China is a rich and cultured land.
This is a country which is home to a massive melting pot of cultures, tradition, and history dating back thousands of years.
But China is also home to unique and incredible architecture.
Below is a list of just some of China’s most inspiring buildings.
Tianzi Hotel – Hebei Province
China’s Tianzi Hotel, which is located in Langfang in Hebei Province, is one of the country’s strangest and most captivating architectural designs.
In architectural circles, the “Hotel of the Gods” would be described as an acquired taste. Even so, it attracts hundreds of thousands of admiring tourists each year.
Tianzi Hotel is the country’s largest image building, and it has even won awards for being China’s ugliest building.
Whatever your thoughts, this is a piece of architecture that is as unique as they come.
Fang Yuan Mansion – Shenyang
Fang Yuan Mansion is located in the Chinese city of Shenyang, which is the capital of Shenyang Province.
The building is largely used as an office building, and its design resembles an ancient Chinese coin.
Fang Yuan Mansion was designed by architect C.Y. Lee and is clearly an attempt to combine Western and Eastern styles.
New Century Global Center
If anything, New Century Global Center, which is situated in the Tianfu New Area of Chengdu, Sichuan, is a strong statement of China’s economic power.
New Century Global Center is unique in that it is the world’s largest building in terms of sheer volume. To illustrate, this architectural wonder can hold 20 Sydney Opera Houses.
The building is home to an entire Mediterranean village, a massive IMAX theatre, and a giant shopping center.
Ring Of Life – Shenfu New Town
Back in 2009, Chinese authorities made plans to create a brand-new town between Shenyang and Fushun. The result was Shenfu New Town, and California-based the Goddard Group was ultimately commissioned to create an all-new space able to handle the overflow from the two industrial cities.
Designer Gary Goddard came up with modern plans for housing, retail, and spaces where people could relax and check out the latest Melbourne Cup bets. He also dreamed up a distinctive and unique signature building in the shape of a massive steel ring.
The Ring of Life was completed in 2012 and was constructed at a cost of US$16 million dollars. While the massive structure was deemed too high for bungee jumping, which had been part of the original plan, it does boast an observation deck offering a mind-blowing view of the surrounding landscape.
This incredible structure can be accessed by taking a bus to Wangli Street, and then heading over to 4th Ring Road, which crosses over the Hunbe River.
At night, the Ring of Life is illuminated by more than 10,000 lights.
SOHO Towers – Beijing
The Wangjing SOHO Complex is made up of three curvilinear towers constructed to mimic actual mountain peaks.
This building is a truly iconic architectural masterpiece and consists of three towers measuring up to 200m in height. Unveiled in September 2014 and was designed by UK-based Zaha Hadid Architects.
The structure is said to have been inspired by the movement of the sun, the wind, and the surrounding city.
