January 29, 2008

MAD Leads New Generation of Chinese Architects

CScout has an interesting profile of MAD, a Beijing-based architectural agency that is at the forefront of creative industry in China. MAD is the first Chinese architecture studio to win a design competition outside of China with the Absolute Tower, also dubbed the “Marilyn Monroe building.”

MAD was started by Ma Yansong, a young, Yale-educated Chinese architect, who believes the new generation of Chinese have the chance to reverse China’s reputation as the home of low-quality, copycat products. Ma explains:

“China has grown very fast and the country faces very distinct challenges. This gives China the opportunity to create unique solutions and do something different for the future. In China, we describe the Chinese tradition - the older generations they understand this tradition as very symbolic - bamboo, courtyard, etc. But our understanding is that maybe Chinese tradition is invention. Change the old conventions. I think there is a chance for us, the new generation, to do something bold and new.”

CScout: Trend: Creativity Made in China - MAD Architects

Article categories: Architecture, Creative Class, Design, Trends In Asia