Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Through the years... (Sporadic updates)

今晚maang車邊,去睇左“每當變幻時”。港產片來説,都算過得去啦。兩位主角交足功課,事關角色與兩位的形象頗爲相似,算數啦,起碼唔係諧星做文藝片主角。okok啦。仲有盧Deh-wick、馮淬帆,都算新鮮既。。。
其實套戯除左一段不太令人感動的關係之外,首主題曲/戯名是小弟比較感受深的一環。下午跟 Funfun MSN時至開始領會歌詞中要“刮醒你”的溫馨提示:
每當變幻時


原曲:
月光小夜曲 - 紫薇 / 每當變幻時 - 薰妮
作曲:周藍平 填詞:盧國沾

懷緬過去常陶醉 一半樂事一半令人流淚

夢如人生快樂永記取 悲苦深刻藏骨髓

懷緬過去常陶醉 想到舊事歡笑面常流淚

夢如人生試問誰能料 石頭他朝成翡翠

韶華去 四季暗中追隨 逝去了的都已逝去
懷緬過去常陶醉 想到舊事歡笑面常流淚

夢如人生試問誰能料 石頭他朝成翡翠

如情侶 你我有心追隨 遇到半點風雨便思退

常見明月掛天邊 每當變幻時 便知時光去

常見紅日照東方每當變夕陽 便知時光去
每當變幻時

最近,“十年”呢個話題電視、報紙、電台通通都在討論,除了“每當變幻時”之外,“老港正傳”都係食住呢條水,與港人緬懷回歸以後每件大事、每個難忘得片斷、每個你與我都記得的故事。記得,在美國讀高中的時候,聽説每個美國人都會記得穿梭機挑戰者號於1986年升空爆炸的慘劇,並會記得當時一刻自己在那裏在做什麽。然而,對當年在香港10嵗的我來說事件只是美國的新聞一則;並因爲腦筍都未生埋,而不明白對當時世界的影響。。。



1989年,讀中一的我突然有一天假期,班主任亦跟我們有一個特別的談論,六月的這一天,真是過得不平凡。我只是依稀記得她跟我們說,八年之後,當香港回歸中國時,我們將跟當天在天安門廣場上的大學生年紀差不多;類似的事情會發生在我們身上嗎?幼稚的我只想。。。1997離太遠吧,世界每天都在變,不可能在發生罷!


有什麽對我來說等同對活在80年代的美國人看穿梭機挑戰者號爆炸的回憶?可能個人大了,香港回歸後,實在有很多人和事是令我難忘的。給我一點時間,中文寫作對我來講,實在是困難及需時 :)但以下是其中幾段;先看看片/圖片罷!




下次再加多D!

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Retail spaces? MORE?

MegaBox opens this week, but another mega mall is coming at the end of 2007...
"MegaBox" in Kowloon Bay
MegaBox is actually part of Kerry Properties' Enterprise Square Phase V development (the office towers retain the name). The retail component itself is about 1,100,000 sq ft of floor space, undoubtedly one of the largest in Hong Kong. With Hong Kong's first IMAX Theatre and an international-standard-sized ice rink, MegaBox aims to become a new retail magnet for a new development area (they call it "up-and-coming"): Kowloon Bay. Standing at 19-storeys high, the design of MegaBox is revolutionary... with carparking at every level... can you imagine the time it'd take just driving up and down the parking garage? I haven't been there myself, but there are already many photos available online, and I could also see the big red box almost everyday when I commute.
"Elements" at Kowloon Station
While recent focus on Kowloon Station has been on the 118-floor International Commerce Centre (ICC), with the new Ritz-Carlton on the top 15 floors, and the twin-tower skycrapers, hotel-cum-service apartment W Hotel and "Cullinan" project next door, "Elements", the 1,000,000-plus square feet of retail space (comparable size to Mega Box, IFC Mall, etc) is another "Super Mall" that we will roam in the near future.
Named "Elements" there will be 5 Themed Areas, each devoted to one of Nature's Elements: Metals, Fire, Wood, Water, and Earth. In addition to large "duplex" shops, there will be a 700,000 sq ft. of outdoor space for shoppers to enjoy the podium space. There will also be an ice-skating rink, and a 14-screen cineplex. While this mall is positioned to be another upscale shopping mall (like IFC), it will also strengthen the weakest component of the whole development and the surroundings. Residents at The Waterfront, Harbourside, The Arch, and Sorrento currently have to commute to nearby Harbour City or Olympian City to stock up for their daily needs. It is hopeful that upon completion of Elements and ICC, the comprehensive development intention of this whole Site will be achieved.
I find the biggest failure of this whole development is its integration with the surrounding. It is virtually an "island" which you would only get there by MTR. There is NO pedestrian foot traffic at all, as surrounding uses are mostly elevated roadways, entrance portal to the Western Harbour Tunnel, a vacant waterfront site reserved for the West Kowloon Cultural District (which I should add is NOWHERE near implementation timeframe), and a temporary golf course and a Drive-In Theatre. Of course pedestrian traffic hinges on the implementation of the waterfront promenade that would be part of the WKCD, yet its development timeframe is so uncertain, Kowloon Station will remain a destination to be served mainly by MTR... which is not such a bad thing, as Hong Kong has always been known to have an efficient mass transit system. But from an urban planning and urban design point of view, we should encourage people to utilize outdoor spaces more often than air-conditioned indoor ones. Think about all the energy required to air condition a big space!? And a bit of walking and breathing of fresh air is good for the mind and the body.
Other big malls in Hong Kong:
Shatin New Town Plaza (including Phases I & III and Grand Central Tower): 2,000,000 sq ft.
Harbour City (including Ocean Terminal, Ocean Centre, and Harbour City): 1,913,000 sq ft.
Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong: 1,200,000 sq ft.
Cityplaza (Taikoo Shing): 1,100,000 sq ft.
Times Square: 936,000 sq ft.
Telford Plaza (Phases I & II): 850,000 sq ft.
IFC: 800,000 sq ft.
Grand Century Place (Mong Kok KCR): 720,000 sq ft.
Pacific Place: 700,000 sq ft.
apm (Kwun Tong MTR): 630,000 sq ft.
Tai Po Mega Mall: 600,000 sq ft.
Langham Place: 587,000 sq ft.
Tsuen Wan Plaza: 584,000 sq ft.
Metroplaza (Kwau Fong MTR): 540,000 sq ft.
Citygate (Tung Chung MTR): 520,000 sq ft.
Olympian City II: 510,000 sq ft.
Marine Square (Tsing Yi MTR): 500,000 sq ft.
The Landmark: 400,000 sq ft.
(I only realized we have so many medium-sized malls after doing this research)