Posts tagged with ‘architecture’
Pattern books receded in use after World War II, when the building industry ramped up for the mass production of homes, increasing its efficiency by standardizing production, erecting swirling whirls of identical houses winding along side roads off major roadways. Developers - not homeowners or communities - decided how homes would look.
Architecture – Created in China
My new post for Zouk Architects has been published. The piece discusses the role of the local architect, highlighting two examples of contemporary Chinese architecture:
A recent article in the Asia Times expressed concern that ‘Western architects are still clearly held in higher esteem than their local counterparts’, criticising some architectural developments in China’s cities for a ‘reckless embrace of all things Western’. Yet whilst the reality of these statements is subjective, the rise of the Chinese architect is clear, with modern, ambitious and locally designed buildings emerging across the country.
You can read the whole post by clicking here.
A new wilderness is developing. Cities are rapidly growing, becoming more complex, and rather than locking ourselves up in our protective boxes, what if we found a new way to to test ourselves in the throws of the urban wilderness? Rather than becoming intimately involved with nature, listening and understanding the landscape, we rediscover urbanity in a completely new way. Smells, sounds, people, paths, roads, parks, architecture all become things of exploration rather than simply parts of the sum.
The Japanese Approach to Urban Architecture
My new post for Zouk Architects has been published. The piece explores the experimental approach taken with densely designed architecture in Japan’s cities:
Choosing to leave his job in order to look after his wife after she suffered a stroke, Shunzo Ueda faced a dilemma. With his savings running out, no money coming in, and little desire to leave his home, how would he be able to continue to support his wife and stay living in the area he loved so much? To solve this dilemma, Ueda took an approach taken frequently in Japan – build upwards.
You can read the whole post by clicking here.
The Contradictions of Contemporary Chinese Architecture
My new post for Zouk Architects has been published. The piece explores the radically different routes Chinese architecture is taking as the country urbanises:
China’s rising skyline looks exclusively to the future, forging relationships with international architecture firms. As the world’s most populated country with similarly strong economic credentials, this international approach to architecture shows the part of China that considers itself ready and fully embedded in global culture. However, at the same time, many are still uncomfortable with the speed of change being witnessed in the country, and are fighting to preserve the country’s colourful history. This has become a catalyst for an entirely different type of development trend in Shanghai, and many other major cities in China.
You can read the whole post by clicking here.
The Prolonged Success of Courtyard Housing in China
My new post for Zouk Architects has been published. The piece explores the continued prominence of courtyard housing in chinese architecture:
Britain has its Victorian terraces, America an endless sprawl of suburban bungalows and China has courtyard housing – a building style considered by many to be the epitome of Asian architecture. As China undergoes rapid urbanisation, skyscrapers and megacities are emerging faster than many predicted, yet despite this shift to a dense built environment, courtyard housing remains as prominent as it has done for hundreds of years. These courtyard residences have been popular in China since the Yuan dynasty some 800 years ago, so what is it about their design that has generated such prolonged success?
You can read the whole post by clicking here.
- Page 1 of 4
- Next »
