designboom conversation: wang yun

portrait of wang yun at designboom conversation, beijing china image © designboom

on september 28th, 2011, we hosted a designboom conversation ‘contemporary chinese architecture from the outside in’ at the ullens center for contemporary art (UCCA) in beijing. the round-table brought together for the first time ever, prominent chinese architects ma yansong (MAD), zhu pei, liu jiakun, wang yun and liu xiaodu (urbanus) in a single public event. moderated by birgit lohmann, the five lectures were introduced by architecture critic fang zhenning.

wang yun of atelier fronti discussed with the attendees his body of work and the research that led up to his built works spreading over the last 10 years.

video © designboom

‘discrete club’ in, xixi wetland, hangzhou, china image © atelier fronti

one of many buildings on the site image © atelier fronti

curved exterior image © atelier fronti

skylight image © atelier fronti

staircase image © atelier fronti

oval exterior image © atelier fronti

wetland at dusk image © atelier fronti

wang yun showing his published books image © designboom

atelier fronti office image © designboom

plans image © designboom

model image © designboom

short biography of wang yun

associate professor peking university chief architect in aterlier Fronti 1985 graduated from beijing instate of civil engineering and architecture 1995 graduated from university of tokyo with a master degree 1999 graduated from university of tokyo with a PH.D. winner of the 20th nisshinkogyo architecture competition, 2nd prize winner of the 4th S x L housing design competition, 1st prize

2002 mini city with 60 square meters 2002 extension of shanmei office building 2003 villa a+b of the lush mountain villa 2003 clubhouse of the lush mountain villa 2003 financial training center of the shining shan district 2003 kindergarten at baiziwan, beijing 2003 middle school at baiziwan, beijing 2005 office and restaurant design in jinn 2005 guo xuan shopping mall 2006 office building of yin lai 2006 interior design 2007 sculpture of wan xiang xin tian 2007 middle school in nei mongol

is there a new, more flexible urban ideal? one in which the greatness of cities is seen to arise from a clash of architectural visions, built up from spontaneous and unregulated taste and problems of densification? many of the new generation, overseas-educated chinese architects have decided to stay in china and are internationally known for their experimental building processes and indigenous use of materials. from recycling-based construction methods to the mass creation of new high-rise buildings, contemporary chinese architecture is a progressive force in society, and has begun to make its own, unique mark on 21st century global architecture.

see designboom’s original announcement and initial coverage of the group discussion here.