2018 China Prize
Slowness as Method

The most intuitive meaning of slowness—from a literal understanding alone—is not fast, not efficient. In “Poetic Style: Poetry has Six Fascinations,” Shi Jiao Ran (a Chinese poetry critic in the Tang Dynasty) proposed a concept called “Slowness as Purity,” which is used to evaluate poetry: it seems to be empty, but in fact, it is complete and infinite; it seems to be bland, but in fact, it is long and meaningful. “Slowness” reflects the state of mind and realm of classical poetry after having tasted all the flavors of life and is an expression of true feelings that transcend all the laws of language and writing. Here, the meaning of the word slow is greatly expanded, not only as an aesthetic concept that affects artistic creation but also as a philosophical reflection that affects the creator’s human attitude.

The “slowness” proposed by the author in the final report does not describe the speed (emphasizes the slowdown of the rhythm and resists the current rapid and efficient urbanization and globalization). Instead, its significance is to describe a way of thinking as an approach emphasizing “extensibility” and “sustainability” in today’s more complex social and climatic environments.

Conclusion

Should architecture try to develop higher and more sophisticated technologies to resist climate change disasters, or should it turn its attention to strategies that mitigate the effects of disasters and enable people to return to normal life more quickly? Especially in less developed rural areas, should stronger dams be built to resist flooding, or should they be effective in providing shelter for residents when flooding occurs and helping them rebuild their homes as soon as possible after the flood is over?

From the Nazca Lines, to huaca, to the design of the Narihuala Innovation Center in the village, understanding how human cultures have responded to climate change in the past offers important lessons. Contemporary architects are often considered to be the standard bearers and pioneers of technology. As global climate change accelerates to become our reality, advanced construction techniques and robust building structures may be able to be concentrated in cities to resist the challenges of natural hazards in extremely dense areas. Yet, in the vast number of low-income rural areas, such a strategy will hardly succeed. Architects should turn their attention to these old but time-tested methods as a basis for application in new construction.

Slowness as an approach is the crystallization of a strong spirituality in the slow building process that reverently coexists with nature, generating a resilient resilience rather than a resistance that thinks it can overcome nature.