Читать книгу China Modern - Sharon Leece - Страница 7

The Rise of Modern China

Twenty-first century China is a country on the move. Economic reforms and modernization policies have proved catalysts for rapid change as the world's most populous country of over 1.2 billion people hurtles into the future at breakneck speed. In the aftermath of the turbulent years of the Cultural Revolution (which ended in 1976), China has been transforming itself from a nation of factory workers into one of entrepreneurs and consumers.

With its doors open and the landscape changing fast, China is undergoing a revolution of a different kind. Traditional structures and paddy fields are being replaced in the blink of an eye by futuristic neon-clad skyscrapers that are more modern metropolis than Oriental elegance. Global attention is focused on the East-Beijing will host the 2008 Olympic Games, and Shanghai the World Expo in 2010-and a new dynamism is reaping far-reaching changes in every part of life.

What this dizzying economic and social scenario means for the design industry is an outpouring of creativity that redefines the term 'Chinese style'. Whilst in the name of progress, much of the country's architectural heritage (such as Beijing's courtyard houses and hutongs and Shanghai's shikumen houses) is, sadly, being destroyed, the calls for preservation are becoming louder and more strident. In addition, there is a fast-growing creative movement that blends the country's 5,000 years of culture with a modern outlook to produce a new vocabulary of design.

Such a rich history provides endless cultural references from which to draw inspiration. As far back as the Tang dynasty (618-907), literature, paintings, ceramics and lacquerware flourished. The Ming dynasty (1368-1644) is renowned for its elegance, balance and pared-down simplicity in terms of furniture and architecture. And the lavish opulence of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) provided lush patterning, searing color palettes and ornate carvings.

The last time that Chinese decorative style made a major global impact was during the 17th and 18th centuries, when trading companies exported their wares to Europe. Merchants told fabulous tales of pagodas and palaces, exotic landscapes and tantalizing riches. Cargoes of silks, fragrances, spices, textiles and ceramics proved fuel for the imagination of Western craftsman who reinterpreted the designs with their visions of Oriental splendor in a decorative movement known as chinoiserie.

Now, it seems, China's time has come again. Yet today it is the classical attributes of balance, order and harmony inherent in Chinese aesthetics (especially during the Ming dynasty) that are proving the genesis for modern interpretations of the genre. Hong Kong-based architect, Ed Ng of AB Concept, believes there are three main strands of interest in classical Chinese design: "The simplicity of form. The sense of craft. And the fusion of traditional materials, such as solid wood, with modern ones, such as stainless steel and titanium."

It may seem odd, but the idea of blending Chinese accents with contemporary design ideas is a relatively new one in Hong Kong which for decades has looked to Europe for design inspiration. "Designers have now realized that good design is down to roots and foundations, rather than following whatever was popular in the West," explains Ng. Confidence is on the up: "We have learned to use our own culture as a base and absorb design philosophy and ideology from the rest of the world," says Ng.

No longer is the term "Made in China" synonymous with cheap, low-grade goods. Instead, the term now becoming associated with a new kind of chic. Shanghai-based homeware entrepreneur Choon sees a rise in quality and standards of domestic design. "No longer will China be viewed as 'copying' others. Instead a new style will evolve which will mix Chinese styles and accents with the very latest in technology and Western lifestyle."

He continues: "Because of the rather late entry of China into today's modern mainstream culture, many of today's designers are uninhibited in their styles. No one thinks twice about doing unconventional things. The boundaries of what can or cannot be done are no longer clear. This allows the unexpected to happen; which is very exciting."

Hong Kong-born and based architect Douglas Young agrees. "For me, the most exciting part of being in China as a designer is the profusion of fresh inspiration just waiting to be tapped. I believe end users in Asia are more open to new ideas. We tend to welcome change with open arms. As a designer it means experimental ideas are more easily accepted."

Nowhere is this more apparent than in China's capital Beijing. The city, well-known for its grey austerity and somber, urban developments, is also home to a thriving art and design scene which is both avant garde and experimental. Companies like property developers Redstone lndustrie Ltd are bringing innovative designs to the masses with projects such as SOHO New Town (flexible modern spaces that can be used for living and working in) and the Commune at the Great Wall (eleven contemporary villas near the Great Wall of China designed by top Asian architects).

Says Redstone's Chief Architect Antonio Ochoa-Piccardo: "There is a lack of preconcepts or aesthetic rules and the freedom to assimilate all kinds of influences. China is a virgin territory to be discovered. When anything new appears it immediately goes to the wide public; nothing ever ends among a small elite. This is really exciting."

The Beijing art scene is a well of creativity, with leading artists crossing disciplines with ease. Meg Maggio, Director of the CourtYard Gallery in Beijing sees a continued growth, exploration and official recognition of artistic mediums that have spilled over into architecture, graphic design, stage design, music and other cultural fields. 'This willingness to embrace individual pursuits in artistic production can be seen in all forms of cultural and artistic expression," she says.

If Beijing is China's cultural center, then Shanghai is its neon-lit, party-loving sibling, full of energy, glamor and glitz. In the 1920s and '30s, Shanghai was a cosmopolitan metropolis, which explains the legacy of different architectural styles. Grandiose art deco structures on the Bund, Tudor style mansions in the French Concession and Chinese shikumen langtang (stone gated alley) houses remain today and give the city a unique character. In addition to numerous gleaming high rises, new developments such as Xintiandi, a 50-hectare (124-acre) site of boutiques, bars, restaurants and galleries modeled on 19th century shikumen houses, are changing the face of the city. It is places like these that draw Shanghai's increasingly hip and design-conscious population, who go to wine, dine, see, and be seen.

Such an appetite for the new is a powerful driving force behind China's rapid pace. China Modern explores the most exciting and dynamic contemporary interiors in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, many never before published. The breadth of vision is astounding and each of the four chapters reveals distinctly different approaches to contemporary living in China.

'New China Chic' shows how a fresh design aesthetic-distinctly Chinese yet lively and new-has been born out of the country's rich history. Vibrant interpretations of age-old ideas include a renovated Ming dynasty courtyard house filled with contemporary art, a shikumen house with an interior made of hand-carved glass and a former factory turned into a hip eatery. 'Beijing Avant Garde' focuses on innovative interiors with an international edge. Highlights include a modernist villa made of bamboo, a utilitarian concrete courtyard house and a Bauhaus-inspired stone house which oozes good feng shui.

More Ming minimalist than Oriental opulent, 'The Tao of Design' explores the sense of harmony inherent in classical Chinese design, showing how natural materials, subtle colors and stream lined spaces prove the perfect antidote to the stresses of modern living. Finally, 'Echoes of the Past' reveals what happens when decorative elements from the East and West are applied to traditional structures-from Qing courtyard houses to 1930s art deco apartment blocks.

The most exciting aspect of modern Chinese design is that the movement is in its infancy. The strides made in the last ten years have been remarkable but there is no doubt that the country's rich design heritage will continue to inspire designers the world over.