As I grew up in Kunming, a big city in South-west China, I have always loved the buzzing city life and also the peaceful and diverse landscape around it. Kunming is called ‘the place on the south of the colorful clouds’. An authentic but also down to earth place with diverse minority cultures. The way people live and work on this land still influences me until today.
In my childhood, I traveled a lot with my parents in China, I loved the landscape in my province (Yunnan) most. Here I saw how people live in harmony with the nature. The connection to their land is intense and pure. The characteristics of the landscape is reflected onto the architecture style, their language even their ethnic clothing. The way of living is sometimes primitive. So knowing the land, the water and the air and how everything working together is the key to survive. By knowing the law of nature, man can use the resources in a sustainable way.
In 2007 I came to the Netherlands to finish my master for landscape architecture at the Wageningen University. The study taught me how to understand and ‘read’ the landscape and its system. After many years working as a landscape architect, research is still an important step in my design process. It provides a better understanding of the landscape, its uses and historical connection. I believe that every project has its own unique design process and approach.
I worked on a wide variety of landscape and urban projects at various scales in different countries, from strategic regional visions to detail designs. Working on projects abroad has always been my interest, it allows me to look at the culture and people from a different perspective. Alongside the language and my professional skills, I can provide an invaluable input into the broad cultural aspects in the design. I think making landscape and urban designs aren’t just about making blueprints, but rather observing and listening to the needs of the users. Take the stories, wishes and longings of people and “weave” them into the design. Through a better understanding of the needs, I could make improved design decisions tailored to different cities and landscapes with different culture backgrounds.
Regardless of the scale of the project, the technique of sketching with pen and paper is always part of my design. I like to sketch and paint, from cities, landscapes to people and animals. I think beauty is in everything everywhere, you just need to find it.
To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.
…
William Blake
Ik heb aan landschappelijke en stedelijke projecten gewerkt op diverse schaalniveaus. Van strategische gebiedsvisie tot detailontwerp. Mijn uitgangspunt is dat elk project een eigen ontwerpproces en -aanpak heeft. Schetsen op papier geeft feeling met de locatie en het ontwerp. Dit is ook een van mijn favoriete onderdeel van het ontwerpen. Onderzoek doen vind ik heel belangrijk en interessant. Door het onderzoek leer ik niet alleen het landschap kennen, maar ook de gebruikers en geschiedenis van het landscap.
Het is altijd leuk en bijzonder om aan een project in mijn eigen geboorteland te werken. Ik kijk naar de Chinese cultuur en Chinese mensen vanuit een ander perspectief dan sinds ik in Nederland ben gaan wonen. Naast de taal en professionele kennis en vaardigheid, geef ik ook input aan culturele aspecten voor de ontwerpen. Zo begrijp je de Chinese cultuur beter en komen we tot betere ontwerpen in de verschillende culturele landschappen.