About MAD

MAD is a global architecture studio working across architecture, urbanism, interiors, product design, and art to create immersive environments where the built form connects deeply with emotion and experience.

MAD was founded in 2004 by Ma Yansong, alongside partners Dang Qun and Yosuke Hayano. With offices in Beijing, Los Angeles, and Rome, MAD is known for its forward-thinking, fluid, and technologically advanced designs that seek to reconnect architecture with the emotional and spiritual needs of the people who inhabit it.

MAD approaches architecture as a way to shape emotion and experience, embodying atmosphere, memory, and human connection. Each project is designed to deepen our relationship with the environment, community, and ourselves. MAD’s work responds to the subtle rhythms of urban life, the natural world, and human presence, creating spaces that are innovative, thoughtful, and alive with meaning.

For over two decades, MAD has pursued a design philosophy that brings together bold and beautiful forms with depth and spatial richness. Each project is designed to evoke feeling, inviting reflection, movement, and connection. Their designs connect the individual and the collective, the built and the natural, creating places where architecture becomes a living part of daily life. Notable works include Harbin Opera House, The Tunnel of Light, Courtyard Kindergarten, Quzhou Sports Campus, Jaixing Train Station, the Fenix in Rotterdam, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, and the Shenzhen Bay Culture Park.

MAD’s design philosophy is shaped by a view in which humanity, the city, and the environment exist in balance with each other. Natural elements and the rhythms of daily life inform a spatial approach that aligns urban life with its surroundings. This way of thinking gives rise to architecture that supports reflection, well-being, and collective imagination.

Exhibitions such as Ma Yansong: Landscapes in Motion (MoCAUP, Shenzhen and HKDI Gallery, Hong Kong) and Ma Yansong: Architecture and Emotion (Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam) reveal MAD’s ongoing commitment to innovation not only in form but in feeling. These exhibitions highlight the studio’s desire to use architecture as a medium for public discourse, spiritual resonance, and the evolving story of urban life.

MAD’s work expands the definition of architecture by engaging with art, product design, fashion, culture, history, and philosophy. The studio’s practice moves between disciplines and ideas, using architecture as a way to explore broader questions about human experience, urban life, and the future of our cities. Through built projects, exhibitions, writing, and cross-cultural dialogue, MAD continues to shape a design language that speaks to both the physical and spiritual dimensions of contemporary life.

DISCIPLINES

We are a multi-disciplinary studio that approaches creative design through the disciplines of architecture, urbanism, interior design, product design, and art installations. This comprehensive approach enables us to craft immersive and harmonious environments where every element - from the grand architectural vision to the minutest details of furniture and art - cohesively contributes to a unified aesthetic. By blurring the lines between these disciplines, we not only shape the built environment but also cultivate unique experiences that transcend traditional boundaries, reimagining the way we interact with the built world.

PROGRAM TYPES

We have worked on a wide range of program typologies, showcasing our versatility and innovation in the field of architecture. Our portfolio encompasses projects spanning from master plans to cultural institutions, residential developments, and adaptive reuse. Our visionary approach to design transcends programmatic boundaries, enabling us to create iconic structures that reflect our vision of blending nature, art, and sustainability with the practical needs of each programmatic context. This breadth of experience and expertise demonstrates our ability to adapt and excel across a wide spectrum of architectural challenges and project types.

VALUES

We are committed to developing futuristic, organic, technologically-advanced designs that embody a contemporary interpretation of humanities affinity for nature. With a vision for future cities founded on the spiritual and emotional needs of residents, MAD endeavors to create a balance between humanity, the city, and the environment. Across the world, we strive to create buildings that are contextually relevant and responsive to their surroundings such as urban planning, local traditions, and climate conditions. We believe in close collaboration with clients, consultants, and contractors throughout the design and construction process with an iterative design approach to achieve the best possible outcomes.