Beijing
Office buildings have traditionally been so staid that whimsical departures from the norm still trigger a strong response, both good and bad. The latest member of the avant-garde architecture club, the estimated US$1.08 billion, 44-floor, 768 ft (234 m) CCTV headquarters building in Beijing (already so iconic it's part of a board game for architecture groupies) is now finally complete - after nearly eight years of construction. Read More
Audi makes well-engineered conservatively-designed vehicles. It is seen as the German luxury make for those who don’t want the overt aggression of BMW or the extravagance of Mercedes-Benz. The cars suit a great many people down to the ground and the “soft-roader” Q5 and lately the compact Q3 have been very successful. They are not cars for driving enthusiasts however - the Q3 was recently called “unremittingly dull” in a well respected UK auto magazine (Evo) and every now and then Audi feels the need to prove that it has a wilder side. For the upcoming Beijing Motor Show it was the Q3’s turn for some conceptual wildness. Read More
Architectural practice SOM's 17.6-sq km (6.8-sq mile) master plan for Beijing Bohai Innovation City has won an international design competition for the redevelopment of the region. The design is focused on a redevelopment corridor along the high-speed rail connection between Beijing, and the port of Tianjin. Though incorporating existing infrastructure, the scheme constitutes an ambitious planned city, and one which, if fully realized, may set a new standard for environmentally-conscious urban planning. Read More
