James Jao
Authors
Citation
Hinge, v.46, 1998, pp. 12
Abstract
James Jao is the managing director of J.A.O. Design, Architects and Planners. The practice opened in 1984 in New York. It merged with the design firm SL + A in 1996. J.A.O. re-emerged after SL+A folded this year. J.A.O. concentrates on China where the company is a registered architecture firm and Jao is a certified architectural expert. Jao has also written a book on urban planning in China, served as a planning commissioner in New York, works as a planning consultant in China and owns numerous businesses, including Italian restaurants in New York.
(1) Where and when were you born?
(2) Why did you decide to become an architect?
(3) Where did you complete your architecture degree and what did you think of the school?
(4) Which architects did you admire when you were young?
(5) What is your design approach?
(6) During the 1980s you lived a hectic life. You completed a degree in architecture, an MBA from Pace University, a master's degree in planning from Harvard. At the same time you ran an architectural practice and became the first Asian-American planning commissioner for New York City, the youngest commissioner ever, at the age of 32. How did you manage to do so much?
(7) Is your life still hectic?
(8) Why did you move to Hong Kong from the United States?
(9) You do a lot of work in China. How did that start?
(10) Why did you complete a business degree?
(11) What is the key to running a successful architectural practice?
(12) What advice do you have for young architects?
Description
Architect: Jao, James
Subject
Type
Article
Format
Date
1998
Language
en