Ma Yansong, an architect and artist, is the founding partner of MAD Architects and the first Chinese architect to achieve landmarks overseas. He is also the most internationally influential Chinese architect.

He founded MAD Architects in 2004, and his designs cover public buildings such as art museums, grand theaters and concert halls, as well as mixed-use buildings and urban regeneration, with projects all over the world, including the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Harbin Grand Theater, China Philharmonic Orchestra Concert Hall, Rotterdam Migrant Art Museum, Echigo Tsumari Tunnel in Japan, and unic in Paris. He is also active in exploring the cultural value of cities and architecture through a series of academic activities such as teaching, art creation, curating and publishing, and increasing the discourse and influence of Chinese architects in the world.

Ma graduated from Yale University with a master's degree in architecture and attended the Beijing Architecture and Engineering Institute (now Beijing University of Architecture) as an undergraduate. He has been a visiting professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing University of Architecture, and the University of Southern California.