ma yansong / MAD architects: shanshui city exhibition + book

ma yansong / MAD architects: shanshui city exhibitionall images courtesy of MAD architects

‘shanshui city’ (the city of mountains and water) by ma yansong of MAD architects is a development in guiyang, china which explores unique spatial planning concepts and considers aspects of urban sustainability. it addresses issues of congestion and city density in relation to the built environment, creating an architecture which reflects nature and chinese traditions. the idea of ‘shanshui city’ was first proposed by chinese scientist qian xuesen during the 1980s, looking at the rise of boxed buildings on china’s landscape, and considering an approach that is more spiritual, creating a more emotional experience.

ma yansong of MAD architects addressed the project during our 2012 designboom architecture conversation in beijing, and his proposal for the city of the future. read more about ‘shanshui city’ on designboom here .

a model of the ‘shanshui city’ project shown within the historic courtyard

ma yansong has issued a book ‘shanshui city’, released during an exhibition of the same name, displayed in the historic qing dynasty courtyard garden at WUHAO curated shop in beijing. here, more than twenty architectural models of the firm’s work were presented from june 7th – 10th, offering a utopian urban landscape of what our cities could become. for ma yansong, shanshui does not only refer to nature; it is also the individual’s emotional response to the surrounding world, aiming to compose a city that takes human spirit and emotion at their cores.

‘the city of the future development will be shifted from the pursuit of material civilization to the pursuit of nature. this is what happens after human beings experience industrial civilization at the expense of the natural environment. the emotional harmonious relationship between nature and man will be rebuilt upon the ‘shanshui city.’ – ma yansong