Kristiansund Opera and Cultural Centre

Kristiansund Opera and Cultural Centre will house Norway's oldest opera, dating back to 1805. Furthermore it is intended to be the new cultural power centre of Kristiansund, the capital of the region of Nordmøre, and a landmark to the entire region. 

Apart from the opera the new cultural centre will house a ballet centre, library, college centre, conference rooms, a restaurant, and a café. The task has been to integrate two existing buildings, one of them the former Folkets Hus, in the new and create a vibrant urban space around the building by connecting the cultural centre with the pedestrian streets, squares and a nearby park. 



Kulturkvartalet, as the project made by C. F. Møller Architects is called, unites the different cultural functions in a dynamic and creative environment, centred round the main concert hall. The concert hall has been designed to offer sublime acoustics and super flexible theatre settings. 

"Working on the project has been a very inspiring process so far. We have clearly sensed the tradition and pride, that the project is founded on," states partner Klaus Toustrup. 

The other first prize in the competition for the Kristiansund Opera and Cultural Centre goes to the Norwegian firm Space Group in collaboration with the London firm Brisac Gonzales for their project "Silencio". 

The two winning teams will now go into a clarification process before one of the parties is entrusted with the task.

The other participants in the contest were: Snøhetta AS, Jarmund / Vigsnæs AS Architects in collaboration with Wingårdh Arkitektkontor AB and a team consisting of Nordplan, 70 ° nord architecture, and Mestre Waag Arquitectes. 

The inauguration of the Kristiansund Opera and Cultural Centre is planned to take place in 2013.

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 images / information from C. F. Møller Architects

Gorgeous Treehotel in Sweden

A Treehotel in Sweden which opened this month has been attracting the attention of tourists and local citizens alike. Set in the pristine surroundings of the forests of the country, the hotel is actually a series of prefabricated treehouse units which have several sustainable features incorporated in it.

The hotel is located just miles away from the Artic Circle, which is a favourite with tourists visiting the country. The hotel looks as if it is hanging with the support of adjoining trees, while actually it is supported by them. 

The hotel units will be accessible by rope bridge, with each one of them providing accommodation for two, with a double bed, kitchenette and roof terrace.

Rio Tinto to expand western Australia operations

Mining giant Rio Tinto has announced the $200m expansion of its iron ore operations in Western Australia.

The cash injection will be used to fund dredging contracts as part of early works on the expansion of the Cape Lambert port (CLB), supporting the Pilbara operations' overall capacity increase by 50 percent to 330 million tonnes a year.

The dredging will be completed as part of the proposed construction of an additional 1.8km, four-berth jetty and wharf at Cape Lambert to increase its current annual capacity of 80 million tonnes by a further 100 million tonnes.

Rio Tinto chief executive Iron Ore and Australia Sam Walsh said the dredging works would help ensure that subsequent decisions on the expansion of operations could be implemented as quickly and efficiently as possible.
"Rio Tinto has a proven track record of managing large-scale iron ore expansion projects, and this decision should be seen in that light. It is important at this stage that we advance this process in an orderly manner, and this decision does that," Mr Walsh said.
The company’s decision to forge ahead with plans to expand came after Australia’s labour government backed down on plans to introduce a “super tax” on mining profits, reducing its headline rates from 40% to 30%.
Rio Tinto had put all of its operations in Australia under review following the announcement of the super tax.
The move ultimately led to the resignation of Kevin Rudd as prime minister, and the appointment of Julia Gillard as Australia’s first ever female prime minister.
"While the Australian Government's decision to abandon its Resource Super Profits Tax in favour of the proposed Minerals Resource Rent Tax was a major step forward, we remain cautious over what legislation will finally be in place."
The dredging works are dependent upon a number of government and other approvals, most notably that of the Robe River joint venture partners with regard to the Cape Lambert port.
by CW Staff 




http://www.constructionweekonline.com

Concrete Chain Saws

A concrete saw  is a power tool, that is made for cutting concrete, masonry, brick, asphalt, tile and other solid materials. The concrete saws are powered by gasoline, hydraulic or pneumatic pressure or electric motors. The significant friction generated in cutting hard substances like concrete usually requires the blades to be cooled to prolong their life and reduce dust. Blades are either abrasive or diamond tipped. These concrete saws can be either hand-held, mounted on a stand, or wheeled by hand or motor. 

DIAMOND CHAINS

Concrete saw blades are considered to be one of the strongest blades made, as they are associated with the toughest and deepest cutting jobs. These are available in different thickness and width variant. The concrete saws are best for professional users, and suits drainage contractors, plumbers & gas fitters, car wreckers, hire companies, concrete contractors, demolition work etc. You can find various well known brands like Target, Husqvarna, MK Diamond, Partner, Makita, Dewalt, Core Cut, ICS & Imer for concrete chainsaws.

Benefits of Good System of Roads

• Roads are essential for the economic development of a country. For speedy transportation of commodities a good network of roads is essential.

• Road mileage has nowadays become a symbol of prosperity and advancement of a country.

• During emergencies such as accidents, the injured person can be rushed immediately to a hospital through a good system of roads. In such cases only a sufferer can understand the value of good system of roads.

• A good network of roads enables villagers to transport their commodities to the market speedily and easily.

• A good system of roads helps in the growth of trade and other economic activities all over the country.

• During floods and droughts, the basic commodities can be efficiently rushed from the other parts of the country through a good system of roads.

• A good system of roads serves as a feeder line for other modes of transport and thus helps indirectly in their development.

• For the efficient functioning of the country’s defence force, a good system  of roads plays a vital role.