HBO+EMTB was commissioned to provide interior design and build services for Asian Century Quest Capital, LLC, an Asian equity firm’s new tenancy in the new-built 50 Connaught Road Central.

The design draws on elegant and contemporary Asian flavours. The subtle interplay of luxury furniture and art pieces, rich red colour palette of walls, translucent partitioning and timber flooring, providing a modern aesthetic and Asian cultural accent throughout the front of house. The workspace is also designed to be an open as possible and maximising natural light.

Roche Hong Kong Limited appointed HBO+EMTB to provide interior design and build services for their new office at Caroline Centre. As Roche known for innovative health care, the design of the office reflects strong emphasised on its corporate image.

The design also converted an office into flexible and high quality training that support Roche’s mission of promoting teamwork, open communication and effective knowledge sharing.

The open and inviting reception area reinforce the corporate branding of Roche. The five meeting rooms are a series of interrelated rooms with the flexibility of allowing seamless reconfiguration to accommodate functions and special events. By the use of green in combination with white and darken timber colour, the breakout area looks refresh and cozy. The open plan workstations and full-height glazed private offices are also designed to allow easy social interaction among business units.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced today the launch of an Ideas Competition titled “Journey of Possibilities” for the Rail Corridor. The Ideas Competition is intended to draw innovative and fresh new ideas from the public in addressing some of the key challenges and issues in planning for the future use of the Rail Corridor.

Since the return of the former railway land to Singapore on 1 July 2011, the Rail Corridor project has garnered widespread public interest. From the feedback we received, it is clear that there are many more people out there who would like to make tangible contributions towards the envisioning of the Rail Corridor’s future. In order to create the window of opportunity for all to participate in this project, the URA is conducting the Ideas Competition from 30 November 2011 to 9 March 2012.

About the Ideas Competition
The Ideas Competition covers a 25.3km stretch from Kranji coastal mudflats in the north to Tanjong Pagar district in the south of Singapore, as well as a 1.9km stretch of former Jurong Line which spurs off from the main line near Bukit Timah Railway Station to Ulu Pandan Canal. Read more on “Journey of Possibilities” – Ideas Competition for the Rail Corridor…

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced today the launch of an Ideas Competition titled “Journey of Possibilities” for the Rail Corridor. The Ideas Competition is intended to draw innovative and fresh new ideas from the public in addressing some of the key challenges and issues in planning for the future use of the Rail Corridor.

Since the return of the former railway land to Singapore on 1 July 2011, the Rail Corridor project has garnered widespread public interest. From the feedback we received, it is clear that there are many more people out there who would like to make tangible contributions towards the envisioning of the Rail Corridor’s future. In order to create the window of opportunity for all to participate in this project, the URA is conducting the Ideas Competition from 30 November 2011 to 9 March 2012.

About the Ideas Competition
The Ideas Competition covers a 25.3km stretch from Kranji coastal mudflats in the north to Tanjong Pagar district in the south of Singapore, as well as a 1.9km stretch of former Jurong Line which spurs off from the main line near Bukit Timah Railway Station to Ulu Pandan Canal.

We welcome participants to be bold and creative in envisioning the “possibilities” for the transformation of the Rail Corridor into a truly extraordinary trail with multiple landscapes and experiences that can be enjoyed by all. The challenge is to develop visionary and compelling ideas for the Rail Corridor in response to five key issues that we have identified over the course of our extensive public engagement process.

Useful ideas and concepts from the competition may be distilled into design principles as part of the brief for the Rail Corridor Design Competition that is being considered currently.

An exhibition which features a selection of entries including all award-winners will be held after the competition.

Two Categories – Open and Youth Challenge
There are two categories for the Ideas Competition, namely the “Open” Category and the “Youth Challenge” (secondary school students). While the “Open” Category is open to all interested participants, the “Youth Challenge” is a youth-centric competition which is targeted at secondary school students.

Under the “Open” Category, the public is invited to choose the issue that they would like to address and to propose innovative solutions and ideas in response to the issue. The five key issues are:

1. Bio-diversity and sensitive development
2. Inclusiveness, accessibility and resolving conflicts
3. Community ownership, pride and sense of well-being
4. Heritage
5. Great Ideas for a Public Space

Under the “Youth Challenge”, we encourage young participants in secondary schools to come up with exciting new ideas and proposals that will surprise and excite Singaporeans. The ideas, concepts and proposals need not be limited to the five key issues. They could be wide-ranging reflecting the interests and aspirations of the younger generation, and how the Rail Corridor could be especially meaningful to them. We welcome secondary school students to join us on this exciting journey, to dream up possibilities that could eventually be turned into reality.

Judging and awards
Judging panels, comprising subject matter experts, representatives from the public and private sectors, as well as Rail Corridor Consultation Group members, will be formed for each of the five issues and “Youth Challenge”.

For the Open Category, three top prizes will be awarded for each issue, with cash values of S$2,000, S$1,000 and $500 respectively. Three top prizes will also be awarded for the Youth Challenge comprising cash values of S$1,000, S$500 and S$250 respectively.

For more details, please visit Urban Redevelopment Authority website.

2011年第四季度全球銀主盤預期供應上升，但需求緩和。巴西、葡萄牙及香港的需求呈下降趨勢

RICS季度全球銀主盤監測調查報告解讀全球25個商業房地產市場的發展趨勢。「銀主盤」是指喪失了抵押品贖回權或由抵押權人發佈廣告出售的房產。「銀主盤」的售價通常低於其市場價值。如果一個國家市場的銀主盤數量不斷上升可被視為是一個消極經濟指標；反之數量下調，則意味著經濟呈現復蘇勢頭。

在這一季度，中國的銀主盤投資者需求量依舊遠超於供應量，繼續維持12個月前開始的趨勢。雖然在第三季度，投資者需求略微適度，但是仍然維持在極大的正值中。展望未來，在短期內，銀主盤的供應量將以類同第二季度的速度下降，淨平均值從-20提高到-18。儘管近期出現了關於房地產部門消極的情況，但是商業部門仍然對其維持良好的支撐。根據最新的RICS全球銀主盤監測調查報告，房產專家預期租用和資本價值在未來幾個月中會持續上升。

中國分會主席李旭先生表示:「今年下半年，中國政府進一步加緊了房地產部門的貨幣調控，多數銀行對房地產削減了貸款並且實施了調控以確保融資。同時，一些物業產權化和上市的專案被凍結，大陸的房地產市場投資量持續下降。儘管政府加緊了房地產市場的調控，但是為了中國經濟的增長而且要比西方國家更強，因此我們並不希望在下一年看到銀主盤銷售增長。」

來自主要房地產市場的房產專家表示，2011年第四季度全球銀主盤預期供應量上升。 值得注意的是，在受訪的60%的國家中，淨平均值顯示其供大於求。這與第二季的約40%形成了對比。

話雖如此，卻仍有希望。2011年第四季度巴西、俄羅斯、中國、加拿大和香港的銀主盤需求量預計收縮，而在馬來西亞和捷克共和國的投資者需求好轉，與上一季相比其淨平均值分別從-13上升至+29和-7上升至+5。

RICS 香港分會外事務及公共關注委員會會員關樂平表示：「香港銀主盤市道與全球趨勢略有分別，現時全港僅有50至60個銀主盤盤源，在第三季度內數量仍持續減少，源於樓價仍未有急跌迹象，未會引發銀主盤供應激增。但是近月二手成交淡靜，估計將於半年後方有明顯影響。」

區域重點
印度
印度房產專家表示在這一季度，雖然淨平均值從+51下降至+20，但是投資者興趣卻上升，預示需求量上升速度較緩。雖然與第二季度的速度相比稍微放緩，但供應量預期水準將在第四季度持續上升。

俄羅斯
與上一季度的趨勢相反，在第三季度，特別基金的需求量水準下降，其淨平均值跌入負值（與上一季度相比，從+17下降至-3）。根據調查顯示，雖然與之前相比，速度更為緩慢，但銀主盤的可利用率在第四季度依舊預期下降。

英國
第四季度的銀主盤水準較上一季度有所好轉。迄今為止，銀主盤已受到有效控制，從而在較大範圍上將限制其對房地產價格的直接影響。

備註：
* 南歐： 義大利，西班牙，葡萄牙

淨平均值：淨平均值百分比計算方法——表示「上升」的接受調查者數量減去表示「下降」的受訪者數量。

關於調查報告：「RICS全球銀主盤監測調查報告」屬於「RICS全球商業房地產調查報告」系列之一。該份季度報告詳細解讀全球25個商業房地產市場中銀主盤的發展趨勢。受訪者在調查訪問中須比較2011年第二季度及2011年第三季度的形勢。本季度的調查報告收集了2011年9月23日前遞交的會員回應，並合併了以國家作單位的三個房地產類別 – 辦公室、零售及工業物業，代表整體商用物業市場的一個廣泛指標。

如欲索取報告全文，可在以下網址下載︰http://www.ricsasia.org/newsDetail.php?id=459&regionID=0

The Hong Kong Design Institute Building has won its architect several awards but its concept is a simple as a blank sheet of paper.

Four thousand students will decend on Tsuen Wan in Hong kong as the new design centre.  Their centre for learning is an architecturally award winning building, the commission of which was also the subject of a design competition of 162 teams from 23 countries. The winning design is based around the concept of a blank piece of paper, held aloft on four fingers of a hand.

Rather than the usual approach of creating a poduim sunk beneath high-rise towers, in the HKDI the image is inverted with a ‘floating poduim’ sitting several stories up, creating an umbrella of the space beneath for exhibitions, events and, importantly for Hong Kong, public space. The building is not an obstacle, instead it is a natural gathereing point and thoroughfare for people, ideas and the breeze.

Architect Thomas Coldefy of Coldefy and Associates, a firm started by Thomas’  father in 1984, “has a passion to help introduce low carbon living to Asia Pacific”. As such despite the brief not mentioning any environmental requirements, he was keen to develop his programme to be as green as possible.  He belives that part of an architect’s duty is to educate, inform and influence clients, particularly in low-tech green solutions.   Read more on A Blank Canvas…

“Green” is often all about design, choice of material, equipment and systems, construction… usually in view of obtaining a green certification for your building (LEED or the local “3-star” label).  In China even more than anywhere else, buyers love technology-based solutions, which seem to solve all problems by simply getting the right piece of equipment. In terms of actual savings in operation, the effect has however been less than satisfactory.

Experience shows that the best green technology and a green label are no guarantee of efficiency. Surveys conducted in the West show that 30% of LEED-certified buildings consume more energy than the average buildings… Although no survey has been done in China, the situation is likely to be even worse in a market, where maintenance is particularly lacking.

Actual performance often differs from the initial design projections. Let’s take a look at a few examples of buildings in China. Read more on Green Buildings Turned Brown…

The Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) is proud to announce the big success with its 55th Anniversary Conference, which is held today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. As one of the signature celebrations of the 55th anniversary program, the Conference was received with great enthusiasm among industrial professionals from Hong Kong and beyond and also related government bodies.

The Organizing Committee of the HKIA 55th Anniversary Conference was much honored to have invited Mr. Donald TSANG Yam-kuen, GBS, GBM, Chief Executive of the HKSAR Government, as Guest of Honor of the Conference. Mrs. Carrie LAM CHENG Yuet-ngor, GBS, JP, Secretary for Development, Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government, and Ms Eva CHENG, GBS, JP, Secretary for Transport and Housing Bureau of the HKSAR Government, have also presented their keynote speeches in the morning session and afternoon session respectively and shared their views on the future development of Hong Kong as an important city in the globe.

Other speakers invited are all renowned architects, engineers, academia, politicians from Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas. Plenary sessions were also hosted to cover infrastructure, transport and the high-density cum high-rise development in Megalopolis.

With all the interesting topics covered, today’s Conference has attracted over 600 architects, legislators, government officials, developers, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders to attend.

Mr. Dominic Lam, President of HKIA, commented, “Hong Kong is a unique city with high density development and full of high-rise buildings. We have to study its merit and problems which will help many other cities in the world of plan for their urbanization development in future.”

Why Megalopolis and Architecture?
Megalopolis is a densely populated urban region embracing one or more very large cities or metropolises. Megalopolis evokes daunting size, a vast scale of infrastructure, organization and governance of an unprecedented order. Academics, architects, planners, city developers and governance designers have explored the concept and the way in which accepted ideas of the city and urban hierarchy needs to be re-conceptualised for a well-balanced living environment in the future.

In today’s context, with economic considerations to the fore, Megalopolis becomes manifest with the joining of a number of independent cities through fast transport and electronic systems. The successful linking and merging of such systems has sparked current concerns with the need to house an increasing proportion of the population who will be moving from the country side to the city to take advantage of employment and the convenience of urban living.

Under the 12th Five-year Plan for China, Hong Kong will play a significant role in the development of the Pearl River Delta region. With the recent development of cross-boundary facilities and infrastructure, Hong Kong would be better connected with the Pearl River Delta and with the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Quality Living Area. The Hong Kong-Pearl River Delta region will surely develop into a Megalopolis in the 21st century.

The 55th Anniversary Conference aimed to explore the development of Megalopolis and its components – the architecture with particular reference to Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta region and other similar developments in the world.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Tuesday 11th October 2011, Matthias “The Green Man” Gelber, winner of  “Greenest Man on the Planet 2008” is off to Hong Kong today to receive yet another Award for services to sustainable industry – this time as RFP Magazines “ Industry Champion of the Year ”.

He is one of the winners of the Asia region’s most coveted awards for individuals in industries making up our built environment, the RFP Outstanding Individuals in Industry.

Amidst stiff competition from Australia to India and North Asia the awards will now be extended to also offer regional awards in country specific categories including India, Greater China and South East Asia with regional exemplars receiving their awards and commendations at a series of ceremonies organized to coincide with the Asia Office Space Congress series of conferences as they are held from city to city.

Claire Saeki, co-publisher and editor of RFP Magazine said “The new crops of winners as usual exemplify professionals at the top of their game. However we are receiving increasingly strong nominations from round the region this year, so instead of cutting out worthy nominations and creating a shortlist we will be contacting these parties to compete in their regional environments and celebrating their achievements as we travel the region as part of the Asia Office Space Congress Series of conferences”. Read more on The Green Man wins another Award…

With the ongoing construction happening in Asia, notable figures on the global green building stage are making their way to see in person how adoption of sustainable building practices are playing out on the ground.

At GreenBuild Asia in Hong Kong this May, Malcolm Lai, Director – Head of Construction, Asia Invesco Real Estate stated “There is a correlation between green and financial sucess”. This is why his company invests in greening their projects. This was also why pretty much every other speaker at the event spoke to the cost benefits of green building.

However, project owners expressed their frustration with a lack of expertise and willingness for service providers to take risks in green projects. One such person was Professor Richard Whitfield, Professor of the School of Intelligent Systems and Technology at the University of Saint Joseph in Macau, who is currently building a new campus and faces a lack of expertise in a number of areas. For example, finding energy saving air-conditioner alternatives such as chilled beam ceilings, and people with the expertise to install and maintain them is proving a challenge in Macau. Read more on Green Building Legends Take On Asia…