Paul Andreu: Applying Cantonese elements into my architectural design

2015-Mar-27       Source: Newsgd.com

A man of 77 years old is usually enjoying a pleasure and easy life after retirement. But this is not Paul Andreu’s story.

Paul Andreu.

A man of 77 years old is usually enjoying a pleasure and easy life after retirement. But this is not Paul Andreu’s story.

As a worldwide famous architect with masterpieces of Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport, the National Grand Theater of China and so on, Andreu has at least 6 projects all around the world in hand at present. He made contribution to Canton with Guangzhou Gymnasium and Guangzhou Government Affairs Center Building. What’s more, recently he has brought paintings and architecture manuscripts with him to Guangzhou for the first time, which is also the first time in China.

When talking about his impression of Guangdong, Andreu began excited: “it is not easy to hear birds’ singing in the urban area, but I can in Canton!”

Paul Andreu was awarded the honorary citizen of Guangzhou City.

A place combining modern and tradition

“I’ve been to Guangzhou many times these years, but I still remember my first impression.” Andreu introduced that when he came to China at the first time more than 30 years ago, he arrived in Guangzhou first.

“I was very curious about everything in Guangzhou! When I came out of the airport, I found I was in the field. Fresh vegetables were everywhere and I saw some black trucks working hard not far away from me.” Andreu said that he had to take a deep breath to slow his heartbeat.

Andreu admitted that since then, he was so hurry that he even had very few opportunities to look around and feel the development of Canton. “My schedule was very full from the time when I walked down the plane each time when I came to Canton.”

This time, Andreu particularly spared time to visit Zhujiang New Town and the old buildings in Dongshankou. “Very different from my first impression, this time Guangzhou makes me feel warm and wonderful!”

In Andreu’s eyes, Zhujiang New Town stands for the modern part of Canton, with various skyscrapers and a beautiful skyline, while the old buildings in Dongshankou represent the traditional Canton, with well-protected old-style architectures and a deep sense of history. “Just admiring the architectures in Canton, I can feel the vitality and specialty of Canton.”


Guangzhou Gymnasium.
 

Guangzhou Government Affairs Center Building with the map of the Pearl River system in the outer wall.

Make conversation with Baiyun Mountain

Andreu thinks that architectures in and around the city should well present the special spirit of the city. So how to combine Cantonese elements with his design, is what Andreu had to face at the very beginning when he designed Guangzhou Gymnasium, his first work in Canton.

“I went there before starting to design. It was just at the foot of Baiyun Mountain. My eyes were full of various trees and flowers, and my ears full of birds’ singing. It was not so easy to hear birds’ singing in the urban area!” when talking about his design in Guangzhou Gymnasium, Andreu quickened his speed.

Andreu introduced that he got the very inspiration from this trip and decided to “make conversation with Baiyun Mountain”, which let him design a streamline shape for the roof “as if Baiyun Mountain stretched here”. Meanwhile, Andreu combined the shape of the kapok flower, the municipal flower of Guangzhou, with the structure of the whole gymnasium to create the situation that three kapok flowers burst into gorgeous bloom at the foot of Baiyun Mountain under the blue sky.

With the help of his first experience of Guangzhou Gymnasium, when Andreu was invited to design Guangzhou Government Affairs Center Building in Zhujiang New Town, he just “drew” the map of the Pearl River system into the outer wall of the building.

 
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Editor: Nan

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