Nihonbashi is one of the busy districts in Japan. Here is where actual business is done in Japan, the money making place, where millions of Yen, or more, exchange hands, because in Nihonbashi you can find, Bank of Japan, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Mitsukoshi (Harrods equivalent) & Takashimaya, just to name a few.Translated directly as "Japan Bridge", Nihonbashi is literally the centre of Japan, as this is where the Zero Mile Marker starts, just like that Zero-Mile-Marker Big Blue Clock in Bandar Seri Begawan, which serve as the reference point of all roads.
A plaque on the bridge stating the history of Zero Milestone.
Zero marker where the distance are measured from.
Shortly before the 1964 Summer Olympic, an expressway was built over the Nihonbashi Bridge, "polluting" the classic view, thus this is why til recent years, local people have signed petitioned to "move" the expressway underground, and if this move is implemented, it would cost the government USD4Billion!
Despite being modernise, Seoul still preserve the "old" buildings, but what struck me most is the beauty of the new buildings.I wish I could post all those unique structures, but I know it will just hog the bandwidth, so, just to have a gist of the architectural feels, I will just post these few first.
A simple yet very modern looking building, glass facade is the game here.
Another unique structure, playing around with steel and glass. Bare steel trusses, rather than covering it with cement, making it more sexier, some kind of a fetish for the architects huh.
The only "problem" or concerns in having a glass facade is, it must be maintained accordingly, this is where "Spiderman" comes in, just like the Burj Al Arab, Dubai, by the time one have finished cleaning up to the top, it is time to clean from the bottom again.Such design would also contribute the global warming index, as improper designed "glass building" will need more energy to maintain the interior climate.
So to end this post, I'll leave you with the reflection of a modern building, just like a reflection for us, to think about the consequences and effects of the rapid "inevitable" urban development.
NOTE: Nice date today btw .... 20.08.2008
Just a quick post about the building within the vicinity.For those who loves, building, structures and the like, this is one of the places to be.
The reflection of a modern structure from also a magnificient building.
Another building with beautiful and interesting outer structure.
Part of some where HUGE.So huge that they can contained trains and airplane, even the new 380.
A very good design, making use of the natural lighting, hence saving energy to light the huge area.
