Contemporary China architecture refers to everything built in the country since the middle of the 1800s and comprises a variety of styles. Most official buildings in China still have traditional architecture. From the Ming and Qing dynasties. However, by the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, foreign consulates, banks, corporate buildings, and clubs in major cities introduced western architectural designs.
This type of China architecture features a sleek and futuristic style. Buildings have an open and streamlined concept. Additionally, modern Chinese architecture takes unique spins on constructions that come from modern western architecture. While classic China architecture features walled compounds, raised pavilions, wooden paneling, and yellow glazed roof tile, contemporary architecture changes everything completely.
Beijing features some beautiful contemporary architecture. The city’s bucity’ss have modern designs that take the idea of the skyscraper to the next level. At the same time, some resemble the classic skyscraper, with just a few design changes to make the shape of the tower more intriguing. Other buildings feature unique conditions that require complex engineering.
National Grand Theater
The National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA), also known as The Giant Egg, is the largest theatre complex in Asia. French architect Paul Andreu designed the uniquely shaped building. The arts center opened its door in 2007 and features opera, music, and art exhibition halls. NCPA also features a theater, restaurants, audio shops, and many more facilities.
The exterior of the Egg is made of steel in a semi-ellipsoidal shape. During the planning of the building, it could not exceed the height of the Great Hall of the People, which was 46 meters tall. Therefore, the NCPA had to expand downwards. The building features ten underground stories, which comprise over half of the building area.
One of the most incredible aspects of this building is that any pillars do not support the dome. The structure of the arts center is a single curved steel beam. The outer layer of the crown is coated with nanomaterials that do not allow any water stains from rain drops.
Phoenix International Media Center
Perhaps one of the unique contemporary buildings in Beijing, the Phoenix International Media Center is in the shape of a twisting lattice of steel. The Phoenix Television headquarter was designed by BIAD UFO and completed in 2014. It consists of two bulbous towers with kidney-shaped floorplans.
BIAD, also known as the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, is government-owned and helped shift the world’s vworld’sChina. Rather than everything being made in the country, this unique building brought the idea of things being created in China as well. The main argument for the unique design was to create a transparent headquarters. Therefore, it features gardens and reflecting pools to attract visitors to continue to look at the beautiful work of art.
CCTV Headquarters
Another beautifully designed headquarters for a television company in China, the CCTV Headquarters, was completed in 2012. Rem Koolhaas created the unique design and Ole Scheeren of the Office of Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), and Cecil Balmond did the complex engineering at Arup. The tower is 234 meters tall and features a unique shape. The building is a loop of six horizontal and vertical sections.
The CCTV headquarters started groundbreaking in 2004, and the building’building’sas complete by 2008. However, an adjacent building caught on fire because of fireworks during Lantern Festival day in 2009. The headquartheadquarters’tion completed in 2012 and inaugurated in 2013.
This building’building’sakes a unique approach to the exhausted typology of the skyscraper. Rather than competing for the tallest building, OMA chose a unique and complex structure and a three-dimensional experience. The CCTV headquarters can be seen from most of Beijing, and every angle is a fantastic view of its beauty and uniqueness.
CITIC Tower
Also known as China Zun, the CITIC tower is a supertall skyscraper located in the central business district of Beijing. The building has 109 floors and measures 528 meters in height. Construction first began in 2011, and it was completed in 2018. The building has seven office areas, including the China CITIC Bank, Alibaba, and CITIC Group.
The buildings design was inspired by an ancient Chinese wine vessel called zun, usually made of bronze or ceramic. It first appeared in the Shang dynasty. In religious ceremonies to hold wine, the zun features a wide lip that makes it easier to pour.
The China Zun features finesse and beauty. The lobby features a unique upward curve that mirrors the turn of the fluted tower. It is truly mesmerizing to see the skyscraper’s design in person. The inside of the building features aluminum ribbing that follows the curvature of the tower.
Leeza Soho
Another breathtakingly designed skyscraper, the Leeza Soho, is located in Beijing’s Lize Financial Business District. The buildingbuilding’building’stiontarted in 2015 and opened its doors in 2019. It has 45 floors above ground and four below ground. Located near the train station, it also has a subway service tunnel.
Zaha Hadid Architects designed the Leeza Soho. The building features a unique shape, and its position over the subway tunnel led to the division of the skyscraper. This division creates an atrium twisting through the center of the tower. Each level features structural rings. Four sky bridges and double insulated glass unite the two halves.
Beijing has some incredibly unique architecture. China’s China’ssaChina’sturematically changed with its inspiration taken from the western world. However, they took the classic skyscraper design and turned it into something of their own.
While the Leeza Soho and CITIC Tower are buildings that look like the classic skyscraper, however, even these buildings feature some unique design that makes them stand out. The other three buildings mentioned take architecture to a brand-new level.