Continuing our review of 2024, Dezeen's China editor Christina Yao rounds up this year's most impressive Chinese architecture, including a one-kilometre-long museum and a conical viewing tower.
Zaishui Museum, Rizhao, by Junya Ishigami
Japanese architect Junya Ishigami created a one-kilometre-long, linear museum that stretches the length of an artificial lake in Rizhao, Shandong Province.
Parallel columns rise from the lake to support a continuous concrete roof. Between the columns glass was used to enclose the building, with gaps left to allow water to flow into the museum.
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Sun Tower, Yantai, by Open Architecture
Standing 50-metre-tall, this conical, sea-side venue and viewing tower was designed by Open Architecture in Yantai, northeast China.
The sea-facing side of the building appears to be sliced open, revealing two layers of the structure, which are connected by horizontal slabs and contain a library and viewing deck.
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Beijing City Library, Beijing, by Snøhetta
In Beijing, international studio Snøhetta topped a library with a roof that resembles a canopy and is supported by tree-like columns.
Inside the building, a series of hill-like mounds lined with tiered seating, stairs and bookshelves with a winding walkway running through its centre were designed to represent the region's natural landscape.
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UCCA Clay Museum, Yixing, Kengo Kuma and Associates
In Yixing, Japanese studio Kengo Kuma and Associates unveiled a pottery museum with a roof that resembles a series of mountain peaks.
The studio used handmade ceramic tiles on the roof to pay homage to the rich history of pottery production in the region.
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Mountain Church of Julong, Julong, by Inuce
Designed to evoke the form of a biblical ark resting on a rock, this church steps up along a sloped site with a series of four rock-like terraces forming its base.
The main hall of the church is located in the ark-like form, which is raised at the front to form an open-air entrance atrium that offers views of the town. A small library, study rooms and conference facilities are also incorporated into the building to provide spaces for the local community.
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ZGC International Innovation Center, Beijing, by MAD
Chinese studio MAD topped this conference centre in Beijing with a sweeping curvy roof with soft petal-like overhangs that provide shade for outdoor public spaces. Lighting placed under the louvres creates a rippled pattern on the roof.
On top of the conference centre, a green park tops the roof and was intended to blend the building in with the surrounding landscape.
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Twisted Brick Shell Library, Longyou County, by HCCH
This shell-like brick pavilion encloses a multifunctional space designed to encourage visitors to observe their surroundings or stay and read.
Two brick hemispheres are connected by a twisting section of wall built from perforated steel plates and concrete cast in situ, which mimics the appearance of the typical brick buildings found in the nearby town.
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Beijing Art Centre, Beijing, by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Perkins&Will
Another project with a sweeping roof structure is the Beijing Art Centre by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Perkins&Will, which contains an opera house, theatre and concert hall – each in a building that sits on a shared elevated podium.
The roofs of each of the buildings were informed by the shape of a granary that once occupied the site, which sits alongside the Grand Canal. Their folding facades are also a nod to the sails of old canal boats and the movement of theatre curtains.
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Skybowl, Qingdao, by Society Particular
Architecture studio Society Particular added a rooftop extension to the Hisense Plaza mall in Qingdao, which includes an amphitheatre-style terrace that has views of the nearby waterfront.
The freely accessible events space, terrace and stage were finished in orange-brown recycled EDPM rubber, with an underlay of TPU foam that gives an "uplifting" feeling for those sitting on it.
Woven Gateway and Sky Ring, Zhejiang Province, Line+ Studio
In Zhejiang Province, architecture practice Line+ Studio created a doughnut-shaped meteorological balloon and woven timber tunnel to enhance the tourist experience of the region.
Named Woven Passage, a 20-metre-long tunnel made from a curved structure of interlocking timber elements was informed by the area's history of bamboo weaving. While Sky Ring, in a nearby field, is a donut-shaped balloon tethered above an outdoor gathering area that doubles as a meteorological balloon.
Find out more about Woven Gateway and Sky Ring ›