Winner: Housing Project of the Year 2018. This residential development was designed by Gad Line+ Studio to provide affordable high-quality housing.

Dongziguan Affordable Housing was proposed in response to the poor living conditions that affect many rural communities in China with the intention to provide high-quality low-cost housing, whilst maintaining the traditional model of collective living.

Using forms and materials that are inspired by the region's vernacular architecture, the housing project located in Dongziguan Village features sloping tiled roofs and a courtyard typology. The buildings are grouped in clusters of six around shared courtyards as would traditionally have been the case in local villages.

"How to design and construct quality housing for relocalised farmers with such a low budget, while maintaining their original lifestyle of collective living, becomes the major challenge of this project," the architect explained.

Supported by the municipal government of Hangzhou, the project provides a new opportunity for rural revival under the existing system by providing quality affordable housing.

Judges comments: "This is a really interesting updating of vernacular ways of living. It is a modern approach to rural living with added value to the community. We like the reference to traditional Chinese architecture and the consideration of the spaces between the housing as well as the structures themselves."

Architect: Gad Line + Studio
Project: Dongziguan Affordable Housing
Winner of: Housing project of the year