Urban Planning and Design

eve v. day

2011-08-29T03:20:00.002+08:00

From World's Cheapest, here's the first AIR CAR from TATA Motors, INDIA

2011-08-03T10:40:00.001+08:00

Some notes:

1. The car is somehow cheap max P500,000 (inclusive of tax) when it gets in the Philippines. In terms of design, it somehow looks good and functional, a mini-version of the Starex. With its cheap price and the sure possibility of mass production, the government might finally consider regulating car ownership and set limits. Singapore is a good model for this. Another option is to set limits on car usage in major throughfares, phase-out the old ones, especially buses and jeepneys for they only clog the streets when they conk out, they move slow and they are eyesores. There are a lot of cars plying along Metro Manila roads that should already be in museums!

2. The car is a green product and would save the world from more pollution. If demand would spike up, energy companies might consider using their already existing gasoline stations as conduits for compressed air service. Rolling up of the technology for cars may not be a problem.

3. The government should consider replacing its fleet of service cars with this one (phased in the right fashion), for it not only supports the green initiative but it will also save up BILLIONS in transportation and gasoline bills that eat up the people's money! The government should start it to jump up support.

4. Then the government might also want to consider supporting initiatives just like this. The Filipino is a great inventor, no dispute to that. All he needs is sustainable support from the government and then perhaps the private sector. Whatever happened to the water-powered and coconut oil powered engines?

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Tata Motors is ready to introduce Air Car - Will it be the next big thing? Tata Motors is taking giant strides and making history for itself. First the Land Rover/Jaguar deal, then the world's cheapest car, and now it is also set to introduce the car that runs on compressed air.

With spiralling fuel prices it is about time we heard some breakthrough!
India's largest automaker, Tata Motors, is set to start producing the world's first commercial air-powered vehicle.

The Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy NAgre for Luxembourg-based MDI, uses compressed air, as opposed to the gas-and-oxygen explosions of internal-combustion models, to push its engine's pistons. Some 6000 zero-emissions Air Cars are scheduled to hit Indian streets by August 2011. The Air Car, called the "MiniCAT" could cost around Rs. 3,475,225 ($8,177.00) in India and would have a range of around 300 km between refuels.The cost of a refill would be about Rs. 85 ($2.00)The MiniCAT which is a simple, light urban car, with a tubular chassis that is glued, not welded, and a body of fiberglass powered by compressed air. Microcontrollers are used in every device in the car, so one tiny radio transmitter sends instructions to the lights, indicators, etc.There are no keys - just an access card which can be read by the car from your pocket. According to the designers, it costs less than 50 rupees per 100 Km (about a tenth that of a petrol car). Its mileage is about double that of the most advanced electric car (200 to 300 km or 10 hours of driving), a factor which makes a perfect choice in cities where 80% of motorists drive at less than 60 Km. The car has a top speed of 105 Kmph.Refilling the car will, once the market develops, take place at adapted petrol stations to administer compressed air. In two or three minutes, and at a cost of approximately 100 rupees, the car will be ready to go another 200-300 kilometers.

As a viable alternative, the car carries a small compressor which can be connected to the mains (220V or 380V) and refill the tank in 3-4 hours. Due to the absence of combustion and, consequently, of residues, changing the oil (1 litre of vegetable oil) is necessary only every 50,000 Km).
The temperature of the clean air expelled by the exhaust pipe is between 0-15 degrees below zero, which makes it suitable for use by the internal air conditioning system with no need for gases or loss of power.

Skinny House

2011-08-02T10:28:00.003+08:00

In the Philippines, where urban space planning has been left out for about a century, the need for maximizing spaces is a must. Just a trip via the LRT Santolan - Recto line alone would show that a lot of spaces in Metro Manila are neglected or not put into good use.The lack of coordinated planning, due to the lack of understanding or appreciation (political factor being a big part, also) of many local planning offices on space planning brought us to this situation.

Good news! Around the world there are innovations that try to make solve problems on spaces. With the growing demand for space as the population grows, the need for space planning this side of the world is a must.

Here's a prototype of a skinny house, claimed to be the skinniest in the world. The sign looks good at first glance but functionality might be sacrificed. First, the size requirement. It could be an incentive to the occupant to trim down just to freely move around or it is just a selective studio to fit only the fit. Anyhow, it is actually designed just to feast the eye. A little adjustment to fit the empty spaces and gaps between buildings in the Metro may do. The the next step of lifting those settlers under the bridge and over the riverline will come right after. Social housing anyone?

The stairs keep the flood away from the tenant's reach. It will surely fit flood-prone Metro Manila perfectly!

The time capsule have landed! Imagine designs like this around Metro Manila?

Splashing into Urban Planning and Design

2011-08-02T00:05:00.000+08:00

I studied Urban and Regional Planning for two years and seem to have no use of it the way I wanted to. I went to law school after finding the lack of connection from my undergraduate studies, which is business and my graduate studies, which is urban planning. I thought law school is a good marriage of the two discipline. After four years in law school, I am still trying to convince my self.

So while I am not into planning practice, technically, I plan to put my interest in planning into good use. Not that I am not involved in planning at all, but I would love to do more on planning and design in and about the Philippines and integrate and share what is happening around the globe with what is practiced in the Philippines.

Then I dive into this hobby of writing and blahgging just to speak out the things I wanted and the things I didn't want. So here's another futile attempt to make use of time or waste it. Another attempt to splash my self and thoughts and live the life divided.

P.S. I will make a coherent note of my self and this blog next time. Just testing.