Since opening their debut in a former Freemason’s Hall in Shoreditch almost twenty years ago, Andaz have proven a canny ability to get ahead of the curve and open high-end hotels in up-and-coming neighbourhoods. Andaz Shanghai ITC follows suit, as the first lux stay in Xujiahui (the centre of the Former French Concession, aka Xuhui), set inside the new International Trade Centre complex. As is the Andaz way, the interiors are inspired by the locality, and this branch has gone for a nod to nostalgia. It’s an urban bolt hole, but the open-air movie nights, outdoor yoga and DJs in the cocktail bar make Andaz Shanghai ITC more than just a spot to rest your head.

Wallpaper* checks in at Andaz Shanghai ITC

What’s on your doorstep?

Slightly removed from the tourist trail, Xuhui is an enclave of heritage buildings, leafy parks and wide boulevard streets. Its main thoroughfares are fast-paced, but the side streets are homey, with the occasional impressive art deco apartment block or modernist civil building tucked away. The district’s supporting cast, which the Andaz design team took their inspiration from, is the distinctly Shanghaiese shikumen, or Lane Houses; the pre-war era micro-communities of dwellings that curl around communal courtyards with arched gateway entrances. Shikumen can date as far back as the mid-19th century, melding Chinese and European styles, and you can spot them around Xuhui, particularly those repurposed as cafés and boutiques. The area also comes with cultural cachet, as the home to Xujiahui Library, St. Ignatius Cathedral, and the Shanghai Film Museum, all within a 10-minute stroll of the hotel.

Who is behind the design?

This newly opened Andaz is part of a vast architectural project designed by the Hong Kongese P&T Group, the Xujiahui International Trade Centre. The ITC is a self-proclaimed ‘vertical neighbourhood’ of streamlined pathways, encompassing the Andaz, condo and office blocks, soon-to-open malls and the other ITC figurehead, Tower 2, which at 70 storeys and a soaring 370m in height, makes it the tallest tower in Puxi, the west side of the river.

The Andaz Shanghai ITC interiors are by HBA, who have artfully mirrored features of the heritage buildings of Xuhui to elicit an elegant time warp, while infusing a playful tone through the pops in colour and flow of lighting and space. Alleyway-like corridors lead into naturally light-drenched, high-ceilinged drinking and dining spaces. HBA’s Matthew Liu explains: ‘The communal spaces (the gym and swimming pool) were inspired by the historic rowing clubs along the Huangpu River. We are particularly proud of the dining rooms on the 14th floor. Architecturally, they reference traditional Shanghai lane houses; their proportions and spatial scale closely reflect those residential typologies.’ Think classy but cosy.

The 14th floor lobby is a design whimsy, with 1930s flashback elevators and a grand clock that has its own daily ritual at 5.30 pm, marking the moment when day becomes night. Grey brick provides a neutral backdrop to the colourful light fixtures and inviting textiles used throughout this floor, which also houses three lively dining spaces, the East Wing, the Rooftop Bar and the West Wing. ‘Brick was reinterpreted in multiple forms and materials across different areas of the hotel to define character, texture, and spatial identity,’ Matthew Liu told us. The vivid turquoise chandeliers of the East Wing and cluster of bright light globes and mirror balls in the Rooftop Bar are stand-out features, but honourable mentions go to the wellness floor’s triathlon mosaic by SONITE, art installations in the dining spaces by Debut Studio and Lu Jian Xin’s large wall piece ‘City Coordinates’, all accentuating movement and dynamism of the neighbourhood below.

The room to book

The 267 rooms come in five different types, each styled as the abode of a creative professional; the King rooms are the home of a fashion designer, the Twin rooms are the creative artist’s, the Andaz suites are the photographer’s house, the Premier suite is the florists and the unfathomably swish Executive suite is the jewellery designer’s pad, with all five decorated with art and artefacts to fit the profession. We loved the Andaz suite, a three-room affair on the corner of two corridors with sweeping views of Xujiahui below. Cameras deck the walls, as do used film reels and photography books, all adding fun detail and commitment to the theme. The sizeable sofa and bathtub in the Andaz suite are both ideal for reviving your feet after a busy day marching through the city, resetting before heading to the bar.

Voss water is plentiful throughout the room. Cans of Heineken beer and Coca-Cola sit cooled in the fridge, as do bottles of soda water. Spirits come in the form of Absolute Vodka, The Singleton Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Aged 12 Years) and most interestingly, a lightly spiced local Shanghai craft gin by Peddlers Gin Co, infused with lotus, cardamom, Sichuan pepper, Chinese cassia, and liquorice, to name just half the ingredients. TWG Tea bags and Nespresso coffee pods are also readily available.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Executive Chef of Andaz Shanghai ITC, Jesse Chen, is Shanghainese born and bred, and has returned home after working in Europe for a long stint. She tells us, ‘Sweet things bring people joy; I am a typical Shanghainese that way. I saw my mother and grandma cooking a lot of rich sauces like soy sauce and sweet and sour sauce.’ So on the East Wing’s menu, she showcases these Shanghai flavours with plates of braised pork belly, slow-cooked lotus root, marinated river prawns, and of course dim sum and bao.

In the West Wing, there’s a multicultural approach, typical of Shanghai, with a deli-like counter offering Spanish tapas and Italian bites. After grazing, there are tea-based cocktails in the Rooftop Bar, concocted by bar manager Van Li. The Pomelo Oolong with pineapple, Japanese yuzu and 10-year-old Lafroig is a smoky dream. His domain is afternoon tea by day and DJs and board games by night.

The verdict

Despite being China’s capital of nostalgia, finding glimpses of old school Shanghai can be elusive beyond The Bund, given the forward-facing and futuristic nature of the city’s design. So Andaz Shanghai ITC is something of a shrine to the city of yesteryear, putting working-class culture (communal living, kids' games, everyday flavours) on a pedestal through its design. It’s a heart-warming stay without being too kitsch, elegantly done but with a lot of character. Everything is seamless, as you’d expect from a chain so committed to understated luxury, but the ease is a particularly welcome respite from the fast pace of the city outside.

Andaz Shanghai ITC is located at Hongqiao Rd. 283, Shanghai, China 200030

In February 2025, British skate brand Palace brought a slice of its culture to Seoul, creating an abstracted version of the concrete undercroft of London’s Southbank Centre inside its first Asian store. Long a haven for skaters, including Palace co-founders Lev Tanju and Gareth Skewis, the brutalist landmark was where the brand was first conceived in 2009. ‘Palace wouldn’t exist without Southbank,’ Tanju told us at the time.

A new store in Shanghai, China, the brand’s latest expansion into the continent, takes a slightly different approach, interpreting the traditional architecture of the region – namely, the Shanghai garden – through Palace’s irreverent, contemporary lens. The store is part of the Zhangyuan complex in the city’s Jing'an District, a series of shikumen buildings from the late 19th century – originally known as ‘Zhang’s Weichun Garden’ after its owner Zhang Shuhe – whereby the original façades and narrow alleyways have been retained (several luxury stores occupy the complex, including Louis Vuitton, Dior and Celine).

Inside Palace’s new Shanghai store

In keeping with the location, the exterior retains the building’s original façade, though distinctive signage sees the brand’s signature tri-ferg logo – designed by Fergus Purcell and inspired by the ‘impossible’ Penrose Triangle by Swedish artist Oscar Reutersvärd – angled downwards from the roof, as if hovering over the street. Meanwhile, a playful sculpture of a bulldog, like that inside the Seoul store, appears in a doorway, and a covered pond – reminiscent of those in traditional Shanghai gardens – greets visitors at the entranceway (the Palace cherub and penjing tree feature as part of this ‘terrace’).

‘I really love the outside water features, and of course, I’m a big fan of the bulldog,’ says Skewis, who has been travelling to China for the last 20 years. ‘Now felt like the right time [to open the store] from a cultural point of view, looking at the skate scene and where modern youth culture is at in China.’ As for why Palace chose Shanghai, it was the first place Palace visited in the country. ‘We have a long history with the skate scene here. It’s been amazing to see how that scene has evolved over the last few years.’

Inside, a series of LED columns line the entrance to the store’s interior, which is composed largely of stone tiles and limestone – materials traditional to the region – while bolder accents of gold and red reflect traditional Chinese rituals. The idea of a garden runs throughout the space: at the centre is a structure inspired by the pavilion, which began as military watchtowers but were soon repurposed in private gardens of places of leisure, whereby you could immerse yourself in nature. The Zhangyuan location, says Skewis, was chosen for this interplay of tradition and modernity. ‘Zhangyuan is so central and has a historical point of view too, but it also feels somehow very modern Shanghai to me,’ says Skewis.

To celebrate the opening, a series of no-doubt sellout garments and objects will be available exclusively in the Shanghai store. These include a biker jacket, hoodies, T-shirts and more, featuring a new ‘Shang-Hi’ motif and a new rabbit mascot – inspired by the Chinese zodiac – while other graphics take inspiration from Shanghai landmarks, including the Oriental Pearl Tower, which lends to the city’s unique skyline.

Palace Shanghai, Unit W1-1A, Zhangyuan, 280 Maoming North Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, Chin

palaceskateboards.com

Rising from the skyline like a sculptural twister, the Hainan Science Museum ‘floats’, showing off its design that connects every gallery in the museum via a single spiralling route. The public museum was designed by Ma Yansong and his firm MAD, and is located on the edge of Wuyuan River National Wetland Park, in Haikou, China.

Step inside the Hainan Science Museum

‘I wanted the project to be built on the idea of flow and chaos – space, function, and knowledge to flow into one another, freely,’ says Ma Yansong, founder and principal partner of MAD. ‘Different subjects should connect, overlap, and stay open. If artificial intelligence can already answer almost any question, a science museum's job is no longer to deliver facts. It is to teach children how to [question] them.’

To accommodate this, the museum couldn’t be in a better location, with more than 30 schools and nurseries within a three-kilometre radius, and since its trial opening it has received more than 350,000 visitors in four months.

Much like MAD’s Cloudscape of Haikou library, and the sculptural Train Station in the Forest, the museum is also a dreamlike space, a sci-fi starship at the heart of the coastal spaceport. There are two entrances to the 46,528-square-meter space.

The upper-level entryway guides visitors down the ring-shaped galleries. It makes you feel like you're descending from the skies, as it takes visitors through deep space and the ocean, through to rainforests and tropical agriculture.

From the ground floor entrance, the journey is reversed – as visitors emerge into the starry sky above. The museum also includes a planetarium, a giant-screen cinema, and a sunken plaza.

This simple, yet effective, double-entry design allows for a clever, two interpretations of the building and its contents, making sure the visitor can choose, rather than be funnelled through a designated path.

Removing columns from the exhibition floors and staying true to MAD’s bold and sculptural design approach, the spiral structure is carried by three concrete core tubes. This allows for an open-plan ground level. The ring-shaped volume above seems to float mid-air, reflected in the pools beneath.

An unprescribed modus operandi is Yansong’s ability to transform a brief of functional requirements into a building that not only houses intriguing content (like the aforementioned train station), but also becomes a piece of content itself.

i-mad.com

In Houhai, a Shenzhen district heaving with eye-catching skyscrapers, the Róng Museum of Art, one of China's most anticipated new cultural institutions, is taking shape. It joins a city-wide cohort that includes Zaha Hadid Architects’ hulking Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum, and MAD Architects' soon-to-complete Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza. As China's third-largest city and home to tech giants Huawei and Tencent, Shenzhen has long staked the high ground as the country's Silicon Valley. Now, it is making equally serious moves on culture.

Explore the Róng Museum of Art through the eyes of Ole Scheeren

The Róng's creator is Ole Scheeren, the German architect whose global portfolio spans the gravity-defying CCTV Headquarters in Beijing, The Interlace in Singapore, and Tencent Helix, another head-turning Shenzhen project.

This latest commission comes from Tenova, a private venture of Pony Ma, co-founder of Tencent – the conglomerate behind WeChat and one of the world's most powerful digital ecosystems. That a tech company of this scale has turned its attention to building an independent cultural institution is, in itself, significant.

For starters, the Róng Museum of Art is not a corporate annexe. It is privately operated and carries a built-in argument that with economic power comes cultural responsibility. The jury, as ever, is out – but, based on what we can see of the works-in-progress, what’s rising out of the ground is hard to argue with.

Visually, the building – sprawling 4,500 sq m, with 2,300 sq m of gallery space – is unlike anything else already built or under construction in the city. Resting on what Scheeren’s office describes as ‘five sculptural pavilions that touch the ground as slender structures’, its cone-shaped volumes – stepping up to 53 metres – are wrapped in an intricately patterned, engineered outer layer of suspended fritted glass tubes, each independently lit, catching light softly by day and glowing after dark like a futuristic lantern.

The façade, developed with Shanghai-based consultant RFR, took extensive prototyping. ‘There is likely nothing similar globally,' he says, describing the silhouette as both performative and expressive, for the tubes diffuse light, reduce heat gain, and contribute to Shenzhen's sponge-city water management strategy through rainwater collection.

More crucially, the museum forms the cultural anchor of the Houhai Hybrid Campus (or, M80 as locals call it), Scheeren's larger mixed-use development of curvilinear towers connected by elevated promenades and a central oasis, due for completion later this year.

Scheeren resists describing the museum, which opens next June, as merely a destination within that whole. It is, instead, ‘an active component of its overall metabolism’. He envisages the museum operating across multiple public registers: a 24-hour art plaza at ground level, open and porous to the city; mid-level galleries where the building's different volumes 'grow together' to form flexible exhibition space, including a double-height room for large-scale installations; and a rooftop garden that extends the campus's central oasis upward, with views across Shenzhen's waterfront.

Róng’s very moniker – the Chinese character for convergence, symbiosis, fluid exchange – came after the design, not before. 'While at first, the name was an expression of the architecture, it not only reinforced its qualities but really focused its goals,’ Scheeren says. The building, he adds, is not something one can decode from the outside. It's an experience that unfolds as you move through ‘the major public art library, workshops, spaces for lectures and screenings, culture- focused retail and cafes and restaurants and the covered, naturally ventilated public plaza’.

Meanwhile, the museum’s founding director Pi Li – formerly of M+ and Tai Kwun Contemporary in Hong Kong – is currently assembling the inaugural exhibition programme, focused on visual culture of the 20th and 21st centuries. Details are not yet being released, but what is certain is that when the Róng Museum of Art opens in June 2027, Shenzhen will have made its most compelling case yet for being taken seriously as a cultural capital.

buro-os.com

Design Shanghai is Asia’s premier showcase of contemporary design, bringing together over 500 brands from 20 countries. ‘For 13 years, Design Shanghai has championed modern design across China and Asia,’ says show director Zhuo Tan. ‘It’s inspiring to see designers shaping this momentum as Asian design steps confidently onto the global stage.’

The 13th edition returned to the Shanghai Exhibition Centre on 19 March 2026, running until 22 March, and Wallpaper’s head of interiors Olly Mason is there, taking in the world-renowned brands, visionary designers and emerging talent. This year, the fair is organised into five sections: ‘Talents’, ‘Made in JDZ’, ‘Beyond Craft’, ‘Collectible Design & Art’ and ‘Materials First’.

Read on for our guide to the fair, including standout designers and noteworthy creations.

Design Shanghai 2026: championing Asian talent

Design Shanghai shines a spotlight on Chinese and Asian design, from established icons to emerging voices. Notable names shaping the continent’s design identity include 12h, founded by Zeng Qiang, which, for this year's event, introduces the 'Record Cabinet', crafted from solid wood with midcentury influences for a new generation of vinyl enthusiasts; and Shang Xia, whose exhibition has been imagined by Zhou Guangming to embody a contemporary oriental lifestyle, integrating traditional craft into modern hospitality design.

Pusu, led by Chen Yanfei, channels Ming-style furniture and calligraphy into functional art pieces finished with lacquer, while U+, under Shen Baohong, fuses traditional forms with a global design language, exploring the dialogue between Eastern and Western philosophies. Finally, Past To Now reinterprets historical designs, showing how heritage can evolve for contemporary audiences. Collectively, these creators reflected a confident design language rooted in native craftsmanship, yet more than capable of standing on the global stage.

‘Beyond Craft’: reimagining tradition

The ‘Beyond Craft’ section celebrates Asia’s powerful craft heritage while simultaneously demonstrating its relevance today. Japanese brands feature strongly in this section: Yamato applies washi paper and gold leaf to modern interiors, Domyo transforms centuries-old knotted cord techniques into contemporary creations, and Kubo Paper Studio reinterprets 1,300-year-old paper-making. Elsewhere, Emission merges optical materials and artistry in immersive lighting and jewellery, Kasane repurposes ancient roofing materials into sustainable wall panels, and Hario Lampwork Factory extends traditional glasswork into jewellery and design objects.

Chinese brands also reinterpret heritage for modern contexts. Notably, Bing Yu Tang, collaborating with designer He Kaining, reimagines 5,000 years of incense history, using spatial design, objects and sensory experiences to connect ancient rituals with modern living.

‘Talents’: introducing the next generation

Curated by product and furniture designer Frank Chou, ‘Talents’ highlights designers under 35. This year’s theme, ‘About Time’, explores time in terms of cultural, personal and societal shifts.

Highlights include Liang Living Studio, which explores marbled porcelain vessels using traditional Japanese 'neriage' techniques across stone, metal and wood; Jun Wang Studio, which, in collaboration with designer Ziyuan Jiang, presents experimental lighting investigating structure and material tension; and Friedrich Gerlach’s 'Biocement Chair', crafted from recycled construction waste. Also worth a mention is the work of Yin Dahua, which merges Chinese joinery traditions with minimalist sculptural furniture and lighting.

‘Made in JDZ’: modern ceramics

Curated by designer Ryan Ran, ‘Made in JDZ’ celebrates the city of Jingdezhen’s historic ceramics while reinterpreting them for today. The 2026 theme, ‘On the Stage’, examines intersections between craft, fashion, interiors and everyday objects, highlighting how heritage techniques find new life in modern iterations.

Featured works include Handiceramics’ ‘Emotion Edge’, a geometric mug with a triangular base symbolising the coexistence of emotions; Nearby’s ‘Spherical Stem Cup’, a delicate porcelain vessel accented with ceramic beads; and Sheenyard’s’ Modest Light’, which demonstrates how traditional techniques can create warmth in modern spaces.

‘Collectible Design & Art’: bridging art and design

This section brings together makers, galleries and curators to present limited-edition works that straddle art and design. Contributors include Hugo Design, Es Art Society, Mingyu Xu Studio, Natura Accessories, Zeto Art and Jaipur Rugs.

‘Re-Art Room’, curated by Yiqian Zhao, integrates 20th-century furniture with contemporary artworks, inviting visitors to engage with tactile, human-centred qualities of design. Zhao’s ‘Dreamer’, a 4m-high mixed-media sculpture, merges historical references with commentary on consumer culture; Hu Yuehua’s ‘Weaving Nature’ reinterprets ecological forms through cotton, linen and indigo-dyed textiles; and Shuare Shizhu’s ‘Quest for Urban Signals’ explores the dialogue between the Daliang Mountains and Shanghai’s urban fabric.

‘New Materials & Applications’: showcasing material innovation

The ‘New Materials & Applications’ space brings together designers and makers who explore surfaces, composites and artisan techniques, from sustainable solutions to experimental finishes. Exhibitors such as Burgeree and Ecowel demonstrate cutting-edge materials, while Emission and Hario Lampwork Factory highlight optical and handcrafted glass innovations.

In a market crowded with chrome grilles and gadget-heavy interiors, Geely seeks to take a different approach. The Chinese manufacturer believes that today’s SUV buyer wants more than flashy technology and raw horsepower. They want comfort, space, and design that feels considered. This philosophy is embodied in its latest vehicle, the Starray EM-i.

Tall, poised, and quietly confident, Geely Auto UK’s second model for the British market is a no-nonsense plug-in hybrid (PHEV). ‘Unlike many hybrids that retain a large grille, Geely adopts a closed front face to optimise aerodynamics’ says Chief Marketing Officer, Mark Blundell. The result is clean and purposeful, albeit a little undistinguished.

Slim daytime running lights sit high, forming what Geely describes as a ‘focused and sharp’ gaze, while the main headlight units sit lower in the bumper to create a distinctive light signature. ‘This split-headlight design reduces glare for oncoming drivers, enhancing safety,’ states Blundell.

Offered in Pro, Max, and Ultra trims, the Starray EM-i delivers up to 84 miles of electric range. Beneath the surface lies a hybrid-dedicated 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a compact electric motor, developed exclusively for electrified performance. The payoff is smoother transitions, quieter running, and improved efficiency. It reaches 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds, and with fast-charging capability, the battery can climb from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes.

Inside, restraint replaces excess. In an era where cabins often feel cluttered with screens, the Starray EM-i takes a more pragmatic, low-key route. Technology is integrated, not imposed. The thinking is simple: ‘not tech for tech’s sake, but tech for ease of use’, says Blundell.

That still means big screens. In the cabin, a 14.6-inch central display, 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, and 13.8-inch head-up display form what Geely calls a ‘Golden Triangle’ arrangement. ‘This layout maintains a consistent family design language with the already-launched Geely Galaxy E5,’ notes Blundell. ‘It’s a concrete manifestation of Geely's Digital Clarity design philosophy.’

Crucially, however, physical buttons for essential controls such as climate functions remain – these are intuitive, tactile, and driver focused. Meanwhile, a 16-speaker Flyme Sound system with headrest speakers has also been carefully integrated into the cabin. The overall effect is sparse but not stark.

The Starray EM-i is the first plug-in hybrid built on Geely’s Global Intelligent New Energy Architecture (GEA). ‘The platform supports low-drag design from the ground up, optimising the overall layout to strike a balance between aesthetics and aerodynamics,’ notes Blundell.

The result is a car that maximises interior space, delivering what Geely calls an 84.3 per cent ‘space efficiency rate’. A flat rear floor enhances comfort, while hidden trunk compartments and an open platform beneath the centre console provide additional storage. If that still isn’t enough, folding the rear seats expands the boot capacity from 528 litres to 2,065 litres, without any awkward battery intrusion.

With confident if unmemorable styling and a functional interior, Geely’s latest vehicle doesn’t shout for attention, it earns it. Looking ahead, the brand aims to achieve 100,000 annual UK sales by 2030, secure a top ten position in the market, and transition to a fully electrified line-up. ‘Through advanced new energy and intelligent technologies, we aim to accelerate the UK’s progress toward its low-carbon mobility goals.’

Geely Starray EM-I, from £29,990, GeelyAuto.co.uk

From afar, the new Diageo distillery in China might look like a piece of land art. Yet up close, the complex – official name Diageo YunTuo – is the drinks brand’s first single malt whisky distillery in the country, set in the fertile Dali valley of Yunnan Province. It brings together production facility and visitor experience with an extended activity programme in one location.

Explore the new Diageo distillery in China

The striking architecture of the complex comes courtesy of New York-based architecture studio Oli Architecture, which was founded in 2010 and is led by Hiroshi Okamoto and Bing Lin. The team responded to the region's dramatic topography to create the family of buildings, which vary in height, shape and function and are connected by an elevated second-floor tour path. This route not only brings the spaces together but also offers far-reaching views of the surrounding scenery to visitors and staff alike.

The project's sculptural composition, with its oversized shapes and contextual circulation, was conceived by the architects to create a 'sensory approach to time', the team explains. Light, sound and materials come together to shape the way users perceive both the site and the whisky-making process within it.

Production includes state-of-the-art distilling spaces. Meanwhile, the visitor centre is composed of a series of low structures clad in stone, telling the story of local spirit making, and blending the old with the new through the architectural expression of its concrete columns. It all happens against the backdrop of the Cangshan Mountains in the distance.

At the visitor centre's heart sits the barrel tower. The tapered structure – which houses the tasting areas – is inspired by a local national symbol of the area, the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple. A black Shangxi granite-clad reflective pool surrounds it, creating a peaceful yet impactful environment.

'Our goal was to create a new architecture that feels rooted rather than imported, informed by the landscapes, traditions, and craft cultures of both Scotland and Yunnan,' say Okamoto and Lin. 'The design is a synthesis of two places, bringing together the rugged character of Scotland and the cultural depth of Yunnan into a contemporary architectural language. Much like whisky-making, the project explores how innovation can emerge from a tradition-based craft, allowing new expressions to grow from deep heritage.

'Rather than replicating historical forms, the architecture reinterprets vernacular traditions in a way that feels authentic, forward-looking, and connected to place.'

They continue, explaining the experiential aspect of their design for the users: 'The building needed to serve as a clear statement of Diageo’s ambition, a high-end distillery that could stand alongside those of the world’s most respected whisky brands, while projecting confidence, heritage, and permanence. For Diageo, the architecture had to embody the weight of tradition and the precision of craft, conveying a sense of aspiration and permanence appropriate to a world-class whisky venture.

'For visitors, the goal was experiential rather than didactic. We wanted the architecture to communicate its depth quietly, through space, material, light, and sequence, rather than through explanation. By drawing on the deep cultural roots and landscapes of both Scotland and Yunnan, the building creates a sense of wonder and authenticity that visitors feel intuitively, even if it is never explicitly stated.'

oliarch.com

Chinese architecture duo Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, founders of Hangzhou-based Amateur Architecture Studio, have just been appointed the curators of the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale. Running their joint practice since 1997, as well as teaching, the two architects are no strangers to the biennale, having taken part in the main show in 2006, 2010 (when they received the Special Mention for their project 'Decay of a Dome') and 2016.

Now, the pair will have the opportunity to form their own iteration of the world's biggest architecture show – following up on the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale curated by Lesley Lokko, and just as the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale curated by Carlo Ratti drew to a close.

Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu: the next 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale curators

Amateur Architecture Studio is prolific. Past works include the Ningbo Historic Museum, the Xiangshan Campus of China Academy of Art, the Tiles Hill in Hangzhou, the renovation of Wencun Village, the National Archives of Publications and Culture in Hangzhou, the Preservation and Renovation of Southern Song Imperial Street, the Lin’An Historic Museum, and the Xi'an Opera House and Concert Hall. Wang Shu also won the Pritzker Prize in 2012 and served as a judge for the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2013.

Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu said: 'We are very honoured to be the artistic directors of the Architecture Department and Curators of the 20th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia 2027 at the invitation of president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco. And thanks to the board of directors of La Biennale di Venezia for the trust in us. We will try our best to meet this big challenge.

‘In the current world, the rapid and multiple changes in architecture are more a phenomenon of appearance, the result of excessive conceptualisation or marked commercialisation,’ the architects continued.

'Conceptual experiments driven to extremes are often divorced from reality, and over-commercialisation tends to [make for] merely popular and short-lived [projects]. [There is a] breaking away from the connection with the real place. It will lead to the death of architecture. Architecture becomes a kind of delusional expression about the future.

'For this reason, in the face of the real crisis of this world, insisting on a simple and true concept and method of architecture has a special value. We will strive to present this value and exploration with the greatest sincerity for a better reality and future.'

The 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale will take place at the Giardini and Arsenale sites from 8 May to 21 November 2027

labiennale.org

A fantastical landscape of leafy expanses, oversized pebble-like structures, animals and water features unfolds in one of China's most idyllic settings, in the nature-rich province near Wuhan; welcome to the LuxeIsland Farm by Various Associates.

Tour LuxeIsland Farm by Various Associates

Set along the Zhujia River in Jiang’an District, the project, crafted by the Shenzhen-based architecture studio that is led by co-founders Lin Qianyi and Yang Dongzi, spans a staggering 230,000 sq m. Flanked by tree-filled mountains and a pier towards the water, the site was conceived as a mico-destination for locals and tourists who are keen to admire the region's nature and fauna.

The architecture, unconventional and almost otherworldly, was purpose-designed to catch the visitor's eye, combining fun and a futuristic architecture take, while being firmly rooted in its location – employing, for instance, bamboo weaving and more local materials, such as timber and stone.

'The buildings, resembling "fallen meteorites", scatter throughout the valley. Their bamboo-woven roofs seem to grow naturally from the pasture hills, casting delicate, shifting shadows and engaging in a visual dialogue with the site’s natural terrain. This is the architectural totem we crafted for LuxeIsland Farm,' say the team at Various Associates.

Beyond the sprawling green outdoor areas, the project includes animal enclosures, a creative workshop, retail and dining. Everything is connected by a clear aesthetic which is centred on organic shapes and curved volumes that imitate natural boulders. Meanwhile, green roofs ensure more conventional, flat-topped elements remain discreet.

The tourist destination aims to blend wild charm and a fun architectural vision for its green valley setting, intriguing its visitors while inspiring interaction with animals and flora through a series of animal pens, displays and activities such as family workshops.

various-associates.com

A new book by long-term Wallpaper* staffer, writer and editor Léa Teuscher explores the diverse expressions of library design across the world. '[They are] symbols of the power of learning, they can be the key to democracy, or become battlegrounds for culture wars,' she writes in the book's introduction. 'Or, they might be safe spaces where public debate thrives and creative gatherings abound.'

In her new book, 150 Libraries You Need to Visit Before You Die, for Lannoo Publishers, Teuscher has collected the world's best, from architect-designed temples of culture to historical palaces of books, to grassroots initiatives that bring reading to the people.

Here, she picks fifteen libraries from the book, to give us a taste of the global diversity of the genre.

Craigieburn Library, Australia

Australian architects Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp of FJCstudio designed the Craigieburn Library in 2014, using locally sourced rammed earth, which they chose for 'its thermal properties and for its symbolic resonance, embedding the building in the very ground from which it rises'. The steel and timber roof structures are lightweight and conceived as a series of interlocking pavilions. On the grounds is also an art gallery and café. When it opened, the Craigieburn Library was honoured as the IFLA Public Library of the Year for the way it created ‘a sense of belonging for all, as both a learning centre and a gathering place for the city'.

Beijing Library, China

'This glass-lined library by Snøhetta boasts the world’s largest reading space, a forest of soaring ginkgo columns and a valley of books,' writes Teuscher. From an architectural perspective, the Beijing Library features the world’s largest climatised reading space and China’s largest load-bearing glass system, while inside, it is built as a landscape with volumes shaped like hills separating its spaces. Its high-tech design also comprises the largest automated book storage system in the world and the highest attainable sustainability standard in the country.

Muyinga Library, Burundi

'Muyinga’s first library tells an important story about how to think and build differently,' writes Teuscher. Designed by Belgian practice BC Architects and Studies, the Burundi library is part of an inclusive school for deaf children and was built from earth blocks masonry and baked clay tiles, employing a local labour force and supporting the local economy. A superb example of welcoming design that serves a social function, the Muyinga library also features a large sisal hammock, woven from plants found on the construction site and accessed through a bookshelf that also serves as a ladder.

Drummondville Public Library, Canada

Canada's Drummondville library is connected to the city's history and winter sport mission. Designed by Chevalier Morales with DMA Architectes, the building's aesthetic nods to the city's steel and hydropower heritage, and its silhouettes are inspired by the neighbouring outdoor ice rink, of which the reading rooms have a view. 'An innovative pairing of sport and culture, this award-winning, immensely popular library is proudly of its time and of its place,' writes Teuscher.

Yuyarina Pacha Library, Ecuador

The Yuyarina Pacha children's library was born from the efforts of a reading club organised by local associations Laboratorio Creativo Sarawarmi and Witoca, and designed in 2024 by Quito-based practice Al Borde. 'A space for knowledge, this rainforest library is a symbol of the ability of rural communities to take charge of their own development and learning,' writes Teuscher. The building reflects local techniques, with a structure made of chonta, an Amazonian palm known for its durability and strength, a steep thatched roof and a glass skylight.

Cloud Cave Library, China

Designed like 'a portal to another dimension,' this library is part of the redevelopment of Haikou's coastline and was designed in 2021 by MAD Architects. Nicknamed 'The Wormhole' for the architects' intention to create ‘a journey transcending time and space', the 10,000-book library features a smooth, curved concrete structure with cave-like rooms. ‘Architecture, art, humanity and nature meet here, opening up a journey of visitors’ imaginations to explore and appreciate the meaning that different beauties bring to their lives,’ says MAD’s Ma Yansong

Oodi, Finland

This multifunctional space by ALA Architects opened in 2018 and its offering, including a cinema, workshops with 3D printers, a video games room and a reading room embodies what a contemporary library should be. ‘Everyone is welcome at Oodi, and equality is the most important of the library’s values – together with freedom of expression,’ says its director Anna-Maria Soininvaara.

L'Animu Porto Vecchio, France

'Nestled among olive trees, this building by Dominique Coulon & Associés symbolises the importance of the local public library in France,' writes Teuscher. This library opened in 2021, the same year the French government declared libraries 'an essential public service’. The architects created a building that complements the surrounding landscape, informed by the location of the olive trees and rocks found on site, and includes a garden, shaded terrace and summer bar.

Oscar Niemeyer Library, France

'A once dormant hall has been turned into a stylish cultural hub now bustling with readers,' says Teuscher of this building, one of two volcano-shaped Oscar Niemeyer structures in Le Havre. The space was originally conceived in the late 1970s as a cultural hall among the modernist apartment blocks of Auguste Perret. Niemeyer gave permission in 2006 to transform the building into a public library, a transformation led by Françoise Sogno and Deshoulières Jeanneau to update the space with natural light and a winter garden.

Library of Birmingham, UK

'Uniting the ‘written and the spoken word’, this library and theatre is an ode to the circle, wrapped in a delicate filigree façade inspired by the city’s crafts and industries,' writes Teuscher of the Mecanoo-designed Birmingham library. The design references the city’s jewellery heritage and steel industry and it is based on eight rotundas, including a golden room on the roof which is home to the library’s Victorian Shakespeare Memorial.

City of Parramatta Library (Phive), Australia

In the Western Sydney suburb of Parramatta, this library was completed in 2023 by Manuelle Gautrand Architecture, and inspired by local flora, with a roof shaped to maximise sunlight and communicate with the surrounding infrastructure. ‘The carefully sculpted final volume gives the impression of literally bending under the passage of the sun across the sky,’ explains Gautrand. The library includes a children’s centre, a theatre, and a Keeping Place dedicated to local Indigenous artefacts and reserved for the Aboriginal Dharug people.

Shanghai Library East, China

'Evoking a scholar’s rock in a Chinese garden, this beautifully detailed, art-filled cultural hub appears to float above Shanghai’s Century Park,' writes Teuscher. Designed by Danish studio Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL), it was completed in 2022 to ‘embrace the idea of collection to connection – a space to bring people together'. The shape is a nod to the Taihu stones that Chinese scholars used for inspiration and meditation, and the exterior is clad with panels imprinted with photographs of marble swirls. The library holds a whopping 4.8 million books, as well as play spaces, outdoor reading rooms, and panoramic views of the city.

Tama Art University Library, Japan

A masterpiece by Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate Toyo Ito, this library is made of concrete arches seemingly floating above the university campus. ‘A light and rhythmic space is achieved by placing arches with tapered footings continuously in different directions; but the interior space as a whole has a sense of tranquillity and transparency,’ says Ito.

Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, USA

The interior of Yale University's Beinecke Library features a six-storey, glass-enclosed tower of books, holding around 180,000 rare volumes. A Skidmore, Owings & Merrill project from 1963, the design is based on a grid of translucent Vermont marble panels that act as windows while protecting the precious collection from direct light. 'Design fans will want to check out the Florence Knoll and Marcel Breuer furniture, as well as the Isamu Noguchi sculpture garden,' says Teuscher.

Mariam's Library, Tanzania

'Built in only 34 days on a tight budget, Mariam’s Library shows that low-cost libraries can be as impactful as big landmark projects,' writes Teuscher of this Zanzibar library, part of Kuwait-based Parallel Studio's Parallel Gives – a volunteer-supported initiative dedicated to community service. Built from perforated bricks, the structure is conceived to stay cool and offer shade, while the corrugated roof filters the light above. '[The focus is] how to contribute to the global community, how architecture can positively affect human development, and how we can inspire our colleagues to spread such kindness,' says Parallel Studio founder, Mai Al Busairi.

The latest opening of the Chinese Sunayata boutique hotel group breathes new life into the time-weathered shell of Chongqing’s 120-year-old French Charity Hall (Ren’ai Tang), a one-time church, hospital and girls’ school built by French missionaries in the early 1900s. It’s a remarkably ambitious adaptive reuse project in this city bristling with gleaming towers, where demolition is often easier than conservation. Here, vaulted ceilings and aged timber beams remain the backdrop for a discreet 25-key bolthole that might just be Chongqing’s most design-forward stay.

Wallpaper* checks in at Sunyata Ren’ai Hall Hotel, Chongqing

What’s on your doorstep?

The hotel hides along the higgledy-piggledy Shancheng Alley in the Yuzhong district, one of the city’s oldest quarters and once the diplomatic heart of wartime Chongqing, when the government relocated here during the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1940s. It’s an oddly atmospheric setting: next door is the Ren’ai Wildness Garden, a scatter of plant- filled ruins that includes a bomb shelter and the original bell tower, while part of the main building still functions as a church, though now draws in more day-trippers than worshippers. From the lobby’s doorstep, an alley lined with tea houses and traditional snack vendors zigzags up to the nearest road and taxi drop-off point a five-minute walk away, though porters are on hand for luggage runs.

Who is behind the design?

Local design studio Wuji Decoration, led by principal designer Xie Bin, took on the building’s renovation with a group of long-time collaborators across various disciplines. They salvaged what they could and restored many of the original wooden floors, arched doorways, and ceiling beams to their former glory. New additions were bespoke and cut to measure: much of the furniture takes its inspiration from the buildings’ shape, like the angular wooden wardrobes modelled on the church’s pointed doors. There’s a scattering of antiques from France, and bedrooms feature gorgeous wooden headboards with mother-of-pearl inlays. The biggest eye-catchers come courtesy of Chengdu-based artist Ji Xian of Sovan Studio, who worked with veteran artisans to create the sculptural lampshades from bamboo and paper that furnish the restaurants and rooms.

The room to book

There are no duds, but the suites are the prize picks, giving you ample space to spread out with brilliant views of the Yangtze River and the sci-fi skyline rising behind it. Rooms on the top floor show off the building’s exposed century-old beams, while all share the same old-meets-new aesthetic of cream-coloured walls, cobalt and oxblood accents, and plenty of natural light. Bathrooms are generously sized, with soaking tubs and showers clad in glossy red travertine. Amenities are attuned to Chongqing’s steamy climate, with washing detergent for damp T-shirts (if the city’s infamously frequent rainfall doesn’t drench you, the 90 per cent humidity certainly will) and clothes steamers, plus lens wipes, earplugs and sleep masks by the bedside. The complimentary minibar is well curated too, with green juice, winter melon soda and a neat selection of Chinese teas.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Breakfast kicks off at White Cliff, the lobby-side main restaurant, with a small spread of fruit, pastries (the egg tarts are worth a second round), and, if you can handle it in the early A.M., meat skewers slicked in mala chilli oil. A tick-box à la carte menu runs from English fry-ups to dim sum, noodle soups and congee. By lunch and dinner, the restaurant pivots to southwest Chinese cooking, spotlighting standouts such as Guizhou sour catfish soup, Yunnanese mushroom stir-fries and peppercorn-loaded Sichuan hotpots. The nearby Mossland Bar, sheathed in copper panels, doubles as an all-day lounge with free coffee, a help-yourself buffet of fruit, snacks and soft drinks, and even house wine. Drop in for sundowners on the terrace out front, which delivers eye-popping views over the Yangtze.

Soon to open is Just Chill, a bistro tucked between the basement’s stone arches unearthed during the renovation, which promises a menu that leans into pizzas, pastries and brunch plates.

Service with a smile?

Staff are helpful and hands-on, especially the young local team who can point you to neighbourhood spots or help you navigate Chongqing’s maze-like streets. The hotel is clearly aimed at domestic visitors (I was reportedly the first foreign guest more than a month after opening), and there are occasional language hiccups, though in most cases, the Google Translate app will be enough to sort those out. Perks are generous: complimentary drinks at Mossland, plus nightly ‘evening treats’ delivered to your room, from rice and snow fungus soup to the occasional boiled pig ear salad.

The verdict

The Sunyata Ren’ai Hall Hotel is a rare, soulful alternative to Chongqing’s run of rather predictable big-brand towers. It doesn’t aim for the glossy precision of an international chain, but its appeal lies elsewhere: a stay inside a century-old landmark, deep in old Yuzhong, where the city’s history is still clearly on show. Service can feel idiosyncratic at times, and outsiders may bump into a few only-in-China quirks, but that’s part of the immersion.

The Sunyata Ren’ai Hall Hotel is located at No.80, Shancheng Lane, Nanjimen Street, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.

Landscape architect Kongjian Yu (1963-2025) has died in an aeroplane accident, it's been announced. The renowned Chinese design professional was working on a project in south-western Brazil when the small vessel he was in crashed.

Kongjian Yu: the landscape architect and founder of Turenscape

Kongjian Yu was a respected member of the global landscape architecture community – and a pioneering specialist in his country, China, and beyond. He was the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize – the biennial accolade designed by Washington-based The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) to raise awareness of and celebrate excellence in its field, as well as commemorate renowned Canadian landscape architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, who died in 2021.

The landscape architect headed the field-leading firm Turenscape, and his growing portfolio included the seminal 'sponge cities' model and campaign. This sought to address urban flooding caused by climate change, and it was so influential that it was adopted as national policy in China in 2013.

Yu was also the founder and leader of the Graduate School of Landscape Architecture and the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Peking University.

'Kongjian Yu was the global champion of the “sponge cities” concept, a global ambassador for the profession of landscape architecture, and a global advocate for addressing the effects of climate change,' said Charles A Birnbaum, president and CEO of TCLF.

'Only two years ago, he was awarded the biennial Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize, which is bestowed on a recipient who is “exceptionally talented, creative, courageous, and visionary". The Oberlander Prize Jury Citation [called him] a “brilliant and prolific designer … [who] is also a force for progressive change in landscape architecture around the world”,’ continued Birnbaum.

Meanwhile, Gary Hilderbrand, chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, said at the time of Yu's Oberlander Prize win that he was the ‘all-time greatest spokesperson for landscape architecture in China – a nation that needs environmental rescue on a colossal scale’.

A mesmerising, mysteriously glowing new building has appeared in the heart of the Jiuxianqiao neighbourhood, in the Chaoyang District of Beijing. Welcome to Spark 761, an artificial intelligence computing power park – a specialised data centre to manage the computational resources required for AI functions. Its architects, Chinese architecture firm llLab, worked closely with their clients, Beijing Electronic Digital & Intelligence, to create a space that befits its 21st-century use. The result? A supercomputer building that evolves as AI continues to develop.

Inside Beijing's new specialised AI data centre, Spark 761

Jiuxianqiao is known for its strong design-led character, mixing culture with modern urban planning. The area has a thriving art district, which boasts a variety of contemporary art houses in refurbished, former factory buildings. With the creative industry very much at the centre of contemporary debates around the use of AI – and its opportunities and challenges – Spark 761 makes for an interesting addition.

The building's architectural concept goes beyond traditional data and information storage systems. Instead, it aims to create a futuristic office and computing space that allows a coexistence between people and AI. Eschewing the typical, closed-off data-centre model, this project aims to make the invisible world of AI information visible – and understandable. As a result, the entire structure was conceived with an embedded layer of its own AI ecosystem, which can adapt as it is being used.

This is symbolically represented in the grid-like façade, an interplay of glass and structural systems. It balances opaque areas, designed as an internal space for contemplation, and transparent ‘glass boxes’. The latter typology hosts a variety of spaces such as offices, exhibition halls, and multipurpose rooms.

These elements are meant to expose previously hidden technology and encourage people to interact with it directly, as well as understand it. Passers-by can see the building's inner workings and 'heartbeat', the architects explain.

At night, the physical grid of the building visually fades away, and the ‘virtual’ architectural body is revealed in the form of lights and screens, displaying the luminous glow of virtual information and putting to the fore the building’s computing power.

Spark 761 was conceived as a digital organism, a physical representation of AI technology. By creating an architecture with a layer of digital infrastructure, llLab sought to break the barrier between humans and AI.

‘We had also hoped to give it a chance to truly speak and produce sound,’ the architects said. While the project's constraints prevented this from being realised, they decided the building’s visual language is a substitute.

llLab built Spark 761 to turn the abstract, invisible world of AI into a tangible, evolving environment where people can feel connected to the technology they use every day.

lllab.net

The newest architecture biennale has hit the scene. Since the founding of the Venice Architecture Biennale in 1980, hundreds of similar events have sprung up around the globe, but what makes each one stand out? Rockbund Architecture Museum assembles (RAMa) was founded two years ago in a historic district of Shanghai, once subject to colonial British rule. First curated by David Chipperfield in 2023 on the architect's completion of an 18-year restoration of the neighbourhood, RAMa is back for a second cycle, mixing six new installations with a new answer to the big question: what are biennales designed to address?

Explore the 2025 RAMa, the architecture biennial at Rockbund Art Museum

Unlike many bigger and arguably more famous biennales, all of RAMa 2025 is taking place outdoors, in public and for free. This generosity isn’t simply altruism but part of a remarkably precise curatorial strategy conceived by Rachaporn Choochuey, this year’s RAMa artistic director and cofounder of studio all(zone). For the Bangkok-based architect, her festival has a very clear goal: coax the real-estate company responsible for the area to allow a richer suite of amenities in the public spaces they control.

'I am trying to persuade the owner,' she tells me bluntly, but explains that, for her, the best way to win round sceptics is to be diplomatic. Instead of lobbying the landowners up-front to allow benches, drinking fountains, street vendors and the like, Choochuey is using the biennale to provide pop-up proof that such things are boons to the Shanghai streetscape. 'Critique can never be direct,' she smiles, 'with a very simple gesture you can do a lot of things.'

The six installations Choochuey has curated all provide a public amenity currently missing from the vicinity – food stalls by Alkhemist Architects, for example, and a long blue bench by Tangent Essays. Choochuey herself has created a multicoloured polyethylene canopy, a riff on larger pavilions she’s made previously in Australia and Thailand (such as her design for the 2022 MPavilion in Melbourne).

Most successful is a gregarious yellow drinking fountain by WWWorks, serving thirsty passers-by by filtering rainwater from an adjacent roof. It’s charismatic and playful with water spouts at three heights to maximise accessibility, and proportions that cleverly relate to some nearby pipework. It’s exactly the kind of exuberant and useful public realm upgrade from which the whole world would benefit.

Less persuasive are some clumps of moss created by Beijing-based Studio Vapore in an attempt to provoke debate about the value of nature in urban space. They make a valid point in principle, of course, but the bumpy green hillocks, made from earth and florist foam sitting on plastic membranes, prove no match for Shanghai’s 35-degree heat. Even with regular watering, the clumps fail to root and are already starting to turn brown just a few days into the biennale.

At first glance, nothing in the RAMa programme might seem especially radical (of course, benches and drinking fountains are nice!); however, such a line of critique would miss the point. The exciting thing about RAMa 2025 is not the topics it raises or the objects it has commissioned, but the laser focus of its underlying ambition.

With the impact of so many architectural biennales undermined by ponderous esoteric themes, too diffuse to effect change in practice, RAMa 2025 stands out for its humility and realistic mission. Choochuey is not arrogant or naive enough to think her biennale can change the world, even a little. But maybe it can change one neighbourhood of one city a lot.

House J, just to the south of Fragrant Hills Park, where Beijingers flock to admire autumn maple leaves, is a 650 sq m residence designed by Atelier About Architecture that is itself surrounded by lush greenery.

Although home to Beijing’s tech district and attractions including the Summer Palace, the Chinese capital’s north-western district of Haidian is also surprisingly green and wild, with pagodas, temples and former imperial gardens clinging to mountain slopes.

Tour this ‘house within a house’ in Beijing

Its owner had lived here previously but spent over a decade abroad. Upon his return to Beijing he commissioned the architect Wang Ni, who founded Atelier About in 2012, to update the house for his family’s current needs; he dreamed of a ‘light-filled home among mountains with just a slice of garden to call their own’.

Children had grown up, and the house felt outdated, but the garden was filled with wild grass, and existing flowers and trees were thriving. Inspired by what she found, Wang decided on an unusual approach, creating a ‘garden in the garden, and also a building in the building’.

‘The special thing about this house is that it has been rebuilt inside the original house,’ explains the architect. ‘The concept of overlapping gardens and overlapping spaces is the most interesting part of this project.

‘We used a rough surface of white concrete that can be used both indoors and outdoors. The dark grey bluestone floor slabs also extend from the interior to the garden, emphasising the link between the indoor and outdoor gardens.’

The original house was dominated by an oversized central hall, while its balcony had been enclosed to make a sunroom. Wang remodelled it into a five-bedroom residence with a cohesive sense of scale, taking advantage of the sloping site’s continuous elevation changes.

Its new intricate layout and details means it sometimes feels like stepping into an optical illusion: interior windows and square openings open on hidden spaces, frame an artwork or focus the gaze on a tree in the garden.

‘As one walks through the space, views cut through both interior and exterior, revealing a garden within a garden, wrapped in greenery over two levels,’ writes Wang, a graduate of the University of Sydney whose projects range from House M, a multi-story home in east Beijing, to a minimalist community centre in Hebei.

Sunlight pours in through skylights into a double-height entrance hall, reaching the floating living room. A cantilevered box at the heart of the house, it looks out towards a slightly offset dining area and sunken garden. An open kitchen faces both the living room and the gardens, where the original plants have been preserved.

The red bricks on the façade echo the rhythm of the horizontal lines of the original house, while a metal plate is used to sit between the window opening and brick, ‘so that there is a harmonious collision between the old and new materials’.

‘My favourite part is the basement’s indoor garden, created by opening the ground floor slab. The basement, which was previously unlit, has been transformed into an indoor garden, echoing the outdoor garden,’ explains Wang. ‘Beijing’s climate is cold in winter, yet the interior is surrounded by greenery and the sunlight streams through, which is very beautiful.’

In Shanghai’s cocktail revolution – and ensuing evolution – Nanchang Road has emerged as something as a hub, where young mixologists come to debut herbal infusions and established ones come to earn accolades. In a refurbished townhouse at the leafy far end, Penicillin is a bit of both. A ‘closed-loop sustainable bar’ by Agung and Laura Prabowo, who opened their award-winning sister bar in Hong Kong in 2020, it operates with mad-scientist energy, turning out experimental distillations with foraged and repurposed ingredients.

Penicillin Shanghai – well worth a shot

The magic happens in the upstairs lab, accessible to patrons who want in on the making process. Designed in clinical steel and concrete by Louis Chon of Hong Kong’s LC Studio, it centres on two chef’s tables flanked by vats, funnels, rotary evaporators and distillers. Guests can sit at the glass terrarium table with, say, a One Pot Pan, a ‘flower tequila’ cocktail with leftover hops, fermented rice water, charred-chive cordial and strawberry hydrosol, as the ingredients steep and ferment around them.

‘There’s been a surge here of artisanal cocktails infused with Chinese ingredients, appealing to adventurous palates,’ says co-founder Laura Prabowo. ‘And that’s led to a trend towards themed venues that offer curated experiences rather than just drinks.’

Groups of up to six people can proceed to the Green Room and sink into sofas the colour of grape leaves. Yet Chon has done his most memorable work on the main floor. In a rotunda at the entrance, he’s suspended a fallen Chinese hackberry tree trunk rescued from a village outside Shanghai. The desiccated roots, floating inches off the floor, are a reminder of Penicillin’s foundational principles: renewable resources, organic elegance and zero-waste practices.

Fully visible from the pavement, the tree has become a neighbourhood curiosity. ‘Every guest who walks past touches it,’ says Prabowo. And thanks to its popularity on Xiaohungshu, the social networking app also known as RedNote, Penicillin has swiftly become the pinnacle of every Nanchang Road cocktail crawl. ‘With younger patrons, the emphasis is on aesthetics, ambience and visual appeal.’

Circling the tree is a backdrop of reflecting panels and a ring of banquettes where guests can perch for photos and wait for friends. The main cocktail lounge is more intimate, outfitted in gunmetal greys and manned by Jamie McCleave, a founding member of the Hong Kong branch, with local veteran Chris Wu. The Penicillin ethos means branded liquor is eschewed in favour of house-infused spirits, so a feature wall behind the bar is stacked with brown recycled eco-spirit bottles.

Prabowo knows this will attract just the right kind of cocktail junkie, and raise the bar of the neighbourhood offering. ‘Contributing to the identity of Nanchang Road, being part of this transformation, excites us.’

Penicillin Shanghai is located at 62 Nanchang Rd, Putung, Shanghai, China 200025.

Louis Vuitton has unveiled an ambitious new cultural and retail destination in Shanghai’s Wujiang Road, part of the heaving Nanjing West Road business district. ‘The Louis’ inhabits a colossal, cruise ship-like structure, nearly 100ft tall, that pays tribute to the maison’s history as a malletier (trunk maker) and Shanghai’s port history as the ‘Gateway to the East’. Its prow and hull sport a sleek metallic Monogram embellishment, while the deck and stacked upper levels evoke the elegant shape of 19th-century transoceanic travel trunks.

Louis Vuitton launches The Louis in Shanghai

Spanning the first two floors is exhibition and retail space. The retail concept offers leather goods customisable with ship motifs or the Shanghai skyline, along with limited-edition pieces. Anchoring the site is the immersive ‘Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys’ exhibition, featuring scenography designed by OMA’s Shohei Shigematsu. The expansive display celebrates the house’s history, from its origins in Asnières, France to maritime adventures and contemporary innovations.

Signature installations include Trunkscape, also designed by Shigematsu: a striking tunnel of floating Monogram trunks previously seen at LV The Place in Bangkok and the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka, alongside a series of multisensory, themed sections that chronicle Louis Vuitton’s legacy in travel, fragrance, literature, sport, and craftsmanship.

Le Café Louis Vuitton, a high-end dining experience blending Eastern and Western influences, is situated on the third floor and opens onto an outdoor terrace with seating that nods to the seaside. Chefs Leonardo Zambrino and Zoe Zhou present a refined menu inspired by mentorship under chefs Arnaud Donckele and Maxime Frédéric, as well as their formative experiences in Paris and Saint-Tropez.

Highlights include Monogram Ravioli styled after traditional jiaozi (Chinese dumplings), the Cesar Salad Eclipse with yuja dressing, and indulgent desserts such as Peach Charlotte with jasmine tea.

Entrance to Louis Vuitton’s The Louis is free and open to the public, with reservations available via the ‘My LV’ WeChat mini program. The site is open daily from 10am to 10pm and is located at HKRI Taikoo Hui, No. 789 West Nanjing Road, Shanghai, China.

A new Chinese art centre cuts a sculptural figure in the heart of a leafy park in the city of Guiyang in the country's Guizhou Province. AYDC Public Art Center is the work of dynamic architecture studio Atelier Xi, founded by Chen Xi and part of our 2021 Wallpaper* Architects Directory. The project was conceived as a 'comprehensive' public art complex, AYDC standing for 'A Yun Duo Cang', meaning 'our land of dreams' in the local Yi language of Guizhou.

Discover this Chinese art centre by Atelier Xi

The design, Xi explains, was imagined to bring together art, nature and community. Providing a family of physical spaces for displays and events, and directly connecting with the park's leafy landscape through its open nature, the project feels at the same time flowing and finely-chiselled. Its form, the architect says, 'is inspired by the spiritual essence of Guizhou’s mountainous landscape. Here, people and ideas can grow freely within nature.'

The scheme's openness and easily adaptable floor plan also responds to the part of the brief that required flexibility; the interior can be used for a variety of events, both planned and spontaneous, within the local community. The project's volumes aim to craft its own artificial landscape that echoes the green surroundings while adding a layer of daily human activity.

Through this thinking, three distinct sections emerge: the rectilinear Xima Library, set against ginkgo leaves by the water and created as a quiet, contemplative reading space; the minimalist, meditative Ginkgo Chapel, nestled among trees on a hillside; and the centrally-placed Dali Stage, formed by the negative imprint of an invisible arch, and serving as focal point for the adjacent plaza, used for resting and gathering.

A common design language and materiality (namely, a porous white travertine stone exterior skin and interior cladding made of curved stainless-steel plates) brings all the different elements together as a coherent whole. The different treatment of the surface texture, from the rougher stone to the mirror-polished metal, adds a pleasing sharpness, artistically tracing the edges of the crisp volumes.

'As the seasons change, the landscape evolves: the ginkgo forest cycles through vibrant tones of green, gold and amber shades, harmonising with the three pavilions to create an ever-changing, immersive symphony of nature and architecture,' Xi writes in his project statement.

'Ultimately, in the AYDC project, minimal architectural gestures attempt to unleash the site’s full vitality. Through sculptural and artful interventions, the design weaves together the built form, natural landscape, and local cultural memory – redefining the role of architecture as a vessel for experience, imagination and community.'

atelierxi.com

It must be galling to have followed China’s voracious and prolific auto industry down the expensive path to electrification, only to find that the country’s key manufacturers have quietly but effectively pivoted their tech efforts towards creating some of the world’s most advanced hybrid drive systems. That twin-barrelled approach is exemplified by the rise of Chery from a small engine manufacturer to a juggler of multiple brands and powertrains.

I’ve already stepped out in the Jaecoo 7, a modestly accomplished but value-packed hybrid SUV that bucked recent trends by also being available in a pure ICE variant. Jaecoo – the awkward collision of the German word for ‘hunter’ and that evergreen brand appellation ‘cool’ – is one of Chery’s more mass-market brands. Towards the other end of the scale is Omoda, launching in the UK with the Omoda 9 mid-sized SUV that’s pitched squarely against Audi’s Q range, the BMW X series and even the more entry-level Range Rovers.

The market intent of Omoda is signified by the venue for the launch, a ‘House of Omoda’ set up in a palatial modern residence near the Solent in the south of England. It’s a realm of marina-adjacent modernism, where big houses try to make all the right moves but have little to no architectural soul. Instead, the space gleams like a superyacht and presumably must be perpetually scrubbed and polished to keep it that way, in true nautical fashion.

Although billed as a luxury brand, Omoda does occupy a price point associated with the ultra-high-end. In the UK, it sells three models, all of which are SUVs/crossovers, the conventionally powered 5, the pure electric 5E and the new 9. Coming soon is the Omoda 7. The latter two are so-called ‘super hybrids’, with the 9 fusing a relatively modest 34kW battery with a petrol engine. By cannily managing the balance between battery level and combustion output – thanks to no fewer than nine different drive modes – the Omoda 9 has a hugely impressive combined range of over 700 miles, as well as a 90-plus mile EV-only range.

First impressions are dominated by that busy front end. All Omodas have grilles that are defined not by a unifying shape but by their geometric complexity, part of what the company describes as its ‘scientific design’ ethos. To illustrate this, the Omoda team throw a few choice Star Wars images into the presentation (referencing the sleek black and white space-fascist aesthetic of the Empire, rather than the grungier, ad-hoc Rebellion).

The grille brings to mind Peugeot’s more egregious frontal excesses, and is flanked by 134 LED beads for headlighting, daylight running lights (DRLs) and their accompanying welcome and exit animations. Another questionable association is flashed up, a Russian fighter jet claimed as a reference for the delta forms of the rear rooftop spoiler, its afterburners reinterpreted as exhaust pipes.

How does Chery do it? Since 1997 the company has built engines, eventually branching out into whole cars to take the powertrains. After a rocky start that included a few intellectual property lawsuits inspired by cars with a blatantly obvious Western influence, Chery can now claim expertise in ICE, BEV, hybrid, hydrogen fuel and cell and hydrogen-fuelled vehicles. As a result, it can pivot acrobatically to serve markets around the world, nimbly side-stepping the perils that stem from legislatively indecisive governments and swiftly following changes in consumer demand. This ability to iterate at speed is helped by factories that – the company claims – are 97 per cent automated.

Branding is the final boss, the level the company has to beat to achieve parity with those auto manufacturers with over a century’s worth of additional experience. While heritage is an important asset for legacy manufacturers, it can also be something of an anvil around their neck. When starting from scratch with a blank sheet of paper and an empty lot, instead of clinging on to 100 years of history and a portfolio of ageing industrial real estate, it’s far easier to iterate and innovate.

One of Chery’s core innovations is the Dedicated Hybrid Engine and Transmission system, showing that ICE development continues apace and can, with clever marketing, be presented as a valid, eco-conscious alternative to a pure BEV.

Omoda describes itself as ‘youthful and dynamic’, with a target audience of tech-minded Gen Z consumers, digital natives who eschew the need to detox from their devices and have intense, emotional relationships through and with tech. Commodification is spliced with gamification, and rather than level up through expensive optional extras, the Omoda 9 is intended to deliver the full package in one hit, an over-stuffed loot box of an automobile.

There’s no denying that the 9’s standard tech and equipment list is impressive. Described as a ‘harmonious digital space’, the dashboard pairs two info screens with physical buttons for seats and HVAC. All four seats are heated and cooled, and the rear seats recline as well as the front. The driver gets a head up display, while sound comes via a 14-speaker audio system from Sony, with speakers also embedded in the headrests.

There’s the opportunity to customise everything, from the height the boot opens (should you have a low-ceilinged garage) to the colour of the mood lighting, to the amount of battery charge you want to have in store at the end of a long journey.

The laundry list of ADAS functions can be added to a single shortcut button for swift disabling and there’s the usual infuriating voice assistant, which will apparently learn to differentiate between different voices over time. The car’s air monitoring system will automatically close the vents in high pollution zones like tunnels and city centres, while the comprehensive camera suite includes warning lights in the rear to stop doors being opened onto an oncoming car or bike.

In short, there’s everything but the kitchen sink in here, a fully stacked and loaded car for the price of a European rival without so much as a single optional extra. In fact, the only you pay extra for is to switch the base colour from white.

It will be instructive to revisit this generation of EVs and PHEVs in a decade or so to see how well everything still works, but aside from a slightly wayward voice control system and the familiar rainbow-hued lighting selector, found on everything from fairy lights to smart speakers as well as upmarket SUVs, there’s no indication that quality falls below the standards set over generations by European manufacturers.

Michael Duerr, Omoda’s design lead, describes a brand ethos that has aimed high from the outset. ‘There’s no limit,’ he says. ‘We look at true luxury cars like Rolls-Royce and Bentley. In China, customers want to go straight to luxury and bypass premium altogether. We always get pushed to go further.’ Describing the interior as a ‘blank canvas for digital technology’, Duerr and his team want to create car interiors that ‘resonate with the customer’. ‘We want to score on ergonomics and space, not overloading [the passengers],’ he says, ‘we also don’t want to just copy other car brands. We look to architecture and fashion – especially Chinese fashion – as well as art. We really want customers to make a conscious decision to buy a Chinese car.’

Chery’s spread of nameplates bears out the stark divide between high end and base models. Omoda – a composite name that nods to fashion via the phrase ‘original mode’ – is sold alongside Jaecoo in Europe. Headquartered in Wuhu, about 300km west of Shanghai, Chery continues to make cars under its own name. The current line-up includes the Arrizo saloons and Tiggo SUVs and the newly announced Lepas line, ’designed for the next-generation urban elites’ (their words, not mine).

It also owns the higher-end Jetour and Exeed brands (the latter in partnership with Huawei), the Karry range of light trucks and minivans, and the iCar EV-only brand, with its tempting-looking iCar GT sports car. Chery is part-owner of the budget-friendly brands Soueast and Kaiyi Auto. Finally, there’s a partnership with JLR, which was licensed to produce Jaguar Land Rover products in Changshu and also introduce the Freelander name as a standalone Chinese-made SUV brand for global export.

Despite its impressive specification and the emotive words and imagery, the Omoda 9 isn’t really massively groundbreaking in terms of design. A generic SUV with a silhouette I would be hard pushed to pick out of a line-up of its peers, let alone a car park, it has the short front and long rear overhangs that have become ubiquitous in the sector. Proportioned to favour a weightier body, slender greenhouse and familiar rakish rear screen, the car works best in profile, where the wheel placement isn’t unbalanced by the tall front and rear elevations.

On the road, the Omoda 9’s flat-bottomed steering wheel feels a tiny bit too large, which in turn draws more attention to the overly light and rather vague steering. Even in Sport mode, it barely firms up, confining the delivery of power to the straights and overtaking manoeuvres, rather than on twisty roads. Eco mode offers up a lot of regen, and despite the dynamic wooliness, Sport mode is very rapid indeed. The so-called Super Hybrid System is truly impressive and really does give impressive economy thanks to an electric range that could well be all you ever use, especially if you have a home charge point.

Regardless of the oodles of kit and luxury talking points, where the 9 really scores in the luxury stakes is the sense of unlimited freedom that a long, long range brings you. With no equivalent hybrid systems available from non-Chinese brands, it’s another example of swift tech shifts leaving more established manufacturers struggling to catch up.

OMODA 9 SHS, £44,990, OmodaAuto.co.uk, @Omoda_UK

The newly opened Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is located in the Greater Bay Area of the Guangming District of Shenzhen, the world’s largest metropolitan region with a population of 100 million. The museum will showcase scientific advancements, research and technologies across 35,000 sq m of exhibition halls and galleries, as well as theatres, cinemas, laboratories, educational facilities and an innovation centre.

An institution whose aim is to solidify Shenzhen's role as a leader in technological development should look the part: ZHA, the architecture firm behind some of the most futuristic-looking buildings in the world, has created a design that is both striking and advanced.

The 28,276 sq m museum looks like a spaceship, with a solid spherical volume which transitions into a series of outdoor terraces as it extends westward into the new Science Park. These serve as extensions of the interior galleries, which emerge from the floor and walls of a grand central atrium, while other spaces float above. The atrium serves as a focal point for the building, featuring a large glazed wall looking out to the park, which allows for natural light to pour in and views of the landscape.

The construction of the Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum pushed the boundaries of modern architecture. For example, the façade features dual-colour INCO technology, which creates the appearance of a celestial-feeling blue-to-grey gradient without paint.

The building is also sustainability-focused. ZHA used computer simulations to optimise the building's performance for Shenzhen's subtropical climate: the result is the use of passive environmental strategies such as orientating the building in a way that minimises solar heat gain in the atrium, or having terraces on each floor to shield the facade from direct sunlight.

Elsewhere, a system of stainless-steel panels creates a ventilated cavity between the facade and the external walls, which also incorporate photovoltaics to generate solar energy. The museum’s smart systems should reduce energy consumption significantly, and the building aims for the highest rating of China’s Green Building Evaluation Standard.

zaha-hadid.com

From the Japanese Genmaicha dotted with popped brown rice to the time-consuming but deliciously foamy West African Ataya, the world of tea is truly full of wonders. And it’s certainly not stuck in time: today, a new generation is discovering the beauty of bright-green matcha and fragrant masala chai. For her latest book, 150 Tea Houses You Need to Visit Before You Die, writer and editor Léa Teuscher – a long-time Wallpaper* staffer – explores what’s brewing, whether it’s in a cool café in Istanbul, a historic tea plantation in Darjeeling, an elegant hotel in London or a beautiful Kyoto ochaya. Here she picks ten tea houses serving great drinks and homemade blends in elegant, often architect-designed spaces, around the world.

Ten contemporary tea houses to visit now

Basao Tea, Xiamen

Designed by Norm Architects, this beautiful minimalist space is the flagship tea room of Basao Tea, a brand established in 2011 in Xiamen, Fujian. It is named after a Japanese zen monk who once wrote: ‘Having learned the ways of silence, within the noise of urban life, I take life as it comes to me, and everywhere I am is true.’ Its pared-back space aims to help visitors enjoy quiet contemplation and the calming sounds of tea being prepared, poured and enjoyed. Sit at the large stone tea counter to take part in a Chinese gongfu tea ceremony, or learn about more contemporary ways of tea making, like Basao’s nitrogen-infused cold brews. The tea sommeliers can also guide you through the company’s collection, which ranges from hand-rolled Nepali tips to Hangzhou’s ‘dragon well’ tea. Basao also has branches in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Basao Tea is located at 8 Jianye RdSi Ming Qu, Xia Men Shi, Fu Jian Sheng, China; @basaotea

Bellocq Tea Atelier, New York

Bellocq is known for its single-estate full-leaf teas and signature botanical blends, as well as its famous yellow tea caddies now found in the tea rooms of some of the world’s leading brands, from Tiffany & Co to Cartier. Designed by co-founder Heidi Johannsen Stewart, and her husband, architect Scott Stewart, its studio and tea room is located in a brick warehouse in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint, and celebrates the luxury of taking time to enjoy a fine cup of tea. Distilling inspiration from botanical traditions while embracing innovation, the brand focuses on sustainable production practices, sourcing teas from exceptional gardens that reflect the unique terroirs of China, Japan, Taiwan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India and South Africa. Bellocq’s Earl Grey, for example, is made with an exceptional base leaf and, uniquely, the essence of Sicilian bergamot extracted from the entire fruit.

Bellocq Tea Atelier is located at 104 West St, Brooklyn, NY 11222, United States; bellocqtea.com

Cafe Svenskt Tenn, Stockholm

Leading Swedish interiors brand Svenskt Tenn was founded in 1924 by Estrid Ericson, an entrepreneur and a great tea lover who is said to have drunk five cups of tea every day. Fittingly, the brand’s beautiful shop in central Stockholm is also home to a café serving a wide range of teas, with everything from delicate, grassy Japanese green teas and Indian Darjeeling, to its own flavoured blend of Chinese keemun/Yunnan. The teas were selected by chef Petter Nilsson’s team at Petri, a fine dining restaurant that is known for its focus on tea pairings, so expect some pretty special drinks here, such as rare jungle teas from the Monsoon Tea Wat Ket in Thailand and Dongfang meiren (‘Oriental beauty’) from Nantou County in Taiwan. These can be accompanied by dishes such as smoked salmon on French toast, or rhubarb cheesecake, canelés and chestnut tartlets.

Café Svenskt Tenn is located at Strandvägen 5, 114 51 Stockholm, Sweden; svenskttenn.com

Casa de Chá, Brasilia

Designed between 1965 and 1966 by legendary architect Oscar Niemeyer, the Casa de Chá was conceived as a meeting point on the monumental Three Powers Plaza, the site of the three branches of the Brazilian government. It is a unique spot with floor-to-ceiling windows hiding under a long flat white roof, in the great modernist architecture tradition. Inside, you will find classic pieces such as Jean Gillon armchairs and a menu by local chef Gil Guimarães. Drinks include Itamaraty Chai (black tea with star anise, cloves and pepper), a house maté, and the Congresso infusion, with hibiscus, apple, clove and cinnamon. We’d recommend sampling these with a slice of corn cake or, if really hungry, a Niemeyer tartine with Parma ham and umbu jelly. Refurbished in 2019 by Bloco Arquitetos, the café is actually part of the local university and a training ground for its hospitality students.

Casa de Chá is located at Praça dos Três Poderes Três Praça dos Três Poderes - Brasilia, DF, 70802-140, Brazil; @casadecha.df.senac.br

Ksana matcha, Bangkok

Located in cosmopolitan Pathum Wan, this cave-like specialist matcha tea room offers a unique haven of tranquillity away from chaotic central Bangkok. Sourced from Japanese heritage farms in Uji and leading tea estates in Shizuoka, the powdered green tea is served here on simple wooden tables in a cocooning white cave designed by local practice JUTI architects. Ksana matcha uses the finest-quality tea leaves to create four teas, including Coastal Breeze, with umami flavours that evoke the fresh serenity of a coastal morning, and Smoky Peaks, a hōjicha with a hint of hickory. Also on the menu are traditional Japanese wagashi sweets, such as yuzu and yokan jelly. Ksana has just opened an equally slick new outpost in the nearby Central World mall.

Ksana Matcha is located at 2nd Floor, One City Centre, Unit R2-02, 548 Phloen Chit Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; ksanamatcha.com

Osulloc Tea Museum, Jeju

Set on an organic tea farm on the island of Jeju in South Korea, this stylish tea room and museum designed by Seoul-based practice Mass Studies was set up by the South Korean brand Osulloc, which started growing tea here only in 1979, after painstakingly transforming the rocky land into tea fields. It has since won a string of prestigious prizes for its teas, including Illohyang, a first-flush green tea handpicked in early April, and Sejac, the brand’s signature green tea. You can try them at the museum’s teahouse, which also serves blended teas, such as Samdayeon Jeju Tangerine, and lots of pretty tea-flavoured treats, such as matcha tiramisu and Jeju green tea cheesecake. Osulloc also has teahouses in Seoul, including a flagship location in the Bukchon district.

Osulloc Tea Museum is located at 15 Sinhwayeoksa-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea; us.osulloc.com

Oxi Tea Room, Melbourne

Known for its exquisitely detailed themed afternoon teas, this serene tea room in downtown Melbourne celebrates the tea terroirs of Kenya and Taiwan, the home countries of owners Mehboob and Andy. From Kenya come teas such as Nandi Gold, a fruity black tea with hints of roasted hazelnuts, while from Taiwan are sourced crisp Alishan and delicate dong ding oolongs. The 30 premium whole-leaf teas are paired with meticulously crafted menus, and an interactive app guides diners through a culinary journey, revealing the stories behind each dish. Designed by local practice Alta Architecture, Oxi Tea Room is well known for its themed afternoon teas, with past inspirations ranging from local honeys to artists such as Yayoi Kusama. All feature pastry chef Johnny Ping’s eye-catching creations, including surprising bites such as cheesecake with plum, blueberry and tofu.

Oxi Tea Room is located at T4/158 Victoria St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia; oxitea.com.au

Steep LA

Located in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, this teahouse, bar and eatery was co-founded by Samuel Wang and Lydia Lin, for whom tea is a family tradition. While Samuel grew up drinking oolong with his dad, Lydia’s favourite is pu-erh tea, which her family enjoys while eating dim sum. Their menu focuses on premium teas handpicked from China and Taiwan, which cover five out of six major Chinese tea categories: black, green, white, oolong and pu-erh – the latter including a refreshing Green Tangerine tea with notes of citrus and freshly cut grass. Come 5pm, Steep LA introduces its After Dark program, offering tea-infused cocktails such as Winter’s Whisper, with Jiaziyuan oolong tea. There is also a food menu with noodle bowls and snacks and a boutique selling pieces by local designers and craft makers.

Steep LA is located at 970 N Broadway #112, Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States; steepla.com

Théhuone, Helsinki

As you’d expect for a boutique and tea room located in the Design District, the décor at Théhuone is pure Scandinavian minimalism. Tea is served in sleek white porcelain cups and transparent teapots, which are perfect to watch flowering teas unfurl. There’s only a handful of tables and a seating area with floor cushions by the window from which to enjoy a selection of over 400 teas, carefully selected by sisters Nina and Nea, who founded the tea room in 2005. Flavoured teas such as classic Earl Grey and cherry-flavoured Sencha Sakura are particularly popular here, as are rare pu-erh varieties from Yunnan and the finest oolong teas from Taiwan. In keeping with the pared-back décor by local studio Pure Design, which lets the teas do the talking, there is no food menu – but drinks do come with little biscuits, mochis or a piece of green tea chocolate on the side.

Théhuone is located at Eerikinkatu 10, 00100 Helsinki, Finland; thehuone.com

To Tsai, Athens

Owned by specialist Ceylon tea importer Mlesna, To Tsai opened its doors in 1993. Inspired by Japanese architecture, the sleek space by Georges Batzios Architects is divided into a boutique and a tea room, where tea is served in a variety of teapots (porcelain, cast iron or clay) depending on its origin. It’s a real treasure trove of hard-to-find teas, such as an organic orange pekoe, grown near Etseri in the mountains of Georgia, and mastic tea, a tea flavoured with natural mastic oil (a key Greek ingredient), from Dimbula, Sri Lanka. Another local favourite is mountain tea, or Sideritis scardica, grown on an organic farm on Mount Olympus – a delicious infusion with notes of mint, chamomile and citrus.

To Tsai is located at Al. Soutsou 19, Athens 106 71, Greece; tea.gr

The Jinyu Xingfa Technology Campus & Quarry Park, nestled between the Great Wall of China and Yanqi Lake, 70km north of central Beijing, breathes new life into an abandoned industrial site. Once a bustling cement factory, built in the early 1990s, that supplied big-ticket projects such as the ‘Bird's Nest’ National Stadium, this 107.5-hectare expanse has evolved dramatically since closing in 2015 under China’s ambitious National Air Quality Action Plan.

Today, 54 factory buildings stand preserved, now hosting innovation laboratories where researchers explore physics, engineering, and artificial intelligence.

Explore the newly greened site of the Xingfa cement factory

The site's owners, Beijing Jinyu Group, a construction materials and real estate conglomerate, wanted more than environmental clean-up – they challenged landscape architects SWA to create a destination that would harmonise industrial heritage with natural beauty, connecting visitors to both the ancient wall and tranquil lake waters that frame the property.

SWA’s masterplan plays with the quarries' natural contrasts – the lower basin now holds a mirror-flat water feature, while the elevated pit frames an intimate open-air venue – to create immersive experiences through winding trails, textured plantings, and leisure spaces that echo the site's industrial roots.

SWA's approach embraces the quarries' raw personality. ‘We focused on integrating ecology and artistic expression into the plan,’ explains Jack Wu, the studio’s managing principal. ‘An ecological pool in Quarry 1 collects rainwater from the mining area, while scattered stones in Quarry 2 create a compelling land art zone.’

Nothing has gone to waste. Local stone and shale find new purpose in walls, seating, and tactile paving. Massive excavators now stand as weathered sculptures, while salvaged machinery parts appear as distinctive signage along pathways that link the quarries and reveal the site's industrial heritage.

Greening the stark terrain proved trickier than expected. Wu admits his team was surprised by the challenges of coaxing life from the quarry's unforgiving landscape. After persistent experimentation, a hardy palette emerged – tenacious elms, mulberry and arborvitae cling to thin soils, while nitrogen-fixing plants quietly rebuild fertility below. Come autumn, native smoke trees and maples paint the landscape in russet and gold, their roots slowly binding the once-barren ground.

Water flows through the site with newfound purpose. A thoughtfully designed drainage network captures seasonal downpours, feeding a self-sustaining pond that requires no artificial replenishment after its initial fill.

The park’s seven-year journey from industrial void to ecological haven signals an encouraging shift in China's environmental aesthetics. What began as corporate redevelopment has become something more profound – a testament to how extractive landscapes can, through patient design, yield spaces of contemplation and unexpected beauty.

swagroup.com

Prada has announced the opening of its first standalone restaurant in Asia, a collaboration with acclaimed Hong Kong arthouse director Wong Kar-wai. The dining space will reside in Rong Zhai, a restored 1918 historic mansion and art venue in Shanghai inaugurated by the Prada Group in 2017 as a flexible hub for cultural activities in China.

Mi Shang Prada Rong Zhai, Shanghai

Named Mi Shang – meaning ‘to be obsessed with’ in Chinese – the restaurant will occupy the second floor, offering an all-day café service alongside a fine dining experience. The menu will centre on Italian cuisine infused with Chinese flavours, spanning breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and evening cocktails, fostering a culinary dialogue between the two cultures.

Although yet to be fully unveiled, the design, led by Wong Kar-wai, promises to channel the distinctive aesthetics of his seminal films In the Mood for Love and Happy Together. The space will incorporate mirrors and contrasts to evoke the director’s signature illusory, sensual atmosphere. The concept also draws inspiration from the philatelic concept of tête-bêche – a pair of joined postage stamps where one has been printed upright and the other upside down, whether by design or accident.

‘The idea of reflection, adjacency, and correspondence hints at the intersection of two great cultures, connecting Milan and Shanghai in a visual dialogue that is both sophisticated and unique,’ Prada shares in a statement.

Prada’s engagement with cinema is longstanding, the brand having collaborated with directors Pedro Almodóvar, Danny Boyle, and Ava DuVernay, and also championed film conservation and funding initiatives. The group’s passion for the moving image is also seen in the design of Bar Luce at the Prada Foundation in Milan, conceived by American filmmaker Wes Anderson, as well as its in-house cinema, named after Franco-Swiss director Jean-Luc Godard.

Mi Shang Prada Rong Zhai will be located at No.186, North Shaan Xi Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, China. It is scheduled to open to the public on 31 March 2025, with bookings taken from 29 March via WeChat mini-program; prada.com

Bold and geometric, Toteme's newest store brings together a couple of firsts. It is the Swedish fashion brand's first collaboration with the Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss studio Herzog & de Meuron; it is also the company's first store in China. Even so, the expert hand of the architects and their close collaboration with the brand ensured a space that feels not only true to the fashion house's unique DNA – its natural, minimalist and softly geometric feel – but also enhances it through a spatial experience that is at once mesmerising and calming.

Walk through Toteme by Herzog & de Meuron

The store, set in Beijing, occupies an existing structure, which the team in Switzerland redesigned, 'chiselling' into white stone to create a sculptural, pleated effect and dynamic compositions using cool metal and a monochromatic palette. The result is powerful, sculptural – and very fitting to the apparel it contains.

'Our collaboration with Toteme was based on mutual trust and inspiration from the very beginning. Toteme co-founder Karl Lindman and his team provided us with a balance of creative freedom and clear, concise feedback and direction. Our team worked seamlessly together with the Toteme team, creating a truly collaborative and constructive partnership,' says Herzog & de Meuron's Andreas Fries.

He continues: 'They were highly supportive and engaged happily in our design process, which combines strong conceptual thinking with research, development, and a willingness to embrace trial and error to reach the most fitting outcome.'

Moments that link to the store's geographical and cultural context exist too – with the lacquered treatment of the central, grand steel staircase, the Gonshi (natural stones) from a traditional Chinese garden at the space's heart, and the high-gloss black lacquer wood texture of the floor all nodding to the store's Asian location.

Within the store, Toteme's ready-to-wear, shoes, small leather goods, accessories, jewellery and bags from the spring/summer 2025 collection are on offer, alongside the new ‘Bevel’ bag, available here in three exclusive colourways.

'The Beijing flagship was our first project with Herzog & de Meuron, and it was an inspiring collaboration where we exchanged ideas organically. We wanted to create something that hadn’t been done before, that played with the architecture and space itself to communicate Toteme's aesthetic values in a highly evocative and immersive way. They were the ideal partners to push the boundaries of our visual language,' says Lindman.

herzogdemeuron.com

toteme.com

In contemporary architecture, few names command more recognition than Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), the firm founded by the late Zaha Hadid (1950-2016). The Iraqi-born British ‘starchitect’, known as the ‘queen of curves’, worked on major projects including the London Aquatics Centre, Rome's MAXXI Museum and the Guangzhou Opera House. She was the first woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize, in 2004, and was made a Dame in 2012.

ZHA is now headed by a board of directors and principal Patrik Schumacher. They are continuing the studio's legacy of working on some of the biggest, boldest and most industry-defining projects in the world, adding to the firm’s archive under Hadid’s leadership – which included projects such as the Vitra Fire Station in Germany (1990-93); the Hoenheim-North Terminus and Car Park in France (1998-2001); the Bergisel Ski Jump in Austria (1999-2002); the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in the US (1997-2003); and the BMW Central Building in Germany (2001-2005). In the early 2020s, ZHA designed a city in the metaverse where people can explore as a digital avatar and buy plots of land with cryptocurrency; the firm continues to embrace emerging technologies, working with AI and Nvidia.

ZHA has always operated at the forefront of design – a glance at its roster of upcoming buildings will reiterate that. We’ve compiled them in a dynamic list below, which will be updated as new projects are announced.

Misk Heritage Museum 'Asaan', Saudi Arabia

Construction has commenced on Asaan, the Misk Heritage Museum in Saudi Arabia. ‘Asaan’ means ‘inheritance passed down through generations’, and the institution, which is located in Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site considered the birthplace of Saudi, will be dedicated to celebrating national heritage. Asaan aims to foster connections with this heritage through exhibitions, workshops and events, and will be integrated into the Diriyah Gate masterplan.

This will be ZHA’s first project constructed from adobe, a building material made from earth mixed with water and organic materials, informed by the local, historic Najdi architecture. The three-storey building will feature thick, insulating adobe walls, which maintain interior temperatures in the desert climate. Three shaded courtyards will also protect from the elements, as will shading devices over gardens, plazas and rooftop promenades.

Oystra, UAE

ZHA has unveiled the design of Oystra, a mixed-use development on Al Marjan Island in the United Arab Emirates. The 128,000-sq m development will feature 950 residential units alongside shopping, dining and leisure amenities.

Al Marjan Island is a man-made archipelago in Ras Al Khaima, often considered a more tranquil alternative to Dubai, but with a projected 55 per cent population increase by 2030. Oystra is being built to help meet this demand.

The development, which consists of numerous 20-storey towers, has been designed so that over 75 per cent of apartments have ocean views, with fluid geometries and large balconies. The towers are surrounded by landscaped gardens, pools and a beach club, and also feature a rooftop restaurant with an infinity pool.

Oystra will use sustainable design elements to reduce energy demand in the UAE’s arid climate, including solar shading, natural ventilation and seawater-based cooling.

Greater Bay Area Sports Centre, China

Completion for the Greater Bay Area Sports Centre is forecast for June 2025, ahead of the China National Games in November. The Guangzhou-based centre will serve as a focal point for a new civic, business and residential district, housing high-quality sports facilities.

The Greater Bay Area Sports Centre is situated within a 70-hectare park and comprises a 60,000-seat stadium, a 20,000-seat arena, and a 4,000-seat aquatics centre, as well as facilities like athlete accommodation, training pitches and running tracks.

Its architecture takes cues from sailing ships from the Song Dynasty and integrates concepts from Lingnan (Cantonese) architecture, such as natural ventilation. The roof resembles pleated fans, while the building’s vertical louvres and curvilinear forms are designed for shading and cooling. One of the most distinctive things about the design is its grand arch, which frames river views.

Cityzen Tower, Georgia

This 42-storey structure in Tbilisi is scheduled for completion in 2028. It is ZHA’s first project in Georgia, and is located in Tblisi's Saburtalo district within the new Cityzen development, which sits on the site of a former Soviet military headquarters. The 57,000 sq m Cityzen Tower will contain residential apartments, leisure amenities, workspaces, shopping and dining areas, as well as pedestrian routes and 23,000 sq m of outdoor areas, including botanical gardens, woodlands and sports facilities.

The architecture is inspired by Tbilisi’s undulating topography, and is designed as a vertical extension of the city’s Central Park. The building’s terraces cascade towards the park, providing communal outdoor spaces. At the upper levels, these terraces become smaller, diamond-shaped terraces, and then balconies. The transition creates an intriguing incremental twist in the tower’s design.

Napoli Porta Est, Italy

ZHA is currently working on a masterplan to revitalise and reconnect eastern Naples, an isolated and neglected part of the city due to the decline of its native heavy industries. Napoli Porta Est is focused on transforming the area’s derelict industrial zones, including former railway yards, into a sustainable district, home to new infrastructure and a park designed with American landscape architect Martha Schwartz. A former oil depot will also be converted into a new city quarter.

The masterplan seeks to reconnect the eastern area with Naples' historic centre, ease traffic congestion, and improve access for pedestrians. The design will prioritise green spaces, accessibility, energy efficiency and sustainability, and will be home to a new Campania Region headquarters.

Centre of Mediterranean Culture, Italy

ZHA has begun construction on the Centre of Mediterranean Culture in Reggio Calabria, which is situated on the Strait of Messina, a historic gateway between the eastern and western Mediterranean, making it, symbolically, an ideal location. The centre will serve as a civic and cultural gathering space, showcasing Calabria’s history of seafaring with permanent and temporary exhibitions, an aquarium, conference facilities and educational spaces.

The shape of the building recalls the crest of a wave. Inside, the building’s four wings lead from a double-height atrium and interior design is inspired by the sea, with coral hues and fluid designs.

A building focused on humans' relationship with the sea needs to be sustainably minded: the Centre of Mediterranean Culture deploys passive design, including a 90 per cent opaque façade with overhangs to reduce solar heat gain.

Zhejiang Shaoxing Shangyu District Cao‘e River Culture and Art Centre, China

This project is slated to be the centrepiece of a new cultural quarter in the Shangyu district of Shaoxing, a city in China's Zhejiang province. The centre will host performances ranging from opera and dance to symphonies and musical theatre.

Located on the Cao'e River, the building's design features sheltered courtyards that lead to terraced landscapes and gardens. The modern roofs draw inspiration from the traditional glazed tiles and pitched roofs of the local architecture, and the façades are also covered in tiles – a ‘contemporary articulation’ of the jade-green Celadon ceramics produced in the region.

In terms of sustainability, large sloping roofs and wide overhangs are designed for shading, while photovoltaic panels will reduce the centre's energy demand.

The Delmore, USA

The Delmore is a 12-storey ultra-luxury condominium in Miami’s ‘Billionaire’s Triangle’, marking Dubai-based developer DAMAC’s entry into the US real estate market and ZHA’s second residential foray into Miami. The oceanfront project will feature 37 ‘mansions in the sky’, with prices starting at $15 million. Construction has begun on The Delmore, with an expected completion in 2029.

The building boasts a sculptural façade with sinuous curves. Its most distinctive feature, however, is the flow-through canyon with a 75ft-long acrylic see-through pool suspended over it, 125 ft up. Staggered wraparound terraces and shell-shaped fins, meanwhile, will enhance privacy and shade.

zaha-hadid.com

A new Beijing café and bakery adjacent to the city’s White Pagoda Temple is one of many new ventures among large-scale urban renewal plans for the city’s Xicheng District. Known as a hub of the Chinese capital’s ‘citywalk’ trend – the promotion of walkable routes that tour key historical, cultural and commercial sites – the area is tapping into locals’ appetite for café culture.

B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio introduces JM Café, White Pagoda Temple

JM Café, White Pagoda Temple delivers a delicate balance between the district’s historical heritage and recent commercial and residential developments, ‘establishing a sense of place in a broader urban context’, as described by the project’s architects at B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio. The multi-level space is contemporary in essence, but its modest palette of white and grey complements rather than jars with the storied Tibetan pagoda, the largest in China.

As you approach through an alley, a large stainless-steel façade eventually emerges within an open square – a frosted front mirror reflecting incoming and outgoing guests. The coffee shop offers a semi-outdoor space as well as an indoor dining space on the ground floor, which integrates the kitchen and bakery display area alongside an additional alfresco, stepped seating area at the back. Upstairs, a rooftop terrace is equipped with its own, sculptural white ’pagoda’, a mini geometric counterpoint to its historic neighbour.

The layered, fluid interiors at JM Café, White Pagoda Temple deliver a dialogue between the organic textures of stone and brick and the sleekness of stainless steel. Irregular windows and frosted acrylic light boxes fill the space with brightness, while three original wooden structural columns have been transformed into sculptural forms.

‘We expect that this combination of old and new will not only preserve the depth of the city’s history but also become a part of it, providing it with a new landscape and vitality,’ says B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio.

JM Café, White Pagoda Temple is located at No.30, Dongcha, Gongmenkou, Xicheng District, Beijing, China; @blue_architecturestudio

Imagine the Pacific Coast Highway, but with penguins. The ‘Garden Route’ is one of the world’s most fabled journeys, nearly 200 miles of coastal road linking Cape Town in the west to Port Elizabeth in the east, taking in some of South Africa’s most spectacular national parks and Indian Ocean views. To experience this landscape in any vehicle would be a delight, but we’re here to explore the abilities of a genuine challenger brand.

Only recently launched in the UK, but still a mystery to some, you’re about to start seeing a lot more of the Chinese car brand Jaecoo. The Jaecoo 7 boasts the three things most motorists in the UK are looking for in a new set of wheels: It’s a mid-size SUV; it’s hybrid with fantastic fuel economy and all the latest digital technologies; and it’s extraordinary value. The downside is that it could lead to the extinction of our own homegrown automotive industry. So, on the one hand, comfort and flexibility at a bargain price, on the other the collapse of the western economies.

In the past decade, China has set about dominating the car industry’s shift to electrification. Not only does it have unfettered access to half the world’s lithium, cobalt and graphite (all essential materials for making EV batteries), but it has transitioned from merely copying what other countries make (and doing it much cheaper) to achieving a high degree of autonomy in engineering and design to go with the manufacturing might.

In fact, having enticed some of the West’s most experienced executives, designers and engineers with their renminbi, and invested heavily in specialised education and cutting-edge manufacturing plants, China has gone from bootlegger to global leader. The country now sells 60 per cent of the world’s EVs and 80 per cent of the batteries that power them and is set to overtake the United States in autonomous driving technologies. A huge domestic market and enticing incentives to both manufacturers and consumers hasn’t hurt. There are some 150 Chinese auto manufacturers, while the likes of Tesla, Volkswagen and BMW all have significant factories there.

But there has been a steer towards hybrids, which are less expensive to buy than fully-electric vehicles and are booming in sales. Hybrids offer the best-of-both-worlds, wherein motorists benefit from emission-free journeys in urban areas and long range on motorways and in the countryside. Range anxiety, sluggish charging infrastructure and expensive energy means that fully-electric vehicles are undesirable and impractical for many customers. That’s true of those living in Zhoushan just as it is for people in Sudbury. And China’s ambitions are nothing if not international and expansive.

Which brings us back to the Jaecoo 7; a car that’s sure to appeal to a lot of Brits. It’s a handsome machine albeit slightly forgettable – the sort of indistinguishability that’d make it a good getaway car - with styling cues reminiscent of the Jeep Cherokee at the front and Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F-Pace SVR at the back. Inside it’s minimalist with a huge central touchscreen, like a Tesla or Volvo, and it’s well-equipped with heated this and connected that. In terms of size, it sits between the Range Rover Evoque and the larger Velar. Yet were you to spec the Evoque to the same equipment level as a standard Jaecoo, you’d be presented with a £63,000 bill. The Jaecoo’s sticker price: just £35,000, with a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty thrown in.

To test drive the car outside of its normal suburban comfort zone, Wallpaper* headed all the way to South Africa to drive the ‘Garden Route’. Africa, it should be noted, is another area where China is making remarkable inroads. Since 2009, the superpower has been Africa’s largest trading partner. It has invested across the continent, funding infrastructure projects, extracting oil and minerals, improving healthcare, importing Chinese workers, establishing military bases, and making multi-billion-dollar loans to African governments. Some might call this neo-colonialism, others development and mutually beneficial cooperation. Presently, Eswatini is the only African nation that officially recognises Taiwan.

Despite the nauseating marketing-led portmanteau origins of the Jaecoo name (think ‘hunter’ (Jaeger) and ‘Cool’), it’s a minor gripe given how effectively this export ticks the boxes when it comes to the driving experience. The ride is good, feeling direct in the corners whilst smoothing out the potholes. You can firm up the steering to ‘sport’ by going through the screen menu, which makes it well-weighted. The transition between electric and petrol power is seamless and, while the interior materials aren’t going to concern Lexus or Mercedes, it feels no less plush or precise than the more expensive Nissan Qashqai.

A combined 201 bhp from its 1.5-litre petrol engine and hybrid system isn’t about to embarrass the Porsche Macan at the lights, but its 310 Nm of torque means it never feels like it’s dragging an anchor. Zero to 62mph is a respectable 8.5 seconds. Capable of a real world 55 mpg and a range of over 745 miles, we were easily able to complete the entire Garden Route without once having to refill its 60-litre tank or plug in the battery.

Unlike a typical plug-in hybrid, Jaecoo’s third-generation ‘Super Hybrid’ powertrain self-charges when you back off the gas and never drops to 0 per cent. Electric-only range from its 18.3 kW battery pack tops out at 56 miles – more than enough for most people’s day-to-day usage. Had we needed to charge, I’m told a 40kW charger will boost the batteries from 30-80 per cent full in 40 minutes or will fully charge using a home charger in around six and a half hours. The figures for thermal efficiency and carbon emissions (23 g/km) are genuinely mighty – the result of innovative ignition timing that lowers combustion temperatures – and its battery safety technology is class-leading.

Should one opt for a combustion-only version, the J7 gets even cheaper. Front-wheel-drive is available from £29,435 and all-wheel-drive from £32k. Due to how the tech is packaged, the hybrid model we drove is only available as a front-wheel-drive. That mightn’t make it a true competitor for Land Rover, but it’s refined enough to pose a very serious challenge to the likes of VW, Nissan, Kia and Ford, and may even tempt some customers out of their BMW X1s and Audi Q3s. In these times of economic uncertainty, who wants to blow an extra £10k on a badge?

Except of course, it’s the Chinese economy that’s going to benefit here. The ‘jaeger’ Jaecoo is on the hunt, ready to eat mainstream European car makers for lunch.

Jaecoo.co.uk, @Jaecoo.uk

Liu Jiakun has been named the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate. The Chinese architect, based in Chengdu, China and the founder of Jiakun Architecture, established in 1999, has become the 54th winner of the highly coveted architecture honour.

The architect was celebrated by the Pritzker Prize organisers and jury for his elegant balance and interweaving of seemingly contrasting notions – past and present, collectivism and individuality, and utopia and the everyday.

Meet Liu Jiakun, 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate

Through his career, spanning over 25 years, Jiakun has turned his hand to a variety of typologies, from public space, to cultural work, office and housing. Key projects include West Village (Chengdu, China, 2015) a large scale multi-use complex; design for education, such as the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Department of Sculpture (Chongqing, China, 2004); The Renovation of Tianbao Cave District of Erlang Town (Luzhou, China, 2021); and the headquarters for Novartis (Shanghai) Block - C6 (Shanghai, China, 2014).

Blending local and global, history and modernity, the architect has found contemporary expressions for his region's architecture through works that find harmony between materials and shapes that feel transcendent in their scope and reach.

'Through an outstanding body of work of deep coherence and constant quality, Liu Jiakun imagines and constructs new worlds, free from any aesthetic or stylistic constraint. Instead of a style, he has developed a strategy that never relies on a recurring method but rather on evaluating the specific characteristics and requirements of each project differently,' the 2025 Jury Citation says in its essay.

'That is to say, Liu Jiakun takes present realities and handles them to the point of offering sometimes a whole new scenario of daily life. Beyond knowledge and techniques, common sense and wisdom are the most powerful tools he adds to the designer’s toolbox.'

Jiakun said, in response to his win: 'Architecture should reveal something – it should abstract, distill and make visible the inherent qualities of local people. It has the power to shape human behaviour and create atmospheres, offering a sense of serenity and poetry, evoking compassion and mercy, and cultivating a sense of shared community.'

jiakun.com

Gone are the days when a trip to the cinema was solely about the film. While movies (of course) remain central to the experience, cinemas are transforming into well-equipped spaces where audiences can linger before, during, and after a screening. And with films becoming longer (take Brady Corbet’s three-hour-long The Brutalist, with a built-in 15-minute intermission), flimsy plastic chairs simply won’t do. Architects are increasingly tasked with creating cinematic environments so striking, they could be scenes in the films themselves. Keep reading for Wallpaper*’s edit of must-see cinemas with award-worthy design.

The best cinema design around the world

Busan Cinema Centre

The Busan Cinema Centre, home to the South Korean city’s annual International Film Festival, is a melting pot of rich cultural programs, entertainment, and architecture. The complex, which opened in 2012 and was designed by the Viennese architecture studio Coop Himmelb(l)au, features an interplay of outdoor and indoor spaces sheltered by two roofs, whose exterior ceilings are clad with LED panels. The project won the International Architecture Award and the Chicago Athenaeum in 2007, alongside the Guinness World Record for the ‘longest cantilever roof’ in the world. The main building, known as Cinema Mountain, serves as a multipurpose entertainment centre, housing a three-screen multiplex, which includes one 400-seat and two 200-seat cinemas, as well as a 1,000-seat multifunctional theatre.

Busan Cinema Centre is located at 120 Suyeonggangbyeon-daero, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea; dureraum.org

Cinema Godard at Fondazione Prada, Milan

Fondazione Prada has long been engaged with the world of moving images, partnering with iconic filmmakers like Pedro Almodóvar, Danny Boyle, and Ava DuVernay, while also supporting conservation and funding initiatives. The foundation’s passion for cinema is palpable, with the bar at its Milan location designed by American filmmaker Wes Anderson. True to form, its in-house cinema also impresses. Designed by Dutch architecture studio OMA, which also created the rest of the 2015 complex, the multimedia auditorium features distinctive olive-green velvet chairs by AMO, OMA’s research arm, and movable walls that merge indoor and outdoor spaces. In late 2023, the cinema was renamed Cinema Godard in tribute to the influential Franco-Swiss director.

Cinema Godard is located at Fondazione Prada, L.go Isarco, 2, 20139 Milano, Italy; ticketing.fondazioneprada.org

Cineteca Madrid

A former 20th-century slaughterhouse is an unlikely setting for an ultra-modern cinema, but Spanish architects Churtichaga + Quadra-Salcedo certainly made it work. The 14-year-old Cineteca Madrid comprises a three-floor film archive, a studio, two cinemas, offices, a canteen, and a summer film patio. While dark grey wooden panels and neon lighting seem at odds with the building’s history, exposed bricks and preserved features integrate perfectly with the futuristic design. The standout element here is the permeable basket structures that filter orange LED light and double as lamps. In the main screening room, these baskets cover the walls and ceiling, casting a soft orange glow until the film begins, leaving only a black surface.

Cineteca is located at Pl. de Legazpi, 8, Arganzuela, 28045 Madrid, Spain; cinetecamadrid.com

Cineum Cannes

Nestled in the western district of La Bocca, Cineum Cannes stuns with a sculptural façade that fuses sleek lines and futuristic curves – the brainchild of French architect Rudy Ricciotti and Israeli designer Arik Levy. Cineum is the first cinema in Europe to feature the state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos sound system. The complex further brings out the city’s love for cinema with an immersive gallery and exhibition space dedicated to showcasing the behind-the-scenes of movies.

Cineum Cannes is located at 13 Av. Maurice Chevalier, 06150 Cannes, France; cineum.fr

Curzon Camden, London

Curzon is the go-to choice for Londoners craving an arthouse experience in a sleek setting. Among the group’s flagship venues in Mayfair and Soho, Curzon Camden stands out with its distinctive soft pink and green-hued design by Takero Shimazaki Architects, also responsible for Curzon Bloomsbury. Situated just off Camden High Street, the cinema is tucked beneath Railway Viaduct 4, forming one side of a narrow alley. It features five intimate screens, each seating 30 guests, alongside public spaces like a café and a popular New York-style bar. A blend of galvanized metal, plywood, structural steel, stone, and render creates a dynamic mix of textures, light, and shadow, offering a lush and welcoming atmosphere.

Curzon Camden is located at Arches N7 - N14, Dockray Pl, London NW1 8QD, UK; curzon.com

The Gem Cinema, Jaipur

The Gem Cinema, dreamed up by its founder, the late Lakshmi Kumar Kasliwal, and engineer PK Lauria, opened in 1964 with distinctive Art Deco elements and a 1,145-seat capacity. Featuring a state-of-the-art 70MM Stereophonic TODD AO sound system, it was only the second cinema in India to offer this advanced technology at the time. After closing in 2005 due to the rise of multiplexes, the cinema reopened in 2019 for the Jaipur International Film Festival with minimal changes. Spanning 18,000 sq ft, it remains Rajasthan’s largest theatre and arts venue. Now operated by Kasliwal’s son, the cinema upholds its tradition of screening a single film at a time – with its bold geometric design, vibrant colours, and obligatory curtain roll intact.

The Gem Cinema is located at Mirza Ismail Rd, Bapu Bazar, Biseswarji, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302003, India; @thegemcinema

Pálás Cinema, Galway

Pálás Cinema, envisioned by Irish studio dePaor Architects, sits at the heart of Galway’s old town and occupies the site of a former merchant house and garden. Comprising three screens, a bar, and a café, it creatively integrates into the plot through a redesigned façade that enhances both the streetscape and back-of-house areas, along with a new courtyard foyer. The building, with its slate pyramid roof and weathervane, stretches beyond Georgian plot boundaries. Made of reinforced concrete, it incorporates cantilevered walls and staircases, allowing ample natural light. Each cinema is adorned in red fabric, with the bottom draped, the middle ruched, and the top following the roof’s pitch.

Pálás Cinema is located at 15 Merchants Rd Lower, Galway, H91 F6DF, Ireland; palas.ie

Wushang Mall International Cinema

For Wushang Mall International Cinema, Hong Kongese architecture studio One Plus Partnership drew inspiration from the theme of a bustling city, with design choices mirroring an abstract urban landscape. The lobby features irregular, road-like shapes and intersecting lines, symbolising streets and skyscrapers. Meanwhile, the open ticket office and bar, connected by ramps, mimic a free-flowing city layout. Stone patterns are incorporated into metal panels, fabrics, and carpets, creating a natural, textured atmosphere. This extends into the auditoriums, where the earthy colours – orange-brown and red stone patterns – are used on sound-absorbing surfaces.

Wushang Mall International Cinema is located at Jiefang Avenue No.690 Wuhan International Plaza C Block Floor 7F Jianghan, Wuhan, Hubei China; meituan.com

Much of the industrial and governmental panic that surrounds the arrival, en masse, of China’s auto industry into Western markets is centred on the idea of cost. In particular, the combination of comparatively cheap labour, a mix of incentives, rebates and tax exemptions, and government investment in infrastructure, R&D and even procurement has made the Chinese industry ‘unfairly’ competitive.

Throw in a streamlined supply chain that often integrates battery-making into the same company structure, as well as a relentless focus on efficient production and design, and you can understand why companies like Jaecoo and XPeng are stirring the pot.

However, up until now, the key new contenders in the European market have pitched themselves squarely at the middle market. Not so Leapmotor. The latest Chinese brand to go West, Leapmotor was founded in 2015 in Hangzhou and kicked off with the 2019 Leapmotor S01. This fastback 2+2 city coupé showed a certain flair, although this verve was rather lacking from the follow-up, the 2020 T03.

Now you can buy a Leapmotor T03 in the UK. Should you? Since it was founded, Leapmotor has partnered with Stellantis, an automotive ‘house of brands’ assembled from decades of mergers and acquisitions across the US and European markets. Stellantis now owns 20 per cent of Leapmotor and has the rights to sell the cars outside of China. It’s hoping that a combination of low prices and high specifications will make Leapmotor the go-to name in value motoring.

Alongside the diminutive T03, Leapmotor has also brought the C10 SUV. It’ll follow that up with the B10 SUV later in 2025. I recently drove the C10 and T03 in the UK and this is what I thought.

For a start, the two cars are poles apart in terms of market positioning. Confusingly, the C10 is aimed at the D-segment of the market, ‘large family cars’ that were once saloons and estates but are now more often than not an SUV. It’s priced at £36,500 in the UK, fair value for a 4.7m-long five-seater laden with tech (more of which later).

In comparison, the 3.6m T03 is an A-segment city car or ‘supermini’. Priced under £16,000, it’s one of the cheapest EVs on the market – in fact, one of the cheapest cars, full stop. Leapmotor is keen to get it into the hands of the young and old. ‘Your first EV’, and perhaps also your last. Both models come in a single specification, a bold decision in a world of intense and expensive (for the consumer) upgrades and personalisation.

Test-driving the Leapmotor C10 SUV

First, the C10. Nondescript but inoffensive from the outside, the C10 struggles to achieve an identity of its own beyond the well deployed styling cues that define the premium contemporary SUV: a rear lightbar, flush door handles, rear spoilers, slender LED front lamps. Apparently the recipient of an unspecified French design award, the C10’s standout feature, on paper at least, is the depth and breadth of its specification.

Equipped with a 69.9kWh battery, giving it a theoretical 263-mile range, the C10 might have a rather austere interior, but the dual-screen infotainment and instrument cluster contain a plethora of functionality. This includes ADAS driven by 12 sensors, a vast panoramic sunroof, fast charging, heated and ventilated front seats, five-star NCAP safety and more besides.

So far, so good. Caveats apply. Few cars have conjured up such a symphonic chorus of warning bongs as the C10, with each and every one of its sensors seemingly chiming in whenever it wanted. At the start of the drive, the car asked me to remove my (non-existent) hat as it was interfering with the Driver Drowsiness Alert Warning system. It never stopped asking.

The minimal interior definitely takes inspiration from Tesla’s button-less deserts of black plastic, at a time when sentiment is steering premium design back to physical controls. I also took issue with the tiny font size and icons on the big 14.6-inch touch-screen display. At low speeds, steering was incredibly light whilst on the road; the lane departure warning system was nervous and grabby.

These are nit-picking criticisms honed by years of jumping in and out of every conceivable kind of car interior. Will many potential Leapmotor customers notice, let alone care? It’s a lot of car for the money, with a very usable range, more than acceptable safety and space and practicality aplenty.

A spin in the Leapmotor T03

I had much more time, personally, for the little T03. There hasn’t been such a small and characterful EV since the Honda e, although the T03 lacks much of the Japanese car’s design and engineering finesse. It’s still very well equipped, especially when compared to current rivals like the Dacia Spring. Even though the powertrain only puts out the equivalent of 95hp, and the 0-60 ‘sprint’ takes a leisurely 13 seconds or so, the little car still feels zesty.

Small cars still mean small ranges, and at 165 miles the T03 is no endurance machine. Never mind, for this is a car for the city, with a tiny footprint. As with the C10, the kit list is long and unusually varied for a car of this size and price. That means twin screens, air conditioning, a large sunroof, all-electric windows and mirrors, parking sensors and more, as well as the mixed blessing of a comprehensive ADAS suite.

Downsides? The brand name has uncomfortable synergies with China’s ill-fated Great Leap Forward, which feels like a misstep in these trying times. It’s also one of the first Chinese model line-ups to accord with European manufacturers’ panic about ultra-competitive products from the East. And although both T03 and C10 are sophisticated on the surface, there’s still a sense of version 1.0 about the whole enterprise, despite the involvement of Stellantis.

One major benefit of the partnership is that Leapmotor arrives in Europe with access to a global dealer and service network. The T03 will also be built in a Stellantis plant in Poland, a much-needed tariff-avoiding workaround that will become more and more commonplace. Next up will be the B10 SUV (to maintain the confusion, this will be a C-segment SUV), to be followed by two more hatchbacks and another small SUV. A brand worth keeping an eye on; just be sure to take a good look before you leap.

Leapmotor C03, from £15,995, C10, from £36,500, Leapmotor.net

The next project on the horizon for Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has been confirmed, and takes the firm founded by the late, great Zaha Hadid to China.

ZHA has revealed the preliminary design for a new cultural and arts centre, called Zhejiang Shaoxing Shangyu District Cao’e River Culture and Art Centre. It will be located in Shaoxing, a city rich in cultural heritage in China's Zhejiang province. The centre is slated to be the centrepiece of a new cultural quarter in the Shangyu district, hosting opera, theatre, dance and drama productions, and will blend cultural heritage and architectural innovation.

The building’s structure is visually-striking – described by ZHA as a ‘highly recognisable silhouette’ – with undulating, sloping roofs with wide overhangs that extend furthest and lowest on the southern elevations. The modern roofs draw inspiration from the traditional glazed tiles and pitched roofs of the local architecture. The façades are also covered in tiles, which the studio calls a ‘contemporary articulation’ of the Celadon ceramics historically produced in the region, once again integrating local artisanal elements into the modern structure.

An intriguing silhouette is created by the interconnected roofs which also provide functional benefits, namely shading over the glass façades, which keeps interiors cooler. This also contributes to the sustainable design of the space; solar panels are also integrated into the roof to reduce the centre’s reliance on external energy. Open courtyards filled with greenery wrap around the structures, allowing the interior spaces to ‘flow into terraced landscapes which surround the centre’, as well as the river.

The interior, the design shows, will include facilities for cultural activities such as dance, drama and music, comprising a 1,400-seat theatre, a museum, an art gallery, a 500-seat multifunctional hall, an arts and education centre and a conference centre. These spaces will mirror the sinuous exterior, connected by raised walkways, winding staircases and curving platforms and featuring wooden details throughout.

‘Traditional materials and innovative architecture are integrated… defining a 21st-Century cultural building with a direct connection to the region's ancient past,’ ZHA says of the project, exemplifying the firm’s commitment to creating spaces that adhere to their cultural and environmental contexts.

zaha-hadid.com

The snake is a symbol that transcends times, places and cultures. Its universal significance is reflected in Bulgari’s serpent motif, which it has employed in various manifestations since 1948. ‘Serpenti Infinito’, which has been a travelling exhibition since 2023 (the 75th anniversary of Bulgari’s Serpenti), explores some of these manifestations.

In its latest iteration, the exhibition launched in Shanghai at the start of January 2025 to coincide with Lunar New Year, and will show until 16 February. To celebrate this chapter of the exhibition, a new work, Infinito: AI Data Sculpture by Turkish artist Refik Anadol, was unveiled.

Elsewhere, the exhibition features 28 artworks by 19 Chinese and international artists, 11 of which were created for the occasion. These are displayed alongside a selection of Bulgari’s Serpenti creations, including watches and jewellery from Bulgari Heritage and some unreleased, one-of-a-kind pieces.

The exhibition unfolds in three chapters: the first, Crafting Serpents in History, focuses on the mythology of the snake which, in Chinese culture, symbolises good luck, wealth and vitality.

These meanings have inspired the Serpenti collection ever since Bulgari launched its first snake-themed jewellery-watch in 1948. Since then, the emblem has undergone many transformations – an evolution narrated via pieces from the Heritage Collection, ranging from the Tubogas jewellery-watches of the 1960s to a five-coil Pallini bracelet-watch, created in 1955. These are shown alongside traditional artworks such as ink paintings from artist Qiu Anxiong.

The second chapter of the exhibition is called Snakes in the Arts. In art, snakes have symbolised wisdom, protection and power, expressed through ceramics, glass, stone, sculpture, painting, sound and video, as expressed in calligrapher Xu Bing's Square Word Calligraphy: Serpenti and filmmaker Luka Yuanyuan Yang's Ring of Life.

The third part of the exhibition, Contemporary Transformations, thinks about how the snake exists across cultures, times and places, and into the future. This chapter explores contemporary representations of the serpent: the ‘data sculptures’ of Refik Anadol use machine learning, while Utopic Arabia's Serpenti Odyssey comprises computer-generated artworks.

Contemporary manifestations also take shape through Bulgari high jewellery creations, unveiled exclusively for the exhibition. The Serpenti Infinito necklace, bracelet and brooch are set with onyx elements, buff-top rubies and pavé diamonds. A 140.53-carat rubellite is set at the heart of the Serpenti Rubellite Crown necklace, held by a pavé-set prong. The Serpenti Emerald Nimbus necklace in white gold, meanwhile, features a 12.73-carat emerald from Zambia.

This is not just an exhibition about jewels: it is an exploration of how Bulgari taps into timeless emblems, and how wearable symbols garner meaning.

‘Serpenti Infinito’ is at Zhangyuan, Shanghai, until 16 February 2025, bulgari.com

China’s epic scale is laid bare on Hengqin Island and this new project by Yunchao Xu and Atelier Apeiron at the heart of a new urban development. This 106 sq km area of land is strategically located at the southernmost point of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, one of the junctions of Chinese financial and industrial might, close to both Macau and Hong Kong over the water.

Set at the heart of the ‘Hengqin New Area’, the Hengqin Culture and Art Complex is a megastructural destination, finished with render-like precision and standing out against the low hills and slender identikit residential towers of the surrounding urbanisation. Six years in the making, the project began with a competition, won in 2018 by Shenzhen-based Atelier Apeiron.

Explore the new, vast complex of The Hengqin Culture and Art Complex

Yunchao Xu, lead architect of Atelier Apeiron, describes how the massive 142,560 sq m building is intended as the epicentre of the local community and cultural scene, home to no fewer than nine different departments. These include a library, archive, cultural centre, art gallery, concert hall, science museum, and three separate ‘activity centres’ for the elderly, the young and women and children.

‘The requirements for each [department] were independent and filled with contradictions,’ says Yunchao Xu. ‘We approached it from the perspective of integrating nine independent buildings into a single complex, and we convinced the client to give each department relative independence in order to proceed with a comprehensive strategy that resolves conflicts and stimulates public energy.’

Known as the ‘Living Hall of the Grand Bay Area’, the building is currently opening in stages following completion last autumn. Located on a waterside plot just a few hundred metres from Hengqin’s business district, the new complex also adjoins a public park.

As a result, the structure forms a porous junction between open and closed public space, with the parkside façade defined by three monumental arches, each differently shaped and leading into three different halls, the Knowledge Hall, Performance Hall and Exhibition Hall. These glazed arches reveal the inner workings of the building, with skylights above that illuminate the huge undercroft throughout the day.

The arches are clad in bamboo panels, as are the curved walls and ceiling of the semi-enclosed amphitheatre at the river end of the long, stepped structure. The upper level is taken up by a landscaped park, a symmetrical arrangement of precisely aligned steps and stairs that cascades down four storeys to the waterfront. The architects reference natural features like caves and cliffs in the way the topography shifts between zones and functions.

‘Arches have been embraced as a critical form of architecture since the beginning of time and are prevalent in both eastern and western culture,’ Yunchao Xu says, explaining how the arched openings also serve to support the vast structure. The main body of the building is clad in a suspended glass curtain and contains a number of modular units that can used for different activities. The façade has also been carefully engineered to withstand the region’s frequent summer typhoons.

It's the three ‘urban living rooms’ that dominate the ground floor, with the Knowledge Hall, a ‘Book and Literature Reading Center’, taking inspiration from the Oodi Library in Finland by ALA Architects. A multifunctional space, it features what the architects call ‘a vertical village of crystal book blocks’.

Next door is the Performance Hall, which has both a large open stage and a traditional black box theatre, separated by a foyer with distinctive spiral staircases. The final arch leads through to the Exhibition Hall, the interior of which resembles a block of Swiss cheese, with circular rooflights above and glazed arched openings at either end. ‘Together, the three halls offer visitors a range of parallel world experiences, all within the confines of a single complex,’ the architects say.

‘Our vision is for the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex to be a vibrant, three-dimensional vertical city that will host millions of tourists each year, as well as a growing community of local residents, while seamlessly connecting with its surrounding environment,’ Yunchao Xu concludes.

The riverside frontage of the building concludes with a semicircular stage and circular auditorium, a place designed for public celebrations like weddings, arranged by the local Macau Wedding Company. On the rooftop above, the gardens include a children’s play area, a shared garden with staff canteen and facilities, and an ‘environmental zone’, intended as a ‘sort of ecological laboratory’, with stairs leading to a bamboo garden and book shop.

‘This project is a milestone for our firm, and it opens new avenues for us to design innovative architecture in the future, based on more multi-dimensional thinking,’ Yunchao Xu concludes. ‘It has motivated us to expand the definition of architecture, and to push the boundaries of traditional design.’

Atelier-Apeiron.com

The World Monuments Fund’s Watch list identifies monuments of cultural and historical significance that are endangered by factors such as globalisation, tourism, conflict and climate change. An open call for nominations, which come from local groups or even individuals, is held every two years to call attention to at-risk heritage and key restoration projects.

This year, the Watch received over 200 nominations pertaining to heritage sites in 69 countries. However, there are only 25 places available. The WMF’s selection process considers things like a site’s local and global significance, the urgency of the proposed project, and its likelihood of success. The 2025 list spans 29 countries, ranging from Palestine to France, plus – more on this later – the Moon.

For selected sites, the WMF galvanises action in a number of ways: being on the Watch provides them with global recognition, but also concrete expertise. Members collaborate with sites to co-design strategies for awareness, fundraising and on-the-ground preservation.

From Africa’s Swahili Coast to the Old City of Antakya in Turkey, the types of challenges faced by monuments on the Watch reflect the problems we face as a global society. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, 81 per cent of 2025 Watch sites cited climate change as the main challenge faced. In Asia and the Pacific, 62 per cent cited rapid urbanisation and development. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the biggest problem was tourism, and in the Middle East and North Africa it was conflict and crisis recovery. This illustrates the extent to which heritage and conservation are wrapped up in social, political and geopolitical issues.

Here are some of the heritage sites prioritised by the WMF in 2025.

Cinema Studio Namibe, Angola

Between 1940 and the early-1970s, Angola saw a surge in the construction of cinemas. Initially created by the Portuguese colonial regime as instruments for propaganda, these theatres became popular spaces for socialising and entertainment, showing national and international films and then, following the onset of Angola’s War of Independence, material that reflected the revolutionary ideas of the liberation movement.

The construction of these cinemas coincided with the modernist movement, resulting in fantastic structures like the Cinema Studio Namibe, located in Moçâmedes (formerly Namibe). Designed by Portuguese architect José Botelho Pereira, this is a prime example of tropical modernist architecture, and echoes the cultural and political history of twentieth-century Angola. Construction began in 1973, but never completed due to the outbreak of the Angolan Civil War two years later.

Today, the Cinema Studio Namibe lies in a state of decay, as do many of the cinemas built around the same time. Recent urban regeneration initiatives in Moçâmedes, however, have brought attention to its state.

Buddhist grottoes of Maijishan and Yungang, China

Buddhist grottoes are among the most remarkable legacies of ancient China. The rock-cut architecture at Maijishan and Yungang in northern China is home to cave temples, some containing hundreds of hand-excavated prayer halls and niches. The Maijishan grottoes, located in the mountains of Gansu Province, contain 194 caves housing over 7,200 sculptures and murals. The Yungang grottoes, in Shanxi Province, were created during the Northern Wei Dynasty in the fifth and sixth centuries.

Both Maijishan and Yungang are designated as World Heritage Sites, and are increasingly threatened by the impact of mass tourism. Around one million people visit Maijishan each year, with as many as 13,000 per day during peak season, putting immense strain on the cantilevered walkways. Both sites need improved visitation and preservation strategies to help balance accessibility and protection.

Gaza historic urban fabric, Palestine

The recent conflict in Gaza has taken a devastating toll on its cultural landmarks. According to an assessment by the World Bank, European Union and United Nations conducted nearly a year ago, in March 2024, 63 per cent of Gaza’s heritage sites had sustained damage, with 31 per cent completely destroyed. According to Unesco, Israeli bombardment has damaged or destroyed 75 heritage sites, many of which reflect Gaza’s role as a crossroads of civilisations: the Church of Saint Porphyrius, for example, is the oldest active church in Gaza, built in the 1100s. The Great Omari Mosque is Gaza’s largest and oldest mosque, and Hammam al-Sammara, a bathhouse, has pre-Islamic Samaritan origins. This region is replete with cultural history spanning approximately 12,000 years.

The destruction of heritage not only erases the past but also undermines community resilience, identity and morale, making preservation integral to long-term reconstruction.

Historic lighthouses of Maine, USA

Maine’s lighthouses serve as beacons of the state’s history of industry and prosperity. They guarded its coastline for centuries, with the Portland Head Light, Maine’s oldest lighthouse, first being lit in 1791. A further 68 were constructed by 1910 – these lighthouses have featured prominently in American literature and popular culture, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem The Lighthouse and the 1994 film Forrest Gump.

Today, 66 of Maine’s historic light stations remain, 57 of which still guide sailors using modern automated techniques. However, climate change – specifically rising sea levels and increased storm surges – poses a significant threat.

The Moon

The Moon, an endangered monument? Apparently so. When you think about the fact that the Apollo 11 mission of 1969 was one of humanity’s most significant scientific and cultural milestones, it makes sense. The Moon is home to over 90 historic sites and artifacts, including Tranquility Base, where Apollo 11 landed, and Neil Armstrong’s first footprints.

As we sit on the precipice of a new era of space exploration driven by private companies such as SpaceX, and as the global space economy, projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, drives increased activity on the Moon’s surface, WMF suggests that we need to consider the long-term protection of our lunar heritage.

Also on the 2025 Watch list…

War Waru agricultural fields, Peru

Bhuj historic water systems, India

Monasteries of Drino Valley, Albania

Water reservoirs of the Tunis Medina, Tunisia

Kyiv Teacher’s House, Ukraine

Alila’s first urban resort in Greater China has landed in Shanghai, taking over the skyscraper premises from the former Four Seasons with a handsome makeover by local studio Level Line Design.

Alila Shanghai opens its doors

Even for regulars to the city, there are any number of reasons to check in, not least for the 186-room hotel’s private access to Zhangyuan, a lively complex of restored shikumen, or lane houses, and rugged grey-stoned East-meets-West architecture dating back to the late 19th century – all progressively restored and reimagined into a lifestyle hub of restaurants, boutiques, galleries and, eventually, residences.

Unlike the low-slung profile of Alila Wuzhen – the brand’s other China property, located in a heritage water town in Zhejiang province – a vertical real estate is the name of the game in Shanghai. Guest rooms cascade upwards from the 12th to 17th and 27th to 39th floors, with a 2,626 sqft penthouse suite that commands the 39th floor like a glass-and-marble watchtower over the city’s sprawl.

After the cacophonic bustle of Shanghai, the hotel’s interiors are serene, the cocoon-like mood reinforced by walls of rough-hewn stone, vaulted ceilings, woven metallic panels and water features inspired by landscape portraits of the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties.

The result is a relaxing aerie that balances soft, scattered styles with precise, rigid geometries – a moment best experienced in the green-hued, wood and stone-lined spa whose organic, plant-based treatments are anchored with therapeutic water treatments including a hydrotherapy pool and Turkish bath.

The culinary programme includes a Japanese BBQ courtyard restaurant on the ground floor, a soigné tea house, and a rooftop bar with views over Zhangyuan.

Meanwhile, at 500 Weihai Road, which also happens to be the hotel’s street address, executive chef Scott Bao approaches Shanghainese cuisine like a precision instrument whilst harnessing ingredients harvested from the rooftop organic garden, as well as local producers. His deep-fried Mandarin fish is a calculated deconstruction of tradition that eschews the usual massive 1.5kg specimen in favour of a 300g portion that guarantees optimal flavour and portion control. The sauce? Organic tomatoes from local farms – because provenance matters.

Bao’s crispy chicken tells a similar story in which free-range birds marinated in ginger, garlic and spices proceed through a three-step cooking ritual involving first slow-cooking then air-drying, before they’re finished with a dousing of heated oil to achieve that perfect balance of crispiness and juicy succulence.

Alila’s next move? Dong’ao Island resort in Zhuhai in southern Guangdong province later this year. Stay tuned.

Alila Shanghai is located at 500 Weihai Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, China; alilahotels.com. Rates: from RMB2,200.

The US ban on TikTok is looming and, for the 170 million Americans (roughly half of the country’s population) who currently use the platform, RedNote has emerged as the most credible alternative. The Chinese social media app has been thrust into the global spotlight, with reports stating that more than half-a-million TikTokers joined RedNote in the space of just two days.

What is RedNote?

RedNote is a Chinese-language social media app which is now available in English. It has more than 300 million monthly users in Mandarin-speaking countries. While, like TikTok, it offers users short-form video via an algorithm, it has been described as an amalgamation of Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok, hosting photos, videos and long-form text. RedNote's interface differs from TikTok's in that it displays multiple posts simultaneously.

Why RedNote?

Rednote looks quite similar to TikTok, making it a natural alternative. However, this doesn’t paint a full picture of its surging popularity. There has been a significant backlash to the TikTok ban in the US; understandably, perhaps, considering that popular creators make their living on the app. Thus, rather than moving to Western apps like Instagram and Facebook, creators are choosing RedNote as a form of protest. One Tiktoker lamented, ‘Our government… loves and thrives seeing us unhappy and seeing us struggle and seeing us poor’, adding, ‘seeing that RedNote, another Chinese app… is the number one app in the App Store today is just beautiful’.

The ban also coincides with changes to Facebook and Instagram's content moderation, making some users reluctant to transfer their loyalty to Meta. Another TikToker posted that she would ‘rather move to China than Instagram reels’.

What has been the impact of the migration?

As US users surge to RedNote, impromptu cultural exchanges between Mandarin speakers and Americans have been taking place, leaving the Chinese app scrabbling to moderate English language content and build translation tools. In a live chat named ‘TikTok Refugees’, which has over over 50,000 participants, Chinese users welcomed their American counterparts and discussed topics such as food, youth unemployment, and even the differences between China and Hong Kong.

Could Rednote run into the same problems as TikTok?

The goal of the ban is not outlawing TikTok, per se, but ending its Chinese ownership; it requires the app to break ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, by Sunday, or be blocked in the US. The motive for the legislation stems from a concern that ByteDance shares user data with the Chinese government.

If you’re confused, therefore, about the proficiency of swapping out one Chinese-owned app for another – and how this move is going to better preserve American national security – then you’re not alone. RedNote’s Chinese name, Xiaohongshu, translates to ‘Little Red Book’, which traditionally refers to a collection of sayings by Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong; in terms of optics, it’s difficult to see how the use of such a platform can be preferable in the eyes of the US government. What’s more, RedNote doesn’t hide the fact that it seeks to gather data from its users in its privacy policy.

There is, however, the possibility that, if there is a sustained mass-migration to RedNote, then it could befall the same fate as TikTok. This is because the legislation passed to ban TikTok lays the groundwork for the government to do the same with any other foreign-owned service perceived as hostile. Whether RedNote becomes the new TikTok or a flash in the pan, therefore, remains to be seen.

For those who feel that a conventional pick-up truck or high-riding SUV doesn’t convey a strong enough image of your commitment to freedom, adventuring and derring-do, Chinese manufacturer XPeng is riding to the rescue. A side hustle for a manufacturer already committing hard to bringing its range of electric cars to Europe, XPeng Aero HT has unveiled a product that ticks all the boxes for sci-fi obsessives who want the future right here, right now.

Described by the company as a ‘Land Aircraft Carrier’, this is a mighty truck indeed. With looks that take an obvious cue from the Tesla Cybertruck, the vehicle has six wheels, four seats, and 1,000km of range (on the CLTC rating, take note). Most impressively of all, an onboard two-seater personal rotorcraft, which stows above the twin rear wheels and is charged up by the truck’s system as you drive.

The Electric VTOL craft has six rotors, which all have to be unfolding into flight configuration once undocked from its six-wheeled hangar – a process that is automated and takes just five minutes. Each full charge of the flying machine’s battery should be good for six flights, according to the manufacturer, and the curved polycarbonate cockpit window provides a 270-degree view of the terrain.

Whilst this particular combo occupies something of a legislative grey area, at least in heavily certified airspaces like Europe and the USA, XPeng has set out to make the aircraft as easy as possible to fly. Controls are reduced to a single-lever, take-offs and landings are automated and an autonomous flight system takes control of navigation. ‘Five minutes to learn, three hours to master,’ is the relevant strapline.

So who is this machine for? Obviously, there are some practical applications, but the likes of linesmen, surveyors, builders, and other trades who need a rugged machine and the ability to survey from afar don’t quite tally with the romantic vision of a futuristic frontiersman barrelling across an epic landscape. ‘Unlock the Sky, Explore Without Boundaries’, XPeng urges, along with the promise that this unlikely vehicle is genuinely coming to market. Take fright or take flight.

AeroHT.com, @XPeng_AeroHT

It’s not exactly easy to pinpoint where the Wallpaper* editors will be. From design festivals to fashion weeks and OOO adventures, there’s always something exciting on our team’s calendars. Keep reading to find out where the magazine’s staff members will be heading in the new year.

Wallpaper* editors’ 2025 getaway plans

LA: Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content

‘I will look forward to my annual trip to Los Angeles to visit friends and family. I spend the year diligently plotting all the new openings I want to try on a Google Map so I am fully prepped by the time we arrive. I’m already itching to try Camelia, a French fusion restaurant which opened in Echo Park at the end of the summer. I’m also keen to see how the development of Melrose Hill has progressed since my last visit – a couple of notable galleries had moved into the area and there was a pledge to redevelop a disused retail block with new independent shops and restaurants. To get me through the long British winter, I shall be dreaming of fresh seafood at sundown from The Jolly Oyster on Ventura beach.’

Venice & Helsinki: Ellie Stathaki, Architecture & Environment Director

‘The Venice Architecture Biennale always causes a stir of excitement at the architecture desk, so my biannual visit to the Italian city in May for the vernissage is at the top of my list for 2025. I am also dreaming of a winter trip to Helsinki. I’ve always felt there’s lots to see and enjoy in the Nordic capital, and I have only scratched the surface. I have only ever been for work, so going on a long weekend in a private capacity is also on my list. The reopening of Alvar Aalto’s Finlandia Hall in January just adds to the reasons why.’

Switzerland & Budapest: Hannah Tindle, Beauty & Grooming Editor

‘I’m hoping to travel to Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland in 2025, a spa and clinic that has been running since 1931. (Previous devotees to its ‘CLP method’ include Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo). I also want to visit the Omorovicza spa in Budapest, another institution with a storied past, built on the Rác Thermal Bath, which dates back to the 16th century.’

Naoshima: Jason Hughes, Creative Director

‘In 2025, I’m heading back to Japan, more specifically to visit the islands of Naoshima and Teshima, which sit in the Seto Inland Sea and are easily accessible by ferry from Osaka. Famous for their art and architecture, I look forward to exploring both islands on a bicycle and seeing the works of artists Yayoi Kusama, James Turrell, Walter De Maria and Lee Ufan. I’m planning to stay at Benesse House, a museum and hotel concept, designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando.’

Australia, Uzbekistan and beyond: Lauren Ho, Travel Director

‘As I live my life constantly on the road, it’s important for me to plan my trips so that I make the most of each region or destination I am in. For 2025, I will be ringing in the new year in Sydney, followed by a few weeks of checking out new hotels in Australia. In late January, I will be heading to Beijing to see the newly opened Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, the group’s newest property, which unfolds within a 600-year-old hutong complex. This will be followed by a trip to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which I am particularly excited about, and then, I will make my way to Europe, where I plan to explore Greece’s new hotel openings, and will head from Lisbon to the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. While luxury hotels are my passion, at least once a year I like to visit a random destination I have never been to and that most people might not have access to. Finally, by June, I hope to make my annual pilgrimage to Africa to get my safari fix.’

Malaysia: Melina Keays, Entertaining Director

‘In February, I am travelling to The Datai beach resort in Langkawi - one of my favourite destinations in the world. Langkawi is the largest of a cluster of islands off the coast of northwestern Malaysia, separated from the mainland by the Strait of Malacca. I’ve been visiting this wonderful place for decades, and it never loses its allure. Langkawi is a proper tropical paradise; awarded Geopark status by UNESCO, it offers lush rainforests, stunning mountain ranges and white sand beaches.

There are fantastic things to see and do all over the island, which is rich in history and culture, but I could easily spend all my time at The Datai resort itself. It was designed by visionary architect Kerry Hill, who was determined to honour its environment, and set high over Datai Bay. The hotel is melded into its jungle setting, and its beautiful rooms and spaces float amidst the rainforest canopy, with breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea. The food at the Datai is superb, and I am particularly looking forward to the delicious Malaysian cuisine at The Gulai House, which is to be found at the end of a candle-lit jungle trail.’

Geneva: Tianna Williams, Editorial Executive

‘For the first week of spring, I will be heading to Geneva, Switzerland, to reunite with my cousin and sister. The location of this annual reunion varies from year to year, from the rolling hills of Shropshire, the coastline of the Gower Peninsula to London’s Hyde Park. I am excited to trade the London smog for crisp Mont Blanc mountain air, warm up with soothing mugs of hot chocolate, and, if feeling brave, take a plunge in Lake Geneva.’

Madrid, Rome, Paris: Sofia de la Cruz, Travel Editor

‘I tend to be quite spontaneous with the locations I travel to, often booking trips or accepting invitations at the last minute. That said, I will begin the new year in Madrid, and a few weeks later, I have a trip planned to Rome to explore the upcoming Hotel Romeo Roma, one of Zaha Hadid’s final projects before she died in 2016. I also have a weekend in Paris scheduled, which is something I make a point to do every year. As for the rest of the year, I hope to fulfil my lifelong dream of visiting Japan.’

Shanghai: Smilian Cibic, Editorial Assistant

‘I’m travelling to Shanghai to visit my dad, who has been working there for the past five years. I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s been up to. He’s designed his own micro home apartment, which has had quite a stir in the Chinese press. We will then travel together to Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China and then Shenzhen, the tech capital of the world.’

For more Travel content, visit Wallpaper*’s dedicated channel

It doesn’t take a business analyst to realise that Chinese cars are going to become much more of a thing in 2025. But even though many of the country’s plentiful supply brands already up and running in Europe and the US – either under their own steam or through acquired IP, collaborations and partnerships – there are many more companies weighing up the pros and cons.

Up until now, the Chinese car companies that have made the biggest inroad into European and American markets have tended to take existing badges and apply a new high-tech spin – like MG, Lotus, and Smart. Others have arrived with new nameplates – BYD, Nio, Zeekr, Great Wall Motor, for example – while still more manufacturers are readying themselves to enter the market in 2025 or 2026 (Hongqi Auto, Firefly, Omoda, Jaecoo, Yangwang to name a few).

The Chinese auto industry has made huge strides in innovation, safety, quality and branding in the 2020s and the country’s early and autocratically driven pivot to EVs gave it a huge head start on the technology, both in terms of home-grown brands and in the factories it runs for foreign manufacturers.

Today, over three-quarters of all EVs sold go to China, and a substantial proportion of these are built there as well. However, punitive import tariffs are coming from both the EU and the USA, spannering the sales projections of many Europe-based brands that rely on Chinese production, including Mini, Polestar and Lotus.

To the outsider, the Chinese motor industry is a dense thicket of partnerships, alliances, sub-brands, collaborations, platform-sharing and general confusion. In fact, most of the major Chinese car makers are partnered in some way or another with a Western manufacturer – it was a condition of doing business when the market opened up in the 1970s and 1980s.

SAIC Motor works alongside VW and GM, BAIC works with Hyundai and Mercedes, Dongfeng with Nissan, Honda and others. That’s not the whole story, because each conglomerate also has layers of brands and sub-brands, helped by the ease of electric platform sharing and cross-industry partnerships from big players in tech like Xiaomi and Huawei.

And don’t forget – these are just the models that match or exceed our current expectations for how a contemporary car should feel and perform. There are myriad tiny manufacturers making equally tiny cars for China’s vast rural population. Huge sellers like the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV will never break into legislatively prohibitive markets like the EU or the US, however much they tempt with their tiny footprints and low, low costs.

Here's our rough guide to new models and new brands from China that might soon become a whole lot more familiar.

Nio ET9

Nio has launched its new ET9, a ‘land jet’ styled executive flagship, 5.3m long, stuffed with sensors for autonomous driving, with active aerodynamics, self-closing doors and a four-seat layout for maximum personal space.

In this, its tenth-anniversary year, Nio is also creating Firefly, a new affordable brand that will start with this compact EV. Bearing a distinct resemblance to the defunct Honda E, the Firefly is intended as a youth-focused company.

Nio.com, Firefly.world

Avatr 11

Avatr Technology, a tie-in between Huawei and Changan Automotive, builds a number of China-only models, the 06, 07, 11 and 12. The company claims the 11 SUV is ‘inspired by spacecraft’, with innovations that include a message screen set beneath the windscreen (to ‘showcase your personality’), a luxurious interior with screens powered by Huawei's HarmonyOS, and a choice of powertrain offering up to 815km range (506 miles) on the generous China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC).

Avatr.com

Li MEGA by Li Auto

The Li MEGA is a highly streamlined family MPV, the high-tech flagship of the Li Auto company. At 5.3m long, the MEGA lives up to its name, with a reconfigurable seven-seat interior, including the ability to turn the second and third rows into a full-size bed. All seven seats have heating, and the first and second rows have a massage function, testament to the emphasis on luxury and quality seen across the Chinese market. The MEGA has a 710km (441 mile) range.

Lixiang.com

Yangwang U9

BYD’s upmarket Yangwang brand sells the U7 sedan, U8 SUV and U9 supercar, all of which are positioned above the company’s other models and sub-brands. The latter has Western sports car manufacturers intrigued and alarmed; the pure electric supercar is said to be capable of 309 km/h with a 0 to 100 km/h spring of just 2.36 seconds and will be priced at 1.68 million RMB (c£182,000).

YangwangAuto.com

Xpeng P7+

A sleek if slightly generic sedan, the Xpeng P7+ is described by the company as the ‘world’s first AI-defined vehicle’. In practice, that means an onboard personal assistant as well as a fully-functional ADAS (Advanced driver-assistance system), at least in China.

The company showed the car at this year’s Paris Auto Salon with a view to entering the European market soon; Germany could be the first company to get on board with the use of the car’s ‘Navigation Guided Pilot’ on motorways.

Xpeng.com

Stelato S9

Huawei has other automotive ambitions in addition to Avatr, part of a series of link-ups known as the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) that dovetails its tech expertise into platforms developed by key manufacturers. This time it’s worked with BAIC BluePark to launch the Stelato brand, led by its flagship model, the S9 sedan.

The emphasis here is firmly on luxury and refinement, with a spacious, leather-clad interior, four reclining chairs, wooden trim on the doors and dash, and even a drop-down projection screen for the rear seats.

HIMA.auto

Luxeed S7

Yet another Huawei offshoot, Luxeed’s S7 has strong similarities to the Stelato S9. The partner here is Chery and it’s not immediately apparent what sets the S7 apart from the S9 save for a slightly longer wheelbase in the latter. There’s also the high-riding R7, which has similar styling cues, but a range extender paired with a combustion engine.

Huawei is also involved in the AITO SUV brand, a name which stands for ‘Adding Intelligence to Auto'.

HIMA.auto

Maextro S800

Finally, there’s Maextro, the last of the four brands from Huawei’s HIMA scheme, this time in collaboration with JAC. Where the Stelato S9 is aimed at the Mercedes S-Class, the Maextro S800 goes up a notch to target Maybach and Bentley.

At nearly 5.5m long, this is very much a chauffeur-driven car, with its oversized passenger compartment reflected in the silhouette. Twin-tone bodywork apes high-end Western fashions, but the S800 should pack either a pure electric powertrain or a range extender model.

Vmall.com

Hyptec SSR

Hyptec is the premium arm of GAC International, which manufacturers nearly half a million EVs every year, alongside the more mass-market Aion brand. The SSR was Hyptec’s first product, a scissor-doored electric sports car that’s also available in an ‘Ultimate Track’ edition with all wheel drive and a sub two-second sprint to 100km/h.

Hypetec.com

Rox 01

Rox Motor will have Land-Rover’s lawyers reaching for their briefs (if they haven’t already been completely deflated by past battles in China). The 01 is a ‘luxury all-terrain SUV’ with an uncanny resemblance to the new era Land-Rover Defender.

With a range extender powertrain giving 235km of pure electric range and a total range of 1,115km, the 01 has a six or seven-seat interior configuration and squared off bodywork and detailing.

RoxMotor.com

Xiaomi SU7

Xiaomi is another tech company with its origins in telecoms and its heart set on transport futures. The smartphone maker started Xiaomi Auto in 2021 and its first car, the all-electric SU7 sports sedan, went on sale in late 2023 to general acclaim. Bearing quite a strong resemblance to the Porsche Taycan, especially in profile, the SU7 was joined by the hardcore SU7 Ultra model this Autumn.

With the same four seats and full creature comforts as the ‘standard’ car, the Ultra model is claimed to have a top speed of over 350 km/h (217 mph).

XiaomiEV.com

iCar v23

Founded in 1997, Chery is a relative veteran of the Chinese car industry. In addition to its own brand products, the company launched the iCar sub-brand in 2023 to specialise in youth-centric SUVs.

The new iCar v23 electric off-roader goes on sale this month, with a bright, strong graphic identity, chunky detailing and clear inspiration from Jeeps and Japanese off-roaders.

iCarGlobal.com

Dongfeng Box

The compact Dongfeng Box is exactly the type of affordable, small EV that would flourish in the European marketplace if trading conditions allow – hence, perhaps, the imposition of tariffs. Dongfeng, which also makes the Voyah and MHero brands, have put together a coherent package that draws on a number of influences, with an impressive 430km range. Currently on sale in Switzerland for just CHF 21,990, the company also has plans for a European factory.

Dongfeng-Global.com, Dongfeng-Nammi-Box.ch

Just walking into Making House, the building near London’s King’s Cross that has housed Heatherwick Studio since 2023, offers insight into the studio’s newly completed project: a 115,000 sq m retail development in Xi’an, the storied industrial metropolis of 12 million in central China. It also tells you much about the philosophy of 54-year-old founder Thomas Heatherwick.

‘[The studio’s approach] is a human-centred approach,' says Heatherwick as he welcomes me to the cavernous yet cosy space that allows glimpses into his universe and his take on compositional storytelling; there are models of projects large and small, as well as a full-size recreation of the rear of his 2011-designed Routemaster double-decker bus.

At Xi’an CCBD (Central Cultural Business District), the need to create a varied narrative within the landscape is equally evident – only here, it’s on an urban scale. Ceramic-clad buildings containing shops, restaurants, and offices nestle and interlock, arranged among manicured gardens and terraces.

Xi’an’s new district by Heatherwick Studio

So, is it possible to define a 'Heatherwick effect' from London to Xi’an? 'The general prevailing sense amongst almost everyone I speak to in the public is that we’ve had a real catastrophe of city making, in terms of making places,' he says. Behind him, wooden models and a retained brick wall contrast with glass, metal, and the aforementioned shiny red bus, while Persian-style rugs of varying size and condition are fixed to the floor.

Now, in his trinket-laden office, it’s clear Heatherwick is committed to ornaments with a story; he has always, unashamedly, loved aesthetic expression. Nowadays, however, he is keen to point out that this defence of decoration is not for its own sake. Heatherwick’s 2023 book Humanise: A Maker’s Guide to Building Our World puts forward a simply phrased manifesto, admonishing 'boring' and 'inhumane' buildings in favour of designs that draw attention, create intrigue, and ultimately spark joy.

Heatherwick’s energy and fervour on this topic is palpable, but he acknowledges he hasn’t yet answered the question that brings the conversation back to Xi’an. 'The [Humanise] book is codifying and clarifying lessons learned over the last 30 years,' he says in a convincing last plug for the publication. 'We can only look at Xi’an CCBD as part of a journey of trying to explore how to make public-facing projects that might engage people more.'

A crucial part of this public engagement – and fitting neatly into the Humanise philosophy – is adding visual complexity to the design of buildings, especially their exteriors. 'I learned a lot from really good property developers,' he says frankly. 'Developers who need to make something that will have long-term value.' Having built expertise through collaborations with top developers in Singapore and Hong Kong, the studio has gained priceless customer feedback. 'It gave us enormous insights into human behaviour,' says Heatherwick.

Perhaps the most striking of Xi’an CCBD’s many purposeful quirks, curves, and kinks is the glazed ceramic tiling. For Heatherwick, more than a nod to the area’s ancient manufacturing traditions and its famous Terracotta Warriors, the ceramic samples on display in his office celebrate material imperfections and add the complexity our brains crave.

However, Mat Cash, lead architect for the Xi’an project, demonstrates that the material selection was about more than emotion. 'The use of ceramics was made feasible by the scale of the project, which allowed mass production of bespoke elements.' In an effusive yet practical tone, the partner at Heatherwick Studio of 18 years distils the nuts and bolts of creating Xi’an CCBD: 'The design embraced imperfections as a cost-effective, sustainable, and visually engaging approach.'

For Cash, part of the formula has to be a good client, and he praises developer CR Land for its openness to innovation. 'They had this incredible thirst to build mock-ups,' the architect admits. 'Almost more than we did… They were going, “OK, let’s build a bit of it, let’s build a bit of it…” really pushing us.' The result is a richness drawn from visible workmanship throughout the project; structures are encased in beautifully hued, glazed fragments.

Back at Making House, displayed alongside the models are glazed ceramic casings that surround the lift buttons at Xi’an CCBD. They are large and sculptural, almost font-like in appearance, much grander than a humble button would deem necessary. 'You can't afford to make everything all around you be special and bespoke,' says Heatherwick, referring to the cast ceramic object. 'But you can focus love on certain bits and things like lift buttons in moments where everyone touches them and there's an engagement.'

Considering that the Xi’an project is predominantly retail-oriented, Heatherwick holds no punches when he says, 'I'm not actually interested in shopping at all.' Turning back to the core tenet of the Humanise book, he continues: 'What I'm interested in is what brings people together.'

As earnest as this mission might be, in the cultural and economic context of the so-called ‘death of the mall’ in America and China’s own bursting property bubble, Xi’an’s patchily glazed CCBD begins to make imperfect sense. In fact, project lead Cash argues that the development could be a model for the future of retail and urban design, creating a modern heritage that adds value to the city. 'These projects can become the most successful by creating places that the public wants to be in.'

By designing joy, complexity, and an imbued sustainability into every detail and materiality, the project offers a compelling vision for how architecture can better shape the most commercial and economically volatile parts of our cities. Back at his office, Heatherwick reflects on those ceramic lift button casings: 'Even if you hate them, you'll know that they're special and particular, and those glazes too, they’re just so fascinating.'

heatherwick.com

You probably haven’t heard of TCL, a Chinese company that hails from Huizhou, Guangdong province, and is the world’s second-largest manufacturer of television sets. It also makes washing machines and mobile phones, among other things, and has ambitions to create content too; the latter is exemplified by TCL’s ownership of the naming rights to the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, or the TCL Chinese Theatre as it is now known.

This is the company’s new TCL 50 Pro NXTPAPER, a mobile with a difference thanks to its hybrid screen. Despite its very affordable price, the 50 Pro has a large 6.8-inch FHD+ display, a decent 32MP front camera and 108MP rear camera, and 512GB of internal storage. The cover isn’t made from conventional metal, glass or plastic, but a carbon-neutral fibre basalt material, available in Moon Grey and Midnight Blue.

The phone’s party trick is its adaptive screen, equipped with a matt coating to minimise blue light and glare. This not only helps viewing the screen in direct sunlight, thanks to automatic control of colour temperature, but also reduces eye strain in the evening. That’s paired with ‘Max Ink Mode’, which swaps the conventional display for e-ink and is activated by a physical switch on the side of the unit. This makes it perfect for reading or note taking (with the optional T-Pen), with the added bonus (or not) of halting apps and notifications.

The 50 Pro effectively transforms into an e-reader like a Kindle, it also gets e-reader-style battery life, with up to seven days of reading and no less than 26 days on standby. In practice you’ll be switching between modes if you’re using the 50 Pro as a conventional phone in the interim.

Moving over to a new phone is never easy even though Apple and its Android counterparts try and make it as easy as possible for newcomers to swap between the building blocks of their digital lives. iPhone users can stop reading now, providing they’re happy with Apple’s (lovingly tended and well-perfumed) walled garden.

Android, on the other hand, is more complex. These days, flipping between the various Android providers requires a whole new set of muscle memories. The basics remain the same, but individual apps, icons, and gestures can all be completely different from one brand to another. TCL is no different. Although the NXTPAPER 3.0 tech at least offers something different in the form of the multi-functional display, you’re still going to have to relearn some basics.

It's certainly impressive to find so much functionality at such a price point, and the 50 Pro would make an excellent second device for travelling, combining holiday reading with snapshots and light social media use. However, we’d caution against going all-in to the TCL experience. The phone’s ‘cutting-edge AI functionalities’ include text and writing ‘Assistants’, ostensibly to ‘boost user productivity seamlessly’, and as such are similar in scope to offerings from Apple Intelligence, Google Gemini et al.

TCL wants to go further. Under the auspices of its newly announced TCL Film Machine platform, the company has taken the unprecedented step of launching five short AI-generated (or substantially AI-generated) films. The stated intention, according to PR Newswire, is ‘to build new pathways for creatives to find success in the industry and help shape the future of storytelling’.

These films are portents of a dark future – they’re available to watch in full on YouTube – the starting gun in a race to the bottom of the content barrel that no amount of human stewardship and oversight can halt or divert. This 404 Media story on the films’ premiere (at the TCL Chinese Theatre, no less) gives you some idea of what to expect, and how TCL wants to pipe this kind of content into its televisions to capture the least discerning demographic and their associated advertising spend.

So, caution. Is this a credible or desirable future, where the dead hand of AI generates media that in turn subsidises cheap, cheap technology? Generative AI becomes increasingly sophisticated with each passing month, but just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. TCL might offer an affordable eco-system, but it’s one where the Ts and Cs are stacked against true human creativity.

TCL 50 Pro NXTPAPER 5G, c£299, TCL.com, Amazon.co.uk

Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel’s opulent Rue Cambon apartment – a Paris address that also houses the haute couture atelier of her namesake maison – features eight lacquered Coromandel screens, the richly decorated folding partitions that originate from China. They were a particular fascination of the couturier, who is said to have owned 32 in total, and who would use them as lavish wall decorations or to cover doorways when she wanted to hide away from guests. ‘I nearly fainted with joy when, entering a Chinese shop, I saw a Coromandel for the first time,’ she said of her opening encounter with the decorative object, aged 18.

The largest screen in the Rue Cambon apartment features a depiction of West Lake, a freshwater lake in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s historic Zhejiang province. Its serene waters, which once were located inside the ancient city’s walls, feature manmade islands and causeways, as well as numerous decorative pagodas and temples along its shoreline. As such, it has been a subject of mythic tales and poetic musings, before being used by Marco Polo as a symbol of China that he brought back to the West in the 13th century. In 2011 West Lake was designated a World Cultural Heritage Site by Unesco.

Earlier today, West Lake was also the location of Chanel’s latest Métiers d'Art show, the annual happening that celebrates the various, highly specific craftspeople and organisations that contribute to the house’s collections, from feather workers and embroiderers to milliners and goldsmiths (. The location was teased with a Wim Wenders-directed film released earlier this week, which features longtime house muse Tilda Swinton travelling from the Rue Cambon apartment to West Lake before cruising its famed waters in a traditional decorative boat (the film also stars fellow house ambassadors Xin Zhilei and Leah Dou).

‘Gabrielle Chanel never travelled to Hangzhou,’ reads the film’s final slide. ‘In the coming days, the house of Chanel finally will.’

And so the show took place at the onset of evening, a series of wooden runways, hovering just above the lake’s surface, providing the runway (the idea, said Chanel, was to evoke the illusion that they were walking on water). Indeed, there was a decidedly nighttime mood to the collection, from the sweeping midnight black overcoats which opened the show, to lavishly decorated tweed jackets and a series of garments in gilded gold (others were adorned with delicate, boudoir-like feather trims). The tweed suit ran throughout, in various iterations – some jackets were cropped to reveal patterned bodysuits beneath, while skirts moved from abbreviated and kilt-like to a longer, fuller skirt – while a more casual mood emerged in bermuda shorts, denim skirts, and a gently padded set which recalled nightwear (the idea of travel and movement was another inspiration).

As ever with the house’s Métiers d’Art collections, the true poetry of these pieces came from the extraordinary expressions of craft and embellishment that ran throughout. There were camelia motifs embroidered by Lesage (Coco Chanel’s love of the flower was purportedly in part inspired by their use in Chinese artworks), intricate pleats and piping, and fantastical panels of sequins and crystals. In a statement, Chanel praised the ‘savoir-faire’ of its various Métiers d’Art, ‘the dynamics of its layering and the romanticism of its refinement’.

The collection was designed by the house’s studio team, following the departure of former creative director Virginie Viard last June. Rumours of her replacement continue to swirl, and the news is reportedly imminent. Though this evening in Hangzhou, it was the Chanel craftspeople – those magicians behind the curtain – who took their deserved place centre stage.

Watch Wim Wenders’s short film for Chanel, starring Tilda Swinton, below.

chanel.com

Many luxury hotels tout their uniqueness, and while they often excel in various areas – be it location, spacious suites, or extensive wellness offerings – it's rare to find one that truly redefines the concept of hospitality. The newly opened Mandarin Oriental Qianmen in Beijing accomplishes just that. The hotel breaks away from traditional norms; for starters, instead of typical hallways and corridors leading from the lobby to the restaurants and guest rooms, it offers an open, interconnected space in touch with its storied surroundings.

Tour Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing

As guests step out of their rooms, which take the form of individual courtyard houses scattered throughout the hutong (or laneway), they are immediately immersed in the vibrant daily life of one of Beijing’s most historic residential areas – neighbours could just as easily be long-standing families who have lived there for generations as they could be fellow travellers.

A joint venture between the government and Mandarin Oriental, the hotel took more than eight years to complete. Joe Cheng, founder of Hong Kong-based design firm CCD, says: ‘The biggest challenge was to strike a balance in protecting the original buildings and the hutong’s charm while making improvements to municipal facilities.’ This included repaving stone alleys, upgrading public toilets, and burying unsightly power lines. ‘We restored and reused every brick and tile of the original buildings,’ adds Cheng, who highlights how 90 per cent of the original structures were retained.

The result is an exceptional display of imperial design, craftsmanship, and traditional living that dates back 600 years to the Ming Dynasty, enhanced by modern elements. Guests enter the lobby through wooden gates flanked by a pair of stone drums leading into a quadrangle siheyuan courtyard. Here, a reflection pond beautifully frames a century-old maple and a Chinese mahogany tree.

The reception room features green inkstone and hardwood timber flooring highlighted by an ebony and brass scholar-style desk, which is set against an impressive eight-metre-long lacquer and cloisonné floral screen designed by artists Shen Jinly and Shi Jun. Contemporary artist Xu Bing has created the hotel’s signature fan, which features his unique square-word calligraphy that reads, ‘Unveil Beijing’s soul’.

Each of the 42 distinct rooms, varying in size and layout, features private courtyards, high ceilings, glass walls, and separate living and sleeping areas.

On the food front, the two-storey Tiao bar has emerged as a popular hotspot, often drawing long queues on numerous evenings. The flagship Chinese restaurant, Yan Garden, helmed by chef Bai, sprawls across a series of courtyard dining rooms, where diners can feast on the likes of crispy pigeon or pan-fried blue lobster. Another venue, Vicini, morphs from breakfast workhorse to refined Italian stallion at lunch and dinner, with an upstairs terrace providing excellent views of the surrounding rooftops.

The wellness centre includes a spa, 24-hour fitness centre, and meditation maze. It’s worth, however, simply wandering the hutongs like the locals do, or exploring nearby Unesco World Heritage-listed landmarks such as the Temple of Heaven and Forbidden City. It’s then that you really get a sense of just how radical the new Mandarin Oriental Qianmen is.

Mandarin Oriental Qianmen is located at No, 1 Caochang 10th Alley, Beijing, China, 100005, mandarinoriental.com

A-Cold-Wall*, the British fashion label founded by Samuel Ross, has unveiled a new flagship store in Shanghai, designed by London-based architecture studio Hesselbrand. The practice, whose previous collaborations in the fashion world involve retail design for Alyx, worked with an existing structure, which they stripped back to craft a highly bespoke and intensely ordered environment. The interior was thus transformed into the perfect canvas to display A-Cold-Wall* garments, which are inspired by an interplay of architecture and industrial design.

Inside the new A-Cold-Wall* Shanghai store

The new flagship is located in Zhangyuan, a 141-year-old cultural block in Shanghai. Preserving the building's historical façade, Hesselbrand's founding directors Magnus Casselbrant, Martin Brandsdal, and Jesper Henriksson opted for a unique approach to the industrial ‘look’ the client requested.

An industrial design aesthetic can involve rough-looking, utilitarian spaces, and as a result, it might be perceived as too stark and cold. Drawing on this but balancing it for the project's retail purposes, the practice took a conceptual approach, capturing spatial qualities that tap into a mix of visual references from large galleries, museums and factories. The store now boasts a grand and timeless feel, offering an alternative concept for its genre, while nodding to monumental architecture.

Hesselbrand also stripped back unnecessary decoration and instead focused on the arrangement of stone columns, hidden mirrors and screen walls throughout the interior. These elements are carefully illuminated and act as larger, stand-alone details that allow for an immersive experience that helps define the store's atmosphere.

'We began with inserting precise architectural elements in plan to create clarity and order. Columns give an overarching structure, while illuminated glass screens hint at the internal activity,’ Casselbrant explains. ‘Focused lighting reinforces the architectural rhythm while the more delicate cashier plinth and ottoman seating serve as anchor points for interaction.’

The use of juxtaposing materials of different textural qualities – such as rough, bush-hammered stone, sandblasted glass, brushed aluminium and woven steel mesh – presents a strong visual language that balances the tightrope between natural and industrial. Additionally, the space is easily adaptable to host exhibitions and events for the local community, a flexibility owed to the interior arrangement's precision and its calming rhythm throughout.

Henriksson says: ‘By turning what was an irregular space into a highly ordered environment, we are able to bring the A-Cold Wall* collection to the forefront of the store, allowing their cult following to truly interact with the essence of the brand. The space is open for interpretation and meant to act as a platform for forming meaningful connections within the community.’

a-cold-wall.com
hesselbrand.com

Cone-shaped and looking towards the Yellow Sea, Sun Tower is not your usual cultural attraction. The work of Beijing studio Open Architecture (and the winner of Best Building Site at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024), the project responded to an open-ended brief to create an attraction for the particular setting by the shore, and as the Yantai region has an ancient history of sun-worshipping, the architects decided to celebrate this ‘forgotten’ aspect of local culture. As a result, they sculpted a design based on the light’s trajectory through the day. A section is sliced open towards the sea, aiming to pay tribute to the sun, time and nature.

Sun Tower: guided by celestial movements

Meticulous calculations led to the building's northern edge being parallel to the noon sunlight of the equinoxes, while the entrance tunnel aligns with the sunset during the Winter Solstice. The heart of the interior has been orientated with its central axis pointing towards the sunrise over Zhifu Island on Summer Solstice.

Interviewed for the awards last year, the architects said they hoped it will become a landmark destination for its seaside city, connecting humans and nature, its ‘conscious design’ acting as a vessel for people to experience and feel in sync with their surroundings.

Practice principals Huang Wenjing and Li Hu wrote at the time: ‘Sitting on the steps under the parabolic shell, gazing into the distant ocean framed by the dramatic arch while the sounds of nature’s breathing echo gently throughout, one’s mind will gradually clear up.’

The Sun Tower was developed as a much-needed cultural hub for the region's growing population and tourism, 'fostering community engagement and raising awareness for environmental causes.' It contains an outdoor theatre, exhibition spaces, library, café and bar, and the Phenomena Space, a special multi-functional area with amazing, long views of the water beyond.

Fusing the concepts of a lighthouse, cultural centre, community hub, and sundial, the project pays 'tribute to nature and the passing of time'. To that end, Sun Tower has also taken into account sustainable architecture principles, working with passive strategies to make the scheme environmentally friendly.

Examples of this include 'reducing the building’s overall energy consumption, such as employing tunnel cooling for fresh air supply, using thermal mass to reduce indoor temperature fluctuation, improving cross-ventilation by operable openings on both shells, and removing hot air through chimney effect'.

openarch.com

The Suzhou visitor centre in China has been transformed into a cultural and dynamic space. The renovation of the building (official name: Suzhou Public Cultural Visitor Centre) has just been completed by Tsing-Tien Making, a young Chinese practice that formed part of the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024. The new design intertwines the city’s artistic heritage within a carefully crafted service hub.

The Suzhou Public Cultural Visitor Centre

Founder of Tsing-Tien Making and Suzhou-born architect Freja Bao gathered design inspiration from her travels and observing international architecture. It was when she returned to Suzhou that she noticed a gap in public awareness and perceptions of design. Drawing upon this, Bao has taken on the challenge to introduce and experiment with novel architectural concepts that could enrich the local landscape, which she has shown in the unveiling of this project in her home town.

Bao previously told Wallpaper*: ‘My intention is to bridge this gap by integrating global architectural principles with local sensibilities, thereby fostering a more informed and appreciative public discourse around design.

‘Moreover, my vernacular roots have profoundly shaped my architectural perceptions and methodologies. Growing up immersed in the rich cultural and historical heritage of Suzhou, I developed a deep-seated appreciation for traditional aesthetics, craftsmanship, and the harmonious integration of built environments with natural surroundings.

'This background has instilled in me a unique perspective that values both the preservation of cultural identity and the pursuit of contemporary innovation.'

The new centre not only serves as a dynamic hub for seven other cultural destinations within the area, but also acts as a community base to showcase local folk arts and a space to support young artists.

The dual functionality of the centre was taken into consideration for the design. As a result, the building integrates modular roofs and adaptable display elements, so the space can easily evolve and adapt to future needs.

ttmaking.com

Fuelling China’s exponential urbanisation, as many as 295 million rural migrants of ‘working age’, known as the ‘floating population’, move between cities to find employment. As this mass movement leaves rural areas without a middle generation, a new multimedia and multisensory exhibition, 'Ripple Ripple Rippling', at the Architectural Association (AA) in London, brings into view the lives of those who are left behind amid the rise of China’s sprawling metropolises.

Spanning over ten years of research, architects, anthropologists, and choreographers Cyan Cheng, Chen Zhan, and Mengfan Wang embedded themselves in the rural village of Shigushan central China – uncovering changes through acts of adaptation and appropriation of the built environment during the gradual disappearance of rural life as it once was.

Explore the Architectural Association's show 'Ripple Ripple Rippling'

As the population left behind recalibrates, Cyan says: 'Family structures are formed outside of what is prescribed, with alterations to the built environment to match this lifestyle of communality.' On the broader anthropological research within the exhibition, she continues: 'Architecture is not enough to capture everything that's going on. So our practice expands into other disciplines.'

The exhibition features field notes, drawings and photography from Shigushan, as well as a film trilogy. This includes the trio's latest piece of moving image, ‘Till Ashes Turn Into Pines’, which explores how reincarnation manifests in the treatment of the natural environment.

Spilling out of the confines of the AA's gallery setting, a partial reconstruction of a typical state-funded rural house sits among the quintessentially Georgian houses of Bedford Square, making for a slightly surreal contrast. Drystone walling demarcates domestic spaces such as a garden, porch, and living room amid the public forum of the square. This installation's ‘unfinished’ status references the often incomplete or semi-ruined buildings that lay in waiting for funds from family members working in the cities.

What comes to the fore is a diminished sense of ownership in this world of residential structures, contrasting with the sometimes aggressive boundaries between public and private that we might find in ostensibly capitalist cities. Areas such as the living room become semi-public, while liminal spaces such as the yard are actively inhabited through domestic activity. Thresholds are not just crossed – they’re contently occupied.

Chen notes: 'We find there is this rippling image; all the domestic activities, they just ripple out and then they linger around the gates and then they leak to the streets.' The act of ‘Rippling’ references this improvised and reactive support system where the use of space becomes entangled in collective care. She adds: 'The protocols we understand around family and home [are defied] in a mundane sort of way.'

Moving away from 'traditional notions of architecture’, the show foregrounds an evolved sense of architecture that supports assemblage as opposed to reinforcing fracture. It brings attention to networks of care that are also relevant to cities in rethinking boundaries, thresholds, and symbols of ownership. In doing so, it takes a humanised view not of what is visually showstopping in architectural terms, but of what is quietly brilliant in its subversion of the status quo.

‘Ripple Ripple Rippling’, by Jingru Cyan Cheng, Chen Zhan and Mengfan Wang at the Architectural Association, London, includes an outdoor installation, until 6 November 2024, and a gallery exhibition, until 7 December 2024. More information at aaschool.ac.uk

Simple Design Archive, set in the city of Hefei in eastern China’s Anhui province, takes its cues from its region’s natural, mountainous landscape. Its author, HAS Design and Research, crafted this private museum, specialising in collecting contemporary Asian artwork and modern European furniture, around a series of curves and voids that nod to ‘caves facing the sky’.

Simple Design Archive by HAS Design and Research

The young and dynamic Bangkok and Shanghai-based architecture studio was founded in 2019 by Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee – and featured in the 2022 Wallpaper* Architects Directory for its architectural explorations around minimalism and material research, the poetic and the functional. The pair took the same approach with this project, using the external walls’ wavy, opaque shapes to create sleek, flowing internal exhibition spaces. At the same time, the walls act as barriers, blocking street noise to foster a contemplative environment inside.

Within these wall formations, the architects crafted an open-air, ‘echo chamber’ courtyard, aiming for it to be a ‘poetic sound sanctuary’, explains the architecture team. This outdoor area is lightly planted and fragrant, also serving as a hub for biodiversity, designed to attract insects and animals, such as cicadas and birds. The intention was to compose a space for relaxation and easy coexistence for humans and nature alike. ‘In the afternoon, the curved walls block the harsh western sunlight, allowing partial sunlight to filter into the echo chamber courtyard, creating a sacred space reminiscent of a church. This adds a sense of extraordinary ritual to the otherwise mundane city life.’

The interior follows the same approach, keeping things simple and seemingly effortless. Yet a closer look reveals a highly calibrated design sequence. Visitors are guided through a minimalist foyer to the gallery areas, where displays sit next to an art and materials library.

A sense of calm dominates throughout, aided by the building’s skylights, which serve as the main openings, illuminating the space softly, while keeping the distractions of the busy urban setting outside.

hasdesignandresearch.com

The New Bund 31 Performing Arts Center is tucked away between clusters of skyscrapers overlooking the bank of the Huangpo River in Shanghai. Designed by Neri & Hu (founded by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu) it is the latest addition to the city's ever-evolving cityscape. The theatre, which seats 2,500 people, is set to become a dynamic venue to host music, dance and theatre performances, as well as fashion, design and technology events.

Neri & Hu’s New Bund 31 Performing Arts Center

The project, its authors explain, aimed at creating an ‘arena’ that offers a ‘contemporary take on a classical archetype’. The result is dramatic but far from flashy, crafting an interior that is mesmerising in its curvature, and its five-storeyed seating. The warm oak provides a 'museum-like quality' that is further emphasised through the use of natural materials.

The lobby entrance nods to ancient Roman architecture, with colosseum-like terrazzo arches that stack around five storeys. The escalator space is crafted from glass blocks, giving an impression of elegant grandeur. Meanwhile, the cream façade is cool and calm, a delicate outer shell encasing the grand theatre.

The interior, lit by custom decorative fixtures, has a swirling form reminiscent of the inner workings of a grand piano, and enhancing the acoustics of each performance.

There is an additional event space, titled the 'black box', which is designed to host anything from conferences to exhibitions. Clad in blackened stainless steel, it stands in contrast to the glass-enclosed escalator.

With all the pre-show anticipation and the finding of seats, theatres can be a place of overstimulation. Through the use of organic materials, crisp lines and a soothing palette of colours, Neri & Hu have created a slice of calm before the curtain is raised.

neriandhu.com

The Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024 has been revealed, highlighting 20 studios from around the world as some of the year's most exciting newcomers.

Conceived in 2000 as an international index of emerging architectural talent, the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory is our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe. While always championing the best and most promising young studios, over the years, the project has showcased inspiring work with an emphasis on the residential realm. Now including more than 500 alumni, the Architects’ Directory is back for its 24th edition.

Join us as we launch this year’s survey – 20 young studios, from Australia, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, the UK, the USA, with plenty of promise, ideas and exciting architecture.

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024

Here are the 20 practices celebrated in this year's Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024 – spanning 19 countries and five continents.

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Europe

Kasawoo, UK

London-based Kasawoo was founded by Kyriaki (Katie) Kasabalis and Darius Woo in 2020, after they met during their studies at Cornell University in the USA. Their studio was established with an aim to work on bringing great design to everyone. 'Early on in our practice, we discovered that good design was often out of reach for most people, and we made a commitment to change that. For us, good design does not need to come with a big price tag. That is why we set up our practice to bring this ethos to life,' they say.

This desire is combined with an approach that draws on a more ‘gentle’ architecture – minimalism, not through formal reduction, but rather through the efficiency of both design gestures and resources.

Brown Urbanism, UK

Richard Brown's Brown Urbanism was born some ten years ago, as a London-based architecture and urbanism design practice with a mission to 'create better places for people to inhabit that are inclusive, engaging and meaningful'. As part of this philosophy, the studio works on a range of typologies and scales, including commercial, residential, retail and hospitality; always with a focus on sustainable, low-cost, high-impact design.

'Simple, well-thought-through design that works for the client while creating distinctive and meaningful urban environments,' says Brown. 'We are interested in how design can better reflect, support and enable new ways of inhabiting and experiencing space. We are particularly interested in how the home can support the complexities of life’s requirements – from working from home and experiencing nature to treating the home as a performative cultural place.'

Mast, Denmark

Mast, founded in 2021 by Australian architect Marshall Blecher and Danish maritime designer and architect Magnus Maarbjerg, is on a mission to improve the relationship between the city and the sea. 'We are motivated by the amazing potential that comes from reconnecting with water, as we have seen the amazing effect that even small improvements to water access and quality can produce in cities,' Blecher explains.

Specialising in architecture on or near water, the duo have completed several small structures floating around Copenhagen harbour. There is the 20 sq m tiny prototype floating island KBHØ1 (KBH for Copenhagen and Ø for island) with its 6m tall Linden tree; and the portable ‘harbour bath’, or Dyppezone, which can be freely moved around the city’s waterways, creating intimate bathing experience along its way.

Studio Argus, Estonia

Architect Margit Argus brings more than 20 years of experience in interior design, fine arts, and architecture to her young and fast-emerging architecture studio. The practice, based in Tallinn, is rooted in a Nordic aesthetic, bringing together local Estonian vernacular and a fine attention to detail. Current projects include a seaside hotel in Tallinn, a high-rise residential building, and a university campus in Tallinn, alongside a handful of schools and single-family houses.

Studio Collaboratorio, Finland

Young Helsinki practice Studio Collaboratorio was founded in 2016 by Finnish architect Kristiina Kuusiluoma and Italian architect Martino De Rossi. The dynamic, emerging practice aims to 'create beautiful habitats by using natural and ecological materials while at the same time paying close attention to the place and its history: more beauty, communality, affordability and humanity! Interactive cooperation, profound ecology and long life cycle are at the heart of everything.'

Branco del Rio, Portugal

Founded by Paula del Rio and João Branco, the architecture studio Branco del Rio is based in the riverfront city of Coimbra, Portugal’s former capital. Motivated by curiosity and influenced by the ever-changing city around them, the architects view each project as an opportunity to investigate different contexts and topics. Gathering inspiration from their travels, books and colleagues the team say: ‘We are convinced that what we do can improve quality of life. We live and work in spaces we designed, we share spaces we designed with friends. It is a privilege and also a motivation.’

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Asia

Playball Studio, India and Spain

Established in 2017, Playball Studio is an Indo-Spanish architecture firm led by architects Celia Fernández Duque and Ronak Gangdev. Based in Rajkot, India, and Valladolid, Spain, the studio works on a range of uniquely contextual residential and commercial projects, often within urban conditions.

The word ‘Playball’ reflects the studio’s philosophy of always ‘playing ball’ and prioritising the needs of its clients. Fernández Duque and Gangdev are also conscious of the impact of their projects on the physical environment. The studio’s core strength lies in striking a harmonious balance between the organic and the technical, simplicity and refinement, and form and functionality.

Tsing-Tien Making, China

Suzhou-born Freja Bao's studio, Tsing-Tien Making (TTM), was founded following the architect's education in London's Bartlett School of Architecture and stints in Japan, in the offices of KPF Architects and Kengo Kuma & Associates. Bao set up her independent practice in her home town in 2023 and has been going from strength to strength since.

'As a collective deeply passionate about architecture, we at Tsing-Tien Making thrive on embracing challenges and infusing each project with innovative experimentation,' she says. Beyond her first completed project, featured here, Bao adds that there's more to come: 'Our focus extends to a range of exciting undertakings, including the development of a retirement house, the restoration of a scientist’s former residence, and the conceptualisation of a private collector’s room.'

L Architects, Singapore

Boutique studio L Architects was founded in 2016 by Lim Shing Hui. Based in Singapore, the practice focuses on creating homes that enhance the living experience. ‘Architecture has the power to evoke a wide range of emotions within us. You have to find the soul of the space,’ says Lim. ‘The search [for this] is what keeps me motivated. I believe that a good piece of architecture has the ability to touch the human soul, communicate messages, stir empathy and at the same time quietly delight – and this in itself transcends mere physical realms.’

The studio also believes it is important to stay rooted in its culture, in particular the experiences, cultural background and personal journey of its founder, allowing this to inform the shape and unique style of each residential design, giving it a distinct authorship.

Studio Heech, South Korea

Working across a range of creative fields that encompass architecture, industrial design, furniture, and interactive performance installation, Studio Heech welcomes multi-layered, rich experiences. Meanwhile, ‘the craftsmanship of “making things” is still important in the 21st century,’ says Park. With a keen eye for detail, the studio strives to create its contemporary architectural expression through techniques that bridge technology and traditional manufacturing – ultimately addressing the fundamentals of urban architecture.

Championing both the traditional and the contemporary, the studio often creates intriguing architectural forms. As with many forward-thinking practices, Studio Heech integrates sustainability into its work. From planning through to construction, Park makes sure to collaborate with a wide network of engineers, artists and craftsmen to broaden ideas and spark curiosity within the creative process.

Touch Architect, Thailand

Based in the bustling Thai hub of Bangkok, Touch Architect crafts residences drawing on its cultural ties and environment, while adding sustainable architecture practices. When approaching a project, the duo applies a 'bottom-up approach’, meaning they focus on the functionality of the space before layering on aesthetics. ‘For us, good architecture must be functional, timeless, and sustainable,’ they say. ‘While beauty and aesthetics are also important, it comes as an enhancement which completes the architecture. Great architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis I Kahn inspire this philosophy in our work.’

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Africa

Fleury Atallah Architectes, Tunisia

Fleury Atallah Architectes is one of the exciting emerging architecture practices to be included in the annual Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024. Founded in 2011 by Catherine Fleury and Chacha Atallah, it has offices in Toulon, France and Carthage, Tunisia. The studio focuses mainly on residential projects for private clients who are after a sensitive, sober and context-specific approach as well as inventive and beautiful solutions to architectural and interior challenges; but it has also designed art galleries and wine production facilities.

SI.SA. Nigeria

African culture motivates Lagos-based architecture firm SI.SA. ‘We are influenced by the abstracted forms found in African traditional art and their ability to convey power and meaning,' says founder Seun Oduwole.

Founded in 2015, the ten-person firm aims 'to make beautiful buildings that enhance the built environment’. Dedicated to the betterment of communities, SI.SA focuses on inclusive and socially responsible architectural designs. Boasting a diverse portfolio of residential, educational, and cultural projects, the practice has worked on some impressive projects, such as the colourful John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Lagos.

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Americas

AD-WO, USA

Ethiopia-born Emanuel Admassu and Australia-born Jen Wood formed AD-WO in New York in 2015. The young art and architecture studio brings together their 'divergent' backgrounds to create valuable 'friction' within their practice – which, combined with their agility and multi-disciplinary approach, gives them a distinct edge when it comes to crafting works that are 'transnational' and experimental. The portfolio of the research-based studio spans from images and objects to furniture, tapestries, installations, and buildings.

Studio Porto, Brazil

The emerging practice of Camila Porto stands out through its contemporary fusion of Brazilian culture with a cosmopolitan attitude. Studio Porto's projects are intended to be timeless, balanced, and hospitable, Porto explains – but functionality is equally paramount. Attention to detail, empathy, and integration with nature are also strengths.

'Our greatest influence is Brazilian modernism, which brings with it a legacy of architectural solutions guided by simplicity and elegance. We combine this foundation with a contemporary and global perspective, integrating elements of nature and prioritising people's wellbeing. This combination of values shapes our approach uniquely and innovatively in architecture and design,' Porto explains.

TigerQi Architecture, British Virgin Islands and Saint Kitts and Nevis

Lavina Liburd started TigerQi Architecture in 2013, having previously worked at different firms and gained experience on a wealth of projects, from transportation and civic briefs to luxury residences and commercial buildings. With this under her belt, Liburd set up shop on her own, with a focus on a contemporary design approach that embraces simplicity and minimalism.

Due to the climate and topography of its secluded Caribbean home, the practice centres on three key principles; creating healthy buildings that support the social health and wellbeing of its clients; embracing hillside living to maximise views and light; and creating architecture that is designed to serve its community as a whole. These underlying principles are threaded into the studio's design process, wrapped up in a tropical modernism aesthetic.

Svima, Canada

Starting Svima five years ago, Anamarija Korolj and Leon Lai, looked towards nature and ecology. During our era of mass construction, the studio fine-tunes its mission by focusing on three key pillars: air, light and greenery. With this in mind, their designs draw on the blossoming biomes of Canada, while balancing a human-centric approach, ensuring that the client receives a design that provides ample access to nature. The studio's portfolio brings together a series of schemes that nod towards creating a more equitable and sustainable future.

Seeing themselves as ‘not only as designers of buildings but as stewards of human experience’, Korolj and Lai seek to unite art and architecture to ‘continuously leverage the two mediums as vehicles with a reciprocal relationship in pushing the boundaries of the visual and spatial expressions.’ The creative duo strives to implement projects with a sense of place, resilience and inclusivity, ‘reflecting the essence of what it means to be Canadian.’

Büro Koray Duman, USA

This agile New York and Istanbul architecture practice – Büro Koray Duman – was founded by architect Koray Duman in 2014. The studio is a proudly immigrant- and LGBTQ-led business, comprising a team of architects that represent a diverse mix of nationalities and experiences. As a result, its output is equally varied and captivating - from projects for MoMA PS1 Museum, to the Finnish Cultural Institute NY, the Noguchi Museum, IKSV, artist Richard Prince, the American Society for Muslim Advancement, Council for Fashion Designers of America, and Design Within Reach.

Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: Oceania

Alexander Symes, Australia

Architect Alexander Symes founded his namesake practice in 2014 with a vision to challenge the current status quo in sustainability in architecture, pushing and challenging the field's boundaries. With a ‘hands-on’ approach and a speciality in delivering passive homes that don't impact their context negatively, the practice aims to create residential design with a purpose.

‘On a macro level, this ensures we contribute to protecting biodiversity and providing a future-proofed housing stock,’ says Symes, ‘while on a micro level providing a healthy and resilient home for our clients in the changing climate.’ With this in mind, it is arguably only natural that the environment would be the studio’s biggest influence. Keeping context and nature at the forefront of its decisions, the practice enjoys working with bio-based construction and existing materials and suppliers. The result is buildings with a natural feel and a reduced carbon footprint.

Spacecraft Architects, New Zealand

Spacecraft Architects founders Roberston and Gittos often tackle limited budgets and the smaller scale in their work – a challenge they enjoy taking on to make architecture more accessible. Their own headquarters is nestled off the back of a self-built house in Whanganui, and is a clear representation of the studio's ethos.‘ The constraints offered by tight budgets and difficult (affordable) sites breed creativity and drive our design work,’ the creative duo told Wallpaper*.

With an interest in buildings that do not rely on luxurious materials or highly detailed construction, the pair hope to create powerful architecture even within the simplest structures. Working on infill housing across New Zealand opened up a niche for a wealth of recent work focused on the rising appeal of co-housing, in various forms of multi-residential projects and apartment builds.