Ma Yansong of MAD Architects on why imperfection is actually very human

In this episode, Archello's Editor-at-large Michiel van Raaij speaks with Ma Yansong, founder and principal partner of Beijing-based MAD Architects, whose practice spans cultural, civic, and residential projects shaped by fluid forms, emotional resonance, and an ongoing dialogue between architecture, nature, and the city.Yansong’s work explores how architecture can move beyond efficiency and object-making to create spaces that invite feeling, imagination, and public encounter, while remaining attentive to narrative, community, and the cultural meaning of place.Listen as Yansong reflects on the opening of Rotterdam’s Fenix Museum, his approach to sketching and imperfection, the spatial ambitions behind projects such as Harbin Opera House, and the lasting influence of Beijing’s hutongs, offering insight into an architecture grounded in human experience, openness, and change.