How Ma Yansong of Mad Architects designs futuristic creations

Chinese architect Ma Yansong’s daring approach to architecture is a methodical exploration of humanity, nature and creativity

Chinese architect Ma Yansong has risen to international prominence as one of the most daring and innovative architects around today. Since the founding of his firm, Mad Architects, in 2004, Beijing-born Ma’s oeuvre has been described as futuristic, organic, and imbued with rich inter-cultural references that seem to defy conventional and structural limitations.

It might come as a surprise that Ma initially wanted to become a filmmaker. The gestural work of British studios Archigram and Zaha Hadid Architects, which “seemed more like fiction”, intrigued Ma enough for him to turn his interest in architecture into a career path. Ma possesses a strong belief in storytelling and believes that architecture can make a positive difference to cities and societies, no matter its scale. As an example, he brings up one of his smaller recent projects, the Cloudscape Library in Haikou, China, where visitors not only come to read but also to interact with others.

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Above Chinese architect Ma Yansong of Mad Architects (Photo: Greg Mei)

Above The Cloudscape of Haikou in China is a library and cultural venue that looks out to views of the sea (Photo: ArchExist)

With the expansion of Mad Architects’ offices to locations in Rome and Los Angeles, Ma’s roster of architectural works has grown to include multi-typology projects that range from commercial and residential to cultural venues. What especially piques his interest are projects that let him challenge himself creatively as an architect. Indeed, Mad Architects has completed numerous international projects that spark curiosity and, on a deeper level, connect people to their context. Ma’s inventive projects also display an unbridled imagination, represented by a desire to design beyond the typical matchbox buildings in cities.

Having developed an admiration for buildings that at times seem to defy gravity, Ma is looking forward to a future in which architecture will become more responsive to human emotion, and place equal emphasis on technology and nature. Here, he tells us more about his creative philosophy and some of the firm’s most iconic projects to date.

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Above Visitors enjoying the sea views at The Cloudscape of Haikou in China (Photo: ArchExist)

What keeps you inspired?
When I was a student, I was inspired by architectural heroes like Archigram and Zaha Hadid, who have a progressive view on architecture and urbanism. I was also influenced by contemporary Western artists and Chinese painters; I learned traditional Chinese ink painting when I was a kid. I think this combination of influences has become defining [features] for my practice. I believe architecture should be more organic, and more integrated with nature. At the same time, it should have a connection with technology. I think that’s the future of architecture, and we want to make that future a reality. For me, the joy of the journey in every project is about finding something unique. Looking back, I’ve always tried to find a certain surreality; something that makes architecture different from reality. I see architecture as a device to create a certain atmosphere to help people immerse [themselves] into a different time and space.

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Above Yabuli Entrepreneurs' Congress Centre by Mad Architects (Photo: ArchExist)

How has your design mentality changed over the years?
My understanding of nature has evolved a lot. When I was a student, I saw nature as something that is opposing to architecture; nature was about organic shapes, while architecture was functional, cubic and machine-like. But I find that in my recent projects, the forms are more free and more emotional. It’s almost like a direct artistic translation of my hand sketches. My designs are more formless in my later projects, and focused on the emotional expression that architecture can have.

Which of your past projects are most representative of your creative philosophy?
One of our first projects, near Toronto, Canada received the nickname of the “Marilyn Monroe” towers. That was almost 20 years ago; the Absolute Towers project what you imagine, not only in the design process but also in the fabrication process where ideas are translated into construction documents. A lot of people nowadays are talking about artificial intelligence (AI). AI could be useful, but it’s also a limitation to our imagination because architecture has a certain artistic and cultural quality that is hard to capture.

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Above A view of the sculptural form the Harbin Opera House (Photo: Adam Mork)

As an international practice, how does MAD deal with the challenges of the climate crisis?
I find that in different parts of the world, people have a different understanding of how to tackle climate change. For example, in Europe or America, building a “green” building might imply the need to use certain materials, which could also [lead to] higher associated costs. Not every client can afford this, and we have to balance these considerations. In China, there is less focus on building a “green” building [and] more [emphasis on] social was a defining moment as it was our first outside China. Our Hutong Bubble project in Beijing was also quite interesting because we merged new and old elements together. That project was all about understanding and respecting tradition and the past.

In recent years, we’ve been working on a social housing project in Beijing. That’s a new typology for us—to create new community spaces that would place more focus on human interaction. We are also currently completing Quzhou Sports Park; we have finished the work on the stadium and are building several other sports facilities. We call it a park because the architecture feels like it disappears into its green landscape. We translated the large-scale functions into something more like land art that has the power to transform urban life. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is currently under construction in Los Angeles, is a very important project for us; to realise something of this magnitude, and [something which has] the ability to connect people worldwide with the art of visual storytelling, is very significant.

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Above The ongoing construction of the interior of the North Lobby of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art (Photo: Hunter Kerhart, courtesy of Lucas Museum of Narrative Art)

Tell us more about the new technologies and materials that interest you right now.
I like temporary architecture and exploring materials that appear light in their nature and substance. In temporary architecture, you can assemble the parts easily, [and] take them apart [so] you can move them to other places. I find this level of flexibility interesting; it’s something we are constantly trying to explore. I also like materials that show the quality of their space; I want people to focus less on the material itself and more on the feeling and the atmosphere they experience when they enter a building; the material recedes into the background. I think that technology is a very helpful tool. It helps you to realise responsibility to ensure that architecture brings some benefits to the larger community. For our company, it’s about focusing on these regional nuances, and ensuring that we design to address those considerations.

Photo 1 of 2 An aerial view of the Harbin Opera House in China (Photo: Iwan Baan)

Photo 2 of 2 An overview of the Harbin Opera House in China (Photo: Hufton+Crow)

What are your hopes for the future of architecture?
As technology evolves, architecture follows technological trends and loses a certain amount of human expression, which is sad. I would say that China has more creativity sometimes—less limitations and more opportunities for young Chinese architects to explore, and to be involved in discussions about global issues. I would say that architecture is a very exciting but also very difficult profession. I feel that how much you can achieve is very much related to how much you believe. That’s [the thing that is] very attractive about this profession, that you can turn people’s dreams into something that is physical.

I think in the future, architecture will focus more on human emotion. That includes how we see the world we’re living in, which is, of course, is nature,—the sky, the universe, the air, the sunshine around us. It will be more about a deeper or different understanding about the environment we’re living in and the beauty of life. That’s the future of architecture.