Reinterpretation of Chinese-Western Post Modern Cross-Cultural Architecture

Intro
Mixed-use Chinese Center - Wellesley Street

How can national / cultural identity be communicated in postmodern architecture?

In the development of human civilization during the last millennium, Western culture has dominated the trends in art, culture and industrial products throughout the world. Contemporary art, Hollywood movies, and automotive vehicles are all products from Western civilization. Furthermore, many different styles of Western architecture had been established through Asian countries such as China during the colonial period. It influenced the development of Chinese world architecture. Until today, most architects appreciated European and American architecture rather than that from their
own culture.

It is true that most people appreciated Hollywood movies over Chinese Kung Fu movies. However, more collaboration between East and West started appearing in Hollywood. A diversity of cultures definitely could attract more audiences worldwide and convey the equivalent value of different races. It is the same for modern architecture in China now; architects started to think about ways that Eastern elements could survive among Western architectural designs.

However, cross-culture architecture between Chinese and Western collaborations only occurred in China in most cases. What would happen in the reverse if we demonstrate a cross-cultural building in the Western world? Would it still be as successful as Western architecture in modern China? New Zealand is a free land and one of the most popular immigrant countries worldwide, the country used to be inhabited by British and European immigrants in the majority, hence both heritage and modern architecture could be categorized as Western styles. The population of Chinese immigrants in New Zealand is continuing to grow. The country accepts a large diversity of cultures and races as a part of this country, which is the ideal place for my project.