The Los Angeles Business Council (LABC) hosted the 46th Annual Los Angeles Architectural Awards on June 16. The winners of the Beyond L.A. Award were MAD Architects for the Harbin Opera House and Gensler for the Shanghai Tower.
Ma Yansong, founder of MAD Architects, delivered the keynote address at the awards. Yansong is regarded as an important leader in the new generation of architects and is known for cultivating a sense of community and nature through architecture. Robert Jernigan, Regional Managing Principal of Gensler, co-chaired the awards.
Harbin Opera House
- Architect: MAD Architects
- Contractor: Beijing Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd.
- Building Owner/Developer: Harbin Songbei Investment and Development
Harbin Opera House was designed in response to the force and spirit of the northern city’s untamed wilderness and frigid climate. Clad in custom white aluminum, the building features a Grand Theater for 1,600 patrons and a smaller theater for an intimate audience of 400.
Shanghai Tower
- Architect: Gensler
- Contractor: Shanghai Construction Group
- Building Developer: Shanghai Tower Construction & Development Co., Ltd.
Soaring to 2,073 feet, China’s tallest building is the new icon of the Shanghai skyline. Taking inspiration from the country’s tradition of small courtyards and neighborhood parks, the Tower recasts them in a sleek, urban form representing the innovation, inclusion, and success of modern China.
