Jonathan Biddle – Made in Taiwan

Tag: Built Environment

  • Jiufen Tea Ceremony

    Company team-building activities are a fairly regular activity on the Dell calendar. One of the more community-spirited activities is the annual Jinshan beach clear-up operation at one of the surf hot spots on the other side of northen Taiwan. As a result of Typhoon Morakot, the area was in severe need of some affection, and we were glad to help. Rubbish and driftwood were dispatched in double-quick time and arranged in a relatively neat pile at the head of the beach, and we were so efficient that we were told to ‘stop’ lest we ruin the beach cleanup effort of subsequent companies doing similar initiatives – irony.

    Once we had that done and dusted, we took the opportunity not to squander our time on that side of the island, and made a beeline for the Gold Ecological Park, where my ex-Chinese teacher works. A pretty nice place, and worth a trip up the amazingly meandering road.

    Highlight of the day, though, was an evening spent in Jiufen – a place I have inexplicably never been to. What a mistake – the place was magical, and we spent a happy few hours spiriting away time in a tea shop watching the sun set over the hills towards Taipei, and subsequent glide down quite the most charming street of hanging lanterns. All in all, a fantastic little adventure.

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Shanghai Quickie


    View from my hotel room – I am quite a big fan of the Renaissance in Shanghai – not super downtown, but close enough.

    It also floats above Zhongshan Park, which I had written about before. It’s quite a pleasure to drop in on the way to the Shanghai Dell offices, and get a little slice of everyday Chinese life before logging into the old e-mail.


    Old dudes together, found everywhere in the world.


    Pleasure boats, lined up for a weekend of action.


    Practice makes perfect.

    As has happened with Hong Kong, it’s a little strange to realise that the regular trips I make there are becoming routine. When people ask ‘hey, how was the Shanghai trip?’ it seems terribly spoiled to say ‘oh, normal’ … it just doesn’t cut it!

    I think much of that is down to losing some great friends from the city (now in Germany and … well, I am not too sure), and I am building up some new links and all. It will get its mojo back, of this I have no doubt.

    Next trip for me though, is of course Miami … still blows me away that I will be there in a matter of weeks!

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Window Undressing


    Walking home after a late night in the office, and I stumbled across a window being re-dressed at Sogo. Or undressed, perhaps. Flickr.

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • 2 Days, 10,000 Buddas

    http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649

    I have quite some photography and writing to catch up on, but for good reason; it’s been super busy here for the last month or so, and I have barely had time to unpack.

    In between landing from the UK, and spending time in Shanghai and Kunshan, I managed a diversion on the way to Guangzhou to stop in and say hi to Team M&T.; Always a pleasure!

    We didn’t have too much planned, so it was doubly pleasant to match my request of A. great food, and B. some hiking. The food was the easy bit, blending Thai and Indian flavours, while we managed a quick excursion up to the north of the city to check up on some delinquent Buddas, that seemed to be trying their best to escape their mounts and leg it down the hillside.


    Chunking Mansions Infrastructure

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Pockets of Design # 1


    Favourite Local Buildings

    In my bid to pay a little more attention to my surroundings, I have decided to photograph and document some of the things that I like the most in my local area, but that I see regularly – maybe the most difficult things to appreciate.

    For me, this manages to be ‘Taiwanese’, speaking in a vernacular of concrete and harsh angles. The desire to customise individual treatment of air conditioning and external facades is somewhat channeled, and who can argue with the stripes of magenta, and might-I-say awesome lightening bolt foyer? This building makes me smile.

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Taipei a-Wanderin’

    http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649
    Since I have now been in Taiwan an improbably long FIVE YEARS, and on top of that broke one year at Dell, I thought I would go and treat myself to a new camera lens. I somehow managed to misplace my old 50mm F1.8, so thought I would take the plunge and get the F1.4 upgrade. Abe, my flat mate, has the F1.2, which is an amazing piece of glass to be sure, but it’s a bit big for carrying for long periods, and I didn’t have a spare kidney to sell.

    I am quite enjoying it so far, and also bought a polarising filter for my 24-105 L, since I thought I would be more likely to do landscape images with that one. All good fun.


    Triple-double reflections


    This picture was interesting, not for the thing itself (I rather liked the yellow tape while waiting for food), but for the reaction of one of the passers-by. He leaned in, asked me what I was taking a photo of, and when I explained ‘of the yellow tape’ snorted indignantly and strutted off.


    There were some pretty serious anti-government marches this weekend, and I spotted the minor result of one of the rallies – they had crossed out the ‘Chinese’ on the Deaflympics signs. That’ll teach ’em!


    Lane positioning


    Building at rest

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Taipei Has Eyes

    Walking away from buying a new lens, I was amused by this underpass and the faces that jumped up at me as I walked up and down the steps.




    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Taipei Mega Architecture


    Intersections.

    I live pretty much slap bang downtown in Taipei, and I am forever amazed at the scale of my local motorway at the end of the street. The thing is, they posted it up on stilts, so it really does the double trick of magically disappearing and providing an incredible space right in the centre of the city. It also seems to be lit professionally, although I suspect that was more by accident than design.

    Anyway, on my way back from my semi-regular trips to the computer market, I thought I would take a few photos.


    Stairway to heaven


    Painting on the ceiling with light.


    Cathedral of the Automobile


    Juicy couture. And home.

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Ye Shanghai

    In Shanghai and Hong Kong for a few days of business and pleasure.

    I haven’t quite found time enough to talk about the amazing number of visitors to Taiwan in the last couple of weeks, and indeed my intrepid parents in New Zealand, but I promise I shall soon!


    View in the other direction from my hotel – think I prefer the park-side view!

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Open-Source Architecture


    Open-Source Architecture in Taiwan

    I am sure I could find some earnest academics somewhere postulating about Architecture 2.0, or some such thing, but the fact is that it is happening here in Taiwan right before your eyes.

    Unlike in the West (see top layer of the image), where we tend to build something, and leave it as-is until it falls down, or at least when a new supermarket comes to town, Taiwanese people tend to view their buildings as a mere starting point for their own augmentations and addenda. When you first arrive – or at least for the first few years – it’s easy to say that it is ugly and unplanned, and that clearly nobody cares about the big picture (see second layer of the photo). However, after some time looking and getting used to the pipes emerging out of every orifice, it does at least seem to make a little more sense. Why not, indeed, customise the building for its eventual use? Why not allow it to adapt over time? Is this not what we are talking about with Web 2.0, Democratic Design and Open-Source Architecture? (do forgive me if I am coining these trends, or at least give me a royalty cheque).

    With a little more foresight, and accepting that this is going to happen no matter what the planners do, I reckon that there is a way to build these edifces with just a touch more grace and charm. Lord Rogers – do pop in, and I’ll discuss my ideas with you.


    Lloyds Building in London (with the Erotic Gherkin behind) – sometimes Taiwanese buildings remind me of this building, a little.
    Photographed by Adrian Pingstone in June 2005 and released to the public domain.

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…