Ma Yansong

Conceived and designed by Ma Yansong, founder of MAD Architects, MAD Rhapsody documents the buildings of this avant-garde architecture firm and traces the development of their ideas through associated practice including art, research, and exhibition projects. With photographs, drawings, and models, the book highlights 23 projects from the past six years, both built and in process. Known for their organic and dreamlike architecture that creates a dialogue with nature, earth, and sky, MAD projects reach all over the globe. At age 46, Ma Yansong is one of China s best-known architects. His curvilinear, free-form, and futuristic designs are often compared to those of his mentor, Zaha Hadid. Ma s greatest inspiration is nature; his opera house in the northern Chinese city of Harbin resembles a snow-capped mountain, while his master plan for the city of Nanjing calls for sloping buildings covered with vertical louvers that resemble waterfalls. Other projects include the Ordos Museum in the wilderness of Inner Mongolia, the Absolute Towers in Canada, and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles.

The first complete overview of the most important contemporary architecture practice ever to have emerged from China The skylines of modern China are punctuated by architecture that amazes, inspires, and awes. Many of these structures are the work of new, experimental practices like China-based MAD Architects. MAD Works not only documents the buildings of this group of avant-garde architects but also traces the development of their ideas through associated practice including art, research, and exhibition projects. Organized thematically, the book explores the underlying concepts of MAD Architects' work. MAD Works is illustrated with photographs, architectural drawings, and 3D visualizations to provide a thorough exploration of MAD Architect's international portfolio of completed works, unbuilt projects, and future ideas.