How does Seattle architecture compare with Asian projects?
Seattle has in the last three or four years experienced the best time for new architecture. There’s a lot of work, but the scale of buildings is totally different. There’s no comparison with international projects. Here people pay much attention to comfort and practical and economic solutions versus Asian clients, who are more in favor of grand scale and visual aesthetics. In China, the population is so dense that high-rises are the direct solution. Here in the U.S., there are more suburbs and horizontal development. China has experienced vast development in the past 20 years. The tallest building in the country was just 37 stories 20 years ago; now just in Shanghai alone there are more than 1,000 high-rise buildings, with the tallest one at 88 stories. The design selection process is different. In China, the clients usually hold an international design competition first. They want to see the design solution up front. It’s a smart way for them to do business, though for the architects,
