This year’s Pritzker Architecture Prize winner tells us why he chooses to take on less. Ola Bednarczuk has this story.
June 8th, 2012
In Brisbane recently to present a keynote speech at the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2012 National Conference, Chinese architect Wang Shu spoke about his reaction to the announcement that he was the winner of this year’s Pritzker Prize.
“Of course for me it’s a big surprise, because in fact I am a special architect,” says Wang.
“I do my work very independently. In China this means working on the fringe of society. It’s [outside] of the system.”
5 Scattered Houses, Ningbo, China. Photo by Lang Shuilong
In a country that’s urbanising at a rapid rate, Wang’s Amateur Architecture Studio – which he founded in 1998 with partner Lu Wenyu – has set its own pace by taking on just one project per year.
It’s a reaction against the mediocre, quantity-over-quality approach to the built environment seen in cities across the world, but particularly in the megacities and industrial sprawl of China.
Xiangshan Campus, China Academy of Art, Phase II, Hangzhou, China. Photo by Lv Hengzhong
“In China, everything is fast. [Architects are given] a short time to design and a very short time [for] construction. It’s very difficult to do good work… This is why my work becomes special.
“My way is not just about profession. My way is about life, about memory, about future.”
Ceramic House, Jinhua, China. Photo by Lv Hengzhong
Wang’s work places emphasis on tradition and cultural continuity, acknowledging Chinese history, employing traditional methods and materials as much as modern ones, and looking to life and the natural world for inspiration.
“A lot of architects… start [a] design from an abstract concept. But in reality [design] comes from life; from feeling, from the habits of your life. [When you] really focus on life itself, your working way is more relaxed, more sensitive… hard work but pleasure.”
Library of Wenzheng College, Suzhou, China. Photo by Lu Wenyu
Although his work is in high demand, Wang remains fixed in his decision to keep his output low.
“I want to do interesting things. Every year my studio [takes on] one new project. That’s my principle. And now – maybe I [will] have two. Because so many want [my designs], I design for them. It’s difficult to refuse. But I have to refuse.
“If [the work has] no meaning for me, I don’t do it. I don’t care if it’s big or small. [It has to] interest me; it has to have some meaning to culture and society.”
Amateur Architecture Studio
chinese-architects.com/en/amateur/en/
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Leanne Amodeo visits a new burger joint in Adelaide, South Australia, that delivers the lot… with little.
Polished and anodised aluminium tube frame. Polypropylene shell. Stackable. Indoors and outdoors use. Dimensions: H 820 W 400 Delivery Time: 12 WEEKS Applications: Indoor and Outdoor Variations: 9 colour variations Finish: Frame – Matt aluminium Shell – polypropylene
The inaugural Seven by Seven Talk Series promotes collaborative design practice on the Gold Coast and celebrates the creative culture, leisure and lifestyle of the local community. This unique Gold Coast initiative provides connections and networking opportunities for emerging and established design professionals, design students and design related organisations with an aim to initiate collaborative […]
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Elevate your experience with Saturday Indesign’s VIP Studio Bus Tours.
Paying homage to that wonderful tool of life, the book, SJK Architects’ design for the new headquarters of Penguin Random House is both a temple to the library and a captivating place to work.