Bold Park - Wilderness at your doorstep The vision for Bold Park is to be identified as a world-class urban wilderness enjoyed, studied and managed with the community. Bold Park was declared an A-class reserve on 10th August 1998 for its high conservation, landscape and recreation values. It is one of the largest remaining bushland remnants in the urban area of the Swan Coastal Plain, covering 437 hectares. Reabold Hill Be amazed by the spectacular views of Perth when you visit Reabold Hill. Designed for disabled access, the raised boardwalk offers a unique bushland experience en route to the highest natural point on the Swan Coastal Plain in the metropolitan area. At 85 metres above sea level, you can see the Indian Ocean, Perth city, Rottnest Island, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, and even glimpses of the Swan River.
Funding sought to finance major expansion Lord Foster of Thames-side has appointed bankers to examine the possible sale of part or all of his world-leading architectural practice. Foster and Partners, which was broken into six autonomous design groups two years ago is believed to need cash to realise its expansion plans. This includes increasing the number of offices from the current 13 to between 20 and 30. Speculation has put the practice's current value at £300m - £500m GBP. However city financial observers are casting doubt on this price as commercial property is thought to be at the top of its cycle and this is an area which the practice is heavily dependant on making it vulnerable. Foster, who is 71, is believed to have called in specialist corporate finance firm Catalyst Investment to review the funding requirements. In the last accounts filed at Companies House, for the year ended April 2005, the company revealed pre-tax profits of £2.5m on turnover of £44.5m. The London based practice has overseas offices in Beijing, Dubai, Istanbul and Kuala Lumpur which reflects the increasingly international mix of its business, during that year the company generated 12 per cent of its turnover from the US and 9 per cent from China. The bulk of the business, however, was still in the UK, which generated 43 per cent.
Hari Raya Aidil Adha 2006 Celebration with The Honourable Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia. Date: 30th December 2006 Venue: Puteri Nasi Kandar 339 Albany Highway, Victoria Park, Perth.WA.
With all the fame created around Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son-in-law, it seems surreal to post along side with Khairy Jamaluddin in front of Puteri Nasi Kandar.
"When I first dreamt of creating a city like Greater Springfield there were those who dismissed the idea as too ambitious. But fortunately, there were also those who shared my vision and had the drive, determination and resourcefulness to help bring it to life. Today, Greater Springfield is a resounding success, with even greater prosperity on the horizon. I am proud to invite residents, business enterprises, community groups, educational institutions and government bodies to join in living the dream. Our future starts now and together we can make it an even more exciting and rewarding reality than we ever imagined."
MAHA SINNATHAMBY
Chairman – Springfield Land Corporation
I met Mr. Maha on the AMWA Awards night. I was impressed by his
directness and openness on opportunities and mental toughness.
I see his success as a benchmark that we should emulate.
Californian architect Thom Mayne to design tallest building in Paris
Plans have been just been unveiled for a vast glass office block that will become the tallest commercial building since Eiffel tower. Skyscrapers are banned in the historic centre of Paris with high-rise buildings confined to the La Defense district to the west of the centre. Once described as Paris’s “mini-Manhattan”, La Defense is one of Europe’s biggest purpose built business districts, created under Francois Mitterrand’s direction in 1989. Recently La Defense has begun planning a new generation of high-rises to compete with new urban business quarters in Moscow, Madrid and Amsterdam. Designed by Californian architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis fame, the “Phare” (lighthouse) tower is a gently sloping eco friendly glass construction complete with wind turbines on its roof. At a cost of 900m Euros (£610m) the building, which will offer 130,000 square metres of office space, is due to be completed in 2012.
Each person's personal vision is unique. What we 'see' are electrical signal conducted through our visual system. The truth is images do not 'enter' into our eyes, because our eyes and nervous system are part of the whole phenomena. Each person perceives his individual image of the 'same' thing.
Zaha Hadid wins international competition Zaha Hadid has won a presitgious international competition to design the new Nuragic and Contemporary Art Museum in Cagliari, Italy. Envisioned as a project to be completed in three phases, the structure will cover some 12,000 square metres, comprised of Nuragic and Contemporary Art exhibition spaces, a library, a congress hall, offices and retail space. The aim of the project is to create a node of cultural exchanges that can simultaneously serve as a landmark announcing the arrival to Cagliari from the sea, and answer the five challenges proposed by the brief. Through the interconnection of the inner circulation with the public paths and the alternation of open spaces and cavities, the building shares its public dimension with the city. Moreover, it geometrically aligns along the axis of the sea, and extends its arms towards the quarter and the stadium of S.Elia, connecting and assimilating itself to the site.
We always forget we have a lifestyle already and very often that lifestyle is comfortable and safe. But we still want to venture into the realm of unknown or advanturous.
The month of September is drawing to an end. Hakuho still have to wait for another Basho to become Yokuzuna. Being away from Asia, I have lost the news on Taiwan "Ah Bian" saga. All the fuss on the President. I have to salute the Thai. May be Taiwanese have to emulate the act of Coup, Bloodless like Thai style. I salute the army, you hold the gun, lets do it your way.
Still have the feeling of London, the summer, the SouthBank, all the tourists jam at London's Eye, along the Thames.
I was delighted to be short-listed as 52 finalists on London Thames Opera Competition. Well, been the only three Australian entries among the international crowd, I am indeed very pleased. At least get into the main stream for all the long forgotten Architectural's sake.
Having been given a second chance, Mongolian ozeki Hakuho has a nervous 15 days ahead of him with promotion to sumo's highest rank well within his grasp.
Hakuho will launch a fresh bid to convince sumo elders when the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament gets under way Sunday at Ryogoku Kokugikan after being overlooked despite his strong 13-2 performance last time out.
Japan Sumo Association Chairman Kitanoumi has suggested that another 13-win showing or better would enable the 21-year-old to join fellow Ulan Bator native Asashoryu as a grand champion regardless of whether he lifts the Emperor's Cup.
Hakuho is already feeling the pressure, uncharacteristically showing some clumsiness in his moves in pre-tournament training sessions.
"In recent sessions, Hakuho didn't show what most other promotion candidates have done before," ozeki Tochiazuma said after having practice bouts with him on Wednesday. "He needs to show the strength, that is, he has to push forward more often like the yokozuna (Asashoryu) does without being passive."
Some sumo elders echo Tochiazuma in pointing out that Hakuho is relying more than usual on his techniques than on power.
Hakuho shrugged off such concerns, saying his preparations for the Sept. 10-24 event have gone smoothly.
In fact, Hakuho has already notched the number of wins the JSA normally requires wrestlers to have to be considered for yokozuna promotion under its loosely set standards. He has had at least 13 wins in all of the four tournaments held this year, including a 14 to win the Emperor's Cup in May.
Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006 Source:The Japan Times
Day 1 is always critical for the confidence. Again we see the result we don't wanted. This is all for the hope of a new Yokozuno to be born. Let us close our fingers and pray for the best outcome after 15 days.
September shall see the Aki-Basho. The Grand Sumo Tournamant. It starts on Sun. Sept. 10th,2006 to Sept. 24th, 2006.
September's Aki Basho approaches and as was the case prior to Nagoya in July, with it comes the talk of how Mongolian ozeki Hakuho will fare; whether or not he'll be performing the yokozuna dohyo-iri alongside yokozuna Asashoryu at the next tournament.
Hakuho grappled with 20-year-old Kisenosato at the center of the ring before getting a left-handed grip on his opponent's belt and powering-driving him over the edge to stay one off the pace at 7-1. Kisenosato fell to 2-6. Hakuho won the summer meet in May and is aiming for promotion to yokozuna with a second consecutive title win in Nagoya.
(Kyodo) _ Yokozuna Asashoryu overpowered Ama to maintain his spotless record in a share of the lead with ozeki Tochiazuma Sunday, while promotion-chasing Hakuho muscled out Kisenosato on the eighth day of action at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. Asashoryu pushed his opponent's feet up against the straw bales and set up Ama for a perfectly executed right-handed underarm throw as the No. 4 maegashira struggled to gain leverage in the final bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium. The Mongolian grand champion improved to 8-0 with Tochiazuma, who posted the eight wins necessary to keep his ozeki status after winning a bout by default against disgrace-hit Russian Roho. Asashoryu missed the summer basho due to a right elbow injury in May but is still the odds-on favorite to win his career 17th title as the 15-day meet enters the second week.
It has been 9 long years since I was in London. An out-of-the-blue opportunity to breath the air of London again is amazing and unforgetable. Especially during the summer time when all art events happen. I dream to see the Royal Art Exhibition again at Royal Academy of Arts. This year at the Summer Exhibition 2006, the visitors shall see a large statue- The Virgin Mother (bronze) by Damien Hirst.