Tiantian Xu awarded 2026 Le Prix Charlotte Perriand for ‘practice rooted in community and place’ | News

anchor

Tiantian Xu. Image via Créateurs Design Awards

Chinese architect Tiantian Xu has been named the recipient of Le Prix Charlotte Perriand at the 2026 Créateurs Design Awards. The award recognizes architects whose work advances innovation, social responsibility, and community engagement. Xu, founder of DnA_Design and Architecture, recently spoke with Archinect about her work teaching architecture students at UW-Milwaukee in her capacity of winner of the Marcus Prize.

Shimen Bridge by DnA_Design and Architecture. Image credit: Wang Ziling

Shimen Bridge by DnA_Design and Architecture. Image credit: Wang Ziling

Xu was awarded the Le Prix Charlotte Perriand for what organizers describe as her ongoing efforts to bridge urban and rural communities through architectural interventions that prioritize cultural preservation and local empowerment. Since establishing DnA in the early 2000s, Xu has developed projects that integrate closely with local ecologies and social systems. Rather than imposing large-scale urban frameworks, Xu’s work emphasizes subtle, site-specific gestures that reinforce existing identities and economies.

Tofu Factory by DnA_Design and Architecture. Image credit: Wang Ziling

Tofu Factory by DnA_Design and Architecture. Image credit: Wang Ziling

A defining aspect of Xu’s approach is “Architectural Acupuncture,” a method that was also the subject of Archinect’s discussion with Xu. The approach focuses on small, strategic design interventions aimed at reviving underused spaces, preserving cultural heritage, and stimulating local industries. The initiative has been cited by UN-Habitat as a model for sustainable rural revitalization and has influenced broader global discourse on rural-urban integration.

Huiming Tea Space by DnA_Design and Architecture. Image credit: Wang Ziling

Huiming Tea Space by DnA_Design and Architecture. Image credit: Wang Ziling

“I am truly grateful for the 2026 Charlotte Perriand Award, which provides an opportunity to share our practice in rural China and opens up new discussion on the capacity of architecture,” Xu said about the news.

Tiantian Xu teaching at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Image credit: Tristan Endsley

Some current competitions on Bustler that may interest you…