Whole

Tatler Asia article translation into English

Beautiful things can bring people a sense of pleasure. In modern times, aesthetic experiences have gradually extended from art galleries to city streets and into people's homes. Among all art forms, architecture holds the highest practical value. It not only embodies structural beauty but also carries decorative beauty. From afar, its form can be admired like a painting; up close, its materials can be appreciated like a sculpture. Stepping into its interior can naturally evoke emotions.

Continental Development has paved the way for world-class architecture from Banqiao and, in 2024, will once again bring the world back to Banqiao. The company has invited Pritzker Prize-winning architect David Chipperfield to create a contemporary architectural masterpiece. The exterior of "Duan Peng" features a colonnade-inspired geometric design with a modular span of 9.3 meters, presenting a poetic architectural narrative. Against the city skyline, it resembles a monumental earth sculpture.

Continental Development and David Chipperfield have selected sculptures by Mari-Ruth Oda from Japan and Taiwanese artist Kuo Szu-Min. The works of these two Japanese and Taiwanese artists create a dynamic dialogue between architecture and art. This not only opens a new chapter for "Duan Peng" but also serves as a guide to understanding Chipperfield’s artistic style, inviting the public to step into his artistic realm.

Tatler Asia
ABOVE: 3D rendering of "Duan Peng" landscape

Tatler Asia
ABOVE: Japanese artist Mari-Ruth Oda

Japanese artist Mari-Ruth Oda created a piece titled Whole, symbolizing the interconnectedness of all things. To create a gentle interface between nature and the city, Chipperfield designed a meandering and secluded entrance at the ground level's public space. Passing through a double row of large trees and turning toward a side gallery, the first scene is a Zen-inspired framed view of a mirror-like reflecting pool, above which Oda’s sculpture is suspended.

Oda’s work is serene yet rich with emotion, crafted from water-based resin and ceramic. It reflects her fascination with fluid lines and natural forms. She has been invited to participate in international exhibitions, including those at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, the Museum of Ceramic Art in Japan, the Musée de Carouge in Switzerland, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, gaining significant recognition on the global stage.

Mari-Ruth Oda believes that David Chipperfield’s architectural works reflect a deep sensitivity to the historical context of space and express a quiet yet powerful beauty. Chipperfield’s spaces are minimalist and pure, transparent yet light. Inspired by water, trees, and air as a starting point, Oda conceived Whole under the influence of lichen and plants, distilling a concept of white aesthetics that symbolizes the presence of all perceived colors. The work expresses the connection between different parts within the whole, where life is nourished by the natural cycle, fostering harmonious coexistence in the world.

This sculpture stems from contemplation on the wholeness of all things and attempts to give concrete form to that idea. It contrasts organic shapes and lines with geometric forms, treating Chipperfield’s architectural space as both a framework and a container. Drawing from the patterns of plant ecosystems, it injects emotional resonance, distilling the purest essence of nature and allowing natural beauty to blossom.

Artist statement

Whole 完全

“The form is inspired by lichen and plants and how they grow. In considering the concept of growth and how a plant became that form it becomes impossible to see the plant as a separate entity to its environment, especially when looking at lichen which is a symbiosis rather than an individual organism. The shape of a plant is informed by its environment, taking in water and other substances and converting them into form under the direction of the sun and air.

Nothing ever exists independently of its environment.

Everything is a movement of the Whole regardless of our own point of perception.

We are all unique and an indispensable part of the Whole.”

Translation of article / https://www.heavenraven.com/2024/09/13/david-chipperfield/

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Beautiful things bring people joy. In modern times, aesthetic experiences have gradually moved from museums to city streets and into our homes. Among all art forms, architecture is the most practical—it embodies both structural and decorative beauty. From a distance, its form is like a painting; up close, its materials are akin to sculpture. Entering its space evokes an emotional response.

Leading Taiwan-based developer Continental Development has been paving the way for world-class architecture from Banqiao to the global stage. In 2024, they bring the world back to Banqiao by commissioning Pritzker Prize-winning architect David Chipperfield to create a contemporary architectural masterpiece. The "Duan Peng" project features a colonnade-inspired geometric façade with a 9.3-meter modular span, creating a poetic architectural narrative. Under the city skyline, it resembles an earthbound sculpture. To enhance the dynamic dialogue between architecture and art, Continental Development and David Chipperfield have selected two Taiwanese and Japanese sculptors to showcase their works within the space.

Japanese Artist Mari Ruth Oda Explores "Whole" – A Reflection on Wholeness and Unity

To create a harmonious connection between nature and the city, David Chipperfield designed the ground-floor public space with a winding, tranquil entrance. Flanked by two rows of trees, visitors pass through a side portico, leading to an initial scene of meditative beauty—framed vistas, a reflective water feature, and a suspended sculpture by Japanese artist Mari Ruth Oda.

Oda’s works are serene yet deeply emotive, crafted from water-based resin and ceramics, reflecting her fascination with fluid lines and organic forms. Her international recognition includes exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, Japan’s Ceramic Art Museum, the Musée de Carouge in Switzerland, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Mari Ruth Oda admires David Chipperfield's sensitivity to spatial history, describing his architecture as grand yet understated. Immersing herself in his minimalist, pure, and airy spaces, she drew inspiration from water, trees, and air. Her piece, titled "Whole," embodies the concept of wholeness—a distilled expression of white aesthetics, symbolizing the full spectrum of perceived colors.

Her sculpture reflects an awareness of interconnectedness, emphasizing the natural cycle that nourishes all life. The work contemplates the unity of all things, translating this idea into a tangible form. It contrasts natural curves with geometric shapes, treating David Chipperfield’s space as both a frame and vessel—extracting forms from plant ecosystems, infusing them with emotional resonance, and distilling them to their purest essence. This allows the beauty of nature to unfold organically within the architectural space.