Year of the Pig and high design

新年快乐, or Happy New Year! As in the past four years, Jing traveled to China to celebrate Chinese New Year with family and friends. An extra special bonus, the timing coincides with the birthdays of both her parents – even more to celebrate! 2019 is the Year of the Pig. People born in Pig years (1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019) are energetic and always enthusiastic, very realistic, and motivated to work hard for material pleasures. The trip is also a great opportunity to see new construction from the world’s most prominent architects and engineers. Jing was able to ride on the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge, the longest sea bridge in the world. At almost 34 miles and a cost of $20 billion, the bridge provides a direct connection between Hong Kong and mainland trade hubs. The bridge cuts travel time by 2/3, connecting people and industries faster than ever. Jing took the bridge to Macau to see the City of Dreams mega-sized casino and resort. The newest jewel to open there is the Morpheus hotel by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA). Three undulating voids puncture the center of the building and provide a clear view through it. More striking is the façade, covered in what appears as a geometric grid. The rhythmic white bands are actually the structural system, or exoskeleton as the ZHA calls it. It is one of the last projects designed by the late Dame Zaha Hadid, and truly a masterpiece. See all the pictures from Jing's trip here.