Category Archives: Engineering Marvels

Space Needle (Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Seattle’s Space Needle

From Pike Place, Val drove Danny and I to the Seattle Center, home to Chihuly Garden and Glass, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and the Space Needle in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.  It had already stopped raining when we arrived and the sun was again shining.  We didn’t have time to explore the first two but Danny and I were excited to go up the open-air observation deck of the Space Needle 160 m.(520 ft.) above ground, our first time to do so.  Val had done this a couple of times, so he just offered to wait for us till we returned.

Check out “Pike Place”

The author (right) with friend Val Salgado with the Space Needle in the background

This observation tower, a designated a Seattle landmark, is considered to be an icon of the city.  Unlike many other similar structures (such as the CN Tower in Toronto), the Space Needle is not used for broadcasting purposes.The Space Needle was, upon completion by Howard S. Wright Construction Co., the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River, replacing the Smith Tower in downtown Seattle as the tallest building west of the Mississippi since 1914.Today, it is dwarfed by other structures along the Seattle skyline, among them the 295 m. (967 ft.) high Columbia Center.

The author and Danny Macaventa

The Space Needle is 184 m.(605 ft.) high, 42 m.(138 ft.) wide and weighs 8,660 metric tons (9,550 short tons).  It was built to withstand wind speeds of up to 320 kms./hr. (200 mph), double the requirements in the building code of 1962. As the Space Needle sways only 25 mm.(1 in.) per 16 kms./hr.(10 mph) of wind speed, it can also be made to withstand Category 5 hurricane-force winds.

The architecture of the Space Needle is the result of a compromise between the designs of local architect John Graham‘s concept of a flying saucer (the halo that houses the restaurant and observation deck)and the sketch (on a napkin) of Edward E. Carlson (president of a hotel company and chairman of the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle)which depicted a giant balloon tethered to the ground (the gently sloping base). The hourglass profile of the tower was introduced by Victor Steinbrueck.

Carlson,inspired by a recent visit to the Stuttgart Tower of Germany, also had an idea for erecting a tower with a restaurant at the World’s Fair. As a result of his success in designing Northgate Mall, architect John Graham soon became involved, altering the restaurant’s original design to a revolving restaurant, similar to his previous design of the La Ronde tower restaurant at the Ala Moana Shopping Center in Hawaii.From April 1, 1962, to April 1, 1982, the revolving restaurant was operated by Western International Hotels, of which Carlson was President, under a 20-year contract.

Built for the 1962 World’s Fair(which drew over 2.3 million visitors, with 20,000 people a day riding the elevators to the Observation Deck during the course of the Fair), the construction of the Space Needle was privately financed and built by the Pentagram Corporation (consisting of Bagley Wright, contractor Howard S. Wright, architect John Graham, Ned Skinner, and Norton Clapp).

With time an issue, the construction team worked around the clockand the Space Needle was finished in less than one year. The Space Needle had to withstand earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude (as strong as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake) so its earthquake stability was ensured when a hole was dug 9.1 m.(30 ft.) deep and 37 m.(120 ft.) across, and 467 concrete trucks took one full day to fill it. The foundation weighs 5,310 metric tons (5,850 short tons), including 230 metric tons (250 short tons) or of reinforcing steel, the same as the above-ground structure. The structure is bolted to the foundation with 72 bolts, each one 9.1 m.(30 ft.) long.

A scaled model of the Space Needle at the Building the Marvel” Exhibit

The domed top, housing the top five levels (including the restaurants and observation deck), was perfectly balanced so that the restaurant could rotate with the help of one tiny electric motor, originally 0.8 KW (1.1 HP), later replaced with a 1.1 KW (1.5 HP) motor. A grand spiral entryway(shown in a 1962 Seattle World’s Fair poster), with 848 steps from the basement to the top of the observation deck leading to the elevator, was ultimately omitted from final building plans. For paint colors, Orbital Olive was used for the body, Astronaut White for the legs, Re-entry Red for the saucer and Galaxy Gold for the roof.

During the World’s Fair, an imitation carillon (using recordings of bells, rather than live bells),built by the Schulmerich Bells Company of Hatfield, Pennsylvania under the name “Carillon Americana,” was installed in the Space Needle and played several times a day. The instrument, recreating the sounds of 538 bells, was the largest in the world until it was eclipsed by a 732 bell instrument at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Another scaled model of the Space Needle at the ground floor Gift Shop

The operator’s console, located in the base of the Space Needle, was completely enclosed in glass to allow observation of the musician playing the instrument. Also capable of being played from a roll, like a player piano, the 44 stentors (speakers) of the carillon were located underneath the Needle’s disc at the 61 m.(200-ft.) level, and were audible over the entire fairgrounds and up to 16 kms. (10 mi.) away. After the fair’s close, the carillon was disassembled.  The “Carillon Americana,” featured on a 12-track LP record (called “Bells On High-Fi,” catalog number AR-8, produced by Americana Records, of Sellersville, Pennsylvania), was recorded in a studio and performed by noted carillonneur John Klein (1915-1981).

Here is the historical timeline of the Space Needle:

  • In 1961, investors discovered and bought (for $75,000) a suitable lot, measuring 37 by 37 m. (120 by 120 ft.), containing switching equipment for the fire and police alarm systems, for the proposed Space Needle site (it had no pre-selected site since it was not financed by the city and land had to be purchased within the fairgrounds).
  • In April 1962, the Space Needle was completed at a cost of $4.5 million.
  • On April 21, 1962, the last elevator car was installed the day before the Fair opened.
  • In 1963, a radio broadcast studio was built, used for morning broadcasts by Radio KING and its sister TV station KING-TV from July 1963 to May 1966, and KIRO Radio from 1966 to 1974, on the observation level of the Space Needle.
  • On March 27, 1964, as a result of the 9.2 earthquake in Alaska, the restaurant atop the Space Needle stopped rotating.
  • For six months in 1974, disc jockey Bobby Wooten of country music station KAYO-AM lived in an apartment built adjacent to the Space Needle’s broadcast studio, requiring a permit variance from the city government.
  • On March 4, 1974, Paul D. Baker committed suicide by jumping from the Space Needle, the first person to do so.
  • On May 25, 1974, Mary Lucille Wolf also jumped from the tower.
  • In 1977,Bagley Wright, Ned Skinner and Norton Clapp sold their interest to Howard S. Wright who now controls it under the name of Space Needle Corporation.
  • On July 5, 1978, in spite of the installation netting beneath and improved fencing around the observation deck, Dixie Reeder was able to commit suicide.
  • In 1982, the SkyLine level was added at the height of 30 m.(100 ft.).
  • In 1992, the University of Washington (UW) Huskies football team logo was painted at the tower after the team won the 1992 Rose Bowl.
  • In 1993, the elevators were replaced with new computerized versions that descend at a rate of 16 kms./hr. (10 mph).
  • In 1995, when the game show Wheel of Fortune taped episodes in Seattle, it was painted to resemble the titular wheel as part of an intro sequence with Vanna White.
  • On April 19, 1999, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Board designated the tower a historic landmark.
  • On December 31, 1999, the Legacy Light or Skybeam, a powerful beam of light, was unveiled for the first time.
  • Between 1999 and 2000, renovations included the SkyCity restaurant, SpaceBase retail store, Skybeam installation, Observation Deck overhaul, lighting additions and repainting.
  • In 2000, renovations were completed at a cost ($21 million) approximately the same in inflated dollars as the original construction price.
  • In 2000, the Space Needle Restaurant (originally named Eye of the Needle) and the Emerald Suite, the two restaurants 150 m.(500 ft.) above the ground at the hovering disk of the Space Needle, were closed to make way for SkyCity, a larger restaurant that features Pacific Northwest cuisine.
  • In 2000, because of perceived terror threats against the structure after investigations into the foiled millennium bombing plots, public celebrations were canceled but the fireworks show was still performed.
  • In 2001, the 6.8 Mw Nisqually earthquake jolted the Space Needle enough for water to slosh out of the toilets in the restrooms.
  • From September 11, 2001, to September 22, 2001, in response to the September 11, 2001, attacks, the Legacy Light (or Skybeam) remain lit for eleven days in a row.
  • In 2002, to promote tourism, a real estate consultant in Bellevue proposed the construction of five smaller replicas of the Space Needle around the city though official plans to build the proposed structures have not yet materialized.
  • On May 19, 2007, the Space Needle welcomed its 45 millionth visitor, Greg Novoa from California, who received a free trip for two to Paris.
  • In May 2008, since the opening of the 1962 World’s Fair, the Space Needle received its first professional deep cleaning by being pressure washed by Kärcher with water at a pressure of almost 2,611 psi (18,000 kPa) and a temperature of approximately 194 °F (90 °C). In consideration of the Seattle Center and the nearby Experience Music Project, no detergents were used and the cleaning was only done at night so that the Space Needle could stay open to the public.
  • In April 2012, as part of the celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Needle was painted “Galaxy Gold”, which is more of an orangish color in practice. This is the same color used when the needle was originally constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair. This temporary makeover was only intended to last through the summer.
  • In the summer of 2017, a renovation of the top of the Space Needle, called the Century Project,began. An all-glass floor was added to the restaurant, the observation platform windows were replaced with floor-to-ceiling glass panels (to more closely match the 1962 original concept sketches) and the internal systems were upgraded and updated. The work, tocost $100 million in private funds provided by the Wright family (owners of the Space Needle),was scheduled to finish by June 2018. The designer is Olson Kundig Architects and the general contractor is Hoffman Construction Company. The rotating restaurant’s motor was replaced, the elevator capacity was increased by adding elevators or double-stacking them and,with the aim of achieving LEED Gold Certification, the energy efficiency of the building was improved. The temporary scaffold’s 13,000 kg.(28,000 lbs.), 4,148 sq. m. (4,650-sq. ft.) platform under the top structure, made by Safway Services (a company specializing in unique construction scaffolding),was assembled on the ground, and then lifted by cables 150 m.(500 ft.) from the ground to the underside of the structure, controlled by 12 operators standing on the platform as it was raised. So that the Space Needle was never completely shut down to the public, only one-sixth of the observation deck was closed at a time.
  • In August 2018, the Space Needle reopened as the Loupe, an indoor observation deck with a revolving glass floor that takes 45 mins. to do a full rotation. Two sets of stairs called the Oculus Stairs,named after the glass oculus at the base of the stairs where the Space Needle elevators can be seen ascending and descending,were added to connect the two new additional levels. A café, wine bar, more restrooms, and an additional accessibility elevator to the top observation deck were also added.
  • In 2020, the fireworks display was canceled because of high winds, with a laser light show being used at midnight instead.
  • In 2021, the fireworks show was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced by a broadcast-only augmented realitypresentation on KING-TV.

 

The queue at the Mezzanine Level

The Space Needle, a visual symbol of Seattle and of the Pacific Northwest, has made numerous appearances in films (It Happened at the World’s Fair in 1962, The Parallax View in 1974, Sleepless in Seattle in 1993,Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me in 1999,  Chronicle in 2012), TV shows (Frasier, Grey’s Anatomy, Dark Angel, Bill Nye the Science Guy, etc.), and other works of fiction, often being used in establishing shots as an economical means to tell the audience the setting is Seattle, and has been incorporated into the logos of NBA, WNBA, MLS, and NHL professional sports teams.

Queuing past the “Building the Marvel” Exhibit

After paying the admission fee, we joined the queue of visitors at the mezzanine level (overlooking the gift shop below) waiting for the three elevators (two of them high speed), which can each accommodate 25 people, to take us up the inside observation area.  As it was the summer month, there was a bit of a line as the number of visitors usually climbs to well over a thousand a day. While waiting for our turn, along the line was the “Building the Marvel Exhibit,” a custom exhibit installed in April 2016, of compelling images, interactive experiences, and fun and historical memorabilia that tells the story of how the Space Needle’s conception and construction.  There are also miniature replicas of the Needle, showing the construction’s progress, plus cool vintage advertisements, posters of the Words fair and clippings from magazine articles praising this architectural marvel.

Inside the 25-pax elevator

Once inside the elevator, it took us 42 seconds to reach the top, travelling at a rate of 10 mph (or 880 ft. per min.). Stepping out of the elevator into the inside observation area, we had awe-inspiring and dramatic views of the downtown Seattle skyline, front and center, with buildings shimmering in the sun.

The Inside Observation Area

Seamless floor-to-ceiling  glass walls gave us unobstructed, 360-degree sights of the region –  Lake Union, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, the inky waters of Elliott Bay, the ever-popular Great Wheel along the waterfront, and various islands in glittering Puget Sound, with ferries floating around  On a clear day, the flat top of snow-capped Mt. St. Helens can be seen in the distance.

The Inside Observation Area

From the inside observation area, Danny and I stepped out of the door (one of 12) into the open observation deck which was already filled with tourists taking photos and selfies.  Here, we had a more unparalleled experience with a unique, uninhibited bird’s-eye view of the abovementioned landmarks, protected by a series of 11 ft. tall and 7 ft. wide glass panels (which replaced the old wire cages) starting at the floor and tilting outwards.  Lining the edge of the panels are new glass benches, following the angle of the transparent walls, designed at a slant, a perfect, jaw-dropping selfie spot that makes you feel like you are hanging in the air, floating above Seattle.

Danny and the author at the Open Observation Deck

On our way back down, an elevator attendant took the time to point out locations of interest to us, sharing some historical landmark facts and answering questions. Our elevator had windows where we could watch our rapid descent.  Soon the doors opened and we disembarked into the gigantic gift shop at the ground floor before exiting the building.  Every year on New Year’s Eve, the Space Needle celebrates with a fireworks show at midnight that is synchronized to music. Alberto Navarro, a fireworks artist from Bellevue, is the lead architect of the show, which is viewed by thousands from the Seattle Center grounds.

View of the city skyline

To honor national holidays and special occasions in Seattle, the Legacy Light (or Skybeam), derived from the official 1962 World’s Fair poster (which depicted such a light source although none was incorporated into the original design), is lit. Powered by lamps that total 85 million candela shining skyward from the top of the Space Needle, it was originally planned to be turned on 75 nights per year but it has generally been used fewer than a dozen times per year as it is somewhat controversial because of the light pollution it creates.

View of Puget Sound

Since its opening, six (four of them part of an authorized promotion in 1996, withone of them got injured and broke a bone in her back while attempting the stunt) parachutists have leaped from the tower in a sport known as BASE jumping which is legal only with prior authorization (the other two jumped illegally and were arrested).

The Gift Shop

Seattle Needle: 400 Broad Street, Seattle, Washington 98109. Tel: (20) 905-2100. E-mail: guestservice@spaceneedle.com. Website:  www.spaceneedle.com. General admission:: US435 – 39 (regular, ages 13 -64), US$30  -33 (senior, aged 65+) and US$26 – 29 (youth, ages 5 – 12).  Open daily, 10 AM to 9 PM (Sundays to Fridays) and 9 AM to 9 PM (Saturdays).  Coordinates: 47.6204°N 122.3491°W

Gastown Steam Clock (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Gastown Steam Clock (photo: Bryan E. Cruz)

This steam-powered clock , Gastown’s most famous (though nowhere near oldest) landmark, is one of the only functioning steam-powered clocks in the world.  It was designed and built in 1977 (to marked the completion of the city’s revitalization project) by Canadian clockmaker Raymond L. Saunders to cover a steam grate, part of Vancouver‘s distributed steam heating system as a way to harness the steam and to prevent street people from sleeping on the spot in cold weather.

The author and Jandy at Gastown (photo: Bryan E. Cruz)

At the time, it was considered as either the first (the world’s first steam clock is often credited to British engineer John Inshaw, who supposedly built the clock to attract customers to his pub in Birmingham, UK during the mid-19th century) or second steam-powered clock ever built. Saunders has since built six different public steam clocks for clients such as the city of Otaru, Japan, and the Indiana State Museum. In 2010, he built a clock for Vancouver’s York House School‘s 78th birthday.

Plaque at West Side reads:
Gastown
This clock is located at the western boundary of the old Granville townsite, known as Gastown. In 1870, the shore of Burrard Inlet was only a few yards north of this point. Through the early 1900’s, Gastown was the commercial centre of Vancouver. By the 1960’s, it had become the centre of Vancouver’s ‘skid road’. In the early 1970’s, it was rehabilitated to its former stature. The success of its rehabilitation was due to property owners, retailers, and all the people of Gastown working together with city council and civic departments. The townsite committee, composed of the property owners of Gastown, were responsible for the beautification of the streets. John W. Parker served as chairman of the committee between Jan. 1967 and Sept. 1977.

Originally, its design was faulty and, after a breakdown, had to be powered by electricity. As it had become a major tourist attraction, the steam mechanism was completely restored with the financial support ($58,000) of local businesses and private donors and, although it is of modern invention, is promoted as a heritage feature.  The Gastown clock is not completely powered by steam as the steam engine that drives the clock mechanism is assisted by an electric motor. Weighing over two tons, the component parts the clock cost $42,000.

Plaque at South Side
(facing into the street) reads:

The Gastown Steam Clock
Dedicated to the citizens of Vancouver by the community of Gastown. Presented by former Mayor Art Phillips, a freeman of the borough of Gastown, to his worship Jack Volrich, Mayor of the City of Vancouver on September 24, AD 1977

The steam used to power a miniature steam engine in the base of the clock is low pressure downtown-wide steam heating network (from the Central Heat Distributors plant adjacent to the Georgia Viaduct) which, in turn, drives a chain lift. The chain lift moves steel balls upward, where they are unloaded and roll to a descending chain. The weight of the balls on the descending chain drives a conventional pendulum clock escapement, geared to the hands on the four faces.

Plaque at East Side reads:
Gastown Steam Clock Sponsors
Anonymous Contributor
The Vancouver Gastown Lions Club
The City of Vancouver
The Gastown Historic Society, Woodward’s Stores Ltd., Marathon Project 200 Properties, John & Patricia Parker, Charterhouse Properties Ltd., Central Heat Distribution Ltd., Milton & Marion Saunders, Air Canada, Simpson Sears Ltd., Georgina M. Barnes, McNab Management Ltd., Ralph Johnstone, Otto Friedl Ltd., German-Canadian Businessman Association, John Podlesnik, Cathay & May Chan, The Harco Building, Hudson House, Ashiteru Rae, The Bakersville Inn, MacDonald & Lumsden Ltd., The Water Street Café

The gravity driven “falling ball” drive was ‘engineered’ by Douglas L. Smith. The steam also powers the clock’s sound production, with whistles being used instead of bells to produce the Westminster “chime” and to signal the time. It shoots steam at the top of every hour and announces quarter hours, sounding the chimes on 5 brass steam whistlers, with the Westminster Quarters; a common clock chime melody that’s also used by London’s “Big Ben.”  In October 2014, the clock was temporarily removed for major repairs by its original builder, and was reinstalled January 2015.

Plaque at North Side reads:
The Gastown Steam Clock
Designed and built by
Raymond L. Saunders
Horologist
The world’s first steam powered clock has been created for the enjoyment of everyone. The live steam winds the weights and blows the whistles. Every 4.5 minutes one steel weight will travel by steam power to the top of the clock. The gravity driven “falling ball” drive was ‘engineered’ by Douglas L. Smith. Each quarter hour the clock will sound the Westminster Chimes. The large whistle will sound once on the hour. The steam is supplied by the underground system of Central Heat Distributors [typo – should be Distribution] Limited. The component parts cost $42,000 and the clock weighs over two tons.

Gastown Steam Clock: 305 Water St. cor. Cambie St., Gastown, Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 1B9.

Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (Cordova, Cebu)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

The Php30 billion Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), also known as the Cebu–Cordova Bridge and the Third Cebu–Mactan Bridge (colloquially known as the Third Bridge locally), is a toll bridge expressway in Metro Cebu which links Cebu City with the municipality of Cordova, Cebu. The artistically designed CCLEX, with its iconic crosses on top of the twin pylons, has now become part of Cebu’s iconic landmarks.

Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (photo: Pete Dacuycuy)

Here are some interesting trivia regarding this bridge:

Cordova mayor Adelino Sitoy first proposed the bridge to connect his municipality with Cebu City in mainland Cebu.  After numerous studies were conducted, the local government of Cordova and Cebu City entered into a public-private partnership with Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC).  Then chairman of the Regional Development Council of Region VII Michael Rama also lobbied for the construction of the Cebu-Cordova bridge.  Rama later became Mayor of Cebu City when the Cebu–Cordova Bridge project was already awarded to a company.

Here is the historical timeline of the bridge:

  • In January 2016, the Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp.(MPTDC, the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. which is a publicly listed infrastructure company and a member of the Manny V Pangilinan Group of Companies), through a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, announced that the construction of the bridge that was to commence in 2017. In the same announcement, MPTDC said that they will be responsible for the construction and financing of the bridge and, once it is completed, its operation as well.
  • On March 2, 2017, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Cebu–Cordova Bridge was held.
  • On April 15, 2021, eight ecumenical “Iconic Crosses,” placed on the two main pylons of the bridge, were lighted during the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines to highlight Cebu’s title of being the Cradle of Christianity in the Far East.
  • As of September 30, 2021, the bridge is 85.38% complete.
  • On October 5, 2021, the final concrete pouring in the main bridge deck was held effectively completing the main bridge deck. The entire expressway is expected to be completed in December 2021, with opening slated for the first quarter of 2022.

Designed by the Spanish firms Carlos Fernandez Casado (CFC) and SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas, the local firm DCCD Engineering Corp and the Danish firm COWI did the engineering works. Built by a joint venture between Spanish firm ACCIONA, and Philippine firms First Balfour and DMCI, the bridge was meant to serve as an alternate route serving the Mactan–Cebu International Airport.

The 390-m. long (1,280-ft.) cable-stayed main span of the CCLEX is supported by 145-m. (476-ft.) high twin tower pylons whose design was inspired by the historic Magellan’s Cross Pavilion. The main span of the 27–m. (89 ft.) wide bridge has a 51 m. (167 ft.) navigation clearance for maritime traffic which allows ships to traverse the bridge. Viaduct approach bridges and a causeway, as well as toll road facilities (its design inspired from the eight-rayed sun of the Philippine flag) on an artificial island, also form part of the CCLEX. It has two lanes in each direction, with a design speed of 80 kms. per hour allowing it to serve at least 50,000 vehicles daily.

The planned expressway extension to Lapu-Lapu City will have a direct connection to the Mactan–Cebu International Airport and will add roughly 5 to 8 kms. (3.1 to 5.0 mi.) to the expressway, and is estimated to cost ₱10 billion to ₱15 billion.

To provide safe and seamless travel between Cebu City and Mactan, which hosts the Mactan–Cebu International Airport, Mactan Export Processing Zone, and some of the country’s premier resorts and hotels, the CCLEX will use an all-electronic toll collection system. The toll plaza, with eight toll lanes (our lanes in each direction) will use radio-frequency identification or RFID electronic payment for toll collection.

Cebu Provincial Tourism Office: 3/F, East Wing, Capitol Executive Bldg., Capitol Site, Cebu City 6000. Tel: (032) 888-2328. E-mail: sugbuturismo@gmail.com.

Department of Tourism Regional Office VII: G/F, LDM Bldg., Cor. Legaspi and M.J. Cuenco Sts., 6000 Cebu City.  Tel: (032) 412-1966, (032) 412-1967, (032) 254-3534, (032) 254-6650 and (032) 254-2811. Fax: (033) 335-0245. Email: phdot7@tourism.gov.ph. Airport Office Tel:  (032) 494-7000 loc. 7548.

Cebu Pacific Air has daily flights from Manila to Cebu’s Mactan International Airport.  It also has flights from Clark (Pampanga) and Davao City.  Book via www.cebupacificair.com.

Bamboo Organ Museum (Las Pinas City, Metro Manila)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

The old convent housing the Bamboo Organ Museum

Just before Christmas Eve, Jandy and I picked up Vicky Dionela, my wife’s balikbayan first cousin at my brother-in-law Mark’s residence in Citadella Village (Las Pinas City) to tour her around Manila before she returns to Vienna (Austria).  I decided to bring them to the nearby Church of St. Joseph, home of the world-famous Bamboo Organ.  This would be my second visit (the first was in February 2005) and the first for Jandy and Vicky.

Check out “Church of St. Joseph”

L-R: the author, Vicky and Jandy posing beside the old church bell

After our arrival, we decided to first visit the Bamboo Organ Museum situated within the old Spanish convent beside the church. Welcoming us at the main entrance is the huge original church bell with its wooden yoke (or headstock).  The bell’s inscription reads “Siendo Cura-del Pueblo de Las Peñas el M.R.P. Padre Diego Cera se Fundio este equilon ano de 1820.” During the time of Fr. Diego Cera, the name of the town was “Las Peñas” until it was changed to “Las Piñas.”

Our BOFI Lady guide explaining the history of the church and the Bamboo Organ

After paying the admission fee, we were assigned a lady BOFI (Bamboo Organ Foundation, Inc.) tourist assistant.  She narrated to us the humble beginnings of the church, how it was built and the important contributions on how it came to its present existence. She also narrated how Padre Diego Cera made the organ, how it was retrofitted in Germany, and finally its reinstallation at the church.

Check out “Bamboo Organ”

Artifacts from the Bamboo Oragan – old keyboard, metal and bamboo pipes

During our tour, we also learned that Spanish Augustinian Recollect missionary St. Ezequiel Moreno was once a parish priest in Las Piñas (from July 1876 to mid-1879). Now the patron saint of cancer patients, he was canonized by St. Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992.

Posing beside an old chair of the parish priest and a bust of St. Ezequiel Moreno

Inside the museum, we also enjoyed a comprehensive series of displays of religious artifacts, busts, priestly chairs, and the original parts of the organ (keyboard, the manually-operated giant bellows used to supply air to the organ; metal and old broken bamboo and pipes; etc.). There’s also a mini mock-up of the bamboo organ (also made of bamboo) which we can actually play.  Our lady guide patiently explained to us its inner workings.

The old manually-operated bellows

Hanging on the walls are old photographs relating to the famed Bamboo Organ and the church, showing the various stages of the church as time passed, as well as posters (declaration of the Bamboo Organ as a National Cultural Treasure, first Bamboo Organ Festival on Mar 6-11, 1976, etc.) and paintings.

Vicky playing a mock up of the Bamboo Organ

We then went up an old stone staircase to the choir loft of the church where we saw the highlight of our tour – the world famous and majestic Bamboo Organ itself.

Jandy ascending the stone stairs up to the choir loft

I’ve never seen the Bamboo Organ this close and I was surprised that there are a lot more pipes at its back than what’s seen from ground level.

Posing at the choir loft with the Bamboo Organ in the background

After our guided tour of the museum, we toured the rest of the church before buying some souvenirs at the souvenir shop.

Bamboo Organ Museum: Padre Diego Cera Hall, St. Joseph Parish Church Compound, Diego Cera Ave., Brgy. Daniel Fajardo, Poblacion, Las Piñas City. Open Tuesdays – Sundays, 8 AM – 12 noon and 2 – 6 PM. Admission: PhP100 (adults), PhP50.00 (children).  Admission includes a postcard, brochure and a guided tour. Tel: (02) 8825-7190 and (02) 8820-0795. Email: bambooorganfoundation@gmail.com. Website:  bambooorgan.org/museum.

How to Get There: From the Star Mall in Alabang (formerly Metropolis), board a jeepney bound for Zapota Bayan and ask the driver to drop you off at the ‘Bamboo Organ.’ From Alabang, the church is on your left side.

Bamboo Organ (Las Pinas City, Metro Manila)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

The Bamboo Oran

The centerpiece of the Church of St. Joseph in Las Pinas City is the famous Bamboo Organ and it is with this obra maestra (masterpiece) that  Augustinian Recollect Fr. Diego Cera de la Virgen del Carmen, resident  Catholic parish priest (its first) in Las Piñas from 1795 to 1830, was to gain undying fame as an organ builder.  A native of Spain, this organist and organ builder was a gifted man, a natural scientist, chemist, architect and community leader.

Check out “Church of St. Joseph“

Church of St. Joseph

So unique is this church organ made with bamboo, the tallest grass in the world (only the trumpet stops are made of metal), that it was even mentioned by Robert L. Ripley (of Ripley’s Believe It or Not fame) in his book on “Great and Strange Works of Man.”  The choice of Bambusa sp. (Gramineane), identified to be indigenous to Batangas and the Luzon area, was probably both practical and aesthetic as bamboo was abundant and used for hundreds of items of both a practical and an artistic nature. The Bamboo Organ is described, by many international organ masters, as one of the finest old organs in the world and its construction, with bamboo, is noted as being one of the major factors that gives it a truly unique and lively sound. 

Fr. Diego Cera

Of the three built, one was intended as a gift for the Queen of Spain.  It never arrived for unascertainable reasons. However, some good came out of it as the Queen donated a church bell, now displayed at the old church convent.  The second was installed in the Capuchin Church of San Nicholas in Intramuros.  One of the 33 stops of this organ was made of bamboo.  The organ was, however, heavily damaged in 1898 and completely destroyed by fire during the American liberation in 1945.

The third and only existing one left was started in 1816 (while the church was still under construction) and completed in 1824.   With the help of the Las Piñas community, Fr. Cera started cutting the bamboo in 1816, selecting 950 pieces of different sizes and volumes.  These he buried in beach sand from six months to a year, curing them with salt water, thereby protecting them from wood-boring termites.  In 1817, Fr. Cera unearthed the bamboo pieces.

Together with the natives (whom he trained prior to the gathering of materials), he proceeded with the construction of the organ. At first, he attempted to use bamboo for 122 pipes but this experiment failed and, eventually, the bamboo pipes were used as ornamental pipes located at the rear side. Secretly working with Swiss chemist Jacques E. Brandenberger (who was employed by Blanchisserie et Teinturerie de Thaonbut, the cellophane inventor for the air bags to be used in the construction but without the trumpet stops), the organ was already playable in 1821. After Fr. Cera decided to make the trumpets using metal (musical characteristics of which he could not replicate with bamboo), the organ was finally completed in 1824.

The old keyboard, metal and bamboo pipes of the Bamboo Organ, now on display at the Bamboo Organ Museum

The finished product was 6.7 m. high, 4.17 m. wide, 1.45 m. deep and weighed 3.5 tons.  From its 1,031 pipes emanate dulcet tones.  There are 902 pipes made of bamboo consisting of 747 “speaking” pipes, 36 “blind” flue pipes and 119 “blind” reed pipes. The 129 metal trumpets, horizontally placed reeds of soft metal imported from Mexico, are composed of 112 metal pipes, 10 “speaking” reed pipes and 7 others for the “bird” stop.   The five-octave keyboard has 23 stops arranged in vertical rows and a full pedalboard.

Despite its single manual and small pedals, the organ has an unusually high tonal range.  Its special birdstop tube (pajarito) was, to quote, “designed to imitate the song of birds when a small quantity of water was poured therein.”  The tambor tube, on the other hand, gives out the boom of a kettle drum.  The organ was originally powered by a windmill.  However, an electric blower, installed in 1932 (the centennial of Fr. Cera’s death) by Fr. Paul Hubaux, is now used.

The old manually-operated bellows of the Bamboo Organ (now at the Bamboo Organ Museum)

Over the years, natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods took their toll on the Bamboo Organ. Major repairs were undertaken in 1863, 1867 and 1872. The July 14, 18 and 20 earthquake of 1880 and the October 1882 typhoon  destroyed the galvanized roofing of the church, causing rain and stones to fall on the then disassembled organ, rendering it unplayable for several years.

In February 1883, through the combined contributions of the government, town residents and the Archbishop, repairs on the organ, costing a total of 270 pesos were carried out.  In 1888, Fr. Saturio Albeniz headed the project of improving the organ.  However, it was not fully completed, further degrading the condition of the organ. In 1891, the organ was repaired once again but, during the Philippine Revolution, the pipes were then dismantled and kept in the old sacristy.

The author (left) with son Jandy and cousin Vicky beside the Bamboo Organ

Around 1909, there was an attempt to sell the organ and replace it with a harmonium.  It was aborted when a certain Kapitan Pedro opposed this and offered to pay the expenses of the organ.  Unfortunately, only two stops were repaired.  In 1911, the organ was rediscovered by tourists and reassembled.  Several concerted efforts were also made to save the organ.  In 1917, the organ was in such a bad state that only two stops were working.

Fr. Victor Faniel (term: 1915–1920), of the C.I.C.M. (Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) or Belgian Fathers, attempted to restore the organ but could not repair the bellows.   In order to solicit voluntary contributions for the repair of the organ, Fr. Faniel authored and published Historical Facts, a pamphlet featuring substantial historical data about the bamboo organ.

The bellows currently used by the Bamboo Organ

In 1917, the organ was reassembled by the Las Piñeros but the repair works were not conducted in an expert manner. In April 1932, Fr. Paul Hubaux, C.I.C.M., saw the difficulty of pumping air and physically manipulating the bellows  so he installed a one-horse power Wagner electric motor in order for the bamboo organ “to be heard again in full and sufficient volume.”

In 1943, during the Japanese Occupation, it was partially repaired and overhauled by two technicians, Carmelo and Jose Loinaz.  However, the lack of expertise did little to improve its condition.  Some of the repairs that were intended to preserve, actually almost destroyed it.

In 1960, German Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Friedrich von Fürstenberg, offered a donation worth 150,000 DM. However, the restoration work needed be done in Germany. The restoration project was temporarily shelved because of the risks of transporting the organ from Manila to Germany and back.  However, by 1962, the organ was in such a bad state that only one-fifth was working as there were many leakages in the air supply.  All horizontal trumpets were disconnected and the same was true for all the base pipes.  Only three stops out of the 23 were working and some disconnected pipes were piled inside the organ.

The organ’s cornet

In 1962, the Historical Conservation Society offered its services to restore the organ, in anticipation of the second centennial anniversary of Las Piñas. A total of Php 4,975.00 was donated for the instrument alone. However, insufficient funds only allowed partial repair works by Mr. Jose Loinaz. An organ builder, Fr. Hermann Schablitzki, S.V.D., also attempted to conduct repair works to the bamboo organ. The condition of the bamboo organ reached its “terminal stage” – disconnected horizontal trumpets and bass pipes, three functional stops out of twenty-three, leakage of air from the chest, and piling of disconnected pipes inside the bamboo organ. Only 1/3 of the Bamboo Organ was functioning during that time.

In the early 1970s, Belgian Rev. Fr. Mark Lesage (C.I.C.M. parish priest in June 1969) and assistant parish priest Fr. Leo Renier (who happened to be a musician and organist) set out consulting with several authorities on the bamboo organ. Mr. Jose Loinaz and Fr. Schablitzki strongly suggested a total repair. On the other hand, Fr. John van der Steen, C.I.C.M., echoed the need for total restoration. Lesage and Ranier, as well as the townspeople, decided on the total rehabilitation of the dying organ and the implementation of the restoration work was firmed up.

On December 2, 1972, during the inauguration of the Las Piñas Church, Mr. Johannes Klais the expert organ restorer scion of the organ builder firm of Johannes Klais Orgelbau, visited, personally inspected and assessed the Bamboo Organ which he had heard about when he was still a child. With a rich and extensive experience in the restoration of Spanish organs, he expressed his desire to help.  He remarked that the organ could still be repaired, but only in the Klais factory in Bonn, Germany. The crucial and sensitive work was awarded to the firm.

In March 1973, two technicians of the Klais firm, Joseph Tramnitz and Joseph Pick, arrived at Las Piñas and dismantled the bamboo organ. Due to concerns about shrinkage in the cold German climate, the repair of the bamboo pipes was done in Japan under Mr. Tsuda, also trained by Mr. Klais himself. The other parts of the organ were crated and shipped to Germany. On September 1973, upon its repair, the bamboo pipes were also shipped to Germany and installed in the “Klimakammer,” a special room built in the factory with the same Philippine humidity and temperature to prevent shrinkage of the bamboo.

On February 1974, actual repairs were started.  Klais enlarged the original plan of Fr. Cera and the old bellows of the organ were replaced. At present, the new bellows were located at one side of the choir loft and beside the belfry.  Parts that could not be used anymore were replaced with very durable wood.  Only the best materials were used.  Mr. Klais also trained Mr. Marciano Jacela, a Filipino scholar of the Carl Duisberg Foundation, on how to take care of the organ in the future in case any repair was needed.  Mr. Jacela also actively participated in the difficult and complicated restoration work.

During all that time, the 200,000 German Deutchmarks (PhP460,000 at that time) needed (excluding transportation, tickets for technicians and other expenses) for the organ repair was  raised from various sources. In the true bayanihan spirit, money for the organ repair, as well as church renovation, came in with the help of the Las Piñas community and the neighboring area, coming in the form of donations from businessmen as well as coins from schoolchildren.

On February 17, 1975, the Bamboo Organ, now with 89 completely new pipes (35 were trumpet pipes and 53 were bamboo pipes) was presented to guests invited by Mr. Mauro Calingo, the Philippine ambassador, at a one-hour concert held at the Philippine Embassy at Bonn, Germany, with world-renowned organist Wolfgang Oehms (organist of the Trier Cathedral in Germany) playing the Bamboo Organ. After that historic event, the launching of the first long-playing album of the bamboo organ was released.

On March 16, accompanied by Mr. Marciano Jacela (responsible for reassembling the bamboo organ), Robert Coyuito (then President of the Pioneer Insurance Companies who donated the insurance premium for the bamboo organ) and German technician Ulrich Bisacker, a dozen crates containing all the parts of the restored Bamboo Organ were finally returned, via Sabena Airlines,  to a joyous welcome here after an absence of almost two years.   A joint motorcade and foot parade was held the next day.  The organ was finally reassembled on March 17.  A month later, Klais arrived in Manila to a hero’s welcome.

For around thirty years, minor repairs and improvements were performed on the instrument under the general restoration conducted by Klais Orgelbau.  In 1990, Helmut Allgaeuer Orgelbau replaced the bone plates of the keyboard and, in 1993, Helmut’s apprentices Cealwyn Tagle and the late Edgar Montiano, both members of the Las Piñas Boys Choir turned organ builders and trained in Grunbach, Austria,  took over the maintenance of the instrument, doing minor jobs on broken trackers, hairline cracks, and keyboard adjustments.

On November 24, 2003, the Bamboo Organ was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines. In 2004, the Las Pinas-based company, Diego Cera Organ Builders Inc. (considered as the first Filipino pipe organ building company, it was founded by Tagle and Montiano In March 1994), carried out a general overhaul of the Bamboo Organ, replacing some leather parts and making improvements in the wind system, particularly the re-installation of a multi-fold parallel bellows which was patterned after the bellows of the Baclayon (Bohol) pipe organ, which is believed to be constructed by Fr. Diego Cera.

Through this organ-building priest’s genius, plus the dedication of Klais and the untiring efforts of the Las Piñas community, then and now, the legacy of this centuries-old National Treasure has been preserved, continually bringing unique angelic music from the earthly bamboo. Today, the famous organ, as well as the church museum at the old convent house, is a popular tourist destination for Filipinos and foreign visitors alike in Las Piñas.

Check out “Bamboo Organ Museum”

The organ is now the cornerstone of the International Bamboo Organ music festival.  First held from March 6 – 11, 1976, the inaugural concert featured Wolfgang Oehms complemented by the Las Piñas Boys’ Choir, the Cultural Center of the Philippines Orchestra (under the baton of Maestro Luis C. Valencia) and the Maharlika Rondalla. Oehms played standard European compositions and two Filipino works – excerpts from Misang Pilipino by former dean of Philippine Women’s University College of Music, Lucrecia R. Kasilag (who later became a National Artist for Music in 1989) and commissioned Parangal by organ, rondalla, brass, woodwind and percussion conducted by Prof. Alfredo S. Buenaventura, the composer himself.

Now the longest-running annual international music festival held in the country, the festival is a series of cultural performances centered on the unique Bamboo Organ.  The  classical music compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 to 1750), Giovanni Gabrielli (1557 to 1612), Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 to 1809), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 to 1791), Antonio Vivaldi (1675 to 1741) and other famous composers are performed by local and international artists, orchestras and choirs (notably the Las Pinas Boy’s Choir) with the accompaniment of this famous organ. Since 1992, Prof. Armando Salarza has been the titular organist of the Bamboo Organ as well as the Artistic Director of the International Bamboo Organ Festival

Bamboo Organ: St. Joseph Church, Diego Cera Ave., Brgy. Daniel Fajardo, Poblacion,  Las Piñas City. Tel: (02) 8825-7190 and (02) 8820-0795. Email: bambooorganfoundation@gmail.com. Website:  bambooorgan.org/museum.

How to Get There: From the Star Mall in Alabang (formerly Metropolis), board a jeepney bound for Zapota Bayan and ask the driver to drop you off at the ‘Bamboo Organ.’ From Alabang, the church is on your left side.

Eureka Tower and Skydeck 88 (Melbourne, Australia)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Eureka Tower

We decided to end our first day in Melbourne with a visit to the Eureka Skydeck 88, an observation deck that occupies the entire 88th floor of the 297.3 m. (975 ft.) high, 91 storey (with one basement level) Eureka Tower.

The beehive art installation

Opened to the public on May 15, 2007, at 285 m. (935 ft.) high, it is the highest public vantage point in a building in the Southern Hemisphere.

Here are some interesting trivia regarding this building:

  • Until surpassed by Ocean Heights and the HHHR Tower in Dubai, it was the world’s tallest residential tower when measured to its highest floor
  • When measured either by the height of its roof, or by the height of its highest habitable floor, Eureka Tower was the tallest residential building in the world when completed.
  • It is the second tallest building in Australia, behind Q1, Queensland on the Gold Coast
  • Eureka Tower is the tallest to roof (excluding spire)
  • It is one of only seven buildings in the world with 90 or more storeys
  • Eureka Tower is the equal 77th tallest building in the world.
  • It is also the second-tallest building in Australia and the tallest building in Melbourne.
  • As of 2016 it was the 15th tallest residential building in the world.
  • As far as can be ascertained this is the highest building with plants on
  • Currently, it is also the building with the most floors available for residential occupancy in the world.
  • In all, there are 556 apartments in 84 floors (including some floors shared between car parking and apartments), with the remainder being used for building facilities and the observation deck.
  • The single level basement and first 9 floors contain car parking.
  • Eureka Tower Pty Ltd, the developer of the tower, is a joint venture consisting of Daniel Grollo (Grocon), investor Tab Fried and Nonda Katsalidis, one of the Tower’s architects.
  • Eureka Tower is named after the Eureka Stockade, a rebellion during the Victorian gold rush in 1854. The building’s gold crown represents the gold rush, the red stripe the blood spilt during the revolt, the blue glass cladding (that covers most of the building) the blue background of the stockade’s flag and the white lines the Eureka Stockade flag. The white horizontal stripes also represent markings on a surveyor’s measuring staff.
  • The project was designed by Melbourne architectural firm Fender Katsalidis Architectsand was built by Grocon (Grollo Australia).
  • The tower was built using reinforced concreteusing a slipform About 5,000 tons (4,900 long tons; 5,500 short tons) of reinforced steel and 110,000 tons (110,000 long tons; 120,000 short tons) of concrete were used.
  • On November 9, 2004, Eureka Tower’s lift core superseded the height of Rialto Towers.
  • Started in August 2002, the exterior completed on June 1, 2006 and the building was officially opened on October 11, 2006 by then Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks
  • An art installation resembling a manmade beehive, at the base of the tower, contains bees inside a white box, with two regular sized bees outside the box, and one queen bee on the top. Created by Richard Stringer and Nonda Katsalidis, it was completed in December 2007.  The gold color of the bees complements the gold at the top of the tower.
  • Since 2012, the Eureka Climb event, where participants climb 1642 steps to the observation deck, has been held annually. The current record is 7 minutes to climb up 88 floors.
  • A system of pumps constantly moves water between the two 300,000 liter tanks, at Levels 90 and 91, to counteract wind-induced oscillations.
  • Eureka Tower has 24 carat (99.9%) gold plated glass windows (installation completed in March 2006)on the top 10 floors of the building.

The ticket office

To access the Skydeck, we first paid an entry fee at the ground floor. From one of its 13 elevators, we traveled up to 9 m. per second (30 ft./sec.).

Skydeck 88

The Skydeck features several free binoculars as well as 30 viewfinders that helped us pinpoint numerous significant landmarks around all parts of Melbourne.

View of Melbourne Central Business District

View of the Yarra River. In the foreground is the Arts Centre Spire.

The Skydeck also has a small outside area called The Terrace (closed in high winds) where daring people can do a “skywalk” 350 m. (1,150 ft) high. Not for us.  However, we all tried out The Edge.  Once inside this glass cube, the glass inside was initially opaque but once it projected 3 m. (10 ft.) out from the building, the glass became clear as we hung over the edge of the tower.  Adding to our viewing experience, we were suspended almost 300 m. (984 ft.).

Nightime view of Melbourne CBD

Eureka Skydeck: 7 Riverside Quay, Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria 3006, Australia. Open daily; 10 AM – 10 PM, Admission: Adult: 23AUD; Child: 14.50AUD

 

Tian Tan Buddha (Lantau Island, Hong Kong)

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

Tian Tan Buddha Statue

The majestic Big Buddha statue, sitting atop the peak of 479 m. high Mount Muk Yue, is sited near Po Lin Monastery.  At ground level, the statue was quite a formidable and imposing sight. Together with many other tourists, we were huffing and puffing on our way up, only catching our breath at a number of stair landings. The view of Lantau Island, the 934 m. (3,064 ft.) Lantau Peak and the South China Sea from the top was ’breathtaking.

Check out “Po Lin Monastery“

This large bronze statue of Buddha Shakyamuni, a major center of Buddhism in Hong Kong and a popular tourist attraction, symbolizes the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and faith.  The statue, skillfully mastered and conceptualized by the artist to shape the perfect design of the Buddha statue that we see today, was a culmination of the characteristics of Buddhist sculptural art of the Sui and Tang Dynasties (when Buddhism was at its prime).

Taking 12 years to plan and build, this bronze Buddha statue, an outstanding piece in Buddhist sculptural art in recent history, is now a major landmark in Hong Kong attracting numerous local and overseas Buddhists and visitors.  It symbolizes the stability of Hong Kong, prosperity of China and peace on earth.

The author at the foot of the stairs leading up to the Buddha

The Big Buddha Statue, combining traditional bronze art with modern science and technology, embodies the harmonious resonance of Buddhist spirit and modern civilization – a solemn epitome of human beings’ continuous and unyielding pursuit of moral happiness and peace on earth.

Grace (near left), Cheska (fifth from left), Bryan (sixth from left) and Kyle (right) making their way up the stairs

Here’s the timeline of the statues construction:

  • In 1974, the government granted Po Lin Monastery 6,567 sq. m. of land in Mount Muk Yue, at a nominal premium, for the building of the Buddha statue.
  • On December 26, 1981, the Committee for the Construction of the Tian Tan Buddha Statue was formally established, by Po Lin Monastery, to coordinate the project, including the artistic design and concept of the statue, building materials and details of construction.
  • On April 1982, the work on the 1:5 scale, 5 m. high plaster model of the statue, fashioned by Ms. Hou Jinhui of the Guangzhou Institute of Fine Arts, was started.
  • On February 1984, the plaster model was completed, the draft of which had been revisited eight times, following discussions and consultations with the artist responsible for the conceptual design of the statue.
  • On September 26, 1986, the plaster model of the statue was shipped to Nanjing from Guangzhou.
  • On April 1989, the bronze pieces were transported to Hong Kong by sea.
  • On October 13, 1989, the last bronze piece of the statue was put in place and a solemn topping ceremony was held on the same day.
  • On December 29, 1993, which the Chinese reckon as the day of the Buddha’s enlightenment, the statue was inaugurated, with monks from around the world invited to the opening ceremony. Also taking part in the proceedings were distinguished visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United States.

Halfway up the stairs

The project was divided into six stages, with Nanjing Chengguang Machinery Plant of the China Astronautics Science and Technology Consultant Corporation principally carrying out the actual casting, finishing and assembly of the Buddha statue.  During the overall project design stage, over 5,000 drawings and 300 technical documents were produced within less than three months. The daily and monthly work progress for the subsequent three years was mapped out and prepared by system analysis.

Bronze incense censer

The enlargement, carried out by the technical staff through a special “survey-controlled box enlargement method,” involved the use of stereoscopic photography to find out the position of the statue in space.  When over 3,900 coordinate points were established, the computer was then used to calculate the enlargement. At the same time, to form the inner frame of the statue, a traditional method of using boxes which were stacked up in layers was used. Then plaster was applied to the outer surface, producing a 1:1 scale model.

The body of the statue, cast in 202 bronze pieces after careful studies and surveying, was supported by an inner steel framework and fixed by connecting bolts. Auxiliary supports were used to connect the bronze pieces to the main framework.  The bronze pieces had thicknesses ranging from 10 to 13 mm. and the error margin of each cast piece was less than 3 mm..  Precision molds were prepared according to the different shapes of the pieces.

After overcoming numerous difficulties, the professional staff, in an effort to portray fully the splendor of Buddha Sakyamuni and to achieve a perfect artistic design, managed to finally cast the face of the Buddha in a single piece. To rehearse for the on-site assembly, a trial assembly was carried out in the plant where any problems that might occur on site were detected and solved.

View of Po Lin Monastery

The Buddha statue was trial assembled separately in three sections (upper, middle and the lower) and various necessary adjustments and trimmings were made to the bronze pieces plus initial mechanical finishing was also carried out.

Jandy with the Big Buddha in the background

On arrival at Lantau Island, the very large face piece and two other large bronze pieces were safely transported up to Mount Muk Yue with the help of the Transport Department who provided a large lorry and two large cranes (which sandwiched the lorry in the middle) for this arduous journey up the winding and narrow roads on the island. The arduous task of assembly and welding (the length of weld was over 5 kms.) of the statue was carried out, in open air, from bottom upwards in eight layers.

To ensure that the Buddha statue would not be damaged by strong winds, calculations on the wind pressure, imposed load and material strength of the various parts of the statue were conducted the specialists using computers and the Beijing Institute of Aerodynamics specially created a testing model, utilizing the wind tunnel employed for satellites and rockets, to conduct unidirectional as well as multi-directional wind tests on the statue as a whole and on the various parts.

The Offering of the Six Devas

The optimal coating for the surface coloring of the statue, carefully studied for over a year, was selected from various formulas for surface coloring.  Oozing an air of classical simplicity and solemn dignity, it is not susceptible to fading because of corrosion due to the exposure to the elements.

One of the halls inside the podium

Here are some interesting trivia regarding the statue:

  • The design of the statue was based on the 32 laksanas (“physical marks” of the Buddha as described in the sutras).
  • The Tian Tan Buddha is one of the five large Buddha statues in China and is the biggest sitting Buddha statue built outdoor.
  • The statue was named The Big Buddha because its base is a model of the Earthly Mount of Tian Tan (or Altar of Heaven), the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
  • Enthroned on a lotus on top of a three-platform altar, it is surrounded by six smaller bronze statues known as “The Offering of the Six Devas,” symbolizing the Six Perfections of generosity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation and wisdom, all of which are necessary for enlightenment.  They are posed offering flowers, incense, lamp, ointment, fruit and music to the Buddha.
  • Every feature of the Buddha statue has a symbolic meaning of religious significance. The face, measuring 4.3 m. by 5.8 m., with a thickness of 13 mm. and a weight of 5 metric tons, was modeled after the Buddha Vairocana of the Longmen Grottoes for its fullness and serene beauty. The clothes and headgear had their inspiration from the soft and smooth flowing lines of the Buddha Sakyamuni image in Cave 360 of the Mogao Caves.
  • For the building of the Buddha statue, the original idea was to use reinforced concrete. However, due to artistic requirements, structural problems as well as the anticipated difficulties in quality and cost control, bronze was finally chosen as the building material.
  • The Big Buddha is 34 m. (112 ft.) tall, weighs over 250 metric tons (280 short tons) and was constructed from 202 bronze pieces.
  • Reputedly the figure can be seen across the bay from as far away as Macau on a clear day.
  • In addition to its exterior components, there is a strong steel framework inside to support the heavy load.
  • Visitors have to climb 268 steps to reach the Buddha. However, to accommodate the handicapped, the site also features a small winding road for vehicles.
  • The Buddha’s raised right hand represents the removal of affliction while the left hand, resting open on his lap, is in a gesture of generosity.
  • The statue faces north, which is unique among the great Buddha statues, as all others face south.
  • One of the statue’s most renowned features inside is a relic of Gautama Buddha, consisting of some of his alleged cremated Only visitors who purchase an offering for the Buddha are allowed to see the relic, entering to leave it there.
  • On October 18, 1999, the Hong Kong Post Office issued a definitive issue of landmark stamps, of which the HK$2.50 value depicts The Big Buddha.
  • In 2000, the Big Buddha Statue was elected as the fourth of the 10 Engineering Wonders in Hong Kong (the others, all public works projects, are the Lantau Link, the Hong Kong International Airport Passenger Terminal and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Extension). Of the projects in the private sector, the Big Buddha Stature came as the first.
  • On May 22, 2012, it was also featured on the HK$3 value of the Five Festival set, this one celebrating the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha. The MTR corporation also issued a souvenir ticket featuring a photograph of the statue.

View of Lantau Island and South China Sea

There are three floors beneath the statue – Hall of the Universe, Hall of Benevolent Merit and Hall of Remembrance.   In the show room, there’s a huge carved bell, inscribed with images of Buddhas and designed to ring every 7 minutes, 108 (symbolizing the release of 108 kinds of human vexations) times a day.

View of Lantau Peak

Tian Tan Buddha: Ngong Ping Rd., Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. The Buddha (as well as Po Lin Monastery) are open daily, 10 AM to 5 PM. Access to the outside of the Buddha is free of charge, but there is an admission fee to go inside the Buddha.

How to Get There: Visitors can reach the site by bus or taxi, travelling first to Mui Wo (also known as “Silvermine Bay”) via ferry from the Outlying Islands piers in Central (pier No. 6) or to Tung Chung station via the MTR, or via the 25-min. Ngong Ping 360 gondola lift between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping. Visitors may then travel to and from the Buddha via the Mui Wo ↔ Ngong Ping (NLB No. 2) and Tung Chung ↔ Ngong Ping (NLB No. 23) bus routes.

Old Quirino Bridge (Bantay, Ilocos Sur)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓
The old Quirino Bridge

The old Quirino Bridge

The scenic Old Quirino Bridge, also called Banaoang Bridge, is an old Parker-type (camelback) bridge named after the late former Philippine President Elpidio Quirino, who hails from Vigan. Spread across the Abra River, it majestically connects the two beautiful, transcending rocky mountain slopes of the town of Santa and the tail end of Bantay, both in Ilocos Sur.

The mighty Abra River

The mighty Abra River

Considered as one of the country’s most beautiful bridges, this arch bridge, next to the Vigan Gap,  is considered an iconic symbol of Ilocos Sur. Aside from its magnificent views, it is also widely praised for its marvelous engineering and grand architectural design. The approach to the bridge is as scenic as the bridge itself.

Quirino Bridge (5)

The original bridge trusses

At the height of Super Typhoon Feria (which devastated the province from  July 4-6, 2001), one of its steel spans was damaged and washed away.  The old, 4-span bridge was reconstructed, with a different third quarter K-truss portion, and is still presently passable.  However, on December 2007, Chinese engineers and a local construction company started to build a new, 456 m.-long replacement, a stone’s throw (350 m.) from the original bridge.

The replacement span

The replacement span

The new Quirino Bridge is a component of the Japan-funded Urgent Bridges Construction Project for Rural Development which plans to replace old bridges with new bridges, on national roads that lead to urban centers all over the country. On December 30, 2009, it was officially opened by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The old truss type bridge, currently preserved as a tourist attraction, doubles up as a backup in case the new main bridge is damaged by typhoons.

The new Quirino Bridge

The new Quirino Bridge

Old Quirino Bridge: Vigan Gap, Bantay, Ilocos Sur

Rialto Bridge (Venice, Italy)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto), one of the four bridges (and the oldest) spanning the 3,800 m. long, S-shaped Grand Canal, is one of the architectural icons of Venice.  The dividing line for the  the sestieri (districts) of San Marco and San Polo, it is renowned as an architectural and engineering achievement of the Renaissance.

A gondola passing under the bridge

This pedestrian bridge had its beginning in 1181 as a pontoon bridge called the Ponte della Moneta (presumably because of the mint that stood near its eastern entrance) built, at the narrowest point of the canal, by Nicolò Barattieri. In 1255, the development and importance of the Rialto market on the eastern bank, necessitated its replacement by a timber bridge with two inclined ramps, meeting at a movable central section, that could be raised to allow the passage of tall galleys. The connection with the Rialto market eventually led to a change of the bridge’s name. The painting Miracle of the Relic of the Cross at the Ponte di Rialto, by Italian Renaissance artist Vittore Carpaccio, dates back to 1496, the time when the bridge was still in wood.

The painting Miracle of the Relic of the Cross at the Ponte di Rialto, by Vittore Carpaccio, can be found at the Gallerie dell’Accademia

During the first half of the 15th century, two rows of shops were built along the sides of the bridge, its rents and taxes bringing an income (which helped maintain the bridge in working order) to the State Treasury. In 1310, it was partly burnt during the revolt led by Bajamonte Tiepolo. In 1444, it collapsed under the weight of a crowd watching a boat parade in celebration of wedding of the Marquis Ferrara. In 1524, the bridge collapsed again.

In 1503, the idea of rebuilding the bridge in stone was first proposed. Over the following decades, several projects were considered. In 1551, the authorities, among other things, requested proposals for the renewal of the Rialto Bridge and plans were offered by famous architects such as Jacopo Sansovino, Palladio and Vignola (Michelangelo  was also considered as a designer of the bridge), all involving a Classical approach with several arches (which would hinder the river traffic), and all judged inappropriate to the situation.

The present 48 m. (157 ft.) long and 7.32 m. (24 ft.) high stone arch bridge, designed and built by Swiss-born Venetian architect and engineer Antonio da Ponte (appropriately translated as “Anthony of the Bridge”) and his nephew, Antonio Contino (the architect of the Bridge of Sighs, Venice’s second most talked about bridge), was started in 1588 and completed in 1591.

Similar to the wooden bridge it succeeded, it consisted of a massive single 28.8 m. (94.5 ft.) long span, built on some 6,000 wooden piles driven under each abutment in the soft alluvial soil, with two inclined covered ramps lead up to a central portico. The bed joints of the stones were placed perpendicular to the thrust of the arch. The lower chord of the bridge has a length of 25 m. (83 ft.) and a width of 22.9 m. (75.1 ft.). Stone reliefs on the bridge depict St. Mark, the city’s patron, and St. Theodore and the Annuciation. 

Its design was considered so audacious so much so that architect Vincenzo Scamozzi predicted its future ruin.  However, the bridge has defied its critics and is now a significant tourist attraction in the city. The bridge has three walkways.  Two are located along the outer balustrades while the wider central walkway is lined by two arcades of small shops selling jewelry, linens, Murano glass, and other tourist items.

Rialto Bridge: Sestiere San Polo, 30125 Venice, Italy. As the bridge consists primarily of steps, crossing it is a challenge for tourists with strollers or wheelchairs.

How to Get There: From the train station or the Piazzale Roma or if you’re walking from St. Mark’s Square, simply follow the signs to “Rialto.” From the square,  head for the clock tower, cut through the arched passage, and follow the upscale shopping streets (known as the Mercerie) until you reach the Grand Canal, then turn right and walk two blocks to the bridge. Another option is to approach the bridge via the No. 1 vaporetto (water bus) which stops at Rialto on its way up or down the Grand Canal.

The Iconic Foot Bridges of the Grand Canal (Venice, Italy)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Grand Canal

Fascinating Venice, often called the “City of Canals,” is also known as the “City of Bridges” because of the 400-plus pedestrian bridges, both nondescript and practical, that crisscross its waterways and embody the city’s beauty and history.  However, only four of these bridges span the Grand Canal.

Rialto Bridge

The photogenic Rialto Bridge (Ponte de Rialto), the first and oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal, is still in use, connecting the sestieri  (districts) of San Marco and San Polo.  One of the city’s most famous landmarks, rows of shops (mostly jewellers and souvenir shops) line each side of this wide, stone arched bridge which is the gateway to the famous nearby Rialto (the name Rialto is derived from the words rivo alto meaning “high bank”) food market, the city’s principal food market since the 11th century located west of the span.  Built along the so-called “lazy bend” of the waterway (between its two highest points above sea level) and its narrowest point, tourists flock here to see this famous bridge and its views of the gondola-filled Grand Canal waterway. It has fairly steep flights of steps. Until the completion of the Accademia Bridge in 1854, this was the only bridge over the Grand Canal.

Check out “Rialto Bridge“

The Academy Bridge (Ponte dell Accademia), so named because it crosses the Grand Canal (near the southern end) at the Gallerie dell’Accademia (one of the top museums in Venice after whom it  is named for), links the sestieri of Dorsoduro and San Marco.

Check out “Gallerie dell’Accademia“

The original steel structure, designed by Alfred Neville and opened on November 20, 1854, was demolished and replaced by a wooden bridge designed by Eugenio Miozzi and opened in 1933 (despite widespread hopes for a stone bridge).

Ponte de Accademia

In 1986, when the 1930s bridge was deemed too dangerous, the total replacement of the wooden elements was necessary and metal arches, capable of supporting the structure better, were inserted. Interesting because of its high arch construction and the fact that it is made of wood, Venice authorities have attempted to crack down on lovers attaching padlocks (“love locks“) to the metal hand rails of the bridge.

Approach to Ponte de Accademia

The elegant stone arch Scalzi Bridge (Ponte degli Scalzi or Ponte dei Scalzi), named for the nearby Chiesa degli Scalzi (literally the “Church of the Barefoot Monks”), links the  sestieri of Santa Croce, on the south side, and Cannaregio on the north side. If you are arriving in Venice, via rail, to the Santa Lucia (Ferrovia) railway station, the Scalzi Bridge will be one of the first bridges you will cross after disembarking. Designed by Eugenio Miozzi, it was completed in 1934, replacing an Austrian iron bridge.

Ponte degli Scalzi

The Scalzi is located a mere stone-throw away to Ponte di Calatrava, the fourth and final of the four bridges to span the Grand Canal. Strategically located, it links the Stazione di Santa Lucia, on the north, to Piazzale Roma (the city’s arrival point by car/bus), on the south side of the Grand Canal, a bus depot (this bridge is closer to the bus station than the Scalzi bridge) and car park.  Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and constructed by Cignoni, its design and installation studies were carried out by a specialized group – Prof. Renato Vitaliani (Padua University) and Prof. Francesco Colleselli (Brescia University) for geotechnical and foundation aspects; the company Mastropasqua-Zanchin & Associates Structural Engineering for the steel arch and weldings verification; and Fagioli Group and Giorgio Romaro (Padua University) for the installation activities.

Ponte della Costituzione

A controversial addition to Venice’s architectural landscape because of its cost (its official budget for the project of €6.7 million ballooned to approximately €10 million), its construction and inauguration was also delayed by heated criticism, walk-outs and protests by politicians and the general public, in part, due to controversy over its Modernist-Minimalist style (being incompatible with Venice’s decorative medieval architecture),  the lack of wheelchair access (its many steps, embedded in its relatively steep pavement, means that elderly people will have difficulty climbing it and wheelchair users are excluded from crossing) and lack of necessity (the distances between Scalzi and Rialto Bridges or between the Rialto and Ponte dell’Accademia bridges are severalfold longer, and with no other way to cross the canal besides the vaporetto or traghetto).

However, its basic span was finally moved into place by a large barge from July to August 11, 2007 and the bridge was opened for public use on the night of September 11, 2008. In 2010, a mobility lift system, resembling cocoons, was installed, incurring large costs as  it was not part of the original design.

This arched truss bridge, designed to be constructed off-site and installed entirely from the canal, has a large radius of 180 m. (590 ft.).  It has a central arch, two side arches and two lower arches, all joined together by girders (consisting of steel tubes and plates which forms closed section boxes) placed perpendicular to the arches.The bridge stairway, paved with pietra d’Istria (a stone traditionally used in Venice), has tempered glass steps illuminated from below by fluorescent lights. The tempered glass parapet  terminates in a bronze handrail with concealed lighting.

Formerly known as Quarto Ponte sul Canal Grande, the official name of Ponte della Costituzione (English: Constitution Bridge) was adopted in 2008 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Italian constitution. However, tourists and locals in Venice still refer to it as the Calatrava Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Calatrava). Today, this bridge is important, both functionally and symbolically, as it connects arriving visitors to the city, welcoming them to Venice with a panoramic view of the Grand Canal.