Xing Ruan: Architecture Should Serve Time, Not Perfection
During a conversation held at the School of Design Building at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, architect and dean Xing Ruan emphasizes that architecture should focus on durability rather than merely seeking aesthetic excellence. The structure, which was renovated and opened in 2023, has garnered two Prix Versailles accolades: the World Title for the Most Beautiful Campus and a Special Prize for Interior Design. Ruan expresses concern about the tendency to simplify buildings into convenient stories after they receive awards, asserting that genuine architectural merit comes from solving specific issues and challenging traditional norms. The discussion also touches on themes of frugality, architectural limitations, and the notion that buildings ought to endure rather than chase fleeting acclaim.
Key facts
- School of Design Building at Shanghai Jiao Tong University opened in 2023 after remodeling an existing structure.
- Designed by architect and scholar Xing Ruan, who is also Dean of the school.
- Building won two Prix Versailles awards: World Title of the Most Beautiful Campus and Special Prize for an Interior.
- Prix Versailles is a competition with three major honors.
- Interview took place inside the School of Design Building.
- Ruan argues architecture should be made for time, not perfection.
- Ruan criticizes post-award narratives that simplify architectural meaning.
- Discussion includes frugality and the limits of what buildings should do.
Entities
Artists
- Xing Ruan
Institutions
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- School of Design Building
- Prix Versailles
Locations
- Shanghai
- China