The 'China speed' of Chinese architecture
In 1959, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the central government decided to construct 10 large-scale building projects in the capital. Such buildings include that the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of Chinese Revolution and Chinese History (now the National Library of China), the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, the Beijing Railway Station, the Beijing Workers Gymnasium and Stadium, the National Agricultural Exhibition Center, the State Guest House, the Nationalities Cultural Palace, the Nationalities Hotel and the Overseas Chinese Hotel. This marked a mass movement in architectural planning that was nationwide in scope.
With China's architectural scene having been isolated from the international modernist movement for almost 30 years, its gaze once again returned to the West and began a new a process of wide-ranging introduction of Western architectural concepts after the beginning of reform and opening-up. Out of China's architectural scene emerged an ideological trend and movement toward the large-scale introduction of modernist architectural theory. Within China, many projects were also built by famous architects from abroad such as the Beijing Fragrant Hill Hotel (Ieoh Ming Pei, 1979-82) showing inheritance of traditions under modern architectural conditions, the Beijing Jianguo Hotel ( Chen Yiyuan, 1980-82) exhibiting the efficiency of an apartment holiday hotel, and the Beijing Great Wall Hotel reveals the ancient capital's candid acceptance of the first building with glass curtain walls.
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
In 1959, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the central government decided to construct 10 large-scale building projects in the capital. Such buildings include that the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of Chinese Revolution and Chinese History (now the National Library of China), the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, the Beijing Railway Station, the Beijing Workers Gymnasium and Stadium, the National Agricultural Exhibition Center, the State Guest House, the Nationalities Cultural Palace, the Nationalities Hotel and the Overseas Chinese Hotel. This marked a mass movement in architectural planning that was nationwide in scope.
With China's architectural scene having been isolated from the international modernist movement for almost 30 years, its gaze once again returned to the West and began a new a process of wide-ranging introduction of Western architectural concepts after the beginning of reform and opening-up. Out of China's architectural scene emerged an ideological trend and movement toward the large-scale introduction of modernist architectural theory. Within China, many projects were also built by famous architects from abroad such as the Beijing Fragrant Hill Hotel (Ieoh Ming Pei, 1979-82) showing inheritance of traditions under modern architectural conditions, the Beijing Jianguo Hotel ( Chen Yiyuan, 1980-82) exhibiting the efficiency of an apartment holiday hotel, and the Beijing Great Wall Hotel reveals the ancient capital's candid acceptance of the first building with glass curtain walls.
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
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