Imagining the House
By Wang Shu

Buildings by Chinese architect Wang Shu, the 2012 Pritzker Prize Laureate, feature clear and simple contemporary designs that make use of traditional methods and materials. Characteristic of his buildings is the reuse of materials.

Shu’s design process always begins with an intense study of the location, spendings as long time as possible on the site, absorbing its atmosphere. He then produces drafts in the form of hand-drawn sketches, creating them in relatively quick succession. "Imagining the House" follows this process in various buildings. Photographic documentation of the locations elucidate Shu’s on-site research.

When I say that I build a ‘house’ instead of a ‘building’, I am thinking of something that is closer to life, everyday life./Wang Shu

Sketch courtesy Lars Müller Publishers

Sketch courtesy Lars Müller Publishers

Sketch courtesy Lars Müller Publishers

Sketch courtesy Lars Müller Publishers

Sketch courtesy Lars Müller Publishers

The reproductions of drawings in this book demonstrate how the designs change and become more concrete over the course of the process.

The book provides unique insights into the work of an architect who has hitherto received little attention in Europe, thereby addressing a considerable omission in the publishing world.

When I named my studio Amateur Architecture, it was to emphasize the spontaneous and experimental aspects of my work, as opposed to being official and monumental./Wang Shu


Photo: Iwan Baan

China Academy of Art
Hangzhou, China

Photo: Iwan Baan

Ningbo Historic Museum

Ningbo, China