Modern Architecture in Beijing

Beijing may be more widely known for its ancient architectural achievements such as the Great Wall or the Temple of Heaven but modern architecture is as much a defining feature of the skyline of today’s Beijing. Below are a few of the most instantly recognisable buildings.

National Centre for the Performing Arts

Known to most people in Beijing as the “Giant Egg,” the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) is located on Chang’an Avenue just west of Tiananmen Square. Designed by French architect Paul Andreu and completed in 2007, the exterior of the NCPA is a massive glass and titanium dome surrounded on all sides by a manmade lake. The building was designed to stand in deliberate contrast with the imperial architecture of the nearby Forbidden City.

The NCPA can be reached by subway by taking line 1 to Tian’anmen West station and exiting via exit C. It hosts performances by both Chinese and foreign dance, theater, and opera troupes, and can seat nearly 5,500 people across three concert halls.

CCTV New Mansion

The Forbidden City and the Great Wall aside, the CCTV New Mansion is one of Beijing’s most recognizable landmarks. Affectionately known by many locals as the “big pants,” the 44-story skyscraper was designed by Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren of Office for Metropolitan Architecture. It is located next to the East Third Ring Road in Beijing’s Central Business District.

Commune by the Great Wall

The Commune by the Great Wall is a collection of 12 villas designed by some of Asia’s top architects, including Kengo Kuma and Gary Chang. The development was exhibited at the 2002 Venice Biennale and came away with several special prizes. The Commune is the site of a 175-room hotel managed by Soho China; guests can rent a room in one of the villas or rent out a whole villa for a private gathering. Located near the Badaling section of the Great Wall, hotel guests can access the Wall via a private path on the hotel grounds.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation Headquarters

Perhaps not on the itinerary of most tourists, the CNOOC headquarters is nevertheless an imposing edifice that is easily spotted from the east Third Ring Road. A project by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the building is designed to look like the prow of an oil tanker. Inside, the offices and other spaces are organized around a central atrium that reaches the full height of the building and allows plenty of natural sunlight to enter.

National Library of China

The National Library of China is located in western Beijing (it has its own subway stop on line 4). An 80,000 square meter extension to the existing Library was completed by KSP Jurgen Engel Architekten in 2008. The extension houses 12 million books. The building incorporates traditional Chinese design elements, such as pillars and a floating ceiling, into a modern glass and concrete structure. To us, it looks a little bit like a book lying on its side.

Popular Beijing Tours:

• 1-Day Beijing and the Great Wall tour
• 2-Day Beijing tour
• 3-Day Beijing tour
• Golden Triangle of China - 9-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai tour
• The Classic China Tour - 13-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Guiling, Yangshuo, Shanghai tour
• More Beijing tours ...