Civil egineering & architecture wonders

Creative Offices from Around the World

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 17:18:00 +0530

Here is a quick overview of some Creative offices

Etsy Labs – Brooklyn, USA

Etsy, the craft equivalent of eBay has the motto ‘Live handmade’, so it’s no surprise that their offices are such a treat. The staff is made up of craftspeople and artists, who all get $100 of Etsy credit with which to decorate their workspace. The offices boast a space station conference room and an in-house kitchen where lunch is cooked for staff and announced with a dinner bell!

McLaren Technology Centre – Surrey, UK

The HQ for any Formula One racing car company needs to be pretty sleek – and McLaren Technology Centre does not disappoint. This office-come-factory has its own 475-foot-long wind tunnel (for testing Formula One cars, naturally) and an artificial lake for cooling purposes. This may all sound a bit functional but the lustrous architecture and clean crisp interior design help to make this look like the ultimate workplace of the future.

Bank of Moscow’s Offices – Moscow, Russia

Sleek modern offices full of Perspex and ping-pong are all well and good but we had to take a moment to reflect on the splendour of The Bank of Moscow’s Offices for a touch of historical opulence. The building is totally windowless so all light reaches employees via a stunning stained-glass ceiling. Staff are spread around the balconies surrounding the main client zone, making the most of the building’s tiered structure, which in past incarnations has been a gallery and even a boutique.

Uppercut Offices – Montreal, Canada

Uppercut, are one of the hottest young communications agencies in Montreal, so it’s important for their image to be bang up to date. Cue an eye-full of large-scale graphics and bright colours depicting everything from grassy meadows to vibrant cartoon characters. The other cool thing about this office? It can be found in the basement of a fully operational church!

Red Bull – London, UK

Red Bull’s HQ in London’s trendy Soho is the archetypal cool office. Highlights include slides to get from floor to floor, table-tennis tables in the meeting rooms and a rooftop terrace boasting Mary Poppins style views of London.

Ogilvy & Mather Guangzhou Office – Guangzhou, China

This sumptuous office was one of the recipients of China’s Most Successful Design Award in 2008 and it’s easy to see why. The brief for designers was to inspire creativity in the staff and they certainly went all out with their ‘Carnival of Ideas’ theme. Ferris wheel carriages, carousel horses and a hall of mirrors all transform this workplace into a kind of fantasy land.

Pixar – California, USA

Given the colourful, fun-loving characters Pixar create for film after film, it’ll come as no surprise that it’s a little zany at Pixar HQ. The main entrance hall is designed to look like a football field and instead of standard old cubicles, each animator has their own individually themed ‘mini-cottage’.

SKYPE – Stockholm, Sweden

This office was originally built in 1846 as a clothing factory but then operated as a brewery from 1857 until 1971. The München Brewery now reflects Skype’s playful ethos and design through striking, colourful ergonomic furniture and minimalist design that simply oozes contemporary Swedish style.

Vodafone Head Office – Portugal

Portugal serves as the location for Vodaphone’s most striking office. Architects José António Barbosa and Pedro Guimarães are responsible for this uber-modern structure, which thanks to its unconventional angles looks quite out of balance. Inside bright blocks of colour, Perspex furniture and jaggedly angled strips of light complete the futuristic feel.

Googleplex - California USA

What cool offices compilation would be complete without Google’s California HQ? Staff here can make the most of free, freshly cooked meals, a free doctor on site, a swimming spa and a volleyball court. The fact this place seems more like a holiday camp than a work place may help to explain the fact that the Googleplex receives around 1,300 CVs each day!

10 unusual and beautiful homes

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 16:56:00 +0530

Every once in a while, architects go a little wild and let their imagination flow, the results are unusual houses that attract much more attention than others. This is the kind of houses I’ve compiled in this post.

1. Floating castle

A barn in Ukraine that defies gravity. Mind-blowing.

2. Crazy house in Vietnam

I couldn’t find info on this house, but this picture by Andrew Moore makes me want to go to Vietnam right now.

3. Grass covered farms

These farms in Keldur, Iceland, are totally blended into the environment. Covered with grass, they make beautiful hobbit-like farms. Photos via We do Iceland.

4. Fairy house

A charming house in Efteling, The Netherland. ViaSavvy Living.

5. Bishop castle

For 40 years, Jim Bishop has been working on his own castle in Colorado. Via Strange Buildings.

6. Ewok house

I couldn’t find where this house was located, which makes it seem even more like a remaining from a lost civilization. Image via Unusual Architecture.

7. Eliphante

A handmade home located in Arizona. Created by artist Leda Livant, it has stunning stain glass windows. Via this New York Times article.

8. Boulder house

My personal favorite from this list. This house in Portugal is totally blended into those giant rocks. ViaGreenmuze.

9. Tree house restaurant

Your tree house dreams taken to a whole new level with this tree-house restaurant in New Zealand. ViaInhabitat.

10. House in the clouds

Based in Suffolk, England, the house in the clouds is an accomodation place, so you can go live there for a while if you please.

25 great architecture

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 15:21:00 +0530

1. Alpine Hut

Wonderful alpine hut by slovenian architecture studioOfis Arhitekti.

2. Sliding house

Sleek and minimalist approach to adaptable living, created by dRMM studio.

3. Reflection of Mineral

Reflection of Mineral has received wide architecture and design media attention and numerous international awards, it was designed by architectYasuhiro Yamashita .

4. Byron Bay House

Located on one of the most famous australian beaches, this house combines eco-friendly materials with modern architecture, by McKay+Partners LLP.

5. Hangar Prefab

For the nomads out there, the wonderful prefab hangar.

6. Swiss Chalet

The perfect place to spend some time isolated from the world.

7. Tea house

A tea house in Prague, great work by A1Architects.

8. Marinette Residence

Not revolutionary, but a nice house by Atelier V.

9. Mummy Mountain

A house with a view, make sure you take a look at the development on their website.

10. 5ive

When building your home becomes an opportunity to change your lifestyle, architecture by Shelter.

11. Metamorfosis 1

Lovely renovation of a wooden house.

12. Camouflage house

How about a house that really integrates with the environment?

13. Drift Bay House

A beautiful house in an amazing place.

14. Castlerock Crescent Clontarf

Superb house by Molnar Freeman studio.

15. Taylor Smith architects

You got to love the display of the wooden structure.

16. The Trojan House

Pretty impressive house, looks like it’s about to fall.

17. Dairy Barn Renovation

18. Yakisugi House

Residence based in Nagano, with a tea room located in the tower.

19. OUTrial House

A house from Poland covered with grass.

20. Khyber Ridge House

Awesome integration to the landscape for this home in British Colombia.

21. Eggo-House

A garden anyone would want to have.

22. Shell House

Futuristic architecture from Japan.

23. Hollywood Hills Home

Modern design with amazing views.

24. Modern Glass Home

A beautiful glass home with a tower in Krakow, Poland.

25. House with an outdoor home theater

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 14:12:00 +0530

As the world increasingly focuses on sustainable initiatives, green architecture is a booming industry. Everything from single-family residences to giant 1.2-million-square-foot complexes complete with giant skyscrapers is getting the green treatment, and the innovation that iss going into these plans is more complex than ever. From spinning towers to seawater greenhouses, ome of these structures will debut as early as the fall of 2008 while others present a view of what 100 years from now may hold, but all represent amazing leaps in green technology that push the boundaries of what we’ve ever thought possible. (Then see more here: Green Art, Design and Technology).

Architect David Fisher has proposed a plan for rotating towers that produce all of their own energy through wind power. TheRotating Tower would be built by stacking platters on a central concrete core with wind turbines located between each of them. Each floor will rotate 360 degrees about once every 90 minutes; as the floors will rotate independently, they will create a constantly changing silhouette in the sky. Inside the concrete core will be elevators, emergency stairs and lobbies. The Rotating Tower will be built in Dubai in the next six months.

As water becomes an even hotter commodity in the future, engineers are looking for ways to ensure a continued supply of fresh water to meet the needs of the world’s growing population. Charles Patton is tackling this problem with his Seawater Greenhouse, a carbon-neutral desalination method which is being incorporated into the design of the Teatro del Agua. This Theater of Water will be a performing arts center in Spain’s Canary Islands. It works by coupling a series of evaporators and condensers such that the airborne moisture from the evaporators is then collected from the condensers, which are cooled by deep seawater.? The center will operate almost entirely on renewable energy.

The Dice House is a zero carbon home, which can either stand alone or function as attached multiple dwellings. Designed by Sybarite, a British architecture firm, the Dice House is a 9 x 9 meter cube that sits on an octagonal plinth. Three levels inside the cube have large, plentiful windows to maximize views. A large thermoplastic umbrella on the garden roof of the house shades and insulates the house and collects solar energy.

The new Las Vegas CityCenter is the largest privately financed development in North America. This $8 billion project is a joint venture between MGM Mirage and Dubai World. Designing the CityCenter will be renowned green architects including Pelli Clarke Pelli, Foster + Partners and Rafael Vinoly. MGM Mirage has trained over 10,000 construction tradesmen on green building practices to be put into place in the structures. CityCenter, which will house hotels, casinos, restaurants, retail space, entertainment space and a $40M public fine arts center, is touted by its developers as a model of sustainability. Recycling construction waste, using environmentally friendly materials, emphasizing natural light and incorporating an onsite co-generation power plant are just a few of the sustainability initiatives that will be put into place.

Architect Sheila Kennedy has designed the Soft House, a structure that harvests energy through solar-energy-collecting textiles hung in the home like curtains. These thin-film photovoltaic textiles can create close to 16,000 watt-hours of electricity, providing about half of the home’s power. Though the high cost of this solar technology makes the Soft House unlikely to become reality any time soon, Kennedy hopes that the design will show others that renewable energy technologies can be incorporated into structures in creative and unexpected ways.

The world’s first passive house museum is set to be built in Ulricehamn, Sweden, functioning as a visitor’s center. The building’s heat will be supplied entirely by the body heat of visitors and the equipment located inside. Solar cells on the roof will provide part of the energy used to run electrical equipment and heat water. The circular design of the structure will allow efficient circulation of air to enhance the passive heating and cooling of the building.

The Chicago Spire is an ambitious project currently under construction in the Windy City. At 2,000 feet, the spire will be North America’s tallest free-standing structure and the tallest all-residential building in the world. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and managed by the Shelbourne Development Group, the Chicago Spire was designed to mimic the natural form of a nautilus shell. The structure is anticipated to have a LEED gold rating; it will be outfitted with rainwater harvesting systems, geothermal cooling and high performance glass designed to protect migratory birds. The Chicago Spire is set to be completed in 2011.

Frasers Broadway, a commercial, residential and retail complex, will be Australia’s most sustainable building. The designers, including Pritzker Prize winners Foster & Partners and Ateliers Jean Nouvel, will incorporate such eco-friendly features as a gas-powered co-generation electricity plant, green rooftops, a wastewater recycling plant, smart metering and solar power into the design in an attempt to achieve carbon neutrality. The 250,000 square meter development will be located in the old Kent Brewery in Sydney.

Pelli Clark Pelli architects recently got approval for their design for a new green Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco. The transit center will consist of a glass tower and a five-and-a-half acre public park, and will be packed with sustainable features like green roofs, passive solar shading, wind turbines, a rain and graywater recycling system and geothermal heating and cooling. The aim of the building is to centralize the region’s transportation system while also providing a community space. The center will be completed by 2014.

China’s population is exploding while its industrial ventures are producing more pollution than ever – a combination that makes it difficult to be eco-friendly. A new sustainable housing project called Habitat 2020 aims to be one of the leaders in bringing environmental initiatives to this growing country. The Habitat 2020 building will feature an active skin: a membrane between the exterior and interior walls that will absorb air, water and light from outside and dispatch it inside as clean filtered water, natural air conditioning and electricity. The same funnels on the membrane that pull these resources in will also emit clean, CO2-free air from inside the building. This urban megalopolis is set to be complete in 2020.

Another project that aims to act as a ‘living’ structure is theCalifornia Academy of Sciences museum set to open in San Francisco this fall. The museum will have a 2.5 acre, undulating green roof that will integrate it into the surrounding Golden Gate Park. The 400,000-square-foot, $484 million structure will likely be the first public building to achieve a platinum LEED rating. Designer Renzo Piano has incorporated a planetarium, a rainforest with free-flying birds, a coral reef home to 4,000 fish in a saltwater aquarium and a natural history museum into the building.

Maul Dwellings designed the Landscape House, which won the AIA’s 2006 Committee on Design competition to design “a house for an ecologist”. The house not only features a double roof for enhanced air circulation, louvered shutters to harvest energy, a Water Pod to house efficient plumbing systems and a solar dehumidifier unit to capture moisture from the air for drinking water, it also is designed for deconstruction and reuse. Though this innovative structure wasn’t originally intended for widespread residential use, its intelligent eco-friendly features make it a great source of inspiration for future green homes.

Kuwait will soon have its first LEED skyscraper. The Sabah Al Ahmed International Finance Center will be a 1.2 million square foot, 40-story tower that includes four stacked courtyard atriums ranging from 8 to 13 stories each. The tower will generate some of its own energy from a photovoltaic system as well as the wind turbines that will crown the roof. Inside will be office space and a 4-star business class hotel. The International Finance Center (ICF) has been precertified at the gold level under the LEED rating system.

London-based Foster + Partners, who are also working on the aforementioned Frasers Broadway complex, have another green complex in store. This one will be located in Singapore City, measuring 150,000 square meters and set for multi-use functioning. The complex’s exterior will be covered with solar cells, and direct sunlight will also be harvested by tall ribbon-like canopies rising into the skyline. The slanted design of the facades will allow wind to flow into the building for a natural cooling effect, and vertical green spaces will provide ambient temperature moderation. The building will also be equipped with a rainwater harvesting system, geothermal heating, chilled beams and an ice storage system for cooling.

5 Wonders of Modern Green Technology

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 13:56:00 +0530

Green architecture comes in many forms though lately it seems like these forms are stranger than ever. Urban skyscraper farms? Floating eco-cities? Glowing solar towers? Turbine-driven skyscrapers? Magnetically levitated wind collectors? Where does it end?! With all of these emerging green technologies it seemed an appropriate time to take a look at seven of the most amazing real and conceptual designs currently at the forefront of ecological innovation. These examples push the limits of ecological architecture and contemporary urban design discourse. [This article created with generous assistance from Agustin Otegui as part of our series on Green Art, Design and Technology).

The so-called Lilypad Project is perhaps the most fantastical of these green wonders and certainly the farthest from being built but is too amazing a concept not to mention. The idea is to create a series of floating self-sufficient ocean-going eco-city islands. Each one would be able to house 50,000 residents and would support a great deal of biodiversity. Collecting pools located in their centers would gather and filter water for use on board. These would be places for adventurers and refugees alike as water levels rise around the world and threaten many, particularly island, habitats.

The most impressive feature of the new Bahrain World Trade Center is, no doubt, the three massive wind turbines situated between the two towers comprising the main building. Each of these 80-foot turbines projects from a bridge between towers. The shape of the towers themselves channels and accelerates air moving between them which will help the building generate even more power. It is by far the largest wind-powered design incorporated into a massive building project to date.

The MagLev Wind Turbine is a big step forward in the world of wind power. By using magnetism to levitate the blades friction is eliminated and more power can be produced without any additional power expense (since the magnetics require no energy to run). The MagLev has a low threshold velocity for producing energy, could theoretically survive for centuries and can power up to 750,000 homes. Though the initial investment involved hundreds of millions of dollars the payoff is potentially huge.

This glowing solar tower looks like something straight out of the Bible. Glowing bright white it sticks out like a sore (giant’s) thumb in the middle of the rolling countryside in Spain. So what is it? Well, it is Europe’s first commercial power station to harness the energy of the sun. How does it work? The sun’s rays are all directed at a single point of the tower and turn water at that point into steam. The steam in turn moves through turbines and generates energy. A strange but very functional process.

Urban skyscraper farms are still purely conceptual for now but are amazing theoretical propositions. They would provide locally grown food in densely packed urban centers. Some such designs incorporate elaborate rainwater reuse systems and other sustainable strategies intended to minimize their environmental impact and maximize their productivity. However, they are massive in scale and would cost a great deal to build. This huge initial outlay is part of what is keeping them out of production.

The so-called Lighthouse skyscraper is a 1000-foot-tall office skyscraper that is designed to use about half the water and energy of a typical high-rise building. The tower design employs solar energy collection and wind farming techniques coupled with strategies to reduce the use of and improve recovery of energy and water within the building. If/when built, this building will be a kind of working prototype for future green design in massive urban construction.

The Mubarak Pumping Station -Mubarak, Egypt

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:49:00 +0530

Mubarak, Egypt: The Toshka Project is an amazing attempt to convert a half million acres of desert landscape into arable land. The Mubarak Pumping Station is at the center of this effort, and will channel millions of cubic feet of water per hour. It will ultimately redirect 10% of the country’s water from the Nile and will increase the inhabitable land in Egypt by as much as 25%.

located at the intake basin,

will accommodate 24 variable speed

pumps with a total capacity of 288MW (24 x 12MW) and a

total discharge of 400m3

/s (24 x 16.7m3/s). The static

suction head is 56m.

really good work !!!!

Big Dig a massive tunneling project -Boston, Massachusetts

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:21:00 +0530

Boston, Massachusetts: The so-called Big Dig is a massive tunneling project in the heart of Boston, and is the most massive and expensive construction project in the history of the United States (at 15 billion dollars). Disaster and scandal have haunted this endeavor from the beginning, including accidents, deaths and even arrests for criminal negligence. Engineers were forced to navigate a maze of subways, pipes and utility lines in the course of the project, all with minimum disturbance to the bustling streets of Boston above.

largest hydroelectric dam:Yangtze, China

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:17:00 +0530

Yangtze, China: The Three Gorges Dam has drawn fire from people around the world for its role in raising water levels and displacing millions of Chinese residents in the area. As a work of engineering, however, it is unparalleled. It will be the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, 600 feet high and holding 1.4 trillion cubic feet of water behind 100 million cubic feet of concrete. This engineering wonder will also eventually provide as much as 10% of China’s vast power needs.

longest underwater gas pipeline-More, Norway to Easington, Britain

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:15:00 +0530

More, Norway to Easington, Britain: The Langeled Pipeline is slated to be the longest underwater gas pipeline in the world. It will ultimately supply 20% of Britain’s gas needs, connecting England to the largest gas field in Europe via 750 miles of complex underwater terrain. Engineers have had to account for subzero temperatures an stormy waters in addition to developing techniques for installing the pipeline in the first place. They are able to lay an amazing 8 miles of pipe per day.

highest bridge in the world-Millau, France

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:11:00 +0530

Millau, France: The Millau Viaduct is the highest bridge in the world. At almost 1,000 feet high (taller than the even the Eiffel Tower) and over 8,000 feet long it sometimes sits above the cloud line, as shown in the beautiful photographs above. The engineered wonder of the bridge itself is nearly as amazing as the view of the valley below.

largest exterior elevator-Zhangjiajie, China

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:07:00 +0530

Zhangjiajie, China: The Bailong Elevator is the world’s largest exterior elevator. At over 1,000 feet tall, this elevator looms high midway up a cliff overlooking a valley far below. Moreover, the elevator is mostly glass, affording passengers a dizzying view to the depths below. There is some concern, however, about the elevator’s long-term impact on the surrounding natural environment.

hats off to China for the amazing engg!!!

largest flood prevention project -Venice, Italy

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:00:00 +0530

Venice, Italy: The Venice Tide Barrier Project will be the largest flood prevention project in the world. The project has been debated in one form or another for over 40 years as a way to protect this historical city-on-the-water for future generations. With Venice slowly sinking, and the water around it slowly rising, and floods always a fear, Italians have known for a long time that something needs to be done. Finally, the Prime Minister of Italy approved the second phase of the plan, including 80 hinged barriers, each approximately 6,500 square feet.

Moon Shape Skyscraper

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:57:00 +0530

With the ambitions of civil engineers flying high and high, Korean Heerim Architects has tried to reinvent the skyscraper with their two projects in central Asian republic of Azerbaijan. They have proposed a skyscraper to be built in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan with a view on the Caspian sea. The name of one of the building is proposed as Full Moon Bay and the other is Crescent and Caspian Plus.

Here are few pictures of what could possibly be a real challenge for civil engineers to built

This Looks Likes A Dream

A Complete View Of The Proposed Moon Shaped Skyscraper

The Sky Is The Limit For Civil Engineers

Burj Al Arab - One Of The Best Civil Engineering Works

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:55:00 +0530

The Burj Al Arab is one of the world’s most luxurious hotels and is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Burj Al Arab is managed by the Jumeirah Group and built by Said Khalil. Burj Al Arab’s stands at a height of 333m. The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 metres (919 ft) out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge.

The construction of Burj Al Arab began in 1994. It was built to resemble the sail of a dhow, a type of Arabian vessel. Two “wings” spread in a V to form a vast “mast”, while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium. Architect Tom Wright said “The client wanted a building that would become an iconic or symbolic statement for Dubai; this is very similar to Sydney with its Opera House, or Paris with the Eiffel Tower. It needed to be a building that would become synonymous with the name of the country.” The architect and engineering consultant for the project was Atkins, the UK’s largest multidisciplinary consultancy. The hotel was built by South African construction contractor Murray & Roberts. The hotel cost $650 million to build.

The foundation used in this hotel is Pile Foundation and a total of 230 - 40 meter long concrete piles were drived into the sand. The foundation is held in place not by bedrock, but by the friction of the sand and silt along the length of the piles. Engineers created a surface layer of large rocks, which is circled with a concrete honey-comb pattern, which serves to protect the foundation from erosion. It took three years to reclaim the land from the sea, but less than three years to construct the building itself. The building contains over 70,000 cubic meters of concrete and 9,000 tons of steel.

The tennis court at the top of the hotel

Palms Dubai - New Engineering Wonder

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:51:00 +0530

In one of the most astonishing civil engineering works, Dubai has again started an attempt to re define the civil engineering wonders.The three artificial islands that make up the Palm (comprising the Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali, and the Palm Deira) are the world’s biggest man-made islands.More than 1 billion cubic meters of dredged sand and stones are used to built each of these.The reclamation project of the Palm Jebel Ali includes the creation of a 4 km long peninsula, protected by a 200 m wide and 17 km long breakwater built around the island. 135,000,000 m³ of rock, sand and limestone were reclaimed (partly originating from the Jebel Ali Entrance Channel dredging works). There are approximately 5,000,000 m³ of rocks in the slope protection works.

Some Images of the Man Made Island :-

Coolest buildings of India.

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:49:00 +0530

1) i-flex solutions, Bangalore
Located at C.V Raman Nagar Bangalore, i-flex building has a peculiar design, architecture and superb infrastructure which distinguishes it from the other buildings . i-flex solutions is a world leader when it comes to provide solutions for Financial Sector.

2) Signature Towers, Gurgaon
Signature Towers have become the best designed office complexes in India due to its unique identity. It has a neat design and is equipped with the latest state of art technology and this is the prime reason that most of the leading multinational and Indian companies have chosen to operate their businesses from Signature Towers. The perfect location just a few hundred meters off the National Highway 8 in Gurgaon adds to the value of these towers.

3) Adobe-India’s Headquarters
Adobe-India’s Headquarters is located at NOIDA, a suburb of New Delhi. It is on an independent plot with a total carpet area of 2,00,000 square feet.In keeping with the spirit of Adobe the innovative design and bright colors characterize the new complex reflecting the vibrant and fun filled work environment. The building has state of art system for Engineering services and hence effectively combines the latest in technology with simply no- fussy, comfortable and conveniently designed work spacesAdobe building.

4) Gateway Tower Gurgaon
Gateway Tower as is appropriately coined, acts as the gateway to the 3000-acre landmark city of DLF. This 12-storey complex is spread across an area of 1.15 acres.With its ship-like shape, Gateway Tower presents futuristic architecture, which is also reflected in its interiors with floor plates measuring to 85,000 sq.ft. The unique feature of this complex is its high visibility and compact office space. The tenants comprises of Ariba, Planet Sports, Corning, Cargill, Innodata, Korn and Ferry, GE Plastics to name a few.

5) Gigaspace IT Park Pune
Gigaspace IT Park in pune comprises state-of-art Intelligent Buildings that incorporate up to date technology, which creates a healthy, more productive and energy conserving work environment, critical factors in a 24×7x365 work scenario.The buildings also conform to Vaastu Shastra norms. A key feature is a great number of buildings, each with and optimum plate area. The buildings vary from 60,000 sq.ft to 150,000 sq.ft. with floor plates of 12,000 to 30,000 sq.ft.

6) HSBC Building Pune
HSBC in Pune has a team of 1400+ professionals operating from a state-of-the-art building in Kalyani Nagar, which has become a landmark in Pune due to its surroundings, ambience and international work culture.GLT is expanding its infrastructure with an adjacent building to cater to the expected growth in the current year.

7) Infinity Towers, Kolkata
Located at Rajarhat in New Town, Kolkata; DLF IT Park is designed by the renowned architect Hafeez Contractor.With a super area of 1.3 million sq.ft, this complex of three independent towers and a retail complex is built around a large landscaped garden.It has large, efficient floor plates, wide column span and high floor-to-floor clearances. With a premium building finish and a combination of attractive glass facade, stones and metal panels, the buildings will stand out as the new generation workplace. The design ensures that while the retail complex provides the facilities for the office area, it does not impinge on the office area by virtue of its clearly separated traffic flow.

8 ) Infosys Multiplex, Mysore
A key highlight of the Mysore campus is the multiplex and auditorium complex which has a capacity of 1,300.The complex also houses 3 multiplex theatres with a capacity of 150 seats each.

9) Statesman House, Delhi
Statesman House is located in Barakhamba Road in the middle of Connaught Place and is one of the most imposing structures in Delhi.It’s a huge circular building and is quite majestic. Statesman House recently received occupation certificate and has found takers from the banking, finance and insurance sectors

Civil engg wonder in China

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:47:00 +0530

1) Linked Hybrid, Beijing
Linked Hybrid, which will house 2,500 people in 700 apartments covering 1.6 million square feet, is a model for large-scale sustainable residential architecture. The site will feature one of the world’s largest geothermal cooling and heating systems, which will stabilize the temperature within the complex of eight buildings, all linked at the 20th floor by a “ring” of service establishments, like cafÃ©s and dry cleaners. A set of dual pipes pumps water from 100 meters below ground, circulating the liquid between the buildings’ concrete floors.

The result: The water-circulation system serves as a giant radiator in the winter and cooling system in the summer. It has no boilers to supply heat, no electric air conditioners to supply cool. The apartments also feature gray-water recycling — a process that’s just starting to catch on in Beijing in much smaller buildings — to filter waste water from kitchen sinks and wash basins back into toilets.

2) Dongtan Eco City, Dongtan
Developed by the Shanghai Industrial investment Corp., Dongtan Eco City , roughly the size of Manhattan , will be the world’s first fully sustainable cosmopolis when completed in 2040. Like Manhattan , it’s situated on an island — the third-largest in China . Located on the Yangtze River, Dongtan is within close proximity of the bustle of Shanghai .

By the time the Shanghai Expo trade fair opens in 2010, the city’s first phase should be completed, and 50,000 residents will call Dongtan home-sweet-sustainable-home. The goals to be accomplished in the next five years: systems for water purification, waste management, and renewable energy. An infrastructure of roads will connect the former agricultural land with Shanghai .

3) Olympic Stadium, Beijing
Sports stadiums have long followed the enduring design of one of the original wonders of the world, Rome ’s Coliseum. Herzog & de Meuron’s National Stadium in Beijing is an attempt to rethink the classic sports-arena layout for more ecologically correct times.

The Swiss architects (of Tate Modern fame) wanted to provide natural ventilation for the 91,000-seat structure — perhaps the largest “eco-friendly” sports stadium designed to date. To achieve this, they set out to create a building that could function without a strictly enclosed shell, yet also provide constant shelter for the audience and athletes alike.

To solve these design problems, they looked to nature for inspiration. The stadium’s outer grid resembles a bird’s nest constructed of delicately placed branches and twigs. Each discrete space within the facility, from restrooms to restaurants, is constructed as an independent unit within the outer lattice — making it possible to encase the entire complex with an open grid that allows for natural air circulation. The architects also incorporated a layer of translucent membrane to fill any gaps in the lacy exterior.
image ï¿½ Herzog and de Meuron

4) Donghai Bridge , Shanghai/Yangshan Island
A key phase in the development of the world’s largest deep-sea port was completed when China ’s first cross-sea bridge — the 20-mile, six-lane Donghai Bridge — was officially opened in December, 2005. Stretching across the East China Sea , the graceful cable-stay structure connects Shanghai to Yangshan Island, set to become China ’s first free-trade port (and the world’s largest container port) upon its completion in 2010.

To provide a safer driving route in the typhoons and high waves known to hit the region, Donghai Bridge is designed in an S-shape. The structure, reported by Shanghai Daily to have cost $1.2 billion, will hold its title of China’s — and one of the world’s — longest over-sea bridge for only a couple of years, though. In 2008, the nearby 22-mile Hangzhou Bay Transoceanic Bridge, which also begins (or ends, depending on your journey) in Shanghai , will earn the superlative.

Photo: Getty Images

5) National Grand Theater, Beijing
Located near Tiananmen Square , the 490,485-square-foot glass-and-titanium National Grand Theater, scheduled to open in 2008, seems to float above a man-made lake. Intended to stand out amid the Chinese capital’s bustling streets and ancient buildings, the structure has garnered criticism among Bejing’s citizens for clashing with classic landmarks like the Monument to the People’s Heroes (dedicated to revolutionary martyrs), the vast home of the National People’s Congress, or Tiananmen Gate itself (the Gate of Heavenly Peace).

French architect Paul Andreu is no stranger to controversy — or to innovative forms. A generation ago, in 1974, his untraditional design for Terminal 1 of Paris ’s Charles de Gaulle airport was criticized for its unusual curves, yet Andreu’s groundbreaking, futuristic building later was seen to distinguish de Gaulle from more generic European and international air hubs. (The same airport’s Terminal 2E, also designed by Andreu, gained attention in 2004 when it collapsed, tragically killing four people.)

Beijing ’s daring National Grand Theater is as much a spectacle as the productions that will be staged inside in the 2,416-seat opera house, the 2,017-seat concert hall, and the 1,040-seat theater. At night, the semi-transparent skin will give passersby a glimpse at the performance inside one of three auditoriums, a feature that highlights the building’s public nature.

Types of civil engineers

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:43:00 +0530

There are six types of civil engineers:

1. Structural

A structural engineer focuses on the design and analysis of structures, such as buildings and bridges, to determine how well these structures will hold up to various environmental factors, including earthquakes, typhoons and high winds. Structural engineers are also well versed in the properties and behaviour of the various materials used in construction.

2. Geotechnical

Geotechnical engineering incorporates science and technology to create projects and solve problems relating to geology. Construction projects involve tunnels, pipelines, mines, levees, embankments, stable slopes and structural foundations. The engineer must also consider soil conditions in all of these scenarios, as the project might not succeed if the soil is unsuitable.

3. Environmental
Environmental engineering analyses environmental problems and develops solutions to those problems. This discipline combines the study of environmental science, mathematics, atmospheric science, biology, hydrology, chemistry and engineering technology. Improving air and water quality, locating and treating underground water sources, solid waste management, rehabilitating contaminated industrial and residential areas, and treating non-hazardous and hazardous substances are all tasks undertaken by environmental engineers.

4. Water resources
A water resources engineer finds ways to improve the quality and quantity of water and water sources. Hydrology, meteorology, fluid dynamics and environmental science all play a part in water resources engineering. These specialists concentrate on flood and storm water analysis, wetland protection, groundwater remediation, water supply planning and management, wastewater treatment and beach erosion control.

5. Construction
Every single civil engineering project involves construction - a structure needs to be erected, a tunnel needs to be dug, a road needs to be laid, a treatment plant needs to be built. Construction engineers manage these projects.

6. Transportation
Transportation engineers are responsible for designing, constructing and maintaining highways, railways, airfields and ports. Besides researching and improving traffic control, these engineers develop new methods of transportation and find ways to improve mass transportation.

Civil Engineer – Roles and Responsibilities

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:38:00 +0530

In the field of a construction civil engineer, design of the process analysis, construction, mathematics and science all are very important and necessary. Civil engineers are also directly responsible for the construction of many important buildings that you come across on a daily basis.

There are two crucial aspects within this field. You may face difficulty in consulting both a civil engineer and contracting a civil engineer. The key responsibility of a consulting civil engineer is regarding designing of the project while contracting civil engineers deal with the actual construction where they play a significant role in transforming a planned designed layout into real architecture. Moreover, being a civil engineer, there are many further specializations that are an essential part of the sector.

A civil engineer job is engaged in different activities starting from the selection of land to the final construction. Some of the responsibilities and key roles of a civil engineer are as follows:

A civil engineer must start from analyzing various areas and factors that are related to designing and construction
Find, investigate and examine the location of the site and verify whether it is appropriate for construction purposes
It’s the job of a civil engineer to work according to a plan with regards to what are the key essentials and what needs to be modified before the construction starts
Review and approve project reports and designs
A civil engineer should develop detailed design layout that covers the requirement of the client.
Assess both challenges and potential risks of the planned project
Undertake initiatives for risk management and take appropriate steps for it
A civil engineer’s job also includes putting across construction proposal and site to the specified officials and supervising the tendering process.
Ensure that the said rules, regulations and guidelines are followed without any exception
While the project is undergoing, a civil engineer is also responsible for safety measures on site
Analyze and examine different strategies, equations and applications to ensure appropriate procedure application
The civil engineer must also check if all tools and techniques like procedures of chemical testing, land surveying, drafting software and electrical test devices are working properly.
Monitor the operations and working of staff on the site
Interact and communicate effectively with other subcontractors, architects and consultants
The civil engineer must think creatively and logically to resolve various issues in the development process
Set a perfect schedule for purchase of equipments and raw materials
Last but not the least, the civil engineer must ensure that the project is completed on time within the planned budget.

It is necessary that both the consultant and field civil engineer maintain constant communication throughout the project. Because both have a high level of responsibility the weight of the entire project, safety, and codes lays upon their shoulders.

what is civil engg?

imjashpalande@gmail.com (jash palande) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:33:00 +0530

It is one of those branches of knowledge which properly take their places both amongst the sciences and the arts; for a science consists of a collection of general principles or truths relating to any particular subject, while an art are the application of those principles to practice, for the purpose of affecting some particular object. The science of Civil Engg, then, informs us of the general principles of mechanics and construction, and teaches us in what to ascertain the strains to which every part of a structure will be exposed, and of the dimensions and proportions which should be given to each, in order that they may be able to sustain such strains without injury. And the Art of Civil Engg consists in the application of these principles to the actual construction of various works, and their judicious use and modification to meet the several contingencies which arise in practice.

In general, it is the branch of engineering which deals with the planning, design, construction and maintenance of the structures like buildings, roads, bridges, canals, dams, water supply and treatment systems etc. It has a broader spectrum and comprises of many sub-disciplines under it. The branches of civil engineering are structural engg, construction engg, geotechnical engg, urban/town/municipal engg, environmental engg, transportation engg, surveying, water resource engg, tunnel engg, earthquake engg, material engg and coastal engg.

The civil engineering profession recognizes the reality of limited natural resources, the desire for sustainable practices (including life-cycle analysis and sustainable design techniques), and the need for social equity in the consumption of resources. Surfacely saying, the basic responsibilities of a civil engineer is to plan and design a structure and analyze its various aspects, make a regular inspection in the site to ensure that the construction is going according to the plan and to make the necessary amendments in the project if required during the course of construction. Civil engineer has to make sure that the project is cost effective and structure is of required strength and safety. The civil engineer holds the safety, health, and welfare of the public paramount. Civil engineering projects and systems should compliance with governmental guidelines and regulations; should be built economically to function properly with a minimum of maintenance and repair while withstanding anticipated usage and weather; and should conserve energy and allow hazard-free construction while providing healthful, safe, and environmentally sound utilization by society.

In early human days, it was limited to construction of roads and building, but with advancement in science and technology, and with development of human civilization, this field has made a significant leap. From high-rise buildings to huge massive dams, from large tunnels to canals and bridges, the scope of civil engineering has magnificently broadened with time.