Infrastructure Asia

Could Malaysia have a 'vertical prison'?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:50:00 +0000

Malaysian architecture students Chow Khoon Toong, Ong Tien Yee, and Beh Ssi Cze have won the eVolo Magazine 2010 Skyscraper Competition with a design for a 'vertical prison'.

The annual Skyscraper Competition was founded to recognise "outstanding ideas that redefine skyscraper design through the use of new technologies, materials, programs, aesthetics, and spatial organization.

The award seeks to discover young talents whose ideas will change the way we understand architecture and its relationship with the natural and built environments."

It certainly appears to have done that with this unique 'prison city in the sky', which would see inmates live in a "free" and productive community with agricultural fields and factories that would support the host city below.

Rehabilitating in a desirable community

The designer's idea came about as, in their own words, "studies reveal that post-release offenses are very high and that criminal’s imprisonment is just a temporal solution because they do not have the opportunity to rehabilitate in a desirable community.

This project examines the possibility of creating a vertical prison in the sky where inmates will have to work and live in a community that will contribute to the host city below. The prison will have agricultural fields, factories, and recyclable plants that will be operated by the offenders as a way to give back to the community. They will live "free" until they have completed their sentence and are prepared to rejoin their communities.

The vertical prison has its own transportation system which consists of different "pods" for officers, prisoners, firefighters, and other workers."

So a prison without walls, but with a long way to fall - it's an interesting idea, and if in the situation of a riot an armored riot control pod with fast roping capability allow for rapid deployment of riot control team while the armored riot control pod serve as a mobile operation base and observation platform to control and monitor the situation from above.

It is an unique and fascinating concept, and the idea of allowing inmates to help support their own community whilst paying back to the society is a great one.

However, how would you feel about a prison situated several hundred feet above you? And more importantly, could they simply abseil down if they tie enough sheets together?!

To find out more about the award-winning design, click here.

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Timon Singh

Timon Singh is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History. He has previously worked for BBC Magazines on BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, the publication for the popular genealogy show.

Updated: Emaar pull out of Indonesia project

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:57:00 +0000

Emaar Properties may have shot themselves in the foot. With all the difficulties they are facing in the emirate, comes news that they have pulled out of a $600 million project in Indonesia without giving a reason for the exit.

The project was to be a 'mixed-use' site on the Indonesian island of Lombok to be developed with Perusahaan Pengelola Aset. The deal was signed in 2007.

Emaar even said last month that with the construction industry stalling in Dubai, they would focus on mid-income housing in emerging markets and overseas expansion to boost 2010 revenue.

However, the recent pull out seems to indicate the company is suffering financial difficulties that it has not let on, echoing when it pulled out of a US$20 billion development in Algeria in 2009 as a result of the economic downturn.

Indonesia haven't wasted any time with Emaar leaving and have already re-tendered the project internationally with several other Gulf companies and a large Indian firm showing interest in the development.

Updated information

Since the above was posted, Emaar Properties have said it is continuing with the project saying it had "provided recommendations on how it intended to proceed with development of a $600 million mixed-use project in Indonesia."

The developer said it was waiting for responses from the Bali Tourism Development Corporation (BTDC) and Indonesia's government.

"Indonesia represents a target growth country for the company," it said, adding it had submitted an expression of interest to the BTDC in accordance with a tendering procedure recently launched by Indonesia for the Mandalika development on Lombok Island.

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Asian-Pacific's seismic risk

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:55:00 +0000

The Asian subcontinent knows the devastation seismic activity can caused. On 26 December 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami killed almost 230,000 people in fourteen countries and is regarded as one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. However despite this, the recent earthquake in Chile, that sent shock-waves throughout the Pacific Ocean, has triggered concerns about whether the Asian-Pacific region is prepared for another seismic disaster.

The Chilean earthquake was an 8.8 magnitude occurrence and was the seventh most powerful on record. It also caused a tsunami, but this was not reported by the head of Chile's oceanographic service who was fired as a result.

Shock waves spread across the Pacific Ocean causing countries as far apart as the United States and Australia to issue tsunami warnings. However while no one was killed outside of Chile was killed and the aftershocks subsided, the warnings gave an indication of the region's seismic preparedness.

In Australia, thousands of beach-goers ignored alerts following Chile's huge earthquake forcing lifeguards to struggle to clear hazard areas. In Miami, a deluge of conflicting messages to and from the government caused confusion as tsunami alerts were placed and then lifted several times in order not to lead to unnecessary panic. The state of Hawaii received a tsunami warning from Chilean stations, however the population of Chile didn't.

It shows the large amount of confusion that reigned in the quake's aftermath.

Ring of Fire

The Pacific "Ring of Fire" is a zone of major seismic activity which has one of the world's most active fault lines. It has caused earthquakes and tsunamis in Indonesia and Samoa and has the most frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions in the world.

As such, many countries have a warning system. In Hawaii, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre is run by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration which, in 1960, warned of another Chilean earthquake that caused a tsunami that ended up killing 200 people across the ocean in Japan. It was upgraded by the 2004 tsunami.

There is also a 28 country Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWAS). This system has been designed to prevent a repeat of the 2004 tsunami by warning countries of the region of an impending disaster.

However even this system is constantly being updated to try and prevent a repeat catastrophe.

The warning and mitigation system consists of enhanced seismographic networks, networks of real-time sea-level gauges and deep-sea ocean pressure sensors, along with national tsunami warning centres linked to national disaster management systems.

It is essentially "a coordinated network of national systems", whose assets are "owned and operated by the Member States hosting or other ways taking responsibility for them".

But despite its best efforts, is the Asian-Pacific region fighting a losing battle against seismic activity, especially considering 70 percent of tsunamis occur there and a major earthquake is long overdue for the Japanese region.

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Taiwan rocked by earthquake

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:53:00 +0000

First Haiti, then Chile, now Taiwan has felt the force of Mother Nature, after being rocked by a 6.4 magnitude quake that hit about 70 km (43.5 miles) from southern Kaohsiung city.

Taiwan is situated in quite a seismically-unstable area and was struck by a 7.6 magnitude quake in 1999 that killed more than 2,300 people. Today however, the country appears to be much more fortunate with reports indicating that the quake has merely disrupted power supplies and caused the country's high-speed rail to be disrupted.

The BBC has reported that fires have broken out in some cities, namely a textile factory in the southern city of Tainan, and buildings were seen 'swaying' in the capital but it would appear that by and large Taiwan has had a lucky escape.

Taiwan and natural disasters

Taiwan suffers regular quakes as well as other naturally occurring phenomena. Last August, the town of Jiashian, that was near this quake's epicentre, was hit by a devastating typhoon.

The country was also hit by a 6.4 quake last December, which only saw four minor casualties and the collapse of one building.This time, it appears the country has been as lucky, though temporary housing has reportedly collapse in the Kaohsiung county causing several injuries.

"It felt like the buildings were going to collapse," Chen Pei-chi, a teacher in Shiaolin Elementary School in a village close to the epicentre told AFP news agency.

"I tried to get out, but my legs failed me because I was so frightened. Many children were screaming while they were running out of the classrooms."

The last months have seen a flurry of seismic activity around the globe. The Haiti earthquake saw the deaths of over 70,000 while last week's earthquake in Chile saw 800 people die and a tsunami generated.

There were concerns that a repeat of the 2004 Asian Tsunami could occur sending alarms throughout the Pacific region as well as North America. The tsunami reached across the Pacific, hitting New Zealand and Japan with surges of water a metre or more high about 24 hours after the earthquake, however no fatalities were reported.

Chile's earthquake was reportedly the seventh most powerful on record and the worst disaster to befall Chile in 50 years. In fact, it is believe that the quake may have shifted the Earth’s axis permanently, making days shorter by 1.26 microseconds.

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Australia's nuclear waste proposal

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:36:00 +0000

If it's not the UK sending their hazardous waste to Brazil, then it's 'toxic ships' being sent to India for dismantlement. However, Australia seems to have topped all of that, by announcing plans to build Australia's first nuclear waste dump on Aboriginal land.

Unsurprisingly the controversial plans have been met with anger and dismay, as the government has identified a remote cattle station north of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory as a likely site for the depot. However, ministers have said it will not be built if landowners oppose it, causing deep divisions in the area's indigenous communities.

The proposed site, Muckaty Station is an isolated property and is found 120km from Tenant Creek. While many groups in the area are worried about the health and environmental implications of dumping nuclear waste in the ground, other Aboriginal groups have offered to sell the land for a mere $11 million (GBP£7.3m) angering many.

It appears that the age-old clash of money and doing the right thing is coming to a head in Australia, and for the local communities the though of nuclear waste on the their sacred grounds is extremely insulting. As such, a public meeting is set to be held at Tennant Creek, which is an old gold-mining town south of Darwin.

Extremely divisive

Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has said that the controversial plans have been a major source of fractured relations in the region.

"It already risks setting families against families and the government has not bothered to try to and bring the whole community along. They have picked off a handful of people, got some signatures and now they are going to try and force it through," Mr Ludlum said.

"We have had a small 10 MW research reactor operating in Australia since the late fifties. The industry and the government never bothered to investigate waste storage scenarios.

"So, now in 2010 they are now desperately casting around for an Aboriginal community who will take that legacy waste from the last few decades," he said.

It's not just the nuclear material that is a concern; earthquakes are frequent in the region and many believe that the site could be potentially damaged in during a seismic episode. Many believe the waste should be stored at the country's nuclear facility outside Sydney.

That would make more sense...

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Japan Airlines: Bankruptcy and loss

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:22:00 +0000

It would appear that airlines all over the world are struggling to stay in the air and in Asia, it is no different. Last month, Japan Airlines entered bankruptcy protection, but it seems even that has not prevented a massive increase in losses.

According to reports, the airline has lost US$1.99 billion (177.9 billion yen) in the last nine months of 2009, an increase from the 1.9 billion yen lost a year earlier. Despite losses that would cripple any other company, Japan Airlines is still continuing to operate flights while it undergoes restructuring under court supervision. It is expected that the airline will severely cut routes, staff and aircraft numbers in a bid to get back in the black, just as many airlines in Europe have done.

Rebuilding from the ground up

The Arline has been dismayed by the company's failure and has repeatedly apologise to shareholders, creditors and customers for the situation they all find themselves in.

"[We are] working fervently... to draw up an effective corporate revitalisation plan to rebuild the airline, while continuing to provide safe and stable flight operations and services to customers," the airline said in a statement.

Currently, the airline has debts of over US$16.5 billion and is one of the most high-profile airlines to fall to the global recession. The economic downturn saw fuel prices rise and customer numbers fall, leaving many airlines in the red.

In Europe and Asia, the increase in high-speed rail services have seen short-haul flights suffer as customers become more environmentally conscious, not to mention embracing cheaper prices. As a result, many airlines are attempting to restructure their organisations, however the likes of Lufthansa and British Airlines have faced major industrial strikes as a result.

In January, 2009 was described by the International Air Transport Association as the worst year for air passenger traffic since the post-war era. Passenger traffic dropped by 3.5 percent, while freight traffic fell 10.1 percent as the downturn hit demand.

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The great Japanese car recall

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:25:00 +0000

With all the attention on Toyota and their current recall crisis, you'd be forgiven for thinking that other Japanese car-makers are silently cheering that their biggest rival is caught up in such a scandal, but nothing could be further from the truth.

If anything, the whole Toyota crisis and the company's president Mr Toyoda facing a US Congressional hearing has prompted other Japanese automakers to make sure their products are the best they can be - hence a series of recalls from Honda, Nissan, Daihatsu and Suzuki, albeit mostly from their home market.

Mass recalls

Last week, we reported how Honda have issued a recall for almost a million cars over an 'airbag problem', but now Nissan, Daihatsu and Suzuki have followed suite, recalling cars that may have potential problems.

Suzuki Motor have put out a recall for 432,000 small vans in Japan because of a potential problem with air conditioning units, while Nissan have recalled 76,000 cars in Japan and more than 2,000 overseas due to a defect that may cause engine failure.

Suzuki's recalls relate to 2005 to 2009 models of its Every Van and Mazda Scrum, which it builds for its partner company.

Daihastu seem to facing a similar problem to Honda and have announced they would be recalling 60,000 Daihatsu vehicles due to faulty airbags that are prone to accidentally inflating.

While one must admire the automakers in ensuring customer safety by issuing these recalls at great expense, one could cynically suggest that if it wasn't for the current Toyota crisis none of these recalls would have been issued... OK, maybe the Nissan one might have.

However Nissan, who are part-owned by Renault, did not say in which countries the recalls would happen.

As of yet, there have been no reported accidents, something Toyota cannot claim. Problems with their cars are reported to have caused 34 deaths in the US alone.

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India's railways to get $9bn upgrade

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:25:00 +0000

India's vast railway network is to get a $9 billion upgrade this financial year in a bid by the Indian government to appease customers, invest the country's recent fortunes and to improve a woeful safety record that sees hundreds of people killed every year.

In a country where the railways are literally the lifeblood of India, transporting 18 million people to work a day, it is an overdue investment, especially when the transport links are considered so important that they get their own financial investment.

Last year, it was announced that the entire railway system would be ''restructured" at a cost of $56 billion, but this initial $9 billion will be used to modernise and expand the system.

The money will come from earnings from train traffic, fund-raising and support from the government.

Key part in the economy

It is impossible to underestimate how important the railways are to India's economy - there are five billion passengers journeys per year, it is the largest employer in India with over 1.39 million employees and its price rates can often affect inflation.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said passenger fares would remain the same despite the planned increased investment and has announced the launch of 54 new trains to increase the railways' gross traffic receipts.

With the money, many of India's 7000 stations could be developed. Many are in disrepair, such as New Delhi Station that is used by more than 350,000 people a day. Leaking pipes, overcrowded platforms are a common sight and because of the chaos, accidents are frequent. However, modernisation works were announced last year with the aim of making tracks wider, so as to enable faster train and passenger flow.

Up-grades will also improve the amount of freight moved around the country. Ms. Banerjee has said that the railways will likely ferry 890 million tons of goods in the current fiscal year, exceeding the target by eight million tons, but by next years it is hoped 944 million tons we will transported.

"Our objective is inclusive growth," Ms. Banerjee said in her budget speech for the financial year. "If we cannot include all in the ambit of our growth process, then growth will remain just a statistical expression."

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Mr Toyoda goes to Washington

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:25:00 +0000

Toyota's global president, Akio Toyoda, is to stand before the US Congress next week regarding the carmaker's giant global recall programme.

Akio Toyoda said he was "looking forward to speaking directly with Congress and the American people", however James Lentz, head of Toyota in the US, has already said that the company "failed to promptly analyse and respond" to information provided regarding the safety issues on the 8.5 million vehicles recalled. He will join Mr Toyoda before a US congressional committee on the company's handling of the situation.

The committee is expected to ask Mr Toyoda how recall is working, with Democrat Representative Edolphus Towns saying in a recent open letter, "The public is unsure as to what exactly the problem is, whether it is safe to drive their cars, or what they should do about it."

The US alone has seen over 6 million vehicles recalled.

On-going problems

Toyota has been hit hard by not just one, but three faults in their vehicles - faulty accelerator pedals, accelerator pedals getting stuck in floor mats, and a problem with the braking system on its flagship Prius hybrid model.

Despite the floor mat problem starting in October last year, it originally struck in 2007. Since other problems have developed in Toyota's vehicles, the company has been criticised in the US for being too slow in both starting and implementing the recalls. As such, a US car safety watchdog ordered the car company to hand over documents relating to the recalls to see if the firm acted fast enough.

With the recall seriously damaging the Toyota brand and the reputation of the company, if a cover-up was revealed, it could finish the company. However, the company has denied such accusations, saying it would "co-operate to provide all the information" requested by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Earlier today, Mr Lentz said in a statement that, "it has taken us too long to come to grips with a rare but serious set of safety issues, despite all of our good faith efforts.

"The problem has also been compounded by poor communications both within our company and with regulators and consumers."

He added, "In the case of sticking accelerator pedals, we failed to promptly analyse and respond to information emerging from Europe and in the United States.

"We acknowledge these mistakes, we apologise for them and we have learned from them."

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China's man-power shortage

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:25:00 +0000

It is not something that you'd really think was a problem for China, but apparently the super-state is facing a manpower crisis.

The Pearl River Delta manufacturing hub in southern China is reportedly two million workers short, suggesting that migrant workers will have to be shipped in from other parts of the country to aid production.

But for a country that has a population of over 1.3 billion, surely man-power isn't a problem?

High expectations?

According to the Chinese media, despite the large amounts of workers in the country, many are seeking higher wages and better working conditions leaving massive shortages in the more industrial sectors.

These 'labour intensive' jobs often pay low wages and as such, are finding it harder and harder to recruit and retain workers. Traditionally, Chinese workers would travel miles for these jobs but in recent years, major infrastructure projects funded by the country's economic stimulus package have given them the opportunity to work closer to home for better wages.

These infrastructure works such as road, railways and other transport systems were all funded by the government in the wake of the recession, and have given the large population a taste of higher wages, something they're not willing to give up.

Also, as each new generation in China becomes more educated than the last, their expectations of salaries and working conditions increase as well, making many people much more particular about where they want to work and what they want to do.

Of course, there is a positive effect to this - with less and less people wanting to go down China's numerous coal mines, the country has been forced to invest in newer, greener technology. Today, the country is rapidly becoming one of the largest producers of solar panels and such change will ensure the country becomes less of a labour-intensive driven economy and more a high-value technology driven country. Something that can only benefit China in the long run.

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Qantas dropping first-class seats?

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:25:00 +0000

Airlines have been one of the industries hit hardest by the global recession with knock-on effects being the cancellation of plane orders, staff pay rows and a massive fall in profits. Coupled with the rising price of jet fuel and it is not surprising that many airlines are taking severe measures to cut costs.

Qantas, for example, has announced that it will be cutting first class seats on all but a few routes due to lack of demand and a staggering 72 percent drop in profits.

Hit hard

The company, over the past six months, has seen its net income fall by $52 million compared to the year before. Qantas stated that the fall was due to a "drop in customer demand and said it was scrapping dividend payments".

However, a silver lining for the Australian carrier is that unlike many other airlines, it has managed to stay in profit.

In a statement, CEO Alan Joyce said, "While the operating environment has been unprecedented and challenging, this result reflects the strength and diversity of our operations."

While Qantas have said that their passengers will only be able to fly first class between Australia and London, via Singapore, and between Australia and Los Angeles, the drop in demand for first class seats is believed to be something that is happening throughout all airlines.

As service gets better in the likes of Business Class, premium classes are seeing less and less interest from consumers, especially those trying save money.

Qantas' shares unsurprisingly dropped 8.1 percent after the announcement.

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Beijing's green district

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:55:00 +0000

Before the Beijing Olympics, there was a lot of press about how the city officials were trying hard to cut down their emissions in order not to blanket the area with high levels of smog. While many thought this would only last for the duration of the games and once they were over, China would return to its highly-industrial, carbon-emitting ways however the Asian superpower has proven itself over again as a supporter of green energy.

With its high solar panel production and geothermal research, China is rapidly becoming one of the largest producers of renewable energy in the world and this looks set to increase with news that the country is to build a new urban centre in Beijing's Dawangjing District that will feature an integrated heating and cooling solution designed to reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

Green zone

This 'green district', designed by the Chicago and China offices of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), will be an urban model featuring integrated solutions for energy, water conservation and transit systems.

It will all be powered by a sustainable “engine” in the form of a Central Park that utilizes a geothermal heat-exchange system to help passively heat and cool all of the district’s buildings.

The scheme was picked in an International Competition to 'guide Wangjing's redevelopment'. Phillip Enquist, SOM Partner in Charge of Urban Design and Planning commented, “Our client is very interested in a strong cultural and commercial gateway to the City, which our plan clearly demonstrates.”

Strategically positioned

The urban centre is located only 11 kilometres from Beijing Capital International Airport, so when it's finished the site will act as a 'gateway' to the city, showcasing multiple public parks, cultural attractions and high-rise buildings to tourists and businessmen as they make their way to the capital city.

It's green credentials would also serve as a positive advert for businesses aiming to reduce carbon emissions and protect natural resources.

The designers have already set a goal for 80 percent of resident and worker journeys to be made by public transit, bicycle, or walking. Transit stations are proposed on the M15 subway line to enable quick and convenient access to the airport, while a comprehensive network of bicycle lanes would reduce automobile traffic and congestion.

Additionally, a streetcar network is proposed to eventually link all districts together.

"We saw this project as a demonstration. It offered us the opportunity to present new ways of thinking about reduced carbon footprints in cities. Our solution is an integrated comprehensive approach to urban design, architecture and the environment," SOM said.

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Is China the new Dubai?

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:13:00 +0000

Before the global recession and the Nakheel debt crisis, Dubai was a playground for architects - a place where they could get the craziest structures greenlit and approved and some of the most innovative and groundbreaking designs funded.

However, that has now all changed and Dubai has been forced to cancel hundreds of proposed construction projects leaving envelope-pushing designers out in the cold. However, there may be a new destination for their creative ideas - China.

A country whose economy seems unfazed by the recession, and whose government are a big fan of all thing 'super-projectesque', China has a stream of impressive construction projects in development, none more so than a new scheme in Beihai - Fake Hills.

Designed by the aptly named MAD Architects, Fake Hills is a innovative housing complex designed to reduce consumption of energy by allowing natural air and light to filter through the construction.

Also featuring a host of botanical gardens, this megastructure looks like a hybrid of a Dubai-esque hotel and a rollercoaster with its monolithic shape.

The unusual shape of the site includes a single skyscraper,set to one side of the scheme, accompanied by a line of structures irregular in shape and varying at height as the line continues, creating the 'fake hills'.

The holes in the structure allow for light to filter through as well as creating viewing platforms. Constructed from a mixture of glass and steel, the construction project also boasts low-rise structures, much more angular than the hills.

Once it's finished, Fake Hills will be capable of providing 430,000 square metres of space that will be dedicated to luxury apartments, offices, and a hotel.

The project should be ready for occupation by late 2010.

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China's high-speed rail hurting air travel?

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:09:00 +0000

It was always going to be a catch-22 situation. The benefits of high-speed rail are that it's a cheaper, faster and more eco-friendly way to travel around countries - but the knock on effect is a hit to any transnational air company.

That is what is happening in China and the moment, and if America is to go ahead with their high-speed plans they will have to take note.

According to BusinessWeek, "China Southern Airlines Co., the nation’s largest carrier, and Air China Ltd. are slashing prices to compete with the country’s new high-speed trains in a battle that Europe’s airlines have largely already ceded.

Competition from trains that can travel at 350 kilometers per hour (217 miles per hour) is forcing the carriers to cut prices as much as 80 percent at a time when they are already in a round of mergers to lower costs. Passengers choosing railways over airlines will also erode a market that Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS are banking on to provide about 13 percent of plane sales over the next 20 years."

Rail Vs. Air

It would appear that when it comes to trips that are under less than 800km, high-speed rail trump airlines every-time forcing Chinese them to slash prices.

The main route from Guangzhou and Changsha that once took nine hours by train now takes two and a half leaving commuters with a much more appealing form of travel. As a result, China Southern have cut economy-class tickets to 140 yuan (US$21) from 700 yuan on flights between Guangzhou and Changshain order to try and claw back some customers.

“The high-speed train is invincible on this route,” said Tom Lin, 30, a civil servant in Guangzhou, who opted to travel by rail. “There’s no doubt it’s more convenient for trips to the cities along the line. Airlines can’t compete with trains for the spacious seats.”

It would seem that the benefits are clear and other countries are rapidly getting on board - the US high-speed rail plans have been gaining traction in recent months with the Florida and California's schemes receiving $3 billion each to start the project.

But what will this mean for American Airline's 'red-eye' flights? In Europe, where high-speed lines have seen great success, the likes of Air France and Lufthansa have had to drastically cut prices or drop the route altogether.

In 2002, as the Paris-to-Brussels route became faster, Air France SA dropped its five daily services between the two cities as did Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Germanwings when the Paris to Stuttgart route after rail travel got faster.

It seems that the world over is seeing the benefits of high-speed rail and local airlines may have to rapidly start rethinking their strategies if they are to survive in such a competitive market.

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First Toyota... now Honda

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:17:00 +0000

To say the past seven days has been a bad week for Japanese car-makers would be an understatement. Toyota's mass recall of their flagship eco-mobile, the Prius, has damaged the Toyota brand and now Honda are doing a similar recall over airbag inflation concerns.

With over 437,000 cars being recalled by Toyota, including 2010 standard Priuses, plug-in Priuses, Lexus HS250hs and Sai hybrids over faulty breaks, Toyota's eco poster-child's reputation has been hit hard, especially as it seems to be the coup de grace after initial floormat-accelerator issues. Honda are no doubt looking at Toyota's current crisis as they issue a recall for almost a million cars

The airbag problem was originally announced in late 2008 involving less than 4000 Accord and Civic sedans, then expanded in mid-2009 to cover another 510,000 vehicles. Honda have now added another 440,000 cars to this, saying the new recalls covers Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and Australia.

Honda's woes

Honda, Japan's second-biggest carmaker after Toyota, said the defective airbags are prone to over-inflating and bursting, "resulting in metal fragments passing through the airbag cushion material and possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants".

The fault has already been linked to 11 injuries and one fatality.

"We cannot be completely certain that the driver's airbag inflator in the vehicles being added to this recall at this time will perform as designed."

Unsurprisingly, like Toyota before it, Honda's shares have been hit hard.

With Toyota's string of problems, it is not surprising to learn that Honda has also been hit back a string of product defects.

Last month, Honda had to recall 650,000 Fit hatchbacks worldwide to fix a switch defect that could cause a fire. It said the fault could allow water to enter the power window mechanism, making components overheat.

However, no matter how great Honda's current woes are, they are nothing compared to Toyota's. A US Congressional committee has cast doubts on the company's ability to fix accelerator problems, citing "substantial evidence" of redesigned floormats failing to stop the pedals sticking.

This week's recall of 436,000 hybrids is merely the latest incident, that has seen more than 8 million Toyotas recalled since last October for problems with slipping floormats and sticking accelerator pedals, linked to crashes that have killed at least 19 people.

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Toyota's recall crisis

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:15:00 +0000

To say it has not been a good week for Toyota is somewhat of an understatement. First there were recalls of more than eight million cars over concerns about accelerator pedals jamming, but now the US Transportation Department is investigating braking problems in the 2010 Toyota Prius.

Toyota, who has been one of the most successful carmakers in the face of the recession, today saw its President Akio Toyoda apologise for the recall and admitted the carmaker was facing a "moment of crisis."

Pledging to set up a new quality control committee, he said the firm was doing everything in their power to find out about the brake problems in the Prius Hybrid, which has become one of the most popular models in the world.

Worldwide problems

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received 124 reports from drivers about the braking issue, including four of crashes.

Reports of problems with the brake system have also been received in the UK, and could see over 270,000 cars recalled.

Toyota's managing director Miguel Fonseca was quoted as saying, "There have been a number of complaints (about the Prius) in the US and also Japan.

"There have been some mentions also in Europe, I have to say very few, and very few in the UK. There are reasons to believe that a recall could be put in place [in the US and Japan], but it's still early hours and early days."

The company was already recalling 180,000 cars due to the accelerator issues. To fix the problem, new parts are currently being shipped from Japan to dealers across the country, but it will take days for them to arrive.

Toyota is launching an investigation but it is believed that the problem is not "a defect, but a characteristic of the way the ABS system is tuned."

No matter how you define it, the scandal is expected to severely dent Toyota's reputation with the accelerator problem estimated to cost the country US$500 million in lost sales.

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Floating eco-skyscapers

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:01:00 +0000

With land becoming more and more unavailable for building and people recognising the need for greener ways of travelling, London-based Seymourpowell have joined forces with Korea's Samsung Construction to design a skyscraper-sized, kite-shaped airship that would offer low-cost eco-friendly travel as well as penthouse flats.

Seymour Powell design director Nick Talbot explained his radical idea to Design Week, "We got to thinking about proposals based on time being the real luxury in the future, and how you might travel if you had a lot of time.

"We looked at creating something that would look like a skyscraper when docked, and then magically lift into the sky."

Creating visual animations to show the airship, currently called the Aircruise in action, the team realised they needed to work out how the structure would dock. After all, most cities don't have enough space in them for a 270-tonne structure to land in the centre of them.

Judging from concept images, their solution is to instead build a docking platform in nearby rivers and lakes to prevent potential collisions and other accidents.

Powering the future

While airships may have been popular in the 1930s, the Hindenburg disaster and the dangers of hydrogen have seen them fall heavily from grace. However Seymourpowell are planning on utilising both solar power and a hydrogen drive to ensure the Aircruise travels at a leisurely speed of 90 mph.

It would be lifted by bags containing 330,000m3 of hydrogen gas and despite history's warnings, Talbot is convinced it is much safer these days. "Despite the perceived risks, hydrogen is used for its inherent lifting efficiency and as a power source."

Additional power would come from solar panel cells on the upper part of the craft.

The concept attracted the attention of Korean giant Samsung Construction and Trading (C&T), who previously cut their teeth on the current tallest man-made structure the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. With Seymourpowell, they devised the detailed computer animation seen below.

Seung Min Kim, design director at Samsung, said in a recent interview, "This was a dream concept project for us, helping to realise a future of sustainable buildings combined with innovative and luxury lifestyle.

"In an age when environmental impact is a key consideration for architecture, we are keen to extend this vision of the future by searching for solutions that can be realised by 2015 - the year that many futurologists foresee as the turning point for the future."

But who would use it?

While it is spectacular to look at and no doubt amazing to travel in, it takes its time - a journey from London to New York would take 37 hours for example.

The eco-consciousness of the project would attract a demographic, but possibly those that would appreciate the laid back aerial cruise experience. And it would appear to be this type of consumer that the company is targeting with its blend of airship and luxury hotel.

The Airship would feature, for those with the money, four duplex apartments and five smaller apartments with a penthouse apartment and bar/lounge/communal areas. This exclusive luxury hotel would have something that no other hotel could be able to offer - ever-changing breath-taking views from 30 miles up.

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China's 30-mile bridge

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:47:00 +0000

Here at US/EU/MENA/APAC Infrastructure magazine headquarters, our jaws dropped when, last year, we read about plans for the Qatar-Bahrain Friendship Causeway, a 40km (24.8 mile) long marine causeway featuring a 22km (13.6 mile) bridge and 18km (11.1 mile) embankments connecting the west coast of Qatar to the east coast of Bahrain. However, that looks like old hat compared to China's plans to build a 48.2km (30 mile) bridge that will be able to handle earthquakes of magnitude 8.0, and withstand the impact of a 300,000-tonne vessel.

Whilst those facts are enough to raise the eyebrows, there is more...

The US$10.5 billion project is expected to take six years to complete and will be the longest sea bridge in the world, connecting China's southern economic hub of Guangdong province to Hong Kong and Macau.

Work has just begun on the originally-named Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge which, unsurprisingly, has been described as the most technically complicated landmark projects in China's, and the world's, transport history.

Why does it deserve this moniker? Well apart from the fact that it's 48km long, it will also include a tunnel section that travels underwater. So when it's finished in 2016, the world will have a multi-billion, six-lane expressway that is earthquake proof, partly underwater and capable of surviving being rammed by a large vessel. Impressive, no?

Growth, profit and dolphins

Of course, connecting the economic hot-spots of Macau and Hong Kong will only do good things to the country's economy as well as be a major tourist attraction, but it has its detractors.

Firstly, Hong Kong businesses are afraid that the bridge will mean that travellers head straight past the former Crown colony without stopping, damaging the city's economy.

Then there's the environmental concerns. Environmental groups are concerned because the bridge's construction will take place across the natural habitat of the endangered white dolphin. There are about 2000 white dolphins left in China, and more than half live in the Pearl River estuary. Due to its endangered status, the white dolphin is known as "the panda of the ocean" because of its slim survival chances.

To protect them, the city of Zhuhai has set aside a preserve of 180 square miles to help the animal while builders have vowed to stop pollution in the area.

The first phase of the project, which began this week, will see the creation of a large artificial island off Zhuhai, one of two islands being made in the ocean for the project. This island will become the customs point for people crossing to Macau using the bridge.

Images from SaveOurShorelines

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Indonesia's infrastructure boom

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:18:00 +0000

Despite stimulus packages and all sorts of federal funds, the American gross domestic product is only expected to expand by about 2.7 percent. In comparison, the Indonesia's is expected to grow by 5.6 percent - what has made Indonesia's equity market bring a more significant return for investors.

According to information compiled from Bloomberg, as of 19 January, the Indonesian stock market has seen a boom in infrastructure sectors such as basic materials and industrials. In fact, sectors that include materials, industrials and utilities make up more than a third of the Indonesian stock market and as such, look to benefit from increased spending in the region.

Need for infrastructure

As with most countries during the recession, the Indonesian government encourage spending on new infrastructure in order to encourage economic growth and reduce unemployment. Such projects include a six-lane highway designed to span Java, Indonesia's most populous island, as well as other schemes to improve the country's roads, railways and ports.

During his last campaign, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pledged to double infrastructure spending to US$140 billion over the next five years, and he seems to be sticking to his word. Such expenditure, he believes, will help him boost economic growth to seven percent by 2014 from an estimated 4.3 percent last year.

With such projects in the works, Indonesia is attracted long-term investors to Asia due to the fact that during a downturn, there will always be a need for infrastructure advancement in developing countries.

Despite Indonesia's seemingly impressive growth, only two Indonesian companies are widely traded on US exchanges: Indosat (Aerospace and Defence) and Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telecoms) both of which saw healthy one year total returns - 26 percent and 92 percent respectfully.

With that in mind, it looks like Asia is quickly becoming the place for prominent investment. The UAE better watch out...

Image from BusinessWeek.com

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Seoul's super skyscraper project

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:42:00 +0000

The tallest building in Asia is set to be in Seoul, South Korea when construction begins on the Lotte Super Tower 123 next month.

When completed, the super skyscraper will stand 1,821 feet (555 metres) tall and have 112 floors, making it the second highest building in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

The ground at the construction site, on top of a Han River transportation hub, was broken in 2005 but height restrictions laid down by the city's airport postponed construction till this year. Projected to be finished in 2014, the skyscraper is being developed by Lotte Group of South Korea.

Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the building has a unique, slender, cone-shaped design and has been described as "blending a modern aesthetic wіth historic Korean art forms such аѕ ceramics, porcelain, аnԁ calligraphy" with its light-toned glass and metal accented form.

"Thе tower's uninterrupted curvature аחnԁ gentle tapered form іѕ reflective οf Korean artistry," ѕаіԁ KPF design principal James von Klemperer, FAIA. "Thе seam thаt runs frοm top tο bottom οf tһе structure gestures toward tһе ancient city center."

Eco-giant

Of course a building of this size comes with great environmental responsibility and as such, the building is aiming towards a LEED silver certification. Whilst exact design elements have not yet been fully released, this would imply that the building will include building performance monitoring to ensure that it saves all possible energy.

In terms of what the building will accommodate, it will of course house the corporate headquarters fοr tһе Lotte Group, a 66-year-ancient, $50 billion a year Korean business conglomerate, but it will also act as a mixture of retail, office, residential and observation units.

As it's being built in the southern Jamsil section of the city, it will no doubt be an expensive project, but one that will show how far Korea has come in recent years, showing it can match the best in Asia for dynamic superprojects.

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