A Study on the Tradition in Wang Shus Architectural Works

Abstract

Nowadays, with the process of globalization and urbanization, China gradually becomes an experimental field of modern architecture. The traditional buildings carrying traditional culture are disappearing gradually. In the design of Chinese contemporary architecture, there is no room for tradition. Therefore, how to inherit tradition in Chinese modern architecture is an urgent issue.

The reality of Wang Shu winning the 2012 Pritzker Architecture Prize gives us a lot of enlightenment. The award is actually a confirmation for his exploration on Chinese tradition. The question of the proper relation of present to past is particularly timely, for the recent process of urbanization in China invites debate as to whether architecture should be anchored in tradition or should look only toward the future. As with any great architecture, Wang Shu´s work is able to transcend that debate, producing an architecture that is timeless, deeply rooted in its context and yet universal. quoting from the jury citation that focuses on the reasons for this years choice. His architecture reflects a deep-going thinking on the inheritance of tradition. Wang Shu shows a great preference to Hangzhou and the 3 most important architectural works of him – Ningbo Contemporary Art Museum, Xiangshan Campus and Ningbo History Museum are all designed in the context of Hangzhou. By analyzing the application of traditional elements in these 3 works, we can understand his design concept and strategy on inheriting tradition, which is a good reference and enlightenment to Chinese modern architectural design.

Firstly, in Chapter 2, the practice Barragan did on inheriting tradition is analyzed and summarized. And then, Wang Shus architectural thinking and the context of Hangzhou are detailedly introduced. Secondly, in Chapter 3, the application of traditional elements in his three notable projects which are designed based on the context of Hangzhou is detailedly discussed from 3 aspects: architectural concept, architectural space and architectural material. And then, in Chapter 4, his strategy on inheriting tradition in architectural design is summarized and analyzed based on the analysis in Chapter 3. In architectural design, based on the context of Hangzhou, he did a narration on tradition – traditional natural appearance and traditional lifestyle. Wang Shu is infatuated with Hangzhous breathtaking mountain and water and the literati-style life. By architecture, he narrates the natural shanshui (mountain and water) and traditional life of Hangzhou, which is detailedly analyzed from 4 aspects - space, form, material and construction respectively. Finally, in Chapter 5, based on the previous discussions, the root of Wang Shus tradition and its enlightenment to Chinese modern architectural design are detailedly talked about.

In architectural design, he pays attention to the reconstruction of the place and the representation of place sprit, providing people a sense of belonging. The tradition in Wang Shus architectural works is not the simple collage of traditional elements, but to stimulate peoples identity on the place and realize the two fundamental spiritual function of place – orientation and identification. Wang Shus purpose on maintaining and inheriting tradition is not only for the sake of tradition, but also for the continuity of fractured time and history, making the traditional lifestyle return back to the real urban life and regional environment. Finally, Full of merit, yet poetically, man dwells on this earth.

Furthermore, Wang Shus purpose on tradition is not protection and return, but revival. He learns to tradition – the traditional philosophical thinking, the great Chinese traditional landscape urban system and the traditional and folk structures, from which he searches for a much more wisdom way in order to face the severe environmental and ecological issue, making new buildings succeed and inherit the memory of history and traditional life in the ruins and helping people to recreate the identity to the place and culture. This is Wang Shus attitude and standpoint on tradition

it is also what we need to learn from Wang Shus tradition.