Buji with "Playscraper"
Click HERE to watch Denise's story on BPM News
“I think I’m lucky,” Denise tells BPM News. “Not everyone has a chance to build stuff like this.”
People love a genius
BAM’s maxim, “A good idea can come from anywhere,” stands no truer represented than in the story, “Denise Designs,” brought to you by Ballistic Propaganda Machine’s BPM News. Time and time again it becomes evident that people need to attribute greatness to a sole author. This rings true all over the world, but prevalence of ‘the Master’ figure is possibly nowhere more poignant than in China.
▲ 通过BAM的全力支持，Denise自己撸起袖子大干一场，再加上出色客户 的帮助，布吉这一景观设计项目最终成为BAM最优质的建成项目之一。With BAM’s full-on support, Denise’s own drive to roll up her sleeves, and a magnificent client, the design for the landscape Buji developed into one of BAM’s best built projects.
Chinese master-apprentice relationships date back millennia leaving behind written and visual records of cultural continuity in the form of paintings, calligraphy, architecture and garden design. The idea of the Master pervades today in all forms of the creative realm. BAM stands in stark contrast to the idea of Master, or sole entity being the arbiter of a good idea. At BAM a good idea is not only limited to those who have labored and practiced many years. A good idea is not limited to only those who are highly educated. A good idea can exist regardless of its creator, regardless of whether the creator is educated at all. As such, BAM believes that it is not always designers with the most experience who come up with ideas best fit to be carried forth and built. An Ayi can come up a good idea. An Intern can come up a good idea. A Founder can come up with a good idea. God forbid, a client might come up with a good idea, but it has happened before!
Denise likes to remind herself that a good idea can come from noodles. She references a rice noodle and sugar model made by fellow BAM designer Zdog, which subsequently developed into 30-meter-long crystalline suspended installation. But in this story, the good idea comes from Denise herself.
▲ 张媛设计的这个模型由米线和糖制成，最后衍化为一个30米长的悬吊水晶装置。Zdog’s model made of rice noodles and sugar developed into a built 30-meter long crystalline suspended structure.
The story “Denise Designs” is a tale of a determined, talented designer who rolls up her sleeves and goes all the way. In typical BAM style, Denise doesn’t sail the boat alone. Not at BAM.
How did it all start? For the mixed-use retail and residential development in Buji, Shenzhen, Denise and a BAM principal produced options for the same site, designs equally strong but intentionally different: one defined by angular energy, the other defined by a grounded axial condition. The client was in the position to choose one idea or the other.
BAM Principal Creates Losing Design
You guessed it! The client preferred Denise’s landscape. Let’s save discussion about Chinese aversion to straight lines and strong axis for another BPM News episode... Is it because spirits travel in straight lines? Is it because an axis is just too strong?
Denise Curries Client Favor: Go Denise Go!
BAM rallied troops, got behind the idea, and worked to make it real. Denise’s drive to stand at the helm—chocking on air-borne dirt at construction sites, grinding through hours of angst designing the pink tunnels for the Playscraper—with every hard tack Denise pushed the design into reality. Denise never gave up. Combined with a magnificent client, the Buji landscape is now one of BAM’s best built projects.
It’s Alive!
With Buji construction nearly complete, BPM News asks Denise, “What do you think are the benefits and drawbacks of working with BAM’s belief that a good idea can come from anyone?” “It’s really hard work to take this approach, but it’s possible to come up with some sparkle… some idea... And POOF! It can just come out of your mind... BAM will do research to learn from the local culture, trying to find something different about a place. This way of working is different from local design offices. I think it works. It’s cool.”
For the Sake of the Idea
BAM works together for the sake of the IDEA. Focus is not on ownership of ideas, but about whether the idea is worthy. At BAM, when an idea is good, all hands are on deck in support from start to finish. If you are a capable and driven designer, then you could be like Denise!
Residents of the Buji development are looking forward to the project opening and spending more time in it.
▲ BAM 的这杯“Kool-Aid”，我们一起干了！Drink BAM’s Kool-Aid!
Go ahead, drink BAM’s Kool-Aid, and remember, never under estimate the power of DUMB.
Click HERE to watch Denise's story on BPM News
“我认为我很幸运，”Denise 告诉BPM新闻，“并不是每个人都有机会像我这样可以建造疯狂的东西。”
你肯定会问：我也能成为这样的人吗？让我告诉你答案：是的！你在BAM的话，是完全可以的! 在 BAM，好创意不问出处。
人人都爱天才：他们总是一次又一次地把任何伟大的作品都归功于“个人权威”。虽然这种观念在全世界都广泛存在，但在中国，信奉所谓的“大师”，却是比任何国家都要来得更强烈些。
中国的“师徒关系”可以追溯到几千年前，也正是得益于这种传承性的文化，中国从古至今的绘画、书法、建筑和园林设计领域都留下了不少文字和绘画类的记录。如今，这种“大师”的思想在各个领域中依旧广泛存在。
可以说，BAM是完全站在“大师”（Master）或“个人偶像”（Sole Entity）的对立面的。在BAM，好的设计想法并不局限产生于工作过并练习过好多年的人员，或是受过良好教育的人员；在BAM，任何人都可以提出一个好的想法，甚至这个人是否学过相关知识都不重要。因此，BAM认为，并非只有那些工作经验丰富的设计师才能提出那些最适合实施和建造的创意。保洁阿姨可以提出一个好创意，实习生也可以提出一个好创意；创始人可以提出一个好创意，客户也可以提出一个好创意 —— 真的，以前就发生过!
BAM 的座右铭，“好创意不问出处”，用今天的人物故事来诠释是再好不过了。接下来，就由 BPM 新闻为大家带来“Denise 的设计故事”。
Denise喜欢提醒自己：面条都可以成为一个好的创意。她借鉴了BAM的设计师张媛曾用米线和糖作为原材料打造了一个模型，该模型随后衍化成为30米长的悬吊水晶装置。但在本文中，这些好的创意都是 Denise 自己创造的。
画卷慢慢展开，以下的故事绝对会让你大吃一惊。
▲ 在Denise的景观设计的施工现场，BAM的团队活跃在每一站。Construction of Denise’s landscape design with BAM troops active at every station.
“我认为我很幸运，”Denise 告诉BPM新闻，“并不是每个人都有机会像我这样可以建造疯狂的东西。”
你肯定会问：我也能成为这样的人吗？让我告诉你答案：是的！你在BAM的话，是完全可以的 !!!!
“Denise 的设计之路”是一个关于会“撸起袖子”从头至尾亲身参与的天才设计师的故事，是一个关于坚持的故事。在典型的 BAM 风格中，Denise不是一个人在战斗。在BAM是绝不会的。
故事是如何开始的呢？在位于深圳布吉的一个商住两用开发项目中，Desine 创作了一个引人注目的景观设计。同时，BAM的一位总监也为这块场地打造了另一种方案，虽同样伟大，但意图却完全不同：一个是由各种角度的能量所定义的，而另一个则是基于地面的轴向条件而定义的。在这两种方案中，客户会选择哪一个呢？
BAM 的“创意杀手”，输了这场设计之争
▲ “规则式轴线”游乐场，并未得到客户的偏爱。尽管它拥有粉红色的拱廊，一旦这个建造出来，将会成为很多人心中“爱”的样子。The “Formal Axis Playground Option” is not preferred by the client, in spite of this pink arcade, which is what love would look like if it were concrete.
是的，你猜对了：客户最终选择了 Denise 的景观设计。至于中国人为什么对直线和强烈的轴线这么反感，我们将在以后的 BPM 新闻中跟进报道。（难道是因为“灵魂”会顺着直线而来？还是说轴线的气场“过于强大”？）
Denise 赢得了客户的青睐！冲吧！Denise！
▲ “非规则式的游戏高台”，正是获得客户青睐的 Denise 的设计！镜头慢慢拉近……请看BAM 的第一款“摩天塔游乐场”。The “Informal Play Terrain Option” is preferred by the client, and Denise is on her way! Behold, BAM’s first PLAYSCRAPER.
Denise 的设计理念很好，很棒，很优秀！正因如此，BAM 集结起了大部队作为她的坚强后盾，共同努力让这个超赞的设计想法成为现实。
戴着保护罩站在焊接的电火花中的 Denise，一小时接一小时、一点一点、仔仔细细地打磨出了 BAM 的第一个“摩天塔游乐场” —— 无论晴天还是下雨，Denise通过她的坚持不懈，使这个设计变成了现实。在 Denise 的字典里，没有“放弃”这个词。有了这样出色客户的配合，布吉景观已成为BAM最棒的建成项目之一。
它生机勃勃！
随着布吉施工接近尾声，BPM 新闻向 Denise 提出了超“燃”的问题：“在你心中，BAM 的‘好创意不问出处’这一信念，它的优势和缺点都有哪些？”
▲ -“我想去那里！”（Ferra，3岁）-“为什么？”（家长）-“我要玩球！” “I want to go there!” (Ferra, age 3) “Why?” (Parent) “Balls!”
“采用这种方法开展工作其实是很难的，”丹尼斯告诉 BPM 新闻，“但它却可能为你带来一些灵感、一些好的创意，“噗”的一下就从你的脑海中闪现出来了。 BAM将根据项目所在地，因地制宜地展开调查和研究，试图从中找到其独一无二的东西。这种工作方式与很多本土的设计工作室是不一样的。我觉得，BAM 的工作方法是有效的，而且，非常酷。”
“想法”大于“个人”
说实话，对一个地点进行考察并找到其真正与众不同的地方，是非常困难的一项工作 —— 然而这正是 BAM 所擅长的。
目前，布吉周边的居民们非常期待该项目的开放，并开始投入更多的时间关注它：人们爱它或是恨它，维护它或是不维护它，甚至围绕着它常年生活。
再来谈谈获得的经验吧：Denise 学到了些什么？Denise 做了些什么不一样的事情？BAM将Denise置于这个位置上是否公平？问题很多，答案却很少，但有一点是肯定的：BAM 为了 IDEA 而共同奋战。在 BAM，只要有好的创意，所有的人都会给予全力的支持。认准了一个想法后，BAM 都会作为一个团队使其航行起来，无论前方水域是平缓还是凶险。
所以，让我们干了 BAM 的这杯“Kool-Aid”。记住，永远不要低估“愚蠢”的威力。