China has produced many outstanding architects whose work is admired worldwide. Four figures stand out for their lasting impact and global recognition.
I. M. Pei (1917–2019)
Ieoh Ming Pei, born in Guangzhou, became the most famous Chinese architect internationally. Inspired by Suzhou gardens in his youth, he studied architecture in the United States. Unhappy with traditional teaching, he explored modern designs. Pei worked for a New York developer before starting his own firm in 1955. His major works include the Mesa Laboratory in Colorado, the John F. Kennedy Library, the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and the Suzhou Museum. Pei received top honors like the Pritzker Prize (1983), often called architecture’s Nobel Prize, and the AIA Gold Medal (1979).
Lin Huiyin (1904–1955)
Lin Huiyin was modern China’s first female architect. After studying at the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University in the 1920s, she worked closely with her husband, Liang Sicheng. Together, they discovered ancient treasures like the Tang Dynasty Foguang Temple. After 1949, as Tsinghua University professors, they dedicated themselves to protecting China’s cultural heritage. Lin also contributed to designing China’s national emblem (徽章) and the Monument to the People’s Heroes, and authored poetry and essays.
Wang Shu (b. 1963)
Based in Hangzhou, Wang Shu is dean (院长) of the China Academy of Art’s School of Architecture. He co-founded the Amateur Architecture Studio with his wife, Lu Wenyu. In 2012, Wang made history by becoming the first Chinese citizen to win the Pritzker Prize, architecture’s highest global honor, recognizing his unique and culturally rich designs.
Liang Sicheng (1901–1972)
Liang Sicheng is considered a founder of modern Chinese architecture and a protector of traditional buildings. He promoted the idea of “old and new styles together”, greatly helping preserve China’s ancient architecture. With his wife Lin Huiyin, he co-designed Beijing’s Monument to the People’s Heroes, mixing classical stone carving with modern design to create a monument with special Chinese character.
These architects connected China’s deep traditions with new ideas, creating works celebrated across the world.
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