The Royal Docks, London

Approximate 650 hectares of land that make up the Royal Docks Opportunity Area.

The vision is to transform the Royal Docks into a world-class business centre: a world-leader in high technology, green enterprise and research and an international forum for the exchange of knowledge and ideas. The plans envisage the waterfront as a hub of activity once again; a thriving leisure destination for Londoners and visitors alike.

The Royal Docks has massive development potential – the opportunity to become a new centre for business and living in East London.

The Royal Docks Vision document offers a comprehensive overview of the benefits the project will deliver which include:

•Developing the Royal Docks as a world-class business destination

•Encouraging inward investment in the Royal Docks area, building on opportunities presented by the 2012 Games

•Ensuring that local people have access to the opportunities created

•Making the Royals Docks a great place to live with improved local connections and a revitalised waterfront

•Making the Royal Docks a model of green enterprise and environmental sustainability

•Developing attractions that will create a thriving visitor and tourist economy

Super-city vision for London

Could mega tower could be solution to city housing?

Plans to create a vertical super-city within London are under way and could solve the city's housing crisis. The 1500 metre 'New Town Tower' designed by Popularchitecture would be the world's tallest building and provide affordable housing for 100,000 people. The tower was designed by the London-based architects as an entry in an American design competition but Director of Popularchitecture, Tom Teatum, thinks the structure could be a new landmark for London. He said: “Importantly this building is designed to be public and integrated into the existing city.” The cylindrical structure would also offer 100 public spaces from an ice rink to tennis courts in open areas all the way up the tower. The firm are working with Gardiner & Theobald and Fluid Engineers on a feasibility report but if all goes well they will choose from seven areas along the Thames river and begin work with developers.

New London landmark for Legal & General and Mitsubishi estate company.

A new central London landmark is unveiled today as part of the regeneration of the Saint Giles area. Central Saint Giles, which is due for completion by the end of 2009, is the new groundbreaking 500,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme from internationally acclaimed architect Renzo Piano and joint developers Legal & General and Mitsubishi Estate Company.

Central Saint Giles, which replaces a redundant 1960’s office block previously occupied by the Ministry of Defence, is an environmentally friendly, sustainable, colourful development that comprises office space, retail, restaurants, cafes, residential and a new public piazza. The development, on which building work has already started, will be a pedestrian-friendly site, connecting five different regions of the West End.

On a 1.75-acre island site, the development sits in a strategic, exceptionally well-connected, location between Oxford Street and Covent Garden. The design consists of three buildings with 13 irregularly orientated, individually coloured ceramic & glass facades. When completed, Central Saint Giles will be 12 storeys tall and will comprise 393,000 sq ft of high quality office space with some of the largest floor plates (42,000 sq ft) in the West End, 27% of the site’s area is dedicated to open space and the development includes 109 residential units, 50% of which will be affordable housing.

World renowned architect Renzo Piano commented: “The architectural challenge was to create a development that brings heart and soul into a forgotten part of Central London’s urban fabric. A place that, by adding levitated, articulated and colourful buildings, physically expresses the people-focused and socially responsible credentials of modern corporate tenants”. <>Bovis Lend Lease is building the scheme, Stanhope plc have been appointed as development managers and Bovis as construction managers. Fletcher Priest have been appointed as Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s executive architects to the site. The joint letting agents are Jones Lang LaSalle and Cushman & Wakefield

The Great Impact

The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army explores one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century, giving an insight into China's First Emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, and his legacy.The exhibition includes a number of the world-famous terracottawarriors from Xi'an, China, which were buried alongside the First Emperor in readiness for the afterlife, as well as some of themost striking recent discoveries made on the site.In introducing the idea of a unified state and effectively creating China in 221 BC, the First Emperor of Qin created what is today the oldest surviving political entity in the world. How that state has survived, developed and is viewed today is explored through events, lectures and debates around the exhibition.

Website:
http://www.britishmuseum.co.uk
Office:
British Museum
Street:
38 Russell Square
City/Town:
London, United Kingdom

The exhibition will start from the 13th of September 2007 - 6th April 2008 Tickets are sold for £12.00This is worth the visit - so don't miss out !!

Why this is the great impact? Because the is the perfect match of destiny I have ever encountered. On Christmas Day, 25th December, 2007 the final effect of First Emperor of China took centre stage. DK Architect is to design a Five-star Hotel in Xianyang, Xian, China. It is a mind blowing $120 Million USD project and it still feel so unreal.

London’s skyline

The controversial 155 metre-high 'walkie talkie' skyscraper has been approved by the government despite the objections of their own advisers – English Heritage. The tower at 20 Fenchurch Street was designed by the fashionable New York-based architect Rafael Vinoly. English Heritage said it would be one of 'London’s ugliest and most oppressive buildings'









London’s skyline, which already boasts a 'gherkin' (right), is now set to get a 'walkie talkie' (centre), and a 'helter skelter' (left). There are also plans for a 'cheese grater', a 'blade' and a 'shard of glass'. Heritage groups are concerned that the rash of approvals for skyscrapers could ruin the city’s historic character.The 47-storey tower by the architect Richard Rogers has perhaps the best skyscraper nickname. The 'cheese grater' is set to join the London skyline after its developers British Land announced in May that they were going ahead with the scheme









The 36-storey building includes a publicly accessible 'sky garden' with views across London. Announcing planning approval, the communities secretary, Hazel Blears, said this week that it would not harm historic views of the Tower of London and would make a significant contribution to London’s architecture