China

Subterms

    More stories

    • 150 Shares189 Views

      in Rooms

      RooMoo integrates local materials and traditions into Som Land Hostel near Shanghai

      by

      Thatched roofs, recycled bricks and bundles of sticks were used to construct this hostel on Shanghai’s Chongming Island, which Chinese studio RooMoo has organised around two existing buildings.

      The site is surrounded by water and forests, creating a secluded rural environment on the island that’s located across the Yangtze River estuary from the vast metropolitan area.
      RooMoo completely transformed two existing buildings using materials found on-siteThe Som Land hostel was designed to integrate with this natural landscape and respect the local customs and traditions.
      “The resort’s name Som Land comes from the traditional Chinese colour, the warm green between the mottled gaps in the tree shadows, representing a state of relaxation and slow-paced life,” said Shanghai-based RooMoo.
      “In terms of overall space arrangement and planning, Som Land focuses on nature and humanistic traditions.”

      The buildings are clad using recycled bricks in a pattern based on a local clothThe architects revived two old houses on the site, manipulating their existing forms and layouts to meet the new requirements while adhering to planning restrictions.
      The larger two-storey structure that acts as the accommodation block was overhauled and extended to include an additional floor – now totalling 552 square metres.
      In the larger of the two buildings, the staircase was moved to the north side”Because the original building has problems, it is necessary to adjust the old and inappropriate space layout and add new design strategies to provide reconstruction to match the new requirements,” said RooMoo.
      While its perimeter footprint remained the same, the building was transformed both internally and externally.
      The rooms are decorated with neutral tones and natural materialsPlanning codes limited the height of the eaves. So to provide extra space, RooMoo steepened the pitch of the roof so that the extra storey could tuck inside.
      Large dormer windows create even more space on this upper floor, while balconies were added to the lower levels to extend these, too.
      Wood furniture and woven textiles connect the interiors to the rural settingThe staircase was also relocated to the north of the building, allowing three guest rooms per floor to fan around the glass-topped circulation core.
      Each room has its own bathroom facilities, and some suites include a bathtub that overlooks the balcony and the forest beyond.

      He Wei adds portable plastic rooms to youth hostel in a converted Chinese house

      Neutral tones and natural materials decorate the interiors, which feature wooden bed frames, tables and chairs, plus woven textiles and lighting.
      Tree branches gathered from the site are framed into panels that cover parts of the ceilings in both the rooms and corridors, while bamboo poles partition the staircase flights.
      The second building was extended on the west side with a glazed addition”The guests staying can feel the space environment of non-machine standardised production, so most of our material selection is from nature and the local site,” said RooMoo.
      The second single-storey building that was originally a tool shed was also completely rethought, becoming a reception and communal space where crumbling walls and a tiled roof once stood.
      This building is used as the reception and a communal space for guestsAs with the larger structure, the roof pitch was increased to its maximum allowed height and its boundary was also pushed outward.
      The top of its gabled form was cut off and the flat plane turned into a window to allow plenty of natural light into the interior.
      A central brick fireplace divides the open spaceOn the west side, a wood-framed glass addition is extruded from the building’s profile to face the water.
      Inside, thin strips of wood swoop down and curve outward from the skylight, helping to distribute the light.
      A variety of local products are displayed in the reception buildingA curvaceous brick fireplace and chimney stack are positioned in the centre of the open room to separate the reception area from a lounge and dining space.
      Both buildings were re-clad in bricks recycled from the original structures, in a pattern based on local cloth that casts shadows across the facades.
      Strips of wood curve from the ceiling to funnel in sun from the skylightThatched roofs were also added as a nod to the region’s historic building traditions. “In our practice, we tried to recall the traditional way of manual binding to build a roof of reed poles,” said RooMoo.
      “Therefore, we hope to bring out the first impression of the sustainable concept and practice of earth materials returning to nature,” the studio added.
      “The design treatment is to provide hotel guests with a warm and relaxing vacation with a deeper understanding of the local style of the environment.”
      The top of the gabled roof is cut off and covered in glassSom Land is longlisted in the hotel and short-stay interior category for the 2023 Dezeen Awards, becoming the latest hostel in China to receive recognition from the program.
      Previously, the Capsule hostel and bookstore by Atelier Tao+C in a small rural village was named interiors project of the year at the 2020 Dezeen Awards.
      The photography is by Wen Studio.
      Project credits:
      Design team: RooMooConstruction: Shanghai Guixiang Decoration EngineeringLighting consultant: Shanghai Yiqu Laite Lighting Industry

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Neri&Hu divides Shanghai fashion boutique with fabrics and marble screens

      by

      Chinese studio Neri&Hu has completed a store interior for Ms MIN in Shanghai, China, to showcase the fashion brand’s diverse use of materials.

      Located at the Taikoo Li shopping complex in central Shanghai, the 195-square-metre store was designed to evoke a sense of traditional home-based atelier that places materials and craftsmanship at its centre.
      Neri&Hu designed the store in Taikoo Li”Before the Industrial Revolution, textiles were made by hand in villages across China by individual families; carding, spinning and weaving all took place in farmhouses, indeed a loom could be found in every well-conditioned homestead,” Neri&Hu explained.
      “We harken back to the notion of a traditional fabric atelier, showcasing craftsmanship, rich materiality, and a domestic sensibility.”
      White fabric sheets were hung to divide the spaceThe space was divided into several zones by a series of floor-to-ceiling open grid wooden structures.

      White fabric sheet was hung in between a wooden grid to serve as lightweight semi-transparent partitions situated on left and right side of the shop. These were designed to allow plenty of natural daylight into the store.
      “Natural daylight and the chaos of the shopping mall are filtered by the sheer fabric screens, giving the space an overall sense of calmness,” Neri&Hu said.
      The flexible panels can be re-arranged and interchanged with different materialsThe same wooden structures with overhanging eaves to the right side of the shop form a series of more private rooms.
      These are used as a reception at the front of the store along with a VIP lounge, VIP fitting room and studio area at the rear of the shop.
      An internal courtyard was formed that can accommodate exhibitionsThe central display area was arranged by a series of panels, either made with micro-cement or marble and framed in brass, which form an internal courtyard that can be used as an exhibition space.
      These panels can be re-arranged and interchanged to suit the changing fashion trends in motifs every season.

      Neri&Hu reveals design for monumental red concrete factory for Chinese furniture brand

      The entire shop was paved with curved roof tiles stacked and inlaid, a traditional pavement commonly found in the region.
      Neri&Hu also created custom mannequin figures for Ms MIN. According to the studio, the linen-made mannequins have a skin-like subtle texture.
      The lightweight semitransparent partitions allow natural daylight into the shopNeri&Hu was founded by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu in 2004 in Shanghai. Other recent interior projects completed by the studio include cafe brand Blue Bottle’s latest shop and a flexible office space, both in Shanghai.
      The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
      Project credits:
      Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate-in-charge: Sanif XuDesign team: Muyang Tang, Zhikang Wang, Amber Shi, Yoki Yu, Nicolas FardetLighting: Viabizzuno (Shanghai)Contractor: Shanghai Yali Design Decoration Co.

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares189 Views

      in Rooms

      Blue Bottle Coffee Qiantan references greenhouses and Shanghai’s brick architecture

      by

      Architect Keiji Ashizawa has created a Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Shanghai’s Qiantan area with a glazed facade and interiors in a hue that nods to the city’s brick buildings.

      Located next to a park in the recently developed Qiantan area, Ashizawa designed the oval-shaped cafe to reference its immediate surroundings.
      His studio removed the floor slabs from the first floor of the building, creating a double-height space with an atrium-like feeling for the ground floor of the cafe that would have a connection to the surrounding park.
      Blue Bottle Coffee Qiantan is located in a newly developed area”In rainy Shanghai, we wanted to provide a place where people could enjoy the park even on rainy days,” Ashizawa told Dezeen.
      “Also, looking at the overall plan of the park, I thought that a rich interior space was required,” he continued.

      “The result is seen as a greenhouse, like those found in botanical gardens. I thought that adding a new story to the park would increase its enjoyment.”
      It features a double-height space and a central staircaseFrom the ground floor, a long stairway leads down to the cafe’s basement level, which houses the main coffee counter.
      The staircase in Blue Bottle Coffee Qiantan was designed to reference the colour of soil and have a cave-like feeling.
      “We decided to create a cave-like space for visitors to appreciate the long stairway down to the basement, creating an experience that is like crawling through the earth in the park,” the studio said.
      A coffee counter in the basement has a colour reminiscent of bricksIt also evokes the colour of red bricks, which are commonly used for Shanghai architecture. The same hue was used for the coffee counter and for a tall central wall.
      “Shanghai’s brick architecture in the old city is a strong contrast to the architecture of modern Shanghai, and it leaves a very strong impression on the eye,” Ashizawa said.

      Traditional Chinese roof tiles decorate the interior of Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Shanghai

      “We wanted to preserve some of Shanghai’s image in this newly developed location and architecture,” he added.
      “At the same time, since the cafe is located in a park, I wanted to create a sense of unity by using the image of earth in the architecture.”
      Keiji Ashizawa used wooden furniture throughout the spaceOn the ground floor, pale-wood stools are gathered around circular grey tables.
      Downstairs, Ashizawa clad the walls in greige microcement and added wooden chairs, tables and counters.
      The walls are clad in microcementLarge trees decorate both the basement and the ground floor, adding to the cafe’s botanical atmosphere.
      “The goal was to create a connection between the outside and the inside, with a natural form similar to that of the outdoor trees,” Ashizawa said.
      Large indoor trees connect the cafe with the park outsideWooden benches also offer visitors the option to drink their coffee outside in the park.
      Ashizawa has designed numerous other Blue Bottle Coffee shops, including one in a Kobu department store and another Shanghai outpost that was decorated with Chinese roof tiles.
      The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.
      Project credits: 
      Architect: Keiji Ashizawa DesignProject architect: Keiji Ashizawa / Chaoyen WuLighting Design: Aurora / Yoshiki IchikawaLandscape Design: Hashiuchi Garden Design / Hashiuchi Tomoya

      Read more: More

    • 138 Shares109 Views

      in Rooms

      FOG Architecture adds playful tailoring motifs to Xiaozhuo boutique in Shanghai

      by

      Chinese architecture studio FOG Architecture has completed a shop for local fashion boutique Xiaozhuo on Julu Road in central Shanghai that features oversized buttons and zippers.

      The 300-square-metre shop features tactile surfaces and playful motifs that reference the process of tailoring.
      The fashion boutique is located in central ShanghaiFOG Architecture used a glazed facade to open up the front of the shop, allowing plenty of natural daylight into the space while blurring the line between the interiors and the street to create a transitional waiting area.
      Beams from an original building on the site were kept and painted red. These support a roof installation comprised of a series of puffy pillows, arranged next to one another and covered in a canvas-like material to create a soft texture.
      A pavilion-like facade was designed to blur the interior and exterior”The result is an exterior of the shop that looks like a ‘small pavilion’,” explained FOG Architecture. “The red columns, the flat roof resembling overlapping tiles, and the antique style stone seats all contribute to this spatial image.”

      “Retail display is the project’s preset function but the pavilion-like exterior challenges it and adds the possibility for leisure, entertainment and social,” the studio added.
      “The front space not only serves as the connection between the shop and the street, but also creates an experimental space that allows contrasting events happen.”
      The entrance of the shop features a grid wallThe entrance of the shop also features a symmetrical gridded wall. Its design was informed by a skylight in the site’s original building, and creates a light-and-shadow effect that adds animation to the wall.
      Square tiles were selected as the main material of the floor and wall in the waiting area, while graphic striplights were installed between the gaps in the ceiling to match the straight lines of the gridded wall.
      Tailoring elements were used as furnishing throughout the shopFollowing the waiting area visitors enter the main area of the shop, where product display and fitting area are arranged on the west side. Packaging, inventory and other supporting functions are located on the east side.
      FOG Architecture decided to use the tools and accessories commonly used in tailoring as the main design narrative of the shop, in response to the fashion brand’s identity.

      FOG Architecture transforms Beijing courtyard house into fragrance store

      These include red seams, oversized buttons and zipper motifs, and sinuous metallic clothing racks designed to look like sewing thread that add a sense of fun and surprise to the off-white backdrop.
      “The waiting area and the product display area are in sharp contrast in terms of palette, material, shape, and scale — stone versus fabric, light grey versus off-white, straight lines versus curved surfaces — allowing the former to become a transitional area of functions and styles, connecting the interiors to the exteriors, while guiding customer behaviours by shifting views and texture,” the studio said.
      The fitting rooms at the centre of the shop are wrapped in canvas-like materialThe newly polished interior wall is wrapped in a material that resembles a mix of linen and leather and was created by mixing canvas, plush fabric and texture paint.
      The curved outline of the canvas-clad fitting rooms serves as the visual centrepiece of the space.
      Sinuous metallic clothing racks resemble sowing threadAccording to the studio, all finishing materials in the shop were sourced from the fashion brand’s leftover materials from its production line.
      FOG Architecture was founded by Zheng Yu and Zhan Di and has offices in London, Shanghai and Chongqing.
      Previously the studio has completed flagship stores for ToSummer in Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Super Seed’s Hangzhou store featuring kinetic display.
      The photography is by INSPACE.
      Project credits:
      Design team: Zou Dejing, Huang Yingzi, Wang Shengqi, Zhunag Shaokai, Zheng Yu, Zhan DiLighting design: Liben Design, Zhang XuConstruction: Shanghai Guqin Construction Engineering Decoration Co., Ltd.Furnishing: Dongguan Lianwei Furniture Co., Ltd.Structure consultant: Tao Xinwei

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares129 Views

      in Rooms

      Three weeks left to enter Dezeen Awards China 2023

      by

      There are only three weeks left to complete your Dezeen Awards China 2023 entry!

      Dezeen Awards China, in partnership with Bentley Motors, is open for entries. The entry period ends at midnight Beijing time on Thursday 24 August, after which late entry fees will apply.
      Why enter Dezeen Awards China?
      Dezeen Awards China will celebrate the best Chinese design talent and highlight Chinese architects and designers’ growing global influence.
      Shortlisted and winning entries will receive significant recognition! They will receive a page on Dezeen’s WeChat account and on the Dezeen Awards China site.

      Projects will also be featured on Dezeen’s social media, with a following of seven million, as well as in Dezeen’s newsletters to over half a million subscribers.
      Find out more about Dezeen Awards China ›
      Who are the judges?
      Your work will be judged by a panel of 15 leading professionals from the architecture and design world in China including Ma Yansong and Rossana Hu, as well as high-profile international figures such as Ilse Crawford and Michael Young.
      Our judges are not only looking for beauty and innovation but also for projects that strive to benefit users and the environment. Full details of the judging process can be found on the terms and conditions page.
      See the judges announced so far ›
      Who can enter?
      Dezeen Awards China is for studios based in China! Entries from international firms will only be eligible if they have an office based in China that primarily delivered the project. It is open to studios large and small, with adjusted entry prices to avoid large companies dominating the categories.
      Your project must have been completed between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2023 and doesn’t have to be located in China.
      Read our terms and conditions ›
      How do I enter?
      For more information on how to create and submit your entry please click here. You can also drop us a line at [email protected] if you have any questions and someone from the team will get back to you!
      For information about Dezeen Awards China in Chinese, please visit our WeChat mini program by scanning the code below with WeChat.
      了解中文版有关 Dezeen 设志大奖的信息，请使用微信扫描右方太阳码访问 Dezeen 设志大奖的微信小程序。

      Dezeen Awards China 2023
      Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent in China.

      Read more: More

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Five key projects by interior designer and Dezeen Awards China judge Alex Mok

      by

      Shanghai-based interior designer Alex Mok has joined Dezeen Awards China 2023 as a judge. Here she selects five projects that best reflect her work.

      Mok and Briar Hickling are the co-founders of architecture and interior design practice Linehouse. The female duo’s work has been recognised internationally and won a number of international design awards, including Emerging interior designers of the tear at Dezeen Awards 2019.
      “Linehouse’s approach is purposeful, creating poetic concepts through research of cultural, urban and historic contexts that respond to the program, site and function,” Mok told Dezeen.
      “Each project has a strong narrative, a focus on craft and unique spatial experience with a dynamic intersection between disciplines,” she continued.
      Currently, Mok is working on hotel projects in Hangzhou and Hong Kong, a food market in Shanghai, and a series of retail projects in Bangkok.

      Alex Mok among Dezeen Awards China 2023 judges
      Dezeen Awards China 2023 launched in June in partnership with Bentley Motors. It is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, celebrating the best architecture, interiors and design in China.
      We have announced 10 out of the 15 Dezeen Awards China judges, including architects Ma Yansong and Rossana Hu, furniture designer Frank Chou and interior designer Andre Fu, who will be joining Mok on the interior design judging panel.
      Entries close on Thursday 24 August. Submit your entry before midnight Beijing time on 24 August to avoid late entry fees.
      Read on to find Mok’s views on the five projects that best represent her work.
      Photo is by Jonathan LeijonhufvudWework Weihai Road, Shanghai, 2016
      “Linehouse worked with Wework in 2016 to create their headquarters in a spectacular turn of the century brick building in Shanghai. Linehouse celebrated the grandeur of the former opium factory and artist residence, encapsulating the feeling of a grand hotel, transporting guests and members on an unexpected journey of whimsy, voyeurism and festivity.
      “The heritage facade surrounds the central atrium. A curved terrazzo tray was inserted to define the space, and pastel diagonal strips in blue, green, pink and grey wrap the floor and wall, creating a hardscape carpet.
      “A bespoke lighting installation is suspended in the triple-height space. A new sculptural staircase was inserted to connect all three levels of the main public areas.”
      Photo is by Dirk WeiblenTingtai Teahouse, Shanghai, 2018
      “Tingtai Teahouse was completed in 2018 in a former factory space and art gallery in Shanghai’s Moganshan Road art district. We stripped the space completely to reveal the beautiful patina of the original factory with concrete beams and columns as well as the brick walls.
      “The teahouses are modern architectural responses to the raw factory interior. They read as singular insertions that contrast with the rough brick and concrete interior and reflect the surroundings. The upper rooms in particular have strong relationships with the existing building in the way they connect to the original clerestory windows.
      “With each of these rooms bookended with full-height glazing, guests become spectators to the activities below. Each room has a different roofline, which forms modern architectural puzzle spaces where tea drinkers can enjoy this age old drink with a new perspective. ”
      Find out more about Tingtai Teahouse ›
      Photo is by Wen StudioCoast, Shanghai, 2022
      “The Coast restaurant in Shanghai recalls a deep connection with coastal elements and Mediterranean soul. Linehouse transformed a three-storey building into a vertical journey of refined rusticity.
      “Colours and materials across the three floors change, telling different parts of the story. Green earthy tones on the ground floor link the garden to the open cafe space, while the red fire tones on the first floor reflect the dining room centred on the parrilla grill. On the second floor black yakisugi wood contrasts against the whitewashed flanked stone walls and the existing traditional timber trussed ceiling.”
      Find out more about Coast ›
      Photo is by DOF Sky|GroundCentral World, Bangkok, 2023
      “Central World is our largest architectural project to date; a renovation project of an existing shopping centre called Isetan in Bangkok. Linehouse was commissioned to design the exterior facade and seven floors of retail space including a food court.
      “The project was located in an area once abundant in lily pads. Linehouse examined the stemming, radiating and circular profile of the lily pads, translating this into a spatial narrative of the exterior and interior condition.
      “The exterior is a double-layered, arched facade. The front layer was defined by concrete form and the back layer rendered in black. The arches stem in various heights and widths shifting on the two planes, creating interesting intersections which operate as framed views through to the interior.
      “Linehouse punctuated the arches to allow green terraces, providing a depth to an otherwise flat elevation, and blurring the exteriors and interiors.”
      Photo is by Jonathan LeijonhufvudYing’n Flo, Hong Kong, 2023
      “Aiming to break the traditional hotel narrative of serious spaces and strict boundaries, Ying’n Flo is a lifestyle guesthouse for modern day travellers in Hong Kong.
      “The spaces were designed to have a warm, welcoming and familiar feel, emphasising functionality and quality. Against this backdrop of curated simplicity is an edge of youthful attitude and local context, with vibrant elements giving the hotel its own unique flavour.”
      Find out more about Ying’n Flo ›
      Dezeen Awards China 2023
      Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent in China.

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares179 Views

      in Rooms

      Snøhetta creates Holzweiler store informed by Norwegian coastline

      by

      Architecture studio Snøhetta has completed a shop for fashion and lifestyle brand Holzweiler in Chengdu, China, informed by its Norwegian heritage.

      Located in Taikoo Li mall in central Chengdu, the 130-square-metre store is Norwegian brand Holzweiler’s first outpost outside of Scandinavia.
      The exterior of the store is covered with LED screen”The store features recurring themes of currents, reflections and contrasts inspired by landscapes and coastal movements, a bespoke concept of the forces of norwegian nature playing on our shared heritage,” Snøhetta explained.
      “With the aim of transporting Holzweiler’s love and deep respect for its origins, there is an immediate and consistent reference to the natural world that harks to the brand’s home country.”
      The interiors nod to the Norwegian coastal linesThe exterior of the store features a full-size LED screen, which will be used to display campaigns that showcase that brand’s connection to nature.

      A glass wall framed with wavy lines divides the LED screen into two parts, revealing the store’s warm clay-toned interiors to visitors.
      The reflective surface of the ceiling resembles sky and oceanThe entrance of the store was crafted from floor-to-ceiling sand-blasted stone that extend to the product display area where mechanical arms present Holzweiler’s signature silk, lambswool and cashmere scarf designs.
      Wavy lines were widely adopted inside the store, as a nod to to the shorelines along Norway’s extensive coastline. A series of hanging lights were suspended from the reflective surface of the ceiling, which was clad in steel with a sandblasted finish.

      Snøhetta combines clay and oak in minimalist Holzweiler store

      The clothing racks made with the same steal material run along the curved wall, while the forms of the display tables placed in the centre of the space were designed to evoke coastal rock formations.
      Natural materials were used throughout the store, sourced locally from China. Meanwhile, all fixtures within the store were designed to be flexibly dissembled and repurposed in the future.
      A hero wall with mechanical arms is used to present Holzweiler’s signature productsThe point of sale area is tucked away at the back of the store separated from the main shopping area to provide privacy for customers.
      Snøhetta is a long-term collaborator of Holzweiler’s, having designed the company’s flagship store and showroom in Oslo, as well as its first international outpost in Copenhagen.
      The Studio has recently completed a planetarium in France, featuring two domes surrounded by sweeping wooden walls and a shingle-clad viewing tower in Austria.
      The photography is courtesy of Holzweiler.

      Read more: More

    • 200 Shares99 Views

      in Rooms

      Chinese architects and designers can “bring something different to the world” say Dezeen Awards China judges

      by

      Architects and designers in China are poised to have a greater global influence as the country emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, according to Dezeen Awards China judges at a talk at Design Shanghai.

      Hosted by Dezeen’s co-CEO Benedict Hobson, the panel discussion marked the launch of Dezeen’s new regional edition of Dezeen Awards to celebrate architecture and design in China, which is open for entries now.
      It featured Dezeen Awards China judges Alex Mok and Frank Chou, alongside Neri&Hu managing director Jerry del Fierro, who stood in for Dezeen Awards China judge Rossana Hu, who had to pull out due to illness.
      Frank Chou is a product designer and Dezeen Awards China judgeAccording to Chou, who is one of the most established product designers in China, the country has a huge amount of untapped design potential.
      “In Europe, there are so many design firms,” he said.

      “In China, we have a population of 1.4 billion, but how many designers are there? There’s really a huge potential for Chinese designers to bring something different to the world.”
      Frank Chou designs furniture under his own brandChou believes that emerging Chinese designers are cultivating a unique, contemporary design language that draws from China’s rich history without being overly deferential to it.
      “We need to shape the real modern Chinese culture,” he said.
      “When we talk about culture, many people equate this to history, to something in the past. But we should also be thinking about the culture of the future. What will be China’s future culture?”
      Jerry del Fierro is managing director of Neri&HuOne firm that has successfully created a contemporary Chinese design identity is Neri&Hu, one of China’s best-known architecture and design studios.
      According to managing director Del Fierro, the practice’s co-founders Hu and Lyndon Neri have been highly influenced by cultural theorist Svetlana Boym and her concept of “reflective nostalgia”.
      “Reflective nostalgia is not a nostalgia that recreates the old, it respects the old but projects something new, something inspiring,” he said.
      “It’s not about feeling sad about something that’s lost, but rather to taking elements from the past and making them fresh and new.”
      Recent Neri&Hu projects include The Relic Shelter teahouse in Fuzhou, ChinaHe believes that the conditions are right in China for architects and designers to push boundaries.
      “If you work in America, and I worked in America for many years, some of the developers are very conservative,” he said.
      “A lot of the Chinese developers are actually ready to try something more innovative. I think there’s something to be said about the culture here that allows for innovation.”
      Alex Mok is co-founder of Linehouse and a Dezeen Awards China judgeMok, who is co-founder of Shanghai- and Hong Kong-based architecture and interior design studio Linehouse, agreed.
      “Transitioning from working in the UK to China was a revelation,” she said.
      “At first, I was a bit shocked. But very quickly I just embraced how fluid and fast it is here. We now have the opportunity to be working globally, but our heart is still in China.”
      Taking place as part of the Forum programme of talks at Design Shanghai 2023, the first edition of the annual trade show that has taken place since China relaxed international travel restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic, the panel discussion explored how China’s architecture and design scene has been impacted by the pandemic.
      Recent Linehouse projects in China include the Coast restaurant in ShanghaiAccording to Mok, Covid-19 forced many architecture and design firms in China who previously relied on foreign workers to nurture and cultivate local talent instead.
      “Everything had to be more local, which I think was a positive thing,” she said.
      “It became a bit more about Chinese creativity. When we were hiring, we kept getting all these CVs from foreign architects, but it was impossible [to hire them]. This meant we ended up fostering more local Chinese talent.”
      Del Fierro said that Neri&Hu experienced something similar, with many of the firm’s foreign workers returning to Europe or the US and working remotely. According to Fierro, this had the unexpected but welcome consequence of increasing the practice’s international projects.
      Covid-19 pandemic created “new opportunities” for architects and designers
      “Our practice is very different from three years ago,” he said.
      “When the pandemic happened, there were a number of our staff who wanted to return to Europe. We now have about 50 per cent of our projects diversified. Fifty per cent of them are still in China, but 50 per cent are now outside of China.”
      According to Del Fierro, the global acceptance of remote working will provide more opportunities for firms based in China to work on projects abroad.
      “The concept of remote working is now very commonplace and we are not limited by physical travel anymore,” he said.
      “So suddenly, we have all these new opportunities. We are based in Shanghai, can we work in Cape Town? Absolutely! And we don’t have to go there every month. So I think the pandemic caused an interesting situation to create new opportunities.”

      Dezeen Awards China open for entries until 24 August
      Chou, Mok and Neri&Hu co-founder Hu are among the first judges to be announced for Dezeen Awards China, which launched in Shanghai on 8 June in partnership with Bentley. Further judges will be announced in the coming weeks.
      Dezeen Awards China is open for entries now until 24 August 2023, but studios can save money on their entry if they enter before 13 July 2023.
      There are 17 project categories to enter across architecture, interiors and design. The winners of these project categories will go head to head for the chance to be crowned one of three project of the year winners across architecture, interiors and design.

      Read more: More