Chinese Voices on Palladio

Andrea Palladio (1508–1580) is one of the most influential architects of the Italian Renaissance. Through his study of ancient architecture and its incorporation into the knowledge of his time, he transformed the architectural profession in the West and exerted extraordinary influence for centuries. "Chinese Voices on Palladio" explores the intersection of Palladio’s legacy and contemporary Chinese architectural thought by inviting talented Chinese architects and scholars, all internationally renowned for their design research, to offer insights, reflections and interpretations of Palladio’s work. Many conceptual affinities between the two cultures emerge in this dialogue: a shared emphasis on proportion, symmetry, and harmony; the veneration of classical heritage; and the integration of architecture and nature. From this intercultural perspective, Palladio becomes a starting point for an exploration of a shared architectural heritage between East and West. The book, therefore, does not seek to assess an “influence”. It aims to understand how Palladio’s drawings, words, and works may still be a source of interest for the architectural culture of our time. It also asks whether Palladio merits the status of a “classic”, despite the gap between his lifetime and the present day. The relationship between the architects’ design activity, their theoretical positions, and Palladio’s work is revealed in twelve dialogues with the authors of the book. Together, these voices transform the dialogue with Palladio’s ideas and with his buildings and projects into a choral narrative, bringing to light Chinese architectural masterpieces of equal relevance: temples, mausoleums, bridges and gardens. The book is completed by a photographic interpretation of this transcultural dialogue. Lois Conner, famous for her poetic representations of the Chinese landscape, has created specifically fourteen photographic diptychs, pairing her Palladian photographs with an equal number of photographs of China taken over nearly four decades. Each diptych is a suggestive visual and narrative challenge, open to the interpretation of every visitor.