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Blogger to pay $30,000 Penalty for accusing Zaha Hadid building of bad feng shui

2019-04-11T13:49:00-04:00

In China, a media company has been ordered by the court to cough up $30,000 to a real estate developer for accusing one of their buildings of having bad feng shui, CNN reports.

In the post published by Zhuhai Shengun Internet Technology, a Chinese blogger warned of the building's inauspicious architecture, claiming that its "noxious energy" had led to the downfall of several of its tenants, many of which were initially promising tech start-ups.

The developers, SOHO China, sued the media company for the blog post's criticisms about Wangjing SOHO, an office complex designed by the late Iraqi-British architect, Zaha Hadid. In the suit, they claimed the post's "malicious insults" had damaged people's opinions of the building and smeared the company's reputation, seriously affecting their business.

Siding with the developer, the Chinese court in Beijing ruled that the media company needed to apologize and pay $30,000 in compensation. In their public verdict, the court reminded that the...

Dragon-proofing: why skyscrapers in Hong Kong have holes

2017-03-30T18:55:00-04:00

Have you ever realized that Hong Kong skyscrapers have holes in them? They're called dragon gates, and according to the Chinese principle feng shui these holes allow dragons to fly from the mountains to the water each day. It's believed that blocking the dragon's path could bring misfortune. Buildings with bad feng shui, such as the Bank of China Tower, have been blamed for surrounding companies going out of business.

Double-paned, waterproofed windows for insulation? Check. Reinforced steel beams for stability during an earthquake? Check. Hole in the center of the building so dragons can fly through?

Mikou Design Studio’s Swimming Pool Feng Shui

2012-04-27T18:46:00-04:00

The proposal 'Swimming Pool Feng Shui' by Paris-based Mikou Design Studio has been named winning entry in a competition for a swimming pool in the city of Issy les Moulineaux, France.