China has a set of unique condition – economical, cultural, social, and so on; Chinese architecture is confronted by them and is and will be different from elso where. However, to have recognizable formal gestures or style is another matter. I am not even sure if that is important. That is to say that we have to go beyond the formal appearances to discuss the identities of different regions. The question I often ask my self: Do I really Know what is going on in China? A positive answer is not so easy to achieve, I’m afraid.
Yung Ho Chang

In China’s impoverished areas, the investment, scale and techniques of architecture are quite limited. Therefore, how to solve the basic problems of the living environment is a challenge that we as architects ought to face too. Poverty is the greatest pollution in our society, and we really need Chinese barefoot architects.
Wu Yaodong

What we have learnt now from foreign countries are too many forms but too little in connotation, for example the analysis about the local environment, human condition and geography. It should be our advantage and it needs our devotion.
Hong Zaisheng

My interests in various things, including mechanisms, only illustrate my particular situation. My love for mechanical design is connected to my curiousity of the relationship between heart and brain. But I’m not sure when and where they encounter each other.
Luo Siwei

Life is casual. The key factor is whether you can establish a basic, uniform value system with your clients.
Yu Jia

The word “low-tech” is not an appropriate nomenclature. Compared with the “high-tech” methods that have been used as a classic architectural language in advanced countries, “low-tech” design deals with reality. It aims to use simple technology, and pays more attention to the low-cost and economical feasibility while emphasizing the exploration and utilization of technical advantages used since ancient historical civilization. We are trying to find the equilibrium point between high level-technology and architectural art forms through convincing design philosophy and complete intelligence. Only thus can we explore an appropriate architectural strategy suitable for countries or areas with poor economic conditions but profound cultural treasures.
Through many years of architectural practice, I still maintain my opinion that this strategy is very effective and that is becoming common opinion.
Liu Jiakun

Architecture is much the same as people. If a person presents his interesting side, at that moment his influence transcends his body, his particular place in the world. Indeed, the function of architecture is crucial, because it has the power to decide what the city is like. Today the subject of “the city” has become such a cliche, but have we acturally improved our understanding of it? the world is multidimensional. Architectss can never escape the issue of culture. My only hope is that my architecture can facilitate some kind of dialogue between nature and people, and create a comfortable refuge in an otherwise highly materialized world.
Zhu Pei

Architecture is an industry with a long history. Although it has evolved over thousand of years, and our buildings today are quite different from their ancient predecessors, I believe the underlying basic methods haven’t changed at all. Our mode of design is quite similar to artistic creation. I have been puzzled about the recent modes however. This unclear way of design depends only on inspiration and has produced so many irrelevant, excursive and mystifying buildings. I am trying hard to change this timeworn way of design and elevate the design work from an individual behavior to a systematic action. The system also needs inspiration and creativity, but once a new system has veen established it will transform design into an automatic process as well as carry on some existing conditions. Then Chinese traditional architecture will be partly revived and traditional Western architects will disappear.
Hu Yue

Sustainable architecture should not just discuss techinical problems in the environmental issue such as green architecture and energy conservation, but includes a wider range of subjects such as the economical and social cultural issues.
Ying-Chun Hsieh

Under Chinese architectural law, there are items for which the design companies can’t even designate the engineering firm or the materials. Actually, the law gives this right that’s so important to a cohesive design to managers who have little knowledge about architecture and those so-called experts who seem professional but have no rightful place in making decisions. The right of architects to supervise their own projects is not listed within the range of the law. Architects will only cooperate on the construction site (they have no right to control) out of their sense of responsibility and interest. It is impossible not to have regrets for those projects. In this respect, the situation abroad is much better than in China. Even in Hong Kong, it is said that one third of the architectural design contracts relate to “project management.” The responsibility, the right and benefits of architects are clearly listed in the contracts. I think such rights are a basic premise for guaranteeing architectural quality.
Cui Kai

The urban village makes use of and integrates the city’s resources in the most utilitarian and sober ways.
Tang Hua

If the communication doesn’t only mean conversation face to face, I’d like to say the communication with other artists is happening everyday, through reading, observation and utilization.
Ma Ka

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