{"id":34273,"date":"2024-12-24T09:50:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T09:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muse.international\/?p=34273"},"modified":"2025-04-21T01:59:57","modified_gmt":"2025-04-21T01:59:57","slug":"interview-with-yijia-xu-zhimin-ma-london-design-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muse.international\/index\/interview-with-yijia-xu-zhimin-ma-london-design-award\/","title":{"rendered":"A Unique Take on Landscape Designing with Yijia Xu & Zhimin Ma"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yijia Xu and Zhimin Ma are landscape designers dedicated to transforming overlooked spaces into meaningful environments that serve both people and nature. With backgrounds in architecture and landscape design, they craft sensory-driven spaces that highlight each site’s unique essence while balancing functionality and aesthetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yijia Xu Q1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yijia Xu: I\u2019m currently a landscape designer with Field Operations. I was trained as an architect before turning to landscape architecture for my master\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zhimin Ma: I’m a landscape designer based in San Francisco, focusing primarily on public landscape projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yijia Xu: Design could mean a lot. But personally, design amplifies the sensational experience of the world. I somehow believe good design is not always about inventing new things. It\u2019s the delicacy, curiosity and empathy when you observe the world that could turn the otherwise invisible things feel tangible ones. In this way, design is both personal and public to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zhimin Ma: Design brings our everyday experiences into poetic storytelling, bridging between functionality and aesthetics. In landscape design, it\u2019s the practice of transforming neglected spaces into environments that serve not only people but the ecosystem as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yijia Xu: I appreciate designs that capture the essence of a site. The magic lies in transforming overlooked or neglected spaces into extraordinary experiences. It\u2019s about recognizing every aspect of the site without bias and using thoughtful design to shift public perceptions. Some of my favourite examples include the High Line, Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord, and Le\u00e7a Swimming Pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zhimin Ma: I admire designs that engage all senses. Thoughtful placemaking, the right combination of materials and plants, and high-standard construction create immersive experiences where you can see, hear, smell, and feel nature’s essence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the trip to site we came up with the idea of exploring how future transformations in the steel industry might shape the space. We questioned whether the public could become part of this change. Guided by these ideas, we adopted a phasing strategy, introduced pilot projects, and emphasised materiality. Central to our approach was “creative crafting”\u2014blending the cognitive and physical aspects of steelmaking to inspire both industry and community interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/i><\/a><\/i><\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(read more here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

here<\/a>.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yijia Xu and Zhimin Ma are landscape designers dedicated to transforming overlooked spaces into meaningful environments that serve both people and nature. 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