๐๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ & ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ก๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
โMigration,โ Ma said, โis about leaving to seek a better lifeโand creating a new home. Architecture should reflect that movement and humanity.โ
Exploring Ma Yansongโs Architectural Vision โ Exhibition at the New Institute
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Later that afternoon, we visited the New Instituteโs special exhibition on renowned Chinese architect Ma Yansong. The exhibition showcased Maโs major projects from his early days after graduating from Yale University to his internationally acclaimed works in recent years. His philosophy of blending natural landscapes with architectural form, under the concept of โShanshui City,โ has earned him a prominent place in global architecture.
The exhibition highlighted several signature projects that exemplify Maโs unique vision and poetic use of free-flowing lines, deeply inspired by Chinese landscape painting. These included:
Chaoyang Park Plaza (Beijing):
Inspired by natural mountain formations, breaking the rigidity of traditional urban skylines.Lecheng Courtyard Kindergarten (Beijing):
Based on the traditional courtyard design, the structure balances safety and openness, creating a nurturing space for exploration and learning.Cloudscape of Haikou (Library):
A sculptural public building resembling a sea-eroded cave, allowing for dynamic light and airflow.Jiaxing Train Station:
Chinaโs first “forest station” that merges architecture with nature using a sunken layout and green public space integration.
Ma Yansong in Conversation โ Between Vision and Reality
Following the exhibition, we had the privilege of attending Ma Yansongโs talk. With humor and sincerity, he shared his personal journeyโfrom studying at Yale to returning to China during the lead-up to the 2008 Olympics. At the time, most high-profile projects were awarded to foreign architects, and as a young, unknown Chinese designer, he struggled to find opportunities. Those early years were marked by hardship.
His breakthrough came with the โMarilyn Monroe Towersโ in Canadaโan iconic project that propelled him to global recognition and brought a Chinese voice to the international architectural stage.
Ma also spoke about his design for the โTornadoโ staircase in the FENIX Museum. Before beginning the project, he held conversations with descendants of early Chinese immigrants in Rotterdam. Their stories of leaving home, facing uncertainty, and building new lives in a foreign land inspired him deeply. โMigration is essentially about movementโabout leaving one place to seek a better future and create a new home,โ he said. That idea of โmoveโ became the emotional and conceptual core of the Tornado staircase design.
For Ma, architecture is not merely about formโitโs a response to people, nature, and culture. He envisions homes that are not monotonous, but filled with emotion and humanityโspaces that carry a soul.
This visit not only gave us a deeper understanding of migration stories, but also allowed us to witness how architecture becomes a medium for cultural growth and dialogue. As the Netherlands-China Association continues to promote exchanges in culture, art, and business, we are reminded that true connection is built through shared stories, mutual inspiration, and a vision for a more inclusive and interconnected world.
