One Plus One Equals Three

Melbourne: a Renaissance City (on a Grid)

A flattering (and quite accurate, yet ever-so-slightly promotional) report on the re-birth of Melbourne-town by Streetsblog.

"Melbourne is a new world city, it has a modern grid much like a typical American metropolis. Naysayers who do not believe a city can be radically transformed say that the already narrow streets of many European cities make it easier to have good pedestrian environments there. Melbourne proves that isn’t necessarily so."

More (which is well-worth a read) on recent developments in Melbourne, Professor Jan Gehl's planning vision for the city and on how we're a "pedestrian's paradise". Reports on other Australian cities to follow soon at Streetsblog. Our laneways have proved to be such a huge success that they're about to build more... new ones that is... (stay tuned... details were announced on the weekend, but unable to find links so far). Via Treehugger.

Edushi: China's Cities Drawn and Mapped

Whilst Google uses satellite imagery, photographs and map overlays to create their mapping systems, China's Edushi uses intricate (and quite incredible) computer-based drawings to create their city maps. Edushi will 'virtually represent' many Chinese cities – a part of Hong Kong is shown above (and that's the city-demo you can use on their site). Each proposed city map will be complete with virtual community, game-like emulation advertisements and directory features. Try not to spend quite a bit of time here exploring and marvelling at the remarkable (and zoom-able) bird's-eye views of Hong Kong.

It's interesting to draw parallels with the pixel-illustrations of eBoy, but thus far, Edushi doesn't feature giant destructive robots and scantily-clad women riding missiles. Via PSFK.

Thank God You're Here!

The First Wave: Beyond a White Australia tells the stories behind the first wave of post-WW2 migration to Australia. This is a well-designed, well-researched and fascinating interactive created by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in conjunction with the Migration Heritage Centre of New South Wales.

From The First Wave site: "On April 20, 1947, the Egyptian-registered SS Misr docked in Melbourne with its multicultural human cargo: 624 men, women and children from 26 different countries, plucked from ports in the Mediterranean, Middle East and East Africa ... a voyage that sailed deep into the national psyche, exposing widespread fears that the very future of White Australia was suddenly threatened by the arrival of so many Jews, of so many swarthy dark-skinned southern Mediterraneans. (They being) Un-British, un-Australian, 'unsuitable' aliens".

Nice work Fairfax interactive team (apart from a few typos) and to all those "Un-British, un-Australian, unsuitable alien" immigrants: Thank god you're here...

The Zero Yen House

On our recent trip to Japan it was fascinating to see, well, just about everything. But one thing that really surprised us (that you definitely won't see in the tourist brochures) was the dwellings constructed by some of the homeless in Tokyo. These homeless people seemed to be quite unlike other such communities that one comes across. This is no doubt a generalisation, but being Japanese also means that one may be congenitally neat and tidy – you're hard-wired that way – even if you are on the streets and without proper accommodation. Neatness and orderliness seem to be national traits. Many (but certainly not all) homeless Japanese that one encountered had constructed shelters vaguely similar to the one above which were tucked away under highway flyovers or in back corners of parks. Most were constructed using a ubiquitous blue tarpaulin and were generally – and impressively – neat, clean and orderly. (My experience of these shelters was in Tokyo – things may be quite different elsewhere).

I'm certainly no expert on this matter, but in Japan, like many Asian countries, there is little or no social welfare for such people and there's no doubt that life on the streets is very, very tough indeed – but the 'Zero Yen' houses featured in Kyohei Sakaguchi's gallery display an ingenuity, a resourcefulness and a 'bugger it - I'm down and out but I still have my dignity' attitude that impressed. Here's hoping these people find a real house soon.

Via designboom. Read/hear more at the ABC.

One Plus Seoul

Seoul simply rocks.

On board our flight from Tokyo to Seoul, many of the young Koreans sitting around us started to watch Korean movies, TV shows, played computer games or laughed at holiday photos loaded onto their digital video players. Couples snuggled down and shared headphones, and all generally remained glued to their iPod-like gizmos for the duration of the flight. The United Airlines plane had its own in-flight entertainment console on board - but was happily passed over in favour of Korean content downloaded to Korean digital devices.

Straight away I knew this culture that I was about to experience (once again) very seriously believed in both itself and its technology. Seoulites also accommodate this technology seamlessly into the fabric of their daily lives. The sense of 'being (very) digital' was omnipresent here. These digital video players and 3G phones were used on planes, subways, buses and in cars – everywhere – to view and experience rich digital content. I'm still getting over the talking rice-cookers, the keyless doors and people watching their favourite TV show on their 3G phones whilst happily gobbling down some dumplings at a market.

VIEW IMAGE GALLERY >

The Motor-scooter: A Mother of Transportation Invention

A visual salute to the ubiquitous Asian motor-scooter: can carry practically anything practically anywhere. Even whilst wearing sandles or flip-flops. A range of shots from Vietnam, photographer(s) unknown. Photos by Hans Kemp. His book is available at Amazon.

Frnakly Speaking

The above purse was purchased at a subway market stall in Seoul (I hope my young niece gets the joke). A few weeks back I blogged how Paul Frank (the person) is not, nor will ever (again) be Paul Frank (the company). Paul Frank (the company) certainly didn't get my $2 for this cute little girl's purse. I suspect Paul Frank (the person) may be quite happy about that. But Tommy Hilfiger may not be so happy about the Tommy Atkins store in downtown Myeong-dong, Seoul (see continuation of this post).

And Starbucks may not be so happy about the numerous Starbucks clones throughout Tokyo and Seoul (Gill Sans Extra Bold seems to be the typeface of choice for their logo - see continuation of post). However, am happy to report that the coffee made by some of the Starbucks clones is actually superior to that from the 'original'. The clones' coffee sometimes tastes like, er, coffee.

One Plus Tokyo

Where to begin with Tokyo? A sprawling, seemingly chaotic yet highly organised, synchronised and user-optimised mega-metropolis. (And the people are just so incredibly polite). Shots here include:

+ Kisho Kurokawa's modernist wonder, the Nakajin Capsule Tower built in 1971
+ The extraordinarily huge Tokyo International Forum building (ever been inside a whale?)
+ Views of Tokyo from Roppongi Hills' Tokyo City View observation deck at Mori Tower
+ The idiosyncratic roof lights of Tokyo taxis

Many thanks to our guide and director of culinary experiences: Ray Kinnane.

VISIT IMAGE GALLERY>
Some Tokyo-related design/culture links are in the continuation of this post.

The Human Typography of Pyongyang

CNN (click here, then 'What will North Korea do Next?') has been showing footage of night-time marches in Pyongyang. Whether they're related to the current situation, and are a response to the new UN sanctions on that country – that's a little unclear. They could be of any old night-time DPRK march. North Korea sometimes puts on displays such as this. Their most well known are the Mass Games held each year, which I blogged last year.

This new footage is both eerie and remarkable: thousands of DPRK citizens are marching in unison, at night, holding torches and forming images and Korean Hangul typography (which is a bit hard to read properly as you only see snippets of the type). If this sort of display wasn't quite so terrifying (many North Koreans are starving, now facing winter, and may barely have enough energy to perform such strenuous feats) – I'd be trying to get a copy on DVD. It's a very impressive display of animated typography – created by a cast of thousands marching to satisfy North Korea's PR machine.

The Slippery are Very Crafty

When travelling through Asia (and elsewhere) it's sometimes hard to suppress a smile when you see a sign, notice or instruction somewhere that approximates English – but doesn't quite get there. A hotel I nearly booked for our Japanese stay featured this little spiel on their web site:

"Forgetting it is shallow the grass where the roman which was applied breathes even now. Amenity of the city and the ideal hotel which has silence."

The Chinese Government is attempting to eradicate mis-translations (and just plain old bad English) in the lead-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Chinglish, as it's known, has sister variants in Japan and Korea – Japlish and Konglish (and there are others as well). Previous attempts in China to correct poor English met with little success and I have to say, for me, coming across some of these signs enhances the travel experience. For example: I really need to get my pants ironed or pressed... where should I go?... why, I could get them pruned... it is quite hot outside today after all. Or – rushing to get to the airport, caught the wrong train, where do I check in? – ah! no need to panic. I'm leaving the country by lift (and with a smile).

An entire world populated by signs in correct and proper (and antiseptic) 'Queen's English'? No thanks. Besides, I have to admire the sign-makers' language and communication skills and their uncanny abilities to proffer interesting lateral suggestions. And - the clincher - their English is way, way better than my Chinese/Japanese/Korean.