yung ho chang: material-ism at ullens center for contemporary art

‘material-ism’ is a comprehensive collection of the groundbreaking and cross-disciplinary work of international architect yung ho chang of beijing-based atelier FCJZ – the show’s title based on chang’s understanding of architecture and design as disciplines ultimately grounded in tangible concerns. the interior of the UCCA great hall is transformed into a hutong neighborhood with six modules of courtyard design, depicting aspects of his design philosophy including inhabitation, construction methods, urbanism, tradition, perception and culture (see designboom’s coverage of the building-up of ‘materialism’ here). a selection of full-scale installations and two films will be displayed along with experimental projects in the realms of architecture, design, planning and art. offering both humanist and cosmopolitan solutions with both wit and thoughtfulness, the presented works explore the predicament of people, their buildings and cities during this current period of unprecedented national growth in china.

models and drawings within the installation | image © designboom
main image: yung ho chang at the UCCA | image © designboom

the exhibition seeks to present the priorities of atelier FCJZ as an architectural practice which aims to engage the social, economic, technological and cultural. it is an exploration, objectively informed and subjectively fueled, through a space where both domestic and urban, classical and modern, practical and fantastical can co-exist, and where complexity, fullness and the diversity of humanity can be expressed. see our interview with yung ho chang at his studio in beijing, china here.

the exhibition space has been left raw in its construction, expressing the importance of process in chang’s work

general view of the installation which displayed scale models and plans of atelier FCJZ’s work

models are presented to show the range of work the atelier engages in

‘material-ism’ installation at UCCA great hall, beijing
photos of the wedding chapel – a glass block arch (nanjing 2009)
see designboom’s full story of the project here
image © designboom