architecture – Shanghai Metal Corporation

How drones are revolutionizing the construction industry

Drones have been one of the fastest growing phenomenon’s in the last few years, both in terms of private and commercial use. To be the expansion into context, back in 2012 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimated that by 2012, 30’000 drones will be operating in US airspace; at this current time (2016) around 2.5 million drones are operational in the United States, of which 500’000 are being used commercially. Unsurprisingly, the FAA has since revised their forecast and now predicts the country will have 7 million drones in the air by 2020.
Many believe drones are the next step in the process of the ‘industrial revolution’. Before the availability of the modern cranes and industrial equipment, we rely so heavily upon today, laborers would be forced to complete every single job on the construction site by hand. Jobs that today take months to complete would have in years gone by taken years, and in maybe 20 years time, the jobs we see today taking months could take weeks, thanks to the use of drones.
Assessing the earth for the foundations of construction is also something that a drone can be considerably more efficient for. Traditional land survey equipment gets the job done and provides accurate results, however, when the apt software is installed into a drone, it will also attain accurate result but it will complete the job in a time 85-percent quicker at a cost of 10 times cheaper than traditional methods.
Furthermore, the job a project manager is also made fundamentally easier through the assistance of drones. In years gone by builders manually assessed project dimensions, which would predominantly be unreliable, timely and costly. By using drone data tools, the drone can automatically measure essential projects components, such as stockpile volumetric, whilst also sending instant feedback to the project manager who can begin analysis.
Drones are becoming increasingly common in day-to-day life but this is just for leisure, more importantly, drones are becoming more and more prevalent in a variety of industries but none more crucially than construction. Construction is an industry very much built on efficiency, in the sense of cost and time; hence the reason drones potentially have such a pivotal role to play, when the above reasons are taken into consideration.

You would be a brave person to bet against drones being a key player in the next industrial revolution.

Hotel developments to lead the way for growth in African tourism

A number of the world’s largest hotel chains are betting on Africa being their next big investment opportunity. Africa’s tourism sector is already on a momentous upwards slope and this is the obvious trend that has caught the attention of some of the world’s most renowned hotel names, such as, The Hilton, Fairmont and the Jumeirah group. Starwood, Marriot and the Four Seasons have also publically stated they intend on investing heavily across North, South and Central Africa in the five-years between now and 2021 that experts predict will be one of the largest periods of hotel growth in the continent’s history.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa is currently rising at an astronomical rate; last year, the global growth rate of FDI was 1%, whereas in Africa they experienced a 7% growth. Paul Frimpong, Investor Analyst at international business facilitation experts Naseba, said: “The enormous potential of the African continent cannot be emphasized enough. Africa is the fastest growing region for FDIs in the world. Aggregate household consumption will reach $1.4 trillion with collective GDP hitting $2.6 trillion in 2020 alone. These facts show that with the understanding of the growth momentum, combined with the right strategies, presents handsome rewards for current and prospective investors in the region.”

Not only does the hotel boom in Africa provide more opportunity for the tourism industry but it also presents an abundance of opportunity for the continents architects, interior designers, real estate developers, buyers and engineers working on not only hospitality, but retail, commercial and residential developments.

Controversy over Jerusalem construction work

Jerusalem, one of the most sacred and religious cities in the world is about to get a slightly modern makeover. Due to a surge in housing demand and the quickly increasing housing prices within the city, a private developer has been granted permission to build 100 new homes. Construction within the city has long been a controversial issue with construction work only ever taking place if it factored renovation works or was a reconstruction of traditional builds.
Washington, a close friend of Israel, has always been against governmental decisions to complete any modern construction work within the city, due to its religious standing. Nevertheless, the country believes the time has come where their capital city now needs to begin moving with the times. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said, “The US is a big friend but in the end, Israel needs to do what is beneficial for itself as a country.” The newly constructed buildings are expected to accommodate growing populations, imcorporate new technologies and provide a better economic future for the city.
A number of construction companies will be bought in to embed the essential skills and technology expertise required within the region and reduces the time ofconstruction. Portuguese company Mota-Engenharia e Construcao, SA and Turkish company Yilmazlar Construction Group will undertake vital works, alongside a multitude of Chinese construction firms: Beijing Construction Engineering Group International, Jiangsu First Construction Corporation, Everbright International Construction Engineering Corporation, and China Huashi Enterprises Company.
It must be a difficult position when you are home to one of the most religious, and sentimental places on earth to find methods of enhancing your countries future without damaging the past.

The world’s most remote inhabited island is set for a re-design

Tristan da Cunha is a British overseas territory and is the name given to the world’s most remote inhabited island. Saint Helena is the closest form of inhabited land, located 2000km away, South Africa is 2400km away and South America is 3360km away… you get the point? It’s quite isolated. The population of this 98 sq km island is 265 people; these 265 peoples can only be accessed by boat for 60 days a year, due to the conditions of the sea and the limited facilities of the harbour. Therefore, it is quite important that the people of these islands utilise the space as efficiently as possible and have the means to be self-sufficient, step up UK firm Brock Carmichael Architects who have won a competition to re-design the island.
The competition sought ideas to create a more self-sustainable future for Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, the main settlement on the islands. The outlined brief of the competition was to generally improve the living standards of residents, through the use of advanced residential properties and systems in which to improve the grazing of animals and the quality of crops.
The team was selected from a shortlist that included international participants:
• Lateral Office (Toronto)
• John Puttick Associates (New York)
• Scott Brownrigg (Cardiff)
• Javier Terrados and Fernando Suárez (Seville).
The project is going to see the architects sail 10 days from Cape Town on their adventure to improve the lives of the world’s most remote inhabitants.
Martin Watson, partner at Brock Carmichael, said: “We’re delighted and honoured to have been chosen as the winners of this unique competition and would like to pass on our thanks to the people of Tristan for selecting our team.
“We’re very much looking forward to forging a long-term partnership with the community to deliver practical solutions for the benefit of future generations to come.”
It’s good to see that in 2016; even the most unlikely of sources get to experience the advances in technology and construction to improve their own level of efficiencies.

HERITAGE RULES THE DAY AT 2016 WELLINGTON ARCHITECTURE AWARDS GALLERY

The capital’s most notorious and imaginative structures have been commended at the Wellington Architecture Awards.

Thirty-one recompenses were distributed on Wednesday night for both new and old plans.

Four honors were given to legacy work, which included reinforcing the Hope Gibbons Building, the Public Trust Building, and The Attic at the Wellington Museum.

The sole honor for the urban configuration classification went to Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, which was portrayed by the judges as “urban repair work which parities legacy values with a key bit of urban base”.

The recreation center, planned by Wraight Athfield Landscape + Architecture, likewise got a grant for open design.

Two Enduring Architecture Awards were additionally given.

In a demonstration of the late Sir Ian Athfield’s enduring impact on the city, both Enduring Architecture Awards went to Athfield Architects ventures.

The particularly green-tiled Telecom House was portrayed as “a building that has made a tremendous commitment to Wellington’s cityscape for over a fourth of a century”.

Senior House, a private home, was noted for its “twin, high-block smokestacks, which accentuate the outline with their celebrated motion to the city”.

The convener of the recompenses jury, draftsman Geoff Fletcher, said the triumphant sections set the standard for good design in Wellington and close-by locales. These successful projects illustrate the rewards of close collaboration between clients, architects, engineers and builders, Fletcher said.

“In many instances, smart decisions were made very early on, and this provided a platform for achieving excellent results despite the complexities and challenges of many of the award-winning projects.”

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/79652169/Heritage-rules-the-day-at-2016-Wellington-Architecture-Awards

Shanghai Metal Corporation is one of the leading expert in manufacturing and supplying building materials. We care for the world’s future and we are committed to provide construction materials in a sustainable way that contributes in the well-being of our environment. Our steel products are 100% recyclable and have great strength, ductility and durability, which helps to save energy, raw materials and reduce waste. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further information. We accept and are able to help you with any challenging construction projects.

CHINA OFFICIALLY BANS “WEIRD” ARCHITECTURE

The Chinese government wants to officially put an end to the recent trend of bizarre architecture that’s swept the country. Years of strong economic growth had fueled a construction boom and the rise of strange and eye-catching architecture – from a teapot-shaped building to the Rem Koolhaas-designed CCTV skyscraper that looks like a pair of trousers. The ban came as part of a new State Council guideline released by the central government on Sunday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping first called for an end to “weird architecture” back in 2014, when he harangued many of the country’s unusually shaped buildings, including copycat architecture of famous Western landmarks, from a replica of the U.S. Capitol to an entire clone of the UNESCO-protected Austrian Hallstatt village. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the directive states that urban architecture should henceforth be “suitable, economic, green and pleasing to the eye,” and not “oversized, xenocentric, [and] weird.”

More than just an eyesore, many of these odd urban monuments are also considered a misappropriation of taxpayer money. Liu Shilin, head of the Institute of Urban Science at Shanghai Jiaotong University, told SCMP that quite a few of these “weird” publicly funded buildings didn’t serve any civic purpose, were costly to maintain and were actually torn down soon after competition. The State Council directive has yet to release a set of criteria that defines “weird” architecture.

Source: http://inhabitat.com/ (Lucy Wang)

TOP 10 AMAZING STEEL BRIDGES

A bridge is a structure that built to provide passage over the physical obstacle such as water, valley, or road. It is often made of steel which is strong and massive that suitable with the purpose of bridge itself. Here are ten of the most amazing massive steel bridges that ever built.

Kymijoki Railway Bridge – Koria, Finland

Kymijoki Railway Bridge is a pair of parallel rail bridges across the Neva River in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The bridge was built on 1910-1912. This bridge was the first 3-span steel truss bridge built in Finland. It was originally used as a railway until 1923 and today, it is just use as a footbridge.

Sydney Harbour Bridge – Sydney, Australia

Sydney Harbour Bridge is the world’s largest steel arch bridge. It connects Sydney Central Business District and the North Shore. It was built in 1932 by Dorman Long and Co Ltd.

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge – Kobe, Japan

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge also known as the Pearl Bridge is the longest suspension bridge spans in the world which has 1991 meters lengths. It links the city of Kobe on the mainland of Honshu to Iwaya on Awaji Island, Japan.

Chaotianmen Bridge – Chongqing, China

Chaotianmen Bridge is a road-rail bridge over the Yangtze River in the city of Chongqing, China. It is the longest arch bridge spans in the world which has total length of 1,741 m.

Ikitsuki Bridge – Nagasaki, Japan

The Ikitsuki Bridge is the longest continuous truss bridge spans in the world which has main span of 400 meters. It connects Itsuki to Horaido and it was built in 1991.

Golden Gate Bridge – San Fransisco, USA

Golden Gate Bridge was built because of the consensus of USA citizens. It was built on 1933 and opened for public on 1938. It was designed by Joseph Strauss at 4200 feet with back towers that measure at 746 feet.

Pont de Normandie – Honfleur, France

The Pont de Normandie was designed by Michael Virlogeux. It took more than 7 years to build it and spend more than $465 million. It has a total length of 2.143 meters which make this bridge as the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world until 1999.

Weichsel Bridge – Dirscham, East Prussia

Weichsel Bridge is an icon of steel bridges during the golden era of steel constructions. This was the first large wrought iron girder bridge that was built in Germany in 1857.

SkyBridge – Vancouver, Canada

The SkyBridge connects New Westminster and Surrey, two important cities in Vancouver. It opened in March 1990 with total length at 616 m. This bridge is a transit-only route used by TransLink.

Forth Bridge – Firth of Forth, Scotland

Forth Bridge is a cantilever bridge that was opened in 1890. It connects Edinburgh and Fife which is the major landmarks in Scotland. It was designed by the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO designers, Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker.

How amazing steel can used to build a bridge that can connect land, people, societies, and economies!

As a representative of the metal industry, Shanghai Metal is one of the leading businesses in the manufacturing of metalworking industry. We can produce and export the best quality of steel, other metal products, shipping containers, and service. We prioritize the efficient of manufacturing and environmental sustainability.

Want to know more about our company? Please visit our website and you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Feel free to download our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

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Source: Wikipedia and Colorcoat-online

Ardelia Sassie/SMC Editor

AN ECO-FRIENDLY AND CREATIVE CONCEPT: STARBUCKS SHIPPING CONTAINER STORES

Who ever thought shipping container can turn into a cool coffee shop? Starbucks did it! Starbucks succeed to get attention with their innovative concept of drive-thru shipping container stores.

On December 13, 2011, the first Starbucks shipping container was built in Tukwila, Washington. This concept came out from Puget Sound, the busiest shipping port in Washington. When Starbucks design team were thinking about an eco-friendly store idea, they looked at the Puget Sound and found an idea to reuse shipping containers as a sustainable store.

Starbucks uses shipping container to deliver coffee, tea, and other materials all across the world, so it seems fitting that they decided to use shipping containers to build their stores. By using unused shipping containers, Starbucks help to reduce their waste because after 20-25 years of lifespan, it will become scrap. This new concept turns out to be the breakthrough for Starbucks popularity. Many customers give very good response about this Starbucks’ new store. It’s not only an innovative idea, but also environmental and economical friendly.

However, it’s a little hard for Starbucks to arrange the equipments in the 40-foot shipping container stores because it is not a big space and also they can’t modify the dimensions. They need to figure it out exactly where all the equipment needs to go, so the six employees in there don’t end up bumping into one another.

Starbuck’s design team using this shipping container stores as their eco-friendly store ideas. They expect to achieve LEED certification. This shipping container stores have met the LEED standards: water efficient irrigation, energy performance optimization, use of green power, construction waste management, recycled content, low-emitting materials, and overall innovation and design.

Today, Starbucks have built a few of shipping container stores all over US:

Tukwila, Washington, the first Starbucks’ shipping container store.
Denver, Colorado
Portland, Oregon
Salt Lake City, Utah, opened September 2014
Chicago
Ballard, Seattle, opened February 2, 2014

It’s not only Starbucks that used shipping containers to build their stores. There is also a few unique shipping container restaurants all over the world:

Smoky Park Supper Club, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Till the Cows Come Home, Berlin, Germany

Ska Brewing’s World Headquarters & Tasting Room, Durango, Colorado, USA

Shipping containers are flexible for different uses. Look at Starbucks that succeed make a cool shipping container coffee shop. Some of unique restaurants also made from shipping container. These Starbucks stores and a few of shipping container restaurants are only a few example of the innovative idea of shipping containers.

Based in China, Shanghai Metal Corporation is one of the leading businesses in the manufacturing of metalworking industry. We can produce and export shipping containers and other metal products and service. We prioritize the efficient of manufacturing and environmental sustainability.

Source: Containerhomeplans, Inhabitat, Starbucksmelody

HIGH SHANGHAI : SKYSCRAPERS IN THE BIGGEST CITY OF CHINA

China is the biggest expanding country in the world right now. With it’s population of over 1.35 billion, this ever-growing country has also BIG DREAMS to fulfill.

Literately, these dreams are made of metals. Lots and lots of metal are needed to build SKYSCRAPERS.

Especially in Shanghai, skyscrapers have an imposing figure in the city. You could even consider it’s main symbol as an urban landscape view of buildings and skyscrapers.

The Bund, Shanghai (as seen on Google Images)

Therefore skyscrapers are not just basic human construction, they are symbols of economic success and prosperity of one’s city and country. Some people think that buildings mean a realized and achieved dream.

This building, called the SHANGHAI TOWER, is the tallest one in China and second world’s tallest with it’s 600 meter height and 128 floors.

As cited from dznworld.com :

As the skyline’s most prominent icon, the tower’s transparent, spiral form will showcase cutting-edge sustainable strategies and public spaces that set new standards for green community. Shanghai Tower will house Class-A office space, entertainment venues, retail, a conference center, a luxury hotel and cultural amenity spaces.

Like we said before, skyscrapers are synonym of economical success. The very name of this supertall skyscraper confirms it all : SHANGHAI WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER, is the second tallest building made in Shanghai.

China’s architectural design are known for it’s originality too. The Oriental Pearl Tower, with it’s famous shape is very well-known in the city and by others who have visited the city of Shanghai.

“The Golden Prosperity Building” also known as the Jinmao Building or Jinmao Tower again, reflects this idea of success in the city.

There it is, Shanghai as China’s biggest city, offers also the tallest skyscrapers in the world. An international city like this one has to show the world and it’s people that it can keep up with everyone’s expectations. These skyscrapers are known worldwide for their outstanding height, as China’s economical situation and influence keep on growing to have higher goals in the future.

Simple elements like metal can contribute to achieve bigger dreams and that’s what Shanghai Metal Corporation can provide you !

As representatives of the metal industry, Shanghai Metal Corporation is one of the leading businesses in the manufacturing of metal quality products in the global field. As a major producer of stainless steel, copper, aluminium, steel and other metal products and service, we essentially are committed to the universal use that metal can offer by delivering overseas and promoting environmental sustainability.

To know more about our company please visit our website. Also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. You can also download our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

Maria // SMC Editor

#AddingValueAcrossTheGlobe

Maria // SMC Editor

MINIMALIST HOMES MADE FROM SHIPPING CONTAINERS

Homes made from shipping containers are very trendy right now ! Why exactly ?

Maybe because it is capable of offering more than it’s basic use (normally we use them to transport a large amounts of goods on boats or trains). Therefore shipping containers are multi functional ; not only they serve as object carriers but we can also create stylish homes to your personal needs !

With this idea, check out these 5 houses made of shipping containers which have MINIMALIST DESIGN.

Even though you can find a bunch of other designs we think that minimalist design suits the very basic concept of shipping containers which is to accommodate some goods. Houses basically, also follows this ideal.

1. See that sweet comfortable and portable house ?

This house is the perfect movable house if you seek tranquility. It’s cozy and simple design puts your mind at ease and you can enjoy a relax stay in any spot of your choice !

The interior reminds a Japanese style house ; all wooden, natural and eco-friendly.

2. What about this simple veranda style one ?

If you’re more of a stable person, maybe you would prefer this one. This house gives you the feeling of tranquility with it’s classic and retro design. Having more space allows your mind and your body to relax more easily.

3. What’s the thing about white houses ?

White houses, particularly this white gem, define purity. If you’re in need of cleansing that soul of yours, maybe this container house will do you good.

Elegant, simple and classy, this house is located on a hilltop ; whatever your mood is, the purity that emits this house is magical whether you’re alone or with your loved ones.

4. What about for those who need a view ?

Don’t worry, this special model is built for those who seek not only a comfy home but also a view that will take your breath away. With it’s terrace, you could enjoy the beautiful sun and sky as long as you want to.

This house kinds of have two personality with it’s openness to the outside world but it also provides privacy to it’s owner.

5. Do you see a swimming pool ?

What’s better than a container house is, of course, one with a pool to dip in after a hard day’s work ; this little beauty down here makes everything better with it’s peaceful green surroundings. Once you take a dip in that jade green water, you will feel rejuvenated again.

The house’s design perfectly fits with the natural environment in which it is constructed. So not only you will gain inner peace, you will also merge with mother nature.

So you see, shipping containers are flexible to different uses and environments. These 5 minimalist houses are only a few example of the tons of variety shipping containers can offer to imagine. The adaptability is so vast maybe because their initial use was so simple that it exceeds it’s own purpose.

Based in China, Shanghai Metal Corporation is one of the leading businesses in the metalworking industry. As a major producer and exporter of shipping containers and other metal products and service, we essentially put our customer’s personal needs above all like these 5 container houses.

To know more about our company please visit our website. Also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. You can also download our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

#AddingValueAcrossTheGlobe

Maria // SMC Editor