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Foster + Partners’ New Green Complex for Singapore
inhabitat.com — A new green complex from world renowned architecture firm Foster + Partners will be adding more than a dash of green to the Singapore skyline. As sustainability becomes an essential ingredient to development in this island nation, the UK-based firm is leaving no stone unturned to make good use of alternative energy sources in the mixed use project.
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- BCCStu, on 05/05/2008, -2/+13I love environmentally friendly buildings, not only do they look cool but most of the time they are safer and function better then other buildings.
- arbouler, on 05/05/2008, -0/+2define "safer" for me.
both environmentally friendly buildings and not-so environmentally friendly buildings are given permit under the same building safety code. just because a building is green doesn't mean it has less structural problems after an earthquake or a storm.
"function better" is a yes, but most of the time, it depends on the architect.
- arbouler, on 05/05/2008, -0/+2define "safer" for me.
- thestrongrope, on 05/05/2008, -0/+7Man, Foster is every where.Thats not necessarily a bad thing, but its like a wake up, and there is news about another Foster building getting the contract. They are some amazing designs though, So I guess that at least is a good thing.
- seafish69, on 05/05/2008, -1/+0I cannot not agree. I am from Kazakhstan, and Foster et al. have left their trace here as well. Our President is a notoriously eccentric person, in that whenever he sees something that captures his mind he wants this thing implemented (read - built) in Astana, his toy-capital. Foster designed a "Pyramid of Consent", a strange out-of-place building that has arguably no relation whatsoever to the nomadic Kazakh culture.
However extraordinary design, lord Foster should have a tighter control over implementation of his works. According to his design specs, the Pyramid was supposed to be built over a 2-year period. Instead, it was built in a rush in less than a year (because President wanted it quick). Needless to say, Foster was pissed when his saw his "child" built not quite the way he projected. But then again, when you get a 200,000,000-pound payment, you have few reasons to be upset :)
- seafish69, on 05/05/2008, -1/+0I cannot not agree. I am from Kazakhstan, and Foster et al. have left their trace here as well. Our President is a notoriously eccentric person, in that whenever he sees something that captures his mind he wants this thing implemented (read - built) in Astana, his toy-capital. Foster designed a "Pyramid of Consent", a strange out-of-place building that has arguably no relation whatsoever to the nomadic Kazakh culture.
- greentime, on 05/05/2008, -1/+3I completely agree with BCCStu, and this one looks amazing!
- MacBookForMe, on 05/05/2008, -0/+2Foster is just moving from UK to live in Switzerland...
- louiebaur, on 05/05/2008, -1/+2Looks pretty cool
- Rotzooi, on 05/05/2008, -3/+2Sustainability sounds too much like Socialism. This is not a project a true American can support.
- colonelbuckshot, on 05/05/2008, -2/+3Ha, ha, ha.
- supernova17, on 05/05/2008, -0/+6Foster + Partners are amazing, can't wait to see what this would look like after it's fully built.
- macwac, on 05/05/2008, -1/+3Great, they are destroying the little greenery that is left in the city: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=S ...
Its the green square with some small buildings to the left of Suntec City.. just what Singapore needs.. another Shopping Mall! Couldn't they get rid of one of the old buildings and build it there rather than on the nice plot of land right in front of Raffles Hotel which has a park? I don't mind green buildings etc.. I'm actually for it, but I am so sick and tired of companies saying that they are building GREEN buildings that will help the environment- especially in Singapore - while destroying the few green plots that are left.. Cool building, not so cool that they destroy a potential park. To make those in U.S connect.. its like building in central park and justifying it by making it a green building. They just ruined entire Marina Bay and Sentosa by building two Integrated Resort Casinos, destroying the huge nice parks that were there...
http://www.integratedresorts.com.sg/Genting_n_Star ...
http://www.integratedresorts.com.sg/TheMarinaBaySa ...
As you can see - the buildings are beautiful, but there were nice parks and a lush rainforest in both places. Yes, Singapore is a small place, but they should improve on their old buildings instead of continuously expanding on what limited land they have.. re-using land is being sustainable not destroying what little greenery there is. Don't get me wrong! I love the concept and the building, I just don't like where it is being built. - suzywang3000, on 05/05/2008, -5/+1Singaporians are the absolute worst...
- Gigaman2003, on 05/05/2008, -1/+1jealous much?
the country has more wealth per square inch than most others.- bphicke, on 05/05/2008, -0/+1Excellent factoid!
- Gigaman2003, on 05/05/2008, -1/+1jealous much?
- 4pple5auce, on 05/05/2008, -2/+1This is what happens when people are peaceful and free. I think Singapore was ranked second in the world freedom index.
- mfc5200, on 05/05/2008, -0/+3In terms of economic freedom, Singapore is an incredible country. Many Americans should look to Singapore as an example of what TRUE private healthcare can bring (the same surgery there, will cost you 20% as much, and prescriptions there cost about 25% of what they do here), low tax rates across the board, and a host of other things.
But when it comes to political freedoms, they aren't so great. No freedom of press/speech, no right to assembly, etc etc.
Here are some indices. With regard to freedom of speech as press freedom, its ranked 141.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldwide_Press_Freed ...
With regard to economic freedom, it's in second place after Hong Kong (truly incredible place).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_Freedom_of_t ...
- mfc5200, on 05/05/2008, -0/+3In terms of economic freedom, Singapore is an incredible country. Many Americans should look to Singapore as an example of what TRUE private healthcare can bring (the same surgery there, will cost you 20% as much, and prescriptions there cost about 25% of what they do here), low tax rates across the board, and a host of other things.
- br0wnstar, on 05/05/2008, -0/+1the future is now
- Needles13, on 05/05/2008, -0/+1And today is yesterday.
- sponeil, on 05/05/2008, -0/+0Somehow I doubt the construction of a huge skyscraper like that will make the city "greener", but I suppose it's better than putting a normal skyscraper in its place. Plus, change the shape in the front a bit, and it would also make the largest and coolest slide I've ever seen.
- GoneFishing, on 05/06/2008, -0/+1My senior project was involved with Rain Water Recycling, glad to see more and more designers catching on.
- Laughsatyou, on 05/06/2008, -0/+1whoops. I thought the title said Foster's and Pantera. would make a good combo.
- cooolsoon, on 06/17/2008, -0/+0what´s up there with you really ? can tell me about how you have there
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