Beijing travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

This project is modest addition for the small property of Huairou about two hours drive away from the urban center of Beijing, China. The “Liyuan Library” by Chinese designer Li Xiaodong Atelier is encompassed within a mountainous and forested landscape. The absolutely glazed interior contains mild and contemplative reading spaces and a disposal of platforms which integrate shelving since books. After analyzing the region’s characteristics, an exterior screen clad with ordinary sticks was chosen to conceal the glass facade, receding engrossment the surrounding mystique without competing with it.

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WUHAO The Teahouse is a Beijing-based concept shop, founded upon the five elements of Chinese philosophy (fire, metal, water, wood, and earth) and showcasing the works of over 55 Chinese and international designers. Especially for Beijing Design Week, the company moved into the two-storey building in the city’s historic Dashilar district to host numbers of installations, including plastic yellow canaries disguised as growing lemons and an bent opening lined with green paper butterflies. The design retailer WUHAO partnered with the socially responsible Chinese tea company Tranquil Tuesdays to display a new vision of this traditional space.

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Chinese architects Atelier 11 recently completed the spherical Diamond Arena in Beijing, China, which seats up to 15,000 spectators and will host international tennis matches. The dedicated China National Tennis Center is a 15,000-capacity stadium which is currently hosting the China Open 2011, starring world class players Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Jurgen Melzer and Andy Roddick.

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South Korea is one of the hardest working country in the world and now people there can shop for groceries at virtual stores while they wait for the subway train. The United Kingdom based grocery chain – Tesco has opened virtual stores in Seoul‘s subway station under the name Homeplus, permitting users to shop using their smart phones while waiting for their trains.

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Kids in Beijing sure are lucky. The “Kid’s Republic” is a kid’s center with an innovative, playground design. Designed by SAKO Architects, “Kids” is considered as one of world’s best designed children’s bookstores. The design drives your kids crazy, it is so bright and colorful. This imaginative store mimics the look of a fantasyland with its elaborate use of color and fun design elements. Start with an all white bookstore interior - white floors, white ceiling, white walls, white stairs, white bookshelves, white everything - and to that liberally add rainbow colors all over it streams, twists and whirls throughout the store.

Continue reading The first specialized children’s bookstore in China

Copenhagen-based Holm Architecture Office in collaboration with Archiland Beijing, Kragh & Berglund landscape architects, and engineering consultants Cowi Beijing, has won first prize in a competition to design the Samaranch Memorial Museum. It will be situating in Tianjin, a city of over 12 million people near Beijing, in Northwestern China. Juan Antonio Samaranch was the president of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001. Throughout his presidency he advocated for reform and inclusion and was a strong supporter of China’s bid as host city for the 2008 Olympic Games.

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The world is getting smaller as populations are booming and technology is improving. The answer may be found in whole cities being designed as this concept. 45 kilometres from Tianjin City and 150 kilometres from the Chinese capital of Beijing, the site of the Tianjin Eco-City is a fascinating, 30 sq km development designed to showcase the hottest new green technologies and to serve as a model for future developing Chinese cities. The Tianjin Eco-city is the result of a collaborative agreement between the governments of China and Singapore to jointly develop a socially harmonious, environmentally friendly and resource-conserving city in China.

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Located in the middle of Chaoyang shopping district, The Westin Beijing Chaoyang is a modern hotel that brings a touch of contemporary class to the heart of Beijing. Situated close to a number of historical landmarks in the city, the hotel is approximately 25 minute drive from Beijing International Airport. There are many great attractions near the hotel like Lama Temple, Dong Yue Miao and Temple of Confucius.

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Offering visitors a kaleidoscope of Old and New China, Beijing is one of the world’s most remarkable cities. Aman at Summer Palace is located just steps from a series of historic dwellings in one of China’s most iconic sites – Beijing. It is close to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Summer Palace, Old Summer Palace, and Peking University. Housed in an historic structure, constructed in 1750, the Aman at the Summer Palace offers the unique opportunity to enjoy the traditional Chinese architecture, harmoniously blending modern comforts with classic fabrics.

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The exhibit “Ai Weiwei: New York Photographs 1983-1993″ opened yesterday at the Asia Society Museum. It features 227 photographs taken by Ai Weiwei capturing the history, culture, and atmosphere of New York City from his unique perspective. The Chinese artist-activist Ai Weiwei is widely known for using his blog to speak out against the injustices of the Chinese government. “He is one of the most provocative and influential conceptual artists from China today, and in recent years he has become an increasingly iconic figure”, says Asia Society Museum Director Melissa Chiu.

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