View allAll Photos Tagged urbandevelopment
my first capture for 2017 was just fabulous! The after glow was so beautiful it seems unreal. What an amazing Sunday!
China Developing
China's urban development is concomitant with its economic development and integration with the dynamics of globalization. The gaps are widening between cities and countryside to reach limits never crossed. The development of rural areas, where more than 600 million Chinese still live, is a gigantic task for the Communist Party. That's why the government is building territory development programs. And comfortable houses rather than wooden houses. Young people are convinced.
These laudable goals want to make the Chinese people a "rich people" and the country the world's largest economic power, while in the countryside the population is very poor. People still live there as in the Middle Ages. Xi Jinping, the Chinese PC President has imposed a new motto: the Chinese Dream as the American Dream. It is about working for the great renaissance of the Chinese nation
This image captures the emergence of a new multiplex residential building in Iqaluit, a testament to the city’s evolving urban landscape. Elevated on steel supports and framed in wood, the structure reflects innovative construction practices tailored to the Arctic environment. As Nunavut grows, projects like this symbolize progress, resilience, and the promise of modern living in Canada’s North.
The beautifully restored Restoration Hardware building at Crane Cove Park glows like a beacon during the blue hour, its classical white facade brilliantly illuminated against the deepening twilight sky. This commanding structure anchors the waterfront edge of Pier 70, marking the transition between the historic shipyard district and the newly created public parkland along San Francisco Bay.This Beaux-Arts building represents one of Pier 70's most architecturally refined structures, with its symmetrical composition, ornate cornice work, decorative pilasters, and that distinctive stepped parapet at the corners creating visual interest against the sky. The three visible stories feature tall, multi-paned windows arranged in rhythmic bays—those arched openings on the upper floors are particularly striking. The warm glow emanating from within each window creates a honeycomb effect across the white painted facade, with some rooms showing warmer orange tones and others cooler whites, suggesting the varied interior spaces and lighting within.The signage for Crane Cove Park is prominently displayed on the left, identifying this waterfront public space that opened as part of the Pier 70 redevelopment. The park provides crucial public access to the Bay shoreline, fulfilling San Francisco's commitment to making its waterfront accessible to all residents and visitors. The manicured landscaping, young street trees, and contemporary infrastructure visible in the foreground show how this formerly industrial site has been thoughtfully transformed into a mixed-use district balancing preservation, development, and public amenity.The architectural context is fascinating. Behind and to the right, modern residential buildings rise with their contemporary glass and metal facades—representing the new construction that's part of Pier 70's evolution into a mixed-use neighborhood. These sleek buildings contrast dramatically with the historic white structure in the foreground, creating a visual dialogue between past and present, industrial heritage and contemporary urban living. The juxtaposition shows how San Francisco is managing growth while preserving significant historic resources.That bright street lamp in the right foreground creates a dramatic starburst effect, its LED light casting sharp illumination across the intersection. The bicycle lane markings painted on the street emphasize the district's commitment to alternative transportation and the broader San Francisco vision of creating bike-friendly neighborhoods. Empty streets at this twilight hour allow the architecture to command full attention without the clutter of traffic or activity.The blue hour timing is perfect for architectural photography—that brief window when the sky retains rich blue color while artificial lights register strongly on camera. The balance between natural and artificial illumination creates depth and dimension impossible to achieve in full daylight or complete darkness. The graduated sky, darker blue at top transitioning to lighter tones near the horizon, provides a painterly backdrop for the illuminated building.Looking at the building's massing and proportions, you can see it was designed to impress. The generous floor-to-ceiling heights, the formal symmetry, the classical detailing—all suggest this served an important administrative or commercial function within the shipyard rather than housing heavy industrial operations. Buildings like this were meant to represent the company's stability and success to visitors, clients, and investors.The Restoration Hardware tenant represents the premium retail strategy that's helped fund Pier 70's restoration. By attracting high-end commercial tenants willing to invest in these spaces, the development has secured the economic resources necessary to preserve buildings that might otherwise have been demolished. It's adaptive reuse as economic engine—the historic character becomes a marketable asset rather than a preservation burden.The empty parking area and quiet streets suggest this photo was taken during early morning hours when the district is between its daytime business activity and evening residential life. A single car visible on the right and what appears to be a parked vehicle or cart on the left are the only signs of human presence, creating an almost cinematic quality where the architecture performs without distraction.The contrast between the warm interior lighting and the cool blue exterior light creates visual drama. The orange and yellow tones glowing through the windows suggest occupancy and life, while the exterior blue hour light provides that magical quality that makes twilight photography so compelling. This interplay of warm and cool, interior and exterior, historic and contemporary defines the image's emotional impact.From an urban planning perspective, this scene represents successful waterfront redevelopment. The historic building is preserved and activated, new housing increases density and brings residents to a formerly closed area, public park space provides community amenity, and infrastructure improvements support multiple transportation modes. It's textbook smart growth—mixing uses, preserving heritage, creating public realm, and building sustainably on already-developed land.
September 15, 2014. Sunrise at the Peak, Hong Kong. As I am uploading this photo of the sunrise I capture today, a cyclone swept through the city.
Zaha Hadid's first condominium design in Singapore. This amazing Architect passed away on 31/03/2016 at the age of 65.