I live in a glass box of the Chinese capital, facing an eight lanes busy artery. In front of my place is Rome Garden, a compound decorated with triumphal arches, horses and centurions made of synthetic resin. Behind a ziggurat looking shopping mall, called Joy City, I can see the the towers of Stars Cove, a fancy compound in my area which looks like a fairy tale castle.
Lately I had the opportunity to interview Chinese architecture star Ma Yansong for coolhunting.com, you can imagine how refreshing it sounds to me the idea of a Shanshui city...
Interview Ma Yansong: founder MAD Architects
When Westerners think about Chinese architecture, we oftentimes have two images in mind: old, grand pagodas settled on the top of a hill or titanic mega-projects breaking global records. Understanding the essence of Chinese architecture isn't easy. Ma Yansong is a name that's undeniably played a major role in shaping the idea of contemporary Chinese architecture and urban development in the last decade. Born in Beijing, he founded his studio MAD Architects in 2004—a company that's now among the very few Chinese design firms that has built projects beyond the nation.