Overarching Narrative

Contemporary Chinese architecture can be described as rootless and organic. The first refers to the current practice in relation to traditional theories and form, as well as imported 'international styles'. Historical references are generally regarded as trivial idioms and the iconic kitsch, while foreign forms are uncritically adopted. The conspicuous consumption of foreign forms can be understood as a way to counter the violence of the psychology of the 'Not Yet', generated from decades of war in the early 20th century. The thesis reflects upon the situation by creating an architecture where the end users influence its formal appearance.

The organic nature of contemporary architecture refers to the capacity in its temporal and informal use. Drawing clues from surrounding street activities, the thesis encourages interaction among different demographics by formalizing the informal. Maximum public access and spatial continuity among inter-dependent programs are achieved through re-organizing the programmatic elements of a theatre, museum, and transportation hub. The static elements take form as petals of Möbius strips, where the fluid elements are seeded along the public scaffold with transformative pockets. The pocket spaces provide temporary use as workshops, markets, or furniture. The result is a time-based and event-driven social scaffold.