Building Construction

Cool Living: Luxury Bathrooms

2010-07-07T04:08:00.001-07:00

Cool Living: Luxury Bathrooms

Gas Tank City, Vienna.

2010-07-07T03:43:00.001-07:00

Gas Tank City, Vienna.

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Constructed in1896, and used to store the gas that supplied Vienna, these four giant gasometers are now used as modern and original living spaces.
Remnants of the industrial age, gasometers all over the world have been demolished, or simply abandoned and left at the mercy of the elements. But the people of Vienna thought it would be a shame to just wipe these once useful structures off the face of the earth, and came up with a way to give them new meaning.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Vienna’s gasometers were the largest in the world, each 70 meters tall and 60 meters across. Now, they are some of the city’s most coveted living and office spaces. After natural gas started being used to power Vienna, the interior of the gasometers was completely removed, leaving only their brick shells The idea of transforming them into living quarters appeared as the result of a design contest, calling for new ideas on how to reuse old structures. Now, the gasometer apartment buildings incorporate the ideas of four architects, including the translucent roofs, the interior garden and the eco-friendly terraced structure.
There are currently 1,500 people living in this gas tank city within a city. They are known as the Gasometer community.

The Construction Of Hoover Dam bypass

2010-05-06T23:39:00.001-07:00

The Construction Of Hoover Dam bypass

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Construction of the Colorado River Bridge is advancing on the 1,060 foot twin-rib concrete arch. The Colorado River Bridge is the central portion of the Hoover Dam Bypass Project. Construction on the nearly 2,000 foot long bridge began in late January 2005 and the completion of the entire Hoover Dam Bypass Project is expected in Late 2010. When completed, this signature bridge will span the Black Canyon (about 1,500 feet south of the Hoover Dam), connecting the Arizona and Nevada Approach highways nearly 900-feet above the Colorado River.

Creative, Modern Offices

2010-04-19T22:48:00.001-07:00

Creative, Modern Offices

Gone are the days when offices were typically cubicle, surrounded by white walls and lit by white fluorescent lights. Thanks to corporate giants like Google and Pixar that have demonstrated tremendous success despite their unconventional workplaces, more people are embracing the idea that creative work environment helps stimulate minds and inspire innovation. From simply ditching the crisp white walls for graphical wallpapers to a total overhaul of the office layout, we are all trying to break the mold and introduce a unique working environment to the team, and hopefully inspire some genius ideas along the way.

So if you are trying to inject some personality into the place you spend your daily 9-5, how about getting some cue from the creative giants themselves?

Google (Zurich, Switzerland)

Facebook (Palo Alto, California, USA)

Skype (Tallin, Estonia)

Digg (San Francisco, USA)

Twitter (San Francisco, USA)

Swatch (Zurich, Switzerland)

General Motors (Detroit, USA)

Red Bull (London, United Kingdom)

Pixar (Emeryville, California, USA)

Tunnel Dwellers of Lost Vegas

2010-04-10T00:03:00.001-07:00

Tunnel Dwellers of Lost Vegas

Dank ... Steven and Kathryn in their bedroom

LOVEBIRDS Steven and Kathryn share a well-organised home in bustling Las Vegas.

They have a neat, if compact kitchen, a furnished living area, and a bedroom complete with double bed, wardrobe and bookshelf featuring a wide selection including a Frank Sinatra biography and Spanish phrase book.

And they make their money in some of the biggest casinos in the world.

But their life is far from the ordinary.

Because, along with hundreds of others, the couple are part of a secret community living in the dark and dirty underground flood tunnels below the famous strip.

Rather than working in the bars or kitchens they "credit hustle", prowling the casinos searching the fruit machines for money or credits left by drunken gamblers.

Despite the risks from disease, highly venomous spiders and flooding washing them away, many of the tunnel people have put together elaborate camps with furniture, ornaments and shelves filled with belongings.

Steven and girlfriend Kathryn's base - under Caesar's Palace casino - is one of the most elaborate. They even have a kettle and a makeshift shower fabricated out of an office drinking water dispenser.

Home comforts ... the couple's kitchen under the famous city

But their bed and many of their belongings are on crates to keep them off the damp floor.

Despite it being hot and dry outside, their tunnel is wet from water being sent down from nearby construction work.

As he gives a guided tour of home, Steven Dommermuth explains: "We use our imagination a lot.

"Our bed came from a skip outside an apartment complex. It's mainly stuff people dump that we pick up. One man's junk is another man's gold.

"We get the stuff late at night so people don't see us because it's kind of embarrassing."

He later gives directions to the tunnels' own art gallery, a collection of graffiti by local artists and some by the underground residents.

Steven moved into the tunnels two years ago after he lost his hotel front-desk job due to a heroin problem he claims he kicked in January.

He now works the same hotels credit-hustling, and his life retains other similarities with the one he left behind.

He says: "We work our way down the strip. The most I've ever found is 997 dollars (£609) on one machine. I've found about $500 a few times. But normally $20 or so is enough to call it a night.

"We buy food and supplies like shampoo and soap. Last night I went and watched the new Quentin Tarantino movie Inglourious Basterds up at the Palms Hotel."

Going underground ... the entrance to the flood tunnels

Despite his established set-up, Steven claims he eventually wants to leave the tunnels but can't because of two outstanding arrest warrants from drug possession charges two years ago.

It is estimated the population of the underground community could be as many as 700. As well as credit-hustling, they earn their money off the wildly excessive city above by begging and "dumpster diving" - raiding bins and skips.

There are around 350 miles of flood channels running under Las Vegas. Most inhabitants are in the area under the city's strip.

Another couple, Amy and JR, have lived in the tunnels for two years, having moved to Las Vegas in search of work, wealth and a slice of the famous Sin City action.

Putting down the Twilight vampire book she is reading for the third time, Amy, 33, explains: "My husband and I have been down here two years this week.

"We were living with my mom in California but the house was full and we had to leave.

"I heard Las Vegas was a good place for jobs. It's the city that never sleeps, with all the bright lights, and I'd always wanted to come.

"But it was tough and we started living under the staircase outside the MGM casino. Then we met a guy who lived in the tunnels. We've been down here ever since.

"I have my books, my CD player, crossword puzzles, some clothes and my picture of our son Brady, who was killed 11 years ago at four months old. The main dangers are the floods and the Black Widow spiders. But it's not a terrible place to be if you're homeless.

"It's much cooler than on the streets, we get a breeze coming through and the cops don't really bother you. It's quiet and everyone helps each other out down here.

"I hope to get out one day. But I want to stay in Las Vegas - I love it here."

Amy and JR met 13 years ago and even got married in one of the city's popular wedding chapels on Valentine's Day last year.

Their wedding had some similarities with the 110,000 other couples who get hitched in the city each year.

JR, 36, explains: "We got married in the Shalimar Chapel.

Gloomy ... JR and Amy at home

"We went to watch a show, then to McDonald's for dinner. We got a little bit drunk and did the other normal wedding day things - only we had to come back down here rather than go to a hotel room."

Some of those living there have been forced into the network of tunnels by the recession and difficult job market.

The economic downturn has hit the underground residents in their pockets too.

Amy and JR's neighbour Jamie, showing off a wristband he found that gives him free food all day at a hotel buffet, explains: "I've been down here since May.

"I've worked at a lot of the hotels, mainly in building and construction, but not for a couple of years. The jobs are harder to come by now.

"Now I credit hustle but there are lots more people doing it these days. Hundreds and hundreds. You see little old ladies doing it."

As for other entertainment in the tunnels, the 45-year-old adds: "We're big talk radio fans. And a few of us are accomplished musicians and have instruments here.

"One guy down here has a full-time job. I don't think gambling is the cause of many people being down here. It's more alcohol and drugs. We all gamble a bit - we're in Vegas."

Bright lights ... Las Vegas' famous strip

Local writer Matthew O'Brien, who has had a book published about the tunnel people, called Beneath The Neon, has been working with Steven and others to help get people housed. He recently founded the Shine A Light foundation to aid them.

He explains: "I guide social workers into the tunnels, show them the terrain and introduce them to people.

"They offer these people services like health and drug counselling.

"We have got 12 to 15 people into houses in the last six months.

"But a lot of the people are very resistant to help. Many don't want to give up their addictions.

"They like their freedom and that no one is telling them what to do.

"They are scared of what's out there.

"To come out of the tunnel and face the world is intimidating for some of the people. Some are very much entrenched down in that tunnel and comfortable. That's why the charity doesn't like to give out too much food, water and clothing.

"We don't want them to get too comfortable because it is really an illusion. It can be extremely dangerous.

"It doesn't rain much in Nevada but when it does the tunnels can fill very quickly. There have been 20 drownings in the last 20 years and a lot of those were people who were living in the tunnels.

"Steve and Kathryn can say they feel like they have a home. But when it pours down three inches of rain in two hours it's clear it's not a home. It's a flood channel."

Where Planes Go To Die old planes go to die

2010-04-10T00:00:00.001-07:00

Where planes go to die: Massive £22bn air force 'Boneyard' revealed in high resolution by Google Earth

Daily Mail Reporter

It's where old planes go to die - a 2,600-acre patch of U.S. desert where several generations of military aircraft are stored in what has been dubbed 'The Boneyard'.

The $35billion (£22billion) worth of outdated planes is kept as spare parts for current models at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

End of the line: The 2,600 acre site is home to 4,200 aircraft, of which 80 per cent are used as spare parts for the current U.S Air Force fleet

Four of the numerous types of military aircraft kept at the site in Arizona

Some planes are merely stored at the base between deployments, but for more than 80 per cent of the 4,200 aircraft that call it home, it is a cemetery of steel - 350,000 items to be called on when needed.

The base is home to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Group (309 AMARG) which carries out repairs to the craft and even gets some of them flying again.

Engines, munitions, wiring and electronics are all recycled to help lower the cost of maintaining the current-day fleet. In 2005, staff at the facility recycled more than 19,000 parts worth $568million (£366million) .

The U.S. government even allows the military in other countries to buy parts and even planes from the site.

The facility is the size of 1,300 football pitches.

The site has been a curiosity for eagle-eyed Google Earth users since the satellite imagery software was launched in 2005, but now for the first time it is available to view in high resolution.

The desert is a perfect place to store the mass of steel, because low humidity and rainfall means very little rust occurs. In addition, the hard soil means they can be parked up without the need for building concrete ramps.

The military has used Davis-Monthan as a plane storage facility for 60 years, and in recent years its unique landscape has been called on by Hollywood for such films as Transformers.

Enlarge

One of the reasons why the aircraft are kept here is because in the desert there is low humidity and rainfall which means very little rust occurs

On the left are B-52 bombers, which were built to carry nuclear weapons. They have been chopped up for scrap and (right) these are F-4 Phantom fighter-bombers which were used extensively in the Vietnam War

Squeezed up against each other these B-52s are stored at what has been dubbed 'The Boneyard'

Now see the image for yourself on Google Earth

Abandoned SAlt Mine In Romania

2010-04-09T23:57:00.001-07:00

Abandoned SAlt Mine In Romania

The Salina Praid is situated 5 km from Sovata, in the Harghita County which is more famously known as the Salt Zone in Romania. Geographically, the basin of Praid can be found on the east coast of the Transylvanian basin (“a huge salt cellar”), at the base of the Gheorgheni Mountains. The history is traced back to the middle ages around 2nd century AD, when the Romans exploited the salt. The excavations left by Romans were continued by Avars and by Bulgars later
The history has in fact witnessed the Szekler rising in the year 1562. The Szeklers were Hungarians in origin, lived in the northern-central regions of Transylvania as pastoralists. And their livelihood here made this place more famous for the Szekler Salt that allowed them to mine the salt 3 times in a year without any taxes or restrictions.

Geologically speaking, the Praid is the salt hill, 567 meter tall and called as Dealul Sarii, where you can find the salt deposits in abundance which are as thick as 2000m, and which are estimated to contain about 3 billion tons of salt. The Praid is termed as the natural centre of the Szekely Salt Country. One can find different sorts of recreation too, for instance, the underground playgrounds for children, the billiard-tables for adults, a buffet, salt-spas salt swimming pools (for wellness and relaxation, rheuma treatment, and skin diseases), salt museum, salt exhibition and sculptures, and of course a church too called ecumenical chapel.
The most attractive feature of this salt mine is the Speleotherapy that amounts for great number of visitors daily, around 2500 to 3000 per day. This therapy also called as halo therapy, is a special therapy used to deal with the respiratory problems like bronchitis, asthma and allergies, etc. A highly ionized air and a higher atmospheric pressure than on the surface 735-738 mmHg on average are concentrated on for this kind of treatment. A very famous treatment in some countries that takes about 18 days’ time.
The mine tours take around the people through all these places in the salt mine, accumulating 25 visitors in a trip, and thus making about 100 such trips daily.

Tokyo Storm Water Discharge Channel.

2010-04-09T23:56:00.001-07:00

Tokyo Storm Water Discharge Channel.

Advance planning that leads to the security of the citizens of the country is always welcomed, more especially if it is something related with the natural catastrophes. These natural disasters are simply unpredictable and dealing with them looks like an insurmountable task.
Though hugely expensive, but it is worth taking over, for the millions of people residing in the realm of such dangers. Best example is regarding the inhabitants of the metropolitan city of Saitama, Japan, who had been facing the water calamities very often.
The technical engineers in Japan had come up with an extra-ordinary storm water management solution in the year 1992, which is the amazing underground system that effectively deals with the flood water and prevents the area from the massive damage to lives and properties
It is called The Metropolitan Area Outer Discharge Channel, constructed to minimize the damage caused by heavy rainfall or typhoons. Since 1979, the city had faced six major floods, two of which were from typhoons. So this particular underground system has been set up with specific responses to an above ground occurrence. According to experts, this sewer water discharge channel is set to minimize the flood effect by 80%.

The overall design of the system is outstanding, standing tall at 25.4m (83 feet), 78m (255 feet) wide and 177m long (580 feet). The total structure appears to be more of a set erected for English blockbusters, as if taking us into those James Bond movies, etc.
Although it was completed years ago, this amazing system has not been used yet for the said purpose, but is surely an attraction for the tourists.

Most Terrifying Spiral Staircases on Earth

2010-04-09T23:32:00.001-07:00

Most Terrifying Spiral Staircases on Earth

Glasgow lighthouse

Apart from the fact that they simply make you dizzy, spiral staircases are not for the faint of heart as this post will show. They are often in lofty places or the opposite, cramped dungeons, so mastering a spiral staircase is not a question of simply walking up or down. Claustrophobia, vertigo-inducing views and stomach-churning heights have to be braved because of those adventurous minds that installed spiral staircases in the scariest of places.

Long way down and low handrail at a tall pagoda in Singapore:

Like a slightly heart-shaped vortex – don’t get sucked in:

The square yet spiral staircase in an old apartment house in Hong Kong. Is that a trap door at the bottom?

Next, on to a treehouse: at 80 ft in height, the spiral staircase winding around a fir tree at Cedar Creek Treehouse, Mt. Rainier, is called “Stairway to Heaven”. The reason for this is that it leads to Cedar Creek Observatory, reachable via a 43 ft-long suspension bridge. We’re not sure what’s scarier – the climb up the tree, or the walk across the bridge.

Here’s a view from low down:

… and from up top:

Almost there – the observatory:

The scary outside staircase below winds its way around the chimney of the old Bóbila Almirall in Terrassa, Catalonia. At 63 m, it is the world’s tallest chimney with a spiral staircase. In case you’re contemplating going up, it’s 234 steps to the top and there’s not much of a handrail to hold on to!

Old chimney in Terrassa, Spain:

Lighthouse stairs surely have their scary element, given their length and the claustrophobia factor

Looking up at the lighthouse in Brunate, Italy:

Santa Barbara lighthouse with see-through staircase:

And fire escapes and building staircases can be scary if the view down makes your stomach feel queasy. We’ve found a few that fit the description.

Inside the Julius Tower in Berlin Spandau:

The image above was taken inside the 30 m tall Julius tower. It is part of the Spandau Citadel, one of Europe’s most important Renaissance forts, built between 1559 and 1594. Its famous wooden spiral staircase was reconstructed in 1964 after the neo-Gothic one of 1843.

Only in emergencies – old fire escape on a building in Boston:

Those who like to go spelunking may want to tour California’s Moaning Cavern. Just be warned that this rickety looking staircase is part of the package…

Dark, rickety and claustrophobic:

The Statue of Liberty in New York, though exhilarating to get to, rich in history and an important monument, is not for those with an aversion to cramped spaces and climbing tiny, dizzying steps in one direction.

Looking up at the steel construction:

This staircase used to take tourists up – no longer because of security reasons:

Climbing up to the crown:

Iraq’s Malwiya Tower

Then, there are buildings that are only staircases – the spiral minaret, or Malwiya Tower, above at the Great Mosque of Samarra, 125 km (78 miles) north of Baghdad, is one of them. Commissioned and built in the 9th century, at 52 m high and 33 m wide at the base, it was for a long time the world’s largest mosque. Though the ramp spiraling up to the top is quite broad, there’s no protection on the sides; one step too far and it’s a free fall down.

Here’s an image with people, tiny in comparison:

Anyone who has been inside the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s monumental church in Barcelona, Spain, will agree that its long and winding stone staircases in each 170 m-tall spire are by far the building’s scariest features – about 20 stories tall without a handrail.

This is just the beginning…

… or option 2, the elevator:

…before you know it, you look down at something like this:

Says photographer Travis Miller about how he took the shot above: “I was the only person in the towers this day and going down was quite the mental challenge to keep my mind focused on the task at hand…don’t know if I could handle it today … I was tottering quite badly.”

World's Longest Under sea Tunnel

2010-04-09T23:23:00.001-07:00

World's Longest Under sea Tunnel

The Seikan Tunnel is a 53.85 km (33.46 mi) railway tunnel in Japan, with a 23.3-kilometre (14.5 mi) long portion under the seabed. Track level is about 140-metre (460 ft) below seabed and 240-metre (790 ft) below sea level. It is the longest undersea tunnel in the world, although the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and France has a longer under-sea portion. It travels beneath the Tsugaru Strait—connecting Aomori Prefecture on the Japanese island of Honsh? and the island of Hokkaid?—as part of the Kaikyo Line of Hokkaido Railway Company. Although it is the longest traffic (railway or road) tunnel in the world, faster and cheaper air travel has left the Seikan Tunnel comparatively underused. Its claim to the record for the longest tunnel will be taken when the Gotthard Base Tunnel, a European railway tunnel, is completed in around 2018. It is also the deepest rail tunnel in the world.
Surveying started in 1946 and in 1971, twenty-five years later, construction began. By August 1982, less than 700 metres of the tunnel remained to be excavated. First contact between the two sides was in 1983.

The Tsugaru Strait has eastern and western necks, both approximately 20 kilometres across. Initial surveys undertaken in 1946 indicated that the eastern neck was up to 200 metres deep with volcanic geology. The western neck had a maximum depth of 140 metres and geology consisting mostly of sedimentary rocks of the Neogene period. The western neck was selected, with its conditions considered favourable for tunnelling.

Geology of the undersea portion of the tunnel consists of volcanic rock, pyroclastic rock, and sedimentary rock of the late Tertiary era. The area is folded into a nearly vertical anticline, which means that the youngest rock is in the centre of the Strait, and encountered last. Divided roughly into thirds, the Honsh? side consists of volcanic rocks (andesite, basalt etc); the Hokkaid? side consists of sedimentary rocks (Tertiary period tuff, mudstone, etc); and the centre portion consists of Kuromatsunai strata (Tertiary period sand-like mudstone). Igneous intrusions and faults caused crushing of the rock and complicated the tunnelling procedures.

Initial geological investigation occurred from 1946–1963 which involved drilling the sea-bed, sonic surveys, submarine boring, observations using a mini-submarine, and seismic and magnetic surveys. To establish a greater understanding, a horizontal pilot boring was undertaken along the line of both the service and pilot tunnels

Tunnelling occurred simultaneously from both the northern and southern ends. The dry land portions were tackled with traditional mountain tunnelling techniques, with a single main tunnel. However, for the 23.3-kilometre undersea portion, three bores were excavated with increasing diameters respectively: an initial pilot tunnel, a service tunnel, and finally the main tunnel. The service tunnel was periodically connected to the main tunnel with a series of connecting shafts, at 600- to 1,000-metre intervals. The pilot tunnel serves as the service tunnel for the central five-kilometre portion.

Beneath the Tsugaru Strait, the use of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) was abandoned after less than two kilometres owing to the variable nature of the rock and difficulty in accessing the face for advanced grouting. Blasting with dynamite and mechanical picking were then used to excavate.

Manchester's Deserted Victoria Baths.

2010-04-08T00:45:00.001-07:00

Manchester's Deserted Victoria Baths.

Very often city bosses are quick to bulldoze deserted buildings that stand on prime locations. But thankfully that is not the case with Manchester's spectacular Victoria Baths. Closed since 1993, the incredibly intact interior and Edwardian-era styling make the baths a photographer' s dream.

The internal features are mirrored in their elegance by the Victoria Baths' outward design. Built from red brick - used prominently in Manchester and across the north west of England - punctuated with terracotta decoration, Victoria Baths evokes the grandeur of Victorian/Edwardian architecture, seen in hotels, swimming baths, railway stations and other public buildings of the era. At the time of construction in 1906, Manchester had one of the wealthiest municipal coffers in the world.

While many old swimming baths and other similar buildings still exist today, most have been gutted if their internal splendour and converted for other uses. Pubs and bars are a common example, often making considerable effort to retain some of the ornate features - but most importantly saving the historic buildings for future generations. The stained glass windows and spectacular green tiling is a defining feature of the Victoria Baths.

No expense was spared during the construction of Victoria Baths. In addition to the tiling, fine woodwork and iron mongery produced by a skilled generation of master craftsmen graced the entrances and offices of the building. Above can be seen an iron ballustrade topping sillouetted against the backdrop of the womens' pool. There are three pools, including one for men and one for women. The main pool was covered over in winter months and used as a dance hall.

Operating Victoria Baths - which also included a Turkish baths - required a large amount of below-ground machinary, piping and filtration systems. Above can be seen that same system today, covered in more than a decade of dirt but otherwise still seemingly intact.

The elegant design continues into the pool areas themselves, with high stained glass windows, ornate changing facilities around the top balconies of the pools, and a fantastic fish mosaic swimming within the deep green tiling

The steam rooms of the Turkish baths mix deep turquoise tiling with the more prominent green accenting the walls throughout the building. The designers went to great lengths to design grand features around seemingly mundane functions - such as the tap (above). Victoria Baths has featured in the TV hit Life on Mars. The instantly recognisable green-tiled staircase suggests it also served as the internals for the old Tomb Street Bath House, in the stylish yet ultra-violent film Resurrection Man, set in Belfast.

Above can be seen the long empty womens' pool, with the grand iron turnstyle at the entrance. By comparison, the pool at the very top of this article is the first class gala/males pool, with spectators seating around the balcony. One of many fundraising and arts events is in full swing, with bright images projected against the rear wall of the pool. Thankfully the Friends of Victoria Baths have been campaigning the protect and restore the building since it closed in 1993. And by the looks of it, they're doing a fantastic job, given how quickly empty buildings often go to rack and ruin. Check out these open days to find out when you and your camera can explore the baths.

Burj Al Khalifa In Night

2010-04-08T00:42:00.001-07:00

It looks really spectacular and splendid in night. Although it’s just another boring skyscraper…

Unique Building Construction technologies

2010-03-05T22:23:00.001-08:00

Unique Structures to be built soon!

Construction technologies are advancing extremely quickly. Couple that with multi-billionnaires / deep-pocketed companies trying to outdo each other in the quest for the next standout design and you have a near-future filled with mile-high skyscrapers and buildings that no longer look like buildings.

Below are 9 strange and unique structures which have either been approved or are in the final stages of approval. some have already been partially constructed.
Welcome to the future landscape.
1. aqua, usa (website)

From a distance this skyscraper, to be completed in 2009 in chicago, will seem quite traditional. it’ll only be when you get close and look up that you can appreciate the ripple/jelly effect created by variously sized balconies from top to bottom.

2. residence antilia, india (architects’ website)

Construction has begun on residence antilia despite opposition from those who see it as an ‘excessive’ design in a city where more than 65% of the population live in slums. politics aside and after you recover from the initial shock of seeing a skyscraper that resembles an ikea cd rack, the building actually looks like it may succeed as a stunning, unique, green piece of architecture.
3. chicago spire, usa (website)

The phenomenal chicago spire, when completed in 2010, will be the world’s tallest residential building and the tallest building of any kind in the western world. seemingly modelled on the image of a giant drill poking through the ground, the 609m structure will dominate the chicago skyline.

4. cctv headquarters, china (website)

At a modest 234m the cctv building isn’t going to stand out from a distance. however the design and shape is a crowdstopper to say the least and will be another incredible addition to beijing’s skyline in time for the 2008 olympics. the shape, described as a ‘z criss-cross’ results in a very high, seemingly unsupported corner at the front. let’s hope there’s a glass floor up there.

5. regatta hotel, jakarta (website)

Taking on a nautical theme, the developers say the 10 smaller towers represent sailing boats whilst the larger building is ‘the lighthouse’. it’s the lighthouse that steals the show for me, possibly the most incredible looking structure i’ve seen for a long time. if it ends up looking anything close to these pictures i’ll be impressed.

6. russia tower, russia (architects’ website)

Topped with an observation deck over the city of moscow, russia tower will become the tallest building in europe when completed in 2012 and twice the height of the eiffel tower. construction has already started on this angular beast which was designed by foster & partners, also responsible for the gherkin and spaceport america, currently in development.

7. penang global city centre, malaysia (website)

Following months of speculation and sturdy opposition, this humungous project is in the final stages of approval and apparently construction will start very soon. even so, due to the size of the plan it will take at least 15 years to complete. resembling a sci-fi city, the area will be crowned by 2 x 200m towers and completely transform the small island of penang.

8. gazprom headquarters, russia (architects’ website)

This gigantic, 300m tall glass flame of a building will house the gazprom headquarters in st. petersburg, dwarfing all structures in its vicinity. it will apparently change colour up to 10 times per day depending on the position of the sun. the building has already been nicknamed ‘corn on the cob’ by unhappy locals.

9. burj dubai, dubai (website)

This is the big one. when completed next year it will be the tallest man-made structure in the world and the tallest building by a long shot with a predicted height of 818m. note: currently the tallest building on earth, excluding an antenna, is taipei 101 in taiwan which stands at 509m. the photo below is the building’s current state: the skyscrapers below the burj dubai used to look tall.

Strangest House in The World

2010-01-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

1-The Dancing House in Prague

2. The Tree House in Cincinnati

3. Eco-conscious Roundhouse in Australia

4. Forest Spiral Apartments in Germany

5. UFO-style houses in Sanjhih, Taiwan

6. Space-inspired house in Chicago

7. Crooked house in Poland

8. Cheetah House in Chicago

9. Conch House in the Caribbean

10. Stone Age home in Portugal

It is Mumbai Building

2010-01-12T22:44:00.000-08:00

It is Mumbai!

The name Mumbai is an eponym, etymologically derived from Mumba or Maha-Amba— the name of the Hindu goddess Mumbadevi, and Aai — mother in Marathi. Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of the state of Maharashtra, the most populous city of India, and by some measures the most populous city in the world with an estimated population of about 18 million (as of 2006).

Here are some awesome snaps of Mumbai. The skyline has changed so much in the past few decades, although the heart remains the same. Hope you like them!

A local boy starts his day by giving respect to the Sun God for divine grace

Nariman Point By night

The Sea bridge Bandra-Worli Sealink

Worli Sea Face - High Tide

Worli Sea Face

Vashi Creek, a suburb of mumbai

Cuffe Parade by Night taken from Nariman Point

Hiranandi Complex at Powai Lake

Haji Ali

The Timeless Mumbai Railways

Mumbai Sunset

Japanese Highways, Bridges & Interchanges

2010-01-11T21:03:00.000-08:00

Astounding Japanese Highways, Bridges & Interchanges

Japan saw most of its infrastructure bombed back to the stone age in the final years of World War II, which makes the country's post-war rejuvenation all the more astounding. Huge, complex public works projects saw a concrete & steel web of highways, bridges and interchanges blossom from the wreckage of war.
Today, shaped by the demands of restrictive space and economic boom & bust, Japan's hardened transportation arteries display artistic forms that go far beyond their functions.

(images credit: Ken Ohyama)
Above left is the Hakozaki Junction, part of the Metropolitan Expressway in Tokyo, and at right is the Hokko Junction in Osaka... These images illustrate the solution engineers used when building multi-lane highway interchanges in some of the world's most crowded cities in Japan: go vertical!

(images credit: Ken Ohyama)
Ken Ohyama has made it his mission to chronicle some of the more striking Japanese roadworks in a Flickr series called Interchange and a book of his photos available from Amazon. One of the more outstanding examples is The Hokko Junction shown above - a part of the Hanshin Expressway near Japan's second city, Osaka.

Also in Osaka is the Higashiosaka (East Osaka) Loop of the Hanshin Expressway. The photographer's technique gives the sweeping curve of the roadway an almost tubular appearance:

(images credit: Ken Ohyama)
When engineers have space to work with, they take full advantage. This wide field view of the Higashiosaka interchange shows the almost organic complexity of a busy cloverleaf, resembling a living creature's circulatory system with the vehicles acting as blood cells.

(image credit: zvkk)
Highways upon highways... without any end in sight:

(images credit: Andrew Yamaguchi, Sergei Mingazhev, Stassia)
One interesting feature of Japanese elevated highways: they often run above rivers or sea channels, using the available space above the water. Here are some of these "highways on the sea" -

(images credit: takasuuuui, kokix)
The incredible Japanese road infrastructure really took off in the 1960s - check out the vintage photo on the right:

(left image credit: FotoOleg)
Such "Bladerunner" sights are commonplace now, brimming with urban energy -

(images credit: kokix)
By the way, for the tricky "urban density" photography, head over to this page... and see if you can spot something wrong with the image there.
Slipping Sideways
Some sections of the Hanshin Expressway suffered severe damage during the 7.2 magnitude Great Hanshin Earthquake which hit the Kobe, Japan area in January of 1995, killing over 5,500 people and costing over $200 billion.

(image credit: AFP / Jiji Press)
On the bright side, the affected sections of the highway did not "pancake", as happened in the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, but instead slipped sideways and tumbled over. Either way, one doesn't want to be driving through a highway interchange or junction when a big quake hits!
Recession, what recession?
Public works spending has long been the Japanese government's preferred way to spend budget surpluses, boost employment, keep the ruling party's supporters in the construction industry loyal, or all of the above. The highway depicted below is one of those projects, steadily overtaking a quiet city street like Godzilla in slow motion.

(images credit: Cisco's Japan Blog and Snegura)
Which came first, the highway or the building? The question is moot as both have learned to accommodate one another. The Hanshin Expressway takes a shortcut through the 5th to 7th floors of Fukushima's Gate Tower building, also known as the Bee Hive.

(images via)
The story goes that the original building's owner wanted to knock it down and rebuild, but was told by city planners that the space was being allocated to a newly planned exit of the expressway. Both sides refused to budge, and the compromise was completed in 1992.

(image via)
Tokyo residents can easily avoid using the highways and expressways which crisscross the city, thanks to one of the world's largest and most efficient subway systems, but when traffic is light they can be a pleasure to drive. The view can be pretty intense, as in the time-lapse photo below:

(image credit: Vladimir Zakharov)
Urban density in Tokyo is simply astounding:

(image credit: Sam Graf)
The Rainbow Bridge and the longest suspension bridge
Dark Roasted Blend has been covering some rather fascinating bridges before. Here are a few more - a spectacular sample from Japan. The 570 meter (1,870 ft) long Rainbow Bridge spans the northern (inner) part of Tokyo Bay and has been a city landmark since it opened in 1993. Two roadways, a transit line and pedestrian walkways all use the bridge, resulting in a seemingly chaotic tangle from certain angles.

(images credit: Uncharted Futures and lmkuzya)
It's at night, however, that the Rainbow Bridge comes alive with signature color! Spotlights mounted at strategic locations bathe the bridge's superstructure in prismatic glory. Best of all, the lighting is solar powered with energy stored during the day powering the light show at night:

(image credit: Gussisaurio)
Announced in 1969, the massive Kobe-Naruto highway route project stretches 81 kilometers to connect Japan's main island of Honshu with the much smaller island of Shikoku to the south. The jewel in the crown is the 4-kilometer long Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, which cost $3.6 billion to build over the ten year period between 1988 and 1998:

(image credit: Aurelio Asiain)
Of course, any discussion of Japanese highways wouldn't be complete without mention of Mount Fuji. The mountain's iconic snowy peak is visible from Tokyo - on clear days, at least - but though it's certainly possible to reach the dormant volcano's doorstep via highway, taking the Shinkansen bullet train is a better bet.

(image credit: fui)

Window Cleaners Of Burj Dubai

2010-01-10T22:17:00.000-08:00

To the Cleaners

Highly specialized technicians using state-of-the- art facilities will be needed to make sure all 23,000 glass panels that make up the exterior of the Burj Dubai are cleaned.

Till date the Burj has only been cleaned by rope access, but permanent Building Maintenance Units (BMUs) will be mounted to ensure the sparkle stays.

Officials from Megarme, one of the firms hoping to secure the ongoing maintenance contract, are seen atop cleaning apparatus. The company has has technicians with an excess of 15 years experience.

A number of BMUs have been installed around the Burj's surface for both window washing and facade maintenance.

The very top of the Burj which is unreachable by ordinary window-washing cradles, is reserved for more adventurous window cleaners using rope access.

Clearly not a job for the fainthearted, all rope-access technicians are trained from scratch and only those with proper skill and training will qualify to clean the Burj Dubai.

Under normal weather conditions, with all 18 BMUs in operation and 36 men manning the machines, the entire facade will take approximately two to three months to clean.

The World's Tallest Buildings

2010-01-06T21:11:00.000-08:00

On Jan. 4, 2009, Burj Khalifa, a.k.a. Burj Dubai, the world's tallest man-made structure, officially opened. Here's a look at the buildings that have claimed that title in the past.

Burj Dubai
Dubai may be struggling financially, but money problems didn't keep it from opening Burj Dubai on Jan. 4 and snagging the title for world's tallest building from Toronto, which has the soon-to-be second tallest CN Tower. Burj Dubai's actual height is a closely guarded secret, although developers admit that it will be at least 2,600 ft. (790 m) tall — almost twice the height of Chicago's Willis Tower. The tower, which cost an estimated $1.5 billion to construct, boasts 164 floors, nearly 1,100 one- to three-bedroom apartments and elevators that travel up to 25 m.p.h. (40 km/h) Visitors to the 124th-floor observation deck can see 50 miles (80 km) on a clear day.

The Great Pyramid
Humanity's edifice complex goes back — way back — to around 2,575 B.C., when the Great Pyramid of Giza, the tallest of Egypt's famous monuments, began its four-millennium reign as the world's tallest building. Originally rising 481 ft. (146 m) above a rocky stretch along the Nile river, it has been beaten down 30 ft. (9 m) by years of erosion.

Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral has taken its share of beatings — a fire around 1141, an earthquake in 1185 and a collapse of its central tower in the 1230s. But at 524 ft. (160 m), the house of worship in northwestern England held the title of world's tallest building for more than 200 years, until 1549. The building, regarded as one of the largest and most magnificent churches in all of Europe, was started in the 11th century and took literally centuries to complete. The lead-covered spire built in the 14th century made it the tallest building in Europe, a title it lost when the spire collapsed in 1549. Even without the spire, however, it remains the tallest cathedral in Europe.

Cologne Cathedral
In the early 14th century, churches began a long period of dominance as the world's tallest structures. Entrants from Estonia, France and Germany all vied for the title over the ensuing centuries. St. Olaf's in Tallinn succeeded Lincoln Cathedral in 1549, and held the designation until 1625, when its spire burned down after a lightning strike. Houses of worship in Germany (Stralsund, Hamburg) and in Rouen and Strasbourg in France swapped the world's-tallest title until 1880, when Cologne Cathedral, which checked in at a towering 518 ft. (157 m), took over the honor after a laborious construction process that lasted more than six centuries. The German church, which survived bombing campaigns in World War II and became a World Heritage site in 1996, owned the designation for just four years, when the newly completed Washington Monument surpassed it.

The Washington Monument
Towering above Washington, D.C., at just over 555 ft. (169 m) is the Washington Monument — a tribute to the nation's first President and his military prowess during the Revolutionary War. Architect Robert Mills' conception of a neoclassical rotunda topped by a towering obelisk won the competition to design the monument; construction started in 1848. A lack of funds, haphazard organization and the outbreak of the Civil War caused several delays, however, and by the time construction started up again, architectural tastes and styles had changed and Mills had passed away. His original design was heavily altered and an unadorned, pointed Egyptian obelisk prevailed — thanks in part to George P. Marsh, the U.S. ambassador to Italy and a design adviser for the monument, who had spent time living in Egypt and was influenced by the many Egyptian obelisks scattered throughout Rome. By 1884 the structure was complete; today, visitors who take an elevator to the top can enjoy unobstructed, 30-mile (48 km) views of the U.S. capital.

The Eiffel Tower
The French don't brag about the Eiffel Tower's height (984 ft., or 300 m) but they do like to remind admirers of the structure that when it was erected in 1889, it was twice as high as the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the Great Pyramid of Giza. Not only that, but it was also built in two years with a small labor force of just 300 workers, at the minimal cost of about $1.5 million. It opened in time to serve as the entrance gate for the International Exposition (or World's Fair) of 1889. It stood as the world's tallest building until 1930, when New York City's Chrysler Building edged it out, but it certainly remains one of the most efficient.

Chrysler Building
Iconic as it is, New York City's Chrysler Building enjoyed the title of world's tallest building for barely a year. It began its reign in late 1929, after winning a heated competition with the developers of the Bank of Manhattan Trust building (now known as 40 Wall Street) who had publicly declared their tower to be tallest in the world before completion. The Chrysler Building's designers secretly constructed a 180-ft. (55 m) spire within its main tower; when it was hoisted into position, the Art Deco masterpiece topped out at 1,046 ft. (319 m). However, its reign was already doomed: the Empire State Building, under construction a few blocks south, would dwarf it upon opening in 1931.

Empire State Building
It has been hit by a plane, it has been climbed by a giant gorilla (in both film and real life: an inflatable gorilla was attached to its side for the 50th anniversary of the original movie King Kong in 1983) and it has twice stood as New York City's tallest building (before the World Trade Center's completion in 1972 and after its destruction on Sept. 11, 2001). At 102 stories, the Empire State Building has become one of the world's most iconic structures and landmarks. In 1967, after having held the title of world's tallest building since 1931, it was surpassed by the Ostankino Tower in Moscow.

Ostankino Tower
In 1967, Moscow joined the tall-building competition when it unveiled the Ostankino Tower, a 1,772-ft. (540 m) monument to mark the 50th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. It held the tallest title for nine years until Canada finished its CN Tower in 1976. Technically, Chicago's Sears Tower — the 110-story skyscraper built in 1974 and recently renamed the Willis Tower — has more inhabitable floors (visitors can ascend 1,450 ft. [440 m] in Chicago but only 1,180 ft. [360 m] in Moscow) but Ostankino Tower's spire makes it roughly 30 ft. (9 m) higher.

CN Tower
Stretching more than 1,800 ft. (550 m) into the air is CN Tower — the tallest freestanding structure in the Americas and one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World. The tower — built by Canadian National Railway — was designed as a telecommunications hub to overcome the problem of poor reception caused by Toronto's skyscrapers. After its completion in 1976, the tower also became a downtown tourist attraction, and today more than 2 million visitors enjoy multiple observation decks, cafés and even a 360-degree revolving restaurant each year.

Best Hotels of India

2009-10-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

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high Modern architecture building

2009-10-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

Technorati Tags: high Modern architecture building,architecture building,building,architecture

How to Avoid Them Management Trap

2009-07-24T23:15:00.000-07:00

Management Traps and How to Avoid Them

Much has been written about the secrets of good management and few will argue that the best managers are inspired, visionary, dedicated, industrious, energetic, energizing and display integrity, leadership, common sense and courage. So where is it that managers commonly fail or falter and lose their precious foothold on the corporation's top rungs? The following, from the career experts at bayt.com, are ten of the most basic management traps and tips to avoid them:

Weak managers set weak goals

As a manager your role is to get specific jobs completed by employees in the most optimal, efficient and innovative manner and in order to do that, you need to set clear objectives. Successful managers set SMART goals - goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based. They are able to communicate these goals clearly, simply and concisely to their employees so that none are vague or uncertain about expectations. By all means reach for the stars in your objectives but to do so without supplying employees with the training, resources, flexibility and freedom they need to accomplish their goals and a schedule of regular supervision and feedback is to set them (and yourself) up for failure.

Weak managers micro-manage - effective leaders inspire

The days of command and control organizations are long over - today's managers recognize that in order to leverage their skills and maximize their team's output they need to adopt a flexible approach and 'lead' their teams to excellence rather than closely supervise, instruct and control them. The best leaders communicate to their employees a vision and ignite in them the fire, motivation and desire to work towards making this vision a reality. Good leaders unleash their employees to innovate and achieve optimal solutions by communicating top-level goals and objectives and a suggested blueprint for success then leaving the employees to determine how to get there most optimally while ensuring they have the aptitudes, training, resources and work environment necessary to achieve superior results. While a program of regular feedback and supervision is essential, managers should ensure that their management style is not repressive, meddling or overly overbearing. The golden rule is to communicate the 'what' and the 'why' of the work that needs to be done and leave the employees to determine the 'how' without burdening them with strict instruction manuals or prescribed rules and patterns that are largely redundant and inconducive to speed, creativity, progress and innovation.

Weak managers are afraid of hiring/cultivating strong leaders

Strong leaders/managers have the self-confidence to hire the best people, take them to new levels and cultivate in them all the qualities needed to make them in turn effective leaders of the future. Weak leaders replicate themselves in their hiring decisions and hire mediocre players, mistakenly believing that an employee with more skills, acumen or industry knowledge than themselves will ultimately undermine them or make them look bad. The best managers are characterized by an ability to stimulate their employees to superior performance and through coaching, training, feedback as well as by example, inspire in them all the qualities needed to make effective managers. A good manager helps employees achieve their full potential and constantly raises the bar so that employees never stop learning, innovating and growing. Coaching, training, career planning and programs for ongoing growth and development of key staff are high on the priority lists of the best managers.

Weak managers belittle their employees

Bosses who favour the archaic 'tough' management style where employees are singled out for public reprimand and negative feedback is plentiful while recognition and positive reinforcement are scarce will fail to win the loyalty, respect and commitment of their teams over the long run. Without an inspired, fired up, self-confident employee base these managers set themselves and their teams up for failure. Effective leaders by contrast, respect their employees and give them regular feedback with intelligent constructive criticism and loudly laud special accomplishments in both public and private, while communicating any negative feedback ONLY in private and focusing such criticism strictly on the job performance, not the person's character. Strong leaders recognize and reward a job well done. These leaders inspire their teams to perform at their best and are able to elicit from them a high degree of loyalty and a 'hunger' to raise the bar and continuously excel. In such organisations, employees are not afraid to challenge their boss's ideas or upset the status quo in the interest of innovation and excellence and are encouraged to take risks to elevate the business to a new level. The autocrats and bureaucrats on the other hand sap their employees' self-confidence, drive and energy with their overbearing management style and fail to induce in them any motivation to raise the bar or excel.

Weak managers have obsolete skills-strong leaders constantly reinvent themselves

In today's knowledge-driven economies and highly competitive environment, skills, training and education rapidly become obsolete and effective managers know that they must constantly re-educate themselves and update their skills to maintain an edge. While over-confident managers with an inertia to further education fall by the wayside, good managers regularly take an honest inventory of their skills and abilities and upgrade their technical knowledge and soft skills wherever appropriate. They encourage their teams to do likewise with sound career planning and performance appraisal programs and an emphasis on training and self-education.

Weak managers have poor communication skills

Good communication includes cultivating and maintaining open channels of communication with the team and others in the organisation, giving constructive, intelligent feedback, eliciting ideas through brainstorming sessions or otherwise, articulating the company vision and mission in no uncertain terms, setting clear objectives and listening attentively with an open-mind to employees grievances, suggestions and any other issues. Effective leaders have an open-door policy that welcomes input, suggestions and feedback from employees and recognize that good ideas and the next best idea/process/innovation can come from anywhere. Strong leaders listen; weak leaders talk. Strong leaders pay attention to their employees and encourage them to express professional opinions and ask for more responsibility; weak leaders think they are above such open-door policies. Employees who are not listened to and are not made to feel important or respected as professionals or individuals are unlikely to innovate or express any exciting new ideas that can move a company forward.

Weak managers blame

Everybody makes mistakes and strong leaders protect their good people from taking the fall when they err. Good bosses recognize that the occasional slip-ups are inevitable and can be learning opportunities and are ready to take personal responsibility when the team makes a misstep. A good boss realizes that his most promising employees want to succeed, will grow as a result of their mistakes and are unlikely to repeat the same mistakes. They do no set their people up as a negative example for the rest of the organization nor point fingers when the going gets tough. Good bosses are personably accountable for their actions as well as the actions of their subordinates and do not allow a culture of blame to permeate the organisation.

Weak managers take full credit for their team's accomplishments

While weak leaders usurp all the credit for a job well done by their teams, the strongest leaders will give the full credit to the team as a whole or the team member responsible for the project. Strong leaders motivate, energize and inspire by giving credit where credit is due and being generous with reward and recognition wherever appropriate. Strong leaders publicly thank their employees for a job well done and recognize that a motivated, successful, energized team will reflect directly on the boss.

Weak managers thrive on bureaucracy

Weak leaders are fond of, augment and live well with the layers and bureaucratic shackles that tie an organisation down; strong leaders remove them. Today's effective leaders recognize that in order to compete they must operate like a small company with a high level of speed, responsiveness and flexibility. They realize that to maintain their edge in today's marketplace their organization needs to be responsive to changing market conditions and remove the shackles, boundaries, layers, clutter and obsolete policies, procedures and routines that get in the way of the freedom and free flow of people, resources and ideas.

Weak managers are divorced from their teams

Effective managers genuinely care about their employees and take the time to get to know them and to understand their strengths, weaknesses, what makes them tick and their goals and ambitions. They also take the time to learn something about their personal life. While weak managers will maintain an outdated aloofness and a formal distance from their teams, exceptional managers are able to bring out the best in every employee and win their loyalty and respect by understanding their unique needs, motivations and abilities and showing the team that they are important and personally significant. Strong managers are team players and through their constant involvement with their teams communicate to them that they are there for them and supportive of them. Effective managers by building a supportive work environment, build a camaraderie and team spirit that enthuses and excites the team to new levels of performance.

High School, College and University Building Designs

2009-05-19T03:28:00.000-07:00

High School, College and University Building Designs

If all high school, college and university campuses looked like this, attendance rates would skyrocket. Some may argue that it’s what’s inside that’s important, but there’s no reason for school buildings to be bland, boring boxes. From a big open high school where students lounge on big pillows all day to a university building created by Frank Gehry, these 15 incredible campus building designs may just inspire a whole new generation of innovative architects.
Green Roof Art School in Singapore

One of the most amazing green roofs in the world is at the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. From a distance, you can barely even tell that the 5-story structure is a building, it blends in so well with its environment. A plethora of glass walls allow plenty of natural light to illuminate the interior, and the grassy roof is used as a meeting space for students. The green roof also insulates the building, cools the surrounding air and harvests rainwater for landscape irrigation.
Gehry-Designed Stata Center at MIT

The Stata Center for Computer, Information and Intelligence Sciences at MIT was designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, and it shows. The lively building features Gehry’s signature adventurous, surrealist style with tilting towers, unusually angled walls and whimsical shapes. The building houses classrooms, research facilities, fitness facilities, a childcare center and a large auditorium.
New York University’s Department of Philosophy Interior

You would never guess, looking at the elegant yet unremarkable historic exterior of NYU’s Department of Philosophy, what was housed inside. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the renovated interior features white walls and a seemingly complex set of stairs edged with perforated railings that cast interesting patterns of light around the building. The light effect changes according to the seasons and time of day.
Victorian College of the Arts School of Drama

Most of the buildings that make up the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia are stately and historic. Then, you come across the façade of the School of Drama, designed by Castles Stephenson + Turner Pty Ltd / Edmond & Corrigan. The unique, colorful design makes it clear that this is a place of creativity.
Arcadia University’s Grey Towers Castle

In contrast to the many modern school designs featured here is the Grey Towers Castle of Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania. The castle was built starting in 1893 as the estate of William Welsh Harrison, and was acquired by the university in 1929. The castle is rumored to have secret passages behind the fireplaces as well as a series of underground tunnels built to connect the main house to stables and outbuildings. It now contains various offices, including that of the President, as well as student residences.
Oppenheim’s Miami-Dade College Campus

The concept for Miami-Dade College on Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami would add a lot of reflective shimmer and interest to the city’s skyline. Designed by Oppenheim Architects, the glittering glass and steel tower has an unusual shape with an interior grassy corridor. It’s projected to be completed in 2012.
Henning Larsen University Campus Concept in Kolding, Denmark

The Danish firm Henning Larsen won a competition for a university campus in Kolding, Denmark with this airy, open concept design along the Østerbrogade river. It features an exterior screen that is meant to allow sunlight to pass through to the banks of the river and is situated in a triangular fashion rather than parallel to the river. It will contain a large, open atrium, public café, offices and classrooms.
Ørestad High School, Copenhagen

Looking at this campus in the new Copenhagen suburb of Ørestad, it’s hard to imagine not wanting to go to school. Ørestad College – the Danish equivalent to a high school – has an open, modern design with colorful transparent glass shades that liven up its boxy exterior and rotate automatically with the sun. The interior is full of swirling staircases and platforms upon which students lounge on big orange pillows.

Investing in real estate

2009-05-14T02:38:00.000-07:00

Kerala is truly the undiscovered India. It is God's own country and an enchantingly beautiful, emerald-green sliver of land. It is a tropical paradise far from the tourist trial at the southwestern peninsular tip, sandwiched between the tall mountains and the deep sea. Kerala is a long stretch of enchanting greenery. The tall exotic coconut palm dominates the landscape. Kerala is a green strip of land, in the South West corner of Indian peninsula. In length 360 miles, the state is only 20 to 70 miles in width and comprises 1 percent of India's total land. It is a purified world in Kerala, the land of trees. A big, spreading tree purifies as much air as a room air-conditioner. And the former is never switched off. The prolific, bustling, vegetation acts like a massive, biological, air-filtration plant working round the clock, round the year. Hence spending days in Kerala countryside is as if spending in an air- purified environs; some times better than it. Kerala may be divided into three geographical regions:
•   High lands
•   Midlands
•   Lowlands
People now realized that investment in the stock market, with its ups and downs has its own related problems whereas bank deposits and mutual funds are restrictive in returns. Investing in real estate is a guarantee that the returns at the time of disposal will definitely be higher making it is a very safe mode of investment. Independent Villas in Tripunithura and houses in Tripunithura are expensive but if one can afford it can make you feel like a king. There are many builders who carry out construction on contract basis and with totally transparent terms and conditions. This helps avoid the headaches one would have to face while building homes. It is obvious that land value is going up day by day but good plots are fast becoming scarce. Rates have quadrupled in the space of five years, and in some cases even doubled in one year. The best time is to buy now as tomorrow would be too late

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

2009-05-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

THE CONSTRUCTION OF
THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

Empire State Building: Made by Hand

Cable Connection

The 102-story Art Deco tower in Midtown Manhattan known as the Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world from its completion on May 1, 1931, until the World Trade Center eclipsed it in 1972. It was the product of the labor of 3,400 men.

Photo: Lewis W. Hine/Getty Images

A Derrick Gang at Work

Most of the men who worked on the building were European immigrants. They were joined by hundreds of Mohawk iron workers, many from a reserve near Montreal.

Photo: George Eastman House/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1930

Corner Riveters Hold Steady

Two construction workers rivet on the edge of a steel girder on the mooring mast of the Empire State Building in 1931.

Photo: Lewis W. Hine/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1931

Triangular View From a Rival

A view of the uncompleted Empire State Building from the Chrysler Building. The Chrysler Buidling, which is 1,047 feet tall, was the tallest building in the world for 11 months before being surpassed by the ESB.

Photo: Lewis W. Hine/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1931

On the Level

An engineer makes sure everything's on the level as the Empire State Building is constructed. In a wind of 110 miles an hour, the building moves only about a quarter inch on either side.

Photo: Lewis W. Hine/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1931

Empire State Pulley

A worker lifts an object with a pulley. The building houses 2,500,000 feet of electrical wire, and some 9,000 faucets

Photo: Lewis W. Hine/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1931

Made by Hand

Working on the Mooring Mast

Workmen ready themselves for more construction on the mooring mast. On a clear day, you can see five states from the top of the building.

Photo: George Eastman House/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1930

Construction Team From Above

A construction team establishes a corner joint of the mooring mast. At one time, there were 255 carpenters, 290 bricklayers, 384 brick laborers, 107 derrick men, 285 steel men, 249 elevator installers, 105 electricians, 192 plumbers, 194 heating and ventilating men, and trade specialists, inspectors, checkers, foremen, clerks, and water boys at work on the building.

Photo: Lewis W. Hine/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1931

Wrenching Work

A worker uses a wrench on the edge of a beam high above the city, with the Chrysler Building in the background. It took 10 million bricks and 200,000 cubic feet of Indiana limestone to build the ESB.

Photo: Lewis W. Hine/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1931

Holding on for Dear Life

A worker clutches onto a steel girder high above the city. Five men died accidentally during construction: one struck by a truck; another who fell down an elevator shaft; a third hit by a hoist; a fourth in a blast area; and a fifth who fell off a scaffold, according to records. More than 30 people committed suicide by jumping off the building over the years.

Photo: Lewis W. Hine/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1931

Riveting View

Workers rivet a steel girder on top of the mooring mast. The building is struck by lightning about 100 times a year.

Photo: Lewis W. Hine/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1931

Celebrating the Completion of the Iron Work

Construction workers celebrate the completion of the iron work in 1930. When the building was fully complete on May 1, 1931, President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in Washington, D.C., that turned on the building's lights.

Photo: FPG/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1930

Empire State Night

The Empire State Building glows in 1932. When it opened, the Great Depression had just begun, and the ESB struggled to find renters. Now it's the second-biggest office complex in the U.S., with 21,000 workers and its own ZIP code.

Photo: Fox Photos/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1932

Crash by a U.S. Army B-25 bomber on July 28, 1945
On the foggy morning of Saturday, July 28, 1945, Lt. Colonel William Smith was piloting a U.S. Army B-25 bomber through New York City. He was on his way to Newark Airport to pick up his commanding officer, but for some reason he showed up over LaGuardia Airport and asked for a weather report. Because of the poor visibility, the LaGuardia tower wanted to him to land, but Smith requested and received permission from the military to continue on to Newark. The last transmission from the LaGuardia tower to the plane was a foreboding warning: "From where I'm sitting, I can't see the top of the Empire State Building."
Confronted with dense fog, Smith dropped the bomber low to regain visibility, where he found himself in the middle of Manhattan, surrounded by skyscrapers. At first, the bomber was headed directly for the New York Central Building but at the last minute, Smith was able to bank west and miss it. Unfortunately, this put him in line for another skyscraper. Smith managed to miss several skyscrapers until he was headed for the Empire State Building. At the last minute, Smith tried to get the bomber to climb and twist away, but it was too late. The Crash
At 9:49 a.m., the ten-ton, B-25 bomber smashed into the north side of the Empire State Building. The majority of the plane hit the 79th floor, creating a hole in the building eighteen feet wide and twenty feet high. The plane's high-octane fuel exploded, hurtling flames down the side of the building and inside through hallways and stairwells all the way down to the 75th floor
The plane crash killed 14 people (11 office workers and the three crewmen) plus injured 26 others. Though the integrity of the Empire State Building was not affected, the cost of the damage done by the crash was $1 million.

The Empire State Building Today.