'Art improves the city' : an art centre project proposed in Chifeng, China

Abstract

Art has always been treated as nourishment for the mind and a spirtual tool that improves the quality of life. It arises out of the experience of life but is the distillations of life. It can provide aesthetic enjoyment, and it is also a powerful expression of ideas. This project aims to integrate artistic activity into the urban context of a moderately sized Chinese city where almost no such activity presently occurs. The encouragement of artistic expression thought to enhance the quality of the lives of the people and the architectural construction necessary to achieve this is likely to improve the city.When building an art centre in a city that is combining art and architecture, what kinds of energy will it bring to the city and to the urban life of people who live in it? To be more specific: In what way can art exist in an urban context? What strategies can be used to allow art to improve a city and its urban life? How can this be achieved through the architecture? The project intends to provide a new 'art life' for the people of Chifeng in two different but related ways : passively and actively. The art centre will have an active and a passive capacity. Passively it will offer more opportunity to appreciate art, and actively, it will encourage and support people in the urban context to make active artistic contributions to the city. Hopefully, the Art Centre, will bring life and energy to Chifeng by creating an interactive place which will inspire creativity and generate a more active artistic expression in the city.