Xiaofeng Zhu – Contemporary Architecture in China (ENG, CHI)

Автор: Xiaofeng Zhu
Название книги: Contemporary Architecture in China (ENG, CHI)
Формат: PDF
Жанр: Архитектура
Качество: Изначально компьютерное, E-book

In this book, Chinese star architects/architectural design firms present their works completed since 2000. These buildings are created with innovative concepts and unique architectural languages for cultural events, such as museums, art galleries, and memorials. They are the windows created by Chinese leading architects for the world to know Chinese culture.

As an integrated word, “culture” appeared in Chinese biblios as early as Han
Dynasty (B.C. 202 – A.D. 220), and the original meaning was “to make society
civilized through knowledge and etiquette”. Buildings in traditional architecture
history of China, such as public-used wooden structures on high rammed
loam constructions and ancestral halls, can be included as “architecture for
cultural events”; however, the special concept of “cultural architecture” has never
been used. On one hand, this was caused by the form’s oneness and multiple
functions of architecture, and as a craft, architecture was inferior in Chinese
history. On the other hand, the public feature of cultural events has not been
strengthened or promoted consciously through public buildings.
Nowadays, the relevant concepts of “culture” in Chinese language are too
much to be exactly defined after hundred years of “modernization”. Almost
everything can be called “culture”. However, “cultural architecture” introduced
into China from Western countries has a comparatively clear scope for
cognizing. Because in architecture field, people reach a mutual agreement
by usage that “cultural architecture” in which cultural events take place has
an exact definition, for instance, libraries, art museums and those which are
included in this book are named based on function of use.
Entering the 21st century, rapid development of Chinese economy brings
on lag of spiritual civilization, and both citizens and governments call for
development and prosperity of “cultural construction”. The real improvement
of “culture” cannot be done speedy. However, as the “carrier of culture”, “cultural
architecture” presented a splendid sight in a short time, and with the support
from present economic power, it is welcoming a prosperous period in China,
which will last for years. It leads us to think about the challenges and crisis
that “cultural architecture” would face in contemporary Chinese society. In
my view, it mainly involves two aspects:
Firstly, more specialized functional classification of “culture architecture”
has gradually become a new shackle. While planning buildings for culture,
many cities try to cover all types of cultural events, for instance, opera house,
concert hall, and library, and each cultural event has a special building.
FOREWORD
Architects have to comply with relevant architectural criteria, which are
more specialized according to function (e.g. design criterion of theatre)
during the design stage. Today, when land resources and material resources
become less and less in China, I’m expecting complex and multi-functional
development of cultural architecture, trying to combine with regional master
plan, and consciously using new media to integrate and develop cultural
activities, in order to avoid resource waste and repeated construction. This is
the essential sustainable strategy for developing cultural architecture.
Secondly, imbalance between the architectural form and connotation of
cultural architecture. Cultural construction has been a national development
strategy, so competition-like comparison for achievements among different
governments, limited design and construction time lead to an externalism
crisis of overemphasis on external appearance but neglecting meaning
and connotation, no matter the architects’ design skill is good or bad. On
the other hand, mid and small cultural facilities in residential communities,
villages and counties or private-invested facilities were mainly built up
according to need, without exorbitant demand for building’s external
appearance, so it’s comparatively easy for excellent architects to create
innovative works with kind and natural feeling.
Prosperity comes with crisis, and opportunity exists with challenge. Through
27 completed projects included in this book, we may get to know how
architects in China respond to the theme of “cultural architecture” since 21st
century, to know their nearly-ten-year’s efforts, compromise and insistence
under present conditions, which bring an effect like double-edged sword.
Hope this book not only presents the achievement of cultural architecture
practice in contemporary China, but also helps us to take reference with
each other to urge us to think with a critical attitude, to explore the future of
cultural architecture.