BEIJING - 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 Zedong's
mausoleum surrounded by trees and a carpet of
grass. Such is the wind of change currently
blowing through China's native architectural
scene, and the day when a visit to Tiananmen
Square means a walk in the park may not actually
be that far away.
A famous Chinese
expression states, "Jiu de bu qu, xin de bu
lai," which means in effect, "If the old
doesn't go, the new won't come." Beijing's
widespread transformation over the past 15 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.
It's true that
the euphoria surrounding Beijing's building boom
masks a number of deep-rooted problems -
shortsighted planning, single-mindedly commercial
development, frequently dismal building quality,
jarring urban styles and the reckless embrace of
all things Western. For important commissions,
such as the various Olympic venues dotted around
the city, Western architects are still clearly
held in higher esteem than their local
counterparts. Reflecting this semi-official dogma,
many Chinese designers have been inspired to
explore every aspect of design history - every
history except their own, that is.
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.
Eduard Koegel, a well-known German
architect and author of several books on Chinese
architecture, commented: "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."
Today the majority of Beijing's
high-profile building projects attempt to steal
the limelight with bold architectural gestures
such as impossibly angled roofs or hanging glass
exteriors. However, some home-grown architects are
pushing innovation in a different direction - one
that focuses on the intrinsic issues of
materiality, limited-budget construction and local
context.
In their own small way these
pioneers are contributing to something huge - a
radical new identity for Chinese architecture.
Instead of attempting to fuse Oriental esthetics
with Western-style design, leading architects such
as Chang Yung Ho and Ma Yansong are exploring more
sophisticated ways of connecting today's
construction to their nation's culture. Combining
an understanding of local craft traditions and the
fabric of urban life with contemporary approaches
to technology and new materials, these designers
are pushing the creative envelope and changing the
built environment in a way that has never been
attempted before.
Xu Tiantian typifies the
new breed of Chinese architect. Having received
her master's degree in urban design from the
Harvard Graduate School of Design, she founded the
Beijing architecture firm DnA: Design &
Architecture in 2004. Key projects to date include
the Songzhuang Art Center outside Beijing and the
New York China Square Art Center in Chelsea, New
York.
Xu is clearly excited about the rise
of native talent in China's architectural sector,
commenting: "Modern Chinese architecture has been
developing profoundly recently. It's not as mature
as in Western countries' - we're still learning
the technical side - but the initial ideas are
originating from our own culture. By incorporating
the old and the new we have great potential for
creativity. In general I found what's happening in
China now is probably the most creative in this
nation's history."
She continued:
"Competition between Western and Chinese
architects can be good motivation. However, I'm
more interested in seeing foreign architects
devote their creativity and expertise to Chinese
architecture not only in major eye-catching
high-profile developments but also in low-budget,
low-tech projects related to tradition, local
lifestyles and Chinese people's real needs. After
all, architecture's contribution to society is not
only artistic."
The architecture of Chang
Yung Ho reflects Xu's sentiments. Now a well-known
face on the international design scene, Chang
founded Beijing's first private architectural
firm, Atelier FCJZ (feichang jianzhu, or "unusual architecture"), back in
1993. Opting to take his creative expertise
overseas, Chang became chairman
of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology's renowned architecture department in
2005.
Chang Yung Ho is internationally
acclaimed for a diverse range of work, including
urban design proposals, large state projects,
private residences and a number of exhibitions at
international art venues, including the Venice
Biennial. While he does work in major metropolises
such as Beijing, much of his work can be found in
secondary Chinese cities.
Chang often uses
traditional forms as the basis for his designs,
such as the Split House at the showcase Commune
complex by the Great Wall outside Beijing, which
is a modern and eco-friendly interpretation of the
four-sided Chinese siheyuan (courtyard). He
is also well known for his use of indigenous
materials, especially bamboo, in his work.
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. Beijing architectural firm
MAD, founded by Ma Yansong in 2002, won an
international competition to design a 50-story
tower block in Mississauga, Ontario. They were the
first Chinese-based architects ever to win a
competition outside of China. With several other
international projects now commissioned, MAD is
poised to become the first international and
global Chinese practice, opening an office in
Tokyo and embarking on projects in South America
and Denmark.
Speaking of progress, Ma
Yansong said: "China has grown very fast and the
country faces very distinct challenges. This gives
China the opportunity to create unique solutions
and do something different for the future. In
China, we describe the Chinese tradition - the
older generations understand this tradition as
very symbolic - bamboo, courtyard, etc. But our
understanding is that maybe Chinese tradition is
invention. Change the old conventions. If we
continue the old thing, maybe our grandmother and
grandfather think we don't respect them, because
we are just repeating the past. I think there is a
chance for us, the new generation, to do something
bold and new."
Ma completed his
apprenticeship in London under the prize-winning
architect Zaha Hadid, and is one of the most
daring and least conventional within China's
groundbreaking architectural community. Last
September, Ma's firm MAD held an exhibition at the
Venice Biennial called "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 halfway through the
21st century.
Perhaps the most extreme and
eye-catching of these forward-thinking designs was
a blueprint to transform Tiananmen Square into a
big park. Providing the reasoning behind the
proposed change, the MAD website states: "By 2050,
a mature and democratic China will emerge, and
spaces for massive political gatherings and troop
processions like Red Square may no longer be
necessary. The transportation could no longer rely
on the ground traffic system; it may utilize an
above-ground or underground system. In 2050,
Tiananmen Square is an urban space filled with
life and the biggest green area in the center of
Beijing."
Looking to the future, Eduard
Koegel summed up the challenges that lie ahead for
China's fledgling architectural movement. He said:
"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."
Daniel Allen is
a freelance writer and photographer from London
who has lived in China for the past three years.
(Copyright 2007 Asia Times Online Ltd.
All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology's renowned architecture department in
2005. 
