Green on wheels!

Now this is what we call Smart Greens! Artist Matteo Cibic has come up with a rather clever way to put the green back in the dense concrete jungle that is modern day Milan. In response to Inhabitat Editor, Jill Fehrenbacher’s question posed on Smart Urban Stage – ‘In crowded cities, how do we create better and more public green space to improve quality of life?’ - the artist came up with what is a rather ingenious idea of a ‘tree trolley wifi bench’.

What it is, is a mobile bench and garden combined. So the bench is equipped with wheels and has its own little garden behind it. And not just that, the tree trolley also doubles as a mobile work station for those to enjoy the idea of working outdoors, considering it is wifi enabled and also has charging dockets. And as if that isn't enough, these super functional trolleys will also sport street lights, making the area well-lit and safer giving, in the artists view, a boost to the nightlife of the area.

Making use of the ample parking space around the city, the artist said if people pay to park their cars in front of their homes or work spaces the question is would they pay to park a tree too? It is definitely a greener alternative to automobiles.  

However, what is of immediate though slight concern is all the creepy crawlies the miniature garden will attract. But then, it’s likely every home area will have at least one pair of green thumbs between them!

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A slice of Europe - Made in China

The Chinese have done it again! Attempted something that had never been tried before, that is. They've built themselves their own slice of Europe! 

Hallstatt, Austria

China has cloned the original Austrian village, Hallstatt, a UNESCO protected heritage site. Every last detail of the village has been copied in this replica dubbed Hallstatt See by the China Minmetals Corporation, located in the Guangdong province. The $940 million dollars project was announced by the Corporation in June, 2011 and now, in just about a year, the village is open to visitors. With an acreage of about a million square meters the village is intended to attract home buyers as well as visitors. 

Hallstatt See, China

However, this little slice of Europe in Asia in garnering some mixed responses from people. While the Chinese seem to be enjoying the place a lot, there are others who believe cloning a whole village isn't quite right. Especially since you can't emulate what really makes it unique in the first place. When the project was first announced, Hallstatt's mayor had expressed concerns over this venture of the Chinese too, afraid they'd copy everything including the village's place of worship. In fact, angry Austrians had announced that they'd consider legal action and would consult with the UNESCO about it. 


However, Hallstatt's mayor seems to have, since then changed his views. In fact, he flew in to mark the official opening of the clone and signed documents promising more cultural thoroughfare between the two Hallstatts since they realised the value of the the publicity it's afforded them. Accessible only by boat or after trekking through tough Alpine trails, Hallstatt, Austria now sees a lot more visitors than it did earlier thanks to its Chinese counterpart. In fact, as proof of complete acceptance, the original Hallstatt's website now reads: 'The original Hallstatt. Photgraphed a million times. Copied once.' How's that for a sea change!

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The soul of Seoul!

Kudos, Seoul! This is one architectural work of art that the citizens of Seoul are going to be thanking the civic authorities for, for a long, long time to come.

Seoul restored the lost Cheonggyecheon river which had been buried under asphalt for decades now, turning it into one of the most scenic sites of Seoul. The ChonGae Sunken Stone Garden is located in the Central Business District and was completed in the year 2005. Since then the Garden has seen a footfall of over 10 million which is not surprising in the least bit surprising. Designed by Mikyoung Kim Design, the water levels from season to season allow people to see the status of the river.

For 40 years the stream was covered with a pavement and used as a road. Until they started a project to restore the river and the result was the beautiful urban park it’s turned into today. The Stone Garden is the entry point of the river from where it rises and falls over the sloping and stepped stones. The Garden has, since, become an important place for festivals, concerts and other public events. And we can see why.

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PUNWADI TO PUNE

Fifty years back known as ‘Pensioners Paradise’ industrialization converted the city of Pune to the ‘Detroit of the East’ but the city has always been known as the ‘Oxford of the East’ because of its educational and research institutions.

Pune is a historic city surrounded by old forts and ancient temple towns. A good blend of
Modernization and a pride that the city dwellers feel for their rich culture and heritage reflect Pune Indianized in the real sense. The city will take you through the ancient and medieval culture of central India and Maratha Dynasty into the world of technical growth and cultural unification where we identify ourselves a citizen of a global village.

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