Shenzhen – China 17 December 2025 – The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has today announced the 10 winning projects of the inaugural RIBA Asia Pacific Awards, honouring the most innovative, socially impactful and future-focused architecture across one of the world’s most dynamic regions. The awards were announced at a gala ceremony during the RIBA Architecture Festival Asia (RAFA) in Shenzhen, attended by leading architects, developers and policymakers from across the Asia Pacific and beyond.
The awarded projects illustrate a powerful shift in how the built environment across the Asia Pacific is evolving to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. Each project is deeply rooted in local identity whilst embracing innovative design strategies, demonstrating how architecture can respond to the urgent global challenges – from climate resilience and environmental responsibility to rapid urbanisation and social equity, showing how thoughtful design can enhance daily life and strengthen communities.
Across the region, architects are strengthening community life by revitalising neglected areas and creating vibrant, socially responsive environments. In China, the ambitious transformation of Taoxichuan Ceramic Culture Industrial Park into a thriving cultural district demonstrates the power of adaptive reuse and establishes a new benchmark for contemporary urban public spaces. In India, House of Memories by Studio Gravitas, in collaboration with Eleemente & Bodh Design Group, reinterprets the traditional ‘Thotti Mane’ courtyard for contemporary and multi-generational living in a compact and suburban plot in Karnataka.
This year’s projects demonstrate a clear commitment to sustainability, with designs that reduce environmental impact and foreground long-term stewardship of the natural landscape. In Bangladesh, BRAC University by WOHA transformed a former landfill site into a vibrant and climate-conscious educational hub, setting a strong precedent for sustainable architecture and design. In Singapore, a new 51-storey building, CapitaSpring, integrates more than 38,000 plants across sky gardens and communal spaces, creating a breathable, people-centred environment in the heart of the business district, demonstrating how dense cities can prioritise well-being alongside business success.
Innovation sits at the heart of the winning works, with architects embracing emerging technologies and AI-driven design tools to advance creative boundaries. In China, Rui Xue Multi-Hall by Tongji University combined digital design and robotic fabrication to create an organic timber structure that supports the country’s rural revitalisation efforts, while the Qianhai Museum in Shenzhen stands as a waterfront cultural landmark, blending art, nature, and technology into one cohesive cultural experience.
Spanning across China, India, Singapore and Bangladesh, this year’s winners showcase the remarkable range of design intelligence shaping local communities across the Asia Pacific. Projects such as the West Wusutu Village Community Center in Hohhot and the Seaside Pavilion on Chai Shan Island demonstrate how architecture can foster a strong sense of belonging and serve as welcoming gateways for both visitors and locals alike. Varied in ambition, scale, and approach, these works illustrate a dynamic architectural landscape that continues to set new standards on the world stage.
Prof. Dennis Ho, RIBA Chapter Chair, Hong Kong, says,
“This year’s winners exemplify the depth and diversity of architectural excellence across the Asia Pacific. They reflect a shared commitment to design that responds to local culture and environment, setting new benchmarks for innovation and social purpose, and proving that thoughtful, context-driven design can meaningfully shape a more sustainable and vibrant future for the region.”
The 10 winners of the RIBA Asia Pacific Awards
Adaptive Reuse Winner
● Taoxichuan Ceramic Culture Industrial Park – Beijing An-Design Architects & THUPDI (Jingdezhen, China) This ambitious masterplan revitalises the heart of China’s porcelain capital by transforming old ceramic factories into a vibrant cultural district. Spanning 22 hectares, the project blends adaptive reuse with new development, public spaces, and creative industry infrastructure. By retaining nearly half the original structures, it dramatically cuts waste and carbon emissions. Now a thriving hub for culture, tourism, jobs, and commerce, Taoxichuan has generated hundreds of millions in revenue and become a national model for post-industrial regeneration.
AI Powered Design Award
● Rui Xue Multi-Hall – Tongji University (Chengdu, China) This unique rural pavilion takes inspiration from melting snow, creating an organic timber structure that blends naturally into the surrounding farmland. Using advanced digital design tools and robotic fabrication, the project combines craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. Skylights, preserved trees, and gently open spaces blur the boundaries between inside and outside. The design sets a new model for sustainable vernacular architecture and supports China’s rural revitalisation efforts.
Design for Living Award
● House of Memories – Studio Gravitas in collaboration with Eleemente & Bodh Design Group (Karnataka, India) Located in suburban Karnataka, this home is a modern tribute to the traditional “Thotti Mane” courtyard style. Designed for a multi-generational family, it navigates a tight urban plot to create a space filled with nostalgia and comfort. The architecture weaves together history and memory, using specific design choices to balance solitude with socialising. By blending local materials with climate-responsive design, it redefines domestic life, offering a sanctuary that deeply connects the owners to their heritage and the seasons.
Future Projects Award
● Qianhai Museum – Architectural Design and Research institute of SCUT Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen, China) Situated on Shenzhen’s stunning waterfront, this museum is a massive cultural landmark designed as a “Beacon of the Era.” Its elevated structure creates open, airy public zones, while a spectacular 100-meter arch on the fifth floor offers panoramic views of the bay. The building features a rooftop garden and a shimmering façade inspired by traditional roofs, filtering light like a radiant seascape. Meeting high green building standards, it blends art, nature, and technology into one cohesive cultural experience.
Mixed Use Award
● CapitaSpring – Bjarke Ingels Group (Singapore) CapitaSpring is a stunning 51-story “vertical oasis” in Singapore that redefines city living by blending architecture with nature. Standing 280 meters tall, its facade peels back to reveal lush greenery at various levels, housing over 38,000 plants. The building features a rooftop sky garden, creating a refreshing contrast between sleek glass, steel, and tropical vegetation. It serves as a vibrant, breathable neighbourhood for work, life, and play right in the heart of the bustling business district.
RIBA Member Award
● Taoxichuan Ceramic Culture Industrial Park – Jie Zhang, Beijing An-Design Architects, THUPDI (Jingdezhen, China) Transforming China’s “porcelain capital,” this masterplan regenerates abandoned ceramic factories in Jingdezhen into a thriving cultural district. Instead of demolition, the project preserves the industrial heritage, creating museums and markets within the old structures. This adaptive reuse approach saved massive amounts of waste and carbon emissions. The park has revitalised the city’s economy, creating thousands of jobs and offering a vibrant, walkable urban space that celebrates the region’s deep connection to ceramic art.
Social Architecture Award
● West Wusutu Village Community Center in Hohhot – Inner Mongolian Grand Architecture Design Co., Ltd. (Hohhot, China) This community center is the beating heart of village life, designed to serve everyone from elders to children. It features specific rooms for traditional activities like mahjong and communal dining, alongside an art hall for local creatives. A central circular courtyard creates a strong sense of belonging, particularly for the local Hui Muslim community. Topping it off is a massive rooftop playground for children. It effectively combines social gathering, cultural expression, and play into one cohesive, welcoming home for the village.
Sustainability and Resilience Award
● BRAC University – WOHA (Dhaka, Bangladesh) Transforming a former waste ground into a vibrant educational hub, this project in Dhaka creates a tropical “vertical university.” Designed as a “club sandwich,” it layers academic spaces above an airy public park, maximising land use in a dense city. The campus relies on large breezeways and cross-ventilation rather than just air conditioning, keeping the spaces naturally cool. With a rooftop pool, track, and student amenities, it stands as a sustainable, nature-friendly model for learning in the tropics.
Temporary Architecture Award
● Seaside Pavilion on Chai Shan Island – GN Architects (Zhoushan, China) Part of an island revitalisation plan in Zhoushan, this Sea-Viewing Pavilion transforms an abandoned dock into a romantic destination. The design features 37 six-meter-long blades suspended from the roof, which gently sway in the sea breeze to create a calming, rhythmic atmosphere. Serving as a welcoming gateway for visitors and a resting spot for locals, the pavilion captures the spirit of the island, offering a serene place to gather and enjoy the ocean views.
Urban Regeneration Award
● Taoxichuan Ceramic Culture Industrial Park – Jie Zhang, Beijing An-Design Architects, THUPDI (Jingdezhen, China)
Transforming China’s “porcelain capital,” this masterplan regenerates abandoned ceramic factories in Jingdezhen into a thriving cultural district. Instead of demolition, the project preserves the industrial heritage, creating museums and markets within the old structures. This adaptive reuse approach saved considerable amounts of waste and carbon emissions. The park has revitalised the city’s economy, creating thousands of jobs and offering a vibrant, walkable urban space.
Chris Williamson, RIBA President, said:
“The RIBA Asia Pacific Awards celebrate the extraordinary creativity and leadership of architects across this dynamic region. The winning projects are diverse in scale and context but share a common goal: to design for people, place, and planet. They exemplify architecture’s power to tackle complex challenges and inspire meaningful change.”