Host: Hello, dear viewers, welcome to watch the Chinese Brand Story of this issue. I am Li Yufei, the host. Architecture tells about the relationship between the humankind and nature. Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister, once said that we shaped architecture, and architecture in turn affected us. It can be seen that the meaning of architecture to people is very far-reaching. In today's program, we have the honor to invite an expert in the field of architectural design. Let us welcome Mr. Lin Song, Chairman of Chris Lynn architects Zhejiang, and welcome, Mr. Lin.
Lin Song: Hello.
Host: Hello. As a matter of fact, for ordinary people, most of us enjoy the functions of the architectures and use them. Of course, some people appreciate their beauty. For example, someone once said that architecture is frozen music. It can be seen that the architecture has very beautiful artistic value. I would like to know that you have been working in related design work in the architectural design industry for so many years, and you are a professional expert. How do you understand architectural design from your point of view? What is your unique feeling about architecture?
Lin Song: It's that each industry that people work in gives people an opportunity to gain an insight into their own life. I have been working in the architectural industry for about 30 years. And the construction business covers about 28 provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government. In fact, the architectural design is actually a process of finding the soul of the land and restoring the soul of the building for each project.
Host: Can you please further explain it?
Lin Song: Generally I think it is called the spirit of the barefoot architect. This kind of awareness is encouraged, because first of all, you are communicating with the land and quietly listening to the voice of the land. In fact, you can find this spirit. In Chinese, it is called the soul of the land. In fact, you have grasped the soul, and in this process, you have really realized the meaning of architect; but actually you did nothing real, and you just quietly talked to the land, and internalize this soul into your heart, then translate it into architectural language. And then finally use this in the construction, and then use the same spirit to influence people who live. In fact, architects are doing such a thing.
Host: About the communication with the land you talked about, to understand his soul, which aspect did you understand? Is there a specific case you can share with us?
Lin Song: There may be many, many cases. We often go to travel, and travelling is to steal someone else's life experience in a specific time and space and enrich your own life. In fact, every time you feel it with your heart, this vitality will be internalized into your heart over time, and the more places you go, they will actually become a full place in your life.
Host: Did you enter this industry because of an opportunity or because of your major? Or any other reasons?
Lin Song: I liked drawing since I was a child, and then I grew up in Northeastern University. When I was young, I painted the Hall of the Architecture Department. A seed may be sowed at that time, and then when I entered the university, I chose the architecture major, while others refused to choose the major. When I entered this university, I actually didn’t know what real architecture was. Later, I met my mentor Zhang Sizan. Only then did I truly understand what architecture meant to me and what a career was. Career is actually how extended it is. Becoming a Fortune 500 company, Of course, that's great. In fact, it's an external request, and a little vanity is at work. But as a matter of fact, career means the fact that you cannot live without it, just like water and air, which means that career is an indispensable part of you. Like can become a starting point for anything, but it is easy to stop only by it. When you turn like into love, you will have the power to turn five-minute passion into a lifetime of perseverance. At this time, I think it is belief. Only at this time can you really do things well and have the feelings of finding joy amidst hardships in the eyes of others.
Host: I would like to know that for example, the design by architects, any design and any creation requires an inspiration, but people, I think that thinking is often limited, and inspiration is not always available. Some people may do some extreme things to find inspiration, what do you do when you have no inspiration?
Lin Song: I value the nature of the source of inspiration. The nature determines the presence of distractions in the work. We can use subconsciousness as an example of inspiration. In this aspect, it is called conscious mind that we can perceive and understand rationally and it is subconsciousness or unconsciousness below it. But where does inspiration come from? The inspiration comes from the conscious mind constantly thinking and squeezing the subconscious mind. At this time, if the conscious mind is not at work, the subconscious mind jumps into the conscious mind. And at this time, it is real inspiration, while the conscious mind entails the deep understanding of the land and the search for the soul, which may be hard thinking about architectural aspects or include the life experiences like the persistence and passion for architecture. All of this constitutes the foundation of ideal consciousness. Without the squeezing of this foundation, inspiration is impossible. So inspiration is the result of an instant and cleverness may overreach itself which may be a waste of such an instant.
Host: Now this is your personal philosophy. What is the philosophy of the entire company?
Lin Song: The company mainly specializes in four aspects, but these four aspects are also created by the company step by step. The first one is innovation based on culture, and innovation based on culture is based on the process of finding the soul of the land to restore the soul of the building. It's the foundation that life can go on and the foundation of our company. Another aspect I call industrial operation, because we have done a lot of various industries in the science and technology park, for example, in the process of the 2006 World Leisure Expo in Hangzhou, in fact, we have a deep understanding of various industries, that is, the second aspect and the third aspect are different industries, behind which there is fund. The industries have compatibility; the mutual relationship between industries will be formed. We call it an industrial cluster. In fact, these different industries are actually cities. The third aspect we call urban operation and renewal. For urban operation and renewal, as a city was not built in a day, it has its history, and the history reveals some ancient information. In this process, we actually return to the process of re-searching the soul of the city, which is of course a collection of buildings. The fourth aspect is actually low carbon and energy saving. We have cooperated with some well-known companies in the world, such as Moody's in Germany, Pacific Company in the United States, and many more companies in Canada, Japan. In the process, we are also committed to research in this area, but China still has a long way to go in this aspect. This is the fourth aspect. The company is mainly based on these four modules, which constitute the main pursuit direction of the company.
Host: Your positioning and goals are very clear. Do you have any plans for the future of the company?
Lin Song: There may be two directions for the company. The first is to work intensively on these four aspects, and then to achieve a certain level so as to make some better contributions. Second, in fact, I want to build a company with oriental cultural and ideological roots in this industry. There is this called architectural system theory.
Host: How should we understand this?
Lin Song: This is actually inspired by the traditional Chinese medicine culture, as the Chinese medicine culture is the most complete system from theory to practice. And it took five or six thousand years to form this system, which can actually contribute a lot for the world. Especially the Chinese dream, we also hope to make some modest contributions to it, because Chinese culture is very mature in this regard, but in the construction process, we have always followed a set of Western theories. In fact, there is such a tendency in every way in all the industries. But in fact, we should return to traditional culture, and this foundation can support this aspect, so the company specializes in this aspect, especially when I do the design myself, I have more in-depth feelings, so I hope to do some in-depth research and understanding in this regard.
Host: Judging from your dress today, I can see that you have a soft spot for Chinese traditions. Then I also would to know, for example, in the process of making some architectural videos, if you have the opportunity, will you integrate more Chinese culture and elements?
Lin Song: This has become an instinct. In architecture, in fact, the first point is that one is Chinese. Second, I actually love traditional culture very much, so all the features and characteristics will naturally be revealed in the architecture during this process.
Host: As you said just now, in fact, your view on the career is still quite tolerant and open-minded. It is not necessarily how the company must develop, but do you have an idea and goal in your heart? Or is it just a matter of course, what position do you hope your company will occupy in the future of China's architectural design industry?
Lin Song: I hope that I can make my own contribution and spend some time in Chinese architecture, especially buildings with oriental culture as well as in architectural theories. As for what the future results will be, I don’t actually have such high hopes.
Host: Do you have any advice for these young people who may join the architectural design industry in the future?
Lin Song: I hope that they can understand their own life through this industry. In fact, people used to talk about the nine cloud sky, and there is a blue sky above the nine cloud sky. When you live on this, you live with your personality. In fact, in this industry, what anyone in any industry should do is to how to develop one’s personality to the fullest.
Host: OK, thank you. Thank you for coming to our program today. In our interview with Mr. Lin just now, we know that he is very passionate about this industry, and especially he hopes to continue to integrate Chinese characteristics into his works and designs through his expertise and innovations. I believe that with such a group of enthusiastic architects like Mr. Lin, Chinese architectural design will surely flourish. Ok, here comes the end of the Chinese Brand Story of this issue, thank you for your watching and see you next time.
