“THE DENSER OUR CITIES BECOME, THE MORE IMPORTANT IT BECOMES TO THINK ABOUT THE SPACES WE CAN CREATE IN THEM”

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The CCTV headquarters in Beijing, China

BUILDING WITH PURPOSE

Based primarily in Beijing for nearly 20 years, the Asia region continues to inspire and shape Scheeren’s work. “In the past two decades, there was really an incredible momentum in Asia—so much was happening at an incredible speed,” he recalls. “The magnitude at which cities and entire countries changed was both breathtaking and full of opportunity. Instead of building as quickly as possible, the time has come to really investigate how we can build in a more responsible way to create a more sustainable model for our urban lives.” Rather than constantly demolishing old structures and building anew, Scheeren hopes to see more adaptive-reuse projects that celebrate a city’s built heritage while adapting these buildings for the future. “I think it’s important that we develop strategies about how we can reimagine existing structures that will not only bring them into the present, but also forward into the future,” he says. His recent project in Frankfurt, to be completed later this year, is an example. By inserting panoramic floors into the existing concrete structure, the firm will convert the Brutaliststyle office tower from the 1970s into a residential tower with lofty, light-filled spaces. When asked about his ambitions for the future, Scheeren is optimistic about the ways in which architecture can help improve the urban landscape. “If a building can give the city something it didn’t have before—whether it’s a great space to live in or a memorable place where a lot of things happen—i think that’s one of the best things we can achieve,” he says. “For me, that is a personal achievement.”