China and Hong Kong buildings

I discovered this website today, which showcases some recent building projects, among them the stunning Highcliff on Stubbs Rd, Hong Kong (pdf link), which shows that there's no excuse for high-rises to have square edges or smooth, textureless sides.

Building.com.hk link

George Nakashima

An article and some photos about Japanese-American furniture designer/architect George Nakashima:

His architecture is an aesthetic bridge between East and West. Some of the buildings on the compound are extremely modern in their exteriors, but the interiors are modulated by Japanese proportion and motifs. He used shoji screens in every one, and created a great flexibility and fluidity in the flow between inner and outer environments, a common characteristic of Japanese houses. The primary goal of his work, writes Mira Nakashima in her 2003 book, "Nature Form & Spirit: The Life and Legacy of George Nakashima," "was to encourage human beings to live in harmony with nature … "

Link (requires registration or use Bugmenot.com)

NY Times discussion thread on Gehry's appointment as Ground Zero architect

Too many posts to read, but here's a lively discussion on what might happen on the former World Trade Center site.

Link (requires registration or use Bugmenot.com)