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MIPIM Asia announces top winners of 9th annual awards

5 January, 2016/in Events, News /by Editorial Staff

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MIPIM Asia, the property leaders’ summit in Asia Pacific, recently announced the final ranking of the 36 finalists in the 9th edition of the annual MIPIM Asia Awards.

The winners of the MIPIM Asia Awards, which recognise excellence and innovation in real estate development in the Asia Pacific Region, were announced during a gala dinner on December 1 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Hong Kong with Mrs Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR government as the Guest of Honour. The final Gold, Silver and Bronze rankings were awarded to the 36 projects previously announced, which had been selected by an international jury of 16 industry experts.

JTC’s Fusionopolis 2 won an award in the “Best Mixed-Use Development” category.

The jury can, in total independence, base its selection upon various and unlimited criteria such as infrastructure and transport access, integration into the environment, originality of the concept, technical and architectural quality, and services offered. Nicholas J. Loup, President of the Jury said, “It was a very competitive process this year with a number of high-quality and interesting projects among the finalists. I am delighted to announce the final rankings of the 9th edition of the MIPIM Asia Awards and we are excited to see how several of these projects are changing the urban landscape in Asia Pacific.”

The winners spanned across 12 distinct categories such as Best Mixed Use Development, Best Innovative Green Building, Best Refurbished Building and more and a complete list of the 2015 winners can be found at www.mipim-asia.com/en/the-programme/awards/

Broadway Malyan wins project for Nexus campus

28 December, 2015/in News, Architecture /by Editor

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Broadway Malyan has won the commission to design a new international school in the heart of Singapore for one of Asia’s largest education organisations.

The architecture, design and urbanism practice was selected to design the new Nexus International School (Singapore) campus along the Pan Island Expressway, the main arterial route between Changi Airport, the island’s Downtown Core and the planned Jurong district in west Singapore.

Broadway Malyan director Harry Hoodless, who has been involved in developing international schools across Asia, said the facility will set new benchmarks for sustainability and innovation. He said: “This is an incredibly exciting project for Broadway Malyan where we have the opportunity to create what will not only be a major landmark in Singapore but will help develop the template for the school of the future. Singapore already boasts a reputation for educational excellence and Nexus’s vision is to create a campus that will be Singapore’s flagship learning environment for the next generation and help secure its position as the region’s leader for innovation and technology.”

“The new campus design will be unique in terms of its response to environmental context and we believe it exemplifies our forward thinking approach to education space, while also embracing the needs of the local community. Broadway Malyan has been involved in the wider Smart City agenda, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia, and we looked at visions for our cities of the future and miniaturised them to help design this school. The result is a project that will be ecologically and socio-culturally in tune with its surroundings and technically meets the needs of an evolving economy.”He added.

Facilities at the 2,000 student campus – which will also be open to the local community outside school hours and at weekends – will include a 50m indoor pool, a full size astro-turf sports field, recording studios, a library, auditorium, two sports halls as well as a raft of flexible learning spaces.

At the heart of the campus and in keeping with the philosophy of the new development will be the Innovation Hub. Through collaboration with the leading minds in their fields, it will be a showcase space dedicated to the development of new pedagogic ideas. A range of initiatives will work towards a design ambition of ‘zero waste, zero water, zero energy’ with technologies that will see the pool heated through waste heat from learning spaces, smart shading operated by sunlight sensors and rainwater management enhanced to deal with local climatic conditions.

Arup bags top structural engineering award for Singapore Sports Hub

8 December, 2015/in Design, News /by Editorial Staff

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Singapore Sports Hub shines in the night. Image courtesy of Arup.

Arup, a multidisciplinary engineering and consulting firm with a reputation for delivering innovative and sustainable designs, was recognised with the highest accolade at the The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) Structural Awards 2015 on 13 November 2015.

The Singapore Sports Hub, for which Arup was the structural engineer, won the Supreme Award for Structural Engineering Excellence. This is the highest accolade of the ceremony and is given at the judges’ discretion, to the project that has distinguished itself from all submissions in 2015, and for being the finest global example of structural engineering design in the year.

Stunning retracting roof at Singapore Sports Hub in action. Image courtesy of Arup.

The Singapore Sports Hub is home to the world’s largest free-spanning dome of 310 metres, the approximate width of four A380 aeroplanes parked wing to wing. The roof, which covers the 55,000-seat sports stadium, also sets new benchmarks in efficiency of design and material usage, utilising a third of weight of steel normally used in a span of this size.

“It is a rare honour to have worked on and led the design for the Singapore Sports Hub – a fantastic project, with contributions from so many talented people. I am elated with the recognition the project and team have received, and am particularly proud of the work Arup has done on the National Stadium roof. Working under intense pressure, the team delivered exceptional technical work with a brilliant outcome. They pushed the boundaries of technology and thoroughly deserve this recognition,” said Andrew Henry, Project Manager at Arup.

The firm also won in four other categories: the Award for Sports or Leisure Structures, again, for the Singapore Sports Hub; the Award for Arts or Entertainment Structures for the Vegas High Roller in the USA; the Award for Regional Groups for the SSE Hydro in Glasgow; and the Housing for Low-Income Communities project in El Salvador was presented with the Award for Sustainability.

For more information on The Structural Awards 2015, visit www.istructe.org/structuralawards/2015/home.

Al-Ansar Mosque / ONG&ONG Pte Ltd

24 June, 2015/in Architecture /by Editorial Staff

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The Al-Ansar Mosque prides itself as a community mosque located along Green Link, between Bedok Reservoir and East Coast Park. The design of the mosque is focused on creating an open and inclusive atmosphere, which is inviting to worshippers and the community at large.

The mosque also embodies the idea of embracing both the new and the old in one vessel. Elements like the minaret and main prayer hall’s dome are retained from the past and integrated with new structures like the floating podium, which will house classrooms and auditoriums. With a 300-seater capacity, the auditorium can be used as an extended prayer space, as well as a multi-purpose venue for events like weddings.

A mosque has to embody particular symbolic elements that represent the core beliefs and values of the Muslim community, while at the same time taking account of the multi-cultural environment in which it exists. For that reason, the mosque had to be designed so that it appeared open and inclusive. Furthermore, it has to reach out to the community at large and the design had to embody those values.

The main design feature devised by the architects was a large covered community plaza at the front o the site, crated by a podium consisting of a cantilevered steel girder box. It embraces the existing prayer hall and minaret, which appears to float above the plaza and surrounding streets. The plaza has been conceived so that it may serve multiple functions, an is envisioned as providing for the many facets of Malay life: an informal gathering space to encourage togetherness, extended worship as well as social events.

The new volume floats above the plaza and houses new programmes, including a new multi-purpose 300-seat auditorium and function rooms that may also be used as an extended prayer space for up to 460 people.

The steel frame facade is articulated into an intricate pattern inspired by the arabesque. By taking the simple geometry of the rotated square and layering it upon secondary structures and external screening, a delicate pattern is created so that the mosque has a distinctive face to show the community. The facade has been designed to allow natural daylight to filter into inner space, while also enabling air flow to naturally ventilate the building like a porous, open volume.

The existing minaret is celebrated as a focal point, and the blue dome is given aesthetic lines on the exterior, while the ceiling was modified to express the eight-cornered star generated by the juxtaposition of two geometries. This was inspired by the arabesque and these two structures will serve as an important link to the past as the updated design forges a chapter for the Al-Ansar Mosque.

The new structure opens up the area and provides an improved visual connectivity, as well as physical accessibility to the surrounding community. It is designed to be inviting and to encourage people to enter and join in the activities taking place there. The covered plaza will serve a multitude of functions, ranging from informal gatherings to an extended area for prayer and worship.

The space available also offers infinite possibilities for interactions between the people, as it constitutes and ‘urban room’ where the Muslim community can come together. Other key features in the mosque’s redesign include a second block that houses classrooms and offices, as well as religious classrooms and a kindergarten.

The ‘Old and New’ will be expressed independently whilst being experienced collectively as an integral whole. A series of skylight mediate the interfaces between the two states and a visitor moving through the building will constantly experience the presence of both – akin to a continuous dialogue between tradition and modernity.

Büro Ole Scheeren Unveils the “Future of Vertical Housing” in Vancouver

15 June, 2015/in News /by Editorial Staff

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Büro Ole Scheeren has envisioned a “future vision for vertical living.” Designed to serve as an “urban pivot” on one of Vancouver‘s main avenues, 1500 West Georgia Street, the multifaceted tower features a system of vertically shifted apartment modules and outdoor terraces that branch out horizontally to “engage the space of the city and activateVancouver’s waterfront skyline.”

“Vancouver possesses a unique balance of urban conditions surrounded by spectacular nature that provides fertile ground for envisioning new possibilities for future living in a cosmopolitan and environmentally-friendly city” says Ole Scheeren. “The design for this building exemplifies our ambition to reconnect architecture with the natural and civic environment and go beyond the hermetic confines of towers that increasingly inscribe our lives.”

“Vancouver, consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities, has much to offer: beyond a vibrant social environment, the ‘City of Glass’ is known for its buildings of transparency and for its breathtaking surroundings of clear water and snow-covered mountains. But, like many cities today, its skyline is dominated by verticality – extrusions of generic towers that don’t engage their environment and create isolation rather than connection,” added the practice. “Ole Scheeren’s design opens up the inert shaft of the tower to embrace both city and nature in a three-dimensional sculpture which projects the space of living outwards into the surrounding context.”

Home Buyers Affirm Strong Interest In North Park Residences During Soft Launch

6 April, 2015/in News /by Editorial Staff

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Its locale and the many ‘doorstep’ benefits to being part of an integrated development have seen home buyers and investors show strong confidence in North Park Residences, which is part of Yishun’s iconic integrated development, Northpoint City. The 920-unit North Park Residences comprises twelve 10-storey blocks with configurations ranging from one- to five-bedroom units.

Of the 430 units released at its soft launch yesterday (Sunday), a total of 313 units were sold. Sales were evenly spread across its one- to five-bedroom apartments with Singaporeans accounting for over 88 per cent of buyers. Phase 1 units of North Park Residences were released at an average pricing of $1,300 psf with prices starting from $612K for a Studio to $1.89M for a 5-bedroom Vista unit.

Developed by Frasers Centrepoint Limited (“FCL”), Northpoint City will be the developer’s fourth integrated development project.

Mr Cheang Kok Kheong, CEO of Development and Property for FCL, said that the healthy demand for North Park Residences indicates that buyers are savvy about the advantages of its Yishun location as well as being part of an integrated development. FCL has also ensured that residents will enjoy the many communal facilities which will be easily accessible on foot via covered walkways and the shopping mall.

“For some time now we have been hearing about the revitalisation and transformation of Yishun from that of a mature township to one with new facilities for medical, education, transport, recreational and other functional needs. Northpoint City will also fill the gap for a vibrant lifestyle hub in the heart of Yishun and northern Singapore,” said Mr Cheang. “Over the past three weekends of public preview, we have put in significant effort to meet and speak with some 5,000 visitors and prospective homebuyers on the value and investment potential in an integrated development like North Park Residences. The encouraging sales and ongoing enquiries reaffirms our success in engaging with them.”

Northpoint City will comprise over 500 retail and F&B stores, the Yishun Integrated Transport Hub, Nee Soon Central Community Club (the first community club within a shopping mall), the expansive Town Plaza and a Community Garden.

In particular, residents will be attracted to Northpoint City’s seamless connectivity to road, rail and bus services. They can access the existing Yishun MRT station via the mall while a retail underpass will take them to a new air-conditioned bus interchange currently under construction. By train, residents can reach Orchard Road within 22 minutes.

Plans to improve Yishun’s connectivity to the various parts of Singapore are ongoing. This includes linking up expressways, connecting new roads and building a new expressway.

North Park Residences will be officially launched for sale on Saturday, 11 April 2015. More than half of North Park Residences’ 920 units have been reserved for the official launch.

Singapore Sports Hub wins global and local design awards

3 October, 2014/in News /by Editor

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Singapore – The Singapore Sports Hub has been named Sports Building of the Year at the prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards 2014. Designed by Arup, DP Architects and AECOM, the Sports Hub beat five other entries from around the world to clinch this award.

Earlier in the week, the Sports Hub received a Design Award at Singapore Institute of Architects Architectural Design Awards 2014 for its excellent planning and unique ecosystem of sporting, leisure and retail spaces. This latest win further recognizes the Sports Hub’s architectural excellence among iconic sports-related buildings in the world.

“These awards bear testament to the design team’s dedication and effort over the last eight years,” says Teoh Hai Pin, director of DP Architects. “The Sports Hub has set a benchmark for the planning and design of future integrated sports developments around the world. More than a premier sporting venue, the Sports Hub is unique in that it is a destination that is truly meant for all. The organisation of the leisure and lifestyle elements as well as meaningful civic realms inspires and encourages community participation and inclusiveness. For this socially meaningful project to be recognized internationally and locally is very rewarding indeed.”

“It is fantastic for the design of the Singapore Sports Hub to be recognized in this way”, says Clive Lewis, Associate Director of Arup. “The design of the stadium has responded to our client’s very ambitious brief, the site context and the local climate. To me, the National Stadium is the hub within the Sports Hub. We wanted to create an icon of the dome roof which people can identify with elite sport and a world class sports destination. At the same time we wanted a vibrant and attractive precinct which will draw people to the Sports Hub every day of the week. We are very proud of how it has been received as a successful venue by the people of Singapore and the recognition of its architecture today is a proud moment for all of us in the design team.”

“Central to the success of Sports Hub is just how well integrated the masterplan design is, linking the precinct seamlessly – with its sports, community and leisure uses – to the city beyond,” said Jonathan Rose, Principal, Design + Planning, AECOM. “From creating great new public spaces for the community, to landscape features such as rainwater harvesting, sustainability is woven into the design of the Sports Hub. We are honoured to receive the awards for this project, as a model for how design can help create lasting value for the city, over the long term.”

The Singapore Sports Hub is Asia’s first integrated sports, leisure, entertainment and lifestyle destination. Designed for legacy, it provides infrastructure for elite world-class events and programmes that encourage everyday public participation.

LAKE LIFE SET TO BE FIRST CONDO TO OFFER DRIVERLESS ELECTRIC SHUTTLE TO MRT

23 September, 2014/in News /by Editor

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SINGAPORE– Lake Life, a new Executive Condominium in the Jurong Lakeside district launching their e-applications on 4 October 2014, is set to upend conventions in condominium living by being the first condominium in Singapore to run an autonomous electric shuttle vehicle from the condominium to the nearby Lakeside MRT (subject to LTA approval). Developers of Lake Life, the Evia-led consortium, announced today that they are working with NUS/MIT and SHADO to develop the driver-less system and self-charging service.

Anticipating a future where electrical cars will be the norm, the developer of Lake Life is providing a parking bay with charging station within the residents’ carpark. Additionally, all rooms in Lake Life’s units will be ready for Intelligent House Control System. All common areas within Lake Life will be designed with free WiFi. The booking of condominium facilities will be made available online and through a mobile application. The developers also designed a sheltered bicycle yard within Lake Life.

With its array of snazzy smart home features, sustainable and luxurious design, as well as activities promoting active, healthy living, Vincent Ong, Co-Managing Director of Evia Real Estate shared why he best online casino is not interested in minting ‘cookie-cutter’ condominiums, “For me, the people buying our developments are not just customers but “responsible consumers”—people who are concerned about the environment, who want to lead a healthy lifestyle, care about their children’s education and the well-being of their aged parents. We have therefore assembled innovators, creative forces and top talents who combined their energy to design a one-of-a-kind residence for Singapore’s pioneer smart city.”

Lake Life is located in the hottest address in Singapore—Jurong Lake District, which three months ago was designated a test bed for Singapore’s initiative to become the world’s first smart city. “We are embracing the smart city initiative,” said Ong. “We may be launching sales of the project today, but we are providing the infrastructure and features for the smart city of tomorrow.” Lake Life is expected to TOP in 2018.

Beyond the smart city initiative, a new “Jurong Lake Gardens” was also unveiled by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Rally Speech 2014 on August 17. The Jurong Lake Gardens will be created by combining the Japanese and Chinese Gardens as well as the Jurong Lake Park. A new Science Centre will also be built adjacent to the Chinese Garden MRT station, and scheduled to be completed around 2020.

ABB to drive retractable roof on world’s largest free-spanning dome in Singapore

19 September, 2014/in News /by Editor

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ABB solutions for precise control and energy efficiency will enable 312 meter diameter dome on the Singapore National Stadium

Zurich, Switzerland– ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, is set to drive the retractable canopy on the world’s largest free-spanning domed roof at Singapore’s new National Stadium, part of the Singapore Sports Hub. The 55,000-capacity stadium is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia to boast a retractable roof and the only stadium in the world built to accommodate soccer, rugby, cricket, athletics and concerts all in one venue.

The stadium’s dome roof is one of its most distinctive features, and will become a prominent part of the Singapore skyline. Covering approximately 20,000 square meters, weighing 2,200 metric tons and reaching some 80 meters high, the roof is partially retractable to offer spectators ventilation and protection from the elements.

The stadium is ABB’s latest project in ‘moving architecture.’ Other notable professional sports venues with retractable roofs automated by ABB drives include Arizona’s Cardinals Stadium and Dallas’s Cowboys Stadium. ABB power and automation technologies are in place at a number of the world’s premier sport venues, including Cape Town Stadium in South Africa, Olympic stadiums in Beijing, China, and Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium in Brazil – venue for the final match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

“This ambitious project represents a remarkable milestone for ABB in terms of intelligent control and automation, and we are proud to be a part of Singapore’s iconic achievement,” said Pekka Tiitinen, head of ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion division.

It only takes around 20 minutes to fully open or close the roof, which is divided into two sections each programmed to travel at around 40 millimeters per second. Three ABB Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) are the ‘brains’ behind the motion, providing the control and coordination for 32 regenerative variable speed drives to automate the roof.

Regenerative drives can recover thermal energy from the motor deceleration process, convert it into electrical energy and feed it back into the network – saving energy that would have otherwise been wasted. Thanks to their superior harmonic performance and Direct Torque Control, the ABB drives can maintain power supply quality and run with zero speed torque, which increases the safety and energy efficiency when moving the roof.

In addition to being weather resistant and blocking the sun’s heat, the innovative roof doubles as an enormous projection screen. The steel trusses supporting the dome are lined with some 3,000 LED lights,further adding to Singapore’s already glittering nighttime skyline.

Built on the original site of the National Stadium that was demolished in 2010, the Singapore Sports Hub opened its doors to the public in June 2014. The Singapore Sports Hub also includes the OCBC Aquatic Centre, an indoor space that can host FINA competitions, the OCBC Arena, a multi-purpose sports arena,a Water Sports Centre, sports library and museum, retail mall, together with a host of Community facilities. For more information, please visit the Singapore Sports Hub website: www.sportshub.com.sg

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility, industry, and transport and infrastructure customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 145,000 people.

HP Opens Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence and New Ink Plant in Singapore

3 September, 2014/in News /by Editor

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New facility created to help printing companies and brands in Asia Pacific and Japan to bring their ideas to life

SINGAPORE — HP today announced the opening of a new Centre of Excellence (CoE) and the expansion of an HP Indigo ink manufacturing facility in Singapore. The facility aims to educate and inspire printing companies and their customers – including brands, agencies and print buyers – in Asia Pacific and Japan about new opportunities made possible by HP digital printing solutions.

HP Executives and Guest of Honor, Thien Kwee Eng, Assistant Managing Director of the
Singapore Economic Development Board, at the opening ceremony for the HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence and new Indigo Ink Manufacturing facility

The new 21,000 square metre facility will provide customers with one-stop access to HP’s broad digital printing portfolio and solutions, as well as a space to connect with experts and share creative and technical best practices.

The new facility will further support worldwide Indigo ink volume production by expanding local capabilities from the current ink series to the fast-growing new generation of inks for the HP Indigo 10000, 20000 and 30000 Digital Presses.

“Brand owners are facing increased competition as consumer choice and expectations have exploded. As a result, they’ve moved into the digital world to connect more powerfully with their customers,” said Gido van Praag, vice president, Graphics Solutions Business, HP Asia Pacific and Japan. “The new HP Centre of Excellence aims to give them the tools to compete, helping brands identify new ways to combine their unique skills with the industry’s broadest portfolio of innovative digital printing solutions, and its unparalleled application capabilities.”

The new facility will create employment opportunities in Singapore with more than 100 employees projected to be added to the facility in the next five years, most of which will include technical professionals and training personnel.

“We welcome HP’s latest investment as yet another milestone in the 44-year Singapore-HP partnership,” said Thien Kwee Eng, assistant managing director of the Singapore Economic Development Board. “Printing is an important industry, and the new HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence and second Indigo ink manufacturing plant will help to transform the industry to capture opportunities from the growth of digital printing.”

HP Graphics Solutions Centre of Excellence Unlocks the Full Power of Digital Printing

The complete graphics portfolio and partner solutions along with an extensive gallery of applications – from stamps to building wraps – are housed in the new facility to make it easier for customers to unlock the full power of digital printing.

Printing companies will be able to benchmark and conduct end-to-end application testing of their HP digital printing equipment. Brands and agencies will be able to see inspirational ideas and work on pilot projects in a real-world production environment.

In addition, a training centre will help increase operator proficiency and expedite return on investment of HP Indigo Digital Presses, HP Scitex Industrial Presses, HP Latex and HP Designjet Printers. The centre, staffed by 11 training and ramp-up specialists, will provide hands-on learning and train more than 350 operators, engineers and production managers each year.

HP Ink Manufacturing Facility to Answer Fast Growth of New Generation HP Indigo Digital Presses

The increase in ink manufacturing capabilities supports the growing demand of Indigo next-generation presses, which are reaching 150 installations worldwide. These installations are in addition to more than 6,000 HP Indigo Presses now in 120 countries.

The 10,000 square metre expansion to the ink manufacturing plant will support global production of specialized HP Indigo ElectroInks for the new generation of HP Indigo 10000, 20000 and 30000 Digital Presses. The Indigo 10000, the first B2-format digital press with offset quality, enables print service providers, photo specialty shops and book printers to provide high value, high productivity applications. The Indigo 20000 and the Indigo 30000 Digital Presses, released to the market earlier this year, are the first digital presses designed to meet the needs of label & flexible packaging and folding carton converters.

To allow HP Indigo customers in the region to order and receive more than 3,000 specially mixed ink colours within short lead times, the plant will also manufacture Pantone®-licensed spot colour inks.

Substrate testing and certification capabilities will be built into the plant to enable substrate manufacturers, suppliers and HP Indigo press owners from Asia Pacific and Japan and Europe, the Middle East and Africa to evaluate substrate compatibility with HP Indigo Digital Presses.

The new ink manufacturing facility is scheduled to open in 2015.

Additional information about HP Indigo digital printing is available at hp.com/go/indigo, on the HP Graphic Arts YouTube channel, youtube.com/HPGraphicArts, or through the HP Graphic Arts Twitter Feed, twitter.com/hpgraphicarts.

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HP Ink Manufacturing Facility to Answer Fast Growth of New Generation HP Indigo Digital Presses

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