China: worldwide crossroads of design?

This .Wonder Book, the sixth of the Regional China collection, presents as usual an itinerary that touches on all the continents, emphasizing the role of Chinese design, which gets more and more creative, with the increasing support of both public and private clients who, in turn, are equally courageous and visionary

For years now IFDM has been emphasizing the surprising role of Chinese design, which gets more and more creative, with the increasing support of both public and private clients who, in turn, are equally courageous and often visionary. The new design age of the Celestial Kingdom has stimulated architecture schools in the rest of the world, and it is increasingly possible to find traces of Chinese culture in occidental projects.

Paolo Bleve, editor-in-chief
Paolo Bleve, editor-in-chief

The contributions you’ll find in the three White Boxes of this .Wonder Book are a response to this trend: Zhuo Tan speaks of “multiple inspirations that clash and revitalize each other,” Jessica Ma talks about the “aesthetic power of consumers and of a design that is always equable, humble and open,” while Kelly Hoppen concludes by emphasizing that the “fusion between east and west today is a gentle but substantial form of interaction.” Cultural hybrids, economic adjustments, a pandemic and a social system in flux: China is no longer a land to be conquered, no longer a middle ground, but an immense geographical area that has grown at dizzying speeds in its understanding of design, with its own expressions, creating a recognizable identity in architecture and interiors. Today, China is a bona fide source of inspiration.

The fusion of different design philosophies, intercepting subtle contaminations, in pursuit of a beauty that is not necessarily connected with economic value, and can be democratically distributed at all latitudes: this .Wonder Book, the sixth of the collection, presents an itinerary that touches on all the continents, gathering the viewpoints of designers and developers light years away from one another. Wonders that embrace the concept of beauty accompanied by simplicity.

Happy viewing!