Category: ArchDaily Interviews | ArchDaily

"To Emerge Naturally from the Site": Zhang Pengju on His Aga Khan Award-Winning West Wusutu Village

韩爽 - HAN Shuang — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 06:30:00 +0000

The 2025 Aga Khan Award for Architecture, one of the most prestigious honors in the field, celebrates projects that not only exhibit architectural excellence but also profoundly improve the quality of life for their communities. Among this year's winners is the West Wusutu Village Community Centre, a project in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, by Chinese architect Zhang Pengju. In an era when rural areas often face social fragmentation and a loss of identity, this community center offers a powerful counter-narrative.

The Evolution of Scenery: How MIX Architecture Redefines Contemporary Spaces in China

韩爽 - HAN Shuang — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Selected as one of ArchDaily's Best New Practices for 2024, Mix Architecture bases in Nanjing, China, took their approaches honed from rural China to the city, dealing with projects across different scales that stay true to the identity of the communities they work in, but with a contemporary character that is dealing with projects across different scales that stay true to the identity of the communities they work in, but with a contemporary character that is setting the bar for Chinese architecture. They responded sincerely to the site, to the construction, to the functional needs, and to the expression of sociality. From the name of their studio, one can observe that they are an inclusive design studio.

Architecture Classics: Modern Housing on the American Continent 1930-1960

Paula Pintos + Agustina Coulleri — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Much of the production of modern architecture on the American continent was based on the model of European architects who, with their works, projected the fundamental premises and ideas for modern living. These pillars of architecture were transferred and consequently adapted to the American territory, introducing, at the same time, their own characteristics according to the territorial, socio-cultural and economic context.

Wiki World: Exploring Children’s Architecture Education and Community Building in Rural China

韩爽 - HAN Shuang — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Selected as one of ArchDaily's Best New Practices for 2024, Wiki World is pioneering a fresh approach to children's architectural education and community building. This Wuhan-based studio simplifies the concept of architecture, moving beyond grandiose connotations and focusing on 'building a house'—exploring the wisdom and methods of 'ordinary people.' Building, according to Wiki World, is not only a human instinct but also a way to connect with and understand nature. They see an opportunity in the open-source spirit, empowering communities in rural China to design and construct their own creations. By providing the right frameworks, Wiki World is able to scale and make architecture accessible to an increasing number of people. The studio organizes workshops across China, guiding parents and children through one community-building experience after another.

Exploring the Impact of Genetic Algorithm: An Interview with Luke Fox from Foster + Partners on Alibaba's Shanghai Office Building

韩爽 — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 05:00:00 +0000

As humanity enters the AI-driven intelligent era, technology platform enterprises adopt more open and flexible modes of operation. Collaborative spaces such as creative incubators and informal exchange areas have become key places for practicing their operational philosophies. In the design of headquarters buildings, companies aim to engage with the public more deeply and convey their corporate culture and spirit, in addition to fulfilling daily office functions. Alibaba's new headquarters in Shanghai is located in the "Global Waterfront Lifestyle Demonstration Zone," at the heart of the West Bank Cultural Corridor. Positioned by the river and near the West Bank Media Port, Financial City, and other industrial hubs, the site integrates art with industrial heritage, bringing a unique historical and contemporary vibrancy to the area. The architecture around the park is "star-studded," with forward-thinking designs from renowned architectural firms worldwide. The three buildings of Alibaba Xuhui Riverside Campus, designed by SANAA, Foster + Partners, and SOM, are introducing new concepts and visions to Xuhui Riverside.

The Urbanism of Tegucigalpa: How Modernist Planning Shaped Honduras’ Capital

Moises Carrasco — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0000

In the first decades of the XXI century, Honduras experienced higher levels of crime and violence compared to its other Central American neighbors. This situation caused the country to be largely avoided by most visitors and investors. However, it didn’t stop Tegucigalpa, its capital city, from experiencing an explosion of residential and office developments which are currently reshaping its skyline. Defined by a unique topography, and tropical weather, the city served as a testing ground for modernist urban principles that contributed to the transformation of a small mining town into one of the largest metropolises in Central America.

Urban Landscape as an "Art of Survival”: An interview with Kongjian Yu, the Advocate of the Sponge Cities Concept

Camilla Ghisleni — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Alarming cases of climate disasters are a constant presence in world news. Last month's floods in southern Brazil gained special attention from heat waves and forest fires to droughts and cyclones. This tragedy, which left over half a million people homeless, was understood to be the result of a combination of factors, including human actions that have devastated ecosystems to create environmentally irresponsible cities.

Discover Javi Diaz's Journey and Unique Architectural Project in Bali

David Basulto — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Architecture is a lifelong journey in constant evolution, where passion, learnings, collaboration and the unexpected shape your career.

“Materials are Being Produced According to Fictitious Demand”: In Conversation with Irene Roca

Daniela Porto — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 07:30:00 +0000

Irene Roca’s “Appropriating the grid” project is born out of the contemporary ruins of our current construction processes. An exploration of the waste that is generated and the legal complexities of discarding this waste awakened a sense of urgency and creativity in the architect, resulting in a collection that molds and re-formulates construction waste into versatile interior design objects.

Designing with a Sustainable and Product-oriented Approach: An Interview with RoarcRenew Architects

韩爽 - HAN Shuang — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0000

RoarcRenew Architects has been selected for ArchDaily's 2023 New Practices. In two of Shanghai's busiest commercial districts, Anfu Road and Columbia Circle, stores designed by RoarcRenew Architects attract large crowds. Within spaces covering just a hundred square meters, they meticulously design every architectural element, continuously exploring and innovating. Their recent bamboo installation, done in collaboration with Taikoo Li, is a remarkable showcase of sustainable design in commercial spaces.

How to Challenge the Design Brief? An Interview with ATELIER XI

韩爽 - HAN Shuang — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0000

ATELIER XI has been selected for ArchDaily's 2023 New Practices and is one of the few firms still rooted in traditional architectural design. Founded in 2017, ATELIER XI began their practice in Shenzhen, one of the fastest-growing and urbanizing cities in China. Their work represents the current state of a generation of architects, with major projects in small-scale urban architecture, exhibition design, interior design, renovation, and rural architecture. While they may not become urban landmarks, they can still influence the lifestyle of the community through small-scale design.

MAD Architects: Building Connection To The Landscape

Xiaohang Hou — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 05:30:00 +0000

When the Quzhou Sports Park project was completed in China, it became the largest earth-sheltered complex ever built. In his conversation with ArchDaily, Ma Yansong explained that MAD Architects was not only focused on completing the stadium proposal, but also on creating an architecture that disappears. Unique fields become architectural spaces where anyone can do anything at any moment.

"Form Follows Fiction": An Interview with Ole Scheeren

Fernanda Castro — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 04:30:00 +0000

Captivated by cinematographic references and the narrative space, Ole Scheeren's work stands out by its disruptive solutions to the present social challenges and the cities we live in. With more than 30 years of career in the architecture field, Ole Scheeren has won several awards and one of its most iconic works includes the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing when was director and partner at OMA, before founding Büro Ole Scheeren.

"Architecture of the Future Should be in Harmony with Nature": In Conversation with Sou Fujimoto at the House of Music Hungary

Hana Abdel & Claire Brodka — Sat, 07 Jan 2023 07:30:00 +0000

The House of Music Hungary is one of the biggest cultural investments in the European Union. Designed by Sou Fujimoto Architects, it is becoming a hub for city dwellers and worldwide visitors wishing to attend concerts, visit the exhibition or record music in the building's open studios.

Sustainability, A.I., and the Future of Construction in India: An Interview with Amit Gupta

Fernanda Castro — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 05:30:00 +0000

Currently working on 45 simultaneous projects, including India’s largest bio-diversity park in India and the second largest in the world, Amit Gupta has been leading Studio Simbiosis for the past 12 years with a special focus on sustainability where performance follows experience more than form following function.

Architecture Between a Glorious Past and a Questionable Present: Interview with Greek Architect Andreas Angelidakis

Victor Delaqua — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 04:00:00 +0000

How might your persona or act differ if you were to put yourself before society’s expectations and limitations, embracing your queerness and preferences? Looking into the impact of individuality, we talked with Andreas Angelidakis, an architect to who refers to himself as “an architect who doesn’t build”, but views architecture as a site of social interaction, creating works that reflect on the urban culture by mixing ruins, digital media, and psychology to better understand the power of finding different design paths.

"I Grew Up Where Architecture Was Designed to Oppress": Wandile Mthiyane on Social Impact and Learning from South Africa

Eric Baldwin — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Design justice is grounded in personal experience and built through everyday actions. Wandile Mthiyane is an architectural designer that embodies this idea, an activist that grew up in Durban, South Africa during the Apartheid. From an early age he was drawn to building and design, a background directly tied to his childhood. He realized he wanted to build a better future by working to undo the architectural effects of institutionalized racial segregation. Today, Wandile has become recognized for creating social impact, including his work to transform his hometown of Durban.

Redesigning the Road to Net Zero: How CO Adaptive Architecture is Breaking New Ground

Eric Baldwin — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 07:30:00 +0000

The climate crisis has reshaped contemporary architecture. Sustainability has become a central guiding force in design, and in turn, architects are rethinking how to build today. For CO Adaptive Architecture, addressing the climate crisis begins with a process oriented practice. Together, Ruth Mandl and Bobby Johnston have created a firm that embodies how a values-based approach can tackle the most pressing issues of our time. The result is elegant and impactful architecture brought to life with poise and finesse.

"If you Build a House, You Need a Piece of Land": In Conversation with Not Vital

Jullia Joson — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 07:30:00 +0000

“If you’re a painter, you need a canvas. If you’re a sculptor, you need marble or plaster. And if you build a house, you need a piece of land.” Welcome to the wonderful world of Not Vital, where the Swiss multi-faceted artist shows us his sculpture park, foundation, and castle in this video.

Los Angeles, Wildfires and Adaptive Design: Greg Kochanowski on Creating New Futures

Eric Baldwin — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 07:30:00 +0000

Great design is rooted in responsive and adaptive approaches. For architect and landscape architect Greg Kochanowski, equitable design solutions should address critical issues, such as climate and housing. As Partner and Design Principal at GGA, Greg is an active researcher focusing on resilient environments that create synergies between natural systems, culture, infrastructure, and development.

"Architecture is Vital to Native Culture": Sam Olbekson on Indigenous Design and Social Justice

Eric Baldwin — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Social justice begins with building understanding and community. For Sam Olbekson, Principal of Native American Design at Cuningham Group and Founder of Full Circle Indigenous Planning, community holds a deep relationship to local cultures and traditions. As a member of the White Earth Nation of Ojibwe, Sam brings the perspective of a tribal member who grew up in Native communities, both on and off the reservation. Today, he's using design to reflect contemporary social values and build for future generations.

"Transform the City into a Highly Complex Block System": SOM on TOD Projects

韩爽 — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Archdaily had the chance to speak to SOM regarding the Transit-oriented development (TOD) projects. SOM has extensive engagement in planning, design and engineering on various means of conveyance, and TOD is definitely one of the speciality the SOM team has to offer. Through the interview, we will walk through the design strategies and their changes over the years of TOD Development, the challenges and new area of focus of TOD development, and most importantly, the interview will focus on the design strategy in developing TOD in China, where SOM has participated in many TOD projects, including the South Gateway of Guangzhou Central Axis, Guangzhou Nansha Pearl Bay and Xiong'an District Planing.

"Practice Operations is a New Way of Thinking": Monograph's Robert Yuen on Design and Technology

Eric Baldwin — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Technology has begun to radically transform operations in the AEC industries. For Robert Yuen, CEO and Co-Founder of Monograph, he's developed a cloud-based project management application that's tailored to address these changes. Trained as an architect and establishing himself as an entrepreneur, Robert utilizes his background to reimagine what the futures holds for managing design and construction.

"Renew, Reuse, Adapt": CHYBIK + KRISTOF on Bringing Daring Architecture to Life

Eric Baldwin — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 07:30:00 +0000

Great design builds upon the past with an eye to the future. For Ondrej Chybik and Michal Kristof, Co-Founders of CHYBIK + KRISTOF, architecture can best respect history by reinterpreting it. The Czech design practice is currently based in Prague, Brno and Bratislava, and was founded in 2010 by Ondřej and Michal. Operating with over 50 international team members, the practice aims to bridge the gaps between private and public space while transcending both generational and societal spheres.