To inspire your entries to our new Dezeen Awards Regional Showcases, we select some of our favourite, previously shortlisted cultural and civic architecture projects in China.
This year, every project entered into Dezeen Awards can also be entered into our Regional Showcases, three Top 50 lists chosen by our editors that will celebrate the best projects in three regions: Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific (APAC) and the Americas (AMER).
Have you got a cultural or civic architecture project to enter into our Top 50: Asia Pacific (APAC) list?
Find out more about our Regional Showcases here and read on for previous standout examples of architecture projects in China that have been shortlisted in past editions of Dezeen Awards.
Photo by Jonathan Leijonhufvud
Chapel of Sound by Open Architecture
Located a two-hour drive from Beijing, this rock-like concert hall is nestled in a valley next to the ruins of the Great Wall of China.
Local studio Open Architecture completed the open-air structure with a series of cantilevered concrete layers, designed to resemble the craggy natural landscape.
Find out more about Chapel of Sound ›
Photo by Liang Wenjun
The Seaside Pavilion by GN Architects
Perched on a former 1960s cargo pier on the island of Chaishan, this timber pavilion is topped with white leaf-like sails that sway in the wind.
Designed as part of a government scheme to bring visibility to remote islands, GN Architects drew on the traditional presence of ancient trees at the entrances of Chinese villages.
Find out more about The Seaside Pavilion ›
Photo by Zhang Chao
AYDC Public Art Center by Atelier Xi
This arts space in Guiyang comprises three stone-clad pavilions informed by local cave formations that respectively house a library, events space and an outdoor stage.
Chinese architecture studio Atelier Xi dispersed the cultural centre across a park, intending to weave architecture with “local memory, natural rhythm and public life”.
Find out more about AYDC Public Art Center ›
Photo by Shengliang Su
Hengqin Culture and Art Complex by Atelier Apeiron
Atelier Apeiron’s glass-clad cultural centre in Zhuhai is complete with a stepped-down terrace rooftop, from which visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the city.
On the ground floor, three unique arches accommodate a vast library, theatre and museum, with bamboo panelling used throughout the interior to create a sense of warmth.
Find out more about Hengqin Culture and Art Complex ›
Photo by Yumeng Zhu
Beijing City Library by Snøhetta
This glass-lined library in Beijing aims to emulate a forest canopy, with towering tree-like columns featuring throughout the structure.
International studio Snøhetta designed the building to evoke local landscapes, in turn creating a community space which enables visitors to connect away from their screens.
Find out more about Beijing City Library ›
Photo by CreatAR Images
Quzhou Stadium by MAD Architects
Designed by MAD Architects, the swooping white canopy of this stadium in Quzhou appears to emerge from undulating hills.
The half-buried 30,000 capacity stadium was conceived as “a piece of land art” which references the mountain ridge that can be viewed from the site.
Find out more about Quzhou Stadium ›
Photo by Aptdotapt
This black-timber pavilion, designed by architecture studio Aptdotapt, aims to encourage hikers on Yandang Mountain in Wenzhou to pause and rest.
The triangular structure is topped with a stainless steel mirror and features reflective pools that collect rainfall, designed to create a dialogue between visitors and their surroundings.
Find out more about Drop-Stop ›
Enter by 25 March!
Have you completed a similar project? Log in or create an account via our entry platform to begin your entries. Take advantage of our discounted early entry fees and submit your projects by 23:59 London time on 25 March to save 20 per cent.
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Dezeen Awards 2026 in partnership with Trimble
Dezeen Awards is the ultimate accolade for architects and designers worldwide. The ninth edition of the annual awards is in partnership with global technology company Trimble. Through connected hardware and software solutions, Trimble helps designers to transform the way they shape spaces and buildings as well as drive productivity in the process. Trimble’s collaboration with Dezeen Awards demonstrates its ongoing commitment to inspiring and supporting creative excellence across the globe.