The way we do our architecture is to show that we can come up

Host: The late afternoon light was soft, casting long shadows across the walls of the café as the city outside began to slow its pace, the streets reflecting the fading sunlight. Inside, the air was warm, a contrast to the cool breeze that had begun to stir outside. Jack and Jeeny sat near the window, their coffee cups now empty, but the conversation between them felt like it had just begun. Jeeny, always eager to explore deeper ideas, was the first to speak.

Jeeny: “I was reading something by Ma Yansong, and it really got me thinking. He said, ‘The way we do our architecture is to show that we can come up with our own solutions. We don’t just take orders.’” She paused, her gaze steady on Jack. “What do you think about that? Is architecture about more than just following instructions? Is it about creating something unique, something that challenges the norm?”

Jack: He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping thoughtfully on the edge of his coffee cup as he considered her words. “I think he’s right. Architecture is supposed to be more than just putting up buildings—it’s about creating spaces that reflect vision, that speak to the environment, to the people who will use them. If all we do is follow orders and replicate what’s been done before, then we’re not really innovating. We’re just going through the motions.” He smiled, his voice growing more animated. “In that sense, architecture is like any form of art—it’s not just about filling a space, it’s about shaping it, about creating something that reflects the values and dreams of the people who will inhabit it.”

Host: The rhythmic hum of the café seemed to fade into the background as Jeeny’s words matched Jack’s tone, their shared understanding beginning to weave together. Outside, the world was settling into the evening, but inside, the conversation seemed to intensify, drawing them both into a deeper reflection.

Jeeny: “Exactly,” she said, her voice calm but with a quiet passion. “Architecture isn’t just about constructing something physically—it’s about conceptualizing and creating solutions that solve real problems, that address the needs and emotions of the people who will interact with the space. If we only look to the past, if we only take orders, we miss the chance to innovate, to create something that responds to the needs of today, not just the ideas of yesterday.” She leaned in slightly, as though her words held an important realization. “What Ma Yansong is saying is that we need to claim our agency as creators, as designers. We have the power to come up with our own solutions, to challenge the status quo.”

Jack: “Yeah, but innovation doesn’t come without its risks,” he said, his voice slightly guarded now, a bit more cautious. “If you go against the grain, if you challenge the established norms, you have to be prepared for people to push back. Not every new idea will be celebrated. It’s easy to follow orders because you know what you’re doing, but coming up with your own solutions—well, that takes real conviction. It takes courage to go out there and say, ‘This is how we can do it differently,’ especially when the people who are making the decisions are comfortable with the old ways.”

Jeeny: “But that’s the point, isn’t it?” she replied, her voice growing more certain. “True innovation comes from breaking away from the easy solutions, from questioning the status quo. It’s about moving beyond what’s comfortable and imagining something better. And yeah, it’s not easy, and it comes with risk—but that’s the necessity of creativity. It’s the only way to move things forward, to evolve. If we never take those risks, we end up stuck in the past.” She smiled, a slight twinkle in her eye. “And that’s what I think Ma Yansong is challenging us to do—to look at architecture not as a job to fulfill someone else’s orders, but as an opportunity to reshape the world around us.”

Host: The ambient noise of the café seemed to fall away, as though the room itself was absorbing the gravity of their conversation. Outside, the world was a blur of movement, but inside, the conversation between Jeeny and Jack had created a sense of stillness—a moment of shared understanding. Maybe the true purpose of architecture wasn’t just to design spaces, but to question, to challenge, and to create something that spoke to the needs of today, rather than simply repeating the designs of yesterday.

Jack: “I think I’m starting to see it now. Innovation isn’t just about being different for the sake of being different—it’s about thinking critically, about using the skills and knowledge we have to make a real difference, to improve the way people live, the way they interact with the spaces around them.” He smiled, a quiet appreciation in his voice now. “Maybe it’s not just about following orders, it’s about listening to the world, to what’s needed, and then creating something that answers that.”

Jeeny: “Exactly,” she said with a soft smile. “Architecture, at its core, is about responding to the world. It’s about understanding the needs of people, the needs of the environment, and using that understanding to create something that moves us, that challenges how we think and live. That’s where the real power of architecture lies—when we stop reproducing and start creating.”

Host: The light in the café had dimmed slightly as the evening continued to unfold, and the rain outside had slowed to a gentle mist. Jack and Jeeny sat in the quiet, each reflecting on the realization that true creativity wasn’t just about following directions—it was about having the courage to come up with original solutions, to challenge norms, and to create something that would shape the world. Perhaps, in the end, the beauty of architecture—and all creative work—lay not in what had already been done, but in what had yet to be imagined.