Day 3: Guangzhou Pearl River Tower > Opera House > Library

Guangzhou: Peal River Tower
Peal River Tower is an office tower located at CBD of Guangzhou.  It has 309m height with 71 levels.  It is the third tallest building in Guangzhou.  It is the first zero carbon building in China and it is one of the most environmental friendly building in the world.  It is applying the LEED gold certificate.

The architecture of Peal River Tower is intended to use natural energy to supply electricity of the building.  The facade is composed by three curved surfaces.  It enhance winds pass to the gaps between the curves.  There is a wind turbine in each gap to generate wind energy to electricity for the building.  PV system is also applied to the building.  Solar panels are installed on the facade to collect solar energy for generate electricity.

I'm appreciate to see Chinese aware environment issue when they are developing the city.  It is an important responsibility as a human living in the earth.  China always has great idea and concept on planning and developing, but they always missed the daily operation after period of time.  Practical daily operation is important for implement of the original idea.  The concept of environmental friendly should implant to all citizens.

Facade of Peal River Tower

The lift lobby is modern.

Water gun fire service system are common in China.

Wind turbine in the gap.

Motor of the wind turbine.

A premises in Pearl River Tower.

Lighting in premises

AC air distributors.

Air come from outdoor.

Solar panels

Guangzhou Opera House
Guangzhou Opera House has a outstanding architecture design.  The irregular shape make the opera house looks interesting, but it bring lots problems to the project.  The opera house built at 2009.  The architecture design is by an Iraq architect.  The construction work is by a Guangzhou construction company.  Cost-wise, the opera house costed RMB 13.8 million.  Guangzhou people was complaining the government spend too much on the project.  Quality-wise, the design of the opera house is interesting, but the workmanship is terrible.  It caused by miscommunication between the architect and local construction company.  Chinese construction technique is poor on irregular shape building.  They cannot handle the irregular joint and the curves.  The material that proposed by architect is not suitable to China environment.  The materials looks dirty after period of time.

Guangzhou Opera House is an irregular shape.

Another view of Guangzhou Opera House

Even the material is grey colour, the facade looks dirty.

There are big gaps between the materials of the
facade, and the pattern of the joint is terrible.

The interior is also irregular shape.

The trunk on the ceiling suddenly stopped.

The local construction company cannot handle the joint at corner.

What happened to the trunk?

Poor maintenance

Poor workmanship of facade cause water leakage.  The two
pipes are additional work to solve the water leakage problem. 

The joints are mess.

Poor workmanship

The wall painting is easy to become dirty.

Signage on the floor is hard to see.

The lighting in the big theater looks nice.

When close up to the lights, the workmanship is terrible.

The interior of a function theater is cool.

This is a dark theater for lighting performance.

Guangzhou Library
The new Guangzhou Library is at CBD of Guanzhou.  The architecture design looks interesting.  There is a glazed area connect two parts of the library.  It bring in more sun lights to the building and energy to the students in the library.  There is a self service book return machine which can identify the books and deliver the books to suitable floor.  It saved the time to manage large amount of books in the building.

Appearance of Guangzhou Library.  There is
a glaze seperate the library to two parts.

View inside the library to see the glaze area.

Inside the glaze area.  There are many bridges link the two parts
of the library.  Personally, I think it's too many glazes. 

Solid structure at in the glaze area.

Another view in the glaze area.

Self Service Book Return Machine

Delivery track of the Self Service Book Return Machine

Books are delivered to particular floor.

When books arrived the floor, the books need to put on the bookshelf by librarians

In my previous mind, the development of Macau/Guangzhou are behind Hong Kong.  This Macau/Guangzhou trip changed my mind.  Macau's gambling business is surpassed Las Vegas.  The living environment in Foshan is even better than Hong Kong.  China government aware the important of green environment and heritages.  They are improving their technology and knowledge on balance environment, heritages and development.  Chinese are improving rapidly.  I'm looking forward to see a new China after several ten years.

Day 2: Macau > Doumen > Jiangmen > Foshan

Macau Development
Gambling in Macau developed rapidly since the gambling monopoly was opened.  It surpassed Las Vegas Strip to become the world largest gambling city in 2006 (by measuring the gambling revenue).  Luxury resorts and casinos development projects are never stop.  Due to many construction projects happened at the same time, human resources and construction materials become expensive.  Many architects and engineers over the countries are employed to develop Macau's hotel projects.  The salary of an employee in construction industrial in Macau is 50% to 100% higher than Hong Kong.  Some Hong Kong construction companies are benefited by getting Macau projects as well.

We took a shuttle bus to pass through the new area of luxury resorts and casino.  It's so amazing!  The hotels are luxury and they have different characters and attractions.  There are still many great resorts and casino projects are developing.  I'm looking for more new looks of Macau.

The Venetian Macao is the world biggest building.

Another side of Venetian Macao.

Golden facade of Venetian Macao is shinning under the sunshine.

Construction site of a luxury hotel project.

This tower is part of a new hotel project.
It may become a popular iconic building.

Another new hotel project is under development.
The "8" shaped hole has a track for sightseeing cable cars.  

New hotel Studio City. 

The University of Macau
It is located at Macau and it is going to move to a new campus at Henqin.  Henqin is part of China, not Macau.  China assigned the sovereignty of this area to Macau for their development.  The university area will be separated to other Henqin area by wall and river.  It connect to Cotai (Macau city) by a tunnel.  Macanese can visit the university without customs checking.  This action shows the relationship of China and Macau.

Left hand side of  river is China.  Right hand side of river is Macau.

UM Wu Yee Sun Library 

UM Guest House and University Hall

Scientific Research Building

China Guangdong: Doumen Old Street
Doumen is a historical district with many famous heritages.  Doumen Old Street is one of them.  Doumen Old Street has 500m long.  It was a prosperous and busy town in thousand years ago, as many foreigners living there for business.  At 2012, China government planned to develop tourism and renovate the heritages in Doumen.   Doumen Old Street is part of the plan.  The project cost RMB 200 millions and targeted to finish at 2017.

We were very lucky that we could visit the street at initial stage of the renovation project.  The road has not been paved yet.  Many buildings are showing it's original appearance.  The building facades, the monumental gateway and balcony are full of Guangdong style.  The buildings are connected each other.  The ground floor shops are connected by a long corridor.  This corridor allow the shops recess to the building to prevent raining and over sun light.  When we were walking along the corridor, there were colorful paintings on the ceiling.  The shops are still operated by local people.  They are selling rice, soil, furniture, daily stuffs etc.  We talked to one of the shop owner.  They were happy to the renovation project of the old street.  She said she rent the shop for business.  I'm thinking she may not benefit by the renovation project, as her shop may be rented by Starbucks in the future.

The renovation project is at initial stage.

The roads are not paved yet.  We guess it may last for a year.

Guangdong style facade with monumental gateway, balcony and column.

Guangdong style facade with monumental gateway.

The long corridor in front of the shops.  
Shops are recessed to the building. 

Colourful paintings on ceiling. 

The shops are selling daily stuffs.

Furniture shop

Soil shop

Chenpi village
We visited Chenpi village.  This is a building with shops and garden for tourists.  There building is decorated by bamboo.  We are discussing whether the bamboos are core structure or decoration only.  I tried to carry out some research on it but fail.  I guess the bamboo is not core structure.  The bamboo is mainly for decoration and may be a little part of support.  If the building is mainly supported by bamboo, it should be a selling point to attract tourists and I should easy to get information.  Also, it is a new building, not heritage.  Modern Chinese construction company will use easier building method.  Cement and steel are easier for them to handle.

Main entrance of Chenpi Village

Bamboo column

Interior are all bamboo

Bamboo plaza

Bamboo garden

We have Chenpi lunch there.  The tomato with
Chenpi powder.  The taste are surprisingly match.

Shirmp with Chenpi powder taste very good.

Foshan Lingnan Tiandi PV system:
Lingnan Tiandi is a tourism area mixed heritages and commercial.  It located at center of Foshan.  Lingnan Tiandi started the development at 2008 and targeted to complete at 2020.  Shui On Land Limited is the main constructor.  They also take care other the real estate development in Foshan.  Some phases of Lingnan Tiandi is completed and in use.

Lingnan Tiandi is using PV system.  By using solar energy to supply the lighting of the area.  They installed 65 pcs solar panels on the roof of the building.

Entrance of Lingnan Tiandi

Restaurants in renovated old buildings.

Global corporate coffee shop instead local small shops.

Langnan Tiandi is a good leisure area for tourists and local people.

They are holding a cartoon show.  They
put the cartoon next to the heritage.

Foshan Lingnan Mingzhu Gymnasium
Foshan Lingnan Mingzhu Gymnasium designed by a Japanese architecture company and Guangdong Architectural Design Institute.  The project started at 2004 and completed at 2006.  It costed RMB 600 million.  The gymnasium occupy area 76,000 sqm and allow 9,500 audiences.  The dome shape architecture provide around audience desk for better view of the competition.

Outlook of  Foshan Lingnan Mingzhu Gymnasium
shows the 3 round stadiums. (Photo by Baidu)

Triangular structure of the dome gymnasium.

Connection of the each dome stadium.

The ceiling of the dome stadium by triangular structure.

Round audience desk in main stadium.

Round audience desk in training stadium.

Outdoor public table tennis.

Outdoor public fitness

The hotel tonight is much better and nice than the one at Macau.  Tourism is not the core business in Foshan and Foshan's area is large, so the hotels are cheaper.