Chasing an Urban Utopia

Written By Daniel Allen on June 4, 2007 at 5:32 am | In architecture, design, China

China’s brave new architects mix past with progressive.

Trend Description

Pipe dream design or realistic vision of the future? Standing on the bleak concrete expanse of the world’s largest square, it’s hard to visualize Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum surrounded by trees and a carpet of grass. Such is the wind of change currently blowing through China’s native architectural scene, however, the day when a visit to Tiananmen means a walk in the park may not actually be that far away.

A famous Chinese expression states, “jiu de bu xu, xin de bu lai”, which effectively means, “if the old doesn’t go, the new won’t come”. Beijing’s widespread transformation over the last fifteen years clearly demonstrates that most of the capital’s planners and developers have adopted this as their principal working philosophy. Nonetheless, many have complained that a lot of the old that has now disappeared was good, sacrificed for some pretty ugly, third-rate, un-Chinese architecture.

Original architecture in China is far from dead, however. A growing number of talented young Chinese architects are performing an increasingly important role in preventing Beijing from becoming just another Western-inspired architectural playground. They belong to a promising new generation that has emerged with its own individuality, producing work that refers to the latest international trends, but that hasn’t lost track of China’s rich building heritage.

Image source: MAD

Case Studies

Commune by the Great Wall Kempinski

Commune by the Great Wall Kempinski is considered one of China’s most creative building projects to date. With range of unique and stylish concept villas set amid peaceful mountains near the Shuiguan section of the Great Wall, the 8-square kilometer development is a private collection of innovative and eco-friendly architecture by 12 leading Asian architects.

A selection of upmarket Chinese and Western dishes are offered at the Commune, with The View and The Courtyard restaurants used for private dining. The Library, also called The Peacock Room, can be used for more intimate parties or a reading room. Kempinski’s concierge service can assist with translations and secretarial services, and there are a wide variety of event venues on and off-site, with al fresco catering and theme parties among the services made available by the hotel.

Image source: Kempinski

MAD

Last year a group of China-based architects accomplished a feat that brought them instant fame and respect, and underlined to the rest of the world just how far Chinese architecture has come. The Beijing architectural firm MAD, founded by Ma Yansong in 2002, won an international competition to design a 50-story tower block in Mississauga, Canada. They were the first Chinese-based architects ever to win a competition outside of China.

In September 206, Ma’s firm MAD held an exhibition at the Venice Biennial entitled “MAD in China - A Futuristic Practice and Place”. Part of the work on display was a collection of imaginary designs called “Beijing 2050”, intended to give an impression of what Beijing might look like half way through the twenty-first century, including plans for Tiananmen Square to be transformed into a large urban park.

Image source: MAD

Ai Weiwei

A Chinese conceptual artist, curator and architect, for 25 years Ai Weiwei has consistently been one of China’s most creative figures. He has helped direct the course of Chinese art and architecture, not only through his own productions, but also through his curatorial, editorial and design projects.

Over the past few years Ai Weiwei has moved closer to architecture, beginning with the design of his own studio, the China Art Archives and Warehouse, and the Urs Meile Gallery, all in the outskirts of Beijing. He also has plans for a park of architectural follies in his family’s home town of Jinhua in Zhejiang Province, and collaborated with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron on the Beijing Olympic Stadium.

Image source: Artfacts

Trend Impact

Eduard Koegel, a well-known German architect and author of several books on Chinese architecture, comments, “There are a lot of young, talented Chinese architects around now. They are starting to become noticed worldwide, and this is helping to establish a forum for exchange. If they are successful, Chinese architecture could become a model for many other developing nations.”

“The current state of Chinese architecture is dynamic. Lots of things are happening at the same time, but it seems that very few people have the time to think at all. Years ago Chinese architects had to fight against narrow-minded investors and politicians with terrible taste. Today we find many open-minded people at all levels of the decision-making process. This in itself is good, but the most critical issues today are not only architectural design, but building maintenance and sustainability. The way that Chinese urban development is planned and organized has to change.”