Discussion

Shifting strategies: The rapid urbanization of Australian architects and China is opening up significant the future of Chinese cities opportunities for Australian Words by Paul Violett and Silvia Micheli architectural practices – both large multinationals with global offices as well as smaller firms working primarily from . They are demonstrating a valuable ability to respond to the dynamism of the Chinese market and to offer high-quality designs that are sensitive to history and place.

The World Bank forecasts that, by 2030, in the country.4 In China, most projects seventy percent of the Chinese population by Australian firms that go beyond the will live in cities. This estimate confirms schematic design phase need to be that the fast urbanization that has completed in collaboration with a Local characterized the country’s development Design Institute (LDI), and project sources over the last few decades is expected vary from traditional tender processes to continue – in 1978, only 18 percent of to competitions and recommendations Chinese citizens lived in cities, but by 2015, from existing relationships. Compared that number had climbed to 56 percent.1 to a decade ago, Australian offices are now Booming Chinese urbanism has offered operating in China well beyond the major numerous and significant working coastal centres of , and opportunities to Australian architectural . Progressively, they have penetrated practices, whose presence in China has mainland China, with a large number of increased steadily over the last four recent projects in emerging cities such as decades. The service sector is now a Chongqing, Chengdu, Zhuhai, Xi’an, Tianjin larger contributor to Chinese GDP than and Nanjing, as well as in some rural areas.5 manufacturing – a major driver of The largest of these practices economic growth – and China is Australia’s are global firms: architectural offices that largest services export market, worth $15.8 started their activity in Australia but are billion in 2017 (18.7 percent of Australia’s now operating at a multinational level, with total services exports).2 In 2015, the China– projects and office locations across the Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) globe, including in China.6 Among them are was passed, facilitating new or significantly Hassell, Populous and Woods Bagot. These improved market access.3 firms have staff numbers of more than 150 Australian architectural practices people and a recognized design capability have been taking advantage of steadily to manage and deliver substantial projects improving bilateral relationships between in a limited amount of time to international Australia and China, and continue to standards. They typically leverage their demonstrate responsiveness to the size, experience and capabilities towards extreme dynamism that characterizes the specialist projects. Populous, for example, Chinese design and construction market. has completed more than fifty projects The high degree of flexibility displayed by in China, including large arenas, stadiums Australian architectural firms is certainly and other entertainment venues.7 appreciated in a country in which rapid Brearley Architects and Urbanists urbanization exceeds the availability of (BAU), Jackson Teece, Cox Architecture, local professionals. Austrade, Australia’s Group GSA and Denton Corker Marshall lead government agency for international (DCM) are some offices that work primarily trade promotion and investment attraction, from Australia yet earn substantial reports that there are currently more than commissions in China. Although not forty Australian architectural practices operating at the same scale as the global working in China and more than three firms listed above, they have been involved hundred firms that have won work in producing a number of significant works

56 Architecture Australia Denton Corker Marshall’s overseas. For instance, BAU, which has PTW was acquired by China Construction design for the Kaida offices in and Shanghai, has Design International (CCDI), a Chinese Science Park in Dongguan carried out a wide range of projects in architecture and engineering consulting integrates multiple sustainability features China and has a deep understanding firm that employs around four thousand into the architecture. of the character of the fast-growing staff.9 The acquisition has enabled PTW, Chinese cities in which it brings now based in China and Australia, to step innovation.8 Similarly, Jackson Teece up its regional reach while resolving has recently proposed five projects for pre-existing cashflow problems. Design senior communities in China and is practice Gossamer operates under a establishing a reputation in that country different strategy of partnership. Led for aged-care architecture. by Australian designers, Gossamer is a Other Australian firms undertake multidisciplinary design division of the occasional work in China on a project-by- GVL Group, one of China’s leading LDIs. project basis. These include Melbourne- This operational approach is based on the based John Wardle Architects and - cross-pollination between international based Candalepas Associates. These and local capabilities and has led to firms, which are place-focused, design projects such as LOOP (2019), one of considered projects that engage with the Shanghai’s first community consultation local environment and history. In response urban regeneration projects. to a growing appreciation and demand In 2014, the Chinese government for quality design in China, astute clients released a national urbanization plan are recognizing the value of this authentic to address internal migration and respond and crafted approach. to issues resulting from rapid urban Beyond more traditional offices, development. These included strategies hybrid ways of practising have also to reduce congestion and pollution, to emerged. This was the case with PTW, one improve the quality of urban development of Australia’s oldest architectural firms, and architecture, to increase public green with recognized expertise in tall buildings space, and to preserve historical buildings and architect of the famous “Water Cube” and enhance “city character.”10 This National Aquatics Center, completed shift toward a more sustainable approach, in 2008 for the Beijing Olympics. In 2013, attention to lifestyle and increased Image Denton Corker Marshall Denton Corker Image

Jan / Feb 2020 57 Discussion sophistication of the built environment breezes and filtered sunlight to permeate Likewise, Gossamer’s competition coincided with Chinese president the five-thousand-seat arena.14 Another proposal for a stretch of waterfront along Xi Jinping’s appeal for less “weird example is the Kaida Science Park in the Jing River (2019) is a well-balanced architecture” to be built in the country. Dongguan by Denton Corker Marshall interaction of architecture and natural China’s construction boom had provided (due for completion in 2021), where landscape, conceived as an ecological opportunities for many international multiple sustainability features will be park that would turn Xi’an’s new Xixian practices to realize projects that couldn’t integrated into the architecture. The focus area into a vibrant and environmentally be completed elsewhere, but this now of the building is on cross-ventilation sensitive district. The proposal “celebrates looks set to change.11 In 2016, China’s and airflow, creating a landscaped city the site’s history at the origin of the State Council released new urban planning room and using shading devices to reduce Silk Road through strategies that tap guidelines, which stated that “bizarre thermal load. BAU’s Duolan Dong Dong into ancient and enduring histories architecture that is not economical, Mixed Use Complex (2012) in of traditional architecture, merchant functional, aesthetically pleasing combines landscape architecture trade and agricultural innovation.” or environmentally friendly” would not with architecture and urban design. Important examples of smaller scale be built in the future.12 This new focus The architects explain that the project’s work with a keen sensitivity to place are on a healthier built environment, increased green roof “provides the city with the Chinese projects completed by Kerry wellbeing and buildings with long-term a unique public open space [and] creates Hill Architects, an Australian practice with purpose for Chinese cities will be familiar social, entertaining, community garden offices in and Perth. The stunning to architects from Australia, where urban and recreational space for occupants.” Amanyangyun resort in Shanghai (2017) design research is active and responsive This aligns with another developing highlights a response that establishes, to the evolution of technologies, lifestyles trend inw China focused on preserving according to the architects, “a deep-rooted and expectations.13 Many Australian the quality of both the built environment sense of connection to place and culture.” practices are internationally recognized and the natural context. Hassell’s Silk Twenty-five Ming and Qing Dynasty houses for their considered, sensitive relationship Road Corridor, a competition concept were rescued from the rising waters of a to landscape and history, and for crafting in Shenzhen, is a multi-layered project new dam in Jiangxi Province and relocated attentive solutions for contemporary life. that uses a winding sky deck to tie together to Shanghai. Years of conservation and The projects carried out in the cultural buildings and parklands in one preservation efforts, along with appropriate last decade by Australian firms operating urban destination. While echoing acclaimed interventions, has resulted in a twenty-first- in China clearly reflect this change of elevated linear parks such as New York’s century hotel “imagined as a contemporary perspective. The recent Zhuhai Tennis The High Line and Seoul’s Seoullo 7017, walled village in a forest.” (For a review Centre (2015) by Populous is the first the project in fact refers symbolically of Amanyangyun Shanghai, see page 74.) undercover international-standard to the Silk Road, an ancient trade network Another project that synthesizes the tennis facility built in China. Recognized that connected China with the West. Australian subtle approach to nature as an outdoor tennis centre, the stadium It emphasizes the importance of good and reinterpretation of local culture shelters spectators while allowing natural design with a strong narrative thread. is the proposed Jade Museum by

The Jade Museum in Hubei by Candalepas Associates takes a subtle approach to nature and reinterpreting local culture. Image Angelo Candalepas (design), Mark Gerada (drawing) Mark Gerada (design), Candalepas Angelo Image

58 Architecture Australia Using a winding sky deck, Hassell ties together cultural buildings and parklands in Shenzhen in its Silk Road Corridor design.

Led by Australian designers, Gossamer is proposing projects like the Jing River waterfront that celebrate the site’s history while also emphasizing the vitality of good design. Image Hassell Image Image GVL Gossamer Image

Footnotes

Candalepas Associates in La Mei Valley, 1. “Architecture and design to China: Trends and 8. BAU directors James Brearley and Fang Qun published Hubei. Emphasizing the connection to opportunities,” Australian Trade and Investment Commission the book Networks Cities (China Architecture and Building the surrounding landscape and universal website [undated], austrade.gov.au/Australian/Export/ Press, 2010) and, in their work, they attempt to counter Export-markets/Countries/China/Industries (accessed tendencies towards segregation of programs and land-use geometries, the project aims to create 28 October 2019). in current Chinese planning. acute awareness of the similarities 2. “ChAFTA fact sheet: Trade in services,” Department of 9. Michael Bleby, “How a Sydney architecture firm designed and differences between nature and Foreign Affairs and Trade website, August 2018, dfat.gov.au/ a Chinese future,” The Australian Financial Review, 24 May art, while engaging with multiple sensory trade/agreements/in-force/chafta/fact-sheets/Pages/ 2014, afr.com/companies/infrastructure/how-a-sydney- experiences. These qualities are highlighted chafta-fact-sheet-trade-in-services.aspx (accessed architecture-firm-designed-a-chinese-future-20140524- 28 October 2019). iupki (accessed 28 October 2019). through a sublime drawing by Mark Gerada (left), showcasing sensitivity to culture, 3. For an analysis of the impact of the agreement on 10.Wade Shepard, “The impact of China’s new urbanization architects, see Linda Cheng, “What does ‘Free Trade’ with plan could be huge,” Forbes, 14 March 2016, forbes.com/ history, place and contemporary design. China mean for Australia’s architects?,” ArchitectureAU. sites/wadeshepard/2016/03/14/the-impact-of-chinas- com, 30 November 2015, architectureau.com/articles/ new-urbanization-plan-could-be-huge/#61aa68306673 what-does-free-trade-with-china-mean-for-- (accessed 28 October 2019). – Paul Violett is a recent graduate of architecture architects (accessed 28 October 2019). from The University of Queensland. He currently works for 11. “Debate after China’s Xi demands end to weird Arcke, a small residential practice in . 4. “Architecture and design to China: Trends and architecture,” The Straits Times, 16 October 2014, opportunities,” Australian Trade and Investment Commission straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/debate-after-chinas- – Silvia Micheli (PhD, Università Iuav di Venezia) website [undated]. xi-demands-end-to-weird-architecture (accessed 28 is a lecturer at The University of Queensland, where she October 2019). teaches design. Her research investigates global architecture 5. In October 2019, Cameron Bruhn and Paul Violett from and cross-cultural exchanges in the architectural and The University of Queensland produced a report, Study 12.“China looks to regulate city growth,” The People’s urban context. of Australian Architecture in China, based on a taxonomic Republic of China State Council, 22 February 2016, english. investigation of the extent and scope of Australian www.gov.cn/news/top_news/2016/02/22/content_ architects working in China. Facilitated by the Australian 281475294306681.htm (accessed 28 October 2019). Embassy in Beijing and the Australian Consulate-General 13.Lucile Jacquot, Karine Dupré and Yang Liu, “China in Chengdu, the report looks at how projects designed by can learn from Australian urban design, but it’s not all Australian practices in China have contributed to improving one-way traffic,” The Conversation, 14 July 2019, quality of life among Chinese citizens. theconversation.com/china-can-learn-from-australian- 6. On the organization of large Australian architectural urban-design-but-its-not-all-one-way-traffic-115905 practices operating in China and globally, see Sandra (accessed 28 October 2019). Kaji-O’Grady, “Australian exports,” Architecture Australia 14.“Zhuhai Tennis Centre,” Populous website, populous.com/ vol 106 no 4, 49–50. project/zhuhai-tennis-centre-2 (accessed 28 October 2019). 7. “The influences on sport and design in China and how it differs with the West,” Populous website, 19 August 2016, populous.com/influences-sport-design-china-differs-west (accessed 28 October 2019).

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