PhD in Architecture. History and Project | Politecnico di Torino
… a meeting with
HUA Xiahong
20 thoughts on “… a meeting with”
s305406
The lecture by Hua Xiahong gave insight into the work of atelier Archmixing and her role there as an academic consultant. She gave an overview of some projects she was involved with while highlighting the importance of changing by architects and their way of practicing. With the growing population and rapid urbanization of China it is important to remember that space is a human right that everyone deserves, and design can play a crucial role in fulfilling that right.
The lecture of the guest Xiahong Hua in my opinion was very interesting because it presented a different scenario than what happens in the West, that of dynamic architecture. The continuous evolution of architecture, where in Eastern countries and especially in China the timing is significantly reduced accordingly this guarantees a sudden change of various parts of the city, also the design strategies of the studio Archmixing that focus on the essence of space studying the activities of the local population that in turn have the task of adapting the existing space to make it compatible with their needs. Their projects are interesting both from a material point of view, both compositional and technological, but also because there is always a space for sociality.
The conference of the guest Xiahong Hua in my opinion was very interesting because it presented a different scenario than what happens in the West, that of dynamic architecture. The continuous evolution of architecture, where in Eastern countries and especially in China the timing is significantly reduced accordingly this guarantees a sudden change of various parts of the city, also the design strategies of the studio Archmixing that focus on the essence of space studying the activities of the local population that in turn have the task of adapting the existing space to make it compatible with their needs. Their projects are interesting both from a material point of view, both compositional and technological, but also because there is always a space for sociality.
The guest underlined the importance of two main skills of the architect: the ability to “survive” and the need to “reinvent” oneself. This premise was necessary in order to define the central topic of the conference: the change in habits of Chinese citizens in experiencing the space, both urban and residential, but also working, according to a new profile of society strongly influenced by the culture of consumption. The skills mentioned above come back into discussion when it is made clear that future architects with transversal skills are needed to better understand these transformations of space. The invitation from the host certainly made each of us reflect on the importance of designing flexible spaces, with multiple uses for each hour of the day, in order to make the environment as dynamic as possible. So that every place, public or private, promotes the concept of a shared experience among users.
Hua Xiahong’s lecture was interesting. She is not only a teacher, but also the person in charge of the firm. The studio that moves once a year can be regarded as a study of the city, which really proves the importance of the event method. At the same time, it also introduced the current situation in China. The issue of rapid urbanization and the growing population in China is indeed a major challenge that architects and urban planners must address. With limited space available, it’s important to come up with creative solutions that can make the most of the available resources. This could involve designing buildings and public spaces that are more compact and efficient, or incorporating green spaces and sustainable features into urban design.
Hua Xiahong lecture which is called “Change is a common Sense” was an interesting. There were mentioned some projects related with atelier Archmixing. The atelier’s name meaning is melting and transformation with a contemparary architecture in consumer culture. Their ideas is researching the urban situation and understanding the facility of the building regarding to six strategies; Organization, adjustment, installation, crossing the interior, seperation and mixing. According these strategies, interior is the main process of the project with analyzing the whole building. They had designed some renovation projects and one of the project was kindergarten project. It was quite interesting to see a building from office to a school because changing a function of a building is a great challange. They did a lot of work and changed the color of the each classroom. They achieve to finish the project as using cheapest materal with lightest structure. One other project was renovation of a building from industrial building to commerical building. I think it was a great project as a finding solution because they had created pavilions with a steel and timber structure and each pavilion has a different function. They considered a children playground which can children play while their parents can do shopping. All of the project was quite interesting and helpful to understand the architecture.
This lecture was quite interesting, beginning with the presentation of the two main challenges that your design office, related to the practice of architecture and the development of projects, Hua Xiahong spoke about practical design and closely related to the community and the context, opening the private architecture to the neighbors. As a conclusion, design practice is the combination of urban research and spatial experiments.
I found Hua Xiahong’s lecture, very interesting.In addition to being impressed by the technological innovations brought to bear in some of the projects and the attention to detail, such as in the construction of the physical store of a well-known online brand. the case that fascinated me most was the elevated park project, I found it very interesting how his project managed to interface with the demands of the various clients, managing to bring a product mediated between private and public entities that maintained the quality design foreshadowed by the firm in the design phase. It also led me to reflect on the fact that some small changes in the facade, can distort the perception and use of some spaces. I have always found a particular admiration for architectural projects carried out in Asia, as unlike Western production, typical characters of their culture are strongly present, which manage to be revisited in a modern way and remain recognizable. I find that in today’s architectural production, attention to the detail and history of the site, or traditions, is often lacking, making the architectures lack their “soul.”
“Change is more” is the motto of Atelier Archmixing that aims to emphasize the importance of knowing how to grasp the beauty of change and the consequence that this entails: thus a necessary ability of adaptation and flexibility in human attitude and architectural practice. An assumption this that I personally believe can be counted among the principles of sustainable architecture and that is well represented by the “open building design practice”, that is, that adaptive architecture that takes into account both technological evolution (provision of new techniques, devices), but also the social evolution of who will be the users. The projects presented by Atelier Archmixing demonstrate how it is possible to make the design and structure versatile so as to allow and provide multifunctionality and flexibility to users.
The projects showed by Hua Xiahong were very interesting to understand how architects can find their way to design good spaces for people in different realities. For instance, the Chinese cities are a challenging scenario, due to the history of their urbanization and the overpopulation, which sometimes don’t give enough space to build something new. In this context, I found Archmixing’s projects of renovation very captivating, especially for the way they could find new spaces for people with sometimes very few shrewdness.
The architect Hua Xiahong presents in her lecture the Chinese studio Archmixing. The studio bases its work not only on architectural design, but urbanism and research, studying the role of architecture in consumer culture society. From changing the workplace each year, the architects propose an interesting debate on how the built environment can affect the way of thinking and the development of the design concept. Hua Xiahong also brings up the constant increase in demand for space in the city and how this can lead to various ways of using space with complex solutions, resulting in a chaotic but dynamic environment. Those characteristics serve as an inspiration for the architects to create and solve new designs.
Hua xiahong’s lecture was very impressive, informative and interesting, and the topic of the lecture was about what architects can do under different conditions. In the lecture kind of introduced and many projects from China, which she designed. For example, the urban renewal of shanty towns, schools, etc. It showed how the designer can be involved in the design and enhance the quality of architecture in different contexts. There were also some digital works presented, so I thought the lecture was very practical and helpful to understand the development of China and the multiculturalism of the world.
Hua Xiahong’s lecture highlighted the need for architects to adapt to constant change. Architecture is all about change, and its future depends on embracing change. The presentation pointed out Atelier Archmixing’s office life, which include designing buildings, studying urban areas, conducting experiments with spaces etc. The case studies from the office were very interesting. They worked on transformation of the built environment. For me the most interesting one was the one that merged an urban design project above a parking lot and the school next to it with the design solution of cantilevered new blocks.
This week’s lecture by Hua Xiahong gave us some insight as to how “change is common sense” in architecture. Illustrating some examples in the context lof the rapid urbanization that’s taking place in China, the lecturer elaborated how the human space can take form and change through usage and how the process of design reflects on experiment in order to obtain concrete results. Rethinking change as a concept of common sense can help architects to essentially survive in an everchanging world.
Hua Xiahong’s lecture focused on the work of atelier Archmixing and the importance of change in architecture, particularly in the context of China’s rapid urbanization. She emphasized the role of design in providing access to space as a human right. The lecture highlighted Archmixing’s design strategies, which prioritize understanding the essence of space and adapting it to the needs of the local population. The projects showcased innovative materials, compositions, and technologies, with a focus on social interaction. Hua Xiahong emphasized the need for architects to possess survival skills and the ability to reinvent themselves to meet the evolving needs of Chinese society. The lecture also addressed the challenges of rapid urbanization and population growth in China, emphasizing the importance of creative solutions, efficient resource utilization, and sustainability in architectural design.
The lecture with guest speaker Hua Xiaohong was really interesting. We were shown several of his projects. The one I found really special was the project with the facade that lights up at night, where the material has some importance. A good architect can also be recognized in the attention to detail, and with this project he exemplifies that. In conclusion, the study showed how it is possible that with just a few actions you can achieve a great project
The lecture was very fascinating. Hua Xiahong showed us some projects related with atelier Archmixing, the name meaning is melting and transformation with a contemparary architecture in consumer culture. Their ideal is researching the urban situation and understanding the facility of the building. She also introduced the current situation in China. The issue of rapid urbanization and the growing population in China it’s the most difficult challenge that architects have to face. Another issue is the limited space available, it’s essential using creative solutions.
Hua Xiahong’s lecture was very interesting. Different projects were shown during the lecture, within a country facing rapid urbanization, namely China. Xiahong and her husband, together with some friends of theirs, are founders of Archmixing studio, who had the crazy idea of “office on the move, that is, having a different studio every year, with the purpose of doing urban research. I found the project “Renovation of Baoshan Beibeijia Olion Kindergarten,” the renovation of an office building into a kindergarten, interesting.They created two types of systems, playing on the heights by going to different levels to create different levels that allow for windows to make the classroom brighter.
The lecture was intriguing in that it showed the importance of adopting an agile mindset to design, embracing change and the opportunity arising from it. This dynamic mindset is especially crucial in my opinion when approaching practice today given the unique challenges faced by the field. Through Archmixing’s work, some light was shed on one manifestation of this change, being the rapid social and urban development in China. Such a large challenge provides an opportunity for the architect to redefine themselves and their role, and some of the projects exhibited clearly articulated this notion. The office building project in particular, in my opinion showed how design and society can mutually interact and influence each other, and I think it is in embracing and working with this mutual relationship that the field can grow and move forward.
I found Hua Xiahong’s lecture very interesting, especially the technological innovations and attention to detail in projects like the physical store and elevated park. It made me reflect on how small changes in the facade can affect the perception and use of spaces. I admire Asian architectural projects for their ability to incorporate cultural elements in a modern and recognizable way, which is often missing in Western architecture. It highlights the importance of paying attention to site history, traditions, and details to give architecture its true essence.
The lecture by Hua Xiahong gave insight into the work of atelier Archmixing and her role there as an academic consultant. She gave an overview of some projects she was involved with while highlighting the importance of changing by architects and their way of practicing. With the growing population and rapid urbanization of China it is important to remember that space is a human right that everyone deserves, and design can play a crucial role in fulfilling that right.
Where are all the holograms, definitions of the electrical engineer Daniel Smalley
https://spie.org/news/photonics-focus/novdec-2021/what-happened-to-the-hologram?SSO=1
Interview with the engineer
https://www.findinggeniuspodcast.com/podcasts/the-promise-of-3d-projection-technology-dr-daniel-smalley-smalley-holography/#:~:text=Daniel%20Smalley%3A%20Holography%20%20a,%20%20%20%into%20eyes.
The magic of holography
https://archive.org/details/magicofholograph00heck/page/48/mode/1up?view=theater
Dennis Gabor Father of holography / Openmind
https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/science/leading-figures/dennis-gabor-father-of-holography/
https://emmeciquadro.euresis.org/mc2/27/mc2_27_ascheri_townes.pdf
The lecture of the guest Xiahong Hua in my opinion was very interesting because it presented a different scenario than what happens in the West, that of dynamic architecture. The continuous evolution of architecture, where in Eastern countries and especially in China the timing is significantly reduced accordingly this guarantees a sudden change of various parts of the city, also the design strategies of the studio Archmixing that focus on the essence of space studying the activities of the local population that in turn have the task of adapting the existing space to make it compatible with their needs. Their projects are interesting both from a material point of view, both compositional and technological, but also because there is always a space for sociality.
The conference of the guest Xiahong Hua in my opinion was very interesting because it presented a different scenario than what happens in the West, that of dynamic architecture. The continuous evolution of architecture, where in Eastern countries and especially in China the timing is significantly reduced accordingly this guarantees a sudden change of various parts of the city, also the design strategies of the studio Archmixing that focus on the essence of space studying the activities of the local population that in turn have the task of adapting the existing space to make it compatible with their needs. Their projects are interesting both from a material point of view, both compositional and technological, but also because there is always a space for sociality.
The guest underlined the importance of two main skills of the architect: the ability to “survive” and the need to “reinvent” oneself. This premise was necessary in order to define the central topic of the conference: the change in habits of Chinese citizens in experiencing the space, both urban and residential, but also working, according to a new profile of society strongly influenced by the culture of consumption. The skills mentioned above come back into discussion when it is made clear that future architects with transversal skills are needed to better understand these transformations of space. The invitation from the host certainly made each of us reflect on the importance of designing flexible spaces, with multiple uses for each hour of the day, in order to make the environment as dynamic as possible. So that every place, public or private, promotes the concept of a shared experience among users.
Hua Xiahong’s lecture was interesting. She is not only a teacher, but also the person in charge of the firm. The studio that moves once a year can be regarded as a study of the city, which really proves the importance of the event method. At the same time, it also introduced the current situation in China. The issue of rapid urbanization and the growing population in China is indeed a major challenge that architects and urban planners must address. With limited space available, it’s important to come up with creative solutions that can make the most of the available resources. This could involve designing buildings and public spaces that are more compact and efficient, or incorporating green spaces and sustainable features into urban design.
Hua Xiahong lecture which is called “Change is a common Sense” was an interesting. There were mentioned some projects related with atelier Archmixing. The atelier’s name meaning is melting and transformation with a contemparary architecture in consumer culture. Their ideas is researching the urban situation and understanding the facility of the building regarding to six strategies; Organization, adjustment, installation, crossing the interior, seperation and mixing. According these strategies, interior is the main process of the project with analyzing the whole building. They had designed some renovation projects and one of the project was kindergarten project. It was quite interesting to see a building from office to a school because changing a function of a building is a great challange. They did a lot of work and changed the color of the each classroom. They achieve to finish the project as using cheapest materal with lightest structure. One other project was renovation of a building from industrial building to commerical building. I think it was a great project as a finding solution because they had created pavilions with a steel and timber structure and each pavilion has a different function. They considered a children playground which can children play while their parents can do shopping. All of the project was quite interesting and helpful to understand the architecture.
This lecture was quite interesting, beginning with the presentation of the two main challenges that your design office, related to the practice of architecture and the development of projects, Hua Xiahong spoke about practical design and closely related to the community and the context, opening the private architecture to the neighbors. As a conclusion, design practice is the combination of urban research and spatial experiments.
I found Hua Xiahong’s lecture, very interesting.In addition to being impressed by the technological innovations brought to bear in some of the projects and the attention to detail, such as in the construction of the physical store of a well-known online brand. the case that fascinated me most was the elevated park project, I found it very interesting how his project managed to interface with the demands of the various clients, managing to bring a product mediated between private and public entities that maintained the quality design foreshadowed by the firm in the design phase. It also led me to reflect on the fact that some small changes in the facade, can distort the perception and use of some spaces. I have always found a particular admiration for architectural projects carried out in Asia, as unlike Western production, typical characters of their culture are strongly present, which manage to be revisited in a modern way and remain recognizable. I find that in today’s architectural production, attention to the detail and history of the site, or traditions, is often lacking, making the architectures lack their “soul.”
“Change is more” is the motto of Atelier Archmixing that aims to emphasize the importance of knowing how to grasp the beauty of change and the consequence that this entails: thus a necessary ability of adaptation and flexibility in human attitude and architectural practice. An assumption this that I personally believe can be counted among the principles of sustainable architecture and that is well represented by the “open building design practice”, that is, that adaptive architecture that takes into account both technological evolution (provision of new techniques, devices), but also the social evolution of who will be the users. The projects presented by Atelier Archmixing demonstrate how it is possible to make the design and structure versatile so as to allow and provide multifunctionality and flexibility to users.
The projects showed by Hua Xiahong were very interesting to understand how architects can find their way to design good spaces for people in different realities. For instance, the Chinese cities are a challenging scenario, due to the history of their urbanization and the overpopulation, which sometimes don’t give enough space to build something new. In this context, I found Archmixing’s projects of renovation very captivating, especially for the way they could find new spaces for people with sometimes very few shrewdness.
The architect Hua Xiahong presents in her lecture the Chinese studio Archmixing. The studio bases its work not only on architectural design, but urbanism and research, studying the role of architecture in consumer culture society. From changing the workplace each year, the architects propose an interesting debate on how the built environment can affect the way of thinking and the development of the design concept. Hua Xiahong also brings up the constant increase in demand for space in the city and how this can lead to various ways of using space with complex solutions, resulting in a chaotic but dynamic environment. Those characteristics serve as an inspiration for the architects to create and solve new designs.
Hua xiahong’s lecture was very impressive, informative and interesting, and the topic of the lecture was about what architects can do under different conditions. In the lecture kind of introduced and many projects from China, which she designed. For example, the urban renewal of shanty towns, schools, etc. It showed how the designer can be involved in the design and enhance the quality of architecture in different contexts. There were also some digital works presented, so I thought the lecture was very practical and helpful to understand the development of China and the multiculturalism of the world.
Hua Xiahong’s lecture highlighted the need for architects to adapt to constant change. Architecture is all about change, and its future depends on embracing change. The presentation pointed out Atelier Archmixing’s office life, which include designing buildings, studying urban areas, conducting experiments with spaces etc. The case studies from the office were very interesting. They worked on transformation of the built environment. For me the most interesting one was the one that merged an urban design project above a parking lot and the school next to it with the design solution of cantilevered new blocks.
This week’s lecture by Hua Xiahong gave us some insight as to how “change is common sense” in architecture. Illustrating some examples in the context lof the rapid urbanization that’s taking place in China, the lecturer elaborated how the human space can take form and change through usage and how the process of design reflects on experiment in order to obtain concrete results. Rethinking change as a concept of common sense can help architects to essentially survive in an everchanging world.
Hua Xiahong’s lecture focused on the work of atelier Archmixing and the importance of change in architecture, particularly in the context of China’s rapid urbanization. She emphasized the role of design in providing access to space as a human right. The lecture highlighted Archmixing’s design strategies, which prioritize understanding the essence of space and adapting it to the needs of the local population. The projects showcased innovative materials, compositions, and technologies, with a focus on social interaction. Hua Xiahong emphasized the need for architects to possess survival skills and the ability to reinvent themselves to meet the evolving needs of Chinese society. The lecture also addressed the challenges of rapid urbanization and population growth in China, emphasizing the importance of creative solutions, efficient resource utilization, and sustainability in architectural design.
The lecture with guest speaker Hua Xiaohong was really interesting. We were shown several of his projects. The one I found really special was the project with the facade that lights up at night, where the material has some importance. A good architect can also be recognized in the attention to detail, and with this project he exemplifies that. In conclusion, the study showed how it is possible that with just a few actions you can achieve a great project
The lecture was very fascinating. Hua Xiahong showed us some projects related with atelier Archmixing, the name meaning is melting and transformation with a contemparary architecture in consumer culture. Their ideal is researching the urban situation and understanding the facility of the building. She also introduced the current situation in China. The issue of rapid urbanization and the growing population in China it’s the most difficult challenge that architects have to face. Another issue is the limited space available, it’s essential using creative solutions.
Hua Xiahong’s lecture was very interesting. Different projects were shown during the lecture, within a country facing rapid urbanization, namely China. Xiahong and her husband, together with some friends of theirs, are founders of Archmixing studio, who had the crazy idea of “office on the move, that is, having a different studio every year, with the purpose of doing urban research. I found the project “Renovation of Baoshan Beibeijia Olion Kindergarten,” the renovation of an office building into a kindergarten, interesting.They created two types of systems, playing on the heights by going to different levels to create different levels that allow for windows to make the classroom brighter.
The lecture was intriguing in that it showed the importance of adopting an agile mindset to design, embracing change and the opportunity arising from it. This dynamic mindset is especially crucial in my opinion when approaching practice today given the unique challenges faced by the field. Through Archmixing’s work, some light was shed on one manifestation of this change, being the rapid social and urban development in China. Such a large challenge provides an opportunity for the architect to redefine themselves and their role, and some of the projects exhibited clearly articulated this notion. The office building project in particular, in my opinion showed how design and society can mutually interact and influence each other, and I think it is in embracing and working with this mutual relationship that the field can grow and move forward.
I found Hua Xiahong’s lecture very interesting, especially the technological innovations and attention to detail in projects like the physical store and elevated park. It made me reflect on how small changes in the facade can affect the perception and use of spaces. I admire Asian architectural projects for their ability to incorporate cultural elements in a modern and recognizable way, which is often missing in Western architecture. It highlights the importance of paying attention to site history, traditions, and details to give architecture its true essence.