Chinese Architects Directory: EXH Design

Boutique Hotel design for the Ordos100 project
HISTORY
EXH Design is a cross-cultural studio, founded by ex Herzog + de Meuron staffers Erich Diserens (a graduate of Switzerland's FHBB) and Xi Zhang (a graduate of ETH Zurich). In November 2006 they left the Swiss mothership to set up on their own in Shanghai.
APPROACH
'We're a design-oriented office', explains Zhang, 'and we're expanding our scope from architecture to interior design, furniture and products.' At the heart of their ideology is the desire to create work of quality, making sure that every step of the way from design to construction is handled smoothly and professionally. It's also important that their projects convey key elements of Chinese culture, and cite their ongoing admiration for the Forbidden City as an example. 'It's a big treasure,' says Zhang, 'we are always inspired by it.'
FUTURE
The studio is currently finishing up the new visa centre at the Swiss Embassy in Beijing, along with an interior for Swissnex Shanghai - the country's cultural outpost. Another recent commission is the new HQ for Roche Shanghai, set to be on site until 2014, and a spectacular boutique hotel for the Ordos project, a faceted concrete structure inspired by traditional Mongolian yurts. Zhang believes the Chinese market will continue to demand high quality architecture, as well as demonstrate an ever-increasing sophistication. 'We hope architecture in the future will be even better designed and better built.'

Room 201-207 - D Block, Dalian Road 1053, Shanghai 200086, Tel: 1.86 21 3377 3396, Fax: 1.86 21 3377 3398, ZXL@exhdesign.com, www.exhdesign.com