Asia-Pacific

Japanese officials recently approved plans to build a 320-mile magnetic levitation train system. The $114 billion project is expected to begin construction in 2014.

August 23, 2011 - Ecomagination

Russian officials are pushing a plan to build a tunnel connecting Russian territory to the United States.

August 23, 2011 - MSNBC

What crosswalk? Watch this man effortlessly synchronizes his steady gait with the oncoming cavalry of cars, buses, and motorcycles as he crosses a busy street in Vietnam. If there is fear, he sure does a great job not showing it.

August 19, 2011 - YouTube

Paul Mason takes a tour of Manila's 10-year-old Estero de San Miguel slum to test the theory that slums have upsides and finds that understanding the question's realities is as important as trying to find the answer.

August 16, 2011 - BBC

It is not uncommon for wealthy Chinese to spend seven figures - in cash - on real estate "as housing for children studying in New York."

August 15, 2011 - The New York Times

Like the Hamptons for affluent New Yorkers, Singapore emerges as the go-to real estate hot spot - replacing Hong Kong - for wealthy Chinese. "It confers class status in China to say that you own a flat in Singapore," asserts Mohamed Ismail.

August 7, 2011 - The Economist

South Korea is making perhaps the biggest moves towards creating a vast "smart" electricity grid with a test grid of homes equipped with new meters and applications that communicate with each other and the grid.

August 1, 2011 - The New York Times

More and more theme parks are being planned across Asia, which is creating new opportunities for designers.

July 28, 2011 - Architectural Record

In the Philippines, "eco-entrepreneur" Ilac Diaz is spreading an idea from MIT using 2-liter soda bottles and bleach to bring a 60 watt light bulb's worth of light into the building below.

July 21, 2011 - Reuters UK

The personally rewarding and healthy activity of urban farming continues to solidify a foothold on Hong Kong high rises, in spite of the lack of support from the government.

June 30, 2011 - CNN

South Korea's law mandates developers to commission public art as 1% of the total cost of a proposed project. What the law does not specify is the level of taste that comes with it.

June 29, 2011 - The Los Angeles Times

In preparing a bid to host the 2020 Olympics, Tokyo is planning to include areas that were ravaged by the recent tsunami and earthquake.

June 28, 2011 - Daily Mail

Tsunami, earthquakes, and nuclear radiation in the past, Japan proceeds to build a magnetic train that defies Newton's laws of physics.

June 24, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

Photojournalist and blogger Dr. Hank Snaffler, Jr. documents the Sathorn Unique, an abandoned skyscraper at the heart of Bangkok.

June 20, 2011 - Abandoned Journey

Japan is typically associated with strong disaster preparedness plans, but the devastation following the March tsunami highlights some of the nation's shortcomings in adapting and reacting, according to this piece from Citiwire.

June 19, 2011 - Citiwire

A small community in tsunami-ravaged Japan considers a plan to move the entire village farther above sea level.

June 11, 2011 - MSNBC

Panasonic and a group of companies are planning on building a new demonstration "smart town" in Kanagawa Prefecture on a site the tsunami destroyed.

June 6, 2011 - Popular Science

A consultant has recommended to UNESCO that they reject a proposal to include 19 buildings designed by French architect Le Corbusier on their list of world heritage sites.

June 3, 2011 - Daily Yomiyuri Online

South Korea is emerging as a new center of Asian mega development. With a variety of large-scale and small-scale projects, the country is taking a specific interest in sustainable development.

June 2, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

After decades in development, Japan is ready to begin construction on their first commercial maglev train, which will eventually run between Tokyo and Osaka at speeds of up to 313 miles per hour.

May 31, 2011 - Environment Service News