Architecture, Innovation, and Academic Entrepreneurship in China
By Martijn de Geus
For ChinaNU+, Martijn de Geus, successful architect with numerous awards to his name and Associate Professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, shares how he ended up in China and the personal and professional growth he experienced along the way. He recounts overcoming the “white savior” mindset and embracing a successful fusion of Western and Eastern principles. Driven by a search for inspiration, he developed a deep engagement with China’s academic and professional world, where he found the freedom to bring ideas to life. Read this inspiring story about the journey this Dutch architect began fifteen years ago – one that continues to this day – and the experiences he is eager to share with others.
This year marks fifteen years since I moved to China. When I boarded the plane in August 2010, I could never have predicted how profoundly this decision would shape my professional and personal life. After studying architecture at TU Delft, working for a few years in the Netherlands, and spending a year in Los Angeles, Harvard was originally next on my list. But when a renowned professor told me that the most influential architects weren’t in Cambridge (Boston) but in China, my curiosity was raised.
Living laboratory
Choosing Beijing and Tsinghua University was initially a leap into the unknown. Of course, I was aware of the CCTV Tower under construction, designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, and knew that other international architects had worked on the 2008 Summer Olympics or the Shanghai World Expo. But the university didn’t rank globally, I didn’t speak Chinese, and I’d never been to China before. There was no Tsinghua Wikipedia page, and Chinese architects were virtually unknown in the West. Yet, it turned out to be a bullseye. Not only did the university offer an excellent academic environment, but the city itself radiated optimism and limitless possibilities. What fascinated me from the start was the blend of academic research and practice. In the Netherlands, these worlds are often separate, but here, I had the freedom to connect theoretical research directly to real-world urban development and architectural innovation. It felt like a “living laboratory of the future” – a place where creativity, innovation, and experimentation were the norm.
Stimulating work Environment
The feeling was mutual, and after completing my master’s, Tsinghua asked me to stay. I couldn’t refuse; I began teaching, worked on small local projects, and eventually completed my PhD. Over the years, I progressed through the tenure track to become an associate professor, supervising my own PhD students and shaping my research and teaching programs. Professors here operate with remarkable independence, unbound by rigid departmental structures. Collaboration among colleagues is strong, with collective success prioritized over individual egos. In parallel, my wife and partner Han and I established our own architecture firm. This hybrid model – where academic insights are directly applied in practice – has been one of the greatest advantages of working here.
Limitless opportunities
China has undergone an unprecedented transformation in recent decades. Cities grow at a pace unimaginable in Europe, and academia reflects this dynamism. The country invests heavily in research and development, with universities like Tsinghua playing a key role. There’s a strong drive for innovation, both technological and conceptual, which is increasingly visible on the global stage. Tsinghua now consistently ranks as Asia’s top university, with my faculty also among the world’s best.
While Europe often focuses on perfecting existing systems, China, in my experience, embraces experimentation and radical ideas. This has influenced me not just as an architect but also as a teacher and researcher, giving me the freedom to explore new themes and propose groundbreaking studies.
New perspectives
The geopolitical landscape has shifted over the past fifteen years. In 2010, China was seen primarily as “the world’s factory,” but today, it’s a technological and scientific powerhouse. This affects how the West views China – and vice versa. As a Dutch architect and academic in Beijing, I sometimes find myself in a unique position: both an insider observer and someone still connected to Western ways of thinking.
When I first arrived, I struggled with what might be called the “white savior complex.” I saw issues like air pollution, rapid urbanization, and heritage loss and assumed my Western education and Dutch idealism could help solve them. It didn’t take long to realize how complex these challenges were – and that China develops its own dynamics, logic, and solutions. Over time, I learned that China isn’t a passive recipient of foreign expertise but a confident, self-directed system shaping its own future. It’s a country that learns, absorbs, and innovates in ways the West sometimes underestimates. This realization changed not only my professional approach but also my mindset. Instead of thinking I was bringing knowledge, I began learning how Chinese ways of working, thinking, and building could enrich me.
A successful fusion
This shift led me to delve deeper into traditional Chinese architectural principles under the guidance of my PhD supervisor, Professor Li Xiaodong. I wanted to see if these principles could offer new insights. My research introduced me to the concept of “天人合一” (tiān rén hé yī): harmony between heaven and humanity, which emphasizes the relationship between landscape, buildings, animals, and people rather than the building itself. This was a revelation.
These ideas proved valuable not just academically but also in practice. Around 2018, when invited to compete for a project in the Netherlands, I applied this perspective. I still remember the client’s surprise when I said, “For me, it’s not about the building.” It was a viewpoint they’d never heard from an architect. Ultimately, this approach was successful and distinguished our firm. This blend of Dutch creative problem-solving and China’s holistic, sustainability-driven mindset became the core of our studio, 汉荷设计 (Hàn Hé Shèjì, meaning “Dutch-Chinese Design Studio”). In 2022, this approach gained recognition in the Netherlands when I was named “Young Dutch Architect of the Year.” The jury noted: “Martijn combines design talent with life lessons, giving his projects and research a compelling personal dimension. (…) He truly believes the architect of the future must be different.”
A journey that continues
My “Journey to the East” isn’t a closed chapter but an ongoing process of learning, experimenting, and adapting. What began as a search for architectural inspiration grew into a deep engagement with China’s academic and professional world – a place where I can both conceive and realize ideas, a combination I see as vital for the future of architecture and urban development.
Beyond a personal story, I hope my experience inspires others to take leaps and broaden their horizons. Of course, it’s not without challenges: learning a new language, adapting to a different culture, and managing expectations are demanding. Yet China offers not just a fascinating context for architecture and innovation but also a chance to grow and develop a unique international perspective. In an ever-changing world, the ability to understand and connect different cultures and systems is indispensable for architects, researchers, and anyone shaping the future.
Bio
Martijn de Geus is an award-winning Dutch architect, living and working in Beijing since 2010. He is a tenure-track associate professor and doctoral supervisor at Tsinghua University’s School of Architecture, deputy director of the English Master of Architecture Program (EPMA), and the 2022 Dutch Young Architect of the Year.
As co-founder of maison h / 汉荷设计, Martijn combines his academic work with real-life projects. Maison h is an international architecture practice with a focus on sustainable design for public buildings, with offices in China and the Netherlands.
Martijn finished his PhD and Master’s degree under Chinese master architect Li Xiaodong at Tsinghua University, after being trained as an architect at TU Delft in the Netherlands. He built his first building at age 19, after winning the ‘who comes after Rem Koolhaas’ competition in 2005. His design philosophy is inspired by his early experience working six years as a zookeeper of Gorillas in the Netherlands, and possesses unique creative thinking while understanding the Chinese way of doing things.
His recent representative projects include the Tsinghua University Student Service Center Regeneration (2021), the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Museum design (2018), Food Forest at Apenheul Primate Park (2020), Zhangjiakou Village regeneration (2019), Courtyard Renovation at Baitasi (2018).
Awards (selected)
2022 Dutch Young Architect of the Year Award
2022 Pujiang Innovation Forum Youth Pioneer
2021 First Prize, International Design Competition for the Reconstruction of Beirut Port*
2015 UIA Health Design Competition Award Winner, Korea*
2014 Azure Honors Competition, Canada
2011 AIM Best Urban Planning, Overall Winner, China
2009 New building of Delft University School of Architecture, Honorable Mention, NL
2006 ‘Who Comes After Rem Koolhaas’ Award Winner, Netherlands
* as student mentor
Learn more about Martijn de Geus: see his profile on the Tsinghua website, his architectural firm https://maisonh.nl/ an earlier interview https://kanto.ph/voices/martijn-de-geus/ or about the School of Architecture of Tsinghua https://arch.tsinghua.edu.cn/column/Home
