The difficulty with big cities does not lie in skyscrapers or high-rises per se; rather, it is the values concealed within those buildings which lead to the loss of our humanity and our sense of spiritual emptiness. Ma Yansong More Quotes by Ma Yansong More Quotes From Ma Yansong Architecture is about experience: not only visual but also what you can touch, what you can feel. Ma Yansong feel you experience architecture In a traditional Japanese or Chinese garden, it's not only about the building or temple but about the whole setup - the structure, the landscape, the light, the plants, the water. The whole experience that makes your life there so beautiful. Ma Yansong light beautiful water life The beauty of architecture is it involves work that stretches over a very long time but often starts in one instant, with just one emotion, a kind of instinctual response. Ma Yansong architecture work time beauty Traditionally, in the Eastern World, man and nature are close: men find happiness and prosperity in the beauty of nature, even if the nature is actually built to match this very need. Ma Yansong nature beauty happiness men China has some cities, traditional cities, with a long history. They are so beautiful, and they were planned so smartly. I call them gardens on the city scale. For example, Beijing has mountains, waters, lakes, bridges, towers. It was a very poetic city. Ma Yansong city beautiful long history We try to turn buildings into landscapes - defying the idea of modernism which sees nature and buildings as two distinct elements. Ma Yansong buildings try nature two Since the Industrial Revolution, we tend to use technology to show our power: you know, we build high-rises, towers, big buildings that become symbols of power and capitalism. We don't talk about how emotions and nature can be connected. Ma Yansong you technology nature power Sometimes I sketch and then scan my sketch directly to make the curves more freehand. I don't want to make perfect industrial curves. Ma Yansong sketch perfect want sometimes The way a human can coexist with nature has to be at the spiritual level. Ma Yansong human nature spiritual way When I graduated from high school, I thought I wanted to make science fiction movies, so I applied to film school, but I couldn't get in. A professor told me I should try architecture instead. Ma Yansong me architecture science school Modern buildings have become memorials to power and capital. More and more, they're isolated from people. Ma Yansong buildings more power people I'm trying to express nature in big cities. Ma Yansong express big nature trying A pool at the edge of the ocean is the simplest geometry, yet you feel connected to the sea. In a forest with the mountains in the background, you also feel the connection to nature, yet it's a very complex geometry. I think architecture is about controlling these feelings. Ma Yansong you ocean nature sea We need to be brave and tell the politicians what a better future could be. Ma Yansong politicians better future brave When we talk about a city, we need to talk about what the future is. Whats the ideal scenario in the future? Ma Yansong need city talk future I think where traditional values are concerned, Chinese people see nature as very symbolic. It's a form of culture. Ma Yansong think nature culture people Chinese people need to be aware of their present and ask, 'What's our culture? What can we bring to the world?' I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Ma Yansong think culture people world In China, we had some buildings that looked like the White House or wine bottles. All they seemed to represent was bad taste. Ma Yansong bad wine white house I think architects have a major role in being responsible for illustrating what the future could be. Because of the very strong political and commercial climate, many architects are trying very hard to solve everyday issues, to respond to the authorities. Ma Yansong think future political strong We need architects to be visionaries. Ma Yansong architects need visionaries
