Reinventing Cultural Architecture: A Radical Vision by OPEN

OPEN Architecture is reinventing and responding to China's complex and fast-changing cultural landscape with projects that mark a new era for contemporary Chinese cultural architecture. Founded in 2003 by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing, they re-evaluate conventional Western assumptions about culture and design, basing each project on the needs and pleasures of humanity within the context of diverse terrains and climates. This book provides a fresh perspective on contemporary cultural architecture and place-making, highlighting the architects' sources of inspiration, challenges, and construction methods.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 26 April 2022
Publisher: Mondadori Electa

Drawing on a series of conversations and site visits to six recent groundbreaking projects, architecture writer Catherine Shaw explores how Beijing-based OPEN Architecture is reinventing and responding to China's complex and rapidly changing cultural landscape. Founded in New York in 2003 by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing, their Beijing office opened in 2008. From a contemporary art gallery buried beneath a sand dune to a sculptural open-air theatre in a remote mountain valley near the Great Wall, co-founders Li Hu and Huang Wenjing re-evaluate conventional Western assumptions about culture and design as they base each pioneering project on the needs and pleasures of humanity within the context of diverse terrains and climates. In doing so, they not only consider how cultural architecture looks but also how it works. Projects are presented with commentary and contextual information, as well as new analyses and archival material, including outstanding color photography, plans, and drawings, and exploratory sketches. This book provides a fresh perspective on contemporary cultural architecture and place-making, highlighting the architects' sources of inspiration, challenges, and construction methods, showing how each impactful project responds to China's distinctive context.

OPEN Architecture was founded in New York in 2003 by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing, while their Beijing office opened in 2008. From a contemporary art gallery buried beneath a sand dune to a sculptural open-air theatre in a remote mountain valley near the Great Wall, co-founders Li Hu and Huang Wenjing re-evaluate conventional Western assumptions about culture and design as they base each pioneering project on the needs and pleasures of humanity within the context of diverse terrains and climates. In doing so, they not only consider how cultural architecture looks but also how it works. Projects are presented with commentary and contextual information, as well as new analyses and archival material, including outstanding color photography, plans, and drawings, and exploratory sketches. This book provides a fresh perspective on contemporary cultural architecture and place-making, highlighting the architects' sources of inspiration, challenges, and construction methods, showing how each impactful project responds to China's distinctive context.

Dimension: 279 x 240 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9788891831958