Cui Kai: Architecture is a Social Responsibility

As a leading figure in the Chinese architectural circle, Cui Kai‘s career life is regarded as an example and benchmark for many young architects to learn from. As one of the first beneficiaries of the restoration of the national college entrance examination after the Cultural Revolution, he graduated with a master’s degree and started to work in a design institute in 1984. In 1997 when he was 40, he was promoted to the Chief Architect of China Architecture Design & Research Group. And, for quite a long period of time, he remained the youngest master engineering designer in China. In 2011, he became an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. His success lies in the many excellent architectural works created with his unremitting efforts, as well as in his down-to-earth attitude and extraordinary perseverance over the past 30 years.Moderation doesn’t mean compromise The personality, environment and personal experiences have always had significant influence on an architect’s creations. The same is true with Cui Kai. He once summarized his architectural views into five sentences, one of which he specially mentions: “To me, architecture is communication: Managers, investors, constructers and users get together and collaborate on the basis of common ground and mutual encouragement.” He believes that the process of architectural creation not only includes aesthetics and culture, it also means communication, a mission and a journey. In his creation process, he always takes all exterior factors into consideration, including the owner’s proposals, investment scale and construction technology, etc., and then adjusts his design scheme accordingly. This down-to-earth attitude greatly differs from those of the emerging architects who clearly place emphasis on individualized designs and cause some of his friends in the industry to kindly remonstrate that his design is too modest and lacks sharpness. However, Cui Kai doesn’t agree with this point of view. Moderation doesn’t mean compromise, and inclusiveness is not equivalent to surrender either. In his opinion, architecture is a socially systematic project but not a personal creation. “In this process, everyone, including decision-makers, investors, constructors and users, realizes part of his or her personal values, so possibilities are created for architecture. It would be too artistic a judgment to say that everyone else should obey someone as he is the only one that can design the building. Architects should listen to and cooperate with others.” “I like it even more to blend in with others and work happily with them, without any quarrelling. Speaking of solving problems, I’d rather adopt better views from others and integrate them into my own. This is a win-win approach. Though some others may regard it as neutralism or opportunism, this is my life attitude. As the world itself is complicated and diversified, there’s no absolute right and wrong in design.” In history, some accomplished architects designed and completed many architectural classics in their life, but some others had only several unfinished architectural schemes. Though it is not a critical criterion to evaluate whether an architect is successful or not by seeing whether he realizes his architectural creations, Cui Kai personally would like to choose to be the former. “It is very fulfilling to go to construction sites and see the buildings grow bit by bit.” Cui Kai is a relatively productive architect who has created many high-profile projects including Beijing Fengzeyuan Hotel, Beijing FLTRP Building, Beijing Desheng Up-town, Number 3 Villa at the Water Fortress of the Great Wall, New Building of the Capital Museum, Beijing Xishan Cultural Creative Base, Chongqing Guotai Arts Center and more. Attracted by his reputation, many clients are streaming to him, stuffing his studio with more than 20 projects in a year, but Cui Kai takes each task as a pleasant enjoyment. “In my nearly 30 year career, memories of architecture are gradually accumulated and enriched. It is hard to say which building is the best. I’ve designed many seemingly influential buildings, but I do think those smaller ones, which are not landmarks, are of equal importance. As a matter of fact, I have feelings for each of them.” He specially mentioned the cafeteria that Cui Kai Studio designed for Houcheng Elementary School in Chicheng County of Hebei Province, which was free of charge. It is a primitive small cafeteria. With limited funds, the design was forced to focus on economical construction and reasonable application and adopt local construction practices and building materials. The façade of the building features small-sized bare concrete blocks, the roof uses the old tiles removed from old local buildings, and the insulation mainly employs soil-straw bricks. “It was not a beautiful structure even when it was completed, but we, along with the teachers and students, remembered each other. These segments are very important in my memory.” Localized design is a my standpoint Since the introduction of modern architectural theory into China, generations of architects have tried to explore the combination of Chinese culture with modern design, in the aim of promoting the revitalization of Chinese architectural design theory. Today, under the influence of globalization, the emerging urbanization of China has shown problems of great similarity and blind worship of foreign experience, making the exploration remain a theory as well as a serious problem that needs an urgent solution. However, Cui Kai thinks outside the box and brings forward his own localized design ideas after sorting out the concepts of regionalization and localization. “Generally speaking, architecture is a regionalized carrier that expresses local culture and natural environment. The difference between regionalization and localization is that one describes the final effect and the other describes the standpoint of the designer. Localized design is not about where you do the design, but where your building is located. Your design must be based upon the local environment, culture and resources.” What makes Cui Kai disappointed is that, in today’s urban environment, many architectural designs don’t take this factor into consideration. Though many young architects know about the basic concept of localization, they lack the experience of interpreting local culture and urban environment. “To me, how to do a design based on local resources and local standpoint is almost a question of principle and even an architectural theory. The essence is whether you love the land and culture or not. I firmly deny economy-oriented practices that should be criticized under all circumstances.”