By Percy Chen, Junior Project Manager Art-Science
ETH Zurich NCCR Digital Fabrication lab recently launched a joint program with Tonji University College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP). On August 22, Tongji Professor Philip Yuan, founder of Archi-Union, gave a tour for ETH Zurich researcher Rena Giesecke, who just arrived in Shanghai for the “The Kind Stranger” UNArt exhibition. During the tour, Professor Yuan showcased various ongoing projects that not only embody pioneering computational design concepts but also utilize cutting-edge digital building technologies. Moreover, Professor Yuan went into depth on the building processes behind several projects, including inspirations, ideations, and executions.
Founded in 2003, Archi-Union Architects is a Shanghai-based architectural design firm that adheres to the combination of traditional Chinese culture and digital construction technology. Since then, it has already become a major voice in the already-distinctive contemporary Chinese architecture scene. The studio focuses on "parametric construction", "robot construction", and "green industrialization”, with past projects such as Linear House-Jiujiantang in Shanghai, Lanxi Curtilage in Chengdu, Taisheng Garden, Shangart Gallery on the West Bund, and much more.
Professor Yuan and Rena, both of whom share extensive backgrounds in digital architecture, discussed the industrial trends, advanced methodologies, as well as their philosophy on aesthetics. Both agreed that with the current trends towards internet and artificial computing, a paradigm shift in the architecture scene is inevitable. The clash between traditional building methods and modern technologies in addition to the balance between cultural aesthetic and mechanical computation are two of the many ongoing debates among the current generation of architects.
We would like to thank Professor Philip Yuan, researcher/artist Rena Giesecke, as well as Archi-Union Architects again for this rare insider look at the contemporary Chinese architecture scene.
Artist Rena Giesecke’s project - The Wax Drawing Machine - will be on display at the swissnex China supported exhibition “The Kind Stranger” at UNArt Center. The exhibition opens on 23 August 2019 and lasts until 20 October 2019.
For more details on the artist and the exhibition:
https://www.swissnexchina.org/en/event/the-kind-stranger/