As the growth of urbanization and many new buildings are now on our horizon, it is obvious that people have their own preference of building. Some of them like traditional styles, but I am not entirely of the opinion that new buildings should be built in historical styles.
From my point of view, new buildings should firstly match urban planning. If a new city has high-tech facilities, there is no need to design buildings in an older style. It’s like seeing a young boy dressed in youthful clothing, with a moustache on his face. It is very strange that a modern city contains many high-tech facilities and some old fashioned buildings. In Beijing, many people are disappointed about the National Theatre, because the style of this building is different from Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People – it has been built in a modern style. Buildings around Tiananmen Square are traditionally used for political meetings and such, but the theatre there seems out of place.
Secondly, the style of a building should reflect a city’s character accurately. A city with significant features should plan and build buildings in the same style. For example, Suzhou, which is famous for its silk and gardens in Ancient China, has a long history of traditional culture. Nowadays it is still famous for its recently built traditional style buildings, bringing the city the benefits of tourism.
The reason why there are debates between traditionalists and modernists is partially due to the lack of experienced city planners during a period of rapid development, and that people who only like traditional styles may misunderstand the soul of the city. If I were an architect, I would design new buildings based on my understanding of the city character and its development. I would choose modern or a traditional style based on those judgments.
