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Contemporary Chinese Architecture: From Shanghai to Chengdu with Bert de Muynck

Contemporary Chinese Architecture: From Shanghai to Chengdu with Bert de Muynck


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Inspired by a rich heritage of sweeping roofs, courtyard design, moon gates, and traditional building techniques, a new generation of young and international Chinese architects have built, in the past two decades, across China, high-quality musea, schools, hotels, retreats and cultural buildings. This lecture gives an introduction to recent built work in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dali, Hangzhou, and Chengdu. 
We’ll learn how Chinese architects have taken cues from their own cultural traditions (architecture, poetry, painting, and landscape design) to create a new Chinese identity through architecture. Highlighting recent work in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dali, Hangzhou, and Chengdu, the motives, concepts, and construction techniques will reveal a new sensibility amongst Chinese architects, countering the unprecedented and bland enlargement happening within cities. 
With a focus on the design of musea, hotels, and reconversion of industrial heritage, this lecture will prepare the future visitor to China to understand the conditions of its architectural environment (and dilemma's) and will be introduced to those projects that profess high-quality creativity and construction. The lecture is ideal for those wishing to visit China and/or wanting a deeper understanding of its building culture. 
Led by an expert on architecture and urbanism, Bert de Muynck, this interactive seminar will introduce how contemporary Chinese architects are influenced by China's rich traditions in architecture, painting, and landscape design. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of China's architecture today.

Bert is an architect and writer, and holds MAs in architectural engineering (Catholic University Leuven, Belgium) and cultural sciences (Free University Brussels). Born in Belgium, in the past decade he has lived and worked in architectural consultancy, writing, and academia in Amsterdam, Beijing, Shanghai, and now Lisbon, where he relocated in 2018. He is the co-director of "MovingCities", an independent research organisation investigating the role that architecture and urbanism play in shaping the contemporary city. Bert lived in China from 2006 to 2018, where he held academic positions at The University of Hong Kong (2011-14), China Academy of Art (2013-16), and Xian Liverpool University (2015-18). He has been a Context expert since 2013 (Shanghai and Lisbon) focusing on architectural and urban history and development. He is a prolific writer and public speaker in the field of architecture, urbanism, and culture.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
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Noel Stillings (Hollywood, US)
Review

Wow! Mr de Muynck, an architect, took us in a visual tour of Chinese architecture- very exciting buildings out there! What an improvement over the institutional dreary urban buildings and what a fresh change this is! We had a map of China shown to guide us with each area. Mr de Muynck outdid himself with over 250 slides! Excellent comprehensive glimpse into cutting edge architecture!

S
Susan Stitely (Hyde Park, US)
Contemporary Chinese Architecture: From Shanghai to Chengdu with Bert de Muynck

Very interesting overview of the changes in China and the Chinese architects who searching for a contemporary Chinese identity in their projects.

B
Barbara Phillips (Walnut Creek, US)
Don’t forget the City Center in Shenzhen completed in 2002, designed by John M.Y. Lee who is an A...

Excellent - Bert should have showed a slide of the City Center in Shenzhen, completed in 2002, to show the difference from then to now.

J
J (Vancouver, CA)
Exciting new building in China by Chinese architects.

Bert provided an excellent up to date look at the stunning changes in China over the past 20 years. Exciting new building design throughout the country.

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
100%
(4)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
N
Noel Stillings (Hollywood, US)
Review

Wow! Mr de Muynck, an architect, took us in a visual tour of Chinese architecture- very exciting buildings out there! What an improvement over the institutional dreary urban buildings and what a fresh change this is! We had a map of China shown to guide us with each area. Mr de Muynck outdid himself with over 250 slides! Excellent comprehensive glimpse into cutting edge architecture!

S
Susan Stitely (Hyde Park, US)
Contemporary Chinese Architecture: From Shanghai to Chengdu with Bert de Muynck

Very interesting overview of the changes in China and the Chinese architects who searching for a contemporary Chinese identity in their projects.

B
Barbara Phillips (Walnut Creek, US)
Don’t forget the City Center in Shenzhen completed in 2002, designed by John M.Y. Lee who is an A...

Excellent - Bert should have showed a slide of the City Center in Shenzhen, completed in 2002, to show the difference from then to now.

J
J (Vancouver, CA)
Exciting new building in China by Chinese architects.

Bert provided an excellent up to date look at the stunning changes in China over the past 20 years. Exciting new building design throughout the country.