The only day with three natural disasters…

Today, date, 30th September 2009, the last day of the month is very special…three natural disasters occured on the same day, in the period of 24 hours around the world.

First of all, the Typhoon Ketsana, originated from the world largest ocean, Pacific Ocean, extended its path to South East Asia from Phillipines. It blows down wooden villages in Cambodia, crushing Vietnam houses under mudslides, submerging much of the capital of Phillipines, while bringing heavy rain to Malaysia. The typhoon come into Laos, the fourth nation to be involved in the typhoon tragedy. Landslides occured, destroying houses, buildings, and flattening crops. The death toll is now over 300 and is rising tremendously.

The next disaster, is the tsunamis, struck Samoa and America Samoa. The earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, between 8.0 to 8.3 Ritcher scale triggered  tsunamis, flooding and flattening villages, killing at least 82 people and leave dozens missing. The height of the tsunamis is around 4 to 6m high, equivalent to a height of a double-storey house. A state of emergency is issued. Japan has issued a tsunami warning too.

The third disaster, struck just now, less than an hour ago (from the time I’m writing this post), is an earthquake that struck south Sumatra Island in the area of Padang, Indonesia. The powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 Ritcher scale send tremors till Peninsular Malaysia (the place I’m living) as the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is just 481km southwest of the epicentre of the earthquake. Some highrise buildings in KL including the world tallest twin buildings, the Petronas Twin Towers are evacuated. Tsunami alert is issued for Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Thailand. The shaking can be felt obviously at Singapore, Malaysia and even as far as at Jakarta.

Out of the three disasters, two are related to Pacific Ocean, and two are basically earthquakes, one triggered tsunamis, while another one might trigger as well. Dangerous again for the people there…just stay far from seaside and stay on the ground, don’t go to high if there is earthquake, and go as high as possible when there is flood. Three disasters are all related to water!

Water is dangerous, the Earth is dangerous! I think it’s the first time in history, three large-scale disasters struck the Earth ( all in one area, Asia Pacific) eventhough not much casualties are reported.

Happy 1st Anniversary to My Blog!!!

Today, 28th of September 2009, is the first year anniversary of my blog, everything self-explanatory from the title of this post already…

Since I started this blog, exactly a year ago, I am just thinking on writing my personal things into this blog, like my diary. As time goes, I am interested on writing in more than one category, the most obvious one is the architecture category, Since I am an architectural student, I love to write and learn things on architecture, preferably world architecture.

Then, my blog has been visited by many people all around the world. Not to boost myself and my blog, but it is true statement. Check out the hit numbers on the bottom right hand corner of my blog page and see the numbers. Currently, there are over 90 000 clicks on my blog. Very happy to see this number increasing day by day. Hope to have it over 100 000 soon, which is expected to be achieved by end of October 2009.

I have promised to reveal the badge I have created as a symbol of the celebration. Quite simple, but it tells all.

                  

It might be not nice, or beautifully designed, but it is just a remark that my blog is now 1 year old. Happy Birthday! (Haha, still at baby stage, but this baby blog is very popular) Haha…

Thanks for all the comments sent by readers, thanks for those who link my blog to useful websites and to all the respected readers of my blog! Uncountable thanks for all!

Before I end this post, I have come out with a nice phrase:

” When there is Vincent, there is vision “

Updating my blog…1st anniversary is coming!

Eventhough this week is a holiday week, but I don’t have much time to write on my blog, sorry for the ‘not-updated for almost a week’ blog. Very busy with all my assignments, anyway, I think I have completed 70% of all of the assignments (average). These few more days left, I’m going to complete it. Then, next week, no more holiday already.

Aahhh, the next post on this blog will be on the 28th September 2009, becoming the 222th post in my blog. That day is the 1st anniversary of my blog, very memorable and important day for me and my blog. Happy that my blog is almost 1 year old (haha, still at baby stage). In conjunction with my blog 1st anniversary on 28th this month, I will be releasing a badge ( 1st Anniversary Celebration Badge of LTM Blog ) on the next post. Stay tuned, come back on 28th to see it yourself.

My own site visit in Kuala Lumpur…

Haha, feels that today is the time for me to do the site visit, this is not simply a visit, this is done to complete my report assignment for Communication Principles 112 module.

The area that I have chosen is the old area of KL. The places in the area selected are Petaling Street, Dataran Merdeka and area where Sungai Gombak meets Sungai Klang (the area where KL begins). We have to write a formal report on the changes of architecture in these places from 50 years back till current days.

I do not know how to go to these places, so asked my dad to fetch me, it’s like a half-day trip in KL. Nice. But I see a lot of immigrants wondering around the area.

Some of the photos taken just now:

Petaling Street (main entrance)

Area where Sungai Gombak meets Sungai Klang (notice the Masijd Jamek in the middle)

Dataran Merdeka and Sultan Abdul Samad Building (Royal Selangor Club at opposite, not seen here)

The hardest thing of this assignment is to find those historical pictures of these places, 50 years ago.

It’s Hari Raya Holiday!

A one-week long holiday! Nice to hear this, but no, actually. Many assignments accompanying us throughout the whole holiday period! Doing essays, building models, researching information and pictures are so much crazy for me!

So fast it’s week 7, the Non-Contact Week of the semester. Almost half of the semester is gone. The final half will be more deadly, have to face it anyway…

Had planned out a schedule to complete my assignments during this week, only left two to three days for break, and one day for outing only. After this week, next week will be the much awaited site visit at Melaka with all my campus friends.

Anyway, just stop by to wish all my Muslim friends and to all Muslims in the world, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri! Maaf Zahir Batin. That’s end of fasting (puasa) and it’s time for celebration. Happy New Year to all Muslims!

Malaysia Pavillion for Shanghai World Expo 2010

Construction for the Malaysia Pavilion for Shanghai World Expo 2010 began a couple of weeks ago. The 3,000-square-meter pavilion will be like a traditional and high Malaysian hut. The facade of the pavilion will be made from a combination of palm oil and plastic, which will be recycled for other constructions after Expo.

The country will showcase its natural landscape and the solidarity of its different ethnic groups with the theme “One Malaysia — City Harmonious Living.” Malaysia has 47 ethnic groups, who live comfortably together in urban and rural areas. The country would highlight the harmonious conditions and interactivity between cities and villages, Malaysian Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen said.

Visitors will be able to pitch and putt at an indoor golf area in the two-story pavilion. The pavilion would hold lucky draws on key days during the Expo, such as August 31, Malaysia’s national day, and May 31 when China and Malaysia set up diplomatic relationships, Ng said.

(All information above and all pictures are from ArchDaily)

I personally think that the architecture of the pavillion is not bad, but the architectural style is not from Malaysia…the style is mainly Minangkabau roof style which originated from Indonesia and not Malaysia…Minangkabau styled roof can be seen on palaces of sultans in Malaysia, does not mean the style came from Malaysia…

The architect is putting the Indonesian architecture into Malaysia pavillion! That’s weird. How come Malaysia don’t apply its own style of architecture on it? I wonder who is the architect responsible for this!

Super serious traffic jams…

Always usual and forever usual in KL…everyone living in KL will surely say the one thing which they dislike the most: TRAFFIC JAMS…I have tried my best to go back early from campus. 4.30pm start to leave. 5.00pm stuck in the highway for an hour until 6.00pm.

Why are there so many cars in KL? Do you know that KL is among the top ten cities in the world with most number of cars over population. All love to buy cars, and drive them on the roads, and cause havoc! One people in one car, another usual case in KL, why can’t they just car-pooling. (Oouch, I am also alone in my car, haha)

Just too boring in the car, so got enough time to take all these pictures, showing the seriousness of the traffic jams…luckily, I did not continue my journey on the highway above (see the last picture), if not, by now, I won’t be getting home yet too…the jams is like 3km long (not including the jams ahead of me on the highway which is predicted to be over 10km long)….That’s crazy!

All people went back early because of fasting month, all Malays want to ‘balik kampung’, since tomorrow is school holiday also (given specially by government). Too bad, my campus, no holiday, class as usual, submission as usual…Aiyaya!

I expected the same thing, even more worse, tomorrow, which I will be going back later, more serious traffic jams awaiting me tomorrow…aarrgghh! Sick of this!

Tutorial…tutorial…and tutorial…

During our secondary school years, there are no such thing as TUTORIAL!!! Everyday is lecture, lecture and lecture…full of notes and exercises…

Now, in the university, lecture is like only 20%, others all tutorial and interim submission time.

Anyway, I like tutorial. Tutorial is the time when we discuss with our tutors (lecturers) on our problems, on our questions and on our ideas. Very personally-based, the tutors will know what you are doing and how much you are progressing through tutorial. They can give you a lot of advice, useful information eventhough sometimes, you have to wait very long for your turn.

For me, lecture is boring. We can learn from lecture but not as much as from tutorial. After tutorial, it’s time to edit and improve your work. That’s it. You will learn a lot from it.

Huh…captured a photo of one part of my campus from the road going to the campus:

( Full ugliness covered by the giant wallpapers, this is what creative university is! Hahaha…)

Currently focusing on the client…

There is a project, the final project of Design 102 module,called as “…for the…”. We need to design a dwelling with several functions (with a major function) for a chosen client. The clients that can be chosen are politicians, celebrities, models, athletes, fictional characters, activists, artist, etc.

At first, I have chosen a model, called as Christie Brinkley through a lucky draw, something like that, you pick a piece of paper with the client’s name from a box. Then, I go home and do research on her. Nothing much on her, just beauty, cosmetics, fashion, jewelleries, gym, exercise, diet, nutrition,etc…those female-related issues. All don’t interest me. Arrgghh…

   

Luckily, my tutor asked me to change to another one. Now, it’s a musician, Amadeus Mozart. A lot of information and pictures related to him…NICE!!!…but, I don’t understand his style of music, I slept when listening to his music…we basically need to understand the client’s characteristics, styles, behaviours, culture, etc.

  

 

This project carries 60 marks of the whole semester. That’s big amount. 80 cube project carries 25 marks, and portfolio carries 15 marks. Since this project is in large scale, it is separated to four parts.

Part 1: We have to do research on the client and compile all the information together. Then, make two posters, one related to the client and another one is related to function of the dwelling.

Part 2: We will be going to Malacca for site visit (3 days 2 nights). There, we have to do site analysis and choose a suitable place for our client. Site model might be needed.

  

Part 3: This is the design part, in stages. By that time, we have to develop our design with sketches and share it with tutors. Our design should be only suitable for the client, and only suitable on the chosen site. Exterior (sectional)model and presentation board will be completed at this part.

Part 4: Here, we look at the details of the interior. We have to build another model showing a portion of the interior of the dwelling with all the details and construction systems.

Long process…huh…a very long period of suffer to go before semester ends…aarrggh…this is only one assignment from a module, other modules??? yyeehh…

The under-construction skyscrapers on New York’s Ground Zero

The project of rebuilding the World Trade Center in New York City after the disastrous 911 attacks is called as ‘ Project Rebirth’. This project is very much related to the former twin towers of World Trade Center, and it reflects on the memorial dedication to the 911 disaster.

The site plan of the project:

Currently, constructions are in progress on the large site. A memorial park is built, dedicated for the victims of 911 attack. Four buildings are under construction;

One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower)

• Height: 541m to top of spire. (417m to top of roof)
• 109 floors including rooftop.
• design: simple symmetry, more traditional design to complement with New York skyline.
• 2.6 million square feet office space, including observation deck, world-class restaurants, etc.
• designed to draw upon the themes of motion and light; a shimmering glass surface drapes the tower’s base and imparts a dynamic fluidity of form whose appearance will reflect its surroundings.
• As the tower itself rises from this cubic base, its square edges are chamfered back, transforming the square into eight tall isosceles triangles in elevation, or an elongated square antiprism.
• At its middle, the tower forms a perfect octagon in plan and then culminates in a glass parapet (elevation 1,362 feet (415 m) and 1,368 feet (417 m)) whose plan is a square, rotated 45 degrees from the base.
• A mast containing an antenna for television broadcasters—designed by a collaboration between Skidmore, Owings and Merill, artist Kenneth Snelson (who invented the tensegrity structure), lighting designers and engineers—and secured by a system of cables, rises from a circular support ring, similar to the Statue of Liberty’s torch, to a height of 1,776 feet (541 m). The spire will be an intense beam of light that will be lit at night and will likely be visible over a thousand feet (305 m) into the air above the tower.
• Estimated to be completed by year 2013.
• Architects: David Childs (SOM), Thomas Boada.

Two World Trade Center (200 Greenwich Street)

• Height: 411m to top of spire. (387m to top of roof)
• 79 floors.
• 2.53 million square feet of office space, including retail shops.
• Design: The sloping roof consisting of four diamonds inclined toward the memorial will provide a visual marker around the skyline of just where the original towers were.
• The tower is designed to resemble a diamond, with cross bracing intersects and indentations breaking up the sides.
• The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the following about 200 Greenwich Street’s wedged rooftop: “Designed by Lord Norman Foster, the tower incorporates WTC master planner Daniel Libeskind’s ‘wedge of light’ concept, and will cast no shadow on the memorial park on September 11.”
• Estimated to be completed by year 2012.
• Architect: Sir Norman Foster.

Three World Trade Center (175 Greenwich Street)

• Height: 383m to top of spire. (352m to top of roof)
• 71 floors.
• 2 million square feet of office space, including retail space.
• Design: The building slightly resembles the John Hancock Center in Chicago. The four spires in the design would give the building a pinnacle height of 1,255 feet (383 m).
• The design of the tower addresses on its central position on the site and accentuates the building’s verticality relative to the Memorial site.
• It is envisaged that the tower will consist of a central concrete core (steel encased in reinforced concrete) and an external structural steel frame which will be clad in stainless steel.
• Estimated to be completed by year 2014.
• Architect: Sir Richard Rogers.

Four World Trade Center (150 Greenwich Street)

• Height: 297m to top of roof.
• 64 floors.
• 1.8 million square feet of office space, including retail space.
• Design: The office tower is intended to assume a quiet but dignified presence at the site while also serving to enliven the immediate urban environment as part of the redevelopment efforts of downtown New York.
• Estimated to be completed by year 2011.
• Architect: Fumihiko Maki.

The Seven World Trade Center is built in year 2006.

• Height: 226m to top of roof.
• 52 floors.
• 1.7 million square feet of office space.
• Located just north of the WTC site, the rebuilt office tower combines a powerful infrastructure with ultra-efficient floors to offer tenants substantial operational efficiencies. With 45-foot column-free spans, high ceilings, and stunning views in all directions, the 40,000-square-foot floor plate provides unparalleled freedom to customize each space.
• From backup power systems, to abundant riser spacing, to above-standard electrical capacity and next-generation HVAC systems, the tower’s infrastructure anticipates and exceeds future demands in every way. And the sheer beauty of its shimmering external façade gracefully enhances any corporate image.
• New York’s first officially certified Green Building.
• Architect: David Childs (SOM).

 Future of the area:

From this:

To this by 2013 0r 2014: