MAD no doubt is one of the most recognized architectural practices in China and worldwide. Every year, MAD receives countless job and internship applications. To be able to work at MAD will definitely enrich your career as even though the people working here might have been lucky, but are undeniably outstanding. What could possibly be on the minds of the MAD interns?

MAD无疑是中国最受瞩目的建筑师事务所之一，同时在世界范围内也受到极高的关注。
MAD每年都收到来自全世界不计其数的工作申请和实习申请。
能够进入MAD学习和工作一段时间，职业生涯无疑会变得精彩丰富，
在这里的人们，也许是幸运的，但肯定是优秀的。
在MAD工作的实习生们，他们脑子里天马星空的想法是什么样的?

Name: Sharon Sin 單曉朗
Educational Institution: University of Bath, United Kingdom
Year: 3rd Year
Nationality: British
Email: sharonhlsin@gmail.com

Who is your favourite architect? Why?
I admire many architects for their different influence in my architecture thinking. The colleagues from the office which I previously worked with in Hong Kong have inspired me significantly; they have demonstrated their passion in strategic design to solve social public issues. Shigeru Ban is one of my favourite architect, who has been humbly devoted himself to serve the public. He designs and makes low cost and recyclable housings for those in desperate needs after the disasters; I think this is an impressive attitude and a very encouraging example for the young architects.

What is the major characteristic of your current school’s education?
My school has a unique feature of educating architects and civil engineers together through a number of joint projects during the 4 years course. Architects are being encouraged to look into structure and environmental control.

They also believe passionately in Placements in Practice, our bachelor course is 4 years instead of 3 because during the second half of 2nd and 3rd year, all architecture students are required to work in the professional field. This allows us to apply our industrial knowledge and skills into the academic studies and experimental designs.

It has been a valuable team work experience with the engineers during the design process where we have to balance in both disciplines. For me, it is a challenging and intense period of designing with technical consideration. Our school values the thinking process and result of architecture rather than an aim as we are trained to be aware of the social impact we are creating while designing.

What have you gained during the MAD internship?
In MAD practice, I enjoyed taking part in conceptual design because I have gained inspiring insights from the team. They always start with a big and brave idea, then it is developed further with construction details. I like this approach because they maximize their creative possibility. I also have learnt to use some new software here; I believe these would be useful tools in my future designs.

Other than that, I gained friendship here along with other interns coming from all over the world and the opportunity to share our individual enthusiasm upon architecture. The architects in the office are also friendly and inspiring too when they are leading the projects. It’s been a fun team-working experience.

What are your thoughts and feelings upon Chinese Architecture and the environment?Any suggestion?
As I have lived in UK for a very long time, I am not so familiar with traditional Chinese architecture. While being in Beijing and visiting the Chinese architecture here, I feel very attached to its historic beauty. The architecture is magnificent and reveals the overwhelming power of China. I am often overtaken with a sense of feeling small before the awe-inspiring scale of these enduring master-pieces. What humbles me to no end is how the incredible size does not overshadow the deep intricacies, and symbolic subtleties that permeate Chinese culture. Every detail of the building has a story if you are willing to delve into the history. I am amazed to find out that some Chinese phrases and expressions actually came from the architecture and at the same time Chinese literature had great influence on the building design.

Now the city is composed by a majority of rationalized buildings which indicate the transition period leading to contemporary architecture. Now there are many iconic buildings in the CBD designed by the star architects. These represent new kinetic movement of the commercial growth and they attract people to make visits from over the world. However, I am hesitated to agree whether the presence of these buildings respond to the citizens’ expectation and consider their comfort. Or perhaps, are they merely exhibits of the architects’ experiments?

What is your dream?
It would be awesome if I could travel back in time and to the future with my camera, taking snap shots of all the things which I would not be able to experience during my present life time.

What would you do if you were not an architect?
I would love to become a film director or journalist so that I have the opportunity to share my thoughts and belief with the public through words, music, drama and visual arts. I enjoy being a story-teller.

What is your dream project?
To design my own house that could intensify my family and my pleasure in our favourite activities during our daily living.

What is your favourite project in your portfolio? Why?
I think I like my most recent project which is the Health Centre and Turkish bath, where it shows my first step in beginning to explore my own direction in architectural theory and developing my individual philosophy in designing. I was completely unfamiliar with the culture in Istanbul; it is the first project where I carried out a series of investigations in order to gain better understanding of the place. I enjoyed the experience of living there, engaging conversations with the local people and to study a foreign city planning thoroughly before the actual designing.

姓名: 单晓朗
学校: 英国巴斯大学
年级: 3年纪
国籍: 英国
电邮: sharonhlsin@gmail.com

最喜欢的建筑师是谁？为什么？
很多建筑师在不同的领域带给我影响。以前我在香港的同事，他们在激情和解决社会公共问题方面带给我触动。日本建筑师坂茂是我最喜欢的建筑师，他至诚为市民服务，其低成本的设计和制造作品在灾难后发挥着重要的作用。他的态度和所作所为让人印象深刻和倍受鼓舞。

你所在学校的教育特点？
在学校本科4年的学习过程中，将建筑和工程结合起来，鼓励建筑师考虑结构和应对环境。同时学校重视实践，英国的本科一班是3年，而学校4年的课程安排则是从2年级到三年级的下学期，所有的学生都要到事务所参加实习，让学生所学有所用。在设计过程中让建筑设计和工程质检取得平衡是很有意义的。考虑技术问题是一个挑战。学校总是建筑的过程和结果，而不是仅仅培训我们的适应和符合社会。

在MAD实习最大的收获是什么？
在MAD实习我很喜欢概念设计阶段，我从团队中学习到鼓舞人心的见解。团队从大胆的，具有勇气的想法开始，然后逐步落实到后面的细节之中。我很喜欢这样的模式，这最大限度的发挥了创造的可能性。我在这里也学会使用了一些新软件。这对我未来的设计会非常有用。

此外，我在这里得到了友谊—与从世界上各地来到这里的实习生成朋友。办公室的建筑师也非常的友好和乐于助人。在一起的工作非常有趣。

你对中国建筑的感触是什么？建议是什么？
因为我在英国住了很长一段时间，我没有那么熟悉中国的传统建筑，不过我在北京的这段时间中，我感受到其巨大的历史魅力。整体恢宏的气势具有压倒性的力量。在这些恒古的建筑面前我感到自身的渺小并体会到渗透在每个地方每个构件之中的中国文化。每一个细节都有一曲故事。此外我还惊奇的发现一些成语和语句的表达来自中国建筑，而中国文学又反过来影响中国建筑的设计。

现在的城市处于扩张期，出现了各种各样的有明星建筑师设计的各式建筑。这样的发展吸引全球各地的人们前来。但是，我却怀疑这些建筑是否符合民众期望以及考虑了其舒适性，他们仅仅是建筑师的试验吗？

你的梦想是什么？
如果能通过相机回到过去的时光或者去往未来的时间那就太棒了。体会到我现在生活中无法体会到的一些事情。

你如果不当建筑师会选择什么职业？
我很想成为电影导演或者是记者，让我有机会通过文字，音乐，戏剧还有视觉艺术向公众分享我的想法和信念。我希望成为一个讲故事的人。

你梦想中的项目是什么样的？
设计自己的家。在日常生活中加入我们喜爱的乐趣，增进家人的感情。

在自己的作品集中，你最喜欢的作品是什么？为什么？
我想我最喜欢的是我最近完成的项目：土耳其浴和健康中心。这是我在探索自己的方向，在建筑理论和发展上迈出自己的第一步。我对伊斯坦布尔文化是完全陌生的，为此我展开一系列的调查，以对项目取得更好的理解。我喜欢在那里的生活经验，与当地人民进行对话，深入了解国外城市的设计与规划。

01 The Stepped Garden
阶梯式花园，土耳其伊斯坦布尔卫生中心及浴场

场地濒临城市的金喇叭湾，位于一个不规则场地中，周边是社区。全天候观察这里居民和游客的行为，他们上下陡峭的坡，穿行场地，到达城市的另一边。人们好像挺喜欢坐在紧凑的台阶上休息，猫也在这睡觉。这历史港区与市中心的过渡区域。为了提升人们的穿行体验以及为当地居民提供外部公共空间，这里将作为一个花园的功能。这个花园有一系列的台阶，并提供更多的活动空间，能够单独实现港区与城市的联通作用。景观被整体性的植入总体规划。为海港到城市间这一区域创造了更多的社会空间和绿荫。

02 The Burnt Cube
被烧的立方体

英国布里斯托皇后广场亭设计竞赛入围作品

广场有多条不同方向的路径，将城市连接起来。参赛者被要求设计一个凉亭，吸引更多的人前往这个广场。场地有着浓烈的历史背景，以前发生过骚乱而导致房屋被烧毁，骚乱的位置就发生在路中间。这个亭子的设计以另外一种方式展现出历史，并带领人们发现公共空间的身份。

03 The Gallery on the Bridge
安藤忠雄建筑理论研究

日本京都

研究当代建筑师的画廊草图。这个设计用桥联系起不同的几何空间，画廊空间之外是其它空间。这撩起游客的好奇。材料选用的是个性强烈的清水混凝土。人们在桥上循序渐进进入艺术世界。画廊是圆形的，中间有两个方形庭院，给游客与众不同的空间体验。

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Name: Sharon Sin 單曉朗
Email: sharonhlsin@gmail.com