Traditional cultural buildings have shown an inclination to fade away, since the actual cultural activities of the public can take place in diversified venues. MultiArch hopes to integrate the “gene of orientalism” into contemporary architectures and proposes the concept of “pan-cultural architecture”.
MultiArch designed many projects, such as Shanghai Guoqing Temple, China’s first contemporary temple integrated with a city park; Lattice Space, an exhibition hall and public space remodeled from two dilapidated factory buildings by reducing architectural volume; Huiyang Shatian Town No. 2 Primary School, a mountain campus featured with oriental charms; and Suzhou UNIHZ R&D Building, a vertical office colony shared by multiple owners. MultiArch believes that all buildings can serve as cultural buildings. Regardless of the functions, attributes and scale of a building, it can be vitalized by high-quality public space and possess spirituality and fascination beyond its utility. This is how architectures realize “the pan-cultural attributes”.
MultiArch was founded by two architects, Mr. Shen Chi and Ms. Zhao Xing. Mr. Shen also founded “the Design Cross View”, the most influential private architects’ salon in the Greater Bay Area of China. Ms. Zhao founded the ATU Architectural Development Communication Center. Mr. Shen Chi has obtained such major awards as the 7th Young Architect Award of Architectural Society of China (the highest honor for Chinese young architects) and the Annual Emerging Architect of the Ideal Architecture Festival 2021.