During a literary symposium in Beijing last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping read a two-hour speech addressing Chinese architects and artists who have contributed to China’s sizable stock of avant-garde structures.
Architects, along with authors, actors, script writers, and dancers, were urged by the president to not pursue commercial success at the expense of producing work with artistic and moral value, national news agency Xinhua reports. For architects specifically, the president encouraged them not to “engage in weird building.”
In his speech, Jinping said that art should “be like sunshine from the blue sky and the breeze in spring that will inspire minds, warm hearts, cultivate taste, and clean up undesirable work styles.”
He also reminisced how art and literature during his childhood—a period when China was going through the so-called Cultural Revolution—was more respectful to history.
Many news agencies, both Chinese and International, interpreted the president’s speech as a call to more patriotic, socialist, and nationalistic art closer to traditional Chinese aesthetics.
Hong Kong-based news agency Wen Wei Po says it means China won’t have any more da kuzi (“big pants”) in the future, the nickname Chinese Web denizens used for Rem Koolhas’ CCTV building in Beijing.
The Guangzhou Circle. Wikimedia Commons/Amprogetti
The CCTV Building in Beijing has been nicknamed "Big Pants." Wikimedia Commons/Verdgris
Related Stories
| Mar 28, 2012
Tsoi/Kobis & Associates developing master plan for UT Southwestern Medical Center
Firm will spearhead strategies for transforming existing in-patient hospital into state-of-the-art ambulatory care facility.
| Mar 28, 2012
Ideas and input drive stories in online community, noraXchange
Community designed to help building and design professionals address challenges they face in their jobs.
| Mar 27, 2012
Bank of America Plaza becomes Atlanta's priciest repo
Repo will help reset market prices for real estate, and the eventual new owner will likely set rental rates at a new or near the bottom and improve the facilities to lure tenants.
| Mar 27, 2012
Skanska hires aviation construction expert Bob Postma
Postma will manage Skanska’s nationwide in-house team of airport construction experts who lead the industry in building and renovating airport facilities and their essential features.
| Mar 27, 2012
Precast concrete used for affordable, sustainable housing in New York
Largest affordable housing development in the nation will provide housing for close to 500,000 people.
| Mar 27, 2012
Groundbreaking held for Valencia College West Campus Building 10 in Orlando
Project led by design-build team of SchenkelShultz Architecture and McCree General Contractors, both of Orlando.
| Mar 27, 2012
Hollister Construction completes LEED Silver bank in Woodland Park, N.J.
Ground-up construction project included installation of solar panels.
| Mar 26, 2012
Jones Lang LaSalle completes construction of $536M Parkview Regional Medical Center
Hospital ushers in new era of local access to advanced medical treatments in Northeast Indiana.
| Mar 26, 2012
McCarthy tops off Math and Science Building at San Diego Mesa College
Designed by Architects | Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker, the new San Diego Mesa College Math and Science Building will provide new educational space for students pursuing degree and certificate programs in biology, chemistry, physical sciences and mathematics.
| Mar 26, 2012
Los Angeles County to host free green building training
Opportunity for residential and commercial building professionals to gain insight on state and county green building standards and regulations.
