On my recent business trip to China, I felt like a kid again as I walked around Terminal 3 of Beijing's International Airport (PEK). The surreal space felt akin to a childlike daydream, and inspired me to create my own "PEK ABC List" (watch out Richard Scarry):
A is for Airport
B is for Big, and in Beijing
C is for China, and Colossal
D is for Dragons, Dragon sculptures
E is for Everything under one roof
F is for Food (sort of - see photos below), and an indoor Fountain
G is for an indoor Chinese Garden
H is for Huge and Humongous
I is for “I was In an Immense Interior”
J is for Jim (that’s me, speaking above in line “I”)
K is for KLM and Korean Air, which both fly in and out of PEK
L is for Large, very Large
M is for Muffins, that should be waffles (see photo below)
N is for Nice design, Norman! (Sir Norman Foster - the architect - of Foster and Partners)
O is for Overhanging roof
P is for Plenty of People
Q is for Qi, or the circulating life energy that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent in all things - even giant buildings
R is for a Really large Roof Resting on (sometimes) Red (sometimes white) columns
S is for the Space frame behind the ceiling Slats
T is for Travelator (many of them), Terminal Three (that is the big one), Triangular skylights, and Trains (high-speed rail is just outside, as well as other Transit modes)
U is for everything Under one roof
V is for Vaulted spaces (especially the High-Speed Rail Station)
W is for Waffles, that are called muffins (see photo below)
X is for Xi Jinping - the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, the President of the People's Republic of China, and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission
Z is for Ziwei Chenhang, an ancient armillary sphere invented in 117 by Zhang Heng according to the theory of sphere-heavens and observations of celestial bodies (see photos below)
If only my relative Albert Hencke (illustrator, 1865-1936) was still alive, we might be able to collaborate on a new children's classic.
PS: here are links to some charming illustrations by Albert Hencke:
http://www.playle.com/listing.php?i=KDL77398
http://www.rubylane.com/item/187590-HEN04212011/Ex78ceptional-Pair-Illustration-Paintings-Albert
A is for Airport
B is for Big, and in Beijing
C is for China, and Colossal
D is for Dragons, Dragon sculptures
E is for Everything under one roof
F is for Food (sort of - see photos below), and an indoor Fountain
G is for an indoor Chinese Garden
H is for Huge and Humongous
I is for “I was In an Immense Interior”
J is for Jim (that’s me, speaking above in line “I”)
K is for KLM and Korean Air, which both fly in and out of PEK
L is for Large, very Large
M is for Muffins, that should be waffles (see photo below)
N is for Nice design, Norman! (Sir Norman Foster - the architect - of Foster and Partners)
O is for Overhanging roof
P is for Plenty of People
Q is for Qi, or the circulating life energy that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent in all things - even giant buildings
R is for a Really large Roof Resting on (sometimes) Red (sometimes white) columns
S is for the Space frame behind the ceiling Slats
T is for Travelator (many of them), Terminal Three (that is the big one), Triangular skylights, and Trains (high-speed rail is just outside, as well as other Transit modes)
U is for everything Under one roof
V is for Vaulted spaces (especially the High-Speed Rail Station)
W is for Waffles, that are called muffins (see photo below)
X is for Xi Jinping - the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, the President of the People's Republic of China, and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission
Z is for Ziwei Chenhang, an ancient armillary sphere invented in 117 by Zhang Heng according to the theory of sphere-heavens and observations of celestial bodies (see photos below)
If only my relative Albert Hencke (illustrator, 1865-1936) was still alive, we might be able to collaborate on a new children's classic.
PS: here are links to some charming illustrations by Albert Hencke:
http://www.playle.com/listing.php?i=KDL77398
http://www.rubylane.com/item/187590-HEN04212011/Ex78ceptional-Pair-Illustration-Paintings-Albert