Mad In China

Ma Yansong, founder of MAD Architects, is one of China’s most prominent design professionals. He talks to Perspective about his creative philosophy, thoughts on Chinese architecture, and his apprenticeship under Zaha Hadid.

- Leona Liu

Firstly, why is the practice called MAD? 

MAD, in one way, can be interpreted directly as Ma Design. More recently, it’s a second thought: the critical ‘mad’ attitude towards reality and our design.

You were born in Beijing. Which of its buildings impresses you the most? 

The overall urban planning of Beijing, and how it’s laid out, is thought-out quite meticulously. A landmark I really enjoy is Jingshan Park: it’s planned very wisely and it’s an illustration of MAD’s Shanshui City philosophy [Shanshui City is Ma’s vision for a city of the future, based on the spiritual and emotional needs of residents met through innovative architecture and design]. On top of the hill from the park in the midst of the busy city, you can oversee the entire Forbidden City. There’s also Houhai; even though everything is manmade, you can see all the way to the mountains in the west while standing on the bridge there. The planning of these spaces gives visitors a very emotional connection with nature.

Is your home country a major source of inspiration?

China has a long history, from various forms of art and culture: these are mainly the roots of inspiration. For example, there are paintings, the landscape, the city planning. This is China’s own form of traditional inspiration.

In your opinion, what does ‘Made in China’ mean today?