Ma Yansong, founder and principal of the global design firm MAD, has been named to TIME magazine’s 2025 list of the 100 Most Influential People. The recognition places Ma among global figures shaping the future of culture, design, and society, and affirms his growing influence on the evolution of contemporary architecture.
In his official TIME profile, filmmaker and philanthropist George Lucas reflects on his long-standing admiration for Ma’s work:
“I have been a fan of architect Ma Yansong from his earliest works. His designs never cease to amaze and inspire me. This year, he has unveiled projects that include a striking building in Denver that takes inspiration from canyons, and Fenix, a spiraling new art museum in the Netherlands that explores human migration. Like his mentor, the great Zaha Hadid, he has been at the forefront of a massive change in architecture that will transform our structures for generations.
Lucas, who is collaborating with Ma on the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a new cultural institution currently under construction in Los Angeles, continued:
It’s why I was so excited to collaborate with him on the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which opens next year. I believe visitors will come not just for the collection, but also the building—it’s a work of art in and of itself. Ma is a great and willing partner in the creation process. It is a joy working with him.” - George Lucas
For more than two decades, Ma Yansong has advanced a vision for future cities rooted in the spiritual and emotional needs of humanity. Guided by this philosophy, MAD seeks to create harmony between people, the city, and the environment. From masterplans and cultural institutions to residential towers and adaptive reuse, Ma’s architecture introduces curvature, softness, and clarity into dense urban settings—blending nature, art, and sustainability with the practical demands of each program. Recent projects such as the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, the Fenix Museum in Rotterdam, One River North in Denver, Shenzhen Bay Culture Park, Quzhou Stadium, and the Tunnel of Light reflect this thoughtful, reflective, and human-centered approach—one that continues to explore how architecture can bring meaning, emotion, and a deeper sense of place to the evolving complexities of our world.
