Thursday, 3 February 2011
Happy Chinese New Year!
Today marks the first of 15 days of the Chinese New Year festivities. Myself being born under the rabbit sign of the Chinese Zodiac according to the Chinese Lunar calendar, it is said that rabbits are calm, cool and collected while taking caution towards making decisions. They offer personal traits such as compassion, sensitivity and flexibility.
"This year's combination of metal as an earthly sign and the rabbit as a heavenly sign resulted in the Year of the Golden Rabbit."₁
Not being a traditionalist, it is fun to read about the facts off its Wikipedia page every year to remind myself of all the happenings during the festivities. On Chinese New Year's Eve (yesterday), Chinese people have to thoroughly clean their homes to rid of any bad luck and to prepare and bring forth the upcoming year. Afterwards, brooms and other cleaning utensils should be put away as to not sweep away any good luck. Good luck is brought forth by opening the doors and windows of your home...but seeing as it's been -20°C in Toronto...I don't think that's happening. I also read that in northern China, people are supposed to eat dumplings on the fifth day as the shape of the dumpling represents wealth somehow. The fifth day also marks the birth date of the Chinese god of wealth.
There are many more fun stories to learn about this great event that ranges from wearing new clothes, putting up decorations, receiving red envelopes and setting off firecrackers. All in all, a festive and prosperous time...it is said that this might be a good year for investments.
OMG look at this GIANT RABBIT!!!
₁ http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Lunar+Year+kicks/4215383/story.html
Labels: news
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Nature's Architecture
A giant sinkhole caused by the dissolving of underground rock and sediment is what was thought to have happened in Guatemala City a few months back. The estimated 330-foot deep natural phenomenon (double the height of the Statue of Liberty) devoured 12 homes and surround structures. It can truly be witnessed as an astounding form of architecture created by the Earth itself.
Research of sinkholes bring up a wealth of knowledge and information on man's ancestors, as well as other species on the way they lived from many centuries ago.
More here.
Monday, 7 June 2010
Winner of St. Lawrence Market North Building Competition
Adamson Associates Architects and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners were announced today as winners of the St. Lawrence Market North Building Design Competition.
Labels: architects, news, Toronto
Monday, 10 May 2010
$75,000 Toilet
Dug up this old post from wired.com. A $75,000 toilet made from Swarovski crystals. Wow. Bling bling anyone?
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
GBSA on twitter!
Official Launch Date: October 7, 2009
G. Bruce Stratton Architects is now on twitter!
Now you can follow us on both our blog and on twitter!
Just follow the link below and start tweetin' . . .
Labels: news, twitter, website
Monday, 23 March 2009
Hotel on Queen
Labels: architects, news
Monday, 16 March 2009
Congratulations!!
Jenny is a ma Frank is a pops.
Adrian Jacob Wang, born March 14 2009
Looking forward to the cigars...!!
Labels: news, staff photos
Monday, 2 March 2009
Just When You Thought You Were Different
GBSA staff member due this month......
Top baby boy names by internet search.....
1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Joshua
4. Matthew
5. Andrew
6. Christopher
7. Joseph
8. Daniel
9. Nicholas
10. Ethan
11. William
12. Anthony
13. Ryan
14. David
15. Tyler
16. John
17. Alexander
18. James
19. Brandon
20. Zachary
or if you want to keep them guessing......
Jordan
Riley
Alexis
Angel
Jayden
Peyton
Hayden
Avery
Taylor
Cameron
Payton
Dakota
Morgan
Logan
Ryan
Reese
Jaiden
Skyler
Skylar
Ariel
Kayden
Parker
Kendall
Addison
Dylan
Top baby boy names by internet search.....
1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Joshua
4. Matthew
5. Andrew
6. Christopher
7. Joseph
8. Daniel
9. Nicholas
10. Ethan
11. William
12. Anthony
13. Ryan
14. David
15. Tyler
16. John
17. Alexander
18. James
19. Brandon
20. Zachary
or if you want to keep them guessing......
Jordan
Riley
Alexis
Angel
Jayden
Peyton
Hayden
Avery
Taylor
Cameron
Payton
Dakota
Morgan
Logan
Ryan
Reese
Jaiden
Skyler
Skylar
Ariel
Kayden
Parker
Kendall
Addison
Dylan
Labels: news
Friday, 13 February 2009
Rem Koolhaas' CCTV Building Burns Down
Before:
After:
Perhaps the Chinese people who disliked the building due to the lack of Chinese culture that was included in terms of its design was maybe why they burned down Rem's building with fireworks.
Labels: news
Monday, 19 January 2009
TTC Does Not Cut It
The TTC did not make this list of the best transit systems. Why is a Vaughn expansion proposed? Museum station wha....?
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
And now for something completely different.....
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Best Poutine in Montreal and a Great Photo Capturing it's Qualities
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Front Pad Parking
People paving part of their front yards to park their car. Today's Globe and Mail presents the parking at home crisis in the more dense neighbourhoods and the environmental impact. The has been a desire to pave part of the front yard to park a car. All I can say is you won't have that problem in the suburbs of Mississauga or Brampton. One thing I loved about my back lane urban Vancouver home was the simple planning for the vehicle and it's missing from the front yard. Perhaps we need to drive smaller cars?
Labels: news
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
Blanchett as Dylan in I'm Not There
Monday, 5 January 2009
Industrial Design by Black and Decker 2008
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year
Monday, 15 December 2008
GBSA Architect Sapphira Explores Dance
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Gehry and The AGO
The underside of the wooden atrium stair.
The glass entrance wall and it's wood support along with the wood soffit.Friday, 5 December 2008
The Globe and Mail Newspaper
Today in the news section(the photo above..please a little more).....in the Real Estate section an expensive Dog House.......wtf?
Labels: news
Monday, 1 December 2008
Facades and Toronto Architecture
A recent article in the Toronto Star about preserving facades in the city. The photo above is of a GBSA project a few years back. The school facade was preserved. At first I did not know what to think of it. As it was in my neighbourhood, I soon saw it's merit. It became a meeting place for kids in the neighbourhood. It also served as a marker to the community and gateway to the park. The residents now had a historic monument to the past. If you ever drove down Foch Avenue your vista would end at this facade. A tribute to the urban planning of the past. Overall, in this example the preservation of the facade was good design.
Labels: news
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
