tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36449662011-08-02T10:51:52.096-07:00Joenoreply@blogger.comBlogger1831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-66274898916808404732010-06-26T12:17:00.000-07:002010-06-26T12:43:34.757-07:00

October 2009-June 2010Random photos going back in time..Cherry blossoms in High Park..Curling with the small group.Interesting light effects in the office..Wine tasting at Niagara-on-the-Lake.Cottage Retreat..Skiing at Osler Bluff with KPMB.New Year's Eve at Times Square..9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon..

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-55494787871111495142009-09-03T09:06:00.000-07:002009-09-03T09:19:50.794-07:00

Dad in the 1960s in Vancouver..

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-24094241262953113702009-09-03T08:31:00.000-07:002009-09-03T08:41:43.734-07:00

These are photos from the early 70s, when my dad was working for various design firms..My dad's office in Edmonton, with me and my sister playing around..Dad was an AutoCAD pioneer.. this is from 1984..

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-45031340739608669412009-08-28T16:56:00.000-07:002009-08-28T18:06:46.747-07:00

James Kan 1946-2009This summer saw the loss of many familiar ones, including Michael Jackson and Edward Kennedy. But I am mourning the loss of one much closer to home- my dad, James Kan. Obituary and photos below.___My dad passed away on the morning of August 27, 2009. For four months, he was bravely battling a rare and aggressive form of bladder cancer. My mother, my sister and her husband, and

Joenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-72069678652635651052009-07-16T20:21:00.001-07:002009-07-16T20:44:19.597-07:00

Where in the world am I? I haven't posted in several months. The past few months have been chaotic because of a family crisis. Also, having blogspot blocked in China didn't help. Within the last nine weeks, I have flown between Beijing and Toronto 3 times, or 31,839 km. In June, I left China for good, to be with my family in Toronto during a very uncertain time. Two weeks ago, I went to Montreal

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-58107262689617432022009-03-27T21:09:00.000-07:002009-03-27T21:57:47.604-07:00

I just moved into a new place in Lido, a neighborhood just outside the 4th ring road where many foreigners live. The apartment looks a bit extravagant with the classical detailing, but actually, the rent is nearly the same as my old ratty apartment in Dongzhimen. Also, all the modern conveniences are just downstairs- including two excellent bakeries, a Tex-mex restaurant, a Starbucks, an expat

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-26364848532192490232009-03-14T02:47:00.000-07:002009-03-14T02:50:30.633-07:00

Two videos somewhat related to each other.Chick Throws Embarrassing Tantrum Over Soup - Watch more Funny VideosWoman Loses Her Mind at the Airport - Watch more Funny Videos

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-26867233246203366592009-02-22T04:43:00.000-08:002009-02-22T16:59:52.604-08:00

For decades, urbanists have advocated for moving back downtown. Now, it's not simply a matter of lifestyle choice, or philosophy. It is starting to happen on a macro-scale, as a result of the economic downturn and of systemic changes in our social and economic geography. Richard Florida of the Atlantic writes about this phenomenon :Suburbanization—and the sprawling growth it propelled—made sense

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-84633597591987990632009-02-13T19:36:00.000-08:002009-02-15T07:20:35.493-08:00

Tangshan Museum of UrbanismI worked on this project back in the spring of 2007, and within 18 months, it is completed. Amazing photos from URBANUS.

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-16720364719485902252009-02-09T08:50:00.000-08:002009-02-09T08:58:44.979-08:00

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-75952169914347826782009-02-09T08:32:00.001-08:002009-02-09T10:06:44.249-08:00

TVCC building in flamesRight now, on the last day of the Lunar Festival, Rem Koolhaas' TVCC hotel building is engulfed in flames. I wasn't able to get to the other side, but it is quite a dramatic scene right now in the CBD, with the 3rd ring closed to traffic, and the entire western facade is destroyed. Columns of troops were marching down the street, and spectators were told to move away from

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-76199693088935163502009-02-08T08:47:00.000-08:002009-02-08T08:57:35.703-08:00

A very interesting article in the WSJ about what it says about society when it accepts fake over real, simulated over real- most evidently shown in the past month from Yo Yo Ma's inauguration cello that produced no sound, to the lip-syncing Jennifer Hudson at the SuperBowl. "The performers, you see, care too much about their art to risk presenting something substandard. But what is art without

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-78396690104254843942009-02-06T17:43:00.000-08:002009-02-06T17:45:33.074-08:00

Google Books might just be the next big thing. Imagine no longer having to go to the library.. every book ever made is within your grasp, or for a small fee you can access periodicals and special collections. Here is one book that you can read for free online- Ruskin's Seven Lamps of Architecture:

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-28434022424387507882009-01-27T08:26:00.001-08:002009-01-27T08:33:17.137-08:00

Longqing GorgeJust north of the Badaling Great Wall is Longqing Gorge. During this time of year, there is the Festival of Snow and Ice, which transforms the gorge into a light and color wonder world.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-42850466682425002532009-01-27T08:20:00.001-08:002009-01-27T08:26:19.427-08:00

Chinese New Year 2009- Confucious TempleHoards of people and jammed traffic made it nearly impossible to go to Ditan Park today. So we went to a much quieter temple instead.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-7432031770569485842009-01-27T08:03:00.000-08:002009-01-27T08:08:04.257-08:00

More fireworks photos

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-69968511947697417512009-01-25T20:12:00.000-08:002009-01-25T21:33:19.649-08:00

Happy Niu Year!Went on the rooftop of Calvin's place in Fulicheng (just south of the CBD) to watch a panoramic view of the New Year fireworks. This is how crazy it is.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-33246529183022138892009-01-25T19:19:00.000-08:002009-01-25T20:22:00.199-08:00

Skiing at NanshanOut in the arid brown mountains north of Beijing is a artificial-snow ski resort. It's not Whistler, but it satisfies the ski craving. Never saw so many Chinese people skiing before. Lots of French too. I went with a bunch of SHA colleagues there last week to go snowboarding and drink lots of pi jiu.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-45663936165078527092009-01-04T07:40:00.000-08:002009-01-04T08:03:11.628-08:00

TorontoGehry's new Ontario Art Gallery.Ivs posing for scale.A brilliant staircase!The serpentine ramp at the front entrance is an understated masterpiece.The new ROM.The new Four Seasons Opera House. Although very conventional, it does manage to create interesting moments where theatrical display and public promenade coalesce.Korean buffet!

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-45661493825976831862009-01-03T04:18:00.000-08:002009-01-04T08:10:09.444-08:00

Montreal View from the plane. Notice the downtown core shrouded in haze, hugging the base of the mountain, called Mont Royal (hence, Montreal).An interesting layering of urban patterns. St. Joseph's Oratory is the dome on the left.Nothing beats a bowl of pho. St. Viateur, where they make melt-in-your-mouth bagels.Lebanese cuisine is amazing. This is the schwarma.At Steak-Frites with old friends.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-32809509100554156672009-01-03T02:06:00.000-08:002009-01-04T08:13:35.615-08:00

New Year's 2009 at a straw-bale cottage in Morin Heights.Relaxing at an outdoor spa.The Canadian landscape.Chad having an intense conversation with Pastor Dave.Charmaine and Janelle.With Pastor Dave's family and Tyson and Eliane.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-86873724246309048282008-12-27T08:40:00.000-08:002008-12-27T08:42:24.338-08:00

Very good article by Thomas Friedman about how America has turned into G.M.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-10405463709760149952008-12-26T03:47:00.000-08:002008-12-26T04:00:12.045-08:00

SHA Christmas party.We had our annual christmas party this year at the Linked Hybrid. 200 people attended, with lots of food and flowing wine within the cool, darkly lit belly of the sales office, which afforded amazing views of the project. We projected images of our work onto the sloping aluminum facade of the cinema outside, which really made it a truly magical experience.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-10549963458590641692008-12-11T20:34:00.000-08:002008-12-11T20:35:40.039-08:00

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-69638968934206774282008-11-30T16:39:00.000-08:002008-11-30T16:42:27.190-08:00

Nick Vujicic speaks at BICFA man with no arms or legs spoke this Sunday. An amazing testament of overcoming great barriers.

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-84013195560565340992008-11-28T05:23:00.001-08:002008-11-28T05:25:32.334-08:00

The New El Croquis is out!I worked on one project in the book- the Nanjing Museum of Art and Architecture, due to be completed this winter.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-49070681859918767342008-11-09T04:03:00.000-08:002008-11-09T04:29:44.988-08:00

Oct 12, 2008: Diana Krall Concert in Beijing.Canadian jazz singer came to Beijing on Canadian Thanksgiving and dazzled the (mostly Chinese) crowd with a fantastic concert. She played all the familiars- "The Look of Love", "Dream a Little Dream of Me", "P.S. I Love You.", and "S'Wonderful.  It was a perfect Sunday evening- listening to a quartet invent rhythms both melancholy and playful.  Krall

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-11975389941572409322008-10-24T18:50:00.000-07:002008-10-24T20:21:21.098-07:00

A birthday party of 40.Steve, Elle and I celebrated our birthday (Oct 6) with 40 of our friends at IKEA. It was a crazy idea, but surprisingly, none of the IKEA staff minded.

Joenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-83880799358194305492008-10-23T23:17:00.000-07:002008-10-23T23:21:33.229-07:00

Chuandixia: October 19, 2008Went back to this 700 year old Ming dynasty village, with a lost city on the top of the mountain, a large cave, and a breath-taking gorge.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-62080496969659858252008-10-23T22:50:00.000-07:002008-10-23T23:15:17.720-07:00

Jiankou: September 27, 2008.Organized a trip out to Jiankou with the Chengdu team from SHA. It was a perfect trip: the weather was excellent, the hiking was amazing, and everybody had a great time.(Photos by Lan Wu and Sarah Nichols)Scale map.View from the roof.Jamming (our tired driver in the back).Roberto on his iPhone, probably texting the client.Contemplating the panorama with Lan's nephew.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-58381654882981171282008-10-21T17:34:00.000-07:002008-10-21T17:44:22.456-07:00

Joe Kan predicts Obama will win by 15 points.With two weeks to go, I have concluded that Obama will not only win the election, but he will win it in a landslide. Several factors over the past few weeks that make me believe this. First- the conversation has changed from one of negativity to one of "reality check". Obama clearly benefited from the debates, especially after revelations that "Joe the

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-88101922487373338622008-10-05T02:55:00.000-07:002008-10-05T03:00:14.600-07:00

Jiankou-Mutianyu, Oct 2-3, 2008

Joenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-89735859233503870212008-09-29T06:39:00.000-07:002008-09-29T06:58:55.970-07:00

Slowdown in the economy..So.. what do architects do when lucrative construction contracts evaporate during this world-wide financial crisis (ie. recession)? Here are some things I'm thinking about.1. Start writing haiku.2. Do other kinds of art.. like glass-blowing.3. Do more competitions.4. Move on to the next Olympic city... London!5. Become an entrepreneur.. and start a Mexican restaurant

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-73018696978534763622008-09-27T07:15:00.000-07:002008-09-27T07:18:24.010-07:00

Palin.. again..Well, the sad truth is here. She's just not ready. Kathleen Parker, of the National Review, says it better than me.Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin,

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-70835528851540993292008-09-25T17:22:00.001-07:002008-09-25T17:51:57.970-07:00

Just read an angry essay by Margaret Atwood today in the Globe and Mail criticizing Harper's recent comments about the arts. See her essay here. Seems like Harper isn't so keen about funding the arts, because he says that ordinary people don't seem to care for it. It would be very unfortunate if his cutbacks to the arts and culture continue. In Canada, the arts (literature, film making, music,

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-51993084471793321752008-09-25T06:41:00.000-07:002008-09-25T07:04:36.146-07:00

Give the banks a break.All this talk about the need to punish Wall Street for its mistakes.. is misguided. The i-banker isn't to blame. Sure.. he makes a six figure salary to simply move money around. Sure.. he travels the world in his private jet. But.. the real culprit, I think, is the system that fools us into thinking that there are guaranteed returns on our investments. That makes everyone

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-64165854363635861512008-09-22T17:54:00.000-07:002008-09-22T18:00:57.659-07:00

Toxic Dairy Products, Toxic Yoghurt, and now.. Toxic White Rabbit Candy!The dairy crisis in China has never been worse, and today, I read in the Straits Times that the popular White Rabbit Candy was found to have traces of melamine, the toxic industrial chemical blamed for sickening 53,000 children in China. I predict a real collapse of the dairy industry here. I've stopped buying milk products

Joenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-24450478405884590552008-09-21T06:30:00.000-07:002008-09-21T06:44:00.153-07:00

Beijing's pollution problemsAt the beginning of the Olympics, the media was criticizing the government about the thick smog that was hovering over the city. I remember talking to my roommate, Kiel, and we made this analogy: China is like this big awkward kid with an odour problem that has always been picked on over the years. But now (during the Olympics), the big kid finally gets his chance at

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-25644335429198279542008-09-20T08:58:00.000-07:002008-09-20T09:09:36.439-07:00

Is Facebook on it's way down?I don't really use Facebook very much anymore. Why? It's kind of become a little unwieldly- with all the advertisements, the applications, all these new features, etc. And as people's friends lists get longer, we just don't have the time to keep track of everyone. I don't need to see the news feed about everybody I know and everything they did. The only real useful

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-57632930261389660122008-09-18T08:46:00.000-07:002008-09-18T09:00:49.320-07:00

Microsoft's strange new ad campaign..Just watched a 5 min advertisement on the Microsoft site. Looks like they are trying to re-spin their image, which was so successfully trampled upon by Apple. But it is weird to watch two of the most famous people in the world  (Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates) do ordinary things, like buying shoes, fighting over a plastic giraffe, and having dinner with a

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-11922852156712717242008-09-16T17:17:00.000-07:002008-09-16T17:24:03.240-07:00

“Our beds are empty two-thirds of the time.Our living rooms are empty seven-eighths of the time.Our office buildings are empty one-half of the time.It’s time we gave this some thought.”R. Buckminster Fuller

Joenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-61725700090083217852008-09-15T08:01:00.000-07:002008-09-15T08:08:54.684-07:00

CuandixiaLast Saturday, I went to Cuandixia- a Ming-dynasty village 90 km west of Beijing. A great place to escape the city to a different world.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-36611953851488109642008-09-12T06:37:00.000-07:002008-09-12T06:42:30.203-07:00

Just downloaded iTunes 8.. what an update! New visualizer, new ways to view music, and even an automated DJ called "Genius". Perhaps no surprise that there's also a new sidebar where it makes it even easier to buy music..

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-84040298960238183902008-09-11T08:24:00.000-07:002008-09-11T08:28:04.403-07:00

My parents participated in a travelling church choir in Edmonton, conducted by CK Yeung.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-24755831272950660562008-09-09T23:22:00.000-07:002008-09-09T23:23:39.000-07:00

Pandas!!Hand-reared in Chengdu.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-2677701106248483032008-09-08T19:09:00.001-07:002008-09-08T19:18:44.612-07:00

See my firm's Beijing project in the NYT. Here and also here. Also has good mention of Urbanus, a firm I worked for last year. Urbanus is drawing more publicity than ever before.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-11450747809476233192008-09-08T17:43:00.000-07:002008-09-08T18:16:32.297-07:00

Spinning wheelsThis past weekend, while I was at the gym, I watched an interesting sport on TV- wheelchair basketball. It was actually quite exciting! It's nothing like the basketball we know..  the athletics and strategies are totally different. But it's fast paced, it's full of drama, and actually hitting the hoop from the sitting position is actually a really difficult thing to do... as noted

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-62905135415158475542008-09-07T05:21:00.000-07:002008-09-07T05:44:49.208-07:00

Googlization of the world and vetting.At the 10 year anniversary of the incorporation of Google, Rob Dubbin writes a hilarious piece about how he tried to survive without Google for 24 hours. Also, with the lack of a TV in my apartment here in Beijing, I have been spending whole evenings watching diavlogs on bloggingheads.tv. It is basically like Crossfire, but free of advertising and much more

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-65985984359832317112008-09-05T09:10:00.000-07:002008-09-05T09:47:53.024-07:00

Americans who just don't see eye-to-eye on things.Just watched a fascinating diavlog Robert Wright and Hugh Hewitt on everything from Russian aggression in South Ossetia, to the Beijing Olympics being good/bad for the world, to the anti-American-exceptionalism of Obama. I'm see now why McCain is using the "Country First" slogan because the Republicans are pushing the line that Obama is

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-12157504548426076642008-09-02T07:43:00.000-07:002008-09-02T07:49:31.375-07:00

September 2September is the best month to experience Beijing, when the breezes take away the smog and the temperatures are mild. The view out my bedroom window as the sun sets:

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-57883127009574572532008-08-31T03:31:00.001-07:002008-08-31T04:13:53.805-07:00

August 31, 2008: On the eve of Hurricane Gustav Some fearful memories come to mind as Mississippi and Louisiana brace for a storm that is forecasted to bear down on their coastlines in the next few hours. Same trajectory as Katrina, about the same size..  I am reminded of my experiences there just two years ago when I saw the kind of devastation that these storms can wreak. I question now

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-33921947334032359692008-08-30T19:17:00.000-07:002008-08-30T19:21:57.545-07:00

August 31: The skies have never been bluer in Beijing. This is the view outside my window at 10:30am.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-24211731415797957162008-08-29T18:32:00.000-07:002008-08-29T19:24:09.061-07:00

McCain-PalinI think by choosing Palin as his running mate, John McCain may have certainly gone from sure loser back to wild card in this race. He has a chance to win if he is able to capture the female and evangelical vote. It would be unfortunate, though, if another president is chosen by an a voting bloc that is obsessed with the same few key issues and the need for a "someone-like-me"

Joenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-16040647013064815712008-08-27T08:10:00.000-07:002008-08-27T08:43:44.101-07:00

August 27, 2008: Olympic Women's Handball Finals/ NBC's Today ShowHere are some photos from last Saturday.At the National Indoor Stadium: Korea won its bronze medal match in women's handball against the Hungarians, and Norway won decisively against the Russians.On the Olympic Green: Already, people are excited about London.The Today Show taped in the evenings every day during the Olympics. Got a

Joenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-10181234483464681872008-08-20T07:20:00.000-07:002008-08-20T07:46:51.167-07:00

August 20, 2008: Summer Palace/ an afternoon with Richard Pound.There was a McGill Alumni event today with Richard Pound speaking about the state of the Olympics today, and the vision for McGill University. Mr. Pound is the Chancellor of McGill, as well as vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He praised China for cracking down on doping and making progress on the pollution

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-24451626833333294082008-08-19T10:49:00.000-07:002008-08-19T11:25:57.377-07:00

August 20, 2008: Olympic Track and Field FinalsSome panoramas during the day and night. The Olympic Green is a large yet sterile public plaza, with only a few corporate pavilions that I could see.Inside the Bird's Nest.Women's 5000m heats.Volunteers come out in full force.The Olympic flame.This is the first time I've ever seen public drinking water in BJ.Usain Bolt taking his position in the 200m

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-76321401504020161242008-08-18T08:32:00.000-07:002008-08-18T08:48:07.405-07:00

Sunday, August 17: Carl Lewis, and trip to the Alps Today, BICF had a special event with ex-Olympic athletes giving their testimonies. Carl Lewis headlined the event: With an ex-Harlem GlobetrotterAfternoon at 798.. going the Swiss House, open just for the OlympicsDaniel P. dancing away.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-87519062591860889852008-08-16T10:26:00.000-07:002008-08-16T11:02:50.447-07:00

August 16, 2008: Olympics Women's Weightlifting +75KgAttended my first ever Olympics event, women's weightlifting finals held at the BUAA Gymnasium out in Hadian. Miran Jang of Korea wins gold with a world record performance. She was in a class of her own, with everyone else more than 50kg below her.Korean fans outside posing.Inside the gym.The press center.The Olympics theme: One World. One

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-35298417531074546012008-08-08T18:35:00.001-07:002008-08-08T18:42:55.482-07:00

August 9, 2008Last night I hopped from a small-group event out in Sihui, where we watched the Olympic ceremonies on a big screen TV in an apartment, to Houhai, where a hundred people gathered on a rooftop with a gigantic screen, lots of food, chanting "zhong guo jia you!" as the Chinese team came out at last, and fireworks exploded in the distance. The opening ceremonies have been hailed with

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-8763174756121408622008-08-08T10:54:00.000-07:002008-08-08T11:02:09.264-07:00

August 8, 2008All the streets are decorated.The sun is still just a small circle in the sky.Unusually quiet streets just hours before the opening ceremonies.At a Houhai rooftop taking in the ceremonies with 50 others.Fireworks after..

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-20748096518652906552008-08-03T23:07:00.000-07:002008-08-03T23:11:18.175-07:00

August 4, 2008: 4 days to go.The air is back to hazy brown today.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-2683912032729794902008-08-01T21:55:00.000-07:002008-08-01T22:20:05.428-07:00

In Ningbo with Li Hu and Steven HollAt the site..Visiting one of Ma Qingyun's projects.Ma's Museum.Zen Buddhist Temple near the hotel..Steven tries out a monk's robe..Beijing: final touchesAt the Pecha Kucha about Green designSantilun Village opens with a hovering Apple storeAlthough half the cars are off the road because of the odd-even license plate restrictions, one lane of traffic on each

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-38924885310414250392008-07-14T08:16:00.000-07:002008-07-14T08:32:05.963-07:00

24 days to goWith less than 24 days to go before the Olympics, it will be a good chance to rev-up the blog. In the meantime, if you want to catch up on what's been happening in Beijing, check out James Farrow's blog. He's a columnist for the Atlantic and his blog answers a lot of questions about the security crackdown, air quality, and general Olympic issues. 

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-8299580568545287352008-06-27T21:57:00.000-07:002008-06-27T22:20:48.681-07:00

June 19-20:Naoshima and TokyoI stayed in more affordable housing: Mongolian pao tents.SANAA's building from the boat.Time lapse of Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-31596996592065960372008-06-26T08:12:00.000-07:002008-06-26T08:22:20.540-07:00

June 18: Naoshima IslandSejima's new Tourist Center at the port.Ando's Benesse House- museum/hotelPanorama of the view from Benesse House

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-31093068209937339412008-06-23T06:54:00.000-07:002008-06-23T07:21:44.912-07:00

June 17: KyotoAt Katsura Imperial Palace, southwest Kyoto. Teahouses and villas around a lake which influenced German architect Bruno Taut.Famous checkerboard wallcovering.Golden PavilionRyoan-ji- the most important rock garden in the world.Inside the many noisy game rooms in Kyoto.

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-11339829872712289632008-06-16T05:45:00.000-07:002008-06-16T06:01:42.125-07:00

June 16: KyotoKiyomizu-DeraNear Nanzen-jiAnother glimpse of a geisha..

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-55986109758427808702008-06-15T05:55:00.000-07:002008-06-15T06:18:22.979-07:00

June 15: Osaka and KyotoAndo's Church of the Light in Ibariki. A United Church of about 75 members.They also have a meal after service.In KyotoAn astounding acapella group sings beside the subway.Spotted two geisha on their way to entertain guests.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-5157240405671745752008-06-14T06:12:00.000-07:002008-06-14T06:33:45.484-07:00

Tokyo: June 13-14Atop the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. Beautiful views of Tokyo.Ando museum in Tokyo Midtown. Great Issey Miyake exhibition.H&deM Prada.. 5 years old and still looking sharp.Ito's Todd's building.Piano's Hermes glass block building.Sejima's Dior building..The famous camera store.. good lenses still cost a fortune.Tokyo Shinkansen station. On my way to Osaka.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-7983236749232329592008-06-08T09:27:00.001-07:002008-06-08T09:33:20.727-07:00

Random photos from the past few months:My cousin's 4 year old son:Chinese New Year in Shanghai:Parents sledding down from Mutianyu Great WallCCTV building in MayThe interior of the EggBird's Nest up closeInside the NestTrack and Field Finals at the NestNight shot

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-10235030670510689232008-05-30T19:40:00.000-07:002008-05-30T19:41:58.737-07:00

Interview on the Web!Cedric Sam posted an interview with me on life in Edmonton and Beijing.. Here is the link.

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-4763283187555884802008-03-09T07:43:00.001-07:002008-03-09T07:49:55.250-07:00

Accidental Museums (article for Urbane February 2008 edition, edited by Alex Pasternack) If the center of Beijing is defined by a dense network of delightful old alleyway housing, the periphery is replete with new residential compounds. The very worst of these projects (and there are frankly too many of them out there) work with a basic economic concept. Design a single tower to maximize units.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-84315676414421942392008-01-18T05:56:00.000-08:002008-01-18T07:17:00.482-08:00

Photographic Summary of a Crazy MonthCarolling at the orphanage (December 15, 2007)Jasper visits (December 22, 2007)Li Hu's Urban Void project for Biennale New Year's Eve Celebration at BICF (December 31, 2007)Dinner with Family in Hong Kong (January 4, 2008)Special presentation at DyAnn's house (January 12, 2008)Happy Hour at SHA (January 18, 2007)

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-80740377432535494752007-12-15T08:49:00.000-08:002007-12-15T08:52:33.335-08:00

Top Ten Lists..I'm not such a big fan of Top Ten lists, but it's a little exciting to see SHA landing at number #1 and #8 for Time Magazine's World's Best Architectural Marvels.

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-80936058050445541162007-12-04T16:48:00.001-08:002007-12-04T16:56:40.220-08:00

Great Wall @ MutianyuWilbur and Carole, friends from MontrealThe wall.They were filming an Olympic promotion video there..Carole's uncle from France.Carole's cousin, from Belgium, takes medium-format film.Had lunch afterwards at a Canadian-run homemade noodle restaurant.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-7600298791063877942007-12-01T07:57:00.000-08:002007-12-01T08:05:06.601-08:00

Read at my travel article in the latest issue of tbjhome, under "Features". I've clipped the text below: West Coast Flavor: A guide to the world's most livable city Imagine a bustling city known for its unique Asian flavor, experiencing an unprecedented building boom, and gearing up for one of the most ambitious Olympic Games ever. Sound familiar? However, if you were thinking Beijing,

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-70332034099056161272007-11-27T06:24:00.000-08:002007-11-27T06:42:54.768-08:00

CelebrationYesterday, a ceremony at Linked Hybrid marked the final bridge being lifted up into place.The project site.. notice the bridges linking each building.Balloons and ConfettiSpeechesLi Hu, partner at Steven Holl ArchitectsCEO of MOMAConstruction Site

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-12604993819146057502007-11-19T06:58:00.001-08:002007-11-19T07:08:57.224-08:00

Photos of the DayRight across the road from the SHA studio is a polluted canal.The Moma residential towers, where the office is located.The front entrance... it was actually meant to be for ground-level condos.Inside the office (there are actually many more rooms).

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-71344187661840447092007-11-14T07:34:00.000-08:002007-11-14T07:49:47.607-08:00

The Value of ThingsRecently, I've been interested in the monetary value of things. What makes one car worth $200,000, while another only $20,000? What drives the real estate market? What is the value of the shirt that you're wearing? Why does a stock price soar and drop? I am no economist, but I feel that monetary value is artificial- although it can be influenced by market forces, it is

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-91487937210271302282007-11-12T07:32:00.000-08:002007-11-12T08:34:34.179-08:00

First Day at Steven Holl ArchitectsToday was my first day at SHA. And it was, perhaps, the first time I realized that I was working in an extraordinary environment- where architecture was not copied or emulated but, in fact, invented. One of the partners- Chris McVoy- flew in from New York, and gave a lecture during lunch. A lecture! He talked about the philosophy at SHA- about idea and phenomena

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-55020631598612692322007-11-11T16:12:00.000-08:002007-11-11T16:28:38.079-08:00

Plumbing TheologyThis Sunday at the BICF (an international church in Beijing), there was a great sermon by a Colorado Springs pastor who spoke on "plumbing theology." What he meant was that there are two kinds of Christians. Those who are "buckets" and those who are "pipes". Those who are buckets are those who just want to get filled each week. The gospel doesn't transform their lives, and

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-65923058662129626512007-11-08T21:12:00.000-08:002007-11-08T21:55:26.321-08:00

Gehry's Flawed DesignLots of talk this week about the MIT lawsuit against Frank Gehry. Apparently, the university has spent $1.5 million towards problems like drainage and cracking at the recently completed $300 million Stata Center. Some of the online articles don't tell the whole story. According to the former director of planning at MIT, the problems were not just due to a poor detailing, but

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-74514447959860038842007-11-07T01:42:00.000-08:002007-11-07T02:00:59.151-08:00

Today, the API index for air pollution in Beijing reached 253. For most cities, 100 is already considered very serious.___Interesting online MoMa exhibition of Richard Serra's work.

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-49879710806324115522007-10-29T08:41:00.000-07:002007-10-29T08:42:51.366-07:00

Global Warming Tip: Did you know that...Every dryer machine load uses roughly 5000 Watts and 50 cents?Start hanging your clothes.

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-16107443163220686642007-10-26T22:31:00.000-07:002007-10-26T23:02:19.810-07:00

Just reading up on some old material. From Koolhaas' Greap Leap Forward back in 2001:"Chinese architect: the most important, influential, and powerful architect on earth. The average lifetime construction volume of the Chinese Architect in housing alone is approximately three dozen thirty-story high rise buildings. The Chinese Architect designs the largest volume, in the shortest time, for the

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-31533856514182199682007-10-25T22:42:00.000-07:002007-10-26T02:15:48.083-07:00

I just accepted a job offer from Steven Holl Architects!Steven Holl's architecture tends to be whimsical and playful, using odd juxtapositions, strange forms, and new materials. He has been practicing for probably 25 years now, and recently he has forayed into China. His projects here seem to all be very large in scale, but the intellectual and poetic density of his earlier work still exists. His

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-81153588997374255062007-10-21T19:00:00.000-07:002007-10-21T21:00:38.777-07:00

Herzog and De Meuron unveiled a design for the old Police Station in HK. If you're asking where's the project in this photo, I'm thinking the same thing.______Architecture as casino/ eco-architecture.My boss gave me the day off today after I worked the whole weekend. The project has been dragging on well past the contract, and this deadline was a final push to satisfy the client.The office

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-70420594961282767862007-10-15T18:23:00.000-07:002007-10-15T22:43:30.943-07:00

The swindle?In response to my post about Al Gore, Lat wrote:Ever see "the great global warming swindle"? I personally think that human contribution to global climate change is minimal at best, but we still have a huge environmental responsibility regardless, and there are plenty of other reasons to change habits for the sake of the environment.There is a small but dedicated group of people,

Joenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-47723624888676916762007-10-14T08:04:00.000-07:002007-10-14T09:38:45.143-07:00

Shenzhen BiennaleThis Saturday, Urbanus hosted a little shindig for some young architects participating at the HK/Shenzhen Biennale, coming up in January. It is a fantastic group of people, from Ma Yansong to Liang Jingyu. Although I cannot reveal specific ideas, I was intrigued by a comment that Laurence Liauw made about the current relationship between architecture and planning in Hong Kong.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-32555050659403142802007-10-12T09:56:00.000-07:002007-10-12T10:48:30.982-07:00

Climate ChangeAl Gore is making headlines today by winning the Nobel Peace Prize. What an amazing story for a man who lost the presidency to Bush by 500 votes. It is encouraging to know the truth behind the teaching "the last become first, and the first become last."But what I'd really like know is- so what have YOU done since seeing last year's An Inconvenient Truth? Most likely, you're one of

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-67188690445476033422007-10-02T18:32:00.000-07:002007-10-21T21:09:10.772-07:00

This is my latest tbj article, with edits, featured here:Adult PlaygroundsAt the park inside my apartment complex, there is a playground filled with multi-colored tubular contraptions. Every time I walk past these rather bizarre constructions, I can't help but notice elderly men and women scratching their legs and their backs against them. At almost any hour of the day, there seems to always be a

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-44370110183300243452007-10-02T02:57:00.000-07:002007-10-02T03:02:51.752-07:00

National Day HolidayThe whole country went on vacation this week to celebrate the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-73864028005104710522007-09-19T15:28:00.000-07:002007-09-19T15:39:46.098-07:00

More Edmonton PhotosChase, our family dog.View out Jocelyn's window.Downtown Edmonton.My favorite Chinese restaurant (situated in a seedy part of town).West Edmonton Mall.Galaxyland inside the Mall.Gabe.Uncle CK.Roger, who gave a great wedding sermon.Edmonton Chinese Alliance Church.At the rehearsal dinner.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-2461398768788738872007-09-18T12:59:00.000-07:002007-09-18T13:20:13.306-07:00

Wii WeddingMy sister and Tim are now happily married!Basically, they reinvented the wedding. Like, what if we could do just modern worship music during the ceremony? And what if Tim suddenly took out a camera after the kiss at the ceremony, and took a photo of themselves? What if we didn't have a wedding car? What if, instead of a first dance, we would play Wii tennis in front of 215 people? What

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-23054108499750782392007-09-09T22:58:00.000-07:002007-09-09T23:09:58.602-07:00

One Week in Vancouver

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-49377115304091064162007-09-01T06:08:00.000-07:002007-09-01T06:18:30.497-07:00

CCTVThe CCTV tower is already a major presence along the 3rd ring road. Looks to me like the structure for the two towers is almost finished. Notice the gigantic steel framing at the top, possibly to take the shear for the cantilever. The effect of the skew is strange and fascinating, especially from a distance.

Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-56808949865906035872007-08-24T07:25:00.000-07:002007-08-24T07:52:17.671-07:00

Great Wall Photos(Thanks to Susan and DyAnn for the photos)Farmer Suen, who took care of us during the weekend.DyAnn and Calvin posing as we slept on the Wall.We woke up to this unexpectedly stunning vista.Sunrise at 6AM.Notice Alli and I on the left, and Calvin doing his devotions in the tower on the right.Group ShotClimbing the steepest part of the wall.Alvin and Anita.

Joenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-43668106584661414752007-08-19T17:34:00.000-07:002007-08-19T17:38:43.103-07:00

August 20, 2007This weekend was spectacular. We went to Jiankou, a more wild part of the Great Wall. It was overgrown with bushes, and parts of the wall had crumbled. We had no idea that it was going to be difficult. So 7 of us went- Anita, Alvin, Alli, DyAnn, Calvin, Susan, and myself. We arrived there at 10pm, to a farmer’s courtyard near the wall. 4 of us went to sleep on the wall.. trekking

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-67875471087892600672007-08-12T23:25:00.000-07:002007-08-13T00:36:01.937-07:00

Two Walled Cities- Xian and PingyaoXian, Shaaxi (July 21-22)Bell Tower at the center of the city.Small vendors at the South Gate.Man making a print from a stele.Pit 1 at Bing ma yong (terracotta warriors)Each soldier has a unique face.Horse statue.The train station is right outside the city walls.Pingyao, Shanxi (Aug 11-12)Notice the two suns.Overcrowded train ride.The courtyard hostel.Ancient

Joenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3644966.post-54180057678052228322007-07-16T16:27:00.000-07:002007-07-16T16:34:45.338-07:00

SuzhouAt the last minute, our boss decided to send our project team (of three) to visit some towns around Suzhou. We spent the weekend there, racing through as much as we could.

Joenoreply@blogger.com1