Category Archives: China

China, Design, Green, Product

Dedicated Energy

Labrang Monastery


3km kora, 1174 prayer wheels. If each of these were linked up to a generator, would that be enough electricity to power the city?


3km kora, repeated prostration. If every movement was collected in their hand and knee pads, would that be enough energy to power their homes?

China, Design

Young to Old

Tongde


Karma is the great-great-great-grandma of toddler granddaughter of Zigdo.


Mrs. Zigdo (left) looks after 5 generations under her roof. Non-stop from the early hours till late at night, it becomes obvious how important it was for AmdoCraft to understand their lifestyle and provide a work structure that she is able to do amongst all her household chores. Perhaps here is a lesson that Hong Kong work places can learn from, where the creation of more flexible work systems for mothers (or fathers) mean that their children can be brought up by their families rather than their maids.

China, Design, Green, Product

Weaving to the Future

Tongde


Last year I met Klaas who runs AmdoCraft (See post “Craft for Change”). This year I returned to stay with one of the Tibetan families he works with. After Zigdo proudly shows us some of the Amdo products his family makes, explaining the difference between good and bad quality felt, we watched the ladies spin wool thread and weave.  Already owning and using several of their bags that have been woven in this way, I suddenly discovered a new appreciation for them. Their traditional weaving method is time laborious but fascinatingly simple in its set-up with the correct knowledge. You cannot help but get a warm homely feeling as found metal rods, wooden sticks and plastic pipes are configured together to create beautifully woven lengths of fabric.

China, Design, Interior, Lighting

Faked Fake

Macau


One incoherent overhyped show later, and we are shuffling once again through hordes of tourists back in what is supposedly a 5-star hotel. I guess these new mega-hotels provide everything that the new affluent Chinese tourist wants from a holiday. Free coaches to shuttle them around to shops to consume big brand names until they drop, and some kind of backdrop to pose for photos in front of. Is this China’s answer to Vegas or Disneyland? It seems to neither deliver the kitsch over-the-top fake promise of “living the dream” that Vegas does, nor does it create a complete Disney-like dream world of characters that sets a child’s imagination alive.  I cannot help but be reminded instead of packed shopping malls in Hong Kong at the weekend. It appears that the new Macau is full of promises, but not quite right.

 

Architecture, China, Design, Interior

Recycled Building

Shixing


Venturing through the side entrance of a run down traditional family ancestral hall building (祠堂), I realise that the crude drawings on the outside are not graffiti, but rather a hint to what can be discovered inside: a basic children’s classroom and playground. Amongst the crumbling walls and pillars, are metal climbing frames and plastic toy planes. On one side of my mind, I question how the community could allow such historical architectural elements fall into such disrepair, and wonder if it is taking away the building’s integrity by removing it’s original purpose. However, as I watch my uncle being followed by shy curious children, I realise that perhaps we are sometimes too quick to judge. Clearly there is not the money to restore the building, and in many ways the school is doing an equally important job in serving the community and keeping the building alive.


Of course it would be ideal if the building could be restored with the school integrated, but where would the money or time come from?