The “Qingshui Chamber” project went together with my doctoral dissertation. In my preparations for my dissertation, I found the independent nature of fragments in Chinese garden was quite different from the architectural integrity that I had learned from Western architecture. Set free from the architectural education by this “otherness”, I tried to represent those independent fragments that had moved me in this project. The project acknowledges the life style of wealthy people, who live in big houses and courtyards that formerly received much criticism from the American media. It breaks …

Dong Yugan is a associate professor in architectural research center in peking university. Publications include a book and many articles. Representative of experimental architects in 1990s. Now he’s researching Chinese culture.
domus: Why are you so interested in gardens?
Dong Yugan: Because of cultural consciousness. My research focuses on the globalization of culture, not about culture in its global form. Assuming the differences betwen cultures as diversity, not culture gap, is a necessary and conscious attitude of my research; only rigid control of the minute cultural differences can lead to in-depth solutions …