Xi Ye is an academic at the Faculty of Humanities and Arts at Macau University of Science and
Technology. Her research focuses on architectural and cultural criticism. Her recent
publications include 'Reviving a sense of poetry: assessing Wang Shu's contemporary design
practice' (Architectural Research Quarterly 2022). Xi Ye holds a Master of Arts in Urban
Design from Cardiff University UK and a PhD in architecture from Newcastle University UK.
Conceptual and Pragmatic explores the tension between architects' intellectual ideals and
expressions and the everyday experience of architecture and its practice. The book alternates
between the subjectivity and sensory experiences of the user including its relationship to
popular culture tectonics and vernacular architecture. Reflecting on the processes of
concept-making and the cultural meaning of architecture and their impact on architectural
design Xi Ye evaluates the influence of Western architecture on Chinese architectural practice
and the tension of the former with Chinese cultural traditions and social conditions.
