Architects of the Year 2026: DnA Design and Architecture
Architecture Rooted in Place
Before founding DnA Design and Architecture in 2004, Xu Tiantian completed a master’s degree in architecture and urban design at Harvard Graduate School of Design. She then worked for design and architecture practices in the United States and the Netherlands.
In China, Xu Tiantian belongs to the first generation of women in the country to establish their own architecture practices. DnA Design and Architecture works across disciplines and follows a design approach that precisely aligns function and geometry.
The practice is internationally known for sustainable and inclusive architecture. Its projects begin with a close reading of each site and its specific conditions. From this starting point, DnA develops a wide range of commissions, from production facilities and bridges to cultural programmes.
Strengthening local structures and initiating long-term processes of development are central to the practice.
Quarry #9: Turning a Quarry into a Cultural Space
Quarry #9, completed in 2022 in Lishui City in China’s Zhejiang Province, is one example of this approach. The remote quarry opens from a narrow entrance into an almost rectangular space. Towards the top, the cut narrows into a slim opening that brings in light.
The spatial conditions create distinctive acoustic qualities. This makes the space suitable for performances, lectures and Wuju Opera, a traditional form of opera practised in the region.
The project uses the existing quarry as both its starting point and its defining material. Rather than placing an independent building within the landscape, DnA develops the existing space through a careful process of excavation and construction.
Selected Projects
- Quarry #9, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, 2022
- The Songyang Story
- Jinyun Quarries
- Brown Sugar Factory
