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As China gains economic might, the Sino landscape is blossoming with inventive architecture and fresh infrastructure. The country plans to spend $120 billion on new railroad lines, despite a temporary shutdown of high-speed trains after an accident killed 40 last July.  In 1970, 20 percent of the population lived in cities. Today it’s more like 50 percent, and rising.

Not all the new homes and commercial buildings are boiler-plated, functional post-Mao boxes. Have a look at what’s going on in unique Chinese architecture.

Green designs for 45 million passengers

Photo by Arup

Shaped like an airliner, the Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport Terminal 3 was designed to cut traditional energy costs by a fourth. It will be the first National Green Building Star Label certified airport terminal in China, according to sustainable architect-engineering firm Arup.

Unique house at heaven’s door

Photo by Dornob

Lixiaodong Atelier designed this reflection-pond home that sits at foot of the Yulong Snow Mountain in southwestern China. The house has a breath-taking traditional simplicity about it. Every room is oriented to view the mountain. Read more about it at Dornob.

He said, she said

Photo by Inman

Designs for the $125 million Comics and Animation Museum planned for 111 miles southwest of Shanghai incorporate playful interlocking “word balloons” in keeping with the comic theme.  The designer is MVRDV of the Netherlands. You can view an animation of the proposed structure at You Bent My Wookie.

They’re playing our song

Photo by Inman

The Piano House completed in 2007 in Anhui province has gotten a lot of press, but deserves another look. The Huainan Fangkai Decoration Project worked with Hefey University of Technology to build the black piano and clear violin that rests against it. The house serves as a practice facility and doubles as a concert hall. See additional photos at the Homedit blog.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I’m naturally drawn to the warmth of indoor swimming pools. Mind you, I’d prefer to be floating among the dolphins off the coast of Hawaii. We all make compromises. I was going to write about “how the other half lives,” but I’m convinced that people that own these pools comprise less than half the population, and always have.

The first creation of an indoor swimming pool is attributed to architects of the ancient Indus city of Mohenjo Daro. Built around 2500 B.C., Mohenjo Daro sat atop a hill overlooking what today is Larkana, Pakistan. The temple’s Great Bath was built inside brick walls of baked clay.

Interiors of the rich and famous (and you)

Yahoo Real Estate

The Wall Street Journal reported this week on the 30,000-gallon indoor pool in a townhouse at New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. If you like extravagant unique interiors, you’ll simply love this living room. And the pad is currently on the market with a $10.9 million asking price. So speak up!

Pool designs for carefree spenders

Carefree Pools

Carefree Pools built this Illinois L-shaped pond with lap pool and adjoining spa. (Even if I had this kind of cash, I still wouldn’t be carefree.)

Grotto have it

Pool-Swimming

When it comes to designs, I’m more a grotto man than a connoisseur of the L-shape. Imagine calling up a few dozen friends, cranking up the Weber grill, and roasting burgers and franks. Cannonballs, everyone!

Consumer beware

Best Home Design

Oh, there’s nothing wrong with this airy interior pool featured at Best Home Design. But there are two main considerations when putting in your pool. First, according to the Pool Swimming Blog, you’ll need to build in a vapor lock barrier and pool-room dehumidifier system to prevent mold, mildew and rot. And, second, you need to wait an hour after you’ve eaten your burgers and franks before doing cannonballs.

All is vanity

National Geographic

As this current photo of Mohenjo Daro shows, even the most-elegant Chelsea pool eventually returns to the earth from whence it came.