MA Yansong’s architecture and Hublot’s watchmaking share a common vision of transforming their art into an interactive, 3D experience, fusing the natural and the human-made, creating advanced designs with an affinity for Nature.
MA YANSONG: AT ONE WITH NATURE
MA Yansong, the visionary Founder and Principal Partner of MAD Architects (2004), redefines architecture with a focus on emotional and spiritual needs, blending humanity and Nature. Born in Beijing in 1975, MA set up his own practice two years after achieving his Masters from Yale. He has spent 20 years gaining international acclaim for his imaginative and human centric designs. His renowned projects – including the Harbin Opera House and Absolute Towers – showcase a unique symbiosis of the natural and human-made. MA, the first Chinese architect to win an overseas landmark project, sees architecture as a medium to reconnect people with Nature, fostering respect and harmony. MA has garnered admiration through his masterfully crafted, spatiotemporal, sculptural forms disappearing into the city and landscape; forms that are driven by intuition, expression and emotion.
“As Hublot welcomes MA Yansong as a Friend of the Brand, his fusion of storytelling, cultural exploration and architectural innovation aligns seamlessly with our commitment to a future which celebrates designs that are bold and imaginative, continuous and fluid, complex and three-dimensional. His mission to explore and contribute to the ideal future of living, along with his advanced designs conceived with an affinity for Nature, echo the contribution we would like to bring through watchmaking. He is a source of inspiration in his unique and different way of building bridges between Nature & Humanity, creating buildings as constructed Nature.” RICARDO GUADALUPE HUBLOT CEO
“Hublot & I share the conviction that architecture and watchmaking are not just about buildings or watches, but instead both involve massive relearning to become non-conformists. My first, unique and different approach to architecture is a methodical exploration of humanity, Nature and creativity. In the way Hublot explores the wealth of natural materials, we share this belief in a symbiosis between the natural and human-made. We believe in design more responsive to human emotion, placing equal emphasis on technology and Nature.” MA YANSONG ARCHITECT
FIRST. UNIQUE. DIFFERENT IN HIS OWN WAY
In terms of what makes MA’s vision and work first, unique and different in his own way, there is also a strong connection to how MA and Hublot envision their contribution to the future of both architecture and watchmaking.
Innovative fusion of tradition and modern design
MA Yansong distinguishes himself through a unique sense of aesthetic appeal inspired by traditional Chinese elements and modern design principles.
Breaking barriers through innovation and distinctiveness
As an architect, MA Yansong is celebrated for pushing boundaries, embracing innovation and shaping a distinctive narrative in the world of contemporary architecture.
Organic forms challenging conventional norms
His architecture is characterized by organic, flowing forms featuring neutral skins, in perpetual continuation of the site and natural landscape, challenging conventional norms.
Rethinking design to be at one with Nature
MA’s creations often evoke a sense of harmony with nature, integrating buildings into their surroundings and environment, fostering a sense of unity. MA Yansong creates buildings of freedom that rethink our fellowship with Nature.
MA YANSONG
Architect, Artist
Ma Yansong is recognized as an important voice in the new generation of architects. He is the first Chinese architect to win an overseas landmark-building project and to design an oversea cultural landmark.
As the founding partner of MAD Architects, Ma leads design of every projects in all scale and form, including the art and cultural development of MAD, with the vision to create a new balance among society, the city, and the environment through architecture. Since designing the “Floating Island” in 2002, Ma has been exploring the ideal future of living through international practices, with representative works as Absolute Towers, Harbin Opera House, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, FENIX Museum of Migration, etc. Parallel to his design practice, he also explores the cultural values of cities and architecture through domestic and international solo exhibitions, publications, and art works.
In 2008, Ma Yansong was selected as one of the “20 Most Influential Young Architects” by ICON magazine. Fast Company named him one of the “10 Most Creative People in Architecture in 2009” and one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business in 2014.” In 2010 he received the “RIBA International Fellowship”. In 2014 he was awarded “Young Global Leaders (YGL)” by the World Economic Forum.
Ma holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Yale University, and a Bachelor’s degree from the Beijing Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture. He has been an adjunct professor at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Tsinghua University, and the University of Southern California.
HUBLOT
Hublot is a Swiss watch manufacturer founded in 1980 and based in Nyon. For its first ever timepiece, this fundamentally disruptive company combined gold with a rubber strap in a case with a design inspired by a ship’s porthole (hublot in French). Thus, the Art of Fusion was born, blending tradition, innovation, craftsmanship, worlds and talents. It became the brand’s aesthetic and technical signature.
This identity was strengthened in 2005 with the Big Bang, which attested to an unrivalled know-how in terms of complications, manufacture movements and state-of-the-art materials. Carbon, titanium, ceramic and sapphire have been developed on this model to technical extremes.
This ground-breaking, high-quality approach to watchmaking is summed up in its philosophy ‘Be First, Unique and Different.’ It gradually led to other collections with innovative designs: Classic Fusion, Shaped Collection (Spirit of Big Bang, Square Bang) and Manufacture Pieces. These draw on high levels of craftsmanship, both in terms of the materials so dear to Hublot (such as Magic Gold, brightly-colored ceramics and sapphires) and its Manufacture movements (Unico chronograph, Meca-10 and high complications such as the Tourbillon, the Cathedral Minute Repeater and the specific Manufacture Pieces movements).
Hublot’s world extends to powerful partnerships including football. ‘Hublot Loves Football’ has become the slogan at the world’s biggest sporting events (such as the FIFA World CupTM, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA EUROTM) and through its ambassadors. This love of football continues in art, design, music, sport, fine dining and sailing. Lastly, Hublot’s implication in joint environmental projects with SORAI and Polar Pod reflects its concern for the issues of the day. Over 135 boutiques around the world share Hublot’s fervor and values, alongside the Hublot.com e-commerce site.
