
[Credit: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao]The castle in Wanquan county - known in China as a 'living fossil of the Ming military system' - was built in 1393 but is relatively well-preserved, especially the interior city area which includes the residences of generals and wealthy merchants.
The restoration work, which is due to be completed next year, will where
possible be carried out in the style of Ming Dynasty architecture
[Credit: Xinhua/Yang Shiyao]The fortress has huge historical, cultural and military significance and has key cultural relic status in China.
Author: Edward Chow | Source: Daily Mail Online [April 07, 2015]
Thailand: Chinese art stolen from French castle
Thieves have broken into Fontainebleau palace and stolen 15 Chinese artefacts in a lightning raid, the French culture ministry has said. The Chinese Museum at the Chateau de Fontainebleau
[Credit: FMR/Chateau de Fontainebleau]The robbery, at the Empress' Chinese Museum housed by the palace, was over in seven minutes, the authorities said.
Among the items taken was a replica of a crown of the King of Siam, now Thailand, given to Emperor Napoleon III in 1861.
Officials at Fontainebleau palace called the objects "priceless".
"They were among the most beautiful pieces in the museum," said Jean-Francois Hebert, who runs Fontainebleau, about 50km (30 miles) south-east of Paris.
"We think they (the thieves) were very determined, knew exactly what they were looking for and worked in a very professional manner," he added.
The palace has been used by French kings since the 12th Century. It is now a national museum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Chinese Museum houses works once belonging to Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III.
The French culture ministry described it as "one of the most secure parts of the palace, equipped with alarms and surveillance cameras".
An investigation is under way.
Source: BBC News Website [March 02, 2015]
East Asia: Huashan Mountain rock painting submitted for World Heritage listing in 2016
China has applied for World Heritage status for the ancient rock carvings of the Huashan Mountain in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in 2016. 
Rock paintings of the Huashan Mountain in Guangxi Zhuang
autonomous region [Credit: Xinhua]According to China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage, UNESCO has already made a preliminary review of the application. A series of official documents to protect the ancient site of rock paintings in Huashan Mountain were issued. So far, around 150 million yuan has been invested on the relevant work to preserve the site. Better management and enhanced conservation efforts have been launched.
The rock paintings of Huashan Mountain are located on the west bank of the Mingjiang River in the Yaoda town, Ningming county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. It is the biggest, most content-rich and best-preserved ancient rock carvings in China among all the discovered cultural relics to date. With a history of around 1800-2500 years, the sites were left from sacred activities of the ancient Luoyue people of the Zhuang ethnic groups in the drainage area of the Zuojiang River during the Warring States period (475-221BC) and Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220AD).
The whole painting stretches more than 200 meters in length and around 40 meters in height, with more than 1800 images in it, including people, horses, dogs, knives, swords and drums. Though a variety of archaeological theories have been made to explain the origin of the ancient artistic work, the exact reason for its creation still remains a mystery.
Source: China Daily [February 04, 2015]
