张 影 ， 家，常居美国
，整个 在 大的 。对于我而 ，
是 别 的 业， 了一个 家的 生 。
有一 ，张 和子 波 来 ， 们 国
自 的 业。 让我 常 。 以 自然、
性 低 、有 生气，同时对 美 的 对
在中国生 ，更不要 自 的公 。
，在一项研究 的资 下，我
于 居的美国 和中国之间 片。张 和子 在上
了 们的小 作 ，并 了几个 。 次
上 ，我 到 们的新家一起 。 次 的时
， 们 了 公 不 和上 的 ，并
有提 们设计的 。
一 后，也 是 1 ，在我 发 中国之前，
们 系我 可不可以 们上 的项目 影。项目是一个
品 所的 景观， 小。 然我 然可
以， 里 不知 面对的 是 。在1 下 的一个
下 ，我 上 场，然后 项目现场。 所重重
的 ，我对 前 到的景 动不 个
不 和周围被过度 的 民时 的 形成 对
， 将整个空间 成了一个现 的、极 的、 满活
的场所。 在 下来的 里，我有 为张唐景观大部 新完
成的项目 了 片。通过 影，我们记 和 研了几
所有张 和子 设计的项目， 包 们 美国之前
的。我 到一 们以前 来 有 过的 。
为 ，我在中国的 影足 过 。我目
了中国 改 到现在4 来最有 性的时 一
个国家 关 提高生产 到 所有的 品
；整个社 在 满不 性的 大 ，在过
和 来之间 。 的 受到质 ，大家
更关 的是其 加 。对于 作的设计 来 ，
境 其 。在 的社 里，我们不 不 一个不可
的 题 是 的
在不到 的时间里，张 和子 不 在中国的景观
行业里 了 ，而 次 美国景观 的重
要 项， 到了 围的 可。 们的设计有 度、
类型， 了不同 ， 不同 。对于大
的人来 ， 的成 然是成 ，并 人 。 是，
我 不 我对 们 要 国发展的 是完
的。对于我来 ，我 识的 们 有改 对
在大 的一 里 地 水 的 。
们的项目里，我 不 张 和子 与 的中国
境 系在一起。在我的 里， 是有 位。
置 地 ，中国特 的环境是 成 们成 的重要原
之一， 然环境可以使然，然而 有设计 可以 让 成为 的。
我们生活在一个 生品的时 ， 是我相 ，张 和 子 并不是为了自 而 求 ， 为 们的作品足以
There were quite a few big changes around the world in the year 2008. I left my job as an architect to begin an adventure as an artist. One day, Dong and Ziying called me from Boston saying that they were planning to move back to China to start their own business. It caught me in surprise. I just could not imagine how this couple who are shy, humble, bookish, deeply in love with nature, yet stubborn in terms of aesthetic could survive in China, not to mention run their own business.
In 2009, with a research grant I begun frequently to go back and forth between my resided New York City and China to take photographs; Dong and Ziying started their own little studio in Shanghai and had hired a few helpers. Whenever I was there, I always stopped by their new home for dinner. They complained that the business was not easy and that the winter in Shanghai was depressing.During the whole conversation, however, they did not mention much about what they were designing.
A year later, in 2010, before one of my trips back to China, they contacted me and asked if I would be willing to photograph one of their projects in Shanghai. They said it was a small piece for a courtyard in an elite club. I agreed, not knowing what to expect. On a late October afternoon, I arrived at Shanghai airport and went straight to the project. When the heavy metal gate of the club opened, I was thrilled by what I saw —— a courtyard that not only drew aesthetic contrast to the surrounding overdecorated colonial style mansions, but also transformed the entire space to a modern, simple, yet playful place.
For the following near-decade, I have had privilege to photograph Z+T’s newly completed projects while conducting a photographic survey of almost all the projects designed by Dong and Ziying, including many they completed before heading to the US. I had a chance to see all the works that they didn’t mention much before.
By now, my journey across China with cameras in hand has lasted a decade. I have witnessed the true contemporary moment of China since the country opened the door to the world 40 years ago.The focus of the country has evolved from how to produce more to how to commoditize more.The society has been stressed by uncertainty and sometimes feels split by the past and the future. The value of a product fractured. Objects are derived from one from another. For the designers who are truthful to their creation it has become more difficult to properly judge. It becomes an inevitable and essential question —— What is the truth?
by tenFor less than ten years, Dong and Ziying have gained a solid reputation in China and even globally by winning two prestigious awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects. Their work has covered a broad variety in terms of style, size, type, materiality and application of many technologies. Surely, the achievement is impressive, and they are successful. Yet, I could not fully acknowledge that
my concern at their return to China was completely wrong. For me, what I know of them now has kept my impression of them intact —— a couple sitting in a beat-up car by the Atlantic Ocean in the winter, quietly painting watercolors. Throughout their pro ects, I could not finish the pu le that is supposed to integrate Dong and Ziying into the context of the contemporary China. There are mismatches. There is no doubt that the exceptional circumstances in China are one of the essential keys to their success. Even so, the circumstances can enable even empower but only the designer can embody. We are living in an era of derivates, but I am sure Dong and Ziying are not looking for the truth for themselves, since their works themselves bear the truth.
Hai Zhang Feb 14, 2018, New York
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