Great architecture is nothing new in China. The country has emerged as the world’s largest construction market in the last decade, and as a result, many notable modern projects have been built. The A+Awards winners gallery from last year, the world’s largest awards program for architecture and building products, is undeniable proof of China’s rise: A total of 26 projects from across the country were recognised in various categories. With the 8th Annual A+Awards now open for submissions, it is expected that many Chinese firms will once again steal the show with new and innovative works.
Last year’s Chinese A+Award winners are showcased below to celebrate contemporary design ideas from across the country. These projects represent an incredible diversity of design approaches and construction methods, ranging from hospitality and sports projects to commercial pop-ups, offices, and education spaces. They are built at various scales and bring a wide range of contemporary architectural concepts to life.
MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY, a New York-based studio, installed a large-scale outdoor pavilion on the elevated plaza of the Suzhou Center for the Jinji Lake Biennial event. As an unexpected, emergent environment, its undulating enclosure disrupts normal traffic.
The project has a square mass of 12 meters x 39 meters and is located on the east side of Xinglong Lake Bay Area. The idea of “a book falling from the sky” inspired MUDA-Architects to shape the structure in the shape of a book. MUDA-Architects hope that by using this metaphor, visitors will be able to read and embark on a journey of self-discovery in a peaceful setting. The bookstore’s design is based on the idea of “a book falling from the sky,” and the architectural form is based on a book. The team hoped that by using this metaphor, people could walk into the building and read themselves, completing a journey of self-discovery in a peaceful environment.
The Tibet Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum is being built by Vanke as Shenzhen‘s key project in support of the Tibet Autonomous Region, and is jointly funded by the Shenzhen Municipal Government and Vanke Group. Tibet is revered as a holy land near the sky, with pilgrims flocking to the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple. The team’s basic design concept for “Heavenly Road” is consistent with Tibet’s most distinctive natural and cultural genes. The idea of the “heavenly road” is represented on three levels.
‘Play Stack,’ a kid’s themed mall with piled-up boxes containing playful elements, was designed to be a shopping mall as a playground. Terraced volumes, connecting staircases, and a large roof deck form a continuous exterior ‘playscape’ path.
The 123+ kindergarten is housed in a recently constructed shopping centre. It follows the Montessori method of education, which views the child as naturally curious and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment.
The Dongsi 5Lmeet was in an abandoned soy sauce factory surrounded by grey-tiled buildings. It’s close to the historic Duan Qirui Prime Minister’s Office, and a long-standing residential development is next door. 5Lmeet was created to be an innovative space in an old neighbourhood.
The architecture practice in China
In the mid-1990s, architects in China began practising independently from government-run design institutes, ushering in a new type of architecture distinguished by distinct regional characteristics. When so many buildings built around the world were no longer rooted in their place and culture, the leading Chinese architects of the time succeeded collectively in producing a unique architectural body of work.
Vladimir Belogolovsky’s China Dialogues charts a panorama of Chinese architecture through the words of its main participants, revealing a prolific new generation of designers, each with a highly intellectualised and conceptual understanding of architecture.
The architects discuss the future of architecture as inspired by history, art, and technology, with a focus on the use of digital tools and technological advancements as architectural partners for China’s future urbanization. It focuses on the idea that architecture should be experimental and progressive, compelling us as consumers to seek out something new and different from what we are used to, thus creating a need for every generation to produce something new, as illustrated by the ways in which contemporary Chinese architecture is uprooted.
The starfish-shaped terminal building at Beijing Daxing International Airport, completed in 2019, is the third Zaha Hadid Architects project on this list.
It was designed in collaboration with airport specialist ADPI to be as compact as possible, with the check-in island, security desks, and retail area all arranged inside the central area.
Conclusion:
China’s modern architecture is surely jaw-dropping and inspiring at the same time. There is no doubt it keeps on evolving in the modern era. The architecture of China is leading towards sustainability and digital innovation, similar to Dubai‘s architecture. Thus, it will be worth waiting for what China has to offer new in the coming years as far as architecture is concerned.
Citations:
- Eric Baldwin. “Boolean Operator by MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY, China,” Www.architizer.com, architizer.com/blog/inspiration/collections/a-architecture-china/. Accessed 8 Jan. 2023.
- Winnie Wu. “MUDA-Architects Wins “The Most Beautiful Bookstore in Chengdu” Competition ” 27 Aug 2018. ArchDaily. Accessed 18 Jan 2023. <https://www.archdaily.com/900481/muda-architects-won-the-most-beautiful-bookstore-in-chengdu-as-the-result-of-a-bookstore-design-competition> ISSN 0719-8884
- “Tibet Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum / Shenzhen Huahui Design” 12 May 2019. ArchDaily. Accessed 18 Jan 2023. <https://www.archdaily.com/916625/tibet-intangible-cultural-heritage-museum-shenzhen-huahui-design> ISSN 0719-8884
- Eric Baldwin. “Play Stack Shenyang by CLOU architects, Shenyang, China Www.architizer.com, architizer.com/blog/inspiration/collections/a-architecture-china/. Accessed 8 Jan. 2023.
- Eric Baldwin. “123+ Kindergarten by OfficeOffCourse, Shanghai, China” Www.architizer.com, architizer.com/blog/inspiration/collections/a-architecture-china/. Accessed 8 Jan. 2023.
- Eric Baldwin. “Dongsi 5Lmeet by DAGA Architects, Beijing, China” Www.architizer.com, architizer.com/blog/inspiration/collections/a-architecture-china/. Accessed 8 Jan. 2023.
- Jullia Joson. ” Shanghai Modern Art Museum, Shanghai, China, 2016 “ 24 Apr 2022. ArchDaily. Accessed 8 Jan 2023. <https://www.archdaily.com/980592/the-future-of-chinese-contemporary-architecture-how-is-china-creating-a-civic-culture-for-a-new-society> ISSN 0719-8884
8) Ravenscot, Tom. “Beijing Daxing International Airport, 2019, by Zaha Hadid Architects,” Www.dezeen.com, 25 Nov. 2020, www.dezeen.com/2020/11/25/architects-declare-studios-contravening-declaration/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2023.
