The principles of Feng Shui in contemporary architectural planning in Beijing

In the great many buildings erected and urban transformations effected recently, it appears clear that still today Feng Shui is not explicitly used in Beijing for planning new architecture. The most evident phenomenon in most of Beijing’s recent major architecture is, however, the frequent return to various traditional Chinese symbolic characteristics. Everything therefore indicates that the choice to refer to these symbols was part of a general strategy to establish the new buildings in their “environment” and to mitigate the effect of "foreignness" that the exclusive use of western styles could have created. More interesting is the role and work of artist and architect Ai Weiwei in the suburb of Caochangdi . The artist takes on the role of a modern geo-mancer, works with the labourers and workers of the place where he too lives and creates a new interesting “Art Village”. The genius of a single individual who is able to interpret the contemporary situation, is thereby combined, with spontaneity and immediacy, with the elementary principles of tradition.