星期一, 8月 25, 2008
星期三, 8月 20, 2008
京都﹒新風館, NTT/Richard Rogers
二ＯＯ一年擴建完成的新風館，原身為舊京都中央電話局，具歷史價值。建築師保留舊建築，利用新建築部分把原來的L形布局改作「口」形，創造中庭空間，變身潮流商場，為荒廢了的古蹟注入生氣，也為市民提供開放式表演場地。增建的藍色鋼骨迴廊，依附在舊建築的紅磚牆，色調和質感對比強烈，既為三層商鋪帶來人流，也是中庭的立體觀眾席。
(撰文: 建築師梁冬亮)
星期五, 8月 15, 2008
洛杉磯 Getty Center, Richard Meier
石，是西方建築語言的基本詞彙。它深遠地影響了建築空間和形態的演變。直到工業革命後，石的建築文化才漸被替代。Getty Center是位於山路上的複雜建築群，集合了博物館、藝術研究中心多種功能。來自意大利舊石礦的沉積岩，同時體現了建築和藝術的永恒的歴史價值。石，更使多變的建築物外觀呈現歸一感。
撰文: 吳啟聰(香港建築中心)
星期四, 8月 14, 2008
星期三, 8月 13, 2008
Living in Small Spaces—Hong Kong
Hong Kong is just a miniscule dot off the southern coast of China and at first glance not special at all. Its land area of 1104 km2 makes it already small, but then 75% of the land is actually undeveloped. It is amazing then, that seven million people can use this little piece of space into one of the most bustling, vibrant cities in the world.
Living in Hong Kong is nearly the opposite of growing up in North American suburbia, where it was almost a requirement to own a car if you wanted to get anywhere. All the streets and wide roads were neatly organized into a nice grid, which you’d travel on during a twenty minute drive to reach a large stand-up sign proclaiming the name of some shopping mall. Then you would park your car (free) in the large parking lot and walk into a strip mall with some stores so large that you could have your morning exercise inside.
In Hong Kong one of my first difficulties was getting anywhere I wanted. Whereas locations and directions were clear in North America, I gave up using Google maps after one week in Hong Kong. Not only were the cluster of streets tangled with each other in random directions, but many of them didn’t even have street signs! Eventually I learned to rely on sight recognition, which led me to another astonishing discovery—Hong Kongers know their city inside out. Name any area and they will likely know where it is, how to get there, what there is to do, and what kinds of people live there. Perhaps it is because of these small spaces at home that Hong Kongers have gone out to explore the city instead.
In “The Laws of Simplicity,” John Maeda describes creating simplicity by hiding complexity, giving the example of a VCR player. Even though there are dozens of buttons, the effect is not jarring because they have been hidden by a flip cover. Hong Kong, out of necessity, has applied the same principle into urban planning. Suppose you walk down a street in Mong Kok for ten minutes looking for a restaurant but don’t find one at all. Where did they go? In that ten minute walk, you likely have passed a dizzying selection of them already, only they were obscured by narrow passageways into buildings where they resided on the 8th floor.
Hong Kong has had to deal with a land shortage for many decades, and making it extremely difficult to find areas to build new structures even on reclaimed land. Instead, it has poured its wealth of artistic talent into interior design, creating some of the most beautifully designed hidden jewels. Oftentimes, it is the lack of space that makes it easier to design a room according to a strong concept or set of principles as they come up with creative solutions to maximize space. It is not uncommon to have the space under the seating area in a restaurant transformed into a drawer for holding dishes, or have ceiling-high bookshelves. Moreover, Hong Kong’s status as an export hub, gateway to China, and melting pot of international ideas means that these interior designers usually have the resources to create whatever they dream of making.
There really aren’t that many places in Hong Kong, and it is very possible to memorize all the MTR stops if you take it often enough. And yet, this city will never get boring because it is continuously moving. It is fascinating how the trends change so dramatically, whether it is in food, fashion, or design. Every couple of weeks, a new full-scale exhibition is installed in Times Square; and at least thirty more are recommended by the Art Map every single month of the year, and not just in the summer. And despite the 35C weather in August, the crowds that come out to these events, such as the Hong Kong Comic Fair in Wanchai, would dwarf the mass of Boxing Day shoppers in downtown Toronto any year. And just how many cities in the world can boast its own thriving music and movie industries? Most countries don’t even have that and yet Hong Kong’s entertainment industry has millions of fans in Singapore and other Southeast Asia countries, as well as Canada, USA, Europe, and other areas with overseas Chinese.
Hong Kong is just a small piece of land with not much to call its own. And yet the people have combined their collective relentless energy, creativity, and strong will to work around all these small spaces to create a stunning city that will continue to surprise the visitor no matter where they look.
Writer: Michelle Kwok
Living in Hong Kong is nearly the opposite of growing up in North American suburbia, where it was almost a requirement to own a car if you wanted to get anywhere. All the streets and wide roads were neatly organized into a nice grid, which you’d travel on during a twenty minute drive to reach a large stand-up sign proclaiming the name of some shopping mall. Then you would park your car (free) in the large parking lot and walk into a strip mall with some stores so large that you could have your morning exercise inside.
In Hong Kong one of my first difficulties was getting anywhere I wanted. Whereas locations and directions were clear in North America, I gave up using Google maps after one week in Hong Kong. Not only were the cluster of streets tangled with each other in random directions, but many of them didn’t even have street signs! Eventually I learned to rely on sight recognition, which led me to another astonishing discovery—Hong Kongers know their city inside out. Name any area and they will likely know where it is, how to get there, what there is to do, and what kinds of people live there. Perhaps it is because of these small spaces at home that Hong Kongers have gone out to explore the city instead.
In “The Laws of Simplicity,” John Maeda describes creating simplicity by hiding complexity, giving the example of a VCR player. Even though there are dozens of buttons, the effect is not jarring because they have been hidden by a flip cover. Hong Kong, out of necessity, has applied the same principle into urban planning. Suppose you walk down a street in Mong Kok for ten minutes looking for a restaurant but don’t find one at all. Where did they go? In that ten minute walk, you likely have passed a dizzying selection of them already, only they were obscured by narrow passageways into buildings where they resided on the 8th floor.
Hong Kong has had to deal with a land shortage for many decades, and making it extremely difficult to find areas to build new structures even on reclaimed land. Instead, it has poured its wealth of artistic talent into interior design, creating some of the most beautifully designed hidden jewels. Oftentimes, it is the lack of space that makes it easier to design a room according to a strong concept or set of principles as they come up with creative solutions to maximize space. It is not uncommon to have the space under the seating area in a restaurant transformed into a drawer for holding dishes, or have ceiling-high bookshelves. Moreover, Hong Kong’s status as an export hub, gateway to China, and melting pot of international ideas means that these interior designers usually have the resources to create whatever they dream of making.
There really aren’t that many places in Hong Kong, and it is very possible to memorize all the MTR stops if you take it often enough. And yet, this city will never get boring because it is continuously moving. It is fascinating how the trends change so dramatically, whether it is in food, fashion, or design. Every couple of weeks, a new full-scale exhibition is installed in Times Square; and at least thirty more are recommended by the Art Map every single month of the year, and not just in the summer. And despite the 35C weather in August, the crowds that come out to these events, such as the Hong Kong Comic Fair in Wanchai, would dwarf the mass of Boxing Day shoppers in downtown Toronto any year. And just how many cities in the world can boast its own thriving music and movie industries? Most countries don’t even have that and yet Hong Kong’s entertainment industry has millions of fans in Singapore and other Southeast Asia countries, as well as Canada, USA, Europe, and other areas with overseas Chinese.
Hong Kong is just a small piece of land with not much to call its own. And yet the people have combined their collective relentless energy, creativity, and strong will to work around all these small spaces to create a stunning city that will continue to surprise the visitor no matter where they look.
Writer: Michelle Kwok
星期一, 8月 04, 2008
溫哥華Gleneagles 社區中心, Patkau Architects
木，加拿大盛產之物。木可給人温暖、舒適及柔和的感覺。這個小社區中心用木作桁架和簷篷結構，表現出對地理風貌的親近及重視。大木簷篷標志着入口位置，同時細說着木的優美綫條、紋理、顏色和質感。整座建築物應用環保技術。因此在採光、通風、保温、用電上均經過週詳的考慮。木，既是本土文化和大自然的象徵，也拉近了人和科技的距離。
撰文: 吳啟聰(香港建築中心)
星期五, 8月 01, 2008
洛杉磯 Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Rafael Moneo
混凝土。一種羅馬人於公元前300年已開始廣泛使用的物料。現代的鋼根混凝土是19世紀的產物。
預製混凝土外牆給予整幢大聖堂平和、厚樸及穩重的原始感。遠觀時，混凝土把互相緊扣的聖堂體積凸顯出來。近看時，可引發人們觸摸它的表面質感。堅硬卻不冰泠的敦厚外牆，既造成鞏固的結構，也是信衆由外方進入聖殿過程中的一個精神洗滌空間。
預製混凝土外牆給予整幢大聖堂平和、厚樸及穩重的原始感。遠觀時，混凝土把互相緊扣的聖堂體積凸顯出來。近看時，可引發人們觸摸它的表面質感。堅硬卻不冰泠的敦厚外牆，既造成鞏固的結構，也是信衆由外方進入聖殿過程中的一個精神洗滌空間。
撰文: 吳啟聰(香港建築中心)
City Walker 城巿「步」族 - 第四步
第四步 - 海的呼喚
<續上回> ......終於到了畢打街 (Pedder Street)，這裏可是中環區其中最繁忙的一條街道。娛樂行、怡安華人行、中建大廈… 這些都是有名的辦公室集中地。因此這裏的人很多，節奏也很急，亦可能是基於這個原因，娛樂行與華人行之間的斑馬線格外地長。畢打行屬南向北伸延的街道，所以可以望見海旁。向海的一方很開揚，相比充滿名店的置地廣場更吸引，於是我便向海那邊直走過去。事實上，在這裏走著，很有被流水推著走的感覺; 是人流，是「生活流」。
在環球大廈旁邊，上了扶手電梯。從這裏開始，是連綿不絕、貫通商場大廈的行人條
橋與通道。 雖然距離是遠了一點，可是跟著通道和行人橋向前走的話，是可以一直走到中環碼頭的! 這種「墩座式」的、相連的城巿設計，本來就是為了改善人車爭路的問題，我個人認為效果很好。
橋與通道。 雖然距離是遠了一點，可是跟著通道和行人橋向前走的話，是可以一直走到中環碼頭的! 這種「墩座式」的、相連的城巿設計，本來就是為了改善人車爭路的問題，我個人認為效果很好。
向前走的路隨著離開石屎森林而變得開揚。在到達中環碼頭之前，國際金融中心 (International Finance Centre, aka IFC) 是最後看到的摩天大廈。旁邊還看到中環至灣仔的填海工程在進行得如火如荼，很有些人，當中包括外地遊客，在此拍照
，以見證港島北新舊海岸線的交替變遷...... 〈待續〉
，以見證港島北新舊海岸線的交替變遷...... 〈待續〉星期三, 7月 30, 2008
意大利Cinque Terra 民居 (下)
從佛羅倫斯出發，Riomaggorie 將會是Cinque Terra的首站，粉彩色調的漁村小屋，沿著山涯兩邊而建，貫通全村的小徑，從山頂直達海岸，漁民的小艇就停迫在路邊。在這裡，你不會見到吸引遊人的光管招牌，或售賣紀念品的商店，居民只過著傳統的捕漁告耕種生活，卻吸引到各地的遊客慕名而來。
撰文及攝影: 黃德明(香港建築中心)
撰文及攝影: 黃德明(香港建築中心)
星期二, 7月 29, 2008
City Walker 城巿「步」族 - 第三步
第三步 - 朝拜非凡建築
<續上回>......我已經來到了一個園林的入口; 其實，這個園林很小，就在聖約翰座堂的旁邊，感覺較像是座堂本身的後花園。不得不承認，在高樓林立的石屎森林中碰見這種小花園，開首因為不知通向何處而沒有立刻內進… 卻見人來人往，都是些步伐急促的上班族，於是便跟進去看過究竟。一走進去，滿眼都是植物; 石塊鋪成的小路，迂徊曲折，彌漫著尋幽探秘、 枊暗花明的氣氛。
走著走著，突然看見終審法院，可我這時已被另一非凡的建築物所吸引，無瑕把視線停在終審法院之上。那非凡的建築物，不是別的，正是香港滙豐總行大廈。由著名建築師諾曼.科士打（Norman Foster）設計，樓高大約180米，滙豐總行已經不是甚麼第一高樓。可是相比看圖片，在其下面走過，向上觀望更能感受此建築的氣勢。三十年來歷久不衰，作為地標，滙豐總行大廈是那麼自然地佇立著。像是跟城巿本身融為一體又不失自成一派的風格。
「朝拜」滙豐總行之後，沿著炮台里向下走，到了雪廠街和皇后大道的交界。這裏車多人多，向前看，街道兩旁盡是名店，而我已經到了石屎森林的底部。兩旁的摩天大廈的高度跟街道路的闊度不成正比，因此要「欣賞」建築便要一直抬頭。既然留意車輛，又要避開迎面的途人，還有使街道變得更窄
的報紙檔，險象環生下終於到了畢打街…… 〈待續〉星期一, 7月 28, 2008
意大利 Cinque Terra民居 (上)
意大利跟中國有很多相似之處，就連鄉郊小鎮的名稱亦十分近似。位於意國西北部有五條小漁村，它們沿著海岸排列，由山路小徑相連，沿途都是葡萄園和農莊，行畢全程只需個多小時。這小鎮的名字叫Cinque Terra，意譯作五片土地，跟我們的三水、四邑和五塊田，是否有異曲同工之妙？
撰文及攝影: 黃德明(香港建築中心)
撰文及攝影: 黃德明(香港建築中心)
星期四, 7月 24, 2008
City Walker 城巿「步」族 - 第二步
第二步 - 城巿中的小花園
<續上回> ......眼前看見了再熟識不過的建築物 - 美利大廈 (Murray Building) 。此建築物是政府一些重要部門的總部，由於前些日子常有跟發展局 (Development Bureau) 合作的機會，所以很有些情況進出這棟大廈。如今從香港公園一步出來便看見美利大廈，可知我已從港島中環區的山腰走到了近山腳處。
<續上回> ......眼前看見了再熟識不過的建築物 - 美利大廈 (Murray Building) 。此建築物是政府一些重要部門的總部，由於前些日子常有跟發展局 (Development Bureau) 合作的機會，所以很有些情況進出這棟大廈。如今從香港公園一步出來便看見美利大廈，可知我已從港島中環區的山腰走到了近山腳處。這裏是被稱為「政府山」的地方，沿著花園道旁的，最搶眼的卻是香港聖公會聖約
翰座堂 (St John's Cathedral) 。落成於1849年，聖約翰座堂為香港最古老的歌德式 (Gothic Style) 教會建築物，地權上是全香港唯一可終身保有的不動產 / 土地 (Freehold Land)。走過聖約翰座堂的門前， 即使沒有入內參觀，也為之古典的建築風格而停下來欣賞一番; 亦由於其英式的格調，使我回想起在英國生活時，每每走過告士打大教堂 (Gloucester Cathedral) 時，抬頭仰望的情景。
翰座堂 (St John's Cathedral) 。落成於1849年，聖約翰座堂為香港最古老的歌德式 (Gothic Style) 教會建築物，地權上是全香港唯一可終身保有的不動產 / 土地 (Freehold Land)。走過聖約翰座堂的門前， 即使沒有入內參觀，也為之古典的建築風格而停下來欣賞一番; 亦由於其英式的格調，使我回想起在英國生活時，每每走過告士打大教堂 (Gloucester Cathedral) 時，抬頭仰望的情景。拍了些照片，眼光一轉，我的注意力沒有立時被身邊的高樓大廈所吸引，反而集中在一個很特別的細部之上。
那像是半條橋，但沒有連接兩端。只有一端是連接著花旗銀行大廈 (Citibank Tower)。從大廈的低層伸延出來，我更覺得那像是一個瘦長的露台; 於向街的一端，放著一盤植物，不起眼卻十分特別。正當我在思考這特色設計的原意為何之時，我已經來到了一個園林的入口…… <待續>
那像是半條橋，但沒有連接兩端。只有一端是連接著花旗銀行大廈 (Citibank Tower)。從大廈的低層伸延出來，我更覺得那像是一個瘦長的露台; 於向街的一端，放著一盤植物，不起眼卻十分特別。正當我在思考這特色設計的原意為何之時，我已經來到了一個園林的入口…… <待續>星期三, 7月 23, 2008
Praca do Giraldo (吉拉朵廣場)
位於葡萄牙南部的艾芙拉，以摩爾古城牆和古羅馬水道橋聞名，早在一九八六年已被列為世界文化遺產。
吉拉朵廣場是艾芙拉最具人氣的大廣場。每逢假日，居民都會到廣場漫步聊天，閒話家常，而四層高的居民建築群，高低交錯，為露天咖啡座和街頭表演構成一個富有獨特個性的背景。
撰文及攝影: 黃德明(香港建築中心)
星期二, 7月 22, 2008
City Walker 城巿「步」族 - 第一步
第一步 - 從特首辦出發
那天是一月十三日，星期天。一大清早起床，翻著報紙，在這種情形下開始的週日，再普通沒有。漫不經心地翻過一頁頁的新聞，看到有關前特首辦開放公眾人仕參觀，只限今天。心想既然閒來無事，去看看也無妨。
由於事前沒有準備，也沒有結伴，所以單身自在，十時許出發，中午前便到達了位於中環堅尼地道二十八號的前特區首長辦工室。前特首辦並不大，慢慢地欣賞這幢建築物也花不了多久。 大約二時三十分左右，我便打道回府了。
傳說有唐三藏從東方出發前往西方取經；史書有著哥倫布四次橫渡大西洋的記載； 十年前則有「電波少年」橫越非歐大陸的創舉。跟這些「大長征」相比，我所走過的路，短得不得了。可是，如果跟一般人行山遠足相比之下，我的經歷，也可算得上是九分特別… 對，是九分，不是十分，剩下的那一分，在看過我的敘述後，再加進去也不遲。
那天是一月十三日，星期天。一大清早起床，翻著報紙，在這種情形下開始的週日，再普通沒有。漫不經心地翻過一頁頁的新聞，看到有關前特首辦開放公眾人仕參觀，只限今天。心想既然閒來無事，去看看也無妨。
由於事前沒有準備，也沒有結伴，所以單身自在，十時許出發，中午前便到達了位於中環堅尼地道二十八號的前特區首長辦工室。前特首辦並不大，慢慢地欣賞這幢建築物也花不了多久。 大約二時三十分左右，我便打道回府了。一月天，天氣好得不得了，又涼快。離開前特首辦之後，沒有乘搭交通工具，卻走到對街的香港公園。沿著香港視覺藝術中心旁邊的梯級往下走,路人很少、環境很清幽，只有從遠方傳來小孩子們的玩樂聲，實在難以想像自己竟身在香港。心情很輕鬆，正在享受此情此刻的同時，我卻已走出了寧靜的國度，眼前看見了再熟識不過的建築物…… <待續>
星期一, 7月 21, 2008
Hanssan II Mosque (哈辛二世清真寺), Michel Pinseau
假如沒有哈辛二世清真寺，摩洛哥名城 Casablanca 對遊客的吸引存可能大減。該寺建於一九九三年，是全球第二大清真寺 (僅次於聖城麥加)。整項工程動用六千名傳統工匠，花上五年多時間和四百八十億港元去完成，用料如設備都極為講究，當中包括不少高科技元素，有可以自動開關的屋頂、具有加熱功能的大理石地板和可自動升降的水晶吊燈。可惜寺內足以容納千人同共浴的土耳其大浴場，自九八年至今還未曾開放過給信眾使用。
撰文及攝影: 黃德明(香港建築中心)
星期三, 7月 16, 2008
Torre de Belém 貝倫塔
貝倫塔(Torre de Belém) 是葡萄牙首都里斯本其中一個重要的地標。佔地面積差不多有三個籃球場那麼大，只能容納百多名遊客，但因為其獨特外形和具有摩爾(Moorish) 和曼奴埃爾式(Manueline) 的建築風格，使它成為遊客必到的景點。象徵著昔日葡萄牙航海成就的貝倫塔，亦受到城市發展所威脅。原本建在港口中央的塔樓，亦因為不斷的填海工程最終被合併成為海岸淺的一部分。
撰文及攝影: 黃德明(香港建築中心)
星期日, 7月 13, 2008
星期四, 7月 10, 2008
葡萄牙 Alfama 民居
跟Baixa 和 Chiado 區相比，艾花瑪(Alfama) 區給人的整體感覺比較平實，商業味淡一點。在街上流連更能夠體會到葡萄牙人不拘小節的生活閒情。在旅館陽台前曬床單，屋前擺賣從港口運來的漁獲和蔬果，街角的百年傳統食店和Fado民謠歌廳，都會令遊客對里斯本市留下更深刻的印象。
撰文及攝影: 黃德明(香港建築中心)
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