Architecture in China has outstanding achievement in recent five years.
Chinese ancient architecture has always been regarded as masterful due to its ingenious designs and extremely skillful craftsmanship. By using the tenon-and-mortise structure, ancient Chinese craftsmen built numerous masterworks, including the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Nowadays, with the development of technology, Chinese modern architects continue to innovate new construction methods and maintain their craftsmanship.
Beginning with simply pursuing height and speed, China constructed many skyscrapers. Working swiftly at the rate of three days per floor, the construction speed of the Shenzhen International Trade Center Building amazed the world.
Along with China's development, especially within the last five years, people pursued more innovation in modern architecture. Not only is construction more creative, but new construction should be environmentally-friendly.
Here are five examples from the WA Award for Chinese Architecture (WAACA), abi-annual award set up by the Chinese architecture magazine, World Architecture. It is led by Tsinghua University, showing the innovation of Chinese architects. Launched in 2002, this award became one of China's most prestigious architectural awards. By encouraging architects to harmonize Chinese traditions and modern innovation, WAACA not only pushed the development of creativity in Chinese architecture, but also popularized modern Chinese architecture worldwide.
1. WA Design Experiment Award: For having efficient outcome on exploring a concept or practice experimentally.
As an essential part of the Yuelu Academy, one of the most famous ancient academies in China, the Chinese Academy Museum provides a modern interpretation of Chinese traditional culture and Chinese architecture. With a traditional layout and modern construction material, the new building presents variety in building style, as well as fits into the original ancient structure.
2. WA City Regeneration Award: For having outstanding contributions on positively changing the environment and life in cities.
The Kangba Art Center fully respects the traditional culture of the Tibetans. As one of the reconstruction projects after the 2010 Yushu earthquake, the new art center combines diverse function, satisfying the city's cultural demands, including a professional presentation platform and casual relaxation area. It shows the perfect combination of the traditional culture of minority ethic people and new construction techniques.
3. WA Social Equality Award: For achieving social equality and humanistic care through construction.
This project launched a new model of construction, in which villagers themselves participated in the building process and operations. By remolding and replacing buildings that already existed, it provides villagers a public activity center. Also, this project lowered the cost by using local construction materials and the local labor force. The architect helped local people to establish an agricultural brand that further helped the local economy recover.
4. WA Technological Innovation Award: For solving reality problem by concentrating on creative technique.
As a recovery project, the architects used a lightweight steel constructional system and balanced the socio-economic, environmental-friendliness and other social factors. Also, this kind of method can be generalizing in the future, which can help other rural construction projects and post-disaster reconstruction projects. Due to the recent earthquake in Sichuan, this case is representative for reconstruction.
5. WA Housing Award: For providing an outstanding solution for modes of living with the environment.
This project studied the hutong, tube-shaped apartments and urban villages to investigate the "mixing dwelling" problem in China. The community redefined the basic living unit and neighborhood, reshaping the way what "living in the community" means by providing flexibility and creativity.
Do you think China should have more skyscrapers? Or should China have more construction that complements local conditions?
Editors: Gao Tianpei, Niu Wanxing (intern)
