Marc Goodwin portrays architecture offices in China

This photo-essay is part of a broader project, in which the photographer has visited over 120 offices in 12 cities in 10 countries.

MAD Architects

Marc Goodwin has spent nearly two years photographing over 120 offices in 12 cities in 10 countries – from Finland to United Arab Emirates, from United Kingdom to South Korea. To date, he says, China has impressed him the most, both because of the beauty and quality of local studios such as Standard/Zao, Archiunion, Aim, Way/Pu, Neri and Hu and the sheer volume of great projects going on there. However, the Chinese step is only the tip of the iceberg as the entire project will be published as an Architecture Studios Atlas. Goodwin works full time as a commercial architectural photographer so these shoots are a parallel practice to his commissions. Doing so has meant constant travel and 150+ shoots per year.

His goal is to reveal where architects work as this is both of interest to professionals (he has found through significant feedback) and in his view a missing chapter in the history of architecture. The atmosphere of the workplace is of great importance to architects as projects involve the design of office spaces. But rarely does one get to see what the office space of those designers is like. This is part reference tool (there is lots of churn in the industry and the work environment is a significant factor) part historical document.

Img.99 Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners Shanghai
Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners, Shanghai

Marc Goodwin is an architectural photographer who works regularly in Europe and Asia for a host of top tier clients. His PhD on the subject of architectural photography and atmosphere is published under the title: Architecture’s Discursive Space: Photography. He is the founder of Archmospheres, Ltd. and is currently developing the Architecture Studios Atlas around the globe.

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