Nanshan building wins global design award

The Nantou Hybrid Building at Nantou Ancient Town, Nanshan District, has been crowned the overall winner at the 2024 THE PLAN Design Award, taking home the highest honor of the event.

This year’s competition, which featured 20 categories, attracted over 1,200 entries from around the world. After a rigorous international evaluation process, 600 projects were initially shortlisted, with 400 advancing to the final round.

Each category included two winners, and 35 honorable mentions were awarded to deserving projects. The China Merchants Group History Museum project was among the finalists in the Cultural Architecture (Completed) category.

A photo of the outside view of the Nantou Hybrid Building. File Photos

The Nantou Hybrid Building, situated at Baode Square in the heart of Nantou Ancient Town, is a cluster of five individual residential houses constructed in different periods, and showcases diverse palettes of materials, structure, and style.

The renovation design, led by Meng Yan from URBANUS Architecture & Design, preserved the intricate layers of history. The vibrant mix of traditional and modern materials mirrors the genuine essence of the building, according to the project’s overview. The design team reshaped the interior, while the exterior was thoughtfully remade to document the passage of time through additions, renovations, and material alterations.

The inside picture of the Nantou Hybrid Building.

Established by THE PLAN magazine, THE PLAN Design Award is committed to fostering excellence in architecture, design, and urban planning by promoting the professional development of designers, scholars, critics, and students.

An aerial view of the Nantou Hybrid Building.