Trained as an architect in China and abroad, Zhang Ye’s international background informed the establishment of her architectural firm LZA. She discusses the slowing of China’s real estate industry and how she’s pivoted to stay viable, the changing attitudes of China’s public towards sustainability, and how that informs her design approach to be more sustainable. 

What drove you to become an architect? What was the impetus behind setting up LZA?

ZHANG YE: In 2001, China successfully secured the right to host the Olympic Games, a triumph that spurred extensive construction of infrastructure and large buildings. During my high school years, I was deeply fascinated by China's coverage of the construction of sports venues, which ignited my intense interest in architecture. I chose to study it and entered the field amidst the booming real estate industry in China. I longed to experience cities and architecture in different countries, so at the age of 30, I went to study in London and travelled across various countries in Europe, experiences that greatly broadened my horizons.

Zhang Ye.

Upon returning to China, I established LZA in 2017, an architectural design firm, in Shanghai. During that period, the real estate industry was primarily focused on the development of residential and commercial projects, forming a relatively fixed pattern. We developed innovative conceptual projects for residential properties for real estate companies. However, as the rapid growth of the market reached saturation, we realized that the decline of the industry was inevitable and that it was essential to find new, vibrant sectors to ensure the continuous growth of our company. We began practicing in the field of interior design, actively exploring design tasks for private residences, offices, restaurants and commercial spaces. 

The COVID-19 pandemic hit just a few years after establishing your practice. How has it changed its trajectory?

ZY: We had already begun to shift our focus to interior design before the outbreak, so the pandemic had a minimal impact on my firm. It indeed brought about changes in various aspects of society, such as slowing economic growth and accelerating the decline of the real estate industry. In the long run, these changes have brought both the potential for challenges and failures, as well as new opportunities. The work-from-home trend triggered by the pandemic has increased the demand for functional requirements in interior spaces, including elements of human care and the spiritual pleasure brought by aesthetics.

When renovating the Shanghai office of multi-brand cosmetics company Joy Group, special attention was paid to upgrading its social areas underscoring the importance of collaboration for its workflows.

We have always been committed to innovative design thinking. For me, pursuing economic returns alone and adopting error-free design methods is meaningless. In the post-pandemic era, we need to find design logic that is more in line with the times. Therefore, we began to actively explore what benefits design can bring to society. I believe that designers should not just meet the client's needs. Past successful experiences may no longer be applicable. We should guide clients to reassess their position in these changing times, considering the direction of industry development and the actions that need to be taken.

How do sustainability and reuse play a role in your designs?

ZY: After completing several interior design projects, we gradually shifted our design focus from purely visual to sustainable design. This transition was driven both by our interest and foresight into future trends and by the increasing demand from clients for sustainability and reusability. In the current context of slowing economic growth, clients have become more cautious with their investments. They need us to address both functional and aesthetic needs, while also considering factors like saving time and money on construction. Clients want to see profit and return on investment into retail spaces as quickly as possible, but they also need to respond to government-led sustainability policies, aligning with China's goal to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

For wood flooring brand Vöhringer’s flagship showroom in Shanghai, LZA repurposed old floor samples and unsold stock from the warehouse to articulate the brand’s identity and give new use to idle materials.

One such way we've implemented this is by designing store standards for different clients through a modular strategy. Modules can be prefabricated in factories and then distributed and assembled locally. They can be combined and disassembled, giving them the potential for reuse, and reducing material waste.

Clients can often be the force advocating against the incorporation of sustainability because of higher costs or longer lead times. Is there a way to navigate this to ensure the most environmentally friendly outcome? 

ZY: In China, the public's understanding of the concept of sustainability is gradually deepening and evolving. Currently, most people associate environmental sustainability with the use of materials that are harmless to human health and energy-saving products that can save costs. When there is an imbalance between short-term personal economic interests and long-term sustainable measures, many people are often reluctant to sacrifice their own benefits.

A series of modules were designed to form partitions and display stands for paint brand Choimer’s store in Wuxi. The modules can be disassembled and reassembled, extending their lifecycle.

We once recommended to a client a type of reusable flooring, which is flexible in assembly and durable, but its cost is three times that of regular flooring. Due to the high price, the client was unable to accept it. In contrast, technically mature and reasonably priced LED bulbs and energy-saving devices are more easily accepted by clients. I believe that currently, more acceptable methods can be used to solve the problem of sustainable reuse without incurring excessive costs.

How do biophilic and biomorphic design align with your approach to sustainability?

ZY: Due to people's innate affinity for nature, incorporating natural textures and forms into space has myriad benefits for users. However, we also recognize that overemphasizing design differentiation can lead to overdesign in some cases.

Cover and above: For the design of blogger Aguai's home in Shanghai, LZA sought to break out of the mould of traditional residential spaces to accommodate its occupant’s unconventional but increasingly common profession. The basement is dedicated as a workspace and embodies biomorphic forms.

Currently, biomorphic design faces significant challenges in construction and material wastage. The key challenge is balancing sustainable design concepts with the potential excessive consumption of biomorphic spaces, ensuring the effective realization of both aspects. In the future, I believe that developing new materials or adopting new structural combinations, such as modular arrays, can optimize construction difficulty and reduce costs while achieving the design's disassembly and reusability.