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Zhang Lei is the Chair Professor at the School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and a renowned architect. He previously served as the Vice Dean of the School of Architecture at Nanjing University, the Director of the Architectural Planning and Design Institute of Nanjing University, and a Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning of Nanjing University.
In 2008, AtelierZhanglei was selected as one of the ten design avant-guard office by 《Architectural Record》 . In 2012, he was nominated for the 3rd "Swiss Architectural Awards". In 2023, he won the Achievements Award of the " Architecture China Award ".
His representative work, the Concrete Slit House, was nominated for the honor award for young architects by 《Architecture Review》's ar+d awards in 2008. Another representative work, Jingdezhen Bingding Wood-Kiln, was nominated for the Honorary Nomination Award of the 2021 Architectural Design Awards of the Asian Institute of Architects. In recent years, his design works have been widely published in international architectural magazines and publications such as GA Document, Domus, Lotus, Architectural Design, Architecture Review, Architectural Record, Detail, Mark, ICON, Area, Oris, Space, 1’ARCA, Architecture Now, Architecture Now Houses, Architecture Now Museums, and 100 Contemporary Houses.
He has been invited to participate in major international exhibitions of contemporary Chinese architecture, including the "TUMU: New Chinese Architecture" exhibition at the Aedes Gallery in Berlin (Berlin, Germany); the "Contemporary Chinese Art Exhibition" at the Centre Pompidou in France (Paris, France); the "Contemporary Chinese Architecture Exhibition" by the Netherlands Architecture Institute (Rotterdam, the Netherlands); "Chinese Architecture: Five Projects/Five Stories" (New York, the United States); and the Venice Architecture Biennale (Venice, Italy).
He has held visiting professorships at the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Chiba Institute of Technology (Japan), ETH Zurich (Switzerland), and served as a guest critic at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (USA).
In 2004, Professor Zhang Lei proposed the design philosophy of "Basic Architecture," emphasizing "Learning from architecture without architects" in his practices and teaching. He places great emphasis on the use of local materials and construction methods based on rational architectural ontology, and advocates “Craftsmanship Architecture”.
In 2021, Zhang Lei and Lei Xiaohua jointly founded Allied Zhang & Lei Architects (azLa) to explore Basic Architecture and unlock cultural codes. azLa propose exploring "the contemporary and international design practice of traditional aesthetics". Its design concept traces back to traditional Chinese philosophy. Architectural works respect cultural subjectivity, cultural confidence, and the ideal of the spirit of place. In the context of change and integration, it returns to real daily life to explore the spatial imagination and poetic experience of architecture, aiming for an artistic realm.
He has won more than 50 design awards, including 14 provincial - level first - class awards, and he is the first prize winner for all of them:
1、Longhu Financial Tower C4 - 06 in Zhengdong New District won the Outstanding Survey and Design Award of the Urban and Rural Construction Units of Jiangsu Province in 2022. (First Prize)
2、The School of Journalism and Communication Building Project at Xianlin Campus of Nanjing University won the Outstanding Survey and Design Award of the Urban and Rural Construction Units of Jiangsu Province in 2020. (First Prize)
3、Jingdezhen Bingding Wood - Kiln won the Honorary Nomination Award of the 2021 Architectural Design Awards of the Asian Institute of Architects.
4、The Western Cloud Valley Project won the First class Award of the China Survey and Design Association in 2019.
5、Shangrao City Planning Exhibition Hall, Shangrao City Museum, and Shangrao City Archives won the First - class Award of Excellent Design in Jiangsu Province in 2018.
6、The 4th "Zijin Award" Cultural and Creative Design Competition in 2017, Gold Award .
7、Yangzhou Science and Technology Museum won the First - class Award of Excellent Design in Jiangsu Province in 2017.
8、Nanjing Zhongcheng Plaza won the First - class Award of Excellent Design in Jiangsu Province in 2016.
9、The Library of NJU Xianlin New Campus won the First - class Award of the China Survey and Design Association in 2015 .
10、The Library of NJU Xianlin New Campus of Nanjing University won the First - class Award of Excellent Design in Jiangsu Province in 2013.
11、The Memorial Hall of the New Fourth Army's Jiangnan Command won the First - class Award of Excellent Design in Jiangsu Province in 2009 .
12、The Agricultural Tax Collection and Administration Office in Qingpu District, Shanghai won the First - class Award of Excellent Design in Jiangsu Province in 2008.
13、The Renovation and Expansion Project of the Library of Nanjing University won the First - class Award of Excellent Design in Jiangsu Province in 2004.
14、The Office and Laboratory Building of the NJU Model Animal Research Center won the First - class Award of Excellent Design of the Ministry of Education in 2005.
He has compiled and co - compiled 11 design work albums and monographs:
1、Contemporary Architects Series - Zhang Lei, China Architecture & Building Press, 2012.
2、ZHANGLEI MATERIAL VOLITIONl, World Architecture, No. 4, 2011. 250
3、After Modernism - AtelierZhangLei, Urban Environment Design (UED), October 2015.
4、Basic Architecture, China Architecture & Building Press, 2004.
5、A+C Design Representation, China Architecture & Building Press, 1997.
6、Selected Design Works of Young Architects, China Architecture & Building Press, 1997.
7、Analysis of European Modern Architecture - The Logic of Form, Jiangsu Science and Technology Press, 1998, Second Author
8、Analysis of European Modern Architecture - The Construction of Form, Jiangsu Science and Technology Press, 1999, Second Author
9、Analysis of European Modern Architecture - The Meaning of Form, Jiangsu Science and Technology Press, 1999, Third Author
10、Computer - Aided Architectural Rendering - Creative Production and Representation, Heilongjiang Science and Technology Press, 1998, Third Author
11、STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION, ETH - Zurich, 1998, Second Author
In recent years, he has published 22 articles in Architectural Journal:
1、Zhang Lei. Wanjingyuan Garden Chapel, Nanjing. Architectural Journal, December 2014 (CSSCI), 555, pp. 34 - 38.
2、Wang Kai, Zhang Lei. Ideas and Construction: Review of Design of Wanjingyuan Garden Chapel and Nanjing Union Theological Seminary Cathedral. Architectural Journal, December 2014 (CSSCI), 555, pp. 39 - 41.
3、Zhang Lei. Yunxi Daijiashan Rural Art Hotel - Renovation of Ethnic She House of Daijiashan Vernacular Arts Hotel in Yunxi, Tonglu, Zhejiang. Architectural Journal, March 2016 (CSSCI), 570, pp. 40 - 45.
4、Wang Kai, Zhang Lei. Contemporary Vernacular: Renovation of Ethnic She House of Daijiashan Vernacular Arts Hotel in Yunxi. Architectural Journal, March 2016 (CSSCI), 570, pp. 46 - 47.
5、Zhong Huaying, Zhang Lei. Shitang Village Internet Conference Center. Architectural Journal, January 2017, 580, pp. 76 - 80.
6、Zhong Huaying, Wang Kai, Xi Hong, Zhang Lei. Typological Reconstruction in Rural context-A Review of the Design of Shitang Internet Conference Center. Architectural Journal, January 2017, 580, pp. 81 - 83.
7、Zhang Lei. LEI House, Tonglu, Zhejiang. Architectural Journal, April 2018 (CSSCI), 595, pp. 70 - 74.
8、Wang Kai, Zhong Huaying, Zhang Lei. Architecture of Artisanship and Rural Digitalization. Architectural Journal, April 2018 (CSSCI), 595, pp. 75 - 77.
9、C4 – 06 Financial Office Building. Architectural Journal, 2018 Supplement (CSSCI), pp. 136 - 137.
10、C4 – 15 Financial Office Building. Architectural Journal, 2018 Supplement (CSSCI), pp. 154 - 155.
11、Zhang Lei, Qi Wei. FURTURE STITCH Smart Factory of China. Architectural Journal, May 2019 (CSSCI), 608, pp. 56 - 59.
12、Zhang Lei, Wang Kai, Zhao Qian. Public Space and Art Space in FURTURE STITCH Smart Factory in Haining. Architectural Journal, May 2019 (CSSCI), 608, pp. 60 - 63.
13、Zhang Lei. Genius Loci of Bingding Wood Kiln in Jingdezhen. Architectural Journal, January 2020 (CSSCI), 616, pp. 59 - 65.
14、Zhang Lei, Lei Xiaohua. The Locality of Space and the External Driving Force for the Revitalization of Chenjiapu Village, Songyang. Architectural Journal, January 2021 (CSSCI), 627, pp. 26 - 33.
15、Zhang Lei, Qi Wei. Tangshan RURALATION Museum Hotel in Tangshan. Architectural Journal, March 2021 (CSSCI), 629, pp. 54 - 61
16、Zhang Lei, Lei Xiaohua. Architecture in Place and Time - Three Disappearances into nature of RURALATION Museum Hotel. Architectural Journal, March 2021 (CSSCI), 629, pp. 62 - 65.
17、Zhang Lei, Qi Wei, Li Chenxing. Treasure Pavilion at the 11th Jiangsu Horticultural Expo. Architectural Journal, August 2022 (CSSCI), 645, pp. 112 - 115.
18、Li Chenxing, Zhang Lei. Folding on Site - An Interpretation on the Design of Treasure Pavilion at the 11th Jiangsu Horticultural Expo. Architectural Journal, August 2022 (CSSCI), 645, pp. 115 - 117.
19、Zhang Lei, Lei Xiaohua, Qi Wei, Hong Siyao. Xinanli Studio (Renovation of the Plot of Nanjing Daily). Architectural Journal, October 2022 (CSSCI), 647, pp. 42 - 48.
20、Qi Wei, Hong Siyao, Zhang Lei. The Place Renewal of "Old Buildings" in Historic Areas - Research on the Renovation Strategy of Xinanli Master Studio (the Former Nanjing Daily Site). Architectural Journal, October 2022 (CSSCI), 647, pp. 48 - 51.
21、Zhang Lei, Lei Xiaohua, Fan Xinwo. Construction Strategies of "Anchoring" and "Suspending" - Exploring Taipinghe River Urban Area Exhibition Center in Shijiazhuang. Architectural Journal, October 2023 (CSSCI), 659, pp. 107 - 113.
22、Zhang Lei, Lei Xiaohua, Li Zheng, Feng Yujun. Parametric Design and Construction of Jinling Jinling Diamond Art Museum. Architectural Journal, January 2025 (CSSCI), 672, pp. 54 - 59.
Professor Zhang Lei's representative works include:
Nanjing Constitution Park, KUNSHAN OPERA MUSEUM, , Zhengdong New District Planning Exhibition Hall, Shijiazhuang Taipinghe Urban Area Exhibition Center, the Central Park Pavilion Complex in the High - tech Zone of Haining City (Haining Branch of Zhejiang Library, Cultural and Sports Center, Cultural Exhibition Center), Songyang Cultural and Creative Park (Museum, Library, Cultural Center), Shangrao City Planning Exhibition Hall (including the Urban Construction Archives) and Museum, Nanjing University Museum, the No.1 Entrance and Treasure Museum of Jiangsu Horticultural Expo, Jingdezhen Bingding Wood Kiln, Xinanli Master Studio, Tangshan RULURATION Museum Hotel, and the Longjing Zhonghe Affordable Housing Project in Pukou