2023 SEPTEMBER

 

 

Editorial 1

In the first quarter of the 21st century, the Anthropocene is undergoing significant transformations driven by environmental sustainability, social conflicts, and technological innovations. Architecture, as an extension of humanity with both cultural and technical dimensions, is no exception. Contemporary architectural practice and academia increasingly prioritize sustainability, social effect, and innovative technology. These emerging trends not only expand but also challenge the inherent elements of architecture, which has been centered around ontological concepts like site, space, tectonic and typology.

Mainland China, with its rapid construction growth over the past 40 years, serves as a fertile ground where a diverse array of architectural projects is emerging. These projects consciously or unconsciously engage with the above trends, with various attitudes of embracement, resistance, or integration, yet remain a lack of systematic and comprehensive research. This editorial aims to collect a few recent samples from both practical and theoretical perspectives to foster more vitality on the study of this topic.

The five exemplary projects include Four-Studio Houses in Ningbo by Yungho Chang / Atelier FCJZ - an intrinsic pursuit of various prototypes exploring the interactions between space and human behavior, National Sliding Centre for the Beijing Winter Olympics by Xinggang Li / CADRG – a dynamic structure achieving a comprehensive balance among sport, environment, technology, public engagement, and sustainable operation, Kingway Brewery Renovation in Shenzhen by Yan Meng / Urbanus, which breathes new life into an industrial legacy, transforming original structural elements and new expansions into vibrant urban spaces, RuiXue Multi-Hall in Chengdu by Philip Yuan / CAUP Tongji University - a rural exhibition pavilion designed and constructed using cutting-edge intelligent robotic technology featuring a reciprocal structural system and innovative roofing materials, and Nine-Terraces Bridge in Nanjing by Xiaofeng Zhu / Scenic Architecture Office - a relaxing pedestrian bridge with a suspension structure strikingly integrated by traditional house typology and folded truss plate arch.

Additionally, two essays provide deeper theoretical insights: "The Local and Multiplicity of Chinese Architecture" by Professor Jun-Yang Wang clarifies the fundamental concepts of local construction and advocates for a Chinese architecture grounded in local multiplicities, and "Herbalism: A Trend in Contemporary Chinese Architecture" by Professor Feng Qing utilizes the concept of Herbalism from traditional Chinese medicine theory and Heidegger’s later philosophy to describe the symbiotic vision of contemporary Chinese architecture, moving beyond the simplified dialectic confrontation between modernity and tradition.

Although it is impossible to cover the full variety of architectural practices and viewpoints in contemporary mainland China, this editorial hopes that the different perspectives, wisdom, and strategies presented in these representative projects and essays will inspire a broader discussion on today’s architectural core elements facing alteration, their values, and their evolution.

 

Editorial 2

Hong Kong is renowned for its hyperdense, high-rise architecture and its unique cityscape emanating from its island-harbour-peninsula topography. Compactness, verticality and flexibility are still Hong Kong’s keywords, as is the idea of the city as a “model” or laboratory for urban architectural experiments. Yet in recent years, under increasingly fierce competition in the era of globalization, Hong Kong needs to be reinventing itself. The city’s selfunderstanding is being redefined, whereby the dialectic of tradition and innovation will drive and sustain the city’s cultural creativity. On the one hand, Hong Kong needs to preserve its distinctive characteristics such as its unrivalled international exposure, culture of openness, adaptation, and ability to embrace new ideas and integrate them into its own cultural fabric. On the other hand, Hong Kong is urged to enhance integration with the Greater Bay Area (GBA) as well as better align with national initiatives. To survive and thrive, Hong Kong must “make itself once again indispensable and irreplaceable, do what other Chinese cities cannot do, but at the same time sharing the prosperity with them”1 (Lau, 2017).

In architecture, we witness how the design of the built environment is increasingly considered as part of the city’s urban culture and entering mainstream cultural discourse through major exhibitions, awards and outreach events. Since 2008, Hong Kong has been holding the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture (UABB) as part of the city’s major cultural events every two years. The inaugural biennale, held at the former Central Police Station Compound（now TaiKwun）, was memorable for its “Refabricating City” theme that fused the city’s heritage and memory, and the curation of the venue’s built fabric, opening it up for the first time for public experience.

In the last two decades, pertinent topics such as sustainable design, urban renewal and heritage revitalisation, housing, harbourfront and public space have all entered public debate frequently. Likewise, continuous cultural events enabled the general public to acknowledge all these as part of creative production and cultural discourse. From the mega-scale West Kowloon Cultural District project, to the intimate scale of neighborhood projects through co-creation and place-making, multiple platforms of involving architecture as urban culture in Hong Kong have matured such that architects, built environment professionals and citizens alike are increasingly reframing their roles to broaden their involvement in envisioning the city’s future.

Hong Kong’s architecture stands as a testament to the region's rich history, its evolving identity, and its role within the broader context of the GBA. Compared with Macau, with its Portuguese colonial heritage, and Mainland China, with its rapid development and emphasis on large-scale infrastructure, Hong Kong’s unique blend of Western and Chinese influences, its commitment to sustainability and its focus on public engagement can arguably offer valuable lessons for other cities in the GBA. Continuing this dynamic interplay of tradition, innovation, and cultural exchange, Hong Kong’s ongoing reinvention through its architectural landscape will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the urban culture of the region and beyond.

 

Editorial 3

Macao, the densest territory in the world, is a city of contrasts where past and present converge. Its small streets coexist with large casino resorts, and its historical architectural heritage with high-rise developments. Over the last decade, two architectural projects have emerged within this context, highlighting the potential of context-specific parametric design: the Morpheus Hotel and the USJ Bamboo Pavilion. While they couldn’t be more different in scale, function, tectonics, or cost, their contrasting approaches reveal how scarcity and excess can shape architectural innovation.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the Morpheus Hotel stands as a proof of concept for the articulation of parametric design with industrial fabrication. Inspired by jade carving traditions, its fluid forms, exoskeleton with metal cladding, and curved curtain glass were made possible by the industrial fabrication of non-standard building components. The Macao gaming industry, with its high turnover and culture of spectacle, created the background for such an ambitious design and provided the investment to develop new construction technologies, and project delivery methods needed to materialise it. As a result, the overall construction industry has advanced, enabling more ambitious projects at a lower cost in the future. The Morpheus exemplifies how parametric design with industrial fabrication allows for intricate geometries to materialize precisely within industry standards. It showcases excess as a driver to push the boundaries of architectural fabrication.

In stark contrast, the USJ Bamboo Pavilion by the Department of Architecture and Design of Saint Joseph celebrates scarcity by combining humble local materials and parametric design to create an ambitious spatiality. This temporary structure is designed annually with architecture students through a community engagement process and built with traditional methods showcasing the craftsmanship of local bamboo scaffolders. Parametric design is instrumental in this project, from concept development to spatial modulation and structural definition. It expands the role of bamboo from a temporary scaffolding structure to a key material for building innovative spatial structures. The USJ Bamboo Pavilion demonstrates how academia can intersect with practice by involving students and fostering hands-on learning and innovation. It celebrates Macao’s vernacular roots, bridging the gap between cultural heritage and cutting-edge fabrication, and showcasing scarcity as a viable strategy to drive contextual architectural innovation.

Both projects explore the potential of technological advancements and parametric design tools to develop architecture fabrication and create context-specific architectures. The Morpheus articulates parametric design with industrial fabrication, and the USJ Bamboo Pavilion integrates design, engagement, local materials, and craftsmanship. At the opposite edges of the spectrum, both showcase that Macao matters and that scarcity and excess remain powerful forces in shaping Macao’s architectural innovation.