Founded by TANG Kangshuo and ZHANG Miao in 2013, MAT Office is a research and design architectural office started in Rotterdam and practices in Beijing since 2015. The office works typologically, pays close attention on “unit” and “edge”, “publicity” and “openness”, creates public space by the discussion on the relationship of individual and collectivity. It is also an office committed to the observation and speculation of emerging new phenomena and problems in Chinese cities. MAT Office gives proposals from the perspective of urban strategy and architectural design, and hopes to trigger the exploration on the possibility of new building types. The recent practices of MAT Office have mainly focused on urban public space, cultural and educational buildings, creative office parks and the working, living, communal space brought by the ongoing urban regeneration.
MAT Office is particularly interested in the design and research on the lifestyle of today’s young people in megacities. Since 2014, MAT Office initiated the research project on future working space, Office 3.0, which has been accompanied by extensive results and was published in 2016; MAT office has also started research and design projects on the old city renewal as well as community design topics from 2014 to 2018; Further more, MAT office also complete a series of projects on apartment building category and shared living mode product since 2016.
MAT Office is also actively involved in exhibitions, teachings and other cultural events. MAT Office attends in the 15th,16th and 17th Venice Architecture Biennale, the “Unknown City” exhibition in Shenzhen Pingshan Art Museum, UABB Shenzhen/Hong Kong Bi-city Biennale, Beijing Design Week and Suzhou Design Week. Lead architect TANG Kangshuo and ZHANG Miao also participate in the teachings of open studio in University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Chinese Academy of Fine Art, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Tsinghua University. MAT Office’s design works are widely reported by well-known media both in China and overseas, such as World Architecture, Urban Architecture, Domus, C3, Designboom, Gooood, Archdaily, Architizer, FRAME, bob, INTERINI and IDEAT.
MAT Office | Super Architecture is a design and research firm founded in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 2013 by Tang Kangshuo and Zhang Miao. They began architectural practice in Beijing in 2015. The firm employs a typological approach to architectural design, focusing on "units" and "interfaces," emphasizing "publicness" and "openness," and creating public spaces through discussions on the relationship between "individuals and groups." The firm primarily focuses on observing and reflecting on emerging phenomena and issues in contemporary urban development. Through a series of design studies and project practices, they offer suggestions from multiple perspectives, including urban planning, strategy, and architecture, hoping to inspire exploration of new architectural types. MAT Office | Super Architecture's recent architectural practice has mainly focused on creating urban landmarks and public spaces, cultural and educational buildings, creative office parks, and workspaces, living spaces, and community spaces resulting from the renovation and renewal of old urban areas.
MAT Office | Super Architecture Studio pays particular attention to the design research of shared lifestyles among young people in major cities today. Since 2014, the studio has been conducting research on future office spaces, a project titled Office 3.0, which yielded fruitful results through related design projects and was published in 2016. From 2014 to 2018, lead architects Tang Kangshuo and Zhang Miao participated in projects related to urban renewal and community design in Beijing through teaching workshops and project practice. Since 2016, the studio has also begun research on apartment building types and shared living models through a series of design practices.
MAT Office | Super Architecture Studio actively participates in exhibitions and educational activities. Their works have been featured in numerous exhibitions, including the Venice Architecture Biennale, the opening exhibition "Unknown City" at the Shenzhen Pingshan Art Museum, the UABB Shenzhen-Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale, Beijing Design Week, and Suzhou International Design Week. Principal architects Tang Kangshuo and Zhang Miao have also taught design courses at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, and Tsinghua University. The studio has received numerous design awards, including the DFA Asia's Most Influential Design Award, the AMP American Architecture Master Prize, the German Iconic Awards for Innovative Architecture, and the 2022 A+ Awards for Best Young Studio. Their work has also been widely reported by numerous well-known media outlets both domestically and internationally, such as Wallpaper, WA World Architecture, Domus, C3, Designboom, Gooood, Archdaily, Architizer, FRAME, bob, Interini, and IDEAT.
