Similarity and complementarity, tacit understanding and difference, appreciation and criticism, the ideal relationship seems to be running to a harmonious symbiosis in such a game. On the eve of Valentine's Day, we invite three pairs of partners who have been working together for many years: well-known architects Guo Xi'en and Hu Rushan, Olympic celebrities Xue Chen and Zhang Lin, musician Li Daixuan and artist Li Shurui to share their way along the way.
Guo Xi'en & Hu Rushan:
Partners, confidants and couples
It is difficult to define the relationship between Guo Xi'en and Hu Rushan alone — they were alumni, partners, old friends who had been together for many years, and husband and wife who knew each other. The two naturally switch between different roles, precipitating emotions with time and casting trust by getting along.
square and circle,
Such as the construction buildings that Guo Xi'en and Hu Rushan deal with every day;
Line and surface, in the abstract yin and yang technique to show the companion's interdependence.
What kind of opportunities or moments make you feel that the other person is your ideal partner?
Rossana's first year at UC Berkeley was Lyndon's last year at school, so we had a year-long overlap. After Rossana graduated from Princeton University, we worked together at Michael Graves for a few years, but never on the same team. Later we came to Shanghai, worked together, and decided in 2004 to start our own company. There is no complicated reason behind it. We seem to know that one day we will work together, and everything is natural.
We had similar backgrounds. Unlike our grandparents, we were born in different parts of the world, left our hometown from an early age, went to the West to study, learned English, and finally returned to Asia to start our architectural design practice. Our backgrounds are like a mixture of many different things. The experience of studying and working abroad laid the foundation for our architectural thinking and design process. Design elements unlike chemistry have fixed combinatorial formulas and then create a result. Design is a more artistic, undefinable process. Everything we experience becomes a source of inspiration for our work.
Since the establishment of the Ruen Design Research Laboratory in 2004, looking back at the beginning of the hand and along the way, what kind of changes have occurred in the way you get along?
Couple teams are present in many architectural firms. Perhaps out of work need, we can only stay married if we work together. In any case, it's fun to work together and share your life. So even when we travel, we look to observe things related to work. It's an ongoing conversation about design, and work-life is inextricably linked. Looking back at the beginning to the present, we have never "defined" our roles. But 18 years later, our characters naturally "precipitate" to what they are today. It doesn't have to be written out, and colleagues know how to get along with us.
Can you share with us what the specific division of labor between the two of you, from the Ruen Design Research Studio to the Design Republic, to the different projects of all sizes during this period?
We are always a team. Of course, when we start a project, there will be more or less external forces exerting influence. But overall, most things are open and shared. Our division of labor is flexible based on time, implementability, and interests. We have our own strengths to make up for each other's shortcomings. Lyndon is good at coming up with the overall concept of the project and is good at painting. Rossana is better at perfecting and moving projects forward, and at expressing ideas through words. Our aesthetics are similar and we have the same philosophy aspirations for projects.
Compared with other areas of design and creativity, the number of couples working together in the architectural world is particularly prominent, in this industry where rationality and sensibility go hand in hand, can "male and female matching" bring a surprising balance?
We are in a field where there are many well-known "couples" who are both partners in life and partners at work. The list is long. If we analyze the way designers work, it is not difficult to understand the advantages of "husband and wife files". Architects need to spend a lot of time at work, so it's natural for couples to work together, so we'll have more time together. When two partners who share the same vision and trust each other, but are able to create from different perspectives work together, their designs become better.
As partners, as leaders in the same field, as partners, as old friends who know each other; do the two have different ways of coping with different identities and relationships?
Because we deal on different levels (work, life), one of the most important things in our relationship is role play. Work requires professionalism, so we try not to bring too many personal problems into the work. We have different companies that represent different positions, depending on which meetings we are in, or what problems we are trying to solve, in which case we also need to role-play. For example, when Design Republic required Ruen's involvement in designing the space, Rossana played the role of Design Republic executive, and Lyndon proposed the design as a Partner of Ruen. We've found that this way of working is the best way to move things forward, not only efficiently, but also with good results. By clarifying their respective roles, colleagues in the company also know how to work with us. At the family and personal level, we are very free. We don't need to set up rules and regulations like, "Oh we can't talk about work when we're at home." We let nature take its course and let anything go freely into the personal world. It would be tiring to set limits at every level of detail.
In the long-term relationship, what inspiration have you learned from each other, and what has been affected?
We have lived and worked together for so long, and there are many things in life that need to rely on each other, and they will inevitably have a profound impact on each other. For Rossana, it's about learning how to improve her own shortcomings by looking at the strengths of Lyndon. "Lyndon has a lot of things I'm not good at, like his social skills, his innate leadership, his great business acumen and decision-making, and his strong belief in his faith, which are great qualities that I need to work on to have."
What are the common interests of the two?
Lyndon: I love to draw, I studied painting long before architecture and I've always had a passion for it. I also like to read and cook. All three of these hobbies can temporarily take me out of work.
Rossana: I love music, reading and writing. We love to travel together and see and appreciate art and architecture from all over the world. We love to experience different cultures, live in different cities, experience different lives.
Can two ask each other a question and answer each other's questions?
Rossana: When the world reopens and people are able to travel freely again, where will your first destination be?
Lyndon: Visit my parents, wherever they are. I also want to go to a remote beach in Southeast Asia to rest for a while. If you had only one day left in your life, what would you say to your family?
Rossana: I hope they will always remember that love carries everything.
Xue Chen & Zhang Lin:
Share with each other and grow together
At the end of 2021, the Chinese sports world ushered in a pair of famous players who married each other - Xue Chen, who has been fighting in the beach volleyball arena for many years, and Zhang Lin, who made history in the pool, came together after five years of knowing and falling in love. They turned the patience and mutual understanding they honed in their sports careers into ways to get along and start a new journey in life together.
The ringed hands are like splashes of water,
As the swimming star Zhang Lin has been like a day for many years,
Bring companionship and support to Xue Chen, who has experienced the ups and downs of the arena.
Xue Chen: For me, this is natural. We are very comfortable with each other, he will remember what I say, always give me small surprises, and I can feel his changes. In short, we are moving closer to each other, which is the ideal state.
Zhang Lin: We are all athletes and have common topics with each other. She has stricter plans for herself, such as diet and study, which will also prompt me to keep improving!
Along the way, how has your relationship with you changed?
Xue Chen: Most of the time it is still the same, he is still my driver Xiao Zhang, who will take me to where I want to go. But because I came back and always participated in training outside, I belonged to the state of gathering less and leaving more, and most of them relied on WeChat videos to communicate. When he had time, he would fly to the training ground and the arena to see me. I think the process of getting along is also a process of mutual understanding, and we must communicate more. Maybe it's the experience of an athlete, my words and expressions are very direct, but maybe the other party can't accept it when they are in a bad mood. But the deeper you understand, the more quickly you can detect changes in the other person's emotions, and then slowly find a way to help the other party buffer emotions.
Zhang Lin: In fact, the most important thing is the transformation of our roles, before it was a couple, now it is a couple, this transformation is huge, and it must be learned in life.
Athletes who have also gone to the top and experienced ups and downs, similar experiences have created a unique way to better accompany each other?
Xue Chen: As athletes, they will understand each other better. We often talk about our previous experiences, glories and valleys, and also compare the differences between individual sports and group sports players in dealing with problems, on the one hand, to understand each other's projects, on the other hand, to deepen the understanding of sports. Many times when it comes to pre-match preparation, or which mistake, the other party can quickly understand, and the opening is "this is normal, we have also encountered it". Anyway, it is not limited to a kind of thinking and thinking about problems, even if it is sharing, it is also a common growth.
Zhang Lin: In fact, there is nothing unique, because when we were athletes, we were all excellent, and after retiring, we had to quickly enter the family role and grow together, which allowed each other to continue to be excellent in the next few days.
What inspired and influenced you got from each other?
Xue Chen: Our sports are different, the way of playing is also different, and compared with the ever-changing nature of ball, swimming/long-distance running seems single and boring. Day after day of high-intensity swimming training was painful in my opinion, and he also felt that it was difficult for me to stick to it when I was exposed to the sun. But in reality, our love of sports doesn't make us feel miserable and enjoy it. Sometimes when I encounter a problem, I will think that I can still swim ten thousand meters of pain, no, no, no, I can stand it.
Zhang Lin: From maturity to growth, I have a deeper understanding of the essence of everything.
A long period of heavy training will inevitably lead to less and more, so after marriage, how do you maintain a balance between family and career?
Xue Chen: Mutual understanding, mutual support, mutual tolerance, and consideration of things must start with "we", not just "me". This is relatively new to me, and I think about it a little more carefully when making decisions. I like the word balance very much, including win-win, but it is not easy to get to this state, and we are also learning while exploring.
Zhang Lin: Common growth, success and achievement require us both to work together. Life, marriage, career, these are the things we have to face and experience, how to better experience, we need common planning and goals, so that we are all hopeful.
In your spare time, what are your common interests?
Xue Chen: There are not too many common interests and hobbies, "home" is one of them, but the way of the house is different, he is basically reading, writing, playing games, I am various, reading, learning English, watching movies, researching recipes, fitness, etc. I also took him to learn tea tasting. Now there is another common hobby: playing mahjong, basically every Sunday afternoon, we will form a friendship first mahjong game with friends, winning or losing is not important, just have fun together.
As the Beijing Winter Olympics are underway, what would you like to say to the movements that are trying to prepare for the war? What experiences can I share with them?
Xue Chen: This Winter Olympics is a bit like the 2008 Summer Olympics, they are all played at their own doorstep, which is a good opportunity to meet in a century. Everyone wants to show the best side to the people of the motherland, you can imagine that they are now eager to use one day as two days, the experience I can give is that as a host, the strengths and weaknesses coexist, to convert the support of the audience into energy rather than pressure; pay more attention to the process, no matter what the state, standing on the field, you are ready!
Zhang Lin: The Winter Olympics can be held at the doorstep of the family can be said to be a once-in-a-century opportunity, and what I want to say is: Come on! You can do it! When I participated in the Beijing Olympics, I was really excited, and I still reminisce about it. There is also hope that they have a calm mentality, the most important thing in the competition is the state of mind, and stable play is the key to winning good results. Wishing our athletes, come on!
Lee & Lee Shu-rui:
Co-birth and new birth
Li Dairui and Li Shurui were born on the same day in the same month of the same year, and the latitudes of their respective music and painting will also intersect and overlap, and be harmonious and different. Their life in Dali maintains the unique rhythm of small town life and never stops talking to the outside world.
The elements of the piano refer to the identity of Li Dai's musician,
Its melodious music shows the leisurely ease with which he and Li Shurui moved to Dali.
This time Li Dairui's new album, Li Shurui also participated in the cover and content creation, what is the story behind this cooperation?
Li Shurui: He just thinks it's convenient to use me. This time the film was in our daily life, and when we came back from shopping for vegetables, we finished it in the afternoon. The illustrations on the album are some selected from the son's usual accumulation, and some are specially drawn according to the lyrics. Over the past few years, Uzumaki has also been in charge of the music part of my video works, because it is also the most convenient to catch him to come and score the music.
Lee: We are a family, we don't need to discuss who washes the dishes today, or how to collaborate, why not create together? My orchestra has been established for a long time, and the orchestra also exists for the sake of "home", hoping that our children can play music in a suitable environment and communicate with others with music. Strictly speaking, there is no music for children, music is open to anyone, it is a market label or a propaganda strategy. Or rather, any music with lyrics is children's music, because it relies on language to convey emotions. Many elements of music are created by my son in the process of taking care of my son, and I will grab them as musical elements. But when creating an orchestra, I will still edit the framework structure according to inspiration, and other creations are the same, solving problems with the logic of working methods. Of course, children are an important element in this.
What inspiration do you get from each other in your relationship?
Li Shurui: We were born on the same day in the same month of the same year, many times it is like looking in the mirror, the time difference is a few hours older than him, but it is really amazing, two Taurus, many things may be the same probability of making choices, saving a lot of communication.
And our aesthetic essence is also very close, such as I am visual, he is music, can provide each other with a lot of other texture form reference. In terms of personality, he is more patient and peaceful than me, and this year I am pregnant, he will let me go more.
Lee: We both have a lot of the same essence, both have tempers, and she may be a little more grumpy than me. We see that the world is uneven and will also be angry or nagging in the heart, and will also be willing to work hard for an ideal, work and morality are relatively close, and they love to "play", which means to invest in work, there are intersections, and there are also separate directions.
As a creator, will you experience a bottleneck or struggle period of creation, and how to spend it?
Li Shurui: At this stage, I usually spend it on my own.
Lee: I didn't have any difficulties in creating. If there's a difficulty, it's that no one pays attention to some of my work. But my work never stops, and there is inspiration. I have never worried about her creation, at most in the past few years she has begun to have some small obstacles in writing and painting, may encounter large works will faint, she will be spoiled, but the heart is sure, the ability to solve problems. She's there, and I'm sure she'll stand firm, and so will she. We are all pretty much sure of ourselves, and there's nothing to panic about.
Is there anything particularly romantic about that impresses each other?
Lee: Every day is romantic, and all the little details don't need a special story or an exaggeration, they're sweet. We don't play that form, because there is enough performance demand in this industry, so it is not needed at home, if it is a real performance, it is to perform together.
Li Shurui: Both of us belong to people who pay attention to details, and we will not engage in formalism or earth-shattering things. Taurus may be a silent type of moisturizer.
What other interests and hobbies can I share outside of work?
Li Shurui: We were still discussing this matter two days ago, he said that he didn't have time to hobby, he was busy every day, I said that in fact, we both like to eat. It's true that he loves sports. I also like to sing karaoke. Hobbies, there is really no time, like our current middle-aged people, is sometimes on the road or alone outside, can read some books, watch movies and dramas, usually during the day is still quite draining energy, I also like to play emerald stone.
Lee: She also has her singing voice on the album, and I love tai chi and yoga.
What do you want to ask about each other? There is a question that can be asked.
Li Shurui: The only thing I want to ask is why I didn't wake me up this morning, because I missed the breakfast appointment with a friend.
Li Daixuan: How can I answer, I don't know why I forgot, forgetting this matter is not an active act.
Li Shurui: Anyway, we really don't have any kind of soul torture type questions, it's all very daily.
Illustrator: Eric Lee
Editors: Mia Zhang, Juvan Zhu, Lexi Chen
Partial interview: Dylan Xu
Fine Arts: Roland