China is experiencing a period of rapid economic growth and urban expansion. The resulting construction boom has transformed the country into not only one of the world's largest building sites but also one of the most exciting architectural showcases of the twenty-first century, attracting such acclaimed international as Paul Andreu, Norman Foster, Hadid, kisho Kurokawa and I. M. Pei,among others. In Beijing alone there are more than one thousand projects under development. Here and across China , in major conurbations and rural areas alike, architects are using the opportunity to realize avant-garde designs that would have remained on the drawing-board elsewhere.
This book brings together more than one hundred outstanding projects from around China , none of them completed earlier than 2000, and some still under construction or being planned. It includes all building types, from private residences to colleges, shops and offices, and from opera houses, theatres and museums to exhibition halls, hotels and airport terminals features winning competition schemes for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. The work of local practices is represented alongside that of larger, well-established architects, and all projects are accompanied by plans and colour illustrarions. An informative introduction traces the development of modern Chinese architecture and considers the contributions of renowned foreign architects and China 's own leading talents such as Yung Ho Chang, Liu Jiakun and Qingyun Na. This book will appeal to anyone interested in China 's future at the forefront of contemporary architecture.
