Protagonists
Zhang Ke
Architect Standardarchitecture
Biographical notes
Master of Architecture 1998, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design
Master of Architecture and Urban Design 1996, Tsinghua University, School of Architecture
Bachelor of Architecture 1993, Tsinghua University, School of Architecture
standardarchitecture is a leading new generation design firm engaged in practices of planning, architecture, landscape, and product design. Based on a wide range of realized buildings and landscapes in the past five years, it has emerged as the most critical and realistic practice among the youngest generation of Chinese architects and designers.
Consciously distance themselves from many of the other “typical” young generation architects who are swallowed by a trend of noise making, the office remain detached in a time of media frenzy and their focus is consistently positioned on the realization of urban visions and ideas. Although standardarchitecture’s built works often take exceptionally provocative visual results, their buildings and landscapes are always rooted in the historic and cultural settings with a degree of intellectual debate.
Founded by Zhang Ke in 2001, the office now has three partners: Zhang Ke, Zhang Hong, and Claudia Taborda.
Awards:
International Award Architecture in Stone, Winner, 2011
Design Vanguard (Architecture Record), 2010
WA Chinese Architecture Award, First Prize, 2010
China Architecture Media Award (CAMA), Best Young Architect Prize, 2008
WA Chinese Architecture Award, First Prize, 2006
www.standardarchitecture.cn
Master of Architecture 1998, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design
Master of Architecture and Urban Design 1996, Tsinghua University, School of Architecture
Bachelor of Architecture 1993, Tsinghua University, School of Architecture
standardarchitecture is a leading new generation design firm engaged in practices of planning, architecture, landscape, and product design. Based on a wide range of realized buildings and landscapes in the past five years, it has emerged as the most critical and realistic practice among the youngest generation of Chinese architects and designers.
Consciously distance themselves from many of the other “typical” young generation architects who are swallowed by a trend of noise making, the office remain detached in a time of media frenzy and their focus is consistently positioned on the realization of urban visions and ideas. Although standardarchitecture’s built works often take exceptionally provocative visual results, their buildings and landscapes are always rooted in the historic and cultural settings with a degree of intellectual debate.
Founded by Zhang Ke in 2001, the office now has three partners: Zhang Ke, Zhang Hong, and Claudia Taborda.
Awards:
International Award Architecture in Stone, Winner, 2011
Design Vanguard (Architecture Record), 2010
WA Chinese Architecture Award, First Prize, 2010
China Architecture Media Award (CAMA), Best Young Architect Prize, 2008
WA Chinese Architecture Award, First Prize, 2006
www.standardarchitecture.cn
Kengo Kuma
Architect
Biographical notes
Kengo Kuma was born in 1954. He completed his master’s degree at the University of Tokyo in 1979. From 1985 to 1986, he studied at Columbia University as Visiting Scholar. He established Kengo Kuma & Associates 1990. He taught at Keio University from 2001 to 2008, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2008, and in 2009, he was installed as Professor at the Graduate School of Architecture, University of Tokyo.
Among Kuma’s major works are Kirosan Observatory (1995), Water/Glass (1995, received AIA Benedictus Award), Stage in Forest, Toyoma Center for Performance Arts (received 1997 Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Award), Stone Museum (received International Stone Architecture Award 2001), Bato-machi Hiroshige Museum (received The Murano Prize). Recent works include Great Bamboo Wall (2002, Beijing, China), Nagasaki Prefectural Museum (2005, Nagasaki) and the Suntory Museum of Art (2007, Tokyo). A number of large projects are going on abroad as well, including arts centre in Besancon City, France, Granada, Spain, and a new Victoria & Albert Museum building in Dundee, Scotland U.K..
He was awarded the International Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award in 2002 (Finland), International Architecture Awards for the Best New Global Design for “Chokkura Plaza and Shelter” in 2007, and Energy Performance + Architectutre Award in 2008 (France). Kengo Kuma is also a prolific writer and his books have been translated into English, Chinese and other languages.
Kengo Kuma was born in 1954. He completed his master’s degree at the University of Tokyo in 1979. From 1985 to 1986, he studied at Columbia University as Visiting Scholar. He established Kengo Kuma & Associates 1990. He taught at Keio University from 2001 to 2008, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2008, and in 2009, he was installed as Professor at the Graduate School of Architecture, University of Tokyo.
Among Kuma’s major works are Kirosan Observatory (1995), Water/Glass (1995, received AIA Benedictus Award), Stage in Forest, Toyoma Center for Performance Arts (received 1997 Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Award), Stone Museum (received International Stone Architecture Award 2001), Bato-machi Hiroshige Museum (received The Murano Prize). Recent works include Great Bamboo Wall (2002, Beijing, China), Nagasaki Prefectural Museum (2005, Nagasaki) and the Suntory Museum of Art (2007, Tokyo). A number of large projects are going on abroad as well, including arts centre in Besancon City, France, Granada, Spain, and a new Victoria & Albert Museum building in Dundee, Scotland U.K..
He was awarded the International Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award in 2002 (Finland), International Architecture Awards for the Best New Global Design for “Chokkura Plaza and Shelter” in 2007, and Energy Performance + Architectutre Award in 2008 (France). Kengo Kuma is also a prolific writer and his books have been translated into English, Chinese and other languages.
