astronomy

James K. M. Cheng

James K. M. Cheng is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand James K. M. Cheng rather than just read about it. In short: James K. M.

Key takeaways

James K. M. Cheng belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect James K. M. Cheng to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of James K. M. Cheng from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

James K. M. Cheng (Chinese: 鄭景明) is a Canadian architect best known for his condominium towers in Vancouver, British Columbia. Cheng's designs, most notably the highrise towers, are noted for their extensive use of glass and for their contribution to the architectural style known as Vancouverism.

Life and work

Cheng was born in Hong Kong and educated at the University of Washington (B.Arch., 1970) and Harvard (M.Arch.) where he studied under Richard Meier. In Canada he then apprenticed under Arthur Erickson. He formed his own firm, James K.M. Cheng Architects Inc., in 1978 when he won the commission for the Chinese Cultural Centre in Vancouver. Beginning in the 1990s Vancouver saw an unprecedented real estate boom that led to the construction of dozens of condo towers in the city. Cheng has become the leading residential tower designer of this period. UBC professor Dina Krunic has commented that "concrete construction and green glass façade, for which Vancouver is internationally known, are James Cheng's legacy." In 2012 Cheng was awarded the Order of Canada. While most of his projects are residential and in Vancouver, Cheng has other credits:

Living Shangri-La previously the tallest building in Metro Vancouver, an upscale hotel and condominium building King George Tower - designed proposed tower that if completed would be one of the tallest buildings in Canada Fairmont Pacific Rim- an upscale hotel and condominium building Shangri-La Toronto - mixed used hotel, condo tower in Toronto and second building built by Cheng outside BC Lincoln Square in Bellevue, Washington and first building built by Cheng outside BC Shaw Tower - mix residential-commercial office tower Parc Residences in Victoria, BC - residential mid-rise Willow Court in Vancouver, BC - residential townhouses - In 1983, Willow Court won Cheng the Governor General's Medal for Architecture The Falls in Victoria, BC - residential mid-rise with retail base Terminal City Club Tower - mixed used hotel, condo and office tower Waiea Tower in Ward Village - 36-floor residential tower in Honolulu, Hawaii.

References

External links Official Website Emporis - James KM Cheng Architects Inc.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with James K. M. Cheng

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what James K. M. Cheng claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to James K. M. Cheng before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about James K. M. Cheng ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of James K. M. Cheng

In research: James K. M. Cheng appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses James K. M. Cheng in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: James K. M. Cheng is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Canadian architect stubs, Canadian architects, Canadian people of Chinese descent, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for James K. M. Cheng outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study James K. M. Cheng in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what James K. M. Cheng means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain James K. M. Cheng out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is James K. M. Cheng in simple terms?

James K. M.

Why does James K. M. Cheng matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study James K. M. Cheng?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on James K. M. Cheng.