JYJA Studio is an architectural design practice operating in Beijing, China, and Sydney, Australia. It was founded in 2011 by Yuji Ji (originally established as Urbantect Architecture). Yuji Ji graduated from the University of Sydney with a Master of Architecture, achieving all distinctions. Prior to founding the studio, he held key positions at several top-tier international architectural firms in Sydney.
The practice focuses on design-led projects across a wide range of typologies and scales. We have successfully delivered numerous full-phase projects, ranging from large-scale regional masterplans and significant civic and cultural landmarks to single houses. The studio also maintains a strong record of collaboration with renowned international architects, contributing to major cultural projects such as the China National Maritime Museum. Our extensive experience in diverse project types, deep involvement across all project phases, and consistent cross-cultural practice have continuously enriched our expertise and evolved our design philosophy.
Our Design Philosophy
Our design process begins with a concrete intuition of the site—a sensibility rooted in history, everyday life, atmosphere, and direct physical experience. We believe this intuition fosters a holistic synthesis of the place, preventing an over-reliance on "top-down" abstract analysis at the outset. This intuitive perception encompasses a nascent imagination of the future building, the existing structures (if present), and the raw, un-reorganized environment—all of which we regard as "historical" fragments in a new architectural setting. This methodology compels us to internalize the "extra-architectural" elements of the present into the "interiority" of architecture, prioritizing the primacy of the overall environment over the isolated autonomy of the structure itself.
This stems from our fundamental understanding of architecture as a continuous evolutionary process in time. Rather than focusing solely on the structure itself, we emphasize the primacy of the overall context, integrating the present into the future architectural environment. We continually explore the relationship between the natural state of a site and the built form, recognizing that this dialogue transcends spatial connections to encompass intrinsic questions of aesthetic judgment.
On a practical level, we view the journey from design and construction to occupancy as a dynamic process unfolding over time. Our responsibility lies in engaging with the entire process of the building’s realization, extending the design and construction phases into the building's operational lifespan. Architectural practice is a field where multiple forces interact: this involves the tension between form and its underlying forces, as well as close collaboration with clients, communities, and stakeholders. Within this field, we navigate both balance and compromise, yet we also seek moments of almost alchemical transformation. Such transformations require both intellectual rigor and tectonic precision to bridge design and construction; material selection, detail optimization, and on-site refinements are indispensable components of our practice.
Ultimately, architecture is both a space that accommodates life and a place that shapes life. Our work remains focused on the complete vision, striving to transform each building into a vessel that holds memories and possibilities.
JYJA Studio / Urbantect Architecture 是一家在中国北京和澳大利亚悉尼运营的设计工作室，由纪玉戟于 2011 年创办。纪玉戟于 2005 年以全优的成绩毕业于悉尼大学，获建筑学硕士学位，并曾先后在悉尼顶级建筑事务所任职。
JYJA Studio 专注于以设计为主导的建筑与规划项目，涵盖多种类型与不同尺度。我们已完成众多全周期项目——从区域规划、市政与文化类建筑，到独立住宅项目。事务所也与国际建筑师在设计阶段开展合作，完成了包括中国国家海洋博物馆在内的多个项目。事务所在多样项目类型、全周期深度参与以及跨文化实践方面积累了丰富经验，推动了设计理念的演进。
我们的创作理念
我们的创作依赖于对场地的直观感知，这种感知源自场所的历史、生活场景、氛围乃至身体的直接体验。我们相信这种具体的直觉有助于对场所的整体把握，避免在最开始陷入对于场所“自上而下”的抽象分析。直观感知既包括对于未来建筑的初始想象，也包括现有建筑（如果有的话）和尚未被重新组织的原始环境——对于新的建筑环境，这些很多都是“历史”的元素。这种工作方式迫使我们将当下的“建筑之外”内化为未来的“建筑之内”。
这基于我们对于建筑的根本认识：建筑环境是一个在时间上连续的演化过程。因此，相比于仅关注单一构筑物，我们更强调场地的整体语境，并将当下融入建筑的未来。我们反复探讨当下场所的自然状态与建造物之间的关系，认识到这一关系不仅关乎建筑与环境的空间联系，更涉及审美判断的内在问题。
在具体实施层面，建筑从设计、建造到使用，是一个随时间展开的动态过程。我们认为，我们的职责在于把握建筑显现的全过程，把设计、建造的过程延展至建筑的使用周期。设计实践是多种力量交互作用的场域。这既包括设计自身所涉及的形式与其背后多种力量的关系，也关乎我们的实践与客户、社区及相关方的紧密协作。在实践中，我们发现这一场域既存在平衡与妥协，也存在炼金术式的转化。这种转化既需要思维上的推敲，也需要构造技术紧密衔接设计与建造：材料选择、节点优化、现场调试，都是不可或缺的实践内容。
最终，建筑既是容纳生活的空间，也是创造生活的场所。我们的设计始终关注建筑的完整图景，让建筑成为承载记忆与可能性的容器。
