“Contemporary” and “Chinese” beyond Regionalism: Wang Shu, Li Chengde, and the Pritzker’s interpretation of China

The awarding of the 2012 Pritzker Architecture Prize to Wang Shu, though more than a decade past, remains a significant moment for critical reflection. While recent scholarship has examined Wang’s work in greater depth, insufficient attention has been paid to the design context that positioned his architecture as a breakthrough. This paper addresses this gap by comparing two projects: Wang’s Xiangshan Campus and Li Chengde’s Nanshan Campus, both designed for the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. Through this comparative analysis, the study investigates the conditions and differences between the two schemes, situating them within a broader spectrum of concurrent positions in Chinese architectural discourse. To frame the comparison, this paper revisits disciplinary debates on Critical Regionalism, adapting key concepts to the Chinese condition while offering a new perspective on the terms and positions within this theoretical discourse. By contextualizing Wang’s work, this research seeks to historicize scholarship on contemporary Chinese architecture and, by extension, to foster a more grounded approach to international architectural criticism.