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Source text - English Critical role of plant biotechnology for the genetic improvement of food crops: perspectives for the next millennium
Rodomiro Ortiz
This article reviews some of the highlights of modern plant biotechnology and discusses the potential applications of biotechnology in the betterment of farming systems in the next millennium. Plant biotechnology will facilitate the farming of crops with multiple durable resistance to pests and diseases, particularly in the absence of pesticides. Likewise, transgenes or marker-assisted selection may assist in the development of high yielding crops, which will be needed to feed the world and save land for the conservation of plant biodiversity in natural habitats. Hence, crops should be engineered to meet the demands and needs of consumers. The genetic base of crop production can be preserved and widen by an integration of biotechnology tools in conventional breeding. Similarly targeting specific genotypes to particular cropping systems may be facilitated by understanding specific gene-by-environment interaction(s) with the aid of molecular research. High quality crops with improved nutritional and health characteristics as well as other aspects of added-value may be obtained through multidisciplinary co-operation among plant breeders, biotechnologists, and other plant scientists. Co-ordinated efforts between consumers, policy makers, farmers and researchers will be required to convert the various aspects of a crop ideotype into components of new and improved farming systems of the next millennium.
The end of a year, decade, century, or, as now, of a millennium, always offers an opportunity to reflect on human activity in a particular discipline and to formulate a future strategy. Researchers constantly examine past occurrences in order to learn lessons that could help in the acquisition of new knowledge or for the further development of appropriate technology ensuing from it. Of course, science and technology are not isolated in the world, so researchers are expected to act according to the changing global society in which they live. This behaviour could be seen as the major challenge of crop biotechnology for the next millennium, i.e., to consider the social actors in the research agenda and work. In other words, market forces, user demands, and public views cannot be ignored when addressing basic and strategic research issues because these factors shape scientific investigations and technology or product development.
In writing this article the editor requested that I reflect on the critical role that plant biotechnology may have in assisting the genetic improvement of crops in the next millennium. Within this context, I will discuss somewhat philosophically, how biotechnology could help in solving the increasingly enormous challenge of our time: adequately and appropriately feeding the world in a sustainable manner.
This article restricts its discussion to gene-biotechnology, mostly developed in the past 20 years, and not other applications of non-gene biotechnology, which are known to humankind for many hundred years ago. In addition I prefer to “predict” the potential applications of biotechnology in the genetic enhancement of crops only within the period of the coming decade. It would be inappropriate to attempt to provide an outlook beyond this time-span because of the ever accelerating progress in this field. For example 15 years ago, plant biotechnology comprised only a few applications of tissue culture, recombinant DNA technology and monoclonal antibodies. Today, transformation, and marker-aided selection and breeding are just a few of the examples of the applications of biotechnology in crop improvement. This article was written through the eyes of a classical geneticist (having worked on the transmission of characteristics for the past 15 years), and the practical view of a conventional plant breeder, who has the desire to learn and accept innovative methods that enhance the available crop improvement techniques.
Background information
Writing about biotechnology for crop improvement in the next millennium does not appear to be an easy task owing to the rapid progress in this field. Within the last 100 years the world has seen the rise of genetics as a scientific discipline (1900s), the finding of DNA as the hereditary material (1944), the elucidation of the double helix structure of the DNA molecule (1953), the cracking of the genetic code (1966), the ability to isolate genes (1973), and the application of DNA recombinant techniques (from 1980 onwards).
Methods of crop improvement have also changed dramatically throughout this century. Mass and pure line selection in landraces, consisting of genotype mixtures, were the popular breeding techniques until the 1930s for most crops. In the 1930s maize breeders started the commercial development of double cross hybrids that was followed by the extensive utilization of single crop hybrids since the 1960s (Troyer 1996). Pedigree-, bulk-, backcross and other selection methods were also developed especially for self-pollinating crop species. Such scientific advances in plant breeding led to the so-called ‘Green Revolution’, one of the greatest achievements to feed the world in the years of the Cold War (Perkins 1997). Owing to this agricultural betterment, cereal production, which accounts for more than 50% of the total energy intake of the world’s poor, kept in pace with the high average population growth rate of 1.8% since 1950 (Daily et al. 1998). Today, 370 kg of cereals per person are harvested as compared to only 275 kg in the 1950s; i.e., in excess of 33% per capita gain. Similar progress in other food crops resulted in 20% per capita gains since the early 1960s, according to FAO (1995). There are 150 million fewer hungry people in the world today than 40 years ago, though there are twice as many human beings. Despite this splendid progress in crop productivity, even greater progress must be made in order to feed an additional two billion people by the early part of the 21st century (Anderson 1996a). Around 800 million people are hungry today and another 185 million pre-school children are still malnourished owing to lack of food and water, or disease (Herdt 1998). Hence as suggested by the Nobel Peace Laureate, Norman Bourlag (1997), new biotechniques, in addition to conventional plant breeding, are needed to boost yields of the crops that feed the world.
Careful choice of such biotechniques as well as a realistic assessment of their potential in crop improvement is needed to avoid not only the criticism of the anti-science lobbyists but also the permanent distrust of pragmatic traditional breeders (Simmonds 1997). For example, a World Bank panel recently released for discussion a well based report concerning bioengineering of crops (Kendall et al. 1997). In this working paper, the panel members recommend “to give priority to all aspects of increasing agricultural productivity in the developing world while encouraging the necessary transition to sustainable methods”. Indeed, plant biotechnology has been regarded as a priority area for technology transfer (Altman and Watanabe 1995), because genetically modified food, feed, and fibre are of vital concern to the developing world (Ives and Bedford 1998). Therefore, the rich industrialized world should share their biotechniques and avoid policies that do not allow the progress of agriculture in poor, nonindustrialized parts of the world (Erbisch and Maredia 1998), where this economic activity still provides 60 to 80% employment and 50% of national income (Anderson 1996a). Such support will assist the developing world towards food self-reliance (Herdt 1998), which will be very important to avoid hunger and keep peace in many regions of the tropics, where the agricultural sector remains the most important basis for economic growth. Furthermore, a wealthy society provides high living standards to its citizens.
Tissue culture was developed in the 1950s and became popular in the 1960s. Today, micropropagation and in vitro conservation are standard techniques in most important crops, especially those with vegetative propagation. At the beginning of the 1980s genetic engineering of plants remained a promise of the future, although gene transfer had already been achieved earlier in a bacterium. The first transgenic plant, a tobacco accession resistant to an antibiotic, was reported in 1983. Transgenic crops with herbicide, virus or insect resistance, delayed fruit ripening, male sterility, and new chemical composition have been released to the market in this decade (NCGR 1998; USDAAPHIS 1997). In 1996, there were about 3 million ha of transgenic crops grown in the world (mainly in North America) whereas in excess of 34 million ha (a 12-fold addition) of transgenic crops will be harvested this year in North America, Argentina, China, and South Africa among other countries. Argentina is the leading developing country with an excess of 4 million ha of transgenic herbicide resistant soybean. There are 4.4 million ha of transgenic corn (14% of total acreage), 5 million ha of transgenic soybean (20%), and 1.6 million ha of transgenic canola (42%) grown only in North America (Moore 1998). It has been calculated that in 1998 US farmers are growing over 50% of their cotton fields with transgenic seeds, the largest percentage for any crop ever. Trees are the next target in the agenda of genetic engineering.
Allozymes were available as the first biochemical genetic markers in the 1960s. Population geneticists took advantage of such marker system for their early research. In the 1970s, restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and Southern blotting were added to the tool box of the geneticists. Taq polymerase was found in the 1980s, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) developed shortly afterwards. Since then, marker-aided analysis based on PCR have become routine in plant genetic research and marker systems have shown their potential in plant breeding (Paterson 1996). Furthermore, new single nucleotide polymorphic markers based on high density DNA arrays, a technique known as ‘gene chips’ (Chee et al. 1996), have recently been developed. With ‘gene chips’, DNA belonging to thousand of genes can be arranged in small matrices (or chips) and probed with labeled cDNA from a tissue of choice. DNA chip technology uses microscopic arrays (or micro-arrays) of molecules immobilized on solid surfaces for biochemical analysis (Lemieux et al. 1998; Marshall and Hodgson 1998; Ramsay 1998). An electronic device connected to a computer may read this information, which will facilitate marker-assisted selection in crop breeding. In summary, since Mendel’s work on peas, there have been five eras in genetic marker evolution (Liu 1997): morphology and cytology in early genetics (until late 1950s), protein and allozyme electrophoresis in the pre-recombinant DNA time (1960 - mid1970s), RFLP and minisatellites in the pre-PCR age (mid 1970s - 1985), random amplified polymorphic DNA, microsatellites, expressed sequence tags, sequence tagged sites, and amplified fragment length polymorphism in the oligoscene period (1986 - 1995), and complete DNA sequences with known or unknown function as well as complete protein catalogs in the current computer robotic cyber genetics generation (1996 onwards) The driving force for such a development has been the scientific interest of human beings to understand and manipulate the inheritance of their own characters.
Responses to biotechnology in crop improvement
The advances in plant transgenics and genomics described above have not been isolated from society (Busch et al. 1991). Some of these achievements have been acclaimed by end-users whereas other accomplishments, e.g. release of genetically modified organisms (GMO), are being attacked, not only in words but also in deeds, by political activists. Some of these educated middle-class campaigners are expressing in this way their rampant ‘eco-paranoia’, while others hide their real agenda to manipulate the fashionable ecological movement. This controversy has attracted the attention of non-scientific partizans to each side. There have been negative comments about transgenic plants by a crown prince and contrasting positive comments by a former president, both of whom may not have the required technical knowledge to assess the potential of biotechnology for crop improvement. Irrespective of this ideological dispute and ensuing democratic disagreements, biotechnology products will be accepted by people who support scientific-based progress, in a similar way that new cultivars or innovative crop husbandry techniques have previously become integral parts of farming systems elsewhere. However, without end-user’s consent, the impact of a new technology in the society will be small or nil.
Scientific honesty seems to the best policy to convince people about the advantages of biotechnology for crop improvement (Frewer et al. 1998). What to do? Scientists, farmers, consumers, and policy-makers should objectively assess the potential hazards of crop biotechnology in farming and food systems regarding the current situation and the likelihood that such hazards may occur. For example scientists should explain to the people that gene recombination (or reassortment) already occurs in nature. However, the ecological success of viable recombinants after gene reassortment is unpredictable owing to the high fitness of current isolates. For this reason, more scientific research will be needed to identify unpredictable risks and the chances of their occurrence.
The need for profit, as in any other business, has attracted the interest of the private sector to defend their investments in crop biotechnology with patents, intellectual property rights, and new protection methods, e.g. ‘terminator’ technology that inhibits germination of self-pollinated seeds. This technology protection system prevents farmers from saving seeds from their harvest for further utilization as next season planting propagules. Three genes, each with a specific promoter, are inserted into the ‘terminator’ plant (D.E. Culley, Washington State Univ. in RAFI 1998). One of the genes (e.g. CRE/LOX system from bacteriophages) produces a recombinase that removes a spacer between the gene producing, for example, a ribosomal inhibitor protein and its promoter such as late embryonic abundance, which only becomes active during the late stages of embryo development. This spacer with specific recognition sites blocks the gene (for the ribosomal inhibitor protein) from being activated. Another gene (e.g. tetracycline repressor system) produces a repressor that keeps off the recombinase gene until an outside stimulus is applied to the ‘terminator’ plant, e.g. a chemical such as the tetracycline, or temperature and osmotic shocks. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a cotton seed enterprise jointly acquired a patent for this concept (U.S. patent 5,723,765). Two months after this patent was announced, one of the leading agro-chemical transnationals bought the cotton seed company, although one of its officers said that it may take many years before this ‘terminator gene’ idea becomes a proven technology in the seed industry.
Strategic alliances, joint ventures, research partnerships, new investments, company mergers, cross-ownerships, and take-overs in the seed and agro-chemical business have also been in the news in recent months. Likewise, some leading scientists are leaving their academic appointments to join the new private enterprises in plant biotechnology. These events are happening because the private sector wants to use biotechnology to accelerate its growth in agri-business in the short-term. Nonetheless, funds to support basic and strategic research by public researchers are needed for a long-term sustainable transfer of public goods (both knowledge and technology) to the private sector or other users.
Bioinformatics
Another important factor in the successes of the genetic improvement of crops was the development of fast and more reliable computers, which allowed easier management and analysis of data as well as publication of scientific reports. The impact of the informatic revolution in crop improvement can be partially assessed by counting the number of publications indexed in Plant Breeding Abstracts (CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK). There was ca. 22-fold increase of publications in the 1930-1997 period (Fig. 1). It was in the 1970s that indexed publications in plant breeding exceeded 10,000 per year. More publications and easy means for retrieving this information accounted for such growth of knowledge dissemination in plant genetics and breeding. Today, rapid information exchange has been facilitated with electronic mail and access to the internet to read electronic publications such as this journal. Nowadays, information technology and DNA science are beginning to fuse into a single operation. Computers are deciphering, and organizing the huge genetic information that may become “the raw resource of the emerging biotech economy” in the next century (Rifkin 1998). Scientists working in the new field of “bioinformatics” are developing biological data banks to download the genetic information accumulated during millions of years of life evolution, and perhaps reconstruct some of the living organisms of the natural world.
Plant genomics
This new term, defined by the development of biotechnology, refers to the investigations of whole genomes by integrating genetics with informatics and automated systems. Genomic research aims to elucidate the structure, function and evolution of past and present genomes (Liu 1997). Some of the most dynamic fields concerning agriculture are the sequencing of plant genomes, comparative mapping across species with genetic markers, and objective assisted breeding after identifying candidate genes or chromosome regions for further manipulations. As a result of genomics, the concept of gene pools has been enlarged to include transgenes and native exotic gene pools that are becoming available through comparative analysis of plant biological repertoires (Lee 1998). Understanding the biological traits of one species may enhance the ability to achieve high productivity or better product quality in another organism.
DNA markers and gene sequencing provides quantitative means to determine the extent of genetic diversity and to establish objective phylogenetic relationships among organisms. ‘Gene chips’ and transposon tagging will provide new dimensions for investigating gene expression. Molecular biologists will study not only individual genes but how circuits of interacting genes in different pathways control the spectrum of genetic diversity in any crop species. For example, more information will be available on why plant resistance genes are clustered together, or what candidate genes should be considered when manipulating quantitative trait loci (QTL) for crop improvement (Paterson 1997).
Farming in environmentally friendly systems
The aims of applied plant science research for agriculture are to enhance crop yields, improve food quality, and preserve the environment where human beings and other organisms live. The best way for conservation of plant biodiversity and its environment, would be to achieve high crop productivity per unit area. In this regard, Briggs (1998) reported that as yields treble, soil erosion per ton of food decreases by two-thirds. There has been a significant yield improvement owing to enhanced crop husbandry, but in the next years progress will be achieved by changing plants that could be more suitable to sustainable and environmentally friendly farming systems. Agro-chemical corporations are developing pest and disease resistant transgenic crops to avoid pollution with pesticides in the farming system. Furthermore, food quality will become more important than crop productivity in a wealthy society. Consumers will prefer transgenic crops if they have the desired characteristics.
Translation - Chinese 植物生物技术对食用作物基因改良的重要作用: 对新千年的展望
DNA 标志和基因序列提供定量手段以确定基因变化程度和在有机体之中建立客观种系发生的关系。 “基因芯片”和转座子标记为调查基因表达将提供新的尺度。分子生物学家将不仅研究单独的基因,而且还将研究在不同路径上的互动基因线路怎样控制在任意一个作物种类中的基因变化谱。还可以利用更多的信息。例如,植物抵抗基因为什么聚团、 或当将数量性状基因(QTL)用于作物改良时应该考虑什么样的候选基因(帕特逊 1997)。
English to Chinese: Convention Contract Detailed field: Law: Contract(s)
Source text - English 13 Contract Term
13.1 The term of this Contract is for a period of three years from August 16, 2006 to August 15, 2009.
13.2 Any party shall be entitled to request renewal of contract six months prior to the expiration hereof, and the Parties hereto shall consult for the renewal. If the Parties hereto fail to reach an agreement on the renewal three months prior to the expiration hereof, this Contract will be terminated upon the expiration. And the Parties hereto shall implement shift preparation within three months prior to the expiration hereof.
14 Settlements on Insurance and Realty Loss Events
14.1 Party A shall cover itself or entrust Party B to cover property insurance on all properties. The coverage and variety of insurance shall be determined by Party A, and the premium shall be undertaken by Party A.
14.2 Party A shall submit Party B the information and data concerned with property insurance so that Party B may take necessary measures to protect the benefits of Party A in case any risk occurs.
15 Confidentiality Responsibilities
15.1 Confidentiality Obligation
From time to time prior to and during the term hereof either party (“disclosing party”) has disclosed or may disclose confidential information to the other party (“receiving party”). The receiving party shall, during the term hereof and for 3 years thereafter:
(1) Maintain the confidentiality of confidential information
(2) Not use confidential information for any purposes other than those specifically set out in this Contract;
(3) Not disclose any such confidential information to any person except to its employees or employees of related agencies, attorneys, accountants and other advisors who need to know such information to perform their responsibilities and who have signed written confidentiality agreements containing terms at least as stringent as the terms provided in this Article (collectively "permitted disclosure parties").15.2 Confidentiality Exceptions
The provisions of Article 15.1 mentioned above shall not apply to information that:
(1) can be shown as known by the receiving party with written records made prior to disclosure by the disclosing party;(2) is or becomes public knowledge otherwise than through the receiving party's breach hereof;
(3) was obtained by the receiving party from a third party having no obligation of confidentiality with respect to such information.
15.3 Rules
Each Party shall formulate rules and regulations to inform its directors, senior staff, and other employees, and those of their affiliates of the confidentiality obligation set forth in this Article.
15.4 Return of Material
On the Expiration Date (or upon the disclosing party's request at any time), the receiving party shall: (i) return to the other party (or, at the disclosing party's request, destroy) all materials (including any copies thereof) embodying the other party's confidential information and (ii) certify in writing to the other party, within ten (10) days following the other party's request, that all of such materials have been returned or destroyed.
16 Liabilities for Breach of Contract
16.1 In the events of Party A's breach hereof, which leads to Party B's failure of fulfilling the promised management goal, Party B shall be entitled to ask Party A to settle the issue within certain period. Should the issue fail to be settled at the prescribed period, Party B shall be entitled to terminate this Contract, and Party A shall compensate Party B for the economic losses caused thereupon.
16.2 If the clients of Party A submit effective complaint against Party B for three times or above (within a quarter), Party A shall be entitled to deduct 1-5% of the payable sum of the current month. If the same complaint occurs again within the identical period, Party A shall be entitled to deduct 10% of the payable sum of the current month.
16.3 If the routine operation of the project maintained by Part B fails to work for three times or above (within a quarter), Party A shall be entitled to deduct 1-5% of the payable sum of the current month. If the same failure occurs again within the identical period, Party A shall be entitled to deduct 10% of the payable sum of the current month.
16.4 Party A shall be entitled to terminate this Contract and Party B shall compensate Party A for economic losses caused thereupon if any of the following severe events occurs in the period of trial operation:
1、Severe safety event in the course of convention;
2、Severe public security event in the exhibition hall;
3、Severe damage of any facility in the exhibition hall;
4、the clients of Party A submit effective complaint against Party B for three times or above (within a single session of convention).
If Party B fails to meet the promised management goal after the trial operation is over, Party A shall be entitled to ask Party B to correct at a certain period. If fails to correct at the prescribed period, Party A shall be entitled to terminate this Contract and Party B shall compensate Party A for economic losses caused thereupon.
16.5 If any of the documents, which were transmitted by Party A to Party B and kept by Party B, was lost by Party B, party B shall be responsible to replace loss completely. If fails to replace loss completely, Party B shall compensate Party A for all the expense arising from the replace.
16.6 If either party terminate this Contract without the other party’s agreement, the party shall be responsible for the breach of contract unless otherwise the provisions of the laws or this Contract. If the breach eventually leads to failure in fulfillment of this Contract, the breach party shall compensate 5% of the total contract sum to the other party and shall compensate the other party for its economic losses arising from the breach.
16.7 If there is any conflict between the laws, rules, provisions of policy and this Contract, the Parties hereto shall modify this Contract correspondingly to make this Contract be in conformance with the provisions of the laws through consultation.
17 Force Majeure
17.1 Definition of Force Majeure
Force Majeure" shall mean all events which are beyond the control of the Parties hereto, and which are unforeseen, unavoidable, or insurmountable, and which prevent total or partial performance by either of the Parties hereto. Such events shall include, but not limited to, earthquakes, typhoons, flood, fire, war, strikes, riots, acts of governments, changes in law or the application thereof or any other instances which cannot be foreseen, prevented or controlled, including instances which are accepted as Force Majeure in general international commercial practice.17.2 Consequences of Force Majeure
(1) If an event of Force Majeure occurs, a Party's contractual obligations affected by such an event under this Contract shall be suspended during the period of delay caused by the Force Majeure and shall be automatically extended, without penalty or liability, for a period equal to such suspension.
(2) The Party claiming Force Majeure shall promptly inform the other Parties in writing and shall furnish, within 15 days thereafter, sufficient proof of the occurrence and duration of such Force Majeure. The Party claiming Force Majeure shall try all reasonable efforts to reduce the losses arising from Force Majeure.
(3) In the event of Force Majeure, the Parties hereto shall immediately consult with each other in order to find an equitable solution and shall use all reasonable endeavors to minimize the consequences of such Force Majeure.
18 Termination of Contract
This Contract shall terminate upon the following conditions.
(1) This Contract shall terminate upon the Expiration Date unless the Parties hereto reach an agreement on the renewal.
(2) This Contract may be terminated at any time prior to Expiration Date by a mutual written agreement of the Parties hereto.
(3) At any time prior to the Expiration Date, any party (“notifying party”) may terminate this Contract through a notice to the other party in writing if:
(i) the other Party materially breaches this Contract, and such breach is not cured within the cure period granted in the written breach notice issued by the notifying party;
(ii) the other party becomes bankrupt, or is the subject of proceedings for liquidation or dissolution, or ceases to carry on business or becomes unable to pay its debts as they come due;
(iii) the conditions or consequences of Force Majeure which have a continuous adverse effect for a period in excess of six (6) months and the Parties hereto have been unable to find a fair solution;
(iiii) other conditions under which this Contract agrees the termination.
19 Settlements of Disputes
19.1 When any dispute that involves in this Contract and its exercise occurs, the Parties hereto shall attempt to settle it via consultations. In the event that the consultation fails, any party shall be entitled to enter a lawsuit to the local People's court, which has the jurisdiction over the place where this Contract is exercised.
19.2 When any dispute that involves in this Contract and its exercise occurs and is in the process of arbitration, the Parties hereto shall continue to exercise this Contract regardless of the dispute: after dispute is settled by the final arbitration, the remaining hereof shall be strictly exercised except those matters changed under final arbitration.
Translation - Chinese 13 合同期限
13.1 本合同期限为 3年,自2006年8月16日起至2009年8月15日止。
13.2合同期满六个月前,任何一方均有权提出要求续约,双方应当就续约事宜进行协商。若双方未能在本合同期满之前三个月就续约事宜达成一致协议,则本合同到期终止。甲乙双方应当在期满前的三个月内进行交接准备工作。
English to Chinese: National Kaohsiung Arts Centre Detailed field: Architecture
Source text - English Übersetzung:
Bitte diese Wörter ins englische oder deutsche übersetzen: 建築師事務所名稱: 建築師姓名:
Organisation:
The continuous lobby space wraps the building
The stages, back stages, operational and management spaces are placed in one giant core in the centre of the building. This core functions like one huge theatre-machine, including all necessary spaces for the operation of the NKPAC but also the technical equipment and mechanical services, keeping ways and distances short and accelerating work-flow.
The lobby is literally wrapped around this core in a three dimensional way. Since facade and building are merged into one, this giant lobby space creates a lot of terraces, plateaus and places to relax and communicate with each other. This zone is not only intended to be for the audience and the visitors of the park but also for the people “behind the scenes”. It provides artists and staff with penthouse – like working areas and the staff cafeteria with a botanical garden and some outdoor terraces.
Because of the surrounding lobby space – with surrounding entrances to the building – each performance space can have its own designated entrance and hall. Thus it is possible to separate or combine the different performance areas in terms of needs.
The Weiwuying Metropolitan Park & Designated leisure-commercial district
Is it possible to combine the magnificence of a Park with the development of a new city quarter?
Today’s cities widely lack the spirit of harmony and natural ambiance. The pressures of economy and traffic flow compress the quality of our living areas to a minimum. Still there is the dream of every one of us to live in an intact “green” environment, to find harmony between city and nature. The financial demand to cover one part of the Weiwuying Metropolitan Park with buildings could therefore be seen as a chance to weave both parts into one. It is the possibility to find a future model of how to combine dense living and working areas with an intact green environment.
Strategy
Weiwuying Metropolitan Park should follow an old - but now more than ever attracting - Taiwanese garden principle: The Park should be an infinite hideaway, a “perfect and complete paradise” where peace and nature are the basic principles. To create the image of an endless landscape from within, the surrounding city – and its noise – is masked out of the park by means of artificial hills and hill-like buildings. From the outside this landscape creates ever changing and interesting views and sightlines into the park and to its central object – the National Performing Arts Centre.
Layers
Though blending out most of the impacts from outside the park should be merged with the whole city as much as possible in order to create the maximum of attraction for the residents of Kaohsiung. Instead of creating a complete (formal) design for the park in this first phase of the competition we therefore decided to foster on a strategy of layers in order to define the main issues for the Park. These Layers concentrate on very different aspects of the Park and create a dense, lively and urban choice for the people of Kaohsiung.
01 Connections of all points of the surrounding streets with one another.
02 working and living in the park – the leisure-commercial district: completely integrated
03 Walkways of different usage-time and speed:
04 Sightlines and sight-areas: Network of diversified and inspiring views and routes through the park
05 Assorted conditions of green
06 Water: Lakes, ponds and fountains, creeks
07 Pocket gardens: sound gardens; sculpture gardens; flower gardens; Mozart’s garden (musician gardens); etc.
08 Children playgrounds
09 Elderly people facilities
10 bars, lounges and restaurants
11 sports and leisure and infotainment facilities – in combination with the leisure district
12 exhibition and outdoor performances
100 conceptual scetch – section through the park
101 Layers
102 Eccentric urban district
103 Woven urban entities
104 Lakes
105 Walkways
106 Parking
107 Entrance
108 Main Plaza
109 Car access
Leisure and Commercial District
The green hills of Kaohsiung
The zone for the built up area is located in the east of the Park. The building plots are integrated into the fabric of the park and the NKPAC gets an urban entrance area.
The function is intended to an intense mix of living, working and leisure in order to create a lively environment.
The form and position of the buildings follow not only the appearance of Taiwanese hills. They are developed out of ecological aspects in order to create a maximum of green areas, optimum percentage of surface / volume and active solar cell performance in order to minimize the necessary energy for cooling. The living areas are oriented in a terraced garden way to the park-side; the working areas are placed to the city-sides to optimize natural light control. The large scale leisure facilities are embodied into the volumes of the buildings to be protected against the sun.
Since the main wind directions in Kaohsiung are North and South, the punctual buildings allow for a maximum of natural ventilation through the area.
Access routes for cars are taken from the surrounding streets Sanduo Road, Guotai Road and Kaixuan Road. No drive-through traffic is created. Pedestrian routes cross the district from all directions.
The height of the buildings varies between 30 and 65 metres. The gross floor area per building varies between 10.000m² and 50.000m². Basically this concept is very flexible in size and arrangement.
Interweaving city and nature into one
Park = Building
110 conceptual scetch – section through buildings
111 paddy fields
112 terraced houses
113 housing
114 office
115 leisure
116 public programme
117 shopping
118 cinema
119 atrium
120 park
121 access
Performance Spaces
3.1 Lyric Theatre
The Lyric Theatre is situated in the centre of the building, its backstage areas facing those of the Playhouse. The auditorium with its 2.000 seats is designed for a maximum of intimate and collective experience of classical operas. The undulating form of galleries and floors is enfolded out of the enveloping structure of the building in order to create optimum sightlines and excellent room acoustics. Since the distance between stage and furthermost viewers in the last row of gallery seating is less than 30 metres an intense communication between performers and audience is created. A VIP seating area and meeting room is provided to allow honoured guests to meet with artists in a private setting.
The Lyric Theatre main stage has variable size proscenium with a width range of 14-20 meters and 7-10 meters in height. The depth of the stage is designed with 18 meters width and ample wing space on all sides. The fly tower with scenery rigging system and lighting battens has a maintenance “grid” platform at 25 meters clear height above the stage. The stage floor is designed with stage lifts and stage wagons to accommodate changes in elevations and revolving scenery. There are multiple stage “traps” with performer accessible “trap rooms” under the stage.
The side stages and rear stage have a clear height of 11 meters and are equipped with rigging systems to be used for scenery installation. They can be separated from the main stage by means of sound-proof fire-proof walls. The space under the main stage creates a clear height of 10 meters. On this level there is a direct connection to the loading area and sufficient storage areas. The orchestra pit is designed for a minimum of 70 musicians and incorporates a lift system to be raised to stage level to form an extension to the stage. Due to the central core of the building all backstage areas of the theatre are connected directly respectively with very short distances.
The Foyer of the Lyric Theatre creates a direct connection to the park and the continuous outdoor amenities of the building. It is a lively space with bars and gardens, reception desks, restrooms, balconies and terraces. The Foyer also can be used for social events such as opening-night parties or receptions which provide opportunities for artists to interact with the public. The foyer of the Lyric Theatre can be separated to have its own dedicated entrance.
400 lighting catwalk
3.2 Playhouse
The Playhouse is situated in the centre of the building, its backstage areas facing those of the Lyric Theatre. The auditorium with its 1.000 seats is designed for a maximum of intimate and collective experience of dramatic performance. The maximum distance between stage and furthermost viewers is 24 metres which creates an intense communication between performers and audience.
To enhance research and experimentation the Playhouse is composed as a multi-form space that can be transformed into several configurations. The equipment system is designed to quickly and efficiently change the setting, including moveable seating and staging, multiple stage lifts and an adjustable and removable proscenium arch. The auditorium floor adjacent to the stage is vertically movable. These sections of floor could alternately be part of the stage, part of the auditorium, used as an orchestra pit, or otherwise positioned to support the flexibility requirements of the program.
The Playhouse main stage is a multi-format stage, designed for great flexibility that allows a director to create different performer-audience relationships. The fly tower with scenery rigging system and lighting battens has a maintenance “grid” platform at 25 meters clear height above the stage. The stage floor is designed with stage lifts and stage wagons to accommodate changes in elevations and revolving scenery. There are multiple stage “traps” with performer accessible “trap rooms” under the stage.
The side stages and rear stage have a clear height of 11 meters and are equipped with rigging systems to be used for scenery installation. The space under the main stage creates a clear height of 10 meters. On this level there is a direct connection to the loading area and sufficient storage areas. Due to the central core of the building all backstage areas of the theatre are connected directly respectively with very short distances.
The Foyer of the Playhouse is also part of the three dimensional public space surrounding the house. It can be separated to have its own dedicated entrance.
3.3 Black Box Theatre
The Black Box Theatre is situated on ground floor level. Rather than being a closed off literal “black” box its walls can be opened to the surrounding lobby and to the outdoor performance area, facing the building on the west side. With this configuration not only every common stage design – from end staging to theatre-in-the-round staging – is possible but also the enlargement of the performance area into the three dimensional lobby space and the outdoor performance area in the park. This radically expands the possibilities of modern dance and theatre into daily life and audience.
The Black Box audience area is able to vary from 200 to 500 seats. On the upper levels surrounding galleries are designed to provide additional seating areas for performances.
The stage floor is equipped with multiple stage lifts combined with stage platforms. These lifts are also used to transport seats and platforms from the storage space on the basement level, where there is a direct connection to the appending workshops and the loading area. The seats and seating risers can be relocated to accommodate staging options or removed so that the audience is standing during the performances. The lighting, stage and audio systems are designed to accommodate the flexible nature of the theatre.
The foyer of the Black Box Theatre can be separated to have its own dedicated entrance.
3.4 Concert Hall
The festival atmosphere already apparent in the spiral-spaced foyer is heightened in the grand concert hall with its 2.300 seats. Here the overlapping of surfaces and floors reach the character of one steep amphitheatre. The orchestra and the conductor are placed in the midst of the audience, the conductor even in the middle of the building. The galleries sweep into each other making the architecture disappear in a sea of faces. The house seems to consist only of people, listeners whose intense concentration on the music becomes physically palpable. No visitor is more than 28metres away from the conductor.
This intense sphere of music is covered by a bright crown – the gleaming bloom-like structure of the roof.
Integrated into this roof are the stage ceiling which provides sound reflection to the musicians, rigging, lighting systems, microphones and sound systems as well as a dramatic gallery for the audience. The ceiling of the roof is covered with carefully wrapped textile membranes to create the appearance of illuminated floating leaves. For daytime performances and maintenance of the hall the ceiling has integrated windows for natural lightning.
To enhance room acoustics and audience comfort, ambient noise, room illumination, temperature and humidity are all well controlled in the hall. The auditorium structure and cladding is designed in wooden material; the construction and installation of the floor is used to provide resonance. The floor and wall structure is designed as dual layer for sound isolation purposes. The spaces above the interior ceiling should include a space for a rigging system, suspended microphones, and stage lighting equipment. Catwalks above the ceiling should be provided to allow for easy maintenance of the lighting equipment.
The stage floor is equipped with multi-level stage lifts to provide flexibility for different sizes of instrumental sections. The stage size is variable with the addition of portable shell units and risers. Rigging, theatrical light and sound systems as well as ceiling reflectors are integrated into the ceiling above the hall.
The main foyer of the Concert Hall is envisioned as a public platform over the city. From here – at 40m height – one can look over the park and over the city to the sea. It also can be used for art exhibitions, social gatherings, and other related events. Through double layered glass panels with integrated fade-out curtains the necessary noise control for the auditorium is provided while keeping a direct view between auditorium and outdoor areas – to see the star-lit night sky.
From the entrance areas at ground floor a direct connection to the foyer of the Concert Hall is provided by escalators and elevators, a more unhurried way is to go via the spiral ramps of the facade.
Translation - Chinese Übersetzung:
Bitte diese Wörter ins englische oder deutsche übersetzen: 建築師事務所名稱: 建築師姓名:
Title of Architect Agency: Name of Architect
結構:
連續之大廳空間環繞著建築物
舞臺、後臺、營運管理空間處於建築物中心之巨大核心之中。該核心之功能猶如一巨型劇院機器,不僅包括高雄國家藝術文化中心之所有必要之運行空間,亦包括技術設備及機械服務,盡力使道路及距離短捷,加速工作流程。
將大廳以三維方式沿該核心嚴實地環繞之。因建築物之表面與建築物溶於一體,該巨型大廳創造出許多陽臺、高臺供人們休息交談之用。該區域不僅計畫用之于觀眾及公園遊客,亦準備用之於“幕後”人員。其為藝術家與職員提供工作室、帶有植物園及戶外露臺之職員餐飲中心等。
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