“Great imagination son, but this is too unreal—it could never be an actual building.” This was what my father had to say about the “revolutionary” architectural designs I drew when I was a kid. I remember walking away with my drawings in hand, feeling crushed and discouraged. I looked outside my bedroom window and saw a cluster of conventional buildings patterned with identical rectangular windows. Should I confine myself to what society deems normal, or persist with my own philosophies and passion? Ten years later, my question was answered. After an inspiring and meaningful conversation with renowned architect Satoshi Ohashi, I discovered the key to one’s persistence and fulfillment—passion.
Currently a junior at the SMIC-I Private School, JunZhe is eager to share his thoughts on life and passion through the lens of architecture. An aspiring architect since the age of seven, JunZhe analyzes the factors contributing to his persistence and endless passion for design in hopes of allowing others to recognize and value their own interests.
TEDxSMICSchool 2022 was organized by a team of 23 students at Shanghai SMIC Private School led by executive team members Daniel Chen (Lead Organizer), Tina Tai (Communications), Monica Dai (Finance), Sally Park (Design), Yeseo Jeon (Postproduction), and Sean Fu (Tech). With our theme being “Ctrl + Alt + Delete, Reset”, we hope our talks this year bring a refreshed perspective of the living life to all. Learn more about our mission and event at https://tedxsmicschool.com/. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx