The following article is from archrace, author of the Creative Project
Introduction: In this issue of the creative project, kong Xiaoya, a post-90s female architect, combined her own design experience, analyzed the new cross-border development model derived from architecture guided by artistic and aesthetic interests, advocated the diversified development of young architects who can explore practice; shared the current indoor project creation method of limited buildings and the project control system on materials, construction, etc., and told about women's entrepreneurship, understanding of the design market, and some experiences in solving different problems of projects.
"Fire Seekers: Cross-border Exploration of Post-90s Female Architects" Live Recording
The following are the main contents of the shared transcript:
©Hello to XX Architecture, I am Kong Xiaoya, partner of Xiang Limited Architecture. The main business direction of our company is boutique architectural design, indoor high-end private residences, clubhouses, office design, etc.
Practical experience ©XX Architecture University just graduated from the construction industry downturn, when the daily work content is to make plans, cut models, do models, a large number of bids... This state lasted for several years, when more public cultural projects were done.
©In the second half of XX Architecture, I started a business with a few partners, and during this time, we completed many real estate projects. The real estate developers serving are mainly Vanke, Zhongzhou, Huafa, Poly, etc., and many of the projects we see have only been built.
©In 2018 and 19, XX Architecture began to cooperate with Vanke on many urban upgrading and old city transformation projects. We moved from a larger-scale project to a small-and medium-scale project volume. In fact, before 2019, I was an architect who mainly served real estate, and my life model was relatively simple.
Artist and Architect ©XX Architecture I love art, participated in the curation of some art and cultural exhibitions, and has been hosting some art salons and cross-border cultural activities over the years. For me, simply doing high-intensity architectural design work does not satisfy my pursuit of life, art, and my own more delicate preferences.
In fact, I've always had a dream of being an artist. During the college entrance examination, I secretly passed the Beijing Film Academy and passed the examination of choreography and directing. Unfortunately, due to the opposition of my parents, I did not study this major in the end. I didn't consult with them when I filled out the college entrance examination volunteer, and I didn't know that I was admitted to the Department of Architecture until the admission certificate was issued. In the process of working on technical projects, I still have a search for art and aesthetics. Artists express themselves, architects achieve clients.
©XX Architecture Architect's positioning can be said to be a practical artist, who needs to seek a balanced state in technology, humanities, and art. However, the real construction work after the work is a very rational state of problem-oriented, balancing the relationship between the government, developers, investors, users, etc. Under normal circumstances, commercial building projects are very large and have many participants, so it is difficult for architects to have individual aesthetic emotional expressions.
When we went to college, ©we admired and indulged in the works and theories of masters like Louise Con and Le corbusier, which was a state of spiritual orientation. After going through several different types of architectural design firms, I still haven't found a state of inner contentment.
©In the past few years, in addition to my own work, I will participate in some performance art activities. At that time, Hubeigu Village was about to be demolished, and we had a group of architects, planners, artists, financiers, etc. together to do a performance art event to give voice to Hubeigu Village. Architects seem to have a natural sense of mission for the city and the continuation of culture.
The architect of ©XX Architecture was more or less influenced by Corbusier, a man who balanced function and ideals. He once said that I am first and foremost an artist, not just an architect. Le Corbusier was a very talented designer and artistic person, very well-rounded. In addition to architecture, he also engaged in sculpture, painting and, of course, art. Therefore, he believes that there is no pure sculptor in the world, no pure painter, no pure architect, and these three states are intertwined. And my working state in the early construction company, it was difficult to achieve this balance of liquidity.
©In about 2016, I was working on residential architecture design in Leung Wong Ku, Hong Kong. The system sorted out the architectural style, creative methods and apartment type library of the company's residential buildings. I became interested in the design of residential types.
©Since 2015, I have basically gone abroad two or three times a year and seen a lot of residential buildings. During this period, my focus shifted from the façade of residential buildings to the interior system. The house was built by LouisCon in 1961, half a century later is still very contemporary, the architecture and interior are very comfortable and unified. During this period, I also developed a great interest in the indoor space.
Changes in ©Interior Design Cognition XX Architecture China's interior design industry 1.0 era focuses on the level of decoration, decoration and decoration. In the era of 2.0, many visual styles have been derived, such as Chinese, French, American, light luxury and so on. Entering the 3.0 era, after experiencing the long-term home environment of the epidemic, people's demand for housing is more to pursue a balanced relationship between people and nature, people and architecture and interior, and people and people, and pursue a comfortable quality of life. It is gradually moving away from the state of a single pursuit of form or for a certain style.
Luxury housing development stage ©XX Architecture luxury house development also has a certain stage. In the early days, people pursued large, low-density, and resource dependence; evolved into the accumulation of materials and forms; and pursued the cognition of identity and circle layer in the 3.0 period. I think that in the next 10 years, whether it is architecture or interior design, it will present a state of returning to nature, a pursuit and enjoyment of art.
Luxury residential hardware standard ©XX Architecture Many residential users in the future first-tier cities are well-educated abroad, and their understanding of residences and space has undergone tremendous changes. Not only does it stay on the design materials, but it is also a broad pursuit of humanities, space, supporting facilities, circles and other aspects.
One floor original floor plan ©XX Architecture This residence was commissioned in early 2019, and the owner found many design companies to do the space layout, but they were not satisfied. This is the floor plan that one of the design companies did for the owner, without taking into account the functional circulation and the space is very scattered. For example, this 400-square-meter one-level space, it divides the space into three sets of small apartments, the whole space has no mobility, it is very uncomfortable to see. At that time, a large number of indoor markets or decoration industries may be due to the decoration materials or construction of a particular, few people to think from the space, function, streamline itself and even people's lifestyle to think.
One floor remodeling floor plan ©XX Architecture
We re-planned the plane and sorted out the rhythm of the presentation. The spaces are stretched and relaxed, and a clear axis connects them in series. This in turn includes the reconstruction and interpretation of life.
Two-storey renovation floor plan ©XX Architecture
This is a suite on the second floor, and the original floor plan is crammed with several suites, which is very crowded. We released the space, refined its function, and arranged the space reasonably. At the same time, we combined the lifestyle of the luxury house occupants and re-interpreted the function. We have found that many successful entrepreneurs pay great attention to feng shui when doing interior decoration. At that time, we also referred to feng shui, such as the layout of the bedroom and the alignment of the garden. By designing residential interior spaces, we have been exposed to some information that is closer to life and broader.
Three-story renovation floor plan ©XX Architecture This is a floor layout on the third floor, this floor is used by male and female owners, and the core is its living space. At the same time as the dynamic and static partitioning, we opened up the whole space, and there was a sense of ritual that progressed layer by layer.
Negative floor renovation floor plan ©XX Architecture Because the owners like art, they have made a supporting area for leisure and entertainment on this negative floor. There is both a studio area for internal use and a functional area for outgoing entertainment videos. The sunken lounge is the central axis of the space, backed by a red bar counter and cigar area. Some sports equipment was placed facing the pool courtyard.
Attitude to ©life XX Architecture
We are accustomed to doing large spaces, after the transformation to do indoors, we will not pile up materials like the tradition, we prefer to convey a comfortable and natural and comfortable attitude to life. At the same time, we also hope to integrate the contemporary with the traditional and spread the contemporary oriental art forms.
Retrofit renderings ©XX Architecture
Renovation renderings ©XX Architecture This is the drawing of the set of cases just shared. This owner is a tasteful post-70s industrialist who loves the oriental elements. So we refine this concept, and the overall space presents a sense of elegance. Instead of using luxurious materials to pile up space, we use them as a finishing touch, incorporating them into furniture and object designs, occasionally embellishing them.
Furniture Artwork ©XX Architecture I often pay attention to some imported furniture artworks when I do architecture, and I often want to integrate these crafts into the project. I was very satisfied with this kind of residential design work, and really achieved a high degree of unity between work and preferences.
Stone base selection XX ©Architecture
Through years of accumulation, we have established our own design, material and construction system. For the sake of the project, we often go to the raw material distribution center to purchase, but also learned a lot of extreme technology, and learned more good products. For me personally, it was satisfying.
Material sharing session ©XX Architecture
After the establishment of the studio, we will regularly hold some materials and construction materials to share. One is that I think designers should be endless in their learning of materials, and they must maintain this state of learning. Another reason is that doing interior is not like doing architecture, his materials change quickly, and since we have all transformed into indoors, we must do things to the extreme.
Material Sharing Session XX ©Architecture has a big difference in how it works indoors and does architecture. When doing architecture, because the division of labor is very fine, for example, you only need to do some concept plans in the early stage, there are special designers to do the façade, and other people draw construction drawings. Everyone has something to be good at, and there is no need to connect with Party A in every link. However, after doing indoors, because most customers do not have experience in landing and material selection, you may have to go down the road of contract foreman. In addition to design, you also have to select materials and do the landing of the whole case. This is not the same as the design state I originally envisioned, I used to think that I could complete a set of projects in three months, complete the preliminary plan to end the work, and then found that the tedious work in the later stage was the real beginning.
Internal instruction manual ©XX Architecture
Now we have a complete set of landing manuals in-house to guide each project. Basically, our projects are all done in the form of all-inclusive, in addition to design, we also need to control the material and the overall landing.
XX Architecture George Armani ©said that elegance is not noticeable, but remembered. In addition to solving some basic functional problems of customers, I hope to express some of my understanding of life, for art, and for the entire product design chain in the project. So I actually have some persistent attitude in the design process, and I hope that I will uphold the state of internal and external unity in both work and life.
Working status ©XX Architecture
When I first started my business, I did some of Vanke's old city renovation projects, and I had a lot of feelings for the old houses in these urban villages. Our real state of work revolves not only around the design of the mansion, but also on the solution of practical problems, followed by the formation of style. We now want to do more work to deliver value. At present, we have done a lot of residential projects and renovation projects in urban villages. It is a bit like a dream home, not oriented to luxury or exquisite residences, but focusing on the solution of real-world problems, such as water leakage in old houses, lighting problems, etc., which is relatively more interesting.
Site demolition after ©XX Architecture
For example, this old house in Luohu should be decades old, the site is very bad, and the structure is also problematic.
Old house renovation renderings ©XX Architecture This is our renovation renderings. It's a family of six, three generations in the same house. The overall space is relatively narrow and long, and there is no light on both sides. In addition to solving the problems of the structure and lighting left over from the old house, we try to make the space transparent and open, so that each space has its own personality and everyone feels comfortable.
Le Corbusier ©XX Architecture today is not so much a sharing, but more of a communication between me as a young architect who crosses borders. Everyone has their own life trajectory, and everyone's development model is diverse. In fact, many people's current state of life has not met their expectations, including myself in the original construction work category has not reached the state they want. When I'm in a certain predicament, I try to get out of the state. Practice, explore more possibilities, and create more opportunities for yourself. My current state of development is actually my spiritual orientation. Who says architects can't do anything else? As long as you want to do it, have your own persistence, and practice it in a certain field in a down-to-earth manner, you will eventually reach a state you want. And will continue to improve, continue to realize some of their own ideas. That's about it for today's sharing, thank you.
Co-ordination - Pottery
Copywriter │ Anna Guo
Image│Kong Chencheng
Edited by Anna Guo
This article is published by archrace authorized by XX Architecture and is not allowed to be reproduced without authorization.
The Creative Project is an academic exchange event co-organized by archrace and Particle PlasparticPlus, which invites different architects to share each event, aiming to provide an active and open communication platform. We look forward to more practitioners joining the exchange and exploring more possibilities for today's architecture.
Kong Xiaoya
Kong Xiaoya, partner of Shenzhen Xiangjian Architectural Design Co., Ltd., representative of emerging architects after the 90s
He has worked at Wong Gu Architectural Design in Hong Kong, Architectural Design Institute of Tsinghua University, and X-Urban.
Xianggui Architecture is a professional design team composed of excellent architects and interior designers, providing overall professional design services that span architecture, interior and furnishing art, focusing on boutique architecture, hotel clubs, office space, real estate projects, high-end residences and other design fields. Based on architecture, Xianggui Architecture uses delicate design language and innovative techniques to answer the personalized customization needs of architectural space, and conveys the contemporary quality space spirit with emotional precipitation and humanistic care.