China is a champion of architecture: Prof Marco

A view of Tongji University Shanghai, China. [Picture from Prof Marco]  

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 5 (Gwadar pro)- “China is a country where you can build architectures fast and you can control your idea and results,” said Professor Marco Casamonti, a renowned Italian architect who teaches Architectural Design at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Genoa.

Professor Marco Casamonti has designed and executed several projects in China including the Green Energy Laboratory in Shanghai, the International Grape Exhibition Garden in Yanqing and the Liling World Ceramic Art City.

In an exclusive interview with Gwadar Pro in Islamabad, Professor Marco Casamonti said, “For us, China is extremely important. Thanks to China, we can create unbelievable architectures”. 

He said that he has great experience in China, as he started his work there in 2005. “Now, China has a lot of technologies and capacity; it is nice to know that the Chinese Government understands how important it is to protect the heritage, to be proud of its heritage especially in architecture, and at the same time, to produce opportunity for the new lifestyle”.

Professor Marco Casamonti with the author in Islamabad.

The Professor said that he learnt a lot from China to create architectures that embody Chinese traditions.

“I want to say thanks to China for accepting our idea and for giving us the opportunity to work for the Government and the universities of China,” Professor Casamonti said and added that he was also thankful to Chinese investors from the private sector.

Back in 1988, Casamonti co-founded the architecture studio “Archea” in Florence, Italy. Today, with its offices in Rome, Milan and Florence, over a hundred architects are working at Archea. The studio is also collaborating with companies in Beijing to execute works of architecture and interior and graphic design. In 2010, Archea displayed its work at Pavilion B3-2 in the Urban Best Practices Area, Shanghai Expo. In 2012, Green Energy Laboratory in Shanghai was inaugurated as well as the International Grape Exhibition Garden in Yanqing, the Liling World Ceramic Art City in China.

Professor Marco Casamonti and Professor Silvi Fabi are on a two-day visit to Pakistan. The Italian Embassy in Islamabad on Thursday arranged a lecture entitled “Sustainable Architecture, Architectural and Cultural Identity” in Islamabad. Both architects discussed their experience in the field of architecture worldwide.