HENN celebrates the opening of new Shanghai studio
To mark 20 years of HENN in China, clients, architectural professionals, and media came together to celebrate the opening of the new Shanghai studio on 16 May.
Moderated by Christina Yao (Editor Dezeen China), Martin Henn (Managing Director and Design Principal at HENN) engaged in dialogue with Prof. Xing RUAN (Dean of the School of Design at Shanghai Jiao Tong University) on the topic of “Bridging Cultural Divides - Chinese and Western References in Architectural Design”.
In his talk, Martin Henn spoke on HENN’s integration of local culture and tradition in its design approach, using project examples to emphasize the relevance of individual contexts in devising site-specific architectural solutions.
Using the recently opened Westlake University as an example, Martin Henn explained how the urban design of the campus is composed of a series of concentric rings that situate the campus both physically and conceptually: the Academic Core, the Water Loop and the Living Loop. Like rungs on a wheel, twelve bridges connect the campus with the green Living Loop, which houses residential buildings for students and teaching staff.
Additionally, Martin Henn mentioned the current construction of the Haikou Tower. With a height of 428 meters, the project will be the highest tower on the island of Hainan upon completion. Its form, plan and landscaping take inspiration from the lotus flower, a symbol of Buddhism, which holds significant cultural and spiritual importance for the locals.
Prof. Ruan delivered a presentation entitled “Mutual Feelings: Architectural Notes on Common Ground and Nuanced Difference.” As the curator for the China Pavilion at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, he designed the pavilion with the concept of "scrolls", encouraging visitors to "read" each exhibit closely through "viewing", "unfolding", "contemplating", and "strolling." He also discussed his renovation of the School of Design building at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which features traditional Chinese courtyard forms. He highlighted the commonalities between these forms and the atrium concept in Western architecture.
An exhibition of physical models from a selection of HENN’s most iconic projects in China formed a captivating backdrop to the event, with displays of projects such as the Westlake University, the Sino-French Aviation University in Hangzhou and Science City in Guangzhou.
