Nine projects in China just made RIBA’s 2026 global winners list—and they’re rewriting what great architecture looks like today.
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced its International Awards for Excellence 2026, spotlighting 34 projects worldwide—10 of which are in East Asia. Notably, 9 of these are located across mainland China, marking a significant regional concentration. Rather than spectacle-driven icons, this year’s selection signals a decisive shift: toward adaptive reuse, civic generosity, and architecture that actively mediates between people, culture, and place.
From infrastructural landmarks to revived industrial sites, the China-dominated cohort outlines a more grounded, socially responsive design ethos. Here are the 10 East Asian winners shaping that narrative.
Beijing Performing Arts Center, Beijing
Schmidt Hammer Lassen + Perkins & Will
A monumental yet porous cultural complex, this waterfront landmark integrates an opera house, concert hall, and playhouse into sculptural volumes that echo Beijing’s evolving cultural identity. It positions performance not just as spectacle, but as urban catalyst.
GREEN HILL, Shanghai
Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.
Once an abandoned warehouse, now a layered ecological hub—GREEN HILL merges parkland, public space, and community programming. It reflects Shanghai’s growing commitment to regenerative urbanism along its riverfront.
Foreign Language School, Shenzhen
Unitinno Architectural Technology Development Company Limited
Built on previously idle land, this lightweight, flexible campus addresses the pressures of rapid urbanisation. Its adaptable design supports evolving educational models while maximizing spatial efficiency.
Rockbund Shanghai, Shanghai
David Chipperfield Architects + Arquitectonica
A careful orchestration of old and new, this project revitalises a historic waterfront district by restoring heritage buildings and inserting contemporary architecture. The result is a layered, mixed-use quarter that reconnects the Bund to the city.
Service Station Under Wuning Road Bridge, Shanghai
Atelier Z+
Transforming residual infrastructure into civic space, this project reclaims the underside of a bridge as a flexible community hub. Its role during lockdown—as a shelter and support space—underscores architecture’s capacity for social resilience.
Shanghai Library East, Shanghai
Schmidt Hammer Lassen
One of the world’s largest new libraries, this building rethinks the typology entirely. With 80% of its space dedicated to public use and powered by low-energy systems, it shifts the focus from storage to interaction and knowledge exchange.
Shenzhen Energy Ring, Shenzhen
Schmidt Hammer Lassen + Gottlieb Paludan Architects
A waste-to-energy plant reimagined as public infrastructure, this circular facility integrates education, exhibition, and green space. It makes the invisible systems of urban sustainability legible—and accessible—to citizens.
Taoxichuan Ceramic Culture Industrial Park, Jingdezhen
Jie Zhang + Beijing An-Design Architects + THUPDI
Rooted in the philosophy of “Enabling and Evolving,” this project transforms former ceramic factories into a vibrant cultural district. It preserves industrial heritage while fostering creative economies and urban vitality.
West Wusutu Village Community Center, Hohhot
Inner Mongolian Grand Architecture Design Co., Ltd.
Organised around a central courtyard, this community centre supports local Hui Muslim traditions and daily life. It balances cultural specificity with openness, offering spaces for gathering, play, and exchange.
Photo courtesy of RIBA
