In search of Carbon Neutral Cities

At one of our office Lunch & Learn seminars, we were reviewing Masdar Project in Abu Dhabi and all the technologies involved into making this “city laboratory” a carbon neutral city. The question of the day was;  “Given the prohibitive cos...

The Sustainability Equation

When I first returned to Asia from England some 25 years ago, Bangkok rivers and canals were polluted, the air was un-breathable, garbage disposal unregulated, but one thing in the midst of all this chaos, was how highly organised it all was!! ...

Glass Pt. 3: The Endless Choice

When it comes to glass, its characteristics allow it to be modified for so many uses. The design and constuction industry has been using glass for so long, yet it’s so impressive how much progress and innovation is made.  We can find glass bei...

Glass Pt.2: Vaguely Opaque!

From simple particles of silica, glass has become one of the most used materials in the construction industry. It’s many valuable characteristics contribute to its value of being one of the most sustainable and wellness promoting products comme...

Glass Pt. 1: Let’s Get Cracking

GLASS: It can be clear, it can be frosted, it can be curved, it can be recycled, it is unstoppable.  Before we get to far, let’s first start with the initial question. What is it really made of? The over-simplified answer is: Sand!  Have you ...

Bangkok’s lost heritage

Driving last week end through Bangkok old China town roads, I couldn’t  help wonder like so many other times, why is nothing being done to preserve the old traditional buildings in this area? It’s heart breaking, some real gems are left to compl...

Recycled Paper=ART

We use tons of paper every day, from newspapers, magazines, stationary, and for designers like us, sketches, drafts, briefs and printouts of plans are cluttering every design studio! Paper is still widely used considering that offices and schools are...

What’s the future of waterfront cities?

I have written a couple of articles recently about climate change and waterfront cities; wondering  why are people still reclaiming part of the sea and building to no end, why are properties fronting water still fetching huge prices? I think we are...

The Lost Heritage, Kolkata

    I wrote  recently about the lost heritage in Bangkok and what I thought were the reasons behind the total neglect of these buildings.I just returned from Kolkata and believe me what I saw was beyond comprehension. Some amazing architectural ...