HOPE CHALLENGES STRATEGIES
——Current situation and Development of Chinese Contemporary Architecture

譯|王藝琦

HOPE CHALLENGES STRATEGIES
——Current situation and Development of Chinese Contemporary Architecture

譯|王藝琦

During the last three decades after the reform and opening-up policies China have been integrated into the world at a faster pace than expected, especially in the field of architectural design. Western architectural theory has been introduced into China ages ago via various channels already, along with a large number of Western architects 'entering into Chinese market. A large number of their works and design philosophy included spread throughout large and medium cities in China, which had a major influence on the Chinese architectural design. To some extent it can be said that, all kinds of architectural ideological trends in international world, has richer and more comprehensive physical presentations in contemporary China than any other countries. Therefore, we could not neglect China when it comes to the current world architectural trends while we could not discuss the development of modern China design without the international world. Hence, as a platform, it’s meaningful that this high-end international forum invites the Domestic and foreign counterparts to discuss the future development trend and strategy of contemporary Chinese architectural design, in an International perspective and from a viewpoint of the development of architecture Culture.

World trends and Chinese context

It is undoubting that we must link theory with the actual reality in China since we are discussing the issue of China, to study the special issue of China embedded in the common issues of the World Architecture. There are three factors that we should pay attention as follows,

Firstly, it’s the rapid urbanizing process of the society, which brings total 2.7 billion square meters area of construction per year( in 2012), almost a half of the world. While other countries are discussing the architectural designing issue with the object of a single project or a single area, what we are facing is a large number of continuously growing cities of the two, the issue and influence confronted is totally different.

The second factor is the complex cultural background. Presently, though Western civilization has slipped off the summit, it still has 2 -300 years’ experience of development which has shaped a relatively integrated value system wields a lot of influence. China has five thousand years history of civilization, but it has been facing the embarrassing contrast of the“crumbled” traditional value system and the “unestablished” new value system. The obsolete topic of Comparison of the culture between the China and the Western cultures and the Cultural confusion of “where to go” are especially reflected in the field of architectural design, which is also the cultural reality we have to confront during the discussions on Chinese Architectural Design Developing Strategy.

The last is the vision of “Beautiful China”. One of the proposed goal of “fivein-one" during the 18th Party Congress of the Communist Party proposed is Ecological Civilization construction and “Beautiful China”, it indicates the unspecific but very clear direction to the development of Chinese Architecture. I still believe “that Chinese dream” is not “European dream” or “American dream”, it’s not only the cherished dream pursued by most Chinese architects, but also the significance for society and people to observe and evaluate the situation and development of Chinese Architecture

The three factors： rapid urbanization、complex cultural background and the vision of “Beautiful China” mentioned above, compose the realistic context for the study of the contemporary Chinese Architectural Design Development Strategy. In this context, ideal coexists with bewilderment, challenge accompanied by hope, definite aim mingled with seriously outdated theory and system building, with intricate realistic contradiction, these highlight the complexity, importance and urgency of the issue.

Hope and challenges

2.1 Hope

Refer to Hope; we will firstly recall Mr. Wu Liangyong, who was “the State highest science and technology award” winner and “the Pritzker Architecture Prize” winner in 2011 and 2012 respectively. These awards represent Chinese society and international industry’s concern and approval of Modern Chinese Architecture, which is a milestone in Chinese architecture development and worthy of praise and treasuring. Furthermore, we should notice that behind the individual cases, the growing-up of our Chinese architects should not be neglected.

The Chinese architects have shown their prowess due to the rapid urbanization. During the experience in the last three decades, our creating level in architecture has been significantly improved; a lot of excellent architects and works spring out. We are particularly pleased to find out that the Chinese architects gradually broke the restriction of the “singular orienting”, the exploration and study of diversity of architecture creating emerged study.

Many Chinese architects are focus on the reflection of “Chinese character” Some of them propose “regional architecture modernization” that inherit the tradition and conversion of innovation ;some propose localization of modern architecture that confront contemporary era and established on the basis of nation; some propose to the “abstract inheritance” to Chinese culture, focusing on“internalization” ,pursuing the realm; some propose emphasizing personal comprehension of tradition and culture , highlight personalized and civilian expression.

There’re also architects not limited to the“Chinese Character”. Some of them emphasis on interpretation of architectural fundamentals; some advocate the idea of Integrating city architecture; some focus on the application of Modern science and technology and green ecological technology, in order to reveal the inner value and charm in architecture itself.

It’s definitely that there are quite a few of architects still work on the up-to-date study on modernism and its development. Furthermore, there’re some architects works on transplanting from newest western architecture theory, performing pioneering experimental exploration, etc.

The analysis above is not the exact summary of “multi-element” (actually different directions could be mingled). Nevertheless it shows that in the imperfect creating circumstance, during the three decades after the reform and opening-up, there’re many Architects who still kept working on multi-directional exploration and have obtained outstanding results. Compared with the past, architectural creation in China has appeared change and variety in entire feature. It represents the foundation and the hope of further development of Chinese Modern architecture. I’d like to say that, we, not only the architects, but also the public, the media, and the leadership should give full approval to the advancement and achievement, should cherish them, instead of underestimating.

2.2 Challenges

The reality is complicated. The hope we achieved could not, cover up numerous problems in the field of architectural design. The reality is the mismatch of the rapid urbanizing construction and the modern civilization development level, which results in various contrasts and profound disadvantages. In my personal opinion, the“Value judging imbalance”, “intercultural communication disorder ” and “system and institution organizing abnormal ” are still the main problems that restraining further and healthy development of our architectural design. Furthermore, in particular，we should Emphasize on the three “shortcoming” I mentioned above, which not only represents the academic problem in the field of architecture, but also closely linked with current and real China society. Therefore, the problems become more complicated and more challenging.

Value judging imbalance give the basic attributes of architecture： material attributes and cultural attributes serious challenges. The emphasis on the material attributes of architecture is requiring that the architectural design have to fulfill the basic requirements of applicability, safety, ecological energy-saving and the desirable technology economy that is “the return to the fundamentals” in “Beijing Declaration”announced by International association of Architects. However, under the current social circumstance, it is a very common phenomenon that our architecture runs counter to the basic principles.

Currently, the pursuit of high large, showy, eery and luxury style, which is against the basic principles, has become a kind of fashion in architectural design. As to the current situation of architectural cultural value, which has been distorted even vetoed, it’s almost full of disorder. Vulgar buildings such as “Grand emperor Hotel”, “round and square Mansion” and etc. The fashion of blind antique-imitating also spread in many cities, especially the copycat who distributed almost throughout all the cities and towns in China.

“Disorder” in intercultural Communication. Since the May 4th Movement, fracture have emerged in Chinese culture,“value vacuity” which existed in a certain degree, makes people unconsciously accept the powerful influence of western culture, take western value orientation and evaluating criterion as our orientation and criterion Correspondingly, results in diffidence and unconsciousness in Chinese culture. The “disorder” in intercultural Communication is a Common phenomenon in the field of culture especially in the field of architectural design.

The most typical and evident fact is： the high-end architectural design market in China has been “occupied” by western architects over the past 20 years. We had searched via Google pictures in core areas of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and found that 29 buildings out of 36 are designed by foreign architects in core areas of Shanghai, only 4 buildings out of 17 are designed by Chinese architects in core area of Guangzhou and 6 building out of 10 are designed by foreigner architects in core areas of Beijing. In other words, only 1/4 of buildings in core areas of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are designed by Chinese architects. It is extremely rare all over the world. What worthy of special attention is that the fashion of inviting foreign architects is spreading fast through the second-level and third-level cities, even some county-level cities are holding” International tender” to recruit foreign architects .

Violate the regulations of system and institutional construction. When discussing the previous issues, tracing back and getting to bottom, naturally we would attribute them to theabnormal construction of system and institution. To certain extent it can be said that, the“authority decisions” that violate the principles of scientific decision and democratic decision is the main source to various kinds of disordered phenomenon in current field of architecture. For example, in a city, the project approval of important public architectures often violate the law, project feasibility analysis in earlier stage actually become leader’s “approval” analysis. People would wonder and ask how can “one city with 9 towns”, “copycat architecture”,”round and square mansion” and other big, showy and other excessively luxurious architecture project get approved? There are also phenomenon like “ghost city” and cases that destroyed the historic context of a city, which are specially concerned by news media.

In fact, these original “creation” and final decision is often made by leaders at all levels, especially by the major leader. Once the major leader is transferred to another position, usually the corresponding project affairs will be cut off; then New leader comes, new projects start, Changing of designing purpose, remain or extinction of the project, are all under the control of the major leader’s thought. As a result, many people included architects feel quite embarrassed. Due to high centralization of Authority, without science or democracy progress, this kind of decision mechanism not only depress Chinese architects’ enthusiasm for making innovations, but also result in chaotic and disordered city construction and huge waste of resource.

The three aspects, Value judgments judging imbalance, “disorder” in intercultural Communication, Violate the regulations of system and institutional construction compose great obstacle on further development of modern china architecture. To solve these problems, we need not only the architects’ effort, but also the common attention come from the leadership class, the media, and the general public. After all, these are issues of urgency, attaching importance and finding solutions to the problems is crucial to the healthy and sustained future of Chinese modern architecture, is also a key factor that influence the improvement of the quality of urbanization and the realizing of ”beautiful China”.

Strategies

In accordance with the existing problems in the development of modern Chinese architecture, reacting strategies in many aspects have been proposed (detailed discussion can be found in the issues by Chinese Academy of Engineering) to solve them. In my opinion, there’re two most essential： theory construction and institutional construction.

3.1 Theory tectonic

Under the background of multi Value orientations and world culture, reconstruction of it’s necessary to emphasis and gradually builds architectural theory that not only meets the basic teaching principle but also has Chinese characteristics which is requirement of architectural subject construction and support for healthy development of Chinese modern architecture.

3.2 Institutional construction

Institutional construction is paramount critical part in modern civilization construction and value system construction. Institution building in the field of architectural design involves the whole situation of politic and economic reform.

Currently, there are many unsolved problems in the field of architectural design. For example, how to normalize the already disordered design market; how to formulate and complement the outdated standards and criterions; how to reinforce feasibility study at an early stage and post-evaluation system at late stage. However, despite the problems and difficulty in current situation, I always believe that, as long as we face the reality, think calmly, and propose directed developing strategy, these problems will be solved step by step.

原著：希望·挑戰·策略——當代中國建筑現狀與發展 文|程泰寧原載出處：《建筑學報》2014年第01期

（譯者單位：中國土木工程集團有限公司）